SPAM

[Grant Edwards]

In article <tony.mcdonald-DD5D7D.22070214032000 at news.ncl.ac.uk>, Tony McDonald wrote:

>> Michal Bozon <bozon at natur.cuni.cz> schreef in berichtnieuws
>>
>> > What is it "spam" ?

>> What you're doing!
>> Sending stupid email full of nonse and advertisments.
>> Or just a stupid question in a NG with nothing has to do with the
>> NG!
>> 
>> Bye, don't do it again!

>Of course it's just possible he meant the use of 'spam' in Python code?
>
>The name 'Python' comes from 'Monty Pythons' Flying Circus' - a TV 
>programme that Guido (Pythons' creator) found (finds?) very funny (it is 
>BTW). In the programme the word 'spam' is used quite a bit in sketches.
>
>Pythoners use 'spam' in the same way that other languages use 'foo', as 
>a dummy variable..eg
>
>def doit(spam):
>   for slices in spam:
>      print "Spam!"

And in the Monty Python skits "spam" refers to a brand of
canned pork luncheon meat manufactured by Hormel.  The stuff
is/was fairly popular in England -- moreso than in the US it
seems.

I can only assume that we dumped whole shiploads of the stuff
on them during WWII, and they ate it just to be polite (and in
doing so actually acquired a taste for the stuff).  Actually,
the lower-fat variety isn't quite as icky looking, and if you
slice it and fry it up like bacon it makes good sandwiches.

Hormel was quite unappy when people started calling unwanted
news postings and e-mail "spam" -- but since there wasn't any
single person/group they could sue over the matter, they
finally gave up.

-- 
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