You may have read about the latest, greatest data breach. Cybernews called it the “mother of all breaches”.
I’m not sure who coined the term, but it’s being used across other news sites. Cybernews even gave it an acronym: “MOAB”. MOAB is a combination of data that was previously leaked, and new data – about 26 billion records!
I’m not going to write about that. Other than this suggestion: if you are not using a password manager, start doing so. And update your passwords or, better still, use 2FA.
YAA (Yet Another Acronym)
The acronym caught my attention. The US military has a bomb called “Massive Ordinance Air Blast” (or MOAB), which is also called the “mother of all bombs”. Perhaps that was where they got the name for this data breach.
Some words and acronyms become part of the vernacular, and some don’t. (Does anyone other than ABSA use “Africanacity”?)
Many of you enjoyed the acronyms in my last email of 2023. A while ago I found a list of abbreviations used in online chats. Some I’m familiar with. Some I’m too old to care about – like PAW (“parents are watching”).
Acronyms you might know
Technology is an ARE (acronym-rich environment). JDK, MVC, CRUD, PAP, SAAS, IAAS, SEO, API, BPA, DBMS, DPA, ERP. The list never ends. And some have multiple meanings, just to confuse everyone.
The list I found included some that can be useful for a remote working environment:
- AFK : away from keyboard
- BAK : back at keyboard
- EAK : eating at keyboard – presumably for lunch breaks. I don’t know why there isn’t a DAK. Perhaps because it’s rare to see a computer without a mug next to it.
I thought BTHOOM would be for a bathroom break, but it means beat the heck out of me.
More useful for programmers is IFAB: I found a bug. But then we need something for I fixed a bug. Why isn’t there one for that?
In a popularity vote, I think programmers would choose one of these:
- RTFM : read the flipping manual
- PEBKAC : problem exists between keyboard and chair. Also known as PICNIC : problem in chair, not in computer.
Perhaps a runner up will be GIFY: Google is your friend. Which is not always true, because DBEYR – don’t believe everything you read. I’m sure there’ll be one for ChatGPT soon.
Make your own acronyms
Nothing stops us from making our own acronyms.
Today I coined the acronym ACCA for awful call centre agent. Not very catchy, but it scores extra points for being a palindrome (a word that reads the same backwards as forwards,). This was after the online chat person at DSTV could not understand a simple question. Twenty minutes of my life that I’ll never get back.
I’m working on one for government officials who don’t do their work. Any suggestions? (I’m still struggling with the Master of the High Court.)
Enough is enough
By now, you might be having a SOHF – sense of humor failure. So I’ll stop before you start thinking IHA – I hate acronyms. It’s time for me to GBTW – get back to work. (I just invented that one.) Honestly, without the explanations, I wouldn’t have understood this email myself! Maybe I really am an OL. (You can look that one up yourself.)
I’d love to hear your thoughts.