Changes

[[Image:Spam.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A tin of Spam]]

[[Image:Spam.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A tin of Spam]]

In its original meaning '''Spam''' is the proprietary name for a type of processed, canned pink luncheon meat from Hormel, primarly made from pork. The name is a contraction of "SPiced hAM". It was very popular in England during World War II, when fresh meat was in short supply. <ref>[http://www.spam.com Official Spam Website]</ref>  Most Americans intuitively, viscerally associate "Spam" with "no nutritive or aesthetic value," though it is still relatively popular (especially in Hawaii) and can be found in almost any grocery store. Spam has its own newsgroup, alt.spam.  

In its original meaning '''SPAM''' (all uppercase) is the proprietary name for a type of processed, canned pink luncheon meat from Hormel, primarly made from pork. The name is a contraction of "SPiced hAM". It was very popular in England during World War II, when fresh meat was in short supply. <ref>[http://www.spam.com Official SPAM Website]</ref>  Most Americans intuitively, viscerally associate "SPAM" with "no nutritive or aesthetic value," though it is still relatively popular (especially in Hawaii) and can be found in almost any grocery store. SPAM has its own newsgroup, alt.spam.

However, '''spam''' has now acquired a completely different meaning, as electronic junk mail or junk newsgroup postings. There is some debate about the source of the term, but the generally accepted version is that it comes from from one episode of [[Monty Python|Monty Python's Flying Circus]], set in a caf&#233;, which served dishes such as "Egg, spam, chips, spam, beans and spam", and which ended with a song which went: "Spam spam spam spam, spam spam spam spam, lovely spam, wonderful spam…"  Like the song, spam is an endless repetition of worthless text.  

However, '''spam''' has now acquired a completely different meaning, as electronic junk mail or junk newsgroup postings. There is some debate about the source of the term, but the generally accepted version is that in the days of internet bulletin boards, unscrupulous users would create post after post of "SPAM SPAM" etc in order to push other people's topics off the bottom of the board before posting their own unsolicited advertising message. The term "SPAM" was used due to the popularity of a particular episode of [[Monty Python|Monty Python's Flying Circus]], set in a caf&#233;, which served dishes such as "Egg, spam, chips, spam, beans and spam", and which ended with a song which went: "Spam spam spam spam, spam spam spam spam, lovely spam, wonderful spam…"  Like the song, spam is an endless repetition of worthless text.  

<ref>[http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html#2.1 The Net Abuse FAQ. 2.1) What is Spam?]</ref>

<ref>[http://www.cybernothing.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq.html#2.1 The Net Abuse FAQ. 2.1) What is Spam?]</ref>

In video games, '''spamming''' refers to repeatedly using one technique or move.

In video games, '''spamming''' refers to repeatedly using one technique or move.

==References==

==References==