Re: allballs

From: Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us>
To: Michael Fuhr <mike(at)fuhr(dot)org>
Cc: Merlin Moncure <merlin(dot)moncure(at)rcsonline(dot)com>, pgsql-docs(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: Re: allballs
Date: 2005-01-24 20:18:56
Message-ID: 24526.1106597936@sss.pgh.pa.us
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Michael Fuhr <mike(at)fuhr(dot)org> writes:
> "Allballs" is slang for "all zeros" because zeros look like balls.
> You hear it sometimes in environments that use a 24-hour clock
> (communications, military, etc.). Here's an example:

> http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/bsf2-3.html

> I don't know that "allballs" is specified in any standard, so I
> suspect that somebody who used the term added it to PostgreSQL
> (or whatever it was called at the time) for convenience.

I'm sure it isn't in any SQL standard ;-). Tom Lockhart is doubtless
responsible for it being in our code; I suppose he put it in because it
is in reasonably common use at JPL.

regards, tom lane

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