# Who's this "Earl" guy and what's he doing in my computer?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-this-earl-guy-and-whats-he-doing-in-my-computer/170162>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 21, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-this-earl-guy-and-whats-he-doing-in-my-computer/170162 "2003-04-21T23:13:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-this-earl-guy-and-whats-he-doing-in-my-computer/170162/1 "2003-04-21T23:13:13Z")

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What does “URL” stand for?

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**Author:** ![Severian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@Severian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Severian)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-this-earl-guy-and-whats-he-doing-in-my-computer/170162/2 "2003-04-21T23:15:18Z")

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I believe it is Uniform Resource Locator.

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**Author:** ![InTransit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47774/32.png) [@InTransit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InTransit)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-this-earl-guy-and-whats-he-doing-in-my-computer/170162/3 "2003-04-21T23:18:42Z")

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Uniform Resource Locator.

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**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-this-earl-guy-and-whats-he-doing-in-my-computer/170162/4 "2003-04-22T00:58:10Z")

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Uniform or Universal ?

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**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-this-earl-guy-and-whats-he-doing-in-my-computer/170162/5 "2003-04-22T01:32:19Z")

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[Uniform](http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?String=exact&Acronym=URL&Find=Find) Resource Locator.

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**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-this-earl-guy-and-whats-he-doing-in-my-computer/170162/6 "2003-04-22T02:06:18Z")

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Good job team.

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**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-this-earl-guy-and-whats-he-doing-in-my-computer/170162/7 "2003-04-22T03:49:27Z")

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BTW, that big bright TV thing on your desk is called a “MONITOR.”

The clicky-clicky in your hand is a “MOUSE.”

Sheesh. Pity the hamsters.

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**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-this-earl-guy-and-whats-he-doing-in-my-computer/170162/8 "2003-04-23T13:48:05Z")

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Thanks a lot guys. Except for you **stockton**. You’re exiled to the BBQ Pit for all eternity.

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**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-this-earl-guy-and-whats-he-doing-in-my-computer/170162/9 "2003-04-23T15:46:19Z")

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I’ve often seen it written as “Universal Resource Locator” as well.