_________________________________________________________________ Node:Top, Next:[2]Introduction, Previous:[3](dir), Up:[4](dir)#======= THI
computer science, electronics, and other fields connected to hacking. This terminology will be consistently used throughout the
Node:AI-complete, Next:[396]AI koans, Previous:[397]AI, Up:[398]= A = AI-complete /A-I k*m-pleet'/ adj. [MIT, Stanford: by analogy w
Node:micros~1, Next:[8732]middle-endian, Previous:[8733]Microsoft, Up:[8734]= M = micros~1 An abbreviation of the full name [8735]Mi
nameless. See [8742]NUXI problem. Non-US hackers use this term to describe the American mm/dd/yy style of writing dates (Europeans write little
actually emit them in speech. For example, noted computer architect C. Gordon Bell (designer of the PDP-11) is said, with some awe, to think at
[abbreviation] 1. A measure of computing speed; formally, `Million Instructions Per Second' (that's 10^6 per second, not 2^(20)!); ofte
that turns out to be useful; something that should have been a [8768]bug but turns out to be a [8769]feature. Compare [8770]green lightning. Se
were made whose parameters subsequently change (possibly only in the judgment of the implementors). "Well, yeah, it is kind of a misfeature
Node:miswart, Next:[8785]MMF, Previous:[8786]missile address, Up:[8787]= M = miswart /mis-wort/ n. [from [8788]wart by analogy with
risk or effort. Typically, it is a some kind of multi-level marketing operation which involves recruiting more members, or an illegal pyramid s
680[234]0 or VAX or most modern 32-bit architectures, it is 4,294,967,296 8-bit bytes (4 gigabytes). 3. A title of address (never of third-pers
meaning that the ratio of physical memory to address space is 6, without having to say specifically how much memory there actually is. That in
A series of pastiches of Zen teaching riddles created by Danny Hillis at the MIT AI Lab around various major figures of the Lab's culture
responses to the users while saving their responses (especially account IDs and passwords). A special case of [8811]Trojan horse. ___________
I'm in thesis mode." In its jargon sense, `mode' is most often attributed to people, though it is sometimes applied to programs an
mode bit n. [common] A [8832]flag, usually in hardware, that selects between two (usually quite different) modes of operation. The connot
Previous:[8839]modulo, Up:[8840]= M = molly-guard /mol'ee-gard/ n. [University of Illinois] A shield to prevent tripping of some [
_________________________________________________________________ Node:monkey up, Next:[8848]monkey scratch, Previous:[8849]Mongolian Hord
1. n. A ridiculously [8862]elephantine program or system, esp. one that is buggy or only marginally functional. 2. adj. The quality of being
memory, disk-space or some other desirable resource. This usage may be related to a TV commercial for Del Monte fruit juice, in which one of th
_________________________________________________________________ Node:Moore's Law, Next:[8874]moose call, Previous:[8875]Moof, Up:[8
moose call n. See [8882]whalesong. _________________________________________________________________ Node:moria, Next:[8883]MOTAS,
[8897]MOTSS] A potential or (less often) actual sex partner. See also [8898]SO. _____________________________________________________________
currents of the Unix stream ([420]BSD and [421]USG Unix) became a [422]monstrosity to haunt system administrators' dreams. For example, if
Node:mouse ahead, Next:[8912]mouse around, Previous:[8913]MOTSS, Up:[8914]= M = mouse ahead vi. Point-and-click analog of `type ahea
Node:mouse belt, Next:[8922]mouse droppings, Previous:[8923]mouse around, Up:[8924]= M = mouse belt n. See [8925]rat belt. _____
Up:[8931]= M = mouse elbow n. A tennis-elbow-like fatigue syndrome resulting from excessive use of a [8932]WIMP environment. Similarly,
[MicroSoft Disk Operating System] A [8941]clone of [8942]CP/M for the 8088 crufted together in 6 weeks by hacker Tim Paterson at Seattle Comput
Node:mu, Next:[8946]MUD, Previous:[8947]MS-DOS, Up:[8948]= M = mu /moo/ The correct answer to the classic trick question "Have yo
See also [8950]has the X nature, [8951]Some AI Koans, and Douglas Hofstadter's "Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid" (poi
the commercial MUD run by Bartle on British Telecom (the motto: "You haven't lived 'til you've died on MUD!"); however,
AberMUD and older systems with the extensibility of TinyMud. In 1996 the cutting edge of the technology is Pavel Curtis's MOO, even more e
mudhead n. Commonly used to refer to a [8970]MUD player who eats, sleeps, and breathes MUD. Mudheads have been known to fail their degree
M = muggle [from J.K. Rowling's `Harry Potter' books, 1998] A non-[8975]wizard. Not as disparaging as [8976]luser; implies va
rule, Up:[435]= A = Alderson loop n. [Intel] A special version of an [436]infinite loop where there is an exit condition available, but
Perhaps oddly, no one has ever promoted the analogous `Unician'. _________________________________________________________________ No
practical unusability. Honeywell commercialized Multics in 1972 after buying out GE's computer group, but it was never very successful: at
Often used of humans in the same meaning it has for computers, to describe a person doing several things at once (but see [8997]thrash). The te
you think that we could improve LISP performance by using a hybrid reference-count transaction garbage collector, if the cache is big enough an
Node:munch, Next:[9011]munching, Previous:[9012]mumble, Up:[9013]= M = munch vt. [often confused with [9014]mung, q.v.] To transform info
A [9025]display hack dating back to the PDP-1 (ca. 1962, reportedly discovered by Jackson Wright), which employs a trivial computation (repe
of Oz"] A teenage-or-younger micro enthusiast hacking BASIC or something else equally constricted. A term of mild derision -- munchkins ar
esp. large-scale and irrevocable changes. See [9046]BLT. 2. To destroy, usually accidentally, occasionally maliciously. The system only mungs t
munge /muhnj/ vt. 1. [derogatory] To imperfectly transform information. 2. A comprehensive rewrite of a routine, data structure or the whole
catastrophe, then someone will do it." This is a principle of defensive design, cited here because it is usually given in mutant forms les
dynamic allocation, esp. via malloc(3) or equivalent. If several pointers address (`aliases for') a given hunk of storage, it may happen t
Law acting on itself! _________________________________________________________________ Node:music, Next:[9070]mutter, Previous:[9071]Murp
_________________________________________________________________ Node:mutter, Next:[9077]N, Previous:[9078]music, Up:[9079]= M = mutte
* [9093]NANA: * [9094]nano: * [9095]nano-: * [9096]nanoacre: * [9097]nanobot: * [9098]nanocomputer: * [9099]nanofortnight
* [9117]netdead: * [9118]nethack: * [9119]netiquette: * [9120]netlag: * [9121]netnews: * [9122]netrock: * [9123]Netscrape
* [9141]Ninety-Ninety Rule: * [9142]nipple mouse: * [9143]NMI: * [9144]no-op: * [9145]noddy: * [9146]node: * [9147]Nomina
_________________________________________________________________ Node:N, Next:[9165]nadger, Previous:[9166]mutter, Up:[9167]= N = N /N
nadger /nad'jr/ v. [UK, from rude slang noun `nadgers' for testicles; compare American & British `bollixed'] Of softwa
Node:nailed to the wall, Next:[9183]nailing jelly, Previous:[9184]nagware, Up:[9185]= N = nailed to the wall adj. [like a trophy] Sa
one who still tries to do things in an intuitive way, rather than the right way (in really good designs these coincide, but most designs aren&a
Node:NAK, Next:[9198]NANA, Previous:[9199]naive user, Up:[9200]= N = NAK /nak/ interj. [from the ASCII mnemonic for 0010101] 1. On-lin
cryptographic protocols. Originally, theorists would say something like: "A communicates with someone who claims to be B, So to be sure, A
network of anti-spammers formed to combat it, spammers immediately accused them of being the [9207]backbone cabal, or the Cabal reborn. Though
connotative way. Thus, one has [9217]nanotechnology (coined by hacker K. Eric Drexler) by analogy with `microtechnology'; and a few machine
A robot of microscopic proportions, presumably built by means of [9230]nanotechnology. As yet, only used informally (and speculatively!). Also
_________________________________________________________________ Node:nanotechnology, Next:[9241]nasal demons, Previous:[9242]nanofortnig
nasal demons n. Recognized shorthand on the Usenet group comp.std.c for any unexpected behavior of a C compiler on encountering an undefi
news-transmission problem. Compare [9257]shitogram, [9258]mailbomb. 3. A status report from an unhappy, and probably picky, customer. "What&
_________________________________________________________________ Node:neat hack, Next:[9270]neats vs. scruffies, Previous:[9271]nature, U
long as it works. More importantly, neats tend to believe that logic is king, while scruffies favor looser, more ad-hoc methods driven by empir
Node:neophilia, Next:[9283]nerd, Previous:[9284]neep-neep, Up:[9285]= N = neophilia /nee`oh-fil'-ee-*/ n. The trait of being excit
interesting and doesn't care to be distracted by trivial chatter and silly status games. Compare the two senses of [9291]computer geek.
Node:all-elbows, Next:[455]alpha geek, Previous:[456]Alice and Bob, Up:[457]= A = all-elbows adj. [MS-DOS] Of a TSR (terminate-and-s
nerd knob n. [Cisco] a command in a complex piece of software which is more likely to be used by an extremely experienced user to tweak a
Node:net.god, Next:[9303]net.personality, Previous:[9304]net.-, Up:[9305]= N = net.god /net god/ n. Accolade referring to anyone who sa
Node:net.police, Next:[9312]NetBOLLIX, Previous:[9313]net.personality, Up:[9314]= N = net.police /net-p*-lees'/ n. (var. `net.cops
N = netburp n. [IRC] When [9328]netlag gets really bad, and delays between servers exceed a certain threshhold, the [9329]IRC network e
nethack /net'hak/ n. [Unix] A dungeon game similar to [9340]rogue but more elaborate, distributed in C source over [9341]Usenet and
_________________________________________________________________ Node:netlag, Next:[9350]netnews, Previous:[9351]netiquette, Up:[9352]= N
Node:netrock, Next:[9359]Netscrape, Previous:[9360]netnews, Up:[9361]= N = netrock /net'rok/ n. [IBM] A [9362]flame; used esp. on
Syn. [9370]netburp. _________________________________________________________________ Node:netter, Next:[9371]network address, Previous:[9
other quite well by network names without ever learning each others' `legal' monikers. Indeed, display of a network address (e.g on b
bullets are fired. This causes problems with weapons like the chain gun which fire rapidly -- it can blast the network into a meltdown state ju
Node:alpha particles, Next:[464]alt, Previous:[465]alpha geek, Up:[466]= A = alpha particles n. See [467]bit rot. ______________
Language" (Prentice-Hall, 1988; ISBN 0-13-110362-8), describing ANSI Standard C. See [9397]K&R; this version is also called `K&R2&ap
[Usenet] The salvos of dueling newgroup and rmgroup messages sometimes exchanged by persons on opposite sides of a dispute over whether a [9
required to terminate a text record or separate lines. See [9413]crlf, [9414]terpri. ________________________________________________________
in regular use on Usenet's talk.bizarre, and other lunatic-fringe groups. Compare [9426]hing, [9427]grilf, [9428]pr0n and [9429]filk. __
[9436]flamage). _________________________________________________________________ Node:nick, Next:[9437]nickle, Previous:[9438]newsgroup,
Node:night mode, Next:[9449]Nightmare File System, Previous:[9450]nickle, Up:[9451]= N = night mode n. See [9452]phase (of people).
pseudo-down one, so it is even harder to reach. This situation snowballs very quickly, and soon the entire network of machines is frozen -- wor
Node:Ninety-Ninety Rule, Next:[9463]nipple mouse, Previous:[9464]NIL, Up:[9465]= N = Ninety-Ninety Rule n. "The first 90% of th
sits between the `g' and `h' keys on the keyboard, indeed resembles a rubber nipple intended to be tweaked by a forefinger. Many hacker
nothing (sometimes used in assembler-level programming as filler for data or patch areas, or to overwrite code to be removed in binaries). 2. A
command" or "alt-U onto the system" (for "log onto the [ITS] system"). This usage probably arose because alt is more con
not necessarily connote uselessness, but describes a [9482]hack sufficiently trivial that it can be written and debugged while carrying on (and
Soundalike slang for `National Semiconductor', found among other places in the Networking/2 networking sources. During the late 1970s to m
impact is greatest when the person speaking looks completely serious. Compare [9505]stunning. See also [9506]Bad Thing. _____________________
nontrivial adj. Requiring real thought or significant computing power. Often used as an understated way of saying that a problem is quite di
Up:[9525]= N = notwork /not'werk/ n. A network, when it is acting [9526]flaky or is [9527]down. Compare [9528]nyetwork. Said at IB
Note, however, that strictly speaking this usage is misleading; there are plenty of easy problems in class NP. NP-complete problems are hard
think it was mythical but believed in acting as though existed just in case. since the mid-1990s it has gradually become known that the NSA act
Node:NSP, Next:[9543]nude, Previous:[9544]NSA line eater, Up:[9545]= N = NSP /N-S-P/ n. Common abbreviation for `Network Service Provid
Node:nugry, Next:[9551]nuke, Previous:[9552]nude, Up:[9553]= N = nugry /n[y]oo'gree/ [Usenet, 'newbie' + '-gry&apo
[9561]wallpaper file?" "Nuke it." 3. Used of processes as well as files; nuke is a frequent verbal alias for kill -9 on Unix. 4. O
Press, first edition 1984, second edition 1990). Note that due to a technical screwup some printings of the second edition are actually of a co
_________________________________________________________________ Node:numbers, Next:[9572]NUXI problem, Previous:[9573]number-crunching,
a [9581]little-endian to a [9582]big-endian, or vice-versa). See also [9583]middle-endian, [9584]swab, and [9585]bytesexual. ________________
2 bits: [9592]crumb, [9593]quad, [9594]quarter, tayste, tydbit 4 bits: nybble 5 bits: [9595]n
36: word (on a 36-bit machine) 48 bits: [9600]gawble (under circumstances that remain obscure)
Jargon Lexicon = O = * [9610]Ob-: * [9611]Obfuscated C Contest: * [9612]obi-wan error: * [9613]Objectionable-C: * [9614]obscu
* [9630]open source: * [9631]open switch: * [9632]operating system: * [9633]optical diff: * [9634]optical grep: * [9635]optim
Node:Ob-, Next:[9653]Obfuscated C Contest, Previous:[9654]nyetwork, Up:[9655]= O = Ob- /ob/ pref. Obligatory. A piece of [9656]netiq
creative, and bizarre (but working) C program; various other prizes are awarded at the judges' whim. C's terse syntax and macro-prepr
*/#define _ -F<00||--F-OO--;int F=00,OO=00;main(){F_OO();printf("%1.3f\n",4.*-F/OO/OO);}F_OO(){ _-_-_-_ _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Note that this program works by computing its own area. For more digits, write a bigger program. See also [9661]hello world. The IOCCC has a
Some entries have a primary sense marked this way, with subsequent jargon meanings explained in terms of it. We have also tried to indicate
The Amiga was released just as the personal computing world standardized on IBM-PC clones. This prevented it from gaining serious market share,
native applications on the NeXT machine). Objectionable-C uses a Smalltalk-like syntax, but lacks the flexibility of Smalltalk method calls, an
Hackish way of saying "I'm drawing a blank." Octal 40 is the [9678]ASCII space character, 0100000; by an odd coincidence, [9679]he
old. Nowadays, trolleys are only seen on historic streetcars, since modern streetcars use pantographs to contact the wire. __________________
moved off a public newsgroup to email. _________________________________________________________________ Node:ogg, Next:[9698]-oid, Previo
ogged that oncoming car." _________________________________________________________________ Node:-oid, Next:[9701]old fart, Previous:
Coinages in both forms have been common in science fiction for at least fifty years, and hackers (who are often SF fans) have probably been mak
[C programmers] The first edition of [9715]K&R, the sacred text describing [9716]Classic C. _____________________________________________
At mainframe shops, where the computers have operators for routine administrivia, the programmers and hardware people tend to look down on t
one-line fix n. Used (often sarcastically) of a change to a program that is thought to be trivial or insignificant right up to the moment
(2 = 0 +.= T o.| T) / T <- iN where `o' is the APL null character, the assignment arrow is a single character, and `i' repre
The disorder suffered by a particularly egregious variety of [495]bigot, those who believe that the marginality of their preferred machine i
found near lasers. Here is a field-tested ooblick recipe contributed by GLS: 1 cup cornstarch 1 cup baking soda 3/4 cup water N dro
1. In England and Ireland, common verbal abbreviation for `operator', as in system operator. Less common in the U.S., where [9748]sysop se
the Mozilla release to describe software distributed in source under licenses guaranteeing anybody rights to freely use, modify, and redistribu
machine; that which schedules tasks, allocates storage, and presents a default interface to the user between applications. The facilities an op
_________________________________________________________________ Node:optimism, Next:[9784]Oracle the, Previous:[9785]optical grep, Up:[9
Node:Oracle the, Next:[9788]Orange Book, Previous:[9789]optimism, Up:[9790]= O = Oracle, the The all-knowing, all-wise Internet Oracle
also [9794]crayola books, [9795]book titles. _________________________________________________________________ Node:oriental food, Next:[9
orphan n. [Unix] A process whose parent has died; one inherited by init(1). Compare [9807]zombie. ______________________________________
describe sets of primitives or capabilities that, like a vector basis in geometry, span the entire `capability space' of the system and are
The anointed successor to MS-DOS for Intel 286- and 386-based micros; proof that IBM/Microsoft couldn't get it right the second time, e
Node:amp off, Next:[510]amper, Previous:[511]amoeba, Up:[512]= A = amp off vt. [Purdue] To run in [513]background. From the Unix shell `&
Node:OSU, Next:[9832]OTOH, Previous:[9833]OSS, Up:[9834]= O = OSU /O-S-U/ n. obs. [TMRC] Acronym for Officially Sanctioned User; a user w
occurred. Many C functions, for example, return a nonnegative integral value, but indicate failure with an out-of-band return value of -1. Comp
_________________________________________________________________ Node:overflow bit, Next:[9852]overflow pdl, Previous:[9853]overclock, Up
you don't have one and too many things get pushed, you forget something. The overflow pdl for a person's memory might be a memo pad.
