[1] : Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (Version 1.9, June 2002)

vax
     virtual address extension dec, vax
     
     

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

vax /vaks/ n. 1. from virtual address extension the most successful
   minicomputer design in industry history, possibly excepting its
   immediate ancestor, the pdp-11. between its release in 1978 and its
   eclipse by killer micros after about 1986, the vax was probably the
   hacker's favorite machine of them all, esp. after the 1982 release of
   4.2 bsd unix see bsd. esp. noted for its large,
   assembler-programmer-friendly instruction set -- an asset that became a
   liability after the risc revolution. 2. a major brand of vacuum cleaner
   in britain. cited here because its sales pitch, "nothing sucks like a
   vax" became a sort of battle-cry of risc partisans. it is even
   sometimes claimed that dec actually entered a cross-licensing deal with
   the vacuum-vax people that allowed them to market vax computers in the
   u.k. in return for not challenging the vacuum cleaner trademark in the
   u.s.

   a rival brand actually pioneered the slogan: its original form was
   "nothing sucks like electrolux". it has apparently become a classic
   example used in advertising textbooks of the perils of not knowing the
   local idiom. but in 1996, the press manager of electrolux ab, while
   confirming that the company used this slogan in the late 1960s, also
   tells us that their marketing people were fully aware of the possible
   double entendre and intended it to gain attention.

   and gain attention it did - the vax-vacuum-cleaner people thought the
   slogan a sufficiently good idea to copy it. several british hackers
   report that vax's promotions used it in 1986-1987, and we have one
   report from a new zealander that the infamous slogan surfaced there in
   tv ads for the product in 1992.


see also:
killer micro bsd 

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

vax
     
         /vaks/ virtual address extensio the most
        successful minicomputer design in industry history, possibly
        excepting its immediate ancestor, the pdp-11.  between its
        release in 1978 and its eclipse by killer micros after about
        1986, the vax was probably the hacker's favourite machine,
        especially after the 1982 release of 4.2bsd unix.
        especially noted for its large, assembly
        code-programmer-friendly instruction set - an asset that
        became a liability after the risc revolution.
     
        vax is also a british brand of carpet cleaner
        http://www.vax.co.uk/ whose advertising slogan, "nothing
        sucks like a vax" became a battle-cry of risc partisans.  it
        is even sometimes claimed that dec actually entered a
        licencing deal that allowed them to market vax computers in
        the uk in return for not challenging the carpet cleaner
        trademark in the us.
     
        the slogan originated in the late 1960s as "nothing sucks like
        electrolux", electrolux ab being a rival swedish company.  it
        became a classic textbook example of the perils of not knowing
        the local idiom, which is ironic because, according to the
        electrolux press manager in 1996, the double entendre was
        intentional.  vax copied the slogan in their promotions in
        1986-1987, and it surfaced in new zealand tv ads as recently
        as 1992
     
        jargon file
     
        2000-09-28
     
     
see also:
minicomputer pdp-11 killer micros hacker 4.2bsd unix 
assembly code instruction set risc lt;carpet cleanergt; jargon file 

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