X-Git-Url: https://sipb.mit.edu/gitweb.cgi/wiki.git/blobdiff_plain/44bc55b4ef485465e65e3c5be800efbfa150a635..4128102515d65f240b128385281bc57666c70f93:/doc/zephyr.mdwn
diff --git a/doc/zephyr.mdwn b/doc/zephyr.mdwn
index 7d892ea..dc28947 100644
--- a/doc/zephyr.mdwn
+++ b/doc/zephyr.mdwn
@@ -63,9 +63,9 @@ Generally the most interesting discussion on Zephyr happens
on so-called Zephyr classes. A class is a bit like a chat
room in other IM systems. Anyone can send a zephyr to a class, and
anyone who is subscribed to that class will receive it. There is no
-security on classes -- anyone who knows the name of a class can
+security on classes — anyone who knows the name of a class can
subscribe, and there is no way to determine who is subscribed to a
-given class.
+given class. (For secure or private zephyring, consider [[zcrypt]].)
To subscribe to a class, use the subscribe command:
@@ -90,11 +90,20 @@ You can send zephyrs to individuals (as opposed to classes) with:
:zwrite USERNAME
+It is possible to `zwrite` to multiple individuals at once, by listing the
+usernames separated by spaces:
+
+ :zwrite -C USERONE USERTWO USERTHREE
+
+The `-C` option automatically puts the line `CC: USERONE USERTWO USERTHREE`
+in the body of the zephyr,
+although this is only a convention and is not required or enforced.
+
### Aside: zephyr triplets
-All messages are actually sent to a "zephyr triplet" -- a class, instance, and recipient. Subscriptions are also made to zephyr triplets. The recipient can be either "*" -- to indicate a broadcast message -- or a specific individual.
+All messages are actually sent to a "zephyr triplet" — a class, instance, and recipient. Subscriptions are also made to zephyr triplets. The recipient can be either "*" — to indicate a broadcast message — or a specific individual.
-When sending, the default class is "message", instance is "personal", and recipient is "*". `zwrite` supports sending to arbitrary triples with `:zwrite -c CLASS -i INSTANCE USERNAME` -- the two examples above use the defaults for the parts that aren't specified.
+When sending, the default class is "message", instance is "personal", and recipient is "*". `zwrite` supports sending to arbitrary triples with `:zwrite -c CLASS -i INSTANCE USERNAME` — the two examples above use the defaults for the parts that aren't specified.
For subscriptions, the class must be specified. You can specify all instances on a class with "\*", or specify just one instance. You can only sub to recipient "\*" or your own personals (indicated by "%me%").)
@@ -122,42 +131,78 @@ Some common classes include:
> report what one is working on or up to, or ask friends questions, or
> just rant about something.
+unclasses:
+> Most classes have an unclass, formed by prefixing "un" to the name. For
+> example, -c help has the unclass -c unhelp. The unclass is generally used for
+> snarky or unproductive replies; the prototypical example that first inspired
+> their creation was telling somebody with computer issues to run
+> `sudo rm -rf /`. Rarely, un- prefixes are stacked for even snarkier
+> discussion, on -c ununhelp and so on.
+
+.d classes:
+> Classes like -c help.d are sometimes used for discussions that deviate from
+> the conversation on the main class. .d instances are more common, though;
+> see below.
+
### Zephyr Slang
If you spend enough time on Zephyr, you'll begin noticing some strange
phrases and words being thrown around. Some of these include:
i,i foo:
-> picked up from CMU zephyrland and means "I have no point here, I
-> just like saying:". Sometimes people simply use quotes: `"foo"`.
+> USENET saying picked up from CMU zephyrland that expands to "I have no point here, I
+> just like saying:". Sometimes people use
+> [scare quotes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scare_quotes) (e.g. `"foo"`)
+> for similar purposes.
mix:
> If somebody accidentally sends a Zephyr to the wrong class or
> person, they will send another Zephyr to that wrong/class person
> simply saying "mix". This basically just means, "oops, sorry, I
> didn't mean to send that Zephyr here". You might also see "-i mix",
-> which is the same thing, only with instances.