example, at 9600 baud there is almost exactly one character per millisecond, so if a [9867]silo can hold only two characters and the machine ta
scribbles beyond the end of arrays allocated with malloc(3); this typically trashes the allocation header for the next block in the [9878]arena
* [9900]PARC: * [9901]parent message: * [9902]parity errors: * [9903]Parkinson's Law of Data: * [9904]parm: * [9905]pars
* [9924]Pentium: * [9925]peon: * [9926]percent-S: * [9927]perf: * [9928]perfect programmer syndrome: * [9929]Perl: * [993
* [9948]ping storm: * [9949]pink wire: * [9950]pipe: * [9951]pistol: * [9952]pixel sort: * [9953]pizza box: * [9954]plaid
* [9972]poke: * [9973]poll: * [9974]polygon pusher: * [9975]POM: * [9976]pop: * [9977]POPJ: * [9978]poser: * [9979]po
been described as "Moria on steroids"; but, unlike Moria, many aspects of the game are customizable. This leads many hackers and would-
* [9996]prime time: * [9997]print: * [9998]printing discussion: * [9999]priority interrupt: * [10000]profile: * [10001]progas
* [10020]puff: * [10021]pumpkin holder: * [10022]pumpking: * [10023]punched card: * [10024]punt: * [10025]Purple Book: *
[rare] Acronym for `Piece Of Data' (as opposed to a code section). See also [10037]pod. _____________________________________________
capabilities of the host system (for example, the rsh(1) utility on USG Unix). Note that this is different from an [10046]iron box because it i
daydreaming or preoccupation. "Can you repeat that? I paged out for a minute." See [10057]page in. Compare [10058]glitch, [10059]thinko
Node:paper-net, Next:[10069]param, Previous:[10070]Pangloss parity, Up:[10071]= P = paper-net n. Hackish way of referring to the pos
Node:PARC, Next:[10083]parent message, Previous:[10084]param, Up:[10085]= P = PARC n. See [10086]XEROX PARC. ___________________
hacking. "I need to go home and crash; I'm starting to get a lot of parity errors." Derives from a relatively common but nearly al
Node:parm, Next:[10098]parse, Previous:[10099]Parkinson's Law of Data, Up:[10100]= P = parm /parm/ n. Further-compressed form of [
_________________________________________________________________ Node:Pascal, Next:[10108]pastie, Previous:[10109]parse, Up:[10110]= P =
World use angle brackets which are either taller and slimmer (the ISO `Bra' and `Ket' characters), or significantly smaller (single or
an indictment of many other bondage-and-discipline languages. At the end of a summary of the case against Pascal, Kernighan wrote: 9. Ther
Pascal has since been almost entirely displaced (by [10114]C) from the niches it had acquired in serious applications and systems programm
patch 1. n. A temporary addition to a piece of code, usually as a [10122]quick-and-dirty remedy to an existing bug or misfeature. A pat
military computer that illustrates the danger inherent in binary patches (or, indeed, any patches that you can't -- or don't -- inspect
This term comes from the Perl development community, but has been sighted elsewhere. It derives from a stuffed-toy pumpkin that was passed arou
1. A [10143]bang path or explicitly routed [10144]Internet address; a node-by-node specification of a link between two machines. Though thes
very unlikely to occur in practice. 2. When used of test input, implies that it was purposefully engineered as a worst case. The implication in
PBD /P-B-D/ n. [abbrev. of `Programmer Brain Damage'] Applied to bug reports revealing places where the program was obviously broken by
[common] Abbreviation for `public domain', applied to software distributed over [10168]Usenet and from Internet archive sites. Much of thi
machines was at one time pdl@dms). _________________________________________________________________ Node:PDP-10, Next:[10181]PDP-20, Prev
[IRC] See [542]bot. _________________________________________________________________ Node:annoyware, Next:[543]ANSI, Previous:[544]annoyb
[10190]BLT, [10191]DDT, [10192]DPB, [10193]EXCH, [10194]HAKMEM, [10195]LDB, [10196]pop, [10197]push. See also [10198]http://www.inwap.com/pdp10
PEBKAC /peb'kak/ [Abbrev., "Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair"] Used by support people, particularly at call cente
circulated (see [10214]interrupt list). The results of `poke's at these addresses may be highly useful, mildly amusing, useless but neat,
ubiquitous outside hackerdom, but nearly forgotten inside it. Most hackers had terrible handwriting to begin with, and years of keyboarding ten
number. It suggests the number five (implying 586) while (according to Intel) conveying a meaning of strength "like titanium". Among ha
[From the code in C's printf(3) library function used to insert an arbitrary string argument] An unspecified person or object. "I wa
error. Most frequently found among programmers of some native ability but relatively little experience (especially new graduates; their percept
it would be a stretch to describe it as pretty or [10256]elegant; people who like clean, spare design generally prefer [10257]Python. See also
words are the obvious Latin-based antonyms for `optimal' and `optimize', but for some reason they do not appear in most English dicti
_________________________________________________________________ Node:PETSCII, Next:[10275]PFY, Previous:[10276]peta-, Up:[10277]= P =
along with the International Organization for Standards (ISO), standardized the C programming language (see [559]K&R, [560]Classic C), and
phage n. A program that modifies other programs or databases in unauthorized ways; esp. one that propagates a [10286]virus or [10287]Troj
also been recently reported from Caltech. 2. `change phase the hard way': To stay awake for a very long time in order to get into a differ
True story: Once upon a time there was a program bug that really did depend on the phase of the moon. There was a little subroutine that had
suggested the software was somehow sensitive to the phase of the moon. A few desperate engineers discovered the truth; the error turned out to
From the [10307]Dilbert character, the archetypal halfwitted middle-[10308]management type. See also [10309]pointy-haired. __________________
there was a gentleman's agreement that phreaking as an intellectual game and a form of exploration was OK, but serious theft of services w
usage is not yet common in the way [10325]nano- and [10326]micro- are, but should be instantly recognizable to any hacker. See also [10327]quan
headers." "That's not a bug, that's pilot error. His sendmail.cf is hosed." ________________________________________
"Ping!" (I'm happy; I am emitting a quantum of happiness; I have been struck by a quantum of happiness). The form "pingfulnes
Ping O' Death n. A notorious [10347]exploit that (when first discovered) could be easily used to crash a wide variety of machines by ov
ANSI standard /an'see stan'd*rd/ The ANSI standard usage of `ANSI standard' refers to any practice which is typical or broadl
A form of [10352]DoS attack consisting of a flood of [10353]ping requests (normally used to check network conditions) designed to disrupt th
the expansion "bit pipe" is understood. A "fat pipe" is a line with T1 or higher capacity. A person with a 28.8 modem might b
implies distrust of this theory. Compare [10370]bogo-sort. _________________________________________________________________ Node:pizza bo
[10377]memory smashes overwrite the control blocks or image memory of a bit-mapped display. The term "salt and pepper" may refer to a
almost universally to humorous and self-expressive purposes (like a [10388]sig block). See also [10389]Hacking X for Y. A recent innovation
and a compiler (ASP) is available on Usenet for producing them. See also [10392]twirling baton. _____________________________________________
algorithm has been tested against the platinum-iridium cons cell in Paris." Compare [10396]golden. _____________________________________
plingnet /pling'net/ n. Syn. [10412]UUCPNET. Also see [10413]Commonwealth Hackish, which uses `pling' for [10414]bang (as in [1
q quit :q ^C end x exit ZZ ^D ? help as the user vainly tries to find
the bottom of a [10423]kill file. While it originated in the [10424]newsgroup talk.bizarre, this term (usually written "*plonk*") is
AOL! n. [Usenet] Common synonym for "Me, too!" alluding to the legendary propensity of America Online users to utter contentless &
_________________________________________________________________ Node:plumbing, Next:[10433]PM, Previous:[10434]plugh, Up:[10435]= P =
1. v. (from `preventive maintenance') To bring down a machine for inspection or test purposes. See [10442]provocative maintenance; see als
illumination of this point. _________________________________________________________________ Node:pod, Next:[10450]point-and-drool interf
`point-and-grunt interface'. _________________________________________________________________ Node:pointy hat, Next:[10461]pointy-ha
instead." _________________________________________________________________ Node:poke, Next:[10474]poll, Previous:[10475]pointy-haire
Up:[10483]= P = polygon pusher n. A chip designer who spends most of his or her time at the physical layout level (which requires drawi
capitalized `POP') 1. vt. To remove something from a [10492]stack or [10493]PDL. If a person says he/she has popped something from his sta
A [10502]wannabee; not hacker slang, but used among crackers, phreaks and [10503]warez d00dz. Not as negative as [10504]lamer or [10505]leec
the author requests only that satisfied users send a postcard of their home town or something. (This practice, silly as it might seem, serves t
postmaster n. The email contact and maintenance person at a site connected to the Internet or UUCPNET. Often, but not always, the same as th
prefer more general-purpose tools.) See [576]killer app; oppose [577]tool, [578]operating system. ___________________________________________
rasterization, from Bezier curve descriptions, of high-quality fonts at low (e.g. 300 dpi) resolution (it was formerly believed that hand-tuned
[10543]Big Red Switch. Compare [10544]Vulcan nerve pinch, [10545]bounce (sense 4), and [10546]boot, and see the "[10547]Some AI Koans"
Node:pr0n, Next:[10556]precedence lossage, Previous:[10557]PPN, Up:[10558]= P = pr0n // [Usenet, IRC] Pornography. Originally this r
C programmers deliberately forget the language's [10567]baroque precedence hierarchy and parenthesize defensively). Can always be avoided
prestidigitization /pres`t*-di`j*-ti:-zay'sh*n/ n. 1. The act of putting something into digital notation via sleight of hand. 2. Dat
from a [10589]hairy internal representation; esp. used for the process of [10590]grinding (sense 1) program code, and most esp. for LISP code.
Node:prime time, Next:[10599]print, Previous:[10600]priesthood, Up:[10601]= P = prime time n. [from TV programming] Normal high-usag
he probably means it in the conventional sense of writing to a hardcopy device (compounds like `print job' and `printout', on the oth
yank one right out of [10615]hack mode. Classically used to describe being dragged away by an [10616]SO for immediate sex, but may also refer t
_________________________________________________________________ Node:progasm, Next:[10626]proggy, Previous:[10627]profile, Up:[10628]= P
Node:Revision History, Next:[39]Jargon Construction, Previous:[40]A Few Terms, Up:[41]Top Revision History The original Jargon File was a
_________________________________________________________________ Node:ARMM, Next:[593]armor-plated, Previous:[594]arg, Up:[595]= A = A
proglet /prog'let/ n. [UK] A short extempore program written to meet an immediate, transient need. Often written in BASIC, rarely mo
Node:Programmer's Cheer, Next:[10643]programming, Previous:[10644]program, Up:[10645]= P = Programmer's Cheer "Shift to
Previous:[10650]programming, Up:[10651]= P = programming fluid n. 1. Coffee. 2. Cola. 3. Any caffeinacious stimulant. Many hackers cons
propeller key n. [Mac users] See [10660]feature key. _________________________________________________________________ Node:proprieta
proprietary. The reverse is also possible, for example in binary-only freeware. _____________________________________________________________
Node:provocative maintenance, Next:[10671]prowler, Previous:[10672]protocol, Up:[10673]= P = provocative maintenance n. [common ironic
_________________________________________________________________ Node:pseudo, Next:[10685]pseudoprime, Previous:[10686]prowler, Up:[10687
Node:pseudoprime, Next:[10693]pseudosuit, Previous:[10694]pseudo, Up:[10695]= P = pseudoprime n. A backgammon prime (six consecutive
[10700]lobotomy. _________________________________________________________________ Node:psychedelicware, Next:[10701]psyton, Previous:[107
Node:pubic directory, Next:[10711]puff, Previous:[10712]psyton, Up:[10713]= P = pubic directory /pyoob'ik d*-rek't*-ree/) n.
for their Usenet feeds. One poster described the ARMM debacle as "instant Usenet history" (also establishing the term [599]despew), and
pumpkin holder n. See [10724]patch pumpkin. _________________________________________________________________ Node:pumpking, Next:
U.S. Census was a piece of cardboard about 90 mm by 215 mm. There is a widespread myth that it was designed to fit in the currency trays used f
"Drop back 15 yards and punt!"] 1. To give up, typically without any intention of retrying. "Let's punt the movie tonight.&qu
(O'Reilly, 1991, ISBN 0-937175-73-0). See also [10749]book titles. _________________________________________________________________
or [10760]PDL. If one says that something has been pushed onto one's stack, it means that the Damoclean list of things hanging over ones&apo
Node:= Q =, Next:[10772]= R =, Previous:[10773]= P =, Up:[10774]The Jargon Lexicon = Q = * [10775]quad: * [10776]quadruple bucky: *
1. Two bits; syn. for [10791]quarter, [10792]crumb, [10793]tayste. 2. A four-pack of anything (compare [10794]hex, sense 2). 3. The rectangl
Quadruple-bucky combinations were very seldom used in practice, because when one invented a new command one usually assigned it to some charact
prefix decimal binarykilo- 1000^1 1024^1 = 2^10 = 1,024mega- 1000^2 1024^2 = 2^20 = 1,048,576giga- 1000^3 1024^3 = 2^30 = 1,073,741,824t
atto- 1000^-6 (not used in jargon---yet)zepto- 1000^-7 (not used in jargon---yet)yocto- 1000^-8 (not used in jargon---yet) The prefi
_________________________________________________________________ Node:asbestos cork award, Next:[615]asbestos longjohns, Previous:[616]as
`meg' and `gig' are nouns that may (but do not always) pluralize with `s'.prefix decimal binary pronunciationkilo-
example of this: it is common to refer to the capacity of 3.5" [10814]microfloppies as `1.44 MB' In fact, this is a completely [10815
chico- available for future expansion. Sadly, there is little immediate prospect that Mr. Burke's eminently sensible proposal will be rati
[10824]psyton. _________________________________________________________________ Node:quarter, Next:[10825]ques, Previous:[10826]quantum b
_________________________________________________________________ Node:quick-and-dirty, Next:[10836]quine, Previous:[10837]ques, Up:[10838
some variants of BASIC in which a program consisting of a single empty string literal reproduces itself trivially.) Here is one classic quine:(
Page. _________________________________________________________________ Node:quote chapter and verse, Next:[10846]quotient, Previous:[10
quux /kwuhks/ n. [Mythically, from the Latin semi-deponent verb quuxo, quuxare, quuxandum iri; noun form variously `quux' (plural `q
qux /kwuhks/ The fourth of the standard [10869]metasyntactic variable, after [10870]baz and before the quu(u...)x series. See [10871]foo,
-- under a constraint now long obsolete. In early typewriters, fast typing using nearby type-bars jammed the mechanism. So Sholes fiddled the l
of the [625]asbestos coinages. Also `asbestos underwear', `asbestos overcoat', etc. _______________________________________________
* [10894]Random Number God: * [10895]random numbers: * [10896]randomness: * [10897]rape: * [10898]rare mode: * [10899]raster
* [10918]Real Programmer: * [10919]Real Soon Now: * [10920]real time: * [10921]real user: * [10922]Real World: * [10923]reali
* [10942]restriction: * [10943]retcon: * [10944]RETI: * [10945]retrocomputing: * [10946]return from the dead: * [10947]RFC:
* [10966]round tape: * [10967]RSN: * [10968]RTBM: * [10969]RTFAQ: * [10970]RTFB: * [10971]RTFM: * [10972]RTFS: * [109
creates one or more copies of itself, breeding like rabbits. Compare [10985]wabbit, [10986]fork bomb. _______________________________________
rainbow series n. Any of several series of technical manuals distinguished by cover color. The original rainbow series was the NCSC security
"The I/O channels are in a pool, and when a file is opened one is chosen randomly." 6. Arbitrary. "It generates a random name for
Random Number God [rec.games.roguelike.angband; often abbreviated `RNG'] The malign force which lurks behind the random number generato
23 Sacred number of Eris, Goddess of Discord (along with 17 and 5). 42 The Answer to the Ultimate
Node:randomness, Next:[11024]rape, Previous:[11025]random numbers, Up:[11026]= R = randomness n. 1. An inexplicable misfeature; grat
characters, and have developed a considerable amount of verbal shorthand for them. Every character has one or more names -- some formal, some c
high-quality randomess, so hackers have sometimes felt the need to built special-purpose contraptions for this purpose alone. One well-known we
rare mode adj. [Unix] CBREAK mode (character-by-character with interrupts enabled). Distinguished from [11038]raw mode and [11039]cooked
Eyestrain brought on by too many hours of looking at low-res, poorly tuned, or glare-ridden monitors, esp. graphics monitors. See [11048]ter
twist tie or one of those humongous metal clip frobs). Small cable ties are `mouse belts'. _____________________________________________
Node:ratio site, Next:[11062]rave, Previous:[11063]rat dance, Up:[11064]= R = ratio site [warez d00dz] A FTP site storing pirated fi
authoritatively on a subject about which one knows very little. 3. To complain to a person who is not in a position to correct the difficulty.
