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From: jkeroes@reed.edu (spork de plastique)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: meaning of k-rad
Date: 11 Nov 1994 12:55:48 GMT
Organization: Reed College,  Portland, Oregon
Lines: 10
Message-ID: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: shiva.reed.edu



What does the "k" of k-rad stand for?

kilo-rad?  (like 1000x as rad....)
kevin mitnick-rad?  (heh)
kracked-rad   (for all the warez d00ds out there)

I just don't get it.  Anyone?

-ua




From: Tim Downey <tdowney@morpheus.hartford.edu>
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: 11 Nov 1994 16:38:18 GMT
Organization: The University of Hartford
Lines: 9
Message-ID: <3a06lq$q38@ipgate.hartford.edu>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: zorin.hartford.edu


> 
> What does the "k" of k-rad stand for?
> 


The 'k' is as in kilobytes.  It's warez-speak.

-twotone




From: ah9531@albnyvms.bitnet
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: 12 Nov 1994 20:57:20 GMT
Organization: University of Albany, SUNY
Lines: 15
Message-ID: <3a3a7g$mha@rebecca.albany.edu>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu>,<3a06lq$q38@ipgate.hartford.edu>
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In article <3a06lq$q38@ipgate.hartford.edu>, Tim Downey <tdowney@morpheus.hartford.edu> writes:
>> 
>> What does the "k" of k-rad stand for?
>> 
>
>
>The 'k' is as in kilobytes.  It's warez-speak.
>
>-twotone
>
Sorry.. Actually, there was a magazine a number of yrs ago.. (forgot the name)
.. but anyway, they started using thinkgs like "k-kool" and such... this was a
paper mag, around '84'85 .. and it just kinda stuck.. it was more used as mebbe
c=64 warez ppl..




From: grk2237@ACFcluster.nyu.edu (Glenn Kurtzrock -- SPE NY Gamma)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600,alt.fan.cult-dead-cow
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: 12 Nov 1994 01:20:24 GMT
Organization: New York University, New York, NY
Lines: 24
Message-ID: <3a158o$cpv@cmcl2.NYU.EDU>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu>
Reply-To: grk2237@ACFcluster.nyu.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: axp3.acf.nyu.edu


In article <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu>, jkeroes@reed.edu (spork de plastique) writes:
>
>What does the "k" of k-rad stand for?
>
>kilo-rad?  (like 1000x as rad....)
>kevin mitnick-rad?  (heh)
>kracked-rad   (for all the warez d00ds out there)
>
>I just don't get it.  Anyone?
>
>-ua

I would assume it's it's just a cross-over from the k in k-k00l. Then again,
probably not. Then again, who gives a flying fuck about the etymology of a word
like k-rad?


_/_/_/_/_/  _/_/_/_/_/_/_/  _/_/_/_/_/_/  |  Glenn Kurtzrock
_/                _/        _/            |  grk2237@acfcluster.nyu.edu
 _/             _/_/_/      _/            |  SPE NY Gamma FPC '93
  _/           _/ _/ _/     _/_/_/_/      |  CR # 659
 _/             _/_/_/      _/            |  GC # 197,507
_/                _/        _/            |
_/_/_/_/_/  _/_/_/_/_/_/_/  _/_/_/_/_/_/  |  VDBL  -  Words to live by!



Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600,alt.fan.cult-dead-cow
From: tward@wybbs.mi.org (Thad Ward)
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Organization: Consultants Connection
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 1994 02:20:36 GMT
Message-ID: <CzE3uE.GA3@wybbs.mi.org>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu> <3a158o$cpv@cmcl2.NYU.EDU>
Lines: 25


grk2237@ACFcluster.nyu.edu (Glenn Kurtzrock -- SPE NY Gamma) writes:

>In article <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu>, jkeroes@reed.edu (spork de plastique) writes:
>>
>>What does the "k" of k-rad stand for?
>>
>>kilo-rad?  (like 1000x as rad....)
>>kevin mitnick-rad?  (heh)
>>kracked-rad   (for all the warez d00ds out there)
>>
>>I just don't get it.  Anyone?
>>
>>-ua
 
