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Grep: science fiction reference? Help!
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Senior User
Join Date: Sep 2002
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OK it's driving me crazy so I thought I'd see if anyone can solve this question for me. I googled this and all I come up with is command line references.
What classic science fiction book uses the word "grep" or something similar to describe some act of communication I think. Possibly has a sexual element? I can't remember for sure.
This dates from something I read in maybe as far back as the 70's. That's 1970's. And I'm pretty sure it was some major author like Heinlein.
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Administrator  Join Date: May 2000
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The word you're thinking of is "grok" invented by Heinlein in 'Stranger in a strange land'.
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Clinically Insane
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grep - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Grep was created by Ken Thompson as a standalone application adapted from the regular expression parser he had written for the ed editor (which he also created). The name grep comes from the ed editor command it simulated, g/re/p (global regular expression print).[2] Its official date of creation is given as March 3,1973 in the Manual for Unix Version 4."
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Senior User
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Originally Posted by reader50 
The word you're thinking of is "grok" invented by Heinlein in 'Stranger in a strange land'.
Thank you so much. This was driving me crazy! I knew it probably wasn't grep but it dated from the same era so it was possible old nerd-speak of some sort.
Now maybe I have to go and read the book again. Revisit my childhood  Or at least adolescence.
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Clinically Insane
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"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
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Moderator  Join Date: Apr 2000
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"Grok" means "to understand something fully", roughly speaking. It isn't sexual, although the main character in that book also has certain non-traditional views on sex.
Great book, by the way, but "The moon is a harsh mistress" is way better.
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The low-end Mac Pro is the most overpriced Mac since the IIvx
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Administrator Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
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Originally Posted by P
"Grok" means "to understand something fully", roughly speaking. It isn't sexual, although the main character in that book also has certain non-traditional views on sex.
Great book, by the way, but "The moon is a harsh mistress" is way better.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is a lot less ambiguous and puzzling than Stranger. Of all of Heinlien's novels, Stranger is the most challenging for me. Moon is always a good read, though the end always gets me.
Anyway, "grok" goes beyond common ideas of "understand." It is zen-like, with the "grocker" becoming that which is groked. It is a very strong, and very involved concept.
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Glenn -----
OTR/L, MOT, Tx
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Baninated
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