diff --git a/include/dao.h b/include/dao.h
index 4688d227b..a7c1e0270 100644
--- a/include/dao.h
+++ b/include/dao.h
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ int rec_append(char *fpath, void *data, int size);
 /* splay.c */
 SplayNode *splay_in(SplayNode *top, void *data, int (*compare)(void *lhs, void *rhs));
 /* xsort.c */
-void xsort(void *a, size_t n, size_t es, int (*cmp)(void *a, void *b));
+void xsort(void *a, size_t n, size_t es, int (*cmp)(void *lhs, void *rhs));
 /* attr_lib.c */
 int attr_get(char *userid, int key, void *value);
 int attr_put(char *userid, int key, void *value);
diff --git a/lib/xsort.c b/lib/xsort.c
index 35c061af9..372817cf4 100644
--- a/lib/xsort.c
+++ b/lib/xsort.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ med3(
   char* a, 
   char* b,
   char* c,
-  int (*cmp) (void *a, void *b)
+  int (*cmp) (void *lhs, void *rhs)
 )
 {
   return cmp(a, b) < 0 ?
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ xsort(
   void *a,
   size_t n,
   size_t es,
-  int (*cmp) (void *a, void *b)
+  int (*cmp) (void *lhs, void *rhs)
 )
 {
   char *pa, *pb, *pc, *pd, *pl, *pm, *pn;
diff --git a/so/innbbs.c b/so/innbbs.c
index 1c46a00b5..b694e423a 100644
--- a/so/innbbs.c
+++ b/so/innbbs.c
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ a_innbbs(void)
   char *fpath;
   char buf[40];
   void (*item_func)(int num, void *obj), (*query_func)(void *obj);
-  int (*add_func)(char *fpath, void *old, int pos), (*sync_func)(void *a, void *b), (*search_func)(void *obj, char *key);
+  int (*add_func)(char *fpath, void *old, int pos), (*sync_func)(void *lhs, void *rhs), (*search_func)(void *obj, char *key);
 
   vs_bar("Âà«H³]©w");
   more("etc/innbbs.hlp", (char *) -1);
diff --git a/util/tranBRD.c b/util/tranBRD.c
index 5196791de..c16bc898d 100644
--- a/util/tranBRD.c
+++ b/util/tranBRD.c
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ main(
 
   if (count > 1)
   {
-    qsort(table, count, sizeof(life), (int (*)(const void *a, const void *b))strcasecmp);
+    qsort(table, count, sizeof(life), (int (*)(const void *lhs, const void *rhs))strcasecmp);
   }
 
 
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ main(
     memset(&brd,0,sizeof(BRD));
     memcpy(&brd,&old,sizeof(BRDOLD));
 
-    key = (life *) bsearch(brd.brdname, table, count, sizeof(life), (int (*)(const void *a, const void *b))strcasecmp);
+    key = (life *) bsearch(brd.brdname, table, count, sizeof(life), (int (*)(const void *lhs, const void *rhs))strcasecmp);
     if(key)
     {
       brd.expiremax = key->maxp;