>I would assume it's it's just a cross-over from the k in k-k00l. Then again,
>probably not. Then again, who gives a flying fuck about the etymology of a word

i was told that i was kinda like k-mart (not a good store)
k-rad: not rad

Thad Ward
tward@wybbs.mi.org
tward@grfn.org
ag044@leo.nmc.edu
wardt@freenet.fsu.edu



From: inaba@primenet.com (Inaba, the Dream Maker)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: Sat, 12 Nov 1994 14:59:46 MST
Organization: Primenet
Lines: 37
Message-ID: <inaba.3.0021FE2E@primenet.com>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu>
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In article <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu> jkeroes@reed.edu (spork de plastique) writes:
>From: jkeroes@reed.edu (spork de plastique)
>Subject: meaning of k-rad
>Date: 11 Nov 1994 12:55:48 GMT


>What does the "k" of k-rad stand for?
 
>kilo-rad?  (like 1000x as rad....)
>kevin mitnick-rad?  (heh)
>kracked-rad   (for all the warez d00ds out there)
 
>I just don't get it.  Anyone?
 
>-ua

<Picking up my cane and spectacles.  Inserting false teeth>

Well, shonny... back in my day, the 'k' in k-rad stood for 'kewl' .  As in
"Kewl-rad".

We used it to describe new software that was released.  eg.  "How's the new
game."  "It's f*cking k-rad, dude!"

etc...  You could put 'k' infront of just about everything.




|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|  People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because
|  it's safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs.
|
|  Replies to inaba@primenet.com             I am FURRY, hear me squeak!
|  rw-rw-rw-: File protection of the beast.
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From: Chandler <jared.chandler@alaska.net>
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: 15 Nov 1994 01:28:28 GMT
Organization: Hidden Power Elite
Lines: 8
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <3a92rs$t3r@calvino.alaska.net>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu> <inaba.3.0021FE2E@primenet.com>
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In article <inaba.3.0021FE2E@primenet.com> Inaba, inaba@primenet.com
writes:
>|-----------------------------------------------------------------------


Well, as far as I know, 'K-Rad Kouriers' was the company of one of the
main characters in Neal Stephanson's -SNOW CRASH-... If thats just
conincidence.. well...



From: toastman@armory.com (Powdered Toast Man)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: 13 Nov 1994 21:00:59 GMT
Organization: The Armory
Lines: 22
Message-ID: <3a5uqb$csu@nic.scruz.net>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: deepthought.armory.com


In article <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu>,
spork de plastique <jkeroes@reed.edu> wrote:
>
>What does the "k" of k-rad stand for?
>
>kilo-rad?  (like 1000x as rad....)

That's what they told me on IRC.

>kracked-rad   (for all the warez d00ds out there)
>
>I just don't get it.  Anyone?

The only time I['ve heard of it was to make fun of warez doodz... in that
people who use "k-rad" are lame... so in the back of my mind I thought that
k-rad was some marketing scheme by K-Mart in the early eighties that I was too
young to remember.

--
    __o  |     Powdered Toast Man <toastman@armory.com>     |   _  o
 _-\_<,  |            <25619@ef.gc.maricopa.edu>            |  |<)_/#
(*)/'(*) | I almost met Elvis once, but my shovel broke. :) |  TT  <T



From: john@linux.reshall.umich.edu (John Gotts)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Followup-To: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Date: 13 Nov 1994 23:17:51 GMT
Organization: Linux in the Baits Residence Hall at the University of Michigan
Lines: 14
Message-ID: <3a66qv$ett@srvr1.engin.umich.edu>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu> <3a5uqb$csu@nic.scruz.net>
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X-Newsreader: TIN [UNIX 1.3 941024BETA PL0]


The expression 'k-rad' has been around at least since 1988.  I don't think that
the 'k' has any particular meaning except to aid in making cryptic ASCII-ed
bastardizations of the English language like:

/<-R@[) [)00[)

It doesn't surprise me that this is popular again, considering back in the good
old days the real hackers laughed at people who did this.  Hacking has changed.

