time T
 /ti:m T/, n.

    1. An unspecified but usually well-understood time, often used in
    conjunction with a later time T+1. ?We'll meet on campus at time T or at
    Louie's at time T+1? means, in the context of going out for dinner: ?We can
    meet on campus and go to Louie's, or we can meet at Louie's itself a bit
    later.? (Louie's was a Chinese restaurant in Palo Alto that was a favorite
    with hackers.) Had the number 30 been used instead of the number 1, it
    would have implied that the travel time from campus to Louie's is 30
    minutes; whatever time T is (and that hasn't been decided on yet), you can
    meet half an hour later at Louie's than you could on campus and end up
    eating at the same time. See also since time T equals minus infinity.

time T

   /ti:m T/ An unspecified but usually well-understood time,
   often used in conjunction with a later time T+1.  "We'll meet
   on campus at time T or at Louie's at time T+1" means, in the
   context of going out for dinner: "We can meet on campus and go
   to Louie's, or we can meet at Louie's itself a bit later."
   (Louie's was a Chinese restaurant in Palo Alto that was a
   favourite with hackers.)  Had the number 30 been used instead
   of the number 1, it would have implied that the travel time
   from campus to Louie's is 30 minutes; whatever time T is (and
   that hasn't been decided on yet), you can meet half an hour
   later at Louie's than you could on campus and end up eating at
   the same time.

   See also since time T equals minus infinity.

   [Jargon File]

   (1994-12-12)