I don't understand how the readability of Wiki improves with any of these codes. Some, like "IMHO", unnecessarily weaken statements. Others, like "YAGNI", abbreviate page names that are better written out at least once. I remove the former and define the latter when I edit. -- WardCunningham

Use MeaningfulName''''''s. Acronyms speak of lazy people with lazy thoughts. -- SunirShah

More recently, I came to this page while unsmashing B''''''yTheWay. It's one thing to spell out an acronym. It's another to clutter the page with useless links to useless definitions. Don't do that. Use English instead. If you can't use English, try rebooting. -- SunirShah

When I spot a geek-specific abbreviation or acronym as I gnome, I like to replace its first appearance in a paragraph with its WikiWord. When I run across an abbreviation I don't know, figuring out what it stands for can be an interesting challenge... like 'AOP'. Then, of course, I find myself learning about AspectOrientedProgramming... -- ElizabethWiethoff

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Some geek-specific acronyms found on Wiki (with an emphasis on those that are not commonly used elsewhere--industry standard abbreviations like CORBA should not be listed here):

	'''ACID'''::	AtomicConsistentIsolatedDurable (also AcId)
	'''AOP'''::	usually AspectOrientedProgramming but can be AgentOrientedProgramming
	'''ARM'''::	TheAnnotatedCppReferenceManual
	'''BDUF'''::	BigDesignUpFront
	'''C3'''::	ChryslerComprehensiveCompensation
	'''COM'''::	ComponentObjectModel
	'''DOM'''::	DocumentObjectModel
	'''DTSTTCPW'''::	DoTheSimplestThingThatCouldPossiblyWork
	'''DRY'''::	DontRepeatYourself
	'''ED'''::	EvolutionaryDelivery
	'''GoF'''::	GangOfFour
	'''HTDP'''::	HowToDesignPrograms
	'''JOOP'''::	JournalOfObjectOrientedProgramming
	'''OAOO'''::	OnceAndOnlyOnce
	'''OOSC'''::	ObjectOrientedSoftwareConstruction
	'''PLoP'''::	The ''P''attern ''L''anguages ''o''f ''P''rograms Conference (a series of annual conferences from 1994 to 2000)
	'''PLoPD'''::	PatternLanguagesOfProgramDesign (a series of books)
	'''POSA'''::	PatternOrientedSoftwareArchitectureOne or Two (also PoSa)
	'''RUP'''::	RationalUnifiedProcess
	'''SICP'''::	StructureAndInterpretationOfComputerPrograms (also SiCp)
	'''TDD'''::	TestDrivenDevelopment
	'''TDAD'''::	TestDrivenAnalysisAndDesign
	'''TFD'''::	TestFirstDesign
	'''XP'''::	ExtremeProgramming
	'''YAGNI'''::	YouArentGonnaNeedIt

Note: All these are ''abbreviations,'' but technically only those that are pronounced (PLOP, RUP, YAGNI) rather than spelled out (TFD, XP) are acronyms. See AcronymVsAbbreviation for a lengthy discussion (debate?) on this question.
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To help overcome the frustration about unknown acronyms, AcronymFinder is a great tool. Please don't get me wrong. I am not promoting acronyms (without necessity). -- FridemarPache

MarkPilgrim's blog does a pretty cool thing with acronyms: He writes his entries using the XHTML <acronym> tag, and these tagged words ("URL", "HTML", etc.) are linked via CascadingStyleSheets to their expanded meanings. They appear in the page as underlined items, and when you mouse-over you see the full meaning of the acronym. Not necessarily needed for this wiki, but a fairly interesting use of the SemanticWeb regardless. -- francis

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See JargonFile, XpGlossary, and http://www.ninz.org.nz/beasties.htm ''(BrokenLink 2005-04-29)'' TrulyHorribleAcronyms

Contributors: DaveMcLaughlin, SunirShah
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CategoryAcronym