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Cow-orker (or, sometimes, cow-irker) is a derogatory term widely used on Usenet for a co-worker, derived from a typographical error. It is occasionally accompanied by jokes about orking cows.

This term was popularized by Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, but appeared earlier in the January 1996 version of the alt.sysadmin.recovery FAQ. There are plausible reports that it was in use on Usenet as early as 1989.[1]<ref>Before it appeared on Usenet in 1989, it appeared in the masthead of an issue of Softalk magazine, and this may have been the original typo. Softalk stopped being published in 1984.</ref> It was in common use in the news group talk.bizarre by 1992.

A related exhortation is to "keep the dash to the left of the w"; that is, to be a beneficial co-worker and not a time-wasting orker of cows.

[edit] Notes

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[edit] See also

• filk
• newsfroup

An earlier version of this article came from the Jargon File and was used with permission. It has since been expanded considerably and bears only passing resemblance to the original.

<tr><th colspan="2">Dilbert</th></tr> <tr><th>Characters:</th><td>Alice • Asok • Catbert • Dilbert • Dogbert • Phil, the Prince of Insufficient Light • Pointy-Haired Boss • Ratbert • Wally • Minor characters</td></tr> <tr><th>In other media:</th><td>Animated series • Books • Plop: The Hairless Elbonian</td></tr> <tr><th>Terms:</th><td>Cow-orker • Imaginary productivity</td></tr> <tr><th>Other:</th><td>Scott Adams • Dogbert's New Ruling Class • Elbonia • Dilberito</td></tr>