--
John Gotts (jgotts@engin.umich.edu)    WWW: http://www.engin.umich.edu/~jgotts
   Student Employee, Computer Aided Engineering Network (CAEN), Sun Support
GE -d+ H s+: g-- p? !au a-- w+ v C++++ UL++++ P+>++ L++ 3- E--- N+++ K- !W M--
 V-- -po+(---) Y+ t+ 5 j+ R- G? tv b+ D B- e+ u--- h f+ r n- y? <Linux rules!>



From: anarch@cse.ucsc.edu (Anarch)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: 14 Nov 1994 04:18:42 GMT
Organization: Secular Humanists from Hell
Lines: 11
Message-ID: <3a6of2$4lc@darkstar.UCSC.EDU>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu> <3a5uqb$csu@nic.scruz.net> <3a66qv$ett@srvr1.engin.umich.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: yahi.cse.ucsc.edu


john@linux.reshall.umich.edu (John Gotts) wrote:
>The expression 'k-rad' has been around at least since 1988...
>
>It doesn't surprise me that this is popular again, considering back in the good
>old days the real hackers laughed at people who did this.  Hacking has changed.

No, real hackers *still* laugh at people who do this.

I think all the 'k-rad's that you see around here are jokes.  I *hope*
so, anyway.




Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Message-ID: <1994Nov14.004517.33856@miavx1>
From: atporter@nextsrv.cas.muohio.edu (Aaron Porter)
Date: 14 Nov 94 00:45:17 -0500
Followup-To: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu> <3a5uqb$csu@nic.scruz.net>
 <3a6of2$4lc@darkstar.UCSC.EDU>
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X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2]
Lines: 28


Anarch (anarch@cse.ucsc.edu) wrote:
: john@linux.reshall.umich.edu (John Gotts) wrote:
: >The expression 'k-rad' has been around at least since 1988...
: >
: >It doesn't surprise me that this is popular again, considering back in the good
: >old days the real hackers laughed at people who did this.  Hacking has changed.
 
: No, real hackers *still* laugh at people who do this.
 
: I think all the 'k-rad's that you see around here are jokes.  I *hope*
: so, anyway.

	K-Rad has been arround forever.   Mainly came up in my experience
with Apple // warez traders.  At that point it was a compliment, or an
endorsement (ie. "The Pirate's Pit is k-rad man.")  But more recently,
I'd say 91 or so, it was used to describe hte 'lamers' 'rodents' and
other 'elite' annoyances.  Now you only see k-rad on renegade boards
where 90% of the users have high-ASCII in their handles.

--


    "The only fate worse than death is living with a closed mind."

                atporter@nextsrv.cas.muohio.edu
                   atporter@miavx1.muohio.edu
                komodo@wonder.resnet.cornell.edu
                     komodo@jpc.stu.rpi.edu




From: daemon@news.internet-eireann.ie (Owner of many system processes)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: 16 Nov 1994 17:30:30 -0000
Organization: Wall Control Systems Ltd.
Lines: 27
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <784995560snz@wcs.internet-eireann.ie>
References: <1994Nov14.004517.33856@miavx1>
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In article <1994Nov14.004517.33856@miavx1> atporter@nextsrv.cas.muohio.edu writes:


>I'd say 91 or so, it was used to describe hte 'lamers' 'rodents' and 
>other 'elite' annoyances.  Now you only see k-rad on renegade boards 
>where 90% of the users have high-ASCII in their handles.
>
Now we can them quote their favourite Beavis and Butthead comments in
high-ASCII, doubling the annoyance.

I tHiNk MoSt Of ThEm NeEd To GeT tHeIr KeYbOaRdS fIxEd.

l8r


  |-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  |  edwall@wcs.internet-eireann.ie   |    Fax : 353-1-8215671  (Ireland)   |
  |       "Where did he go ?"   WHOOOSH!    "Where did who go ?"  :-)       |
  |-------------------------------------------------------------------------|



From: jmiller@terra.colostate.edu (Jeff Miller)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 1994 09:44:42 UNDEFINED
Organization: Terrestrial Ecosystems Regional Research and Analysis
Lines: 15
Message-ID: <jmiller.120.1334FB55@terra.colostate.edu>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu> <3a5uqb$csu@nic.scruz.net> <3a66qv$ett@srvr1.engin.umich.edu> <3a6of2$4lc@darkstar.UCSC.EDU>
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Ok, here's the real story (I hope)...

