(TLA) The canonical self-describing abbreviation for the name of a species with which computing terminology is infested. examples include ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=MCA">MCA, ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=FTP">FTP, ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=SNA">SNA, ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=CPU">CPU, ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=MMU">MMU, ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=DMU">DMU, ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=FPU">FPU, ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=TLA">TLA. For a complete list of the TLAs in this dictionary, see ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=TLAs">TLAs. Sometimes used by extension for any confusing acronym. People who like this looser usage argue that not all TLAs have three letters, just as not all four-letter words have four letters. One also hears of "eTLA" (extended Three-Letter Acronym) being used to describe four-letter acronyms. The term "SFLA" (Stupid Four-Letter Acronym) has also been reported. See also ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=YABA">YABA. The self-effacing phrase "TDM TLA" (Too Damn Many...) is often used to bemoan the plethora of TLAs in use. In 1989, a random of the journalistic persuasion asked hacker Paul Boutin "What do you think will be the biggest problem in computing in the 90s?" Paul' s straight-faced response: "There are only 17,000 three-letter acronyms." (To be exact, there are 26^3 = 17,576.) (1994-12-14)

e="border-width:thin; border-color:#333333; border-style:dashed; padding:5px;" align="left">In addition suitable contents:
[ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=31">2 ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=134">= ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=154">abbrev ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=232">acronym ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=396">ag ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=411">ai ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=433">al ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=544">am ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=592">an ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=740">ar ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=743">arc ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=759">arg ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=800">as ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=894">at ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=935">au ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=996">av ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1025">B ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1026">b ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1159">bb ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1181">be ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1269">bi ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1535">br ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1695">by ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1708">C ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1723">CA ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1724">ca ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1801">canonical ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2001">ch ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2099">ci ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2136">ck ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2138">cl ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2247">co ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2330">com ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2441">complete ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2538">computing ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2545">con ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2767">CP ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2786">CPU ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2791">cr ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2827">cron ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2976">D ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3151">de ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3557">DMU ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3565">do ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3752">du ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3834">e ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3865">ec ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3896">ed ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3929">ee ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4148">er ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4171">es ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4198">eT ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4199">et ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4215">eTL ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4354">extension ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4497">fi ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4520">file ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4606">FL ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4700">fo ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4727">for ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4814">FP ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4825">FPU ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4909">FT ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4911">FTP ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5057">ge ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5134">gh ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5403">gu ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5430">gy ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5434">h ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5438">hack ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5443">hacker ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5540">hat ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5768">hr ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5779">ht ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5931">id ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5956">ie ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6013">il ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6064">in ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6068">inc ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6070">include ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6413">io ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6482">is ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6558">it ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6681">jo ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6789">ke ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7091">Lex ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7107">li ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7137">like this ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7220">list ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7399">ls ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7415">lu ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7441">ly ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7457">M ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7677">MC ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7685">MCA ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8026">MMU ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8029">mn ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8032">mo ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8040">mod ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8079">module ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8167">mp ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8228">ms ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8384">N ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8386">na ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8460">nc ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8472">ne ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8622">nf ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8627">ng ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8630">ni ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8660">nl ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8675">no ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8760">ns ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8813">nym ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8820">O ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8964">om ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9014">op ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9457">pe ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9550">ph ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9651">pl ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9821">port ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9908">pr ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10253">query ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10313">random ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10364">rc ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10385">re ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10767">ro ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10918">S ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10922">sa ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11010">sc ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11150">se ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11305">SFL ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11376">si ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11510">sk ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11616">SNA ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11651">so ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11790">spec ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11934">st ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12133">su ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12359">T ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12468">TDM ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12588">th ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12624">this dictionary ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12699">TLA ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12721">to ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12787">tr ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12896">tt ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12986">ua ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13146">up ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13175">us ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13310">ve ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13366">vi ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13820">word ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=14024">Y ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=14028">YABA ]