ENQ

1. character /enkw/ or /enk/ ENQuire. The mnemonic for

ASCII character 5.

2. chat An on-line convention for querying someone's

availability. After opening a chat connection to someone

apparently in heavy hack mode, one might type "SYN SYN ENQ?"

(the SYNs representing notional synchronisation bytes), and

expect a return of ACK or NAK depending on whether or not

the person felt interruptible.

Compare ping, finger.

[Jargon File]

(1998-01-18)