[primarily MIT/Boston usage] Jiao-zi (steamed or boiled) or Guo-tie (pan-fried). A Chinese appetizer, known variously in the plural as dumpling
_________________________________________________________________ Node:RBL, Next:[11087]rc file, Previous:[11088]raw mode, Up:[11089]= R =
file, [11097]profile (sense 1). _________________________________________________________________ Node:RE, Next:[11098]read-only user, Pre
README file n. Hacker's-eye introduction traditionally included in the top-level directory of a Unix source distribution, containing
<quotation marks>; <dieresis>; dirk; [rabbit-ears]; double prime. # Common: number sign; pound; po
Node:real estate, Next:[11116]real hack, Previous:[11117]real, Up:[11118]= R = real estate n. May be used for any critical resource
real operating system n. The sort the speaker is used to. People from the BSDophilic academic community are likely to issue comments like
debugger to edit his code because full-screen editors are for wimps. Real Programmers aren't satisfied with code that hasn't been [11
Real Soon Now adv. [orig. from SF's fanzine community, popularized by Jerry Pournelle's column in "BYTE"] 1. Supposed
stack and she came up with an algorithm in real time." _________________________________________________________________ Node:real us
etc. Places where programs do such commercially necessary but intellectually uninspiring things as generating payroll checks and invoices. 2. T
1. The simplest kind of test of software or hardware; doing the equivalent of asking it what 2 + 2 is and seeing if you get 4. The software equ
A [11177]prowler that [11178]GFRs files. A file removed in this way is said to have been `reaped'. __________________________________
Previous:[11183]recompile the world, Up:[11184]= R = rectangle slinger n. See [11185]polygon pusher. ________________________________
Initially"). More recently, there is a Scheme compiler called LIAR (Liar Imitates Apply Recursively), and [11194]GNU (q.v., sense 1) stand
' Common: single quote; quote; <apostrophe>. Rare: prime; glitch; tick; irk; pop; [spark]; <closing single quotatio
(sense 4) -- IEEE 1003.1-1990, a.k.a ISO 9945-1 -- is (because of the color and the fact that it is printed on A4 paper) known in the USA as &q
regexp /reg'eksp/ n. [Unix] (alt. `regex' or `reg-ex') 1. Common written and spoken abbreviation for `regular expression&a
evaluation. Some designs with this problem, like the Intel 80x86, do have a handful of special-purpose registers that can be pressed into servi
See [11230]cycle of reincarnation. _________________________________________________________________ Node:reinvent the wheel, Next:[11231]
_________________________________________________________________ Node:religion of CHI, Next:[11238]religious issues, Previous:[11239]rela
religious issues n. Questions which seemingly cannot be raised without touching off [11247]holy wars, such as "What is the best oper
living organism, an idea (see [11256]meme), a program (see [11257]quine, [11258]worm, [11259]wabbit, [11260]fork bomb, and [11261]virus), a pat
[11276]marketroid types) to make it sound as though some crippling bogosity had been intended by the designers all along, or was forced upon th
preserving continuity) while completely changing their interpretation. For example, revealing that a whole season of "Dallas" was a dre
Syn. [11284]RTI _________________________________________________________________ Node:retrocomputing, Next:[11285]return from the dead
Common: dash; <hyphen>; <minus>. Rare: [worm]; option; dak; bithorpe. . Common: dot; point; <pe
Retrocomputing Museum, [11293]http://www.ccil.org/retro. _________________________________________________________________ Node:return fro
institution such as ANSI. For this reason, they remain known as RFCs even once adopted as standards. The RFC tradition of pragmatic, experie
Node:RFE, Next:[11301]rib site, Previous:[11302]RFC, Up:[11303]= R = RFE /R-F-E/ n. 1. [techspeak] Request For Enhancement (compare [1
rice box n. [from ham radio slang] Any Asian-made commodity computer, esp. an 80x86-based machine built to IBM PC-compatible ISA or EISA-
rip v. 1. To extract the digital representation of a piece of music from an audio CD. Software that does this is often called a "CD rip
_________________________________________________________________ Node:roach, Next:[11331]robocanceller, Previous:[11332]RL, Up:[11333]= R
Up:[11345]= R = robot n. See [11346]bot. _________________________________________________________________ Node:robust, Next:[11
Terminally [11356]baroque. Used to imply that a program has become so encrusted with the software equivalent of gold leaf and curlicues that th
An [11362]ISP which permits net abuse (usually in the form of [11363]spamming) by its customers, or which itself engages in such activities. Ro
[Unix] 1. The [11377]superuser account (with user name `root') that ignores permission bits, user number 0 on a Unix system. The term [
Common: <equals>; gets; takes. Rare: quadrathorpe; [half-mesh]. ? Common: query; <question mark>; [648]ques
[Usenet: from `rotate alphabet 13 places'] The simple Caesar-cypher encryption that replaces each English letter with the one 13 places fo
Node:round tape, Next:[11395]RSN, Previous:[11396]rotary debugger, Up:[11397]= R = round tape n. Industry-standard 1/2-inch magnetic ta
to a question from a [11408]newbie; the second would escalate to "RTFM". __________________________________________________________
anyone asking a question for which RTFB is the answer; the anger here is directed at the absence of both source and adequate documentation. _
obvious and not answerable from the manuals -- or the manuals are not yet written and maybe never will be. For even trickier situations, see [1
Node:RTI, Next:[11438]RTM, Previous:[11439]RTFS, Up:[11440]= R = RTI /R-T-I/ interj. The mnemonic for the `return from interrupt' in
Node:RTS, Next:[11449]rude, Previous:[11450]RTM, Up:[11451]= R = RTS /R-T-S/ imp. Abbreviation for `Read The Screen'. Mainly used
[11457]all-elbows. _________________________________________________________________ Node:runes, Next:[11458]runic, Previous:[11459]rude,
_________________________________________________________________ Node:rusty iron, Next:[11471]rusty memory, Previous:[11472]runic, Up:[11
rusty wire n. [Amateur Packet Radio] Any very noisy network medium, in which the packets are subject to frequent corruption. Most prevalent
^ Common: hat; control; uparrow; caret; <circumflex>. Rare: xor sign, chevron; [shark (or shark-fin)]; to the (`to the powe
* [11497]samizdat: * [11498]samurai: * [11499]sandbender: * [11500]sandbox: * [11501]sanity check: * [11502]Saturday-night sp
* [11521]scrool: * [11522]scrozzle: * [11523]scruffies: * [11524]SCSI: * [11525]ScumOS: * [11526]search-and-destroy mode:
* [11545]sex changer: * [11546]shambolic link: * [11547]shar file: * [11548]sharchive: * [11549]Share and enjoy!: * [11550]sh
* [11569]sig virus: * [11570]signal-to-noise ratio: * [11571]silicon: * [11572]silly walk: * [11573]silo: * [11574]Silver Boo
* [11593]smash the stack: * [11594]smiley: * [11595]smoke: * [11596]smoke and mirrors: * [11597]smoke test: * [11598]smoking
* [11617]social science number: * [11618]sock puppet: * [11619]sodium substrate: * [11620]soft boot: * [11621]softcopy: * [11
* [11641]spamhaus: * [11642]spamvertize: * [11643]spangle: * [11644]spawn: * [11645]special-case: * [11646]speedometer: *
* [11665]spungle: * [11666]square tape: * [11667]squirrelcide: * [11668]stack: * [11669]stack puke: * [11670]stale pointer bu
* [11689]stunning: * [11690]stupid-sort: * [11691]Stupids: * [11692]Sturgeon's Law: * [11693]sucking mud: * [11694]suffi
* [11713]swapped out: * [11714]swizzle: * [11715]sync: * [11716]syntactic salt: * [11717]syntactic sugar: * [11718]sys-frog:
his directory as AI:MRC;SAIL JARGON. The file was quickly renamed JARGON > (the `>' caused versioning under ITS) as a flurry of e
UNIX); [spike]. ~ Common: <tilde>; squiggle; [649]twiddle; not. Rare: approx; wiggle; swung dash; enyay;
Node:sacred, Next:[11730]saga, Previous:[11731]S/N ratio, Up:[11732]= S = sacred adj. Reserved for the exclusive use of something (an e
for a week on research business, to consult face-to-face with some people at Stanford, particularly our mutual friend Richard P. Gabriel
to a computer-science conference in Berkeley, California, the first time either of us had been on the West Coast. When not in the confere
in good humor, as long as we kept returning to Uncle Gaylord's. He loves ginger honey ice cream. Now RPG and his then-wife KBT
drowsy, and JONL actually dropped off to sleep for 5 minutes. When he awoke, RPG said, "Gee, JONL, you must have slept all the way o
JONL accepted this bit of wisdom. And he was not totally ignorant -- he knew perfectly well that University Avenue was in Berkeley,
At this point, RPG clued me in fully. RPG, KBT, and I retreated to a table, trying to stifle our chuckles. JONL remained at the coun
[My spies on the West Coast inform me that there is a close relative of the raspberry found out there called an `ollalieberry' --ESR] [
Up:[11745]= S = SAIL /sayl/, not /S-A-I-L/ n. 1. The Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab. An important site in the early development o
computer salesman?A. The used-car dealer knows he's lying. [Some versions add: ...and probably knows how to drive.] This reflects the wid
tilde in typeset material but the ASCII tilde serves for both (compare [652]angle brackets). Some other common usages cause odd overlaps. Th
salt mines n. Dense quarters housing large numbers of programmers working long hours on grungy projects, with some hope of seeing the end
same-day service n. Ironic term used to describe long response time, particularly with respect to [11768]MS-DOS system calls (which ought to
unavailable, but not in the context of documents which are available through normal channels, for which unauthorized duplication would be uneth
[11780]sneaker, [11781]Stupids, [11782]social engineering, [11783]cracker, [11784]hacker ethic, and [11785]dark-side hacker. ________________
reference to Java implementations. _________________________________________________________________ Node:sanity check, Next:[11796]Saturd
Saturday-night special n. [from police slang for a cheap handgun] A [11803]quick-and-dirty program or feature kluged together during off hou
scag vt. To destroy the data on a disk, either by corrupting the filesystem or by causing media damage. "That last power hit scagged th
_________________________________________________________________ Node:schroedinbug, Next:[11822]science-fiction fandom, Previous:[11823]s
many go to `cons' (SF conventions) or are involved in fandom-connected activities such as the Society for Creative Anachronism. Some hacker
A correspondent reports a legend that "Scram" is an acronym for "Start Cutting Right Away, Man" (another less plausible va
Up:[658]= A = ASCII art n. The fine art of drawing diagrams using the ASCII character set (mainly |, -, /, \, and +). Also known as `ch
switch, Up:[11865]= S = scratch 1. [from `scratchpad'] adj. Describes a data structure or recording medium attached to a machine f
star of a biological research program at the University of Toronto. Mabel was not (so the legend goes) your ordinary monkey; the university had
demise occurred when DEC [11876]PMed the machine. Earlier versions of this entry were based on that story; this one has been corrected from an
seriously degrade the performance of a vanilla Unix system; the arriving "characters" are treated as userid/password pairs and tested
MUDs, and commercial on-line services since the mid-1990s. Hackers recognize the term but don't generally use it. ______________________
Up:[11903]= S = scribble n. To modify a data structure in a random and unintentionally destructive way. "Bletch! Somebody's d
incantations and asks only "what do I need to type to make this happen?" __________________________________________________________
an early version of the roundtable software had a bug where it would dump all 8K of scrool on a user's terminal. _______________________
SCSI n. [Small Computer System Interface] A bus-independent standard for system-level interfacing between a computer and intelligent devi
Node:search-and-destroy mode, Next:[11939]second-system effect, Previous:[11940]ScumOS, Up:[11941]= S = search-and-destroy mode n. H
| ,___| (oo) \/ \/ | / \/-------\ U (__) /____\ || | \ /---V `v'-
A similar effect can also happen in an evolving system; see [11947]Brooks's Law, [11948]creeping elegance, [11949]creeping featurism. See
which 17 hours of [11959]grovelling with adb actually dug up the underlying bug behind an instance of seventh-level damage! The hacker who acco
merchantability gave them some sort of right to a system with fewer holes in it than a shotgunned Swiss cheese, and then where would we be?
SED /S-E-D/ n. [TMRC, from `Light-Emitting Diode'] Smoke-emitting diode. A [11971]friode that lost the war. See also [11972]LER.
