The term RAS syndrome was coined in 2001 in a light-hearted column in New Scientist: Self-Loading Rifle rifle Laboratory Information Management System system HRT therapy HUD display SCUBA apparatus (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing apparatus) en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAS_syn... archive.is/wF7mc
"A COUPLE of weeks ago we reported on Microsoft’s “NT technology”, which we wrongly assumed meant “New Technology technology”. Our thanks to reader Iain Broadfoot, who points out that it actually means “Northern Telecom technology”, after the people who originally developed it."
"But that hasn’t stopped reader Ernest Ager sending a string of examples of what must henceforth be known as RAS syndrome—where “RAS” stands for “redundant acronym…”—yes, you’ve guessed the rest. Is this the last we will be hearing of RAS syndrome? We suspect not."