Tangent, I can't find what "TFA" stands for. My gut tells me it's "The Fucking Article". Am I correct?

Yes.

TFA = The Fucking Article.

Much like:

RTFM = Read The Fucking Manual.

As I said to my mother-in-law, the 'F' is silent.

When Gwen Shotwell was asked about the acronym BFR on international television, she replied "Big Falcon Rocket". Lovely response, quite dependent on context!

This is like how I use 'ofc' to abbreviate 'of course'. Once upon a time the 'f' may have stood for something, but I never use it that way. For me, 'the F is silent'.

I pretend its The Forementioned Article

I like to read it as The Featured Article

Yes, but in polite company you can pretend it means "The Freaking Article"

In polite company you say "The article" or "read the manual" and patiently await your reward, which is their asking "what does the 'F' stand for?", to which you reply only with a condescending look and raised eyebrow(s).

That look of realisation is precious.

I've manufactured this experience once or twice, and it's wonderful.

Fine instead of Freaking is much nicer.

I think "Friendly" was/is popular explanation where devs tried to translate their subculture into something generally digestible.

Digestible maybe, but swapping "friendly" in for "fucking" changes the tone and intent of someone's statement. At least "freaking" expresses similar, if muted, exclamation.

A recipient who is being not-so-subtly reproached with an F-bomb acronym might misunderstand what is being implied.

But when the person asking was management, and asking for the tenth time, there was a decided advantage to changing the tone.

All of that is now wrapped up in the initialism.

Or the fine article.

Yes

I really hate this acronym and this comment is no different from saying “read the article” which is against the guidelines here

> saying “read the article” which is against the guidelines here

The guidelines say that you should not accuse someone of not having read the article. However, as the guidelines say it is fine to point out that something is mentioned in the article.

There is a subtle difference.

From the guidelines:

> Please don't comment on whether someone read an article. "Did you even read the article? It mentions that" can be shortened to "The article mentions that".

Parent comment was in line with the guidelines IMO.

And as for “TFA” as an acronym I like to read it as meaning “The Featured Article”. Then it seems nice and friendly.