In article <[log in to unmask]>,
 Jamie Howard <[log in to unmask]> writes:
> So why do they call it a TTY?  Does that stand for something?  And why
> does VMS call it an NTY?
>
Sigh. According to the jargon file, which contains the wisdom of the ages:
 
tty /T-T-Y/, /tit'ee/ n. The latter pronunciation was primarily ITS,
but some UNIX people say it this way as well; this pronunciation is
*not* considered to have sexual undertones.
1. A terminal of the teletype variety, characterized by a noisy
mechanical printer, a very limited character set, and poor print
quality. Usage: antiquated (like the TTYs themselves) See also
bit-paired keyboard. 2. [especially UNIX] Any terminal at all; sometimes
used to refer to the particular terminal controlling a given job. 3.
[UNIX] Any serial port, whether or not the device connected
to it is a terminal; so called because under UNIX such devices have
names of the form tty*. Ambiguity between senses 2 and 3 is common
but seldom bothersome.
 
--
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Bill Sylvester, Miami University         [log in to unmask]
Never attribute to malice that which     [log in to unmask]
can be adequately explained by stupidity.