eou

2 definitions found

eou - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  EOU
  
     <character, humour> The mnemonic of a mythical ASCII control
     character (End Of User) that would make an ASR-33 Teletype
     explode on receipt.  This construction parodies the numerous
     obscure delimiter and control characters left in ASCII from
     the days when it was associated more with wire-service
     teletypes than computers (e.g. FS, GS, RS, US, EM,
     SUB, ETX, and especially EOT).  It is worth remembering
     that ASR-33s were big, noisy mechanical beasts with a lot of
     clattering parts; the notion that one might explode was
     nowhere near as ridiculous as it might seem to someone sitting
     in front of a tube or flatscreen today.
  
     [Jargon File]
  
     (1996-06-29)
  

eou - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  EOU
   /E.O.U/, n.
  
     The mnemonic of a mythical ASCII control character (End Of User) that
     would make an ASR-33 Teletype explode on receipt. This construction
     parodies the numerous obscure delimiter and control characters left
  in
     ASCII from the days when it was associated more with wire-service
     teletypes than computers (e.g., FS, GS, RS, US, EM, SUB, ETX, and
  esp.
     EOT). It is worth remembering that ASR-33s were big, noisy mechanical
     beasts with a lot of clattering parts; the notion that one might
     explode was nowhere near as ridiculous as it might seem to someone
     sitting in front of a tube or flatscreen today.