# Dumb question **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 1, 2000, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question/21146 "2000-06-01T20:09:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ozone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e95f7d/32.png) [@Ozone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ozone)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question/21146/1 "2000-06-01T20:09:13Z")
I hope this question doesn’t sound too stupid, but I’ve always believed that the only “dumb” question is the one you don’t ask, so here goes. I’ve only been posting to the sdmb for a short time now, and I’ve seen some things I don’t understand. I’m constantly seeing people referring to OP, and I’m also seeing IIRC periodically. What do these mean?? Are they acronyms, like I’ve seen in chat rooms? You know, BRB = Be Right Back, LOL = Laughing Out Loud, etc.? There are one or two others I’ve seen, but I can’t remember them right now. If anyone can enlighten me, so I don’t keep feeling like an idiot, I’d be extremely grateful. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question/21146/2 "2000-06-01T20:13:57Z")
OP = Original Post IIRC = If I Recall Correctly ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question/21146/3 "2000-06-01T20:20:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > I hope this question doesn’t sound too stupid, but I’ve always believed that the only “dumb” question is the one you don’t ask, so here goes. > > I’ve only been posting to the sdmb for a short time now, and I’ve seen some things I don’t understand. I’m constantly seeing people referring to OP, and I’m also seeing IIRC periodically. What do these mean?? Are they acronyms, like I’ve seen in chat rooms? You know, BRB = Be Right Back, LOL = Laughing Out Loud, etc.? > > There are one or two others I’ve seen, but I can’t remember them right now. If anyone can enlighten me, so I don’t keep feeling like an idiot, I’d be extremely grateful. > > 😕 > \*\* FWIW (For What It’s Worth), your question in the OP (original post) isn’t dumb. IIRC (If I Recall Correctly), I had these problems at first too. IMHO (In my humble opinion) it shouldn’t take to long to catch on to the lingo. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question/21146/4 "2000-06-01T20:22:45Z")
BTW (by the way), I think that this thread might be better off at ATMB (About this message board). Manhattan? Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question/21146/5 "2000-06-01T20:26:19Z")
Over in ATMB [Acronyms (abbreviations?)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=2528) Jim ---
**Author:** ![Ozone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e95f7d/32.png) [@Ozone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ozone)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question/21146/6 "2000-06-01T21:02:13Z")
Hey, thanks a ton everyone, for helping me out with the questions in my OP… hey, see that, I’m getting the hang of it already. IMHO this is a great site, with a lot of great people. Thanks, O ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question/21146/7 "2000-06-01T21:54:55Z")
Although this question is about things that apply to message boards, newsgroups and chatting generally as opposed to specifically about this _particular_ message board, we prefer these kinds of questions in **About This Message Board**. No harm done; I’ll move it over there now.