Why D* or E* versus Dish or DirectTV

[theoak]

So educate me a little ...

I find it very confusing sometimes when people use "D*" in their posts.

Is this "D"ish or "D"irectTV?

E* is pretty simple to figure out thankfully :up

What is wrong with Dish or Dish Network or Direct or DirectTV?

Am I missing something?

 

[dmendenjr]

Here's how I understand it:

E* = Echostar (hence E and the star) and thereby Dishnetwork
D* = DirecTv

I think people where just lazy and like the shorthand....
plus, figured that if you're enough of an enthusiast to get the E* thing then the d* would be what is left over then again there is also V* (not to mention On* - but that is for another forum)

 

[MikeD-C05]

I think a lot of people are too lazy to type out the full names and use the abbreviations. I use the full name , but it is really your choice , as there are no rules.

 

[navychop]

Shorthand is good. I love acronyms. Would you prefer COMNAVAIRLANT or Commander, Naval Air Forces, Atlantic - if you had to type it a hundred times a day, pre-PC?

 

[Dish VIP]

D* because DTV was already taken.

If I were King, the rules would be: DN for Dish Network; DTV for DirecTV; E* for Echostar; and DT for Digital Television.

 

[Sammy033]

Because it makes people feel special? Nah just kidding.

I agree its the shorthand thing and it depends on how fast you type. The faster you are generally the less likely you will use abbreviations. That is unless the acronym spelled out just seems silly... like someone typing 'laugh out loud' instead of LOL.

 

[iwc5893]

I do it because I would get in trouble here for typing some colorful adjectives describing both companies. So I look at the * as a self imposed censor.

 

[EmpireState]

I love this topic. I've always thought they were funky too and don't use them. It probably comes down to typing speed. I don't mind spelling them out.

It's especially funny when you read Dish or Direct TV news on EngadgetHD and Gizmodo and then go to the comments section and some of the posters are using D* and E* as if anyone but hardcore sat people have any idea what that means.

 

[EmpireState]

Shorthand is good. I love acronyms. Would you prefer COMNAVAIRLANT or Commander, Naval Air Forces, Atlantic - if you had to type it a hundred times a day, pre-PC?

I wouldn't want to use either one. Couldn't I just copy and paste either one at that point? Devils advocate.

 

[shibby191]

If we take a look back in history we had the following at the dawn of satellite TV:

Echostar = E*
Primestar = P*
Alphastar = A*
DirecTV = ???

So naturally in the infancy of the Internet forums, long before this forum existed, DirecTV became D* in shorthand to kinda match up with the others.

Thus endeth the lesson.

 

[Miner]

Shorthand is good. I love acronyms. Would you prefer COMNAVAIRLANT or Commander, Naval Air Forces, Atlantic - if you had to type it a hundred times a day, pre-PC?

Or just CNAF now; even shorter.

Miner

 

[BobaBird]

Why would it be DirectTV when the company is called DirecTV?

 

[gadgtfreek]

Here's how I understand it:

E* = Echostar (hence E and the star) and thereby Dishnetwork
D* = DirecTv

I think people where just lazy and like the shorthand....
plus, figured that if you're enough of an enthusiast to get the E* thing then the d* would be what is left over then again there is also V* (not to mention On* - but that is for another forum)

I think a lot of people are too lazy to type out the full names and use the abbreviations. I use the full name , but it is really your choice , as there are no rules.

I like how you both think "lazy" is the reason, real nice.

Why not be more effecient in typing and make it easier.

How about lets go back thru (ooops, thats me being lazy) and see how many times the two of you have used something like lmao or any other abbreviation.

 

[Sammy033]

How about lets go back thru (ooops, thats me being lazy) and see how many times the two of you have used something like lmao or any other abbreviation.

LMAO from the very beginning was shorthand to describe a physical reaction. I cant remember anyone ever writing "laugh my ass off". Lets also not forget ROFLMFAO. Try to write that one out quickly. Directv and Echostar are proper nouns and should be treated as such. That said, another acronym that comes to mind is M$. But the dollar sign itself has special significance and it is not just shorthand. I hate to say it but for me D* and E* fall into the same category as 'J-Lo'.

Oh, AFAIK (uh oh, now I did it too) nobody has really laughed their ass off. It would have been in the news.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Whatcha (ooops) got against J-Lo?

you think she has D* or E* (doh)

:haha

I understand the point, but to say someone is lazy for putting down E* and D* is ridiculous.

IMHO (dang) anyways.

 

[M Sparks]

If we take a look back in history we had the following at the dawn of satellite TV:

Echostar = E*
Primestar = P*
Alphastar = A*
DirecTV = ???

So naturally in the infancy of the Internet forums, long before this forum existed, DirecTV became D* in shorthand to kinda match up with the others.

Thus endeth the lesson.

Thanks...I was just about to say this, but I forgot about Alphastar.

In Canada, do they say *C for Star Choice?

 

[MikeD-C05]

I like how you both think "lazy" is the reason, real nice.

Why not be more effecient in typing and make it easier.

How about lets go back thru (ooops, thats me being lazy) and see how many times the two of you have used something like lmao or any other abbreviation.

How about learning to spell efficient when you type ELWAYLITE?

Like I said there are NO Rules and you can abbreviate if you like and I will continue to type out the whole word. As for using Lmao or any other abbreviation I don't. I find all that text messaging abbreviations kid stuff and something I don't participate in.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Hows elwylte?

Or, you can just call me EL*

 

[Hemi 6.1]

I find all that text messaging abbreviations kid stuff and something I don't participate in.

Maybe so. But think of how much space it saves to put
D*
Directv
E*
Dishnetwork
99% of the Satellite guys know what these mean. So whats the problem? Why change something thats not broken.

 

[CPanther95]

So educate me a little ...

I find it very confusing sometimes when people use "D*" in their posts.

Is this "D"ish or "D"irectTV?

E* is pretty simple to figure out thankfully :up

What is wrong with Dish or Dish Network or Direct or DirectTV?

Am I missing something?

I think what you're missing is the process of elimination. If you aren't sure whether D* stands for Dish or DirecTV - but then you find E* simple to figure out as Dish, then D* must then be for DirecTV.