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

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

Show threadpenguin42
@kernellogger It would be good if people said what they were in cover letters.
Aug 13, 2025 at 12:06pmWeb
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'