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I had always assumed the two were related, so I just did a quick search:
http://ftp.arl.mil/~mike/ping.html
So the ping command seems to be related to the ping of a submarine radar. In each case, one is transmitting a signal (radar wave or ethernet packet) and waiting for a return (the ping).
I wrote a specialized ping program once (for multicast). They're trivial, of course, but useful for tracking down network problems.
In conversation, I've heard numerous non-tech types say, "I'll ping so-and-so about x" or simply "I'll ping so-and-so." The meaning varies on the context. Sometimes, it means, I'll ask X what he thinks. Others, it just means, I'll say hello.
k
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Odd. In the newsgroups I frequent, it is often used after a statement, rather than before it. The context in which read, and use, it most often is in discussing the merits of a particular piece of software, appending, or prefixing, IM(H)O to stress that the statement is subjective, not necesssarily objective. It is a useful tool for preventing flame wars from those who disagree with the HO expressed.
I've seen it in newsgroups a lot, but moreso on chats. And I'm not annoyed at all by "IMO," but only IMHO. It's not something that gets me angry or disgusts me or makes me grit my teeth. It's just something I find mildly annoying, nothing more. Each of us has our peeves and this is one of mine. There are phrases that really do come close to irritating me such as "Take my word for it" or "You don't want to know" or any of various other presumptuous phrases.
But back to IMHO, I've seen it used in the way you've described. And I've seen it used in other ways. Often, it's kinda like emoticons (which I never use, but which generally don't irritate me). Some people think they can say whatever obnoxious thing they want so long as they put a smiley after it. Another example is when people preface a statement with, "No offense, but <insert really obnoxious personal comment here>," or the one I hear from the occasional neighbor, "I don't mean to intrude, but ..."
I'm not opposed to people using language that ameliorates the potential for slight, or acknowledges the awareness one has for one's own fallibility. I think these are great things to do when they are sincere, as they often are.
Ideally, one would never feel compelled to do this. Each of us would practice comity and would assume that others did as well. But I understand in a world where people often speak in extremes, are eager to give offense and eager to take it, that a disclaimer could seem almost compulsory.
k
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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>anyone who consistently makes a practice of this style should be hung by his thumbs from the mizzenmast of a burning ship
Are you suggesting team games for Wordapalooza?
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Carpal Tunnel
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people seem very ready to imagine slights Max, this not being a utopian world, I very much doubt that all slights are imagined.
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enthusiast
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I find it difficult to feel slighted by the opinions of disembodied cyber-beings whom I don't even know (yet) -- maybe my susceptibility to slights will increase as I increase my involvement on the Board - ah, the price we pay for community?!
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You post In conversation, I've heard numerous non-tech types say, "I'll ping so-and-so about x" or simply "I'll ping so-and-so." The meaning varies on the context. Sometimes, it means, I'll ask X what he thinks. Others, it just means, I'll say hello.
reminded me of one of my least favorite words.. LAN.. around here, people "LAN" messeges, files attachments..
of course they do no such thing, what they really do is send email messages with messages, file attachments, links, etc.
coming from their mouths, the message "the LAN is down" can mean, I can't get my computer to turn on I can't log in Lotus Notes (our email server) is down i can't print or another assorted problems.
when we rolled out Notes, one hard concept to teach was that users would need a new password for Notes. and when we force a Netware Log in Password change, lots of people had trouble opening Notes.. "I don't understand, my LAN password changed, and i wanted to LAN a message, so i put my LAN password into Notes to LAN a message..only it didn't work! the LAN must be down.. i can't get into my LAN messages!
you can see how you could substitute F***ing for LAN in about 50% of the places and the information you received from the user would make about as much sense!
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Helen, she who lunched 1,000 servers, avered that Lotus Notes (our email server) is down. I do like tautologies, and this is one of the most obvious ... !
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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CK, did you mean to say "lunched"? [I'll bet you did, you wag you! -e]
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