Can someone tell me where this "alt-" wording came from (and what it means)?

[CTyankee]

Is it short for "alternate"? If so, what is it "alternate" from?

This stymies me...

[underpants]

1. Alternative and/or a reference to the computer key commands

As in Ctrl Alt Delete to start a PC

That would be my guess

[MineralMan]

2. It's a shortcut for people too lazy to explain what they mean.

"Alt-conservative" and "alt-liberal" are meaningless in usage, since they mean whatever the writer or speaker wants them to mean, but is too lazy or stupid to actually explain clearly.

What "alt-ernative" are they discussing? We don't know and they won't say. It's a shortcut for nonsense.

[GusBob]

3. first time I heard it used was in a music genre "Alt-country"

A mixed genre of rock, country, folk, a little bluegrass.....I prefer the term "Americana music"

[phleshdef]

4. Alternative, ie not mainstream.

[CTyankee]

5. this raises the question of what is mainstream since the mainstream media has raised it to

public consciousness.

[Princess Turandot]

6. I think it was first used with Usenet newsgroups...

as a naming convention. It means 'alternative', but originally it meant that it was an alternative to the established newsgroup name hierarchy. It's come to mean alternative content as well.

You can read a little more about it here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alt.*_hierarchy

[TreasonousBastard]

7. Years ago Usenet was a big thing and there were "alt-" groups...

added later in addition to the "big 8" original groups.

I suspect current usage is a vestige of that.

[mike_c]

8. Usenet alternative news groups....

Back in the day.