# Why \*nix or Un\*x instead of Unix

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nix-or-un-x-instead-of-unix/160543>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 11, 2003, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nix-or-un-x-instead-of-unix/160543 "2003-03-11T14:04:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nix-or-un-x-instead-of-unix/160543/21 "2003-03-12T17:05:24Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by DarrenS \*  
> \*\*What the [Jargon Dictionary](http://info.astrian.net/jargon/terms/u/UN_X.html) has to say about it. \*\*

From the link:

> [@](#):
>
> It has been suggested that there may be a psychological connection to practice in certain religions (especially Judaism) in which the name of the deity is never written out in full, e.g., `YHWH' or `G-d’ is used.

So, it appears that there has been a precedent set 🙂

If no one can write the sacred name of Un_x, then one wouldn’t even consider ever pronouncing it (gasp!)  
In order to communicate, the technogeeks will have to come up with a suitable placeholder name that can be spoken whenever Un_x is encountered in text.  
One can see from _nix and Un_x that the YHWH pattern is already being followed. Soon, both vowels will be removed: _n_x.

In another few generations, people will wonder what the true vowels are, and they will (quite mistakenly) use the vowels from the politically correct placeholder name to replace the asterisks, in the same way that [YHWH was merged with Adonai to become Jehovah](http://www.yhwh.com/asimple.htm). We will have a new name for the OS that is nowhere near the original word.

Just think, how privileged we are to observe this process at such an early stage! 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [March 12, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nix-or-un-x-instead-of-unix/160543/22 "2003-03-12T20:17:30Z")

</div>

Why would any true nerd ever need to _pronounce_ a word? I don’t follow you.

😃

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nix-or-un-x-instead-of-unix/160543.md?page=1)