In the apple "scene" there was a group called MPG (Midwest Pirates Guild).  
One of the members of that group (who's handle I forget) used to talk really 
quick, and instead of saying stuff like "Ok, cool", he'd say, "'K, Cool".  
Thus begat "k-cool", which later spawned into "k-rad", "k-k00l", etc.


--
 _____________________________________________________________________________
|                                                                             |
| Jeff Miller | TERRA's Sys. Admin. | http://www.terra.colostate.edu/~jmiller |
|_____________________________________________________________________________|
 



Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
From: prig0011@gold.tc.umn.edu (Kevin L Prigge)
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Message-ID: <CzDAF4.AKD@news.cis.umn.edu>
Sender: news@news.cis.umn.edu (Usenet News Administration)
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Organization: University of Minnesota
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu> <3a66qv$ett@srvr1.engin.umich.edu> <3a6of2$4lc@darkstar.UCSC.EDU> <jmiller.120.1334FB55@terra.colostate.edu>
Date: Wed, 16 Nov 1994 15:45:22 GMT
Lines: 13


In article <jmiller.120.1334FB55@terra.colostate.edu>,
Jeff Miller <jmiller@terra.colostate.edu> wrote:
>
>Ok, here's the real story (I hope)...
>
>In the apple "scene" there was a group called MPG (Midwest Pirates Guild).  
>One of the members of that group (who's handle I forget) used to talk really 
>quick, and instead of saying stuff like "Ok, cool", he'd say, "'K, Cool".  
>Thus begat "k-cool", which later spawned into "k-rad", "k-k00l", etc.
>
That would have been Apple Bandit, sysop of The Safehouse.





From: t8c192@rick.cs.ubc.ca (Michael Angelo Relova)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: 16 Nov 1994 23:50:14 GMT
Organization: Computer Science, University of B.C., Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Lines: 19
Message-ID: <3ae5rm$lp1@cs.ubc.ca>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu> <3a66qv$ett@srvr1.engin.umich.edu> <3a6of2$4lc@darkstar.UCSC.EDU> <jmiller.120.1334FB55@terra.colostate.edu> <CzDAF4.AKD@news.cis.umn.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: keats.ugrad.cs.ubc.ca


In <CzDAF4.AKD@news.cis.umn.edu> prig0011@gold.tc.umn.edu (Kevin L Prigge) writes:

>In article <jmiller.120.1334FB55@terra.colostate.edu>,
>Jeff Miller <jmiller@terra.colostate.edu> wrote:
>>
>>Ok, here's the real story (I hope)...
>>
>>In the apple "scene" there was a group called MPG (Midwest Pirates Guild).  
>>One of the members of that group (who's handle I forget) used to talk really 
>>quick, and instead of saying stuff like "Ok, cool", he'd say, "'K, Cool".  
>>Thus begat "k-cool", which later spawned into "k-rad", "k-k00l", etc.

I think k-cool also meant kilo-cool or 1,000 times cool.


--
Michael Relova               |  Computer Science Undergrad
t8c192@ugrad.cs.ubc.ca       |  University of British Columbia
relova@unixg.ubc.ca          |  Vancouver, BC, Canada




From: rhsiung@kaiwan.com (Richard Hsiung)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: 14 Nov 1994 14:27:49 -0800
Organization: pi alpha omega epsilon alpha
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Sender: rhsiung@kaiwan.kaiwan.com
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NNTP-Posting-Host: kaiwan.kaiwan.com


In article <3a66qv$ett@srvr1.engin.umich.edu>,
john@linux.reshall.umich.edu (John Gotts) wrote:
> The expression 'k-rad' has been around at least since 1988.  I don't think that
> the 'k' has any particular meaning except to aid in making cryptic ASCII-ed

It's been around a lot longer than 1988... I remember even back in
'82 when k-rad/k00l/etc was considered rodent speak.  Hmm.. maybe
it had a lot to do with the /<-/<o0l spinning cursor days of
cat-fer boards.

