# Obt?



## Python (Jul 26, 2005)

I've been reading the boards for a little while now and I keep seeing the term OBT. What does that stand for? I tried the search function but it was no help


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## wolfpak (Jul 26, 2005)

orange baboon tarantula. i think :?


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## becca81 (Jul 26, 2005)

or... "Orange Bitey Thing"

This should really be in big letters across the top of the forum.  That, or have a "find out what OBT means" button on the search page.


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## cloud711 (Jul 26, 2005)

obt= orange baboon tarantula


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## Snipes (Jul 26, 2005)

I think its for orange baboon tarantula, but most people go with "orange bitey thing"


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## Python (Jul 26, 2005)

Thanks for the really fast resposes


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## SpiderDork (Jul 26, 2005)

OBT is an acronym for Orange Bitey Thing a nickname that has been bestowed on th P. murinus (Usambar Baboon). They are renown for their quickness and defensive natures.


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## Henry Kane (Jul 26, 2005)

becca81 said:
			
		

> or... "Orange Bitey Thing"
> 
> This should really be in big letters across the top of the forum.  That, or have a "find out what OBT means" button on the search page.


That or people just start calling them by their correct name. 

Gary


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## Code Monkey (Jul 26, 2005)

BileDrunk said:
			
		

> That or people just start calling them by their correct name.


As my dad always said, "Wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which one gets full first." 

In general I am complete agreement, but even I find myself typing OBT out of laziness sometimes.


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## defour (Jul 26, 2005)

Code Monkey said:
			
		

> As my dad always said, "Wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which one gets full first."


It sometimes stands for "orange baboon tarantula"? I'd always thought it was an "orange bitey thing" exclusive acronym, maybe because "orange baboon tarantula" is such a bad common name.

Funny you should mention that particular bit of fatherly wisdom. I'd never heard it until my old boss said it. I could only stare in bewilderment as I tried to figure out what it could possibly mean. I eventually got it, but it's never really clicked for me, which is one reason I like using it in conversation. I don't really pay any attention to whether or not it makes sense in context, which has the fun side effect of causing OTHER people to look bewildered. It's sort of like a more satisfying version of the "random acts of kindness" thing. You can't keep it if you don't give it away. 

Steve


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## tarantulakeeper (Jul 26, 2005)

defour said:
			
		

> It sometimes stands for "orange baboon tarantula"? I'd always thought it was an "orange bitey thing" exclusive acronym, maybe because "orange baboon tarantula" is such a bad common name.
> Steve


I don't have any saved emails or correspondence to back up my 'older' memory, but if I am remembering correctly OBT originated from an early 1998/99 email list or from discussions on Doug's Bulletin Board.  It meant "orange bitey thing" at that time.  This was prior to this forum, the ATS yahoo group, Spidertalk,Petbugs, etc. Mark Kent, Mike "Troll" Dame, and numerous others I can't remember were active at that time.   John


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## Code Monkey (Jul 26, 2005)

tarantulakeeper said:
			
		

> I don't have any saved emails or correspondence to back up my 'older' memory, but if I am remembering correctly OBT originated from an early 1998/99 email list or from discussions on Doug's Bulletin Board.  It meant "orange bitey thing" at that time.  This was prior to this forum, the ATS yahoo group, Spidertalk,Petbugs, etc. Mark Kent, Mike "Troll" Dame, and numerous others I can't remember were active at that time.   John


Orange Bitey Thing is the original as best I know as well. What is more interesting is why it overtook Pterror for the bastardised common name for the Usambara. I remember that Pterrors used to be the most frequently used "common name" and then all of a sudden somebody realised Orange Bitey Thing was more attractive. It's one of those knowledge as virus type things that fascinate me.


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## Jmadson13 (Jul 27, 2005)

Funny Orange bastard tarantula always came to thought   I suppose orange bitey thing works as well but I do prefer P. murinus


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## caligulathegod (Jul 29, 2005)

Code Monkey said:
			
		

> Orange Bitey Thing is the original as best I know as well. What is more interesting is why it overtook Pterror for the bastardised common name for the Usambara. I remember that Pterrors used to be the most frequently used "common name" and then all of a sudden somebody realised Orange Bitey Thing was more attractive. It's one of those knowledge as virus type things that fascinate me.


Just for S&G's, I did a search to find the earliest use of the term "Orange Bitey Thing" on this site (back to 2002) and guess who came up?   

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?p=9058&highlight=orange+bitey+thing#post9058

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?p=9575&highlight=orange+bitey+thing#post9575

Now, it might have been used before on an earlier version of the site, and I couldn't search "OBT", but I thought it was kind of funny.


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## Code Monkey (Jul 29, 2005)

caligulathegod said:
			
		

> Just for S&G's, I did a search to find the earliest use of the term "Orange Bitey Thing" on this site (back to 2002) and guess who came up?


Not that I wouldn't want credit for something that became so wide spread, but I can't take credit for something that I was just parrotting myself.


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## rgfx (Jul 29, 2005)

I think pterror is a MUCH better common name than OBT.


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## tarantulakeeper (Jul 29, 2005)

*a little history..*



			
				Code Monkey said:
			
		

> Not that I wouldn't want credit for something that became so wide spread, but I can't take credit for something that I was just parrotting myself.



In February, 2001, Jay Stotzky merged two yahoo groups, Arachnids and Strictly_tarantulas, into arachnid_world.  The first reference I found using the search feature for "orange bitey thing" was Mark Kent's messasge 3977. 

This was posted on May 26, 2001. 
<<em how about an orange bitey thing (pt species)much more exciting
than an acic first thing in a morning when you are half asleep or
still half cut (drunk).
bye mark

I think the term had been thrown around for a while on the other two lists. The archived messages from the two merged groups are no longer available.   John


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## Code Monkey (Jul 29, 2005)

rgfx said:
			
		

> I think pterror is a MUCH better common name than OBT.


OBT is easier to type and spell (heh) has been my best guess for why Pterror was superceded.


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## Immortal_sin (Jul 29, 2005)

However, I think we CAN credit the King of Kicking Nads to it's use here on AB


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## defour (Jul 30, 2005)

Code Monkey said:
			
		

> OBT is easier to type and spell (heh) has been my best guess for why Pterror was superceded.


Plus, you can use it in spoken conversation, avoiding the confusion of the presumably silent 'P'. Incidentally, I used one of those in 'presumably', just in case anyone is reading this to their cat. 'Terror' is a pain to say anyway. Something about those double r's irrrrritates me.

Steve


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## rgfx (Jul 30, 2005)

I still think pterror is more witty and appropriate, and I think I'll use it from now on! OBT is too nerdy (says a spider keeping web designer who listens to jazz and abstract electronica!)


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## weyman93 (Jul 30, 2005)

OBT= Orange bitey thing.


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