Up:[11984]= S = segment /seg'ment/ vi. To experience a [11985]segmentation fault. Confusingly, this is often pronounced more like
2. To lose a train of thought or a line of reasoning. Also uttered as an exclamation at the point of befuddlement. __________________________
selvage /sel'v*j/ n. [from sewing and weaving] See [12001]chad (sense 1). ___________________________________________________________
automated; it still requires a smidge of clueful human interaction. Semi-automated programs usually come with written-out operator instructions
Previous:[12019]senior bit, Up:[12020]= S = September that never ended All time since September 1993. One of the seasonal rhythms of the
runs. A particularly common term on the Internet, which is rife with `web servers', `name servers', `domain servers', `news server
reproduced in the examples above, here are three more: (__) (__) (__) (\/) ($$)
mnemonic out the door at one time, but (for once) marketing wasn't asleep and forced a change. That wasn't the last time this happened,
Syn. [12037]gender mender. _________________________________________________________________ Node:shambolic link, Next:[12038]shar file, P
sharchive /shar'ki:v/ n. [Unix and Usenet; from /bin/sh archive] A [12048]flattened representation of a set of one or more files, with
[12053]README files, this phrase indicates allegiance to the hacker ethic of free information sharing (see [12054]hacker ethic, sense 1). 2. Th
sharing violation [From a file error common to several [12071]OSs] A response to receiving information, typically of an excessively personal
shelfware /shelf'weir/ n. Software purchased on a whim (by an individual user) or in accordance with policy (by a corporation or govern
The user is meant to fill in whatever code is needed to get real work done. This usage is common in the AI and Microsoft Windows worlds, and co
shift left (or right) logical [from any of various machines' instruction sets] 1. vi. To move oneself to the left (right). To move o
Node:shitogram, Next:[12098]short card, Previous:[12099]shim, Up:[12100]= S = shitogram /shit'oh-gram/ n. A really nasty piece of
The software equivalent of [12110]Easter egging; the making of relatively undirected changes to software in the hope that a bug will be perturb
_/\_ ||\\_I_//|| _/\_ [_] []_/_L_J_\_[] [_] _/\_ ||\\_I_//|| _/\_ ||\ |__| ||=/_|_\=|| |__|_|_| _L_L_J_J_ |_|_|__| ||=/_|_\=|| |__| ||-
effectively unusable; one that absolutely has to be fixed before development can go on. Opposite in connotation from its original theatrical us
MUDders worships Shub-Internet, sacrificing objects and praying for good connections. To no avail -- its purpose is malign and evil, and is the
1. Syn. [12132]slap on the side. Esp. used of add-ons for the late and unlamented IBM PCjr. 2. The IBM PC compatibility box that could be bo
_________________________________________________________________ Node:sig block, Next:[12137]sig quote, Previous:[12138]SIG, Up:[12139]=
[12148]sig block and intended to convey something of one's philosophical stance, pet peeves, or sense of humor. "Calm down, it's
signal-to-noise ratio [from analog electronics] n. Used by hackers in a generalization of its technical meaning. `Signal' refers to use
silly walk vi. [from Monty Python's Flying Circus] 1. A ridiculous procedure required to accomplish a task. Like [12171]grovel, but mor
Jensen and Wirth's infamous "Pascal User Manual and Report", so called because of the silver cover of the widely distributed Sprin
the creativity and humor they often display. Interpreting a sitename is not unlike interpreting a vanity license plate; one has to mentally unp
skulker n. Syn. [12199]prowler. _________________________________________________________________ Node:slab, Next:[12200]slack, Previ
`2001' and `48 HRS.'!" _________________________________________________________________ Node:astroturfing, Next:[664]atomi
fragmentation'. Antonym: [12206]hole. 2. In the theology of the [12207]Church of the SubGenius, a mystical substance or quality that is th
slash n. Common name for the slant (`/', ASCII 0101111) character. See [12216]ASCII for other synonyms. ___________________________
sleep vi. 1. [techspeak] To relinquish a claim (of a process on a multitasking system) for service; to indicate to the scheduler that a proc
1. A one-sided [12232]fudge factor, that is, an allowance for error but in only one of two directions. For example, if you need a piece of w
A lowest-priority task that waits around until everything else has `had its fill' of machine resources. Only when the machine would oth
[12244]Linux. Compare [12245]AIDX, [12246]HP-SUX, [12247]Nominal Semidestructor, [12248]Telerat, [12249]sun-stools. _________________________
exist any intelligent programs (yet -- see [12259]AI-complete). Compare [12260]robust (smart programs can be [12261]brittle). _______________
terminal you can educate." This illustrates a common design problem: The attempt to make peripherals (or anything else) intelligent someti
of a local array or other data structure. Code that smashes the stack can cause a return from the routine to jump to a random address, resultin
smoked, just like the last one." Used for both hardware (where it often describes an actual physical event), and software (where it's
Up:[669]= A = atomic adj. [from Gk. `atomos', indivisible] 1. Indivisible; cannot be split up. For example, an instruction may be
_________________________________________________________________ Node:smoke test, Next:[12303]smoking clover, Previous:[12304]smoke and m
[ITS] A [12311]display hack originally due to Bill Gosper. Many convergent lines are drawn on a color monitor in such a way that every pixel
bridge in the late 1980s. The Boston police have been known to use smoot markers to indicate accident locations on the bridge. ______________
smurf /smerf/ n. 1. [from the soc.motss newsgroup on Usenet, after some obnoxiously gooey cartoon characters] A newsgroup regular with a hab
[12326]Discordianism, often invoked by hackers to explain why authoritarian hierarchies screw up so reliably and systematically. The effect of
spake unto his section head, saying: "It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide it."
will promote the growth of the company!" And the President looked upon the product, and saw that it was very good. After
Paper mail, as opposed to electronic. Sometimes written as the single word `SnailMail'. One's postal address is, correspondingly, a `sn
check once and then snap the pointer that invoked it so as henceforth to bypass the trampoline (and its one-shot error check). In this context
"This program starts by snarfing the entire database into core, then..." 5. [GEnie] To spray food or [12349]programming fluids due to
About an inch. `atto-' is the standard SI prefix for multiplication by 10^(-18). A parsec (parallax-second) is 3.26 light-years; an att
snarf down v. To [12358]snarf, with the connotation of absorbing, processing, or understanding. "I'll snarf down the latest versio
Up:[12366]= S = sneaker n. An individual hired to break into places in order to test their security; analogous to [12367]tiger team. Co
sniff v.,n. 1. To watch IP packets traversing a local network. Most often in the phrase `packet sniffer', a program for doing same. 2.S
in turn tend to elicit [12384]flamage in subsequent issues. _________________________________________________________________ Node:SO, Nex
include phoning up a mark who has the required information and posing as a field service tech or a fellow employee with an urgent access proble
[Usenet: from the act of placing a sock over your hand and talking to it and pretending it's talking back] In Usenet parlance, a [12410]ps
Up:[12421]= S = softcopy /soft'kop-ee/ n. [by analogy with `hardcopy'] A machine-readable form of corresponding hardcopy. See
project to describe the act of holding software proprietary, keeping it under trade secret or license terms which prohibit free redistribution
Node:software rot, Next:[12444]softwarily, Previous:[12445]software laser, Up:[12446]= S = software rot n. Term used to describe the te
mythical one was a real problem on early research computers (e.g., the R1; see [12452]grind crank). If a program that depended on a peculiar in
n. See [681]bogotify. _________________________________________________________________ Node:automagically, Next:[682]avatar, Previous:[68
In a way pertaining to software. "The system is softwarily unreliable." The adjective **`softwary' is not used. See [12458]hardw
Node:sorcerer's apprentice mode, Next:[12466]SOS, Previous:[12467]some random X, Up:[12468]= S = sorcerer's apprentice mode n.
Stopgap') of that editor, and many PDP-10 users gained the dubious pleasure of its acquaintance. Since then other programs similar in styl
A person from whom (or a place from which) useful information may be obtained. If you need to know about a program, a [12486]guru might be t
L lowercase l shift-L uppercase L front-L lowercase lambda front-shift-L up
four hands to operate. See [12492]bucky bits, [12493]cokebottle, [12494]double bucky, [12495]meta bit, [12496]quadruple bucky. Note: early v
SPACEWAR n. A space-combat simulation game, inspired by E. E. "Doc" Smith's "Lensman" books, in which two spaces
Node:spaghetti inheritance, Next:[12510]spam, Previous:[12511]spaghetti code, Up:[12512]= S = spaghetti inheritance n. [encountered
well- (or ill-) planned message (e.g. asking "What do you think of abortion?" on soc.women). This is often done with [12520]cross-posti
email account or network connection. In these senses the term `spam' has gone mainstream, though without its original sense or folkloric f
market, was edited by Guy Steele into a book published in 1983 as "The Hacker's Dictionary" (Harper & Row CN 1082, ISBN 0-06-0
[in Hindu mythology, the incarnation of a god] 1. Among people working on virtual reality and [689]cyberspace interfaces, an avatar is an icon
spamblock /spam'blok/ n. [poss. by analogy to sunblock] Text inserted in an email address to render it invalid and thus useless to spam
spamhaus spam'hows n. Pejorative term for an internet service provider that permits or even encourages [12540]spam mailings from its sy
_________________________________________________________________ Node:spangle, Next:[12548]spawn, Previous:[12549]spamvertize, Up:[12550]
Node:special-case, Next:[12557]speedometer, Previous:[12558]spawn, Up:[12559]= S = special-case vt. To write unique code to handle inpu
the eyes on one of the Cylons from the wretched "Battlestar Galactica" TV series. Historical note: One computer, the GE 600 (later
[12573]dictionary flame). Of course, people who are more than usually slovenly spellers are prone to think any correction is a spelling flame.
in one's web page is to insure that the page appears high on the list of matching entries to a search engine query. There are right and wr
To defeat a selection mechanism by introducing a (sometimes temporary) device that forces a specific result. The word is used in several ind
[abbrev, from Set Priority Level] The way traditional Unix kernels implement mutual exclusion by running code at high interrupt levels. Used in
appearance of the asterisk on many early line printers. 2. [MIT] Name used by some people for the # character (ASCII 0100011). 3. The [12606]fe
Node:= B =, Next:[699]= C =, Previous:[700]= A =, Up:[701]The Jargon Lexicon = B = * [702]B5: * [703]back door: * [704]backbone
Node:spod, Next:[12615]spoiler, Previous:[12616]splat out, Up:[12617]= S = spod n. [UK] 1. A lower form of life found on [12618]talker
would previously have been stigmatized by it (see [12629]computer geek). 3. [obs.] An ordinary person; a [12630]random. This is the meaning wit
_________________________________________________________________ Node:spoiler space, Next:[12637]sponge, Previous:[12638]spoiler, Up:[126
version. See also [12645]slurp. _________________________________________________________________ Node:spoof, Next:[12646]spool, Previous:
been used in connection with other peripherals (especially plotters and graphics devices) and occasionally even for input devices. See also [12
no actual usefulness. Example: Roger the Bent Paperclip in Microsoft Word '98. A spungle's only virtue is that it looks pretty, unless
little furry bodies. Result: one dead squirrel, one down computer installation. In this situation, the computer system is said to have been squ
At MIT, [12676]PDL used to be a more common synonym for [12677]stack in all these contexts, and this may still be true. Everywhere else [12678]
puke, Up:[12685]= S = stale pointer bug n. Synonym for [12686]aliasing bug used esp. among microcomputer hackers. ___________________
Up:[12693]= S = state n. 1. Condition, situation. "What's the state of your latest hack?" "It's winning away.&
* [720]bamf: * [721]banana label: * [722]banana problem: * [723]banner ad: * [724]banner site: * [725]barn: * [726]batbel
programming staff realizes what has happened. See [12698]smoke and mirrors. _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________ Node:stiffy, Next:[12706]stir-fried random, Previous:[12707]STFW, Up:[12
_________________________________________________________________ Node:stomp on, Next:[12719]Stone Age, Previous:[12720]stir-fried random,
opposed to just mercury delay lines and/or relays). See also [12733]Iron Age. 2. More generally, a pejorative for any crufty, ancient piece of
Extreme [12742]lossage that renders something (usually something vital) completely unusable. "The recent system stoppage was caused by a [
pattern for the standard memory-caching schemes when the stride length is a multiple of the cache line size. Strided references are often gener
See [12759]ASCII for other synonyms. _________________________________________________________________ Node:stubroutine, Next:[12760]studl
Node:studlycaps, Next:[12767]stunning, Previous:[12768]studly, Up:[12769]= S = studlycaps /stuhd'lee-kaps/ n. A hackish form of si
Syn. [12777]bogo-sort. _________________________________________________________________ Node:Stupids, Next:[12778]Sturgeon's Law, Pr
science fiction author Theodore Sturgeon, who once said, "Sure, 90% of science fiction is crud. That's because 90% of everything is cru
* [744]batch: * [745]bathtub curve: * [746]baud: * [747]baud barf: * [748]baz: * [749]bazaar: * [750]bboard: * [751]B
sufficiently small adj. Syn. [12795]suitably small. _________________________________________________________________ Node:suit, Next
See [12810]win. _________________________________________________________________ Node:suitably small, Next:[12811]Sun, Previous:[12812
Sun Microsystems. Hackers remember that the name was originally an acronym, Stanford University Network. Sun started out around 1980 with so
an amazing amount of heat. _________________________________________________________________ Node:sun-stools, Next:[12823]sunspots, Previo
_________________________________________________________________ Node:super source quench, Next:[12834]superloser, Previous:[12835]sunspo
[Unix] A superuser with no clue - someone with root privileges on a Unix system and no idea what he/she is doing, the moral equivalent of a thr
Hackers tend to prefer the terms [12847]hacker and [12848]wizard. _________________________________________________________________ Node:s
_________________________________________________________________ Node:surf, Next:[12859]Suzie COBOL, Previous:[12860]support, Up:[12861]=
1. [IBM: prob. from Frank Zappa's `Suzy Creamcheese'] n. A coder straight out of training school who knows everything except the val
swap vt. 1. [techspeak] To move information from a fast-access memory to a slow-access memory (`swap out'), or vice versa (`swap in&
* [768]biff: * [769]Big Gray Wall: * [770]big iron: * [771]Big Red Switch: * [772]Big Room: * [773]big win: * [774]big-en
swap space n. Storage space, especially temporary storage space used during a move or reconfiguration. "I'm just using that corner
Up:[12897]= S = swizzle v. To convert external names, array indices, or references within a data structure into address pointers when t
Node:syntactic salt, Next:[12903]syntactic sugar, Previous:[12904]sync, Up:[12905]= S = syntactic salt n. The opposite of [12906]syn
formalism to make it `sweeter' for humans, features which do not affect the expressiveness of the formalism (compare [12911]chrome). Used
Up:[12919]= S = sysadmin /sis'ad-min/ n. Common contraction of `system admin'; see [12920]admin. __________________________
to address a message to `sysop' in an international [12930]echo, thus sending it to hundreds of sysops around the world. _______________
Node:system mangler, Next:[12938]SysVile, Previous:[12939]systems jock, Up:[12940]= S = system mangler n. Humorous synonym for `syst
= T = * [12950]T: * [12951]tail recursion: * [12952]talk mode: * [12953]talker system: * [12954]tall card: * [12955]tanked:
* [12972]ten-finger interface: * [12973]tense: * [12974]tentacle: * [12975]tenured graduate student: * [12976]tera-: * [12977
* [12996]thrash: * [12997]thread: * [12998]three-finger salute: * [12999]throwaway account: * [13000]thud: * [13001]thumb:
* [792]black hole: * [793]black magic: * [794]Black Screen of Death: * [795]Black Thursday: * [796]blammo: * [797]blargh:
* [13020]TMRC: * [13021]TMRCie: * [13022]TMTOWTDI: * [13023]to a first approximation: * [13024]to a zeroth approximation: * [
* [13044]trampoline: * [13045]trap: * [13046]trap door: * [13047]trash: * [13048]trawl: * [13049]tree-killer: * [13050]tr
* [13068]turist: * [13069]Tux: * [13070]tweak: * [13071]tweeter: * [13072]TWENEX: * [13073]twiddle: * [13074]twiddle:
causes misunderstandings. When a waiter or flight attendant asks whether a hacker wants coffee, he may absently respond `T', meaning that
talk mode n. A feature supported by Unix, ITS, and some other OSes that allows two or more logged-in users to set up a real-time on-line
BTW by the way BYE? are you ready to unlink? (this is the standard way to end a talk-mode conversa
FYA for your amusement GA go ahead (used when two people have tried to type simultaneously; this c
no (see [13097]NIL) NP no problem O over to you OO over and out /
are you there? SEC wait a second (sometimes written SEC...) SYN Are you busy? (expects ACK, SYN|AC
WTF the universal interrogative particle; WTF knows what it means? WTH what the hell? <double newline&
* [816]blow up: * [817]BLT: * [818]Blue Book: * [819]blue box: * [820]Blue Glue: * [821]blue goo: * [822]Blue Screen of D
Most of the above sub-jargon is used at both Stanford and MIT. Several of these expressions are also common in [13100]email, esp. FYI, FYA, BTW
HHOS [13101]ha ha only serious IMHO in my humble opinion (see [13102]IMHO) LOL laughin
CU l8tr see you later MORF male or female? TTFN ta-ta for now TTYL
The [13106]MUD community uses a mixture of Usenet/Internet emoticons, a few of the more natural of the old-style talk-mode abbrevs, and some of
THX thanks (mutant of TNX; clearly this comes in batches of 1138 (the Lucasian K)). UOK? are you OK?
