EOU

EOU
 /E.O.U/, n.

   The mnemonic of a mythical ASCII control character (End Of User) that
   would make an ASR-33 Teletype explode on receipt. This construction
   parodies the numerous obscure delimiter and control characters left in
   ASCII from the days when it was associated more with wire-service
   teletypes than computers (e.g., FS, GS, RS, US, EM, SUB, ETX, and esp.
   EOT). It is worth remembering that ASR-33s were big, noisy mechanical
   beasts with a lot of clattering parts; the notion that one might
   explode was nowhere near as ridiculous as it might seem to someone
   sitting in front of a {tube} or flatscreen today.
    

EOU

   <character, humour> The mnemonic of a mythical {ASCII} control
   character (End Of User) that would make an {ASR-33} {Teletype}
   explode on receipt.  This construction parodies the numerous
   obscure {delimiter} and control characters left in ASCII from
   the days when it was associated more with wire-service
   teletypes than computers (e.g. {FS}, {GS}, {RS}, {US}, {EM},
   {SUB}, {ETX}, and especially {EOT}).  It is worth remembering
   that ASR-33s were big, noisy mechanical beasts with a lot of
   clattering parts; the notion that one might explode was
   nowhere near as ridiculous as it might seem to someone sitting
   in front of a {tube} or flatscreen today.

   [{Jargon File}]

   (1996-06-29)