It occurs to me, as I take a break from transcribing the latest and greatest Bevboy's Blog interview, that we all get a lot of junk email in our in boxes. This junk email is still called spam more often than it isn't. What we may not know is why we call it that.
Most of you, if not all of you, have at least heard of Monty Python. In my line of work, many of us used to quote MP at work, nearly on a daily basis. It was just something we did.
Many of the early software developers were also fans of Monty Python, quoting them all day long as they pounded their keyboards. As junk email began to be produced in mass quantities, they decided they had to call it something. They remembered this MP skit, and the name "spam" stuck. We still talk about spam filters and being spammed. We owe it to the boys of MP.
Here's the skit, in case you haven't seen it.
Bevboy
2 comments:
My grade 11 year [71-72]at Halifax West High School was the first year that CBC broadcast "Monty" at 12.00am after the local news & it was an instant hit with the guys.
The morning after this skit was aired I can remember my whole History Class spontaneously erupting with a long chorus of "Spam!" .... all 33 males & 6 females were marched down to the office by Mr Kerby Nolan & we all were threatened by the Principal with suspension... until the Vice Principal arrived and walked in the door singing "Spam" ... we all joined in & after the Vice explained to the Principal what was going on he relented on our suspension as long as we collectively promised NEVER to repeat the performance IN class...
Funny, funny skit... & I don't think I've seen it since way back then!
Thanks for the memories!!!
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