talker system n. British hackerism for software that enables real-time chat or [13114]talk mode. ____________________________________
Same as [13123]down, used primarily by Unix hackers. See also [13124]hosed. Popularized as a synonym for `drunk' by Steve Dallas in the
Previous:[13132]TANSTAAFL, Up:[13133]= T = tape monkey n. A junior system administrator, one who might plausibly be assigned to do phys
easily. Compare the more common [13139]tarball. _________________________________________________________________ Node:tarball, Next:[1314
which is dedicated to chronicling such incidents; but almost all hackers would instantly recognize the intention of the term and laugh. _____
* [840]bogotify: * [841]bogue out: * [842]bogus: * [843]Bohr bug: * [844]boink: * [845]bomb: * [846]bondage-and-disciplin
tayste /tayst/ n. Two bits; also as [13158]taste. Syn. [13159]crumb, [13160]quarter. See [13161]nybble. ________________________________
retching. Unlike such allegedly `standard' competitors such as X.25, DECnet, and the ISO 7-layer stack, TCP/IP evolved primarily by actual
Node:TECO, Next:[13175]tee, Previous:[13176]TechRef, Up:[13177]= T = TECO /tee'koh/ n.,v. obs. 1. [originally an acronym for `[pa
sorts them alphabetically according to surname, and then puts the surname last, removing the comma, to produce the following:Moby DickJ. Random L
Descendants of an early (and somewhat lobotomized) version adopted by DEC can still be found lurking on VMS and a couple of crufty PDP-11 opera
[13193]address harvester; a mail server deliberately set up to be really, really slow. To activate it, scatter addresses that look like users o
Node:Telerat, Next:[13201]TELNET, Previous:[13202]teledildonics, Up:[13203]= T = Telerat /tel'*-rat/ n. obs. Unflattering hackeris
Node:ten-finger interface, Next:[13215]tense, Previous:[13216]TELNET, Up:[13217]= T = ten-finger interface n. The interface between two
Node:tentacle, Next:[13222]tenured graduate student, Previous:[13223]tense, Up:[13224]= T = tentacle n. A covert [13225]pseudo, sense 1
graduate student has probably been around the university longer than any untenured professor. _______________________________________________
* [864]BQS: * [865]brain dump: * [866]brain fart: * [867]brain-damaged: * [868]brain-dead: * [869]braino: * [870]branch t
Node:terminak, Next:[13238]terminal brain death, Previous:[13239]teraflop club, Up:[13240]= T = terminak /ter'mi-nak`/ n. [Caltech
Node:terminal illness, Next:[13254]terminal junkie, Previous:[13255]terminal brain death, Up:[13256]= T = terminal illness n. 1. Syn. [
_________________________________________________________________ Node:terpri, Next:[13268]test, Previous:[13269]terminal junkie, Up:[1327
second definition is far more prevalent. See also [13275]demo. _________________________________________________________________ Node:TeX,
would finish it on his sabbatical in 1978; he was wrong by only about 8 years. The language was finally frozen around 1985, but volume IV of &q
between multiple instances of a program running in a multitasking OS. Compare [13289]English. 2. Textual material in the mainstream sense; data
The complainant, if unconvinced, is likely to retort that the bug is then at best a [13302]misfeature. See also [13303]feature. _____________
`networks', plus the corporate in-house networks and commercial time-sharing services (such as CompuServe, GEnie and AOL) that gateway to
Yet another instance of hackerdom's peculiar attraction to mystical references -- a common humorous way of making exclusive statements
T = theory n. The consensus, idea, plan, story, or set of rules that is currently being used to inform a behavior. This usage is a gene
* [888]BRS: * [889]brute force: * [890]brute force and ignorance: * [891]BSD: * [892]BSOD: * [893]BUAF: * [894]BUAG:
Node:This can't happen, Next:[13338]This time for sure!, Previous:[13339]thinko, Up:[13340]= T = This can't happen Less clipp
thrash vi. To move wildly or violently, without accomplishing anything useful. Paging or swapping systems that are overloaded waste most of
Interestingly, this is far from a neologism. The OED says: "That which connects the successive points in anything, esp. a narrative, trai
something which requires a valid email address but being able to ignore spam since the user will not look at the account again. _____________
Node:thundering herd problem, Next:[13372]thunk, Previous:[13373]thumb, Up:[13374]= T = thundering herd problem Scheduler thrashing.
parameters to their formal definitions in Algol-60 procedure calls. If a procedure is called with an expression in the place of a formal parame
`thunk', which is "the past tense of `think' at two in the morning". ______________________________________________________
insist on but never use (calculators in desktop TSRs and that sort of thing). The American equivalent would be `checklist features', but t
tricks, e.g., leave cardboard signs saying "bomb" in critical defense installations, hand-lettered notes saying "Your codebooks ha
A subspecies of [13402]logic bomb that is triggered by reaching some preset time, either once or periodically. There are numerous legends about
the SAIL computer continued as a Computer Science Department resource until 1991. Stanford became a major [47]TWENEX site, at one point operati
* [912]busy-wait: * [913]buzz: * [914]BWQ: * [915]by hand: * [916]byte: * [917]byte sex: * [918]bytesexual: * [919]Bz
_________________________________________________________________ Node:time T, Next:[13406]times-or-divided-by, Previous:[13407]time sink,
[by analogy with `plus-or-minus'] Term occasionally used when describing the uncertainty associated with a scheduling estimate, for eit
sites, or when logins are attempted using certain IDs. Named after `Project Tinkerbell', an experimental phone-tapping program developed b
Node:tired iron, Next:[13429]tits on a keyboard, Previous:[13430]tip of the ice-cube, Up:[13431]= T = tired iron n. [IBM] Hardware that
TLA /T-L-A/ n. [Three-Letter Acronym] 1. Self-describing abbreviation for a species with which computing terminology is infested. 2. Any
(TM) // [Usenet] ASCII rendition of the trademark-superscript symbol appended to phrases that the author feels should be recorded for pos
control system alone featured about 1200 relays. There were [13451]scram switches located at numerous places around the room that could be thwa
TMRCie /tmerk'ee/, n. [MIT] A denizen of [13457]TMRC. _________________________________________________________________ Node:TMT
converges more quickly to the correct result. 2. In jargon, a preface to any comment that indicates that the comment is only approximately true
a lot of debate among the other characters first. See also [13474]frog, [13475]FOD. _________________________________________________________
by designers or maintainers. The motivation for such holes is not always sinister; some operating systems, for example, come out of the box wit
running Unix on your [13486]toaster!" 2. A very, very dumb computer. "You could run this program on any dumb toaster." See [13487]
state; to change from 1 to 0 or from 0 to 1. This comes from `toggle switches', such as standard light switches, though the word `toggle&apo
the grindstone". See [13508]hack. 4. n. [MIT] A student who studies too much and hacks too little. (MIT's student humor magazine rejoic
The Bourne-Again Super-user. An alternate account with UID of 0, created on Unix machines where the root user has an inconvenient choice of she
The term `topic drift' is often used in gentle reminders that the discussion has strayed off any useful track. "I think we started w
sometimes called BOTS-10 (from `bottoms-ten') as a comment on the inappropriateness of describing it as the top of anything. ___________
[13550]lurker, [13551]read-only user. 2. [IRC] An [13552]IRC user who goes from channel to channel without saying anything; see [13553]channel
Having the quality of a [13560]tourist. Often used as a pejorative, as in `losing touristic scum'. Often spelled `turistic' or `turisti
A language useful for instructional purposes or as a proof-of-concept for some aspect of computer-science theory, but inadequate for general
toy program n. 1. One that can be readily comprehended; hence, a trivial program (compare [13582]noddy). 2. One for which the effort of i
again the next time around! And having done this once, he was then able to recompile the compiler from the original sources; the hack perpetuat
_________________________________________________________________ Node:trap, Next:[13591]trap door, Previous:[13592]trampoline, Up:[13593]
= trap door n. (alt. `trapdoor') 1. Syn. [13599]back door -- a [13600]Bad Thing. 2. [techspeak] A `trap-door function' is one
trawl v. To sift through large volumes of data (e.g., Usenet postings, FTP archives, or the Jargon File) looking for something of interest.
Printouts, books, and other information media made from pulped dead trees. Compare [13622]tree-killer, see [13623]documentation. _________
1. Too simple to bother detailing. 2. Not worth the speaker's time. 3. Complex, but solvable by methods so well known that anyone not utterl
name came from the expression "to run off a copy"). A companion program, [13640]nroff, formats output for terminals and line printers.
Node:troglodyte, Next:[13642]troglodyte mode, Previous:[13643]troff, Up:[13644]= T = troglodyte n. [Commodore] 1. A hacker who never
optional but recommended. See [13649]larval stage, [13650]hack mode. _________________________________________________________________ Nod
style of fishing in which one trails bait through a likely spot hoping for a bite. The well-constructed troll is a post that induces lots of ne
The use of `troll' in either sense is a live metaphor that readily produces elaborations and combining forms. For example, one not infrequ
Renaming and reined in the chaos of [936]Usenet during most of the 1980s. During most of its lifetime, the Cabal (as it was sometimes capitaliz
tron v. [NRL, CMU; prob. fr. the movie "Tron"] To become inaccessible except via email or talk(1), especially when one is normally
_________________________________________________________________ Node:tty, Next:[13682]tube, Previous:[13683]true-hacker, Up:[13684]= T =
1. n. A CRT terminal. Never used in the mainstream sense of TV; real hackers don't watch TV, except for Loony Toons, Rocky & Bullwinkle,
be found at the bottom of the manual pages of tunefs(8) in the original [13695]BSD 4.2 distribution. The joke was removed in later releases onc
designed as [13700]hooks for tuning, e.g., by changing #define lines in C. One may `tune for time' (fastest execution), `tune for space&apos
capabilities that differ only in speed from those of the most powerful and elegantly designed computers. However, no machine or language exactl
Tux the Penguin is the official emblem of [13721]Linux, This eventuated after a logo contest in 1996, during which Linus Torvalds endorsed t
tweak vt. 1. To change slightly, usually in reference to a value. Also used synonymously with [13728]twiddle. If a program is almost correct
TWENEX /twe'neks/ n. The TOPS-20 operating system by [13743]DEC -- the second proprietary OS for the PDP-10 -- preferred by most PDP-10
popular; in fact, there was a period in the early 1980s when it commanded as fervent a culture of partisans as Unix or ITS -- but DEC's de
backbone site n.,obs. Formerly, a key Usenet and email site, one that processes a large amount of third-party traffic, especially if it is t
[13754]toggle). 4. Uncommon name for the [13755]twirling baton prompt. _________________________________________________________________ N
Node:twirling baton, Next:[13765]two pi, Previous:[13766]twink, Up:[13767]= T = twirling baton n. [PLATO] The overstrike sequence -/|\-
two pi quant. The number of years it takes to finish one's thesis. Occurs in stories in the following form: "He started on his the
[13779]marketroid (compare [13780]Saturday-night special). The term may also be related to "The Twonky", title menace of a classic SF
* [13796]Unix conspiracy: * [13797]Unix weenie: * [13798]unixism: * [13799]unswizzle: * [13800]unwind the stack: * [13801]unw
u- pref. Written shorthand for [13819]micro-; techspeak when applied to metric units, jargon when used otherwise. Derived from the Greek let
spam is uttered by nonprofit and advocacy groups whose motives are not commercial. __________________________________________________________
UN*X n. Used to refer to the Unix operating system (a trademark of AT&T, then of Novell, then of SCO, and then of Caldera) in writing
Node:under the hood, Next:[13850]undocumented feature, Previous:[13851]undefined external reference, Up:[13852]= U = under the hood adj.
feature, Up:[13860]= U = uninteresting adj. 1. Said of a problem that, although [13861]nontrivial, can be solved simply by throwing suf
See [949]bignum (sense 3), [950]moby (sense 4), and [951]pseudoprime. _________________________________________________________________ No
[In the authors' words, "A weak pun on Multics"; very early on it was `UNICS'] (also `UNIX') An interactive time-sharing
get the spelling changed to `Unix' in a couple of Bell Labs papers, on the grounds that the word is not acronymic. He failed, and eventually
a line feed. Such things can make even a hardened [13883]jock weep. _________________________________________________________________ Node
by [13891]DEC president Kenneth Olsen shortly before DEC began actively promoting its own family of Unix workstations. (Olsen now claims to hav
Often appearing in the context "stupid Unix weenie". See [13896]Weenix, [13897]Unix conspiracy. See also [13898]weenie. ___________
Up:[13908]= U = unswizzle v. See [13909]swizzle. _________________________________________________________________ Node:unwind t
unwind-protect n. [MIT: from the name of a LISP operator] A task you must remember to perform before you leave a place or finish a projec
communications link from a system near you (espercially a smaller or peripheral `client' system) to one further away from you (especially a
See [13933]munchkin. _________________________________________________________________ Node:URL, Next:[13934]Usenet, Previous:[13935]urchi
information utility in existence. As of early 1996, it hosts over 10,000 [13941]newsgroups and an average of over 500 megabytes (the equivalent
on OS/360. _________________________________________________________________ Node:backreference, Next:[960]backronym, Previous:[961]backgr
applies only to certain newsgroups or hierarchies in Usenet. Compare [13948]Internet Death Penalty, with which this term is sometimes confused.