-
-.d:
-> You may see an instance change from `-i foo` to `-i foo.d`. This
-> indicates a deviation or tangent from the the original topic.
+> which is the same thing, only with instances. The specific invocation "unmix"
+> is used when accidentally sending a Zephyr to a class instead of its unclass
+> or vice versa.
-starking:
-> Answering a question or replying to a topic to a topic several hours
+to Stark:
+> To answer a question or replying to a topic to a topic several hours
> (or days, occasionally) later. The term originates from Greg Stark,
> who would often reply to zephyrs hours or occasionally days later
> without seeing if anyone had answered yet, or worse, if the instance
> had moved on to an entirely different topic.
+.d:
+> You may see an instance change from `-i foo` to `-i foo.d`. This
+> indicates a deviation or tangent from the the original topic.
+
+.q:
+> Similarly, `.q` at the end of an instance name indicates a quote.
+
ttants:
-> Literally, "Things That Are Not The Same".
+> Literally, "Things That Are Not The Same". When the things are people,
+> pwants for "People Who Are Not The Same" may be used.
prnf:
-> Literally, "Pseudo-Random Neuron Firings".
+> Literally, "Pseudo-Random Neuron Firing".
+
+eiz or eip or else:
+> Instances used to comment on discussions on other classes in Zephyr without
+> linking to the original source for reasons of privacy or discretion. "eiz"
+> means "Elsewhere in Zephyr", "eip" means "Elsewhere in Personals".
+
+eim:
+> "Elsewhere in Meatspace": instance used to comment on events not on Zephyr.
+
+doxp:
+> "Do X predicate", from Lisp naming convention. A discussion on whether one
+> should do X.
+> A common variation is "doxory", literally "Do X or Y".
-There are many other acronyms that are used; if you don't know what it
-means, try using the `whats foo` command at an Athena terminal. If you
-don't have the command, run `add sipb` first.
+Many of the acronyms may be suffixed onto normal instance topics with a period
+to indicate relation. There are many other acronyms that are used; if you don't
+know what it means, try using the `whats foo` command at an Athena terminal. If
+you don't have the command, run `add sipb` first. Alternatively, running the
+single command `athrun sipb whats foo` works as well.
### Zephyr Etiquette
@@ -165,8 +210,7 @@ There are rules that people tend to use on Zephyr. These include:
Good grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Not everybody uses
capitalization, but they will still use good English. Please do not say
-things such as "hey wut r u up to???". It makes you look like an idiot.
-Really.
+things such as "hey wut r u up to???".
You don't need multiple question marks or exclamation points. Usually.
@@ -174,10 +218,9 @@ There are a few abbreviations people use, such as YMMV (Your Mileage May
Vary) or IIRC (If I Remember Correctly), as well as some nerdier ones
like DTRT (Do The Right Thing, in reference to
[ The Rise of "Worse Is
-Better"](http://www.jwz.org/doc/worse-is-better.html)). Try running `add sipb; whats dtrt` to look up an
-abbreviation. Common abbreviations that you might find on AIM, however,
-are not often used. People tend to look down upon "lol", "rofl", and
-such.
+Better"](http://www.jwz.org/doc/worse-is-better.html)).
+As mentioned above, try running `athrun sipb whats dtrt` to look up an
+abbreviation.
Personal classes are by convention considered a little more private than
non-personal (public) classes. Although most people don't mind people
@@ -196,5 +239,4 @@ to your `~/.environment` file if you use `tcsh` or
ZEPHYR_CLIENT=false
to your `~/.bash_environment` if you use `bash`. This will cause your
-shell to launch the `false` executable instead of `zwgc` which does
-nothing.
+shell to launch the `false` executable instead of `zwgc`, thereby disabling it ('false' does nothing).