# What is ETA?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 26, 2007, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760 "2007-04-26T17:56:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/21 "2007-04-26T21:38:52Z")

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Seventh letter of THE GREEK ALPHABET.

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/22 "2007-04-26T21:42:08Z")

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[QUOTE=Happy Scrappy Hero Pup]  
Yeah, but “ETA” is superflous and lame. “Look! I thought of something else, too! Look! L@@K!!!twenty-five!!!”  
[/QUOTE]  
If you perceive it as lame, I will not make an issue of that. It is not, specifically, superfluous. There is a character limit on the amount of text that can be entered in the “reason for edit” box, while one may enter as much text as one can type in five minutes (allowing for server speed) following “ETA.”

One could argue that a second post is adequate, but then one risks having one’s thoughts interrupted by the seventeen paragraph response from some more loquacious poster who hit submit 3/10 of a second after your initial post, so there are reasons to use ETA even if you find them lame.

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/23 "2007-04-26T21:46:24Z")

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Why make up a new TLA when we have a perfectly serviceable abreviation already that’s been in use for centuries and that everyone is familiar with?

P.S. When I see “ETA” I think of potato chips.

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**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/24 "2007-04-26T21:48:41Z")

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**tomndebb** , I find your post to be nothing but ETA apologia that does not address my point at all. 😛

Limitations on the “reason” field would never be touched by a simple explanation like “added the last three paragraphs.”

If a post was so incoherent that it required microsurgery, then “ETA” wouldn’t help it either.  
Verdict on appeal: Still lame.

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**Author:** ![Agonist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@Agonist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agonist)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/25 "2007-04-26T21:54:31Z")

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{never mind}

But thanks, someone, for pointing out the “Reason” field. I knew it was there somewhere, but couldn’t find it in earlier edits.

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**Author:** ![Mbossa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Mbossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mbossa)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-eta/401760/26 "2007-04-26T21:56:50Z")

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[QUOTE=1920s Style “Death Ray”]  
P.S. When I see “ETA” I think of potato chips.  
[/QUOTE]

You bastard! How dare you toy with the emotions of a hungry man!

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