EOU

2 definitions found

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  EOU /E-O-U/ n. The mnemonic of a mythical ASCII control character (End
     Of User) that would make an ASR-33 Teletype explode on receipt. This
     construction parodies the numerous obscure delimiter and control
     characters left in ASCII from the days when it was associated more with
     wire-service teletypes than computers (e.g., FS, GS, RS, US, EM, SUB,
     ETX, and esp. EOT). It is worth remembering that ASR-33s were big, noisy


     mechanical beasts with a lot of clattering parts; the notion that one
     might explode was nowhere near as ridiculous as it might seem to someone
     sitting in front of a {tube} or flatscreen today.
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  EOU
       
           The mnemonic of a mythical {ASCII} control
          character (End Of User) that would make an {ASR-33} {Teletype}
          explode on receipt.  This construction parodies the numerous
          obscure {delimiter} and control characters left in ASCII from
          the days when it was associated more with wire-service
          teletypes than computers (e.g. {FS}, {GS}, {RS}, {US}, {EM},
          {SUB}, {ETX}, and especially {EOT}).  It is worth remembering
          that ASR-33s were big, noisy mechanical beasts with a lot of
          clattering parts; the notion that one might explode was
          nowhere near as ridiculous as it might seem to someone sitting
          in front of a {tube} or flatscreen today.
       
          [{Jargon File}]
       
          (1996-06-29)