"work of Stan" source of phrase?

[SA_SA_SA_SA]

What is the source / inspiration for Kim's oft mentioned phrase  'the work of Stan'?

Oliver and Hardy?
Lexx?

[Kim]

It's a deliberate typo for 'Satan', not uncommon on parts of the internet that date from the days when it was smaller, geekier and a lot less graphical.  I don't know the original source, and google is being unhelpful.

I rather like the notion of a malevolent being who is out to torment us through piss-poor engineering.  Too much Pterry at a formative age, I suspect.

[Ham]

The BoFH used it IIRC, which may have been the first time I came across it

[Mr Larrington]

I thought I'd invented it for myself but probably got it through the BOFH, or osmosis, or my grate frend Uncle Marvo, the infamous aqua-pikey.  Or something.

[hellymedic]

I came across it as a reference to Satan by those without religion on Usenet.

Work of Stan meaning something bad/evil/unfit for purpose etc.

[spesh]

I rather like the notion of a malevolent being who is out to torment us through piss-poor engineering.

I believe that one goes by the name of Lucas. 

"Stan" always reminds me of Phil, the Prince of Insufficient Light, who will darn you to Heck for minor transgressions:

http://dilbert.com/search_results?terms=Phil+Prince+Of+Insufficient+Light

[Kim]

Hang on, I thought Lucas was the Prince of Insufficient Light?   

[drossall]

Could it be a deliberate mis-spelling, to get around a spam/abusive-word prevention mechanism?

[Wobbly John]

I thought I'd invented it for myself but probably got it through the BOFH, or osmosis, or my grate frend Uncle Marvo, the infamous aqua-pikey.  Or something.

I thought Legs Larry had invented it too - I'm sure he was using it when writting for the BHPC newsletter in the mid '90s.

[hellymedic]

Legs Larry certainly used it very early on. I think it was in use in The Shed for a long time AAW.

[spesh]

Hang on, I thought Lucas was the Prince of Insufficient Light?   

Not in Leftpondia...

Joseph Lucas, the founder of Lucas Industries was humorously known as the Prince of Darkness in North America, because of the electrical problems common in Lucas-equipped cars, especially British Leyland products. Whether the fault lay with Lucas or British Leyland cost-cutting is open to dispute. As Joseph Lucas died in 1902 and British Leyland was not formed until 1968, some 66 years later, this title is undeserved. This perception is also connected with early supply problems of "King of the Road" lighting products within the North American Markets during the early 1900s, and also be attributed to the reputation that in vehicles the company used small gauge wiring, which tended to wear out or corrode quickly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucas_Industries#King_of_the_Road

[jsabine]

Fairly sure I first recall Stan from both ye shedde and uk.d-i-y, but had just assumed it had started as a typo amusing enough to leave uncorrected. I only became familiar with El Reg after it went online, so my introduction to BOFH was well after I started reading usenet.

As for Lucas's status as Prince of Darkness, I think that wiki article may be taking it a little too seriously ... (And in any case, it shows there were 66 years between Joseph Lucas and British Leyland. Add a 6 and what do you get? 666, that's what - so what do you make of that?)

[clarion]

I recall it being current among roadies in the mid-80s.  Basil may also have heard it.

[Basil]

Yes.  I was already aware of it when saw it first used on URC in the 90s

[Cudzoziemiec]

One person asks a question, several more are prompted by the answers:

What is or was BOFH?
Who is Stan Lexx? (ok, this one was easy to look up, but it did make me think of Stan Lee).
And... you mean it's not Terry Pratchett invention?

[hellymedic]

BOFH = Bastard Operator From Hell IIRC...

[Martin109]

Could it be a deliberate mis-spelling, to get around a spam/abusive-word prevention mechanism?

A bit like 'pr0n'.

[rogerzilla]

But not like "pwned" which is a deliberate typo of "owned".

[Feanor]

BOFH = Bastard Operator From Hell IIRC...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/data_centre/bofh/

[spesh]

And... you mean it's not Terry Pratchett invention?

In the Pterryverse, demons tended to be at the back of the queue when the vowels were being handed out.

[Ham]

Pr0n was to bypass the original pr0n filters, also the antecedence of the BoFH pre-dates el Reg, going back to when Network Week was a restricted circulation freesheet to techies (you may have been able to buy it, but where's the fun in that?)

Anyway <tapety tap> of course there's someone who has archived the BoFH, and they are so much better than the latest incarnation take #1 or #2 for example, so, <tapety tap google> no mention of stan in there. But of course, wasn't he on usenet first?

[Cudzoziemiec]

BOFH = Bastard Operator From Hell IIRC...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/data_centre/bofh/

Not much the wiser, but... that's enough anyway!

[Feanor]

Not much the wiser...

"Indeed, M'lud.
Merely better informed."

[Zipperhead]

Anyway <tapety tap> of course there's someone who has archived the BoFH, and they are so much better than the latest incarnation take #1 or #2 for example, so, <tapety tap google> no mention of stan in there. But of course, wasn't he on usenet first?

BoFH was definately on usenet first, I remember reading it before such things as www and http and other stuff existed. Back around the time of Telebit Trailblazer's.

[Bledlow]

Hang on, I thought Lucas was the Prince of Insufficient Light?   

'THE LUCAS CODE-- The Lucas Electric motto: "Get home before dark." Lucas denies having invented darkness.'