NET: R.A.C. appears in New Hacker's Dictionary
Tom Galloway
itself was an updated version of the ITS Jargon File) was recently published
by MIT Press (title: The New Hacker's Dictionary, edited by Eric Raymond,
$10.95 paperback). Among other things, this edition contains a number of
Usenet originated terms.
One of which is our very own "retcon". The complete entry for it is:
retcon /ret'kon/['retroactive continuity', from the USENET newsgroup
rec.arts.comics] 1. n. The common situation in pulp fiction (esp. comics or
soap operas) where a new story 'reveals' things about events in previous
stories, usually leaving the 'facts' the same (thus preserving continuity)
while completely changing their interpretation. E.g., revealing that a whole
season of "Dallas" was a dream was a retcon. 2. vt. To write such a story
about a character or fictitious object. "Byrne has retconned Superman's cape
so that it is no longer unbreakable." "Marvelman's old adventures were
retconnned into synthetic dreams." "Swamp Thing was retconned from a
transformed person into a sentient vegetable."
[This is included because it is a good example of hackish linguistic
innovation in a field completely unrelated to computers. The word "retcon"
will probably spread through comics fandom and lose its association with
hackerdom within a couple of years; for the record, it started here. --- ESR]
"Hi. I'm subbing for Cliff Stoll on this panel, and will be ready to do so
just as soon as I drink a case of Jolt Cola and stick my finger in an electric
socket" --- Tom Galloway
tyg t...@caen.engin.umich.edu
Michael Rawdon
>As you may know, an updated version of the 1983 Hacker's Dictionary (which
>itself was an updated version of the ITS Jargon File) was recently published
>by MIT Press (title: The New Hacker's Dictionary, edited by Eric Raymond,
>$10.95 paperback). Among other things, this edition contains a number of
>Usenet originated terms.
>One of which is our very own "retcon". The complete entry for it is:
[...]
Strange; I thought the term was a contraction of Roy Thomas' term
"retroactive continuity" from All-Star Squadron, dating back (I think) to the
early '80s (1984, anyway).
--
Michael Rawdon
raw...@cs.wisc.edu
"Of course this is true for more general values of 5."
The Film Fan Man
} In <1991Oct6.1...@zip.eecs.umich.edu> t...@caen.engin.umich.edu (Tom Galloway) writes:
}} As you may know, an updated version of the 1983 Hacker's Dictionary (which
}} itself was an updated version of the ITS Jargon File) was recently published
}} by MIT Press (title: The New Hacker's Dictionary, edited by Eric Raymond,
}} $10.95 paperback). Among other things, this edition contains a number of
}} Usenet originated terms.
}} One of which is our very own "retcon". The complete entry for it is:
[...]
} Strange; I thought the term was a contraction of Roy Thomas' term
} "retroactive continuity" from All-Star Squadron, dating back (I think)
} to the early '80s (1984, anyway).
It undoubtedly owes its creation to Thomas' term (only Damian Cugley, who
if memory serves, is the actual coiner of "retcon"), however, the word
"retcon" has taken on a life of its own, especially given that it's used
as much as a verb as it is as a noun.
Secondly, the term "retcon" is slightly different than Thomas' idea of
"retroactive continuity". "Retcon" tends to be used more often to refer
to previously known facts being replaced with new and different facts,
such as what Byrne did with Superman. Thomas' "retroactive continuity"
referred to introducing past history that was previously unknown but
that was still consistent with previously published material. A good
example of this might be Claremont's introduction of Moira MacTaggert
as an ex-lover and fellow genetics researcher of Xavier's, or perhaps
even better, his introduction of Gabrielle Haller, and the revelation
that she, he and Magnus (Magneto) had been friends back in "the good
old days".
--
"Be mindful, I am the wealthiest man in Padua, and he who weds Katrina
lands a dowry you could cry for."
--- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, "The Mill", Maynard, MA)
boyajian%ruby...@DECWRL.DEC.COM or ...!decwrl!ruby.enet.dec.com!boyajian
Paul A. Estin
> Secondly, the term "retcon" is slightly different than Thomas' idea of
> "retroactive continuity". "Retcon" tends to be used more often to refer
> to previously known facts being replaced with new and different facts,
> such as what Byrne did with Superman. Thomas' "retroactive continuity"
> referred to introducing past history that was previously unknown but
> that was still consistent with previously published material.
In article <FRANCIS.91...@styracosaur.cis.ohio-state.edu> fra...@styracosaur.cis.ohio-state.edu (RD Francis) writes:
>Since retcon has been pre-empted, and since this distinction is still
>sometimes a useful one, might I recommend the term "continuity
>implant"? Mind you, I can't think of a "pretty" contracted version;
>conplant, the best I can come up with....
The current Welcome posting defines "patch" for that sort of addition.
Mind you, I don't think I've seen anyone use the term "patch" in over
a year, and if some other term does come into common use I'll change
the list, but in the meantime, "patch" is there, at least.
-----
"All right, who let the robot in?" - Eyebeam
Paul Andrew Estin
es...@midway.uchicago.edu
1216 E. 54th St. #1
Chicago, IL 60615
RD Francis
"retroactive continuity". "Retcon" tends to be used more often to refer
to previously known facts being replaced with new and different facts,
such as what Byrne did with Superman. Thomas' "retroactive continuity"
referred to introducing past history that was previously unknown but
that was still consistent with previously published material. A good
example of this might be Claremont's introduction of Moira MacTaggert
as an ex-lover and fellow genetics researcher of Xavier's, or perhaps
even better, his introduction of Gabrielle Haller, and the revelation
that she, he and Magnus (Magneto) had been friends back in "the good
old days".
Since retcon has been pre-empted, and since this distinction is still
sometimes a useful one, might I recommend the term "continuity
implant"? Mind you, I can't think of a "pretty" contracted version;
conplant, the best I can come up with....
More conplant (hmm, it grows on me) examples (I'll leave the value
judgments out, OK?):
Cable, if handled correctly, could still be a conplant.
The last Stern/Byrne CAPTAIN AMERICA (255) had large conplant
sections.
Several writers have *really* worked to take incompatible
representations of characters and conplant them together. To some
extent, Byrne's "chemical imbalance" explanation of Namor's past
history would be a likely candidate. however, my favorite would have
to be the hoops the whoever wrote AVENGERS 185-187 went through to
reconcile two incompatible versions of the parentage of Wanda and
Pietro (basically introducing a third, the "real" one, at the same
time with Chris Claremont's help (see X-MEN I 125 (I'll admit it,
version numbers are the thing I'm probably the most anal-retentive
about; it was X-MEN I until issue 142 or 143)).
--
R David Francis fra...@cis.ohio-state.edu -or- rd...@osu.edu