memcpy_ioAug 13, 2025
Thorsten Leemhuis (acct. 1/4)

Linus QOTD from a recent #Linux #kernel merge commit:

""I am on a mission to write out the more obscure TLAs in order to keep track of them.

Because while math tells us that there are only about 17k different combinations of three-letter acronyms using English letters (26^3), I am convinced that somehow Intel, AMD and ARM have together figured out new mathematics, and have at least a million different TLAs that they use.""

https://git.kernel.org/torvalds/c/20e0d8576484c60c8c0c9d5d6665541c37dee327 #LinuxKernel

Aug 13, 2025 at 4:39amWeb
Show threadThomas MorinAug 13, 2025
@kernellogger RFC5513 is mandatory reading https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc5513.html
RFC 5513: IANA Considerations for Three Letter Acronyms

Show threadMatt LewisAug 13, 2025
@kernellogger We need namespaces for TLAs
Show threadpenguin42Aug 13, 2025
@kernellogger It would be good if people said what they were in cover letters.
Show threadThorsten Leemhuis (acct. 1/4)Aug 13, 2025

@penguin42 the general rule in writing is (and IMHO should apply in patch descriptions as well, not only in cover letter):

Decode each TLA on first use, unless it's something very widespread in the target audience (like "KVM" is when it comes to Linux and virtualization) or a name of its own (like AMD)

Show threadpenguin42Aug 13, 2025
@kernellogger Yep, sometimes I prefer a little glossary at the end; but yeh - there's so many patches of the form 'enable the ARSE during SHT'
Show threadIan RogersAug 13, 2025
@kernellogger sounds great! There is a similar glossary here:
https://perfwiki.github.io/main/glossary/
I think often developers don't know which TLAs are obvious, like RAM, and which will confuse, like CAKE.
Glossary - perf: Linux profiling with performance counters

Show threadThorsten Leemhuis (acct. 1/4)Aug 13, 2025

@irogers

+1 for the glossary

wg. the "obvious": not sure, I guess they often would know if they stopped and thought about it for a second. But in these hectic times we often don't have/take time for it.