[13954]lusers. The users are looked down on by hackers to some extent because they don't understand the full ramifications of the system in
Previous:[13963]user-friendly, Up:[13964]= U = user-obsequious adj. Emphatic form of [13965]user-friendly. Connotes a system so verbose,
Refers to AT&T Unix commercial versions after [13975]Version 7, especially System III and System V releases 1, 2, and 3. So called becau
source. After 1978, AT&T's policy tightened up, so this objurgation was in theory appropriately directed only at associates of some outf
_________________________________________________________________ Node:= V =, Next:[13989]= W =, Previous:[13990]= U =, Up:[13991]The Jarg
* [14009]ventilator card: * [14010]Venus flytrap: * [14011]verbage: * [14012]verbiage: * [14013]Version 7: * [14014]vgrep:
_________________________________________________________________ Node:V7, Next:[14033]vadding, Previous:[14034]UUCPNET, Up:[14035]= V =
The most extreme and dangerous form of vadding is `elevator rodeo', a.k.a. `elevator surfing', a sport played by wrasslin' down a
hot-and-sour soup is the [14051]canonical soup to get (because that is what most of them usually order) even though it isn't the vanilla (
[967]recursive acronym (Cygnus), [968]Acme, and [969]mung. Discovering backronyms is a common form of wordplay among hackers. Compare [970]retc
common, and competition is the rule. The prototype was Vannevar Bush's prediction of `electronic brains' the size of the Empire State
Short for `variable'. Compare [14066]arg, [14067]param. _________________________________________________________________ Node:vas
4.2 BSD Unix (see [14075]BSD). Esp. noted for its large, assembler-programmer-friendly instruction set -- an asset that became a liability afte
Node:VAXectomy, Next:[14076]VAXen, Previous:[14077]VAX, Up:[14078]= V = VAXectomy /vak-sek't*-mee/ n. [by analogy with `vasecto
vaxherd /vaks'herd/ n. obs. [from `oxherd'] A VAX operator. The image is reinforced because VAXen actually did tend to come in
Among these are: 1. The assumption that dereferencing a null pointer is safe because it is all bits 0, and location 0 is readable and 0. P
address in memory (for example, that you can freely construct and dereference a pointer to a word- or greater-sized object at an odd
12. The assumption that it is meaningful to compare pointers to different objects not located within the same array, or to objects of d
vdiff /vee'dif/ v.,n. Visual diff. The operation of finding differences between two files by [14105]eyeball search. The term `optical d
Previous:[14114]veeblefester, Up:[14115]= V = velveeta n. [Usenet: by analogy with [14116]spam. The trade name Velveeta is attached in
deprecated but actively defeated. (Too often, the old and new versions cannot definitively be distinguished, such that lingering instances of t
[after the insect-eating plant] See [14127]firewall machine. _________________________________________________________________ Node:ver
_________________________________________________________________ Node:Version 7, Next:[14137]vgrep, Previous:[14138]verbiage, Up:[14139]=
Node:vgrep, Next:[14146]vi, Previous:[14147]Version 7, Up:[14148]= V = vgrep /vee'grep/ v.,n. Visual grep. The operation of findi
vi (and variants such as vim and elvis) is still widely used (about half the respondents in a 1991 Usenet poll preferred it), and even EMACS fa
An electronic service offering people the privilege of paying to read the weather on their television screens instead of having somebody read i
Node:virtual, Next:[14172]virtual beer, Previous:[14173]virgin, Up:[14174]= V = virtual adj. [via the technical term `virtual memory&ap
_________________________________________________________________ Node:virtual Friday, Next:[14180]virtual reality, Previous:[14181]virtua
[14186]cyberspace. 2. A form of network interaction incorporating aspects of role-playing games, interactive theater, improvisational comedy, a
_________________________________________________________________ Node:virus, Next:[14195]visionary, Previous:[14196]virtual shredder, Up:
Windows users; the lack of security on these machines enables viruses to spread easily, even infecting the operating system (Unix machines, by
[Durham, UK] Said of something that is both badly designed and wrongly executed. This common term is the prototype of, and is used by contra
IBM, apparently, such a penchant is viewed with awe and wonder. _________________________________________________________________ Node:VMS
Node:voice, Next:[14223]voice-net, Previous:[14224]VMS, Up:[14225]= V = voice vt. To phone someone, as opposed to emailing them or c
voodoo programming n. [from George Bush's "voodoo economics"] 1. The use by guess or cookbook of an [14236]obscure or [142
Node:Vulcan nerve pinch, Next:[14250]vulture capitalist, Previous:[14251]VR, Up:[14252]= V = Vulcan nerve pinch n. [from the old "
Node:= W =, Next:[14258]= X =, Previous:[14259]= V =, Up:[14260]The Jargon Lexicon = W = * [14261]W2K bug: * [14262]wabbit: * [1426
* [14280]warez kiddies: * [14281]warlording: * [14282]warm boot: * [14283]wart: * [14284]washing machine: * [14285]washing so
* [14304]whack: * [14305]whack-a-mole: * [14306]whacker: * [14307]whales: * [14308]whalesong: * [14309]What's a spline?:
* [14328]Windoze: * [14329]winged comments: * [14330]winkey: * [14331]winnage: * [14332]winner: * [14333]winnitude: * [14
* [14352]workaround: * [14353]working as designed: * [14354]worm: * [14355]wormhole: * [14356]wound around the axle: * [14357
engineering. Such is the power of Microsoft marketing, however, that it is also expected this will not become obvious until it has incurred hun
living document to icon, remained essentially untouched for seven years. This revision contains nearly the entire text of a late version of
[993]Good Thing. British correspondents confirm that [994]Bad Thing and [995]Good Thing (and prob. therefore [996]Right Thing and [997]Wrong Th
WAITS /wayts/ n. The mutant cousin of [14380]TOPS-10 used on a handful of systems at [14381]SAIL up to 1990. There was never an `official
programming terminals. _________________________________________________________________ Node:waldo, Next:[14384]walk, Previous:[14385]WAI
Traversal of a data structure, especially an array or linked-list data structure in [14395]core. See also [14396]codewalker, [14397]silly walk,
combination of a misaligned spindle or worn bearings and stick-slip interactions with the floor could cause them to `walk' across a room,
wall'. It was originally used in situations where, after you had carefully answered a question, the questioner stared at you blankly, clea
bureaucratic, by-the-book mentality. See also [14418]code grinder; compare [14419]droid. ____________________________________________________
directly into a wall outlet; called a `wart' because when installed on a power strip it tends to block up at least one more socket than it
(this is techspeak under the `Windows' graphical user interface to MS-DOS). 3. `wallpaper file' n. The file that contains the wallpaper
[Columbia University: prob. by mutation from Commonwealth slang v. `wank', to masturbate] Used much as [14439]hack is elsewhere, as a noun
prob. originally from biker slang] A would-be [14446]hacker. The connotations of this term differ sharply depending on the age and exposure of
Up:[1004]= B = bagbiter /bag'bi:t-*r/ n. 1. Something, such as a program or a computer, that fails to work, or works in a remarkab
fitting the popular image of hackers. Fortunately, to do this really well, one has to actually become a wizard. Nevertheless, old-time hackers
-ware suff. [from `software'] Commonly used to form jargon terms for classes of software. For examples, see [14460]annoyware, [14461]ca
warez d00dz /weirz doodz/ n. A substantial subculture of [14486]crackers refer to themselves as `warez d00dz'; there is evidently so
their hard disks. As Ozone Pilot acutely observes: [BELONG] is the only word you will need to know. Warez d00dz want to belong. They hav
warez kiddies n. Even more derogatory way of referring to [14499]warez d00dz; refers to the fact that most warez d00dz are around the age
Node:warm boot, Next:[14510]wart, Previous:[14511]warlording, Up:[14512]= W = warm boot n. See [14513]boot. ____________________
Previous:[14522]wart, Up:[14523]= W = washing machine n. 1. Old-style 14-inch hard disks in floor-standing cabinets. So called because
Node:water MIPS, Next:[14530]wave a dead chicken, Previous:[14531]washing software, Up:[14532]= W = water MIPS n. (see [14533]MIPS, sen
chicken, Up:[14543]= W = weasel n. [Cambridge] A naive user, one who deliberately or accidentally does things that are stupid or ill-ad
any other external peripherals, pre-configured to be controlled through an Ethernet port and function as a WWW server. Products of this kind (f
Node:bagbiting, Next:[1009]baggy pantsing, Previous:[1010]bagbiter, Up:[1011]= B = bagbiting adj. Having the quality of a [1012]bagbite
Wide Web information who is responsible for maintaining the public pages and keeping the Web server running and properly configured. ________
few things, but not be fully operational. For example, a process may become wedged if it [14568]deadlocks with another (but not all instances o
[Fairchild] A bug. Prob. related to [14577]wedged. _________________________________________________________________ Node:wedgitude, Next:
1. Refers to development projects or algorithms that have no possible relevance or practical application. Comes from `off in the weeds'.
insult or a term of praise, depending on context, tone of voice, and whether or not it is applied by a person who considers him or herself to b
independently of the ITS usage. _________________________________________________________________ Node:well-behaved, Next:[14611]well-conn
well-connected adj. Said of a computer installation, asserts that it has reliable email links with the network and/or that it relays a large
whack v. According to arch-hacker James Gosling (designer of [14634]NeWS, [14635]GOSMACS and Java), to "...modify a program with no ide
spawned in flocks when you surg to sites like Geocities or Tripod. _________________________________________________________________ Node:
_________________________________________________________________ Node:whalesong, Next:[14652]What's a spline?, Previous:[14653]whales,
particularly nice baggy pantsing may be "claimed" by immediately quoting the message in full, followed by your sig; this has the added
"Moral: don't hesitate to ask questions, even if they seem obvious." ___________________________________________________________
the system regardless of protections, change or look at any address in the running monitor, crash or reload the system, and kill or create jobs
Several iterations of this cycle have been observed in graphics-processor design, and at least one or two in communications and floating-point
describing the previously-secret format of Type 1 fonts; "Adobe Type 1 Font Format, version 1.1", (Addison-Wesley, 1990, ISBN 0-201-570
_________________________________________________________________ Node:wibble, Next:[14693]WIBNI, Previous:[14694]whizzy, Up:[14695]= W =
= WIBNI // n. [Bell Labs: Wouldn't It Be Nice If] What most requirements documents and specifications consist entirely of. Compare
[scientific computation] In solving partial differential equations by finite difference and similar methods, wiggles are sawtooth (up-down-u
Node:win, Next:[14717]win big, Previous:[14718]WIMP environment, Up:[14719]= W = win [MIT; now common everywhere] 1. vi. To succeed. A
_________________________________________________________________ Node:win win, Next:[14728]Winchester, Previous:[14729]win big, Up:[14730
developed.) _________________________________________________________________ Node:windoid, Next:[14735]window shopping, Previous:[14736]W
require that such a flag be treated as though it were [1024]live. _________________________________________________________________ Node:b
blue background." Serious window shoppers will spend their days with bitmap editors, creating new and different icons and background patte
Generally these refer only to the action(s) taken on that line. _________________________________________________________________ Node:win
1. n. An unexpectedly good situation, program, programmer, or person. 2. `real winner': Often sarcastic, but also used as high praise (se
Microsoft Windows plus Intel - the tacit alliance that dominated desktop computing in the 1990s. Now (1999) possibly on the verge of breakin
known for their ability to lash up an Ethernet terminator from spare resistors, for example. ________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________ Node:within delta of, Next:[14788]within epsilon of, Previous:[14789]wis
hardware works (that is, who [14799]groks it); esp. someone who can find and fix bugs quickly in an emergency. Someone is a [14800]hacker if he
0-262-01153-0), an excellent computer science text used in introductory courses at MIT. So called because of the wizard on the jacket. One of t
[from [14825]rogue] A special access mode of a program or system, usually passworded, that permits some users godlike privileges. Generally
the Chinese culinary utensil. _________________________________________________________________ Node:womb box, Next:[14833]WOMBAT, Previou
Up:[1035]= B = banana label n. The labels often used on the sides of [1036]macrotape reels, so called because they are shaped roughly l
[14840]crawling horror, [14841]SMOP. Also note the rather different usage as a metasyntactic variable in [14842]Commonwealth Hackish. Users
[from Australian slang] Yet another approximate synonym for [14850]broken. Specifically connotes a malfunction that produces behavior seen as c
workaround n. 1. A temporary [14861]kluge used to bypass, mask, or otherwise avoid a [14862]bug or [14863]misfeature in some system. Theo
not accepting a criticism or suggestion. At [14870]IBM, this sense is used in official documents! See [14871]BAD. ___________________________
[from the `wormhole' singularities hypothesized in some versions of General Relativity theory] 1. [n.,obs.] A location in a monitor which
Node:wrap around, Next:[14889]write-only code, Previous:[14890]wound around the axle, Up:[14891]= W = wrap around vi. (also n. `wraparo
anyone but its author, and possibly not even by him/her. A [14898]Bad Thing. ________________________________________________________________
engineer at Signetics once created a specification for a write-only memory and included it with a bunch of other specifications to be approved.
anything that is not the Right Thing. In cases where `the good is the enemy of the best', the merely good -- although good -- is neverthel
Gregory Yob. The wumpus lived somewhere in a cave with the topology of an dodecahedron's edge/vertex graph (later versions supported other
problem for a superficially similar but unrelated usage. _________________________________________________________________ Node:binary fou
Node:WYSIAYG, Next:[14925]WYSIWYG, Previous:[14926]wumpus, Up:[14927]= W = WYSIAYG /wiz'ee-ayg/ adj. Describes a user interface un
WYSIWYG /wiz'ee-wig/ adj. [Traced to Flip Wilson's "Geraldine" character c.1970] Describes a user interface under which
* [14943]X: * [14944]XEROX PARC: * [14945]XOFF: * [14946]XON: * [14947]xor: * [14948]xref: * [14949]XXX: * [14950]xyz
over-engineered and incredibly over-complicated window system developed at MIT and widely used on Unix systems. _____________________________
_________________________________________________________________ Node:XOFF, Next:[14960]XON, Previous:[14961]XEROX PARC, Up:[14962]= X =
its two arguments is true. _________________________________________________________________ Node:xref, Next:[14971]XXX, Previous:[14972]x
from [14982]ADVENT, in which the idea is to explore an underground cave with many rooms and to collect the treasures you find there. If you typ
The following passage from "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum, suggesting a possible pre-ADVENT origin, has recently come to
* [14993]YAFIYGI: * [14994]YAUN: * [14995]Yellow Book: * [14996]yellow card: * [14997]yellow wire: * [14998]Yet Another:
_________________________________________________________________ Node:YABA, Next:[15013]YAFIYGI, Previous:[15014]YA-, Up:[15015]= Y =
go mainstream after the Internet population explosion of 1993-1994. 2. Attention span. 3. On [1054]Usenet, a measure of network capacity that i
less often, a necessary tradeoff ("Only a YAFIYGI tool can have full programmable flexibility in its interface."). This precise se
The print version of this Jargon File; "The New Hacker's Dictionary" from MIT Press; The book includes essentially all the materia
[IBM] Repair wires used when connectors (especially ribbon connectors) got broken due to some schlemiel pinching them, or to reconnect cut t
YHBT // [Usenet: very common] Abbreviation: You Have Been Trolled (see [15047]troll, sense 1). Especially used in "YHBT. YHL. HAND.&quo
Abbreviation for [15054]Your mileage may vary common on Usenet. _________________________________________________________________ Node:You
* not only do you check your email more often than your paper mail, but you remember your [15063]network address faster than your pos
_________________________________________________________________ Node:Your mileage may vary, Next:[15067]Yow!, Previous:[15068]You know y
Node:yoyo mode, Next:[15074]Yu-Shiang Whole Fish, Previous:[15075]Yow!, Up:[15076]= Y = yoyo mode n. The state in which the system i
is actually the name of a Chinese dish in which a fish is cooked whole (not [15080]parsed) and covered with Yu-Shiang (or Yu-Hsiang) sauce. Usa
* [15096]zorch: * [15097]Zork: * [15098]zorkmid: _________________________________________________________________ Node:zap, Nex
it. _________________________________________________________________ Node:bang on, Next:[1066]bang path, Previous:[1067]bang, Up:[1068]=
Node:zapped, Next:[15104]Zawinski's Law, Previous:[15105]zap, Up:[15106]= Z = zapped adj. Spicy. This term is used to distinguish
commonly cited, though with widely varying degrees of accuracy. _________________________________________________________________ Node:zbe
Node:zero, Next:[15124]zero-content, Previous:[15125]zen, Up:[15126]= Z = zero vt. 1. To set to 0. Usually said of small pieces of data
Zero-One-Infinity Rule prov. "Allow none of [15135]foo, one of [15136]foo, or any number of [15137]foo." A rule of thumb for softw
zeroth /zee'rohth/ adj. First. Among software designers, comes from C's and LISP's 0-based indexing of arrays. Hardware pe
character. Usage: primarily at IBM shops. 2. [proposed] n. The Unicode non-character U+FFFF (1111111111111111), a character code which is not a
zipperhead n. [IBM] A person with a closed mind. _________________________________________________________________ Node:zombie, Next:
network." 4. [MIT] n. Influence. Brownie points. Good karma. The intangible and fuzzy currency in which favors are measured. "I'd
zorkmid /zork'mid/ n. The canonical unit of currency in hacker-written games. This originated in [15174]Zork but has spread to [1517
Node:The Meaning of Hack, Next:[15185]TV Typewriters, Previous:[15186]Appendix A, Up:[15187]Appendix A The Meaning of `Hack' "Th
the account of user me on barbox. In the bad old days of not so long ago, before autorouting mailers became commonplace, people often publis
In 1961, students from Caltech (California Institute of Technology, in Pasadena) hacked the Rose Bowl football game. One student posed as
beaver -- nature's engineer -- as a mascot.) After the game, the Washington faculty athletic representative said: "Some th
Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. The device consisted of a weather balloon, a hydraulic ram powered by Freon gas to lift it out of the gro
The hacks above are verifiable history; they can be proved to have happened. Many other classic-hack stories from MIT and elsewhere, though ret
security on the Xerox CP-V timesharing system. Through a simple programming strategy, it was possible for a user program to trick the sys
rep, to no avail. Finally they decided to take direct action, to demonstrate to Xerox management just how easily the system could be crac
* The console would print snide and insulting messages from Robin Hood to Friar Tuck, or vice versa. * The Xerox card reader had two ou
Each ghost-job would detect the fact that the other had been killed, and would start a new copy of the recently slain program within a fe
Node:TV Typewriters, Next:[15199]A Story About Magic, Previous:[15200]The Meaning of Hack, Up:[15201]Appendix A TV Typewriters A Tale of Hac
Fair enough, said the two friends, and they left again. They were frustrated, of course, because they knew that the terminal was as harmless
corrections, and correspondence relating to the Jargon File to [52][email protected]. (Warning: other email addresses appear in this file b
generated (typically on multiple pages of fan-fold paper) from user-specified text, e.g., by a program such as Unix's banner({1,6}). 3. On
[Antihistorical note: On September 23rd, 1992, the L.A. Times ran the following bit in Steve Harvey's `Only in L.A.' column:
the frame of one cabinet. It was obviously a homebrew job, added by one of the lab's hardware hackers (no one knows who). You don'
A year later, I told this story to yet another hacker, David Moon as I recall. He clearly doubted my sanity, or suspected me of a supernatur
the circuit as millionth-of-a-second pulses went through it. But we'll never know for sure; all we can really say is that the switch was [
These are some of the funniest examples of a genre of jokes told at the MIT AI Lab about various noted hackers. The original koans were compose
One day a student came to Moon and said: "I understand how to make a better garbage collector. We must keep a reference count of the point
"I do not want it to have any preconceptions of how to play", Sussman said. Minsky then shut his eyes. "Why do you close
AI Koans, Up:[15214]Appendix A OS and JEDGAR This story says a lot about the ITS ethos. On the ITS system there was a program that allowed
the user said yes, then JEDGAR would actually [15215]gun the job of the [15216]luser who was spying. Unfortunately, people found that this made
Real Programmers write in FORTRAN.Maybe they do now,in this decadent era ofLite beer, hand calculators, and ``user-friendly'' softwarebu
able to access the site. More often than not, the username/password painfully obtained by clicking on banners and subscribing to bogus services
The firm manufactured the LGP-30,a small, cheap (by the standards of the day)drum-memory computer,and had just started to manufacturethe RPC-4000, a m
Its effect was always dramatic.The LGP-30 booth was packed at every show,and the IBM salesmen stood aroundtalking to each other.Whether or not this ac
that is, locate instructions on the drumso that just as one finished its job,the next would be just arriving at the ``read head''and availab
and Mel's always ran faster.That was because the ``top-down'' method of program designhadn't been invented yet,and Mel wouldn&apos
the ``most pessimum''.After he finished the blackjack programand got it to run(``Even the initializer is optimized'',he said proud
a few Fellow Programmers.Mel finally gave in and wrote the code,but he got the test backwards,and, when the sense switch was turned on,the program wou
Mel was, I think, an unsung genius.Perhaps my greatest shock camewhen I found an innocent loop that had no test in it.No test. None.Common sense said
Instead, he would pull the instruction into a machine register,add one to its address,and store it back.He would then execute the modified instruction
so, after the last datum was handled,incrementing the instruction addresswould make it overflow.The carry would add one to theoperation code, changing
and I think that's how it should be.I didn't feel comfortablehacking up the code of a Real Programmer. This is one of hackerdom's gre
assembler. Commonly used in the phrase `programming on the bare metal', which refers to the arduous work of [1104]bit bashing needed to cr
Up:[15223]Top A Portrait of J. Random Hacker This profile reflects detailed comm
* [15231]Food: * [15232]Politics: * [15233]Gender and Ethnicity: * [15234]Religion: * [15235]Ceremonial Chemicals: * [15236]C
Dress Casual, vaguely post-hippie; T-shirts, jeans, running shoes, Birkenstocks (or bare feet). Long hair, beards, and moustaches are common.
