# What is "100-10=0.NOT.INU"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 19, 2013, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233 "2013-11-19T04:21:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/1 "2013-11-19T04:21:15Z")
A friend just asked me what this means. Now, yes, I do know that 100-10=90. The whole thing looks like something that would pop up if your computer is hacked or otherwise vandalized. So, TM, anyone ever encounter this particular expression before? ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/2 "2013-11-19T05:22:49Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > A friend just asked me what this means. Now, yes, I do know that 100-10=90. The whole thing looks like something that would pop up if your computer is hacked or otherwise vandalized. So, TM, anyone ever encounter this particular expression before? Start with the sequence 100 , remove the sequence 10, leaves 0 . INU is the middle three letters of MINUS so the answer is NOT INU means “I didnt remove MS from MINUS” ??? WHich seems one of an infinite number of things not done… (we don’t normally provide a list of things we didn’t do.) ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/3 "2013-11-19T06:20:59Z")
It looks like Fortran code - specifically, the “.not.” Fortran is an older programming language used primarily for scientific calculations these days. I don’t know Fortran that well but I don’t think that snippet has any profound meaning. It just looks like something cut and pasted out of a larger program. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/4 "2013-11-19T12:59:51Z")
I’ve done Fortran programming and that isn’t particularly valid Fortran syntax. Yes, .NOT. is a keyword but it isn’t a binary operator so “0 .NOT. INU” doesn’t mean anything and “100 - 10” isn’t valid on the left of an equals sign. (To be fair, I’ve seen some Fortran compilers that take some pretty weird things but I can’t imagine that producing any kind of reasonable results) ETA: Do you have a context for the question? Where did they come across this? ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/5 "2013-11-19T13:37:21Z")
Yes, as it stands it isn’t sensible Fortran, well almost. There are some appalling things that you can do with Fortran IV syntax, and that might actually just about pass muster. Col. 1 : blank, or a “c” or “\*” denotes a comment Col. 1-5 : label Col. 6 : any char here marks a continuation of the previous line 100-10=0.NOT.INU 100-10 Almost a label = Continuation of previous line 0.NOT.INU Fragment of a line - needs the previous line to make sense of it. We could almost be there, especially with a older compiler that was not too fussy. But still probably not. Whilst we have eliminated the 100-10 as an illegal l-value, we still have a unary .not. that won’t quite work with any r-value before it. It would be a pretty odd compiler that would suck 100-10, but some might consider it as label 100 and discard the rubbish. Fortran used to accept such lovely things as: DO9I=1,9 as perfectly valid. It means something very different to DO9I=1 ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/6 "2013-11-19T14:07:19Z")
My guess is it’s a “debug” statement that the programmer made that likely would mean little to anybody not seeing where and why it was generated in the source code. Any maybe not even then. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/7 "2013-11-19T16:16:38Z")
Interesting responses thus far. More info on the situation: [ul][li]The line in the OP was sent as a text message by a Korean doctor (dermatologist), male living in Korea.[/li][li]Said doctor is more than a bit of a geek/nerd and is very into computer programming.[/li][li]Same doctor is fluent in English.[/li][li]The recipient (female, also living in Korea) of the text message is neither a doctor nor a geek/nerd.[/li][li]Said recipient has next to zero English skills.[/li][li]English is considered to be a language of romance (take _that_, France!) in Korea.[/ul][/li] Does any of that help? ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/8 "2013-11-19T16:30:18Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Interesting responses thus far. More info on the situation: > > [ul][li]The line in the OP was sent as a text message by a Korean doctor (dermatologist), male living in Korea.[/li][li]Said doctor is more than a bit of a geek/nerd and is very into computer programming.[/li][li]Same doctor is fluent in English.[/li][li]The recipient (female, also living in Korea) of the text message is neither a doctor nor a geek/nerd.[/li][li]Said recipient has next to zero English skills.[/li][li]English is considered to be a language of romance (take _that_, France!) in Korea.[/ul][/li] > Does any of that help? Oh, in that case it’s an ascii penis. Glad to be of help. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/9 "2013-11-19T16:34:23Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > so the answer is NOT INU means “I didnt remove MS from MINUS” ??? [quote=“Monty, post:7, topic:674233”] Interesting responses thus far. More info on the situation: [list][li]The line in the OP was sent as a text message by a Korean doctor (dermatologist), male living in Korea.[/li][/QUOTE] The first part gives MS and Monty says he’s a doctor. So he’s giving her the good news that she doesn’t have Multiple Sclerosis! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/10 "2013-11-19T16:40:55Z")
