on the gripping hand

on the gripping hand


   In the progression that starts "On the one hand..." and continues "On
   the other hand..." mainstream English may add "on the third hand..."
   even though most people don't have three hands. Among hackers, it is
   just as likely to be "on the gripping hand". This metaphor supplied
   the title of Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle's 1993 SF novel "The
   Gripping Hand" which involved a species of hostile aliens with three
   arms (the same species, in fact, referenced in {juggling eggs}). As
   with {TANSTAAFL} and {con}, this usage became one of the naturalized
   imports from SF fandom frequently observed among hackers.