hackers to quit a job rather than conform to a dress code. Female hackers almost never wear visible makeup, and many use none at all. __
Other Interests Some hobbies are widely shared and recognized as going with the culture: science fiction, music, medievalism (in the active for
does, not something one watches on TV. Further, hackers avoid most team sports like the plague. Volleyball was long a notable exception, per
this particularly odd. Today (2000), martial arts seems to have become established as the hacker exercise form of choice, and the martial-ar
be more respected, than his school-shaped counterpart. Academic areas from which people often gravitate into hackerdom include (besides the obv
Ethnic. Spicy. Oriental, esp. Chinese and most esp. Szechuan, Hunan, and Mandarin (hackers consider Cantonese vaguely déclassé). Hackers prefer
generalization is that hackers tend to be rather anti-authoritarian; thus, both conventional conservatism and `hard' leftism are rare. Hac
necessary; see [1109]ill-behaved). There, the term usually refers to bypassing the BIOS or OS interface and writing the application to directly
function of which ethnic groups tend to seek and value education. Racial and ethnic prejudice is notably uncommon and tends to be met with free
relaxed about it, hostile to organized religion in general and all forms of religious bigotry in particular. Many enjoy `parody' religions
Limited use of non-addictive psychedelic drugs, such as cannabis, LSD, psilocybin, nitrous oxide, etc., used to be relatively common and is
Geographical Distribution In the United States, hackerdom revolves on a Bay Area-to-Boston axis; about half of the hard core seems to live with
_________________________________________________________________ Node:Personality Characteristics, Next:[15289]Weaknesses of the Hacker P
inhaling Knuth's 477-page manual. My editor's flabbergasted reaction to this genuinely surprised me, because years of associating with
lives and chaotic elsewhere. Their code will be beautiful, even if their desks are buried in 3 feet of crap. Hackers are generally only very
`other people'. Unsurprisingly, hackers also tend towards self-absorption, intellectual arrogance, and impatience with people and tasks pe
might be okay if there weren't all those silly puzzles in the way. And, of course, there are the perennial [15306]holy wars -- [15307]EMAC
`hyperfocus' imaginatively on interesting tasks. In 1998-1999 another syndrome that is said to overlap with many hacker traits entered pop
one." See [1114]choke, [1115]gag. In Commonwealth Hackish, `barf' is generally replaced by `puke' or `vom'. [1116]barf is som
authority will always be inconvenienced by schoolchildren or workers or citizens who are prickly, intelligent individualists - thus, any social
grokked that cats have the hacker nature). Many drive incredibly decrepit heaps and forget to wash them; richer ones drive spiffy Porsches and
And the next time your friend or boss is thinking about some proprietary software `solution' that costs more than it's worth, be read
cryptography. The so-called `Communications Decency Act' was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, but U.S. cryptography policy
people I am a hacker, people think I'm admitting something naughty -- because newspapers such as yours misuse the word "hacker"
You owe hackers an apology; but more than that, you owe us ordinary respect. Sincerely, etc. ___________________________________
Illuminatus! I. "The Eye in the Pyramid" II. "The Golden Apple" III. "Leviathan". Robert Shea and Robert A
popular among hackers ever since the original British radio show. Read it if only to learn about Vogons (see [15327]bogon) and the significance
(thankfully) to have been quite misleading. Despite being a bit dated and containing some minor errors (many fixed in the paperback edition), t
Karla Jennings Norton, 1990 ISBN 0-393-30732-8 The author of this pioneering compendium knits together a great deal of computer- and hac
Node:barfulous, Next:[1128]barn, Previous:[1129]barfulation, Up:[1130]= B = barfulous /bar'fyoo-l*s/ adj. (alt. `barfucious&apo
amazingly well-done portrait of the hacker mindset -- although largely the hardware hacker -- done by a complete outsider. It is a bit thin in
True Names ... and Other Dangers Vernor Vinge Baen Books, 1987 ISBN 0-671-65363-6 Hacker demigod Richard Stallman used to say that the t
Cyberpunk: Outlaws and Hackers on the Computer Frontier Katie Hafner & John Markoff Simon & Schuster 1991 ISBN 0-671-68322-5 Thi
Barry's book takes a critical and humorous look at the `technobabble' of acronyms, neologisms, hyperbole, and metaphor spawned by the
1. http://www.tuxedo.org/jargon 2. jarg422h.htm#Introduction 3. jarg422h.htm#(dir) 4. jarg422h.htm#(dir) 5. mailto:[email protected]
24. jarg422h.htm#Top 25. jarg422h.htm#Top 26. jarg422h.htm#suit 27. jarg422h.htm#kluge 28. jarg422h.htm#elegant 29. jarg422h.htm#Appendix%20A
48. jarg422h.htm#Some%20AI%20Koans 49. jarg422h.htm#Usenet 50. mailto:<[email protected]> 51. mailto:<[email protected]> 52. mailto:
72. jarg422h.htm#Soundalike%20Slang 73. jarg422h.htm#The%20-P%20convention 74. jarg422h.htm#Overgeneralization 75. jarg422h.htm#Spoken%20Inarticu
96. jarg422h.htm#Gosperism 97. jarg422h.htm#Spoken%20Inarticulations 98. jarg422h.htm#The%20-P%20convention 99. jarg422h.htm#Jargon%20Constructio
120. jarg422h.htm#email 121. jarg422h.htm#lossage 122. jarg422h.htm#talk%20mode 123. jarg422h.htm#BNF 124. jarg422h.htm#random 125. jarg422h.htm#BNF
a barn on the cover. _________________________________________________________________ Node:barney, Next:[1134]baroque, Previous:[1135]bar
144. jarg422h.htm#cracker 145. jarg422h.htm#warez%20d00dz 146. jarg422h.htm#warez%20d00dz 147. jarg422h.htm#B1FF 148. jarg422h.htm#BBS 149. jarg422h.
168. jarg422h.htm#PDP-10 169. jarg422h.htm#The%20Jargon%20Lexicon 170. jarg422h.htm#Other%20Lexicon%20Conventions 171. jarg422h.htm#Top 172. mailto:j
192. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d 193. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20Q%20%3d 194. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d 195. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d 196. jarg422h.htm#%3d
216. jarg422h.htm#0 217. jarg422h.htm#%3d%200%20%3d 218. jarg422h.htm#indent%20style 219. jarg422h.htm#2 220. jarg422h.htm#1TBS 221. jarg422h.htm#%3d
240. jarg422h.htm#4.2 241. jarg422h.htm#%3d%200%20%3d 242. jarg422h.htm#network%20address 243. jarg422h.htm#boink 244. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20B%20%3d 245
264. jarg422h.htm#AI%20koans 265. jarg422h.htm#AIDS 266. jarg422h.htm#AIDX 267. jarg422h.htm#airplane%20rule 268. jarg422h.htm#Alderson%20loop 269. j
288. jarg422h.htm#ANSI 289. jarg422h.htm#ANSI%20standard 290. jarg422h.htm#ANSI%20standard%20pizza 291. jarg422h.htm#AOL! 292. jarg422h.htm#app 293.
312. jarg422h.htm#%40-party 313. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20A%20%3d 314. jarg422h.htm#accumulator 315. jarg422h.htm#abbrev 316. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20A%20%3d 31
336. jarg422h.htm#insanely%20great 337. jarg422h.htm#pistol 338. jarg422h.htm#ad-hockery 339. jarg422h.htm#Acme 340. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20A%20%3d 341.
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_________________________________________________________________ Node:BASIC, Next:[1146]batbelt, Previous:[1147]baroque, Up:[1148]= B =
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432. jarg422h.htm#elegant 433. jarg422h.htm#aliasing%20bug 434. jarg422h.htm#airplane%20rule 435. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20A%20%3d 436. jarg422h.htm#infini
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528. jarg422h.htm#Random%20Number%20God 529. jarg422h.htm#angry%20fruit%20salad 530. jarg422h.htm#Angband 531. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20A%20%3d 532. jarg42
552. jarg422h.htm#guiltware 553. jarg422h.htm#postcardware 554. jarg422h.htm#-ware 555. jarg422h.htm#payware 556. jarg422h.htm#ANSI%20standard 557. j
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having acquired Pascal- and C-like procedures and control structures and shed their line numbers. --ESR] Note: the name is commonly parsed a
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as a batbelt. _________________________________________________________________ Node:batch, Next:[1155]bathtub curve, Previous:[1156]batbe
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888. jarg422h.htm#BRS 889. jarg422h.htm#brute%20force 890. jarg422h.htm#brute%20force%20and%20ignorance 891. jarg422h.htm#BSD 892. jarg422h.htm#BSOD
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Jargon File through and beyond paper publication, and will continue to make it available to archives and public-access sites as a trust of the
bathtub curve n. Common term for the curve (resembling an end-to-end section of one of those claw-footed antique bathtubs) that describes
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Communications Télégraphiques as an improvement on the then standard practice of referring to line speeds in terms of words per minute, and nam
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1. [common] The third [1173]metasyntactic variable "Suppose we have three functions: FOO, BAR, and BAZ. FOO calls BAR, which calls BAZ...
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the Bazaar. The main argument of the paper was that [1183]Brooks's Law is not the whole story; given the right social machinery, debugging
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In either of senses 1 or 2, the term is usually prefixed by the name of the intended board (`the Moonlight Casino bboard' or `market bb
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beam vt. [from Star Trek Classic's "Beam me up, Scotty!"] 1. To transfer [1203]softcopy of a file electronically; most often
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2712. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d2713. jarg422h.htm#feature%20key2714. jarg422h.htm#clustergeeking2715. jarg422h.htm#clover%20key2716. jarg422h.htm#%3d
2736. jarg422h.htm#software%20rot2737. jarg422h.htm#cobweb%20site2738. jarg422h.htm#COBOL2739. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d2740. jarg422h.htm#candygramm
2760. jarg422h.htm#Real%20Programmer2761. jarg422h.htm#Code%20of%20the%20Geeks2762. jarg422h.htm#code%20grinder2763. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d2764. j
seems to be generally preferred among micro hobbyists. _________________________________________________________________ Node:Befunge, Nex
2784. jarg422h.htm#cold%20boot2785. jarg422h.htm#coefficient%20of%20X2786. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d2787. jarg422h.htm#space-cadet%20keyboard2788. ja
2808. jarg422h.htm#comment%20out2809. jarg422h.htm#comm%20mode2810. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d2811. jarg422h.htm#feature%20key2812. jarg422h.htm#Commo
2832. jarg422h.htm#go-faster%20stripes2833. jarg422h.htm#grunge2834. jarg422h.htm#hakspek2835. jarg422h.htm#heavy%20metal2836. jarg422h.htm#leaky%20he
2856. jarg422h.htm#bogus2857. jarg422h.htm#bum2858. jarg422h.htm#chase%20pointers2859. jarg422h.htm#cosmic%20rays2860. jarg422h.htm#crippleware2861. j
2880. jarg422h.htm#compo2881. jarg422h.htm#compact2882. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d2883. jarg422h.htm#jock2884. jarg422h.htm#compress2885. jarg422h.htm
2904. jarg422h.htm#chad2905. jarg422h.htm#computron2906. jarg422h.htm#computer%20confetti2907. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d2908. jarg422h.htm#larval%20s
2928. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d2929. jarg422h.htm#fan2930. jarg422h.htm#condom2931. jarg422h.htm#con2932. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d2933. jarg422h.ht
2952. jarg422h.htm#considered%20harmful2953. jarg422h.htm#connector%20conspiracy2954. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d2955. jarg422h.htm#console2956. jarg42
2976. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d2977. jarg422h.htm#control-Q2978. jarg422h.htm#control-C2979. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d2980. jarg422h.htm#control-S29
3000. jarg422h.htm#Blue%20Book3001. jarg422h.htm#voodoo%20programming3002. jarg422h.htm#monkey%20up3003. jarg422h.htm#cookie3004. jarg422h.htm#cookboo
Node:bells and whistles, Next:[1227]bells whistles and gongs, Previous:[1228]beige toaster, Up:[1229]= B = bells and whistles n. [co
3024. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3025. jarg422h.htm#cookie3026. jarg422h.htm#magic%20number3027. jarg422h.htm#copious%20free%20time3028. jarg422h.htm#c
3048. jarg422h.htm#copybroke3049. jarg422h.htm#copper3050. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3051. jarg422h.htm#copycenter3052. jarg422h.htm#copy%20protection
3072. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3073. jarg422h.htm#copybroke3074. jarg422h.htm#core%20cancer3075. jarg422h.htm#copywronged3076. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%2
3096. jarg422h.htm#core%20leak3097. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3098. jarg422h.htm#core3099. http://www.koth.org/3100. jarg422h.htm#cosmic%20rays3101. j
3120. jarg422h.htm#die%20horribly3121. jarg422h.htm#scream%20and%20die3122. jarg422h.htm#cow%20orker3123. jarg422h.htm#cough%20and%20die3124. jarg422h
3144. jarg422h.htm#hacker3145. jarg422h.htm#CPU%20Wars3146. jarg422h.htm#cowboy3147. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3148. jarg422h.htm#retcon3149. jarg422h
3168. jarg422h.htm#root3169. jarg422h.htm#cracking3170. jarg422h.htm#cracking3171. jarg422h.htm#crack%20root3172. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3173. jarg
3192. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3193. jarg422h.htm#crash3194. jarg422h.htm#crapplet3195. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3196. jarg422h.htm#troff3197. jarg4
3216. jarg422h.htm#dusty%20deck3217. jarg422h.htm#gonkulator3218. jarg422h.htm#WOMBAT3219. jarg422h.htm#cray%20instability3220. jarg422h.htm#crawling%
3240. jarg422h.htm#computron3241. jarg422h.htm#number-crunching3242. jarg422h.htm#creep3243. jarg422h.htm#crayon3244. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3245.
bells whistles and gongs n. A standard elaborated form of [1235]bells and whistles; typically said with a pronounced and ironic accent on th
3264. jarg422h.htm#feature3265. jarg422h.htm#second-system%20effect3266. jarg422h.htm#creeping%20elegance3267. jarg422h.htm#cretin3268. jarg422h.htm#c
3288. jarg422h.htm#nagware3289. jarg422h.htm#crlf3290. jarg422h.htm#crippleware3291. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3292. jarg422h.htm#epsilon3293. jarg422
3312. jarg422h.htm#cross-post3313. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3314. jarg422h.htm#upload3315. jarg422h.htm#download3316. jarg422h.htm#cruft3317. jarg422
3336. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3337. jarg422h.htm#cruft3338. jarg422h.htm#crumb3339. jarg422h.htm#cruftsmanship3340. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3341.
