BIFF

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BIFF

(1)

/bif/ (Or "B1FF", from Usenet) The most famous pseudo, and the prototypical newbie. Articles from BIFF are characterised by all uppercase letters sprinkled liberally with bangs, typos, "cute" misspellings (EVRY BUDY LUVS GOOD OLD BIFF CUZ HE'S A K00L DOOD AN HE RITES REEL AWESUM THINGZ IN CAPITULL LETTRS LIKE THIS!!!), use (and often misuse) of fragments of chat abbreviations, a long sig block (sometimes even a doubled sig), and unbounded naivete. BIFF posts articles using his elder brother's VIC-20. BIFF's location is a mystery, as his articles appear to come from a variety of sites. However, BITNET seems to be the most frequent origin. The theory that BIFF is a denizen of BITNET is supported by BIFF's (unfortunately invalid) electronic mail address: <BIFF@BIT.NET>.

[1993: Now It Can Be Told! My spies inform me that BIFF was originally created by Joe Talmadge <jat@cup.hp.com>, also the author of the infamous and much-plagiarised "Flamer's Bible". The BIFF filter he wrote was later passed to Richard Sexton, who posted BIFFisms much more widely. Versions have since been posted for the amusement of the net at large. - ESR]

biff

(2)

/bif/ To notify someone of incoming mail. From the BSD utility "biff(1)", which was in turn named after a friendly golden Labrador who used to chase frisbees in the halls at UCB while 4.2BSD was in development (it had a well-known habit of barking whenever the mailman came). No relation to BIFF.

BIFF

(1) (Binary Interchange File Format) A spreadsheet file format that holds data and charts, introduced with Excel Version 2.2 in 1989.

(2) A novice on the Usenet bulletin board. Also spelled "B1FF," a BIFF is a newbie who tries to be "cool" by, among other things, abbreviating words with clever misspellings. See Usenet and leetspeak.

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References in periodicals archive ?

Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th ID chief, as military offensives went full swing on all BIFF enclaves in Central Mindanao.

The BIFF, which professes jihadist ideology for an independent state in Mindanao and is opposed to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's (MILF's) peace deal with the government for enhanced autonomy, has major enclaves in Maguindanao and minor camps in some villages of Pikit, Midsayap, and Aleosan towns in North Cotabato.

BIFF combatants clashed with MILF forces in seven villages bordering Pagalungan, Maguindanao, and Pikit, North Cotabato, in a weeklong firefight late last month, forcing more than 2,000 villagers to seek refuge in safer grounds.

Emmylou Talino Mendoza ordered delivery of relief goods and services to the evacuees, as she called on government security forces to quell BIFF elements in other parts of her province.

Mayors tapped in fighting BIFF

Well, now that I think about it, I'm happy for you, Biff, even if I did have my heart set on takin' this here buck my ownself.

The book had turned up again one Saturday afternoon just that summer, after Biff's wife Betty had roused him from a well-deserved nap and said that if he didn't have anything better to do, he might as well straighten up the attic, like he'd been promising to do for the past 10 years.

Once he had "cracked the pattern" and determined that only the underlined letters in every other word, beginning with the first, counted, Biff read, "Biff will get a buck."

"Biff, I don't understand none of this, but I ain't never been one to argue with success.