--
Richard Hsiung <rhsiung@kaiwan.com>       PGP public key via finger/keyserver
                 WWW URL= http://www.kaiwan.com/~rhsiung




From: spaaron@sgife7.sdrc.com (Arron Saarela)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: 15 Nov 1994 16:12:03 GMT
Organization: Structural Dynamics Research Corporation, Milford, OH
Lines: 22
Distribution: usa
Message-ID: <3aamkj$avv@info1.sdrc.com>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu> <3a5uqb$csu@nic.scruz.net> <3a66qv$ett@srvr1.engin.umich.edu> <NVznkCO9a5r2073yn@kaiwan.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: sgife7.sdrc.com


In article <NVznkCO9a5r2073yn@kaiwan.com>,
Richard Hsiung <rhsiung@kaiwan.com> wrote:
>In article <3a66qv$ett@srvr1.engin.umich.edu>,
>john@linux.reshall.umich.edu (John Gotts) wrote:
>> The expression 'k-rad' has been around at least since 1988.  I don't think that
>> the 'k' has any particular meaning except to aid in making cryptic ASCII-ed
>
>It's been around a lot longer than 1988... I remember even back in
>'82 when k-rad/k00l/etc was considered rodent speak.  Hmm.. maybe
>it had a lot to do with the /<-/<o0l spinning cursor days of
>cat-fer boards.
>

	I was under the impression that the K-rad movement started out on the
C-64 boards.  In any respect, that's where I had seen it back in the early
eighties.  I remember that k-rad popping up on AII's and such, and people     
screaming for those to go back to there "Ultra k-rad k00l Commie B0rds"

--------
The wise are sufficient unto themselves - Balthazar Grecian
saarela@engin.umich.edu
 



From: dogcow@ccs.neu.edu (Tom 'moof' Spindler)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: 17 Nov 1994 07:02:15 GMT
Organization: College of Computer Science, Northeastern University
Lines: 15
Message-ID: <3aev5n$lut@narnia.ccs.neu.edu>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu> <3a5uqb$csu@nic.scruz.net> <3a66qv$ett@srvr1.engin.umich.edu> <NVznkCO9a5r2073yn@kaiwan.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: atlas.ccs.neu.edu


>> The expression 'k-rad' has been around at least since 1988.  I don't think that
>> the 'k' has any particular meaning except to aid in making cryptic ASCII-ed
>
>It's been around a lot longer than 1988... I remember even back in
>'82 when k-rad/k00l/etc was considered rodent speak.  Hmm.. maybe
>it had a lot to do with the /<-/<o0l spinning cursor days of
>cat-fer boards.

Ah, cat-fur and elite NetWorks! 99e99! I seem to remember having
somewhere at home on my //e a file circa '83 that listed all the "D000D"
speak. I believe their examples of usage for K- were K-K000L, K-RAD,
K-MART.

Wish I had a serial card for the //e or a floppy drive for my mac so I
could archive all the elite docfiles.




From: Matthew@Fallon.com (Matthew Dornquast)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Date: Tue, 15 Nov 1994 17:48:28 -0600
Organization: Fallon McElligott
Lines: 48
Message-ID: <Matthew-1511941748280001@matthew.fallon.com>
References: <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: 204.73.76.66


In article <39vpkk$oeq@scratchy.reed.edu>, jkeroes@reed.edu (spork de
plastique) asked:

> What does the "k" of k-rad stand for?

Jeff Miller's reply came the closest to reality thus far, writing:

>In the apple "scene" there was a group called MPG (Midwest Pirates Guild).
>One of the members of that group (who's handle I forget) used to talk really
>quick, and instead of saying stuff like "Ok, cool", he'd say, "'K, Cool".
>Thus begat "k-cool", which later spawned into "k-rad", "k-k00l", etc.

Where do I come in?  Well, I'm one of the original 4 MPG members.  And
yes, we did start the K-craze  (Spontaneously without inspiration from
outside sources)

Disclaimer: It started spontaneously for us in 1982, it certainly could
have elsewhere at any time.

No, it didn't come from K as in Kilobytes.  The "K" concept originated
from our style of saying "Okay, bye" on the phone.  One late night in a
hurry to hack the latest ware before anyone else did, we hung up with a
"k-bye".  It just happened, without thinking.  It sounded cool.

(Back then, we were on the phoen A LOT.  Folks called all the time.
Wanting BBS access, software, etc.  We tended to work while we talked,
stream of conciousness kinda stuff.)

We hung out, ate pizza, cracked warez.  I believe Sinbad (one of the 4)
was the first to go "k-cool" dude.  It sounded Kool.  From there we all
went nuts.  For months it was K-this, K-that, we made ourselves
sick--Eventually settling down to our original K-cool & K-bye.

We had several BBSs.  The most popular and well known was the Safehouse.
It wasn't surprising how it spread.  We had over 10,000 users on our
systems combined and habitually wrote "kbye" and "k-cool" on our
messages.  Heck, I think we even put it on a few title pages.

(Those pages designating who hacked the software)

Anyway, for what it's worth, that's how it started for us.  I find it
funny that folks use it in the "k/thousands" sense.  It makes sense,
though we never thought of it in that way ourselves.  So in a way, I'm
sure many contributed.

Hope that helps.  More than you wanted to know eh?




From: lkench@saucer.cc.umr.edu (Lawrence Kenchel)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Followup-To: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Date: 16 Nov 1994 18:11:09 GMT
Organization: UMR Missouri's Technological University
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: > What does the "k" of k-rad stand for?

I also vaugely remeber a section of FAmily Computing that was really lame
on yellow pages they called K-Rad I think.  I think it used to be a
separate magazine but again, it was really lame...oh well...interesting
real story behind it though...



From: marauder@lod.amaranth.com (The Marauder)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Subject: Re: meaning of k-rad
Followup-To: news.newusers.questions,alt.2600
Date: 18 Nov 1994 20:47:07 -0600
Organization: LoD Communications, Inc.
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Matthew Dornquast (Matthew@Fallon.com) wrote:
: > What does the "k" of k-rad stand for?
 
: Jeff Miller's reply came the closest to reality thus far, writing:
 
: >In the apple "scene" there was a group called MPG (Midwest Pirates Guild).  
: >One of the members of that group (who's handle I forget) used to talk really 
: >quick, and instead of saying stuff like "Ok, cool", he'd say, "'K, Cool".  
: >Thus begat "k-cool", which later spawned into "k-rad", "k-k00l", etc.
: Disclaimer: It started spontaneously for us in 1982, it certainly could
: have elsewhere at any time. 
 
: Wanting BBS access, software, etc.  We tended to work while we talked,
: stream of conciousness kinda stuff.)
 
: We hung out, ate pizza, cracked warez.  I believe Sinbad (one of the 4)
: was the first to go "k-cool" dude.  It sounded Kool.  From there we all
: went nuts.  For months it was K-this, K-that, we made ourselves
: sick--Eventually settling down to our original K-cool & K-bye. 
 
: We had several BBSs.  The most popular and well known was the Safehouse. 
: It wasn't surprising how it spread.  We had over 10,000 users on our
: systems combined and habitually wrote "kbye" and "k-cool" on our
: messages.  Heck, I think we even put it on a few title pages.
 
: (Those pages designating who hacked the software)
 
: Anyway, for what it's worth, that's how it started for us.  I find it
: funny that folks use it in the "k/thousands" sense.  It makes sense,
: though we never thought of it in that way ourselves.  So in a way, I'm
: sure many contributed.
 
: Hope that helps.  More than you wanted to know eh?
 
: -Matthew (Mini Appler)


This is exactly where I remember seeing it appear.. and eventually it became
used as way to sarcastically mock rodents.. 

btw, Matthew, I still  have a copy of "Delightful Dialer" ;)

Marauder
-- 
Marauder, The              ||"Maybe going camping might provide a badly
LoD Communications, Inc.   || needed  dose of  perspective?  The radiation 
marauder@lod.amaranth.com  || from your computer setup is affecting your mind"
___________________________||   [Circa 1994 - Universe aka ANI-Failure]