[quote=“Monty, post:7, topic:674233”] [ul][li]English is considered to be a language of romance (take _that_, France!) in Korea.[/ul][/li][/QUOTE] Say _what?!!_ Language of geeks and coders, sure. Language of hegemonic overlords, maybe. Language of clueless tourists, why not? But _romance?_ ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/11 "2013-11-19T16:42:08Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Interesting responses thus far. More info on the situation: > > [ul][li]The line in the OP was sent as a text message by a Korean doctor (dermatologist), male living in Korea.[/li][li]Said doctor is more than a bit of a geek/nerd and is very into computer programming.[/li][li]Same doctor is fluent in English.[/li][li]The recipient (female, also living in Korea) of the text message is neither a doctor nor a geek/nerd.[/li][li]Said recipient has next to zero English skills.[/li][li]English is considered to be a language of romance (take _that_, France!) in Korea.[/ul][/li] > Does any of that help? Korean, you say? Unicode for Korean seems to build individual Hangul symbols from groups of three [jamo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamo) (syllable glyphs). I find it an interesting coincidence that there are three-letter groups of letters amongst the periods there. I wonder if they were supposed to be the initial, medial, and final jamo of two different Hangul words? ETA: I just realized we’re commenting on a the contents of a text message from one Korean to another Korean, with no indication of where [Monty](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) or any of us fit into the picture. I just became somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of critiquing someone else’s private communications. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/12 "2013-11-19T17:16:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Francis Vaughan** : > > 100-10 Almost a label > = Continuation of previous line But a line label wouldn’t be valid on a continuation line. Oh, I can conceive of a compiler maybe accepting it, and if it did it might be possible to contort such a construction into something useful, but it’s nothing any sane programmer would ever dream of. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/13 "2013-11-19T18:58:18Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But a line label wouldn’t be valid on a continuation line. Oh, I can conceive of a compiler maybe accepting it, and if it did it might be possible to contort such a construction into something useful, but it’s nothing any sane programmer would ever dream of. **Sane programmer**? I know what both words mean, but their juxtaposition is illogical. “Norman, Norman, please coordinate.” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/14 "2013-11-19T19:15:25Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > I wonder if they were supposed to be the initial, medial, and final jamo of two different Hangul words? Incredibly unlikely, given the scenario. > [@](#): > > ETA: I just realized we’re commenting on a the contents of a text message from one Korean to another Korean, with no indication of where [Monty](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) FOAF. > [@](#): > > or any of us fit into the picture. Knowledgeable informants. > [@](#): > > I just became somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of critiquing someone else’s private communications. The initial recipient has, as in the past, requested views of native (or native ability) English speakers and the sender is aware of that. Also, no effective personal identifying information is present. Well, unless the line in question turns out to be some kind of Super-Duper QR Code and, well, then how cool would that be! I guess this is what passes for mystery in Korea these days. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/15 "2013-11-19T20:35:28Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > My guess is it’s a “debug” statement that the programmer made that likely would mean little to anybody not seeing where and why it was generated in the source code. Any maybe not even then. One [Infamous error message](http://www.multicians.org/hodie-natus-est.html) was in Latin, stating “HODIE NATUS EST RADICI FRATER”, i.e. “Today is born the brother of the root”, apparently referring to the root of a logical tree, i.e. the node that is believed to be the root actually is a descendent of another node that has another child. It was left in the code because nobody assumed that such a tree malfunction would actually occur. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/16 "2013-11-19T20:54:07Z")
The answer is obvious It’s 14 k of g in a fpd 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/17 "2013-11-19T21:44:58Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Oh, in that case it’s an ascii penis. Glad to be of help. “100-10=0.NOT.INU” Actually, if you leave out the first part… 10=0 not in you :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/18 "2013-11-19T22:43:12Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Oh, in that case it’s an ascii penis. Glad to be of help. 100 flaccid penis 10=0 erect penis .NOT.INU penis is not in you So roughly “I’m horny, so my penis became hard, but we’re not having sex.” ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/19 "2013-11-19T23:06:19Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > So roughly “I’m horny, so my penis became hard, but we’re not having sex.” 2-click rule! 2-click rule! _rubs eyes_ ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233/20 "2013-11-19T23:14:26Z")
Too late for me to edit, but if a mod wants to spoiler that last quoted bit, I won’t object. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-100-10-0-not-inu/674233.md?page=2)