3360. jarg422h.htm#Obfuscated%20C%20Contest3361. jarg422h.htm#CTSS3362. jarg422h.htm#crunch3363. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3364. jarg422h.htm#cube3365
3384. jarg422h.htm#cut%20a%20tape3385. jarg422h.htm#cursor%20dipped%20in%20X3386. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3387. jarg422h.htm#DEC3388. jarg422h.htm#r
3408. jarg422h.htm#virtual%20reality3409. jarg422h.htm#the%20network3410. jarg422h.htm#Matrix3411. jarg422h.htm#wannabee3412. jarg422h.htm#meatspace34
3432. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20C%20%3d3433. jarg422h.htm#wheel%20of%20reincarnation3434. jarg422h.htm#cypherpunk3435. jarg422h.htm#cycle%20of%20reincarnatio
3456. jarg422h.htm#dancing%20frog3457. jarg422h.htm#dangling%20pointer3458. jarg422h.htm#dark-side%20hacker3459. jarg422h.htm#Datamation3460. jarg422h
3480. jarg422h.htm#deckle3481. jarg422h.htm#DED3482. jarg422h.htm#deep%20hack%20mode3483. jarg422h.htm#deep%20magic3484. jarg422h.htm#deep%20space3485
entries. Version 2.9.9, Apr 01 1992: folded in XEROX PARC lexicon. This version had 20298 lines, 159651 words, 1048909 characters, and 1821
(often abbreviated `BQS') Term used in a pejorative sense to refer to software that was apparently created by rather spaced-out hackers late
3504. jarg422h.htm#deprecated3505. jarg422h.htm#derf3506. jarg422h.htm#deserves%20to%20lose3507. jarg422h.htm#desk%20check3508. jarg422h.htm#despew350
3528. jarg422h.htm#Discordianism3529. jarg422h.htm#disk%20farm3530. jarg422h.htm#display%20hack3531. jarg422h.htm#dispress3532. jarg422h.htm#Dissociat
3552. jarg422h.htm#double%20bucky3553. jarg422h.htm#doubled%20sig3554. jarg422h.htm#down3555. jarg422h.htm#download3556. jarg422h.htm#DP3557. jarg422h
3576. jarg422h.htm#dub%20dub%20dub3577. jarg422h.htm#Duff's%20device3578. jarg422h.htm#dumb%20terminal3579. jarg422h.htm#dumbass%20attack3580. ja
3600. jarg422h.htm#CTSS3601. jarg422h.htm#dragon3602. jarg422h.htm#dahmum3603. jarg422h.htm#daemon3604. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3605. jarg422h.htm#B
3624. jarg422h.htm#dangling%20pointer3625. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3626. jarg422h.htm#cracker3627. jarg422h.htm#samurai3628. jarg422h.htm#DAU3629. j
3648. jarg422h.htm#dd3649. jarg422h.htm#Dave%20the%20Resurrector3650. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3651. jarg422h.htm#phase3652. jarg422h.htm#DDT3653. ja
3672. jarg422h.htm#dead%20beef%20attack3673. jarg422h.htm#de-rezz3674. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3675. jarg422h.htm#down3676. jarg422h.htm#crash3677.
3696. jarg422h.htm#dead%20link3697. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3698. jarg422h.htm#heisenbug3699. jarg422h.htm#Bohr%20bug3700. jarg422h.htm#fool3701. ja
3720. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3721. jarg422h.htm#BSD3722. jarg422h.htm#DEC%20Wars3723. jarg422h.htm#Death%20Star3724. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3725
Berzerkeley /b*r-zer'klee/ n. [from `berserk', via the name of a now-deceased record label; poss. originated by famed columnist
3744. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3745. jarg422h.htm#nybble3746. jarg422h.htm#nickle3747. jarg422h.htm#nybble3748. jarg422h.htm#deep%20hack%20mode3749.
3768. jarg422h.htm#defenestration3769. jarg422h.htm#deep%20magic3770. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3771. jarg422h.htm#off%20the%20trolley3772. jarg422h.h
3792. jarg422h.htm#deletia3793. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3794. jarg422h.htm#delta3795. jarg422h.htm#deliminator3796. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3797.
3816. jarg422h.htm#demented3817. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3818. jarg422h.htm#Unix3819. jarg422h.htm#C3820. jarg422h.htm#EMACS3821. jarg422h.htm#Perl3
3840. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3841. jarg422h.htm#heads%20down3842. jarg422h.htm#demo3843. jarg422h.htm#app3844. jarg422h.htm#Microsloth%20Windows384
3864. jarg422h.htm#demon3865. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3866. jarg422h.htm#BBS3867. jarg422h.htm#blue%20box3868. jarg422h.htm#phreaker3869. jarg422h.h
3888. http://www.scene.org/3889. jarg422h.htm#depeditate3890. jarg422h.htm#demoscene3891. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3892. jarg422h.htm#demoscene3893.
3912. jarg422h.htm#losing3913. jarg422h.htm#mess-dos3914. jarg422h.htm#lose3915. jarg422h.htm#ITS3916. jarg422h.htm#Unix3917. jarg422h.htm#screw3918.
3936. jarg422h.htm#Devil%20Book3937. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3938. jarg422h.htm#bit%20bucket3939. jarg422h.htm#dictionary%20flame3940. jarg422h.htm#
3960. jarg422h.htm#crash3961. jarg422h.htm#crash3962. jarg422h.htm#go%20flatline3963. jarg422h.htm#casters-up%20mode3964. jarg422h.htm#diff3965. jarg4
still testing for compatibility and reserving judgment. 3. Flaky; dubious; suspect (since beta software is notoriously buggy). Historical no
3984. jarg422h.htm#Dilbert3985. jarg422h.htm#digit3986. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d3987. jarg422h.htm#ding3988. jarg422h.htm#dike3989. jarg422h.htm#%3d
4008. jarg422h.htm#big%20iron4009. jarg422h.htm#mainframe4010. jarg422h.htm#zipperhead4011. jarg422h.htm#dinosaurs%20mating4012. jarg422h.htm#dinosaur
4032. jarg422h.htm#disk%20farm4033. jarg422h.htm#disclaimer4034. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d4035. jarg422h.htm#Eris4036. jarg422h.htm#Religion4037. jar
4056. jarg422h.htm#distribution4057. jarg422h.htm#dispress4058. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d4059. jarg422h.htm#marketroid4060. jarg422h.htm#EMACS4061. j
4080. jarg422h.htm#doc4081. jarg422h.htm#disusered4082. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d4083. jarg422h.htm#protocol4084. jarg422h.htm#documentation4085. jar
4104. jarg422h.htm#dogpile4105. jarg422h.htm#dogcow4106. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d4107. jarg422h.htm#beta4108. jarg422h.htm#dogwash4109. jarg422h.htm
4128. jarg422h.htm#Don't%20do%20that%20then!4129. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d4130. jarg422h.htm#copy%20protection4131. jarg422h.htm#magic4132. jar
4152. jarg422h.htm#DoS%20attack4153. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d4154. jarg422h.htm#creep4155. jarg422h.htm#profile4156. jarg422h.htm#rc%20file4157. jar
4176. jarg422h.htm#system4177. jarg422h.htm#console4178. jarg422h.htm#PM4179. jarg422h.htm#crash4180. jarg422h.htm#up4181. jarg422h.htm#DP4182. jarg42
4200. jarg422h.htm#DPer4201. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d4202. jarg422h.htm#bogus4203. jarg422h.htm#bogon4204. jarg422h.htm#Bloggs%20Family4205. jarg422
`BFMI', `brute force and massive ignorance' and `BFBI' `brute force and bloody ignorance'. In dome parts of the U.S. this abb
4224. jarg422h.htm#cretinous4225. jarg422h.htm#meta%20bit4226. jarg422h.htm#DRECNET4227. jarg422h.htm#dread%20high-bit%20disease4228. jarg422h.htm#%3d
4248. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d4249. jarg422h.htm#drop%20on%20the%20floor4250. jarg422h.htm#drone4251. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d4252. jarg422h.htm#d
4272. jarg422h.htm#drop-outs4273. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d4274. jarg422h.htm#brain-damaged4275. jarg422h.htm#drunk%20mouse%20syndrome4276. jarg422h.
4296. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d4297. jarg422h.htm#glass%20tty4298. jarg422h.htm#smart%20terminal4299. jarg422h.htm#dumbed%20down4300. jarg422h.htm#du
4320. jarg422h.htm#cruft4321. jarg422h.htm#dup%20loop4322. jarg422h.htm#dumpster%20diving4323. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d4324. jarg422h.htm#dusty%20de
4344. jarg422h.htm#earthquake4345. jarg422h.htm#DWIM4346. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20D%20%3d4347. jarg422h.htm#nybble4348. jarg422h.htm#byte4349. jarg422h.htm
4368. jarg422h.htm#elegant4369. jarg422h.htm#elephantine4370. jarg422h.htm#elevator%20controller4371. jarg422h.htm#elite4372. jarg422h.htm#ELIZA%20eff
4392. jarg422h.htm#erotics4393. jarg422h.htm#error%20334394. jarg422h.htm#eurodemo4395. jarg422h.htm#evil4396. jarg422h.htm#evil%20and%20rude4397. jar
4416. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20E%20%3d4417. jarg422h.htm#eat%20flaming%20death4418. jarg422h.htm#Easter%20egg4419. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20E%20%3d4420. jarg422h.
4440. jarg422h.htm#FidoNet4441. jarg422h.htm#newsgroup4442. jarg422h.htm#ed4443. jarg422h.htm#echo4444. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20E%20%3d4445. jarg422h.htm#s
[1277]PostScript, NeXT, [1278]NeWS, VisiCalc, FrameMaker, TK!solver, EasyWriter) that have been raised above the ruck of common coinage by nons
4464. jarg422h.htm#card%20walloper4465. http://www.gnu.org/fun/jokes/last.bug.html4466. jarg422h.htm#elder%20days4467. jarg422h.htm#eighty-column%20mi
4488. jarg422h.htm#brute%20force%20and%20ignorance4489. jarg422h.htm#hairy4490. jarg422h.htm#monstrosity4491. jarg422h.htm#second-system%20effect4492.
4512. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20E%20%3d4513. jarg422h.htm#elegant4514. jarg422h.htm#elder%20days4515. jarg422h.htm#email4516. jarg422h.htm#elvish4517. jarg42
4536. jarg422h.htm#network%20address4537. jarg422h.htm#EMP4538. jarg422h.htm#email4539. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20E%20%3d4540. jarg422h.htm#newbie4541. jarg4
4560. jarg422h.htm#front%20end4561. jarg422h.htm#enhancement4562. jarg422h.htm#engine4563. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20E%20%3d4564. jarg422h.htm#source4565. ja
4584. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20E%20%3d4585. jarg422h.htm#out-of-band4586. jarg422h.htm#JCL4587. jarg422h.htm#EOL4588. jarg422h.htm#EOU4589. jarg422h.htm#EOF
4608. jarg422h.htm#marginal4609. jarg422h.htm#era%20the4610. jarg422h.htm#epsilon4611. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20E%20%3d4612. jarg422h.htm#epsilon4613. jarg4
4632. jarg422h.htm#Church%20of%20the%20SubGenius4633. jarg422h.htm#error%20334634. jarg422h.htm#Eris4635. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20E%20%3d4636. jarg422h.htm
4656. jarg422h.htm#rude4657. jarg422h.htm#exa-4658. jarg422h.htm#evil%20and%20rude4659. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20E%20%3d4660. jarg422h.htm#IBM4661. jarg422h
4680. jarg422h.htm#PostScript4681. jarg422h.htm#EXE4682. jarg422h.htm#EXCH4683. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20E%20%3d4684. jarg422h.htm#bang4685. jarg422h.htm#sh
[email protected]. [1993: Now It Can Be Told! My spies inform me that B1FF was originally created by Joe Talmadge <[email protected]>, also th
4704. jarg422h.htm#CDA4705. jarg422h.htm#exploit4706. jarg422h.htm#Exon4707. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20E%20%3d4708. jarg422h.htm#WIMP%20environment4709. jarg
4728. jarg422h.htm#desk%20check4729. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d4730. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20E%20%3d4731. jarg422h.htm#The%20Jargon%20Lexicon4732. jarg422h
4752. jarg422h.htm#feature%20creature4753. jarg422h.htm#feature%20creep4754. jarg422h.htm#feature%20key4755. jarg422h.htm#feature%20shock4756. jarg422
4776. jarg422h.htm#fine4777. jarg422h.htm#finger4778. jarg422h.htm#finger%20trouble4779. jarg422h.htm#finger-pointing%20syndrome4780. jarg422h.htm#fin
4800. jarg422h.htm#flame%20on4801. jarg422h.htm#flame%20war4802. jarg422h.htm#flamer4803. jarg422h.htm#flap4804. jarg422h.htm#flarp4805. jarg422h.htm#
4824. jarg422h.htm#fold%20case4825. jarg422h.htm#followup4826. jarg422h.htm#fontology4827. jarg422h.htm#foo4828. jarg422h.htm#foobar4829. jarg422h.htm
4848. jarg422h.htm#fred4849. jarg422h.htm#Fred%20Foobar4850. jarg422h.htm#frednet4851. jarg422h.htm#free%20software4852. jarg422h.htm#freeware4853. ja
4872. jarg422h.htm#-fu4873. jarg422h.htm#FUBAR4874. jarg422h.htm#fuck%20me%20harder4875. jarg422h.htm#FUD4876. jarg422h.htm#FUD%20wars4877. jarg422h.h
4896. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d4897. jarg422h.htm#fall%20through4898. jarg422h.htm#fairings4899. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d4900. jarg422h.htm#crash49
4920. jarg422h.htm#memory%20leak4921. jarg422h.htm#memory%20smash4922. jarg422h.htm#overrun%20screw4923. jarg422h.htm#core4924. jarg422h.htm#FAQ%20lis
was a legend that it had a habit of barking whenever the mailman came, but the author of biff says this is not true. No relation to [1298]B1FF.
4944. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d4945. jarg422h.htm#crash4946. jarg422h.htm#farming4947. jarg422h.htm#fat%20electrons4948. jarg422h.htm#farming4949. ja
4968. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d4969. jarg422h.htm#core%20leak4970. jarg422h.htm#leak4971. jarg422h.htm#feature4972. jarg422h.htm#fd%20leak4973. jarg4
4992. jarg422h.htm#computer%20geek4993. jarg422h.htm#feature%20creep4994. jarg422h.htm#feature4995. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d4996. jarg422h.htm#taste
5016. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5017. jarg422h.htm#beep5018. jarg422h.htm#beep5019. jarg422h.htm#ding5020. jarg422h.htm#feeping%20creature5021. jarg42
5040. jarg422h.htm#zigamorph5041. jarg422h.htm#fiber-seeking%20backhoe5042. jarg422h.htm#fence5043. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5044. jarg422h.htm#zerot
5064. jarg422h.htm#File%20Attach5065. jarg422h.htm#field%20servoid5066. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5067. jarg422h.htm#FidoNet5068. jarg422h.htm#flamage
5088. jarg422h.htm#grilf5089. jarg422h.htm#hing5090. jarg422h.htm#pr0n5091. jarg422h.htm#newsfroup5092. jarg422h.htm#filter5093. jarg422h.htm#filk5094
5112. jarg422h.htm#cuspy5113. jarg422h.htm#finger%20trouble5114. jarg422h.htm#fine5115. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5116. jarg422h.htm#plan%20file5117.
5136. jarg422h.htm#gang%20bang5137. jarg422h.htm#Mongolian%20Hordes%20technique5138. jarg422h.htm#firewall%20code5139. jarg422h.htm#firefighting5140.
5160. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5161. jarg422h.htm#fish5162. jarg422h.htm#firmware5163. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5164. jarg422h.htm#stiffy5165. jarg4
[common] Large, expensive, ultra-fast computers. Used generally of [1307]number-crunching supercomputers such as Crays, but can include more
5184. jarg422h.htm#flag%20day5185. jarg422h.htm#FIXME5186. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5187. jarg422h.htm#bit5188. jarg422h.htm#hidden%20flag5189. jarg4
5208. jarg422h.htm#dahmum5209. jarg422h.htm#flame%20bait5210. jarg422h.htm#flamage5211. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5212. jarg422h.htm#flame%20on5213. j
5232. jarg422h.htm#flarp5233. jarg422h.htm#flamer5234. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5235. jarg422h.htm#macrotape5236. jarg422h.htm#flash%20crowd5237. jar
5256. jarg422h.htm#plain-ASCII5257. jarg422h.htm#flat-file5258. jarg422h.htm#flatten5259. jarg422h.htm#flat-ASCII5260. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5261.
5280. jarg422h.htm#losing5281. jarg422h.htm#taste5282. jarg422h.htm#elegant5283. jarg422h.htm#flood5284. jarg422h.htm#flavorful5285. jarg422h.htm#%3d%
5304. jarg422h.htm#Flyspeck%2035305. jarg422h.htm#flush5306. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5307. jarg422h.htm#banner5308. jarg422h.htm#flytrap5309. jarg42
5328. jarg422h.htm#FOD5329. jarg422h.htm#fnord5330. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5331. jarg422h.htm#fold%20case5332. jarg422h.htm#FOAF5333. jarg422h.htm#
5352. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5353. jarg422h.htm#metasyntactic%20variable5354. jarg422h.htm#bar5355. jarg422h.htm#baz5356. jarg422h.htm#qux5357. jar
5376. jarg422h