on the gripping hand: In the progression that starts "On the
one hand..." and continues "On the other hand..." mainstream English
may add "on the third hand..." even though most people don't have
three hands. Among hackers, it is just as likely to be "on the
gripping hand". This metaphor supplied the title of Larry Niven &
Jerry Pournelle's 1993 SF novel "The Gripping Hand" which involved a
species of hostile aliens with three arms (the same species, in
fact, referenced in juggling eggs). As with TANSTAAFL and
con, this usage is a naturalized import from SF fandom.
![[prev]](../gif/left.gif){kind=small}
![[up]](../gif/up.gif){kind=small}
![[next]](../gif/right.gif){kind=small}