[Tutor] what is foo bar?

[Tesla Coil]

On 31 Mar 2000 alan.gauld@bt.com wrote:
> TC didn't say FUBAR originated at MIT rather that the
> use of FOO as a generic variable name originated there.
> Somebody at MIT then made the association with the
> existing FUBAR to come up with BAR as a secondary name...
>
> Thats the history of the terms I've seen in the past
> (all 3 terms!) - I wasn't there so its all 2nd hand news :-)

Me neither.  Besides, Python's namesake offers such a rich
source of metasyntactic variables, it's rather sorry we end
up using 'spam' all the time.  Why is it that nobody remembers
the name of Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern-schplenden-
schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle-dongle-
dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-applebanger-
horowitz-ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-
grumblemeyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen-
bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nurnburger-bratwustle-
gernspurten-mitz-weimache-luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-
shonedanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft
of Ulm?