There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch

(tan-stah-full)

An acronym typically used as part of a message or newsgroup posting. This particular one originates from Robert Heinlein's classic science fiction novel The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Outside the computer area TINSTAAFL (There Is No...) is more common. This acronym is most often seen when someone is complaining about doing something unpleasant in order to get some value (e.g., having to wade through megabytes of junk in a newsgroup to find the one gem of information needed).

More Information