Subject: PROPs Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 09:49:01 -0400 (EDT) From: JAMES STASHEFF In the last week, I've been asked more than once what the PROP name meant as an acronym. Lettingg Mac Lane speqk for himself, see his Categorical Algebra Chapter V Bull AMS 71 (1965) 40-106. To saving others looking it up PROP <-- PROducts and Permutations OP for operators is just a post hoc accident .oooO Jim Stasheff jds@math.unc.edu (UNC) Math-UNC (919)-962-9607 \ ( Chapel Hill NC FAX:(919)-962-2568 \*) 27599-3250 http://www.math.unc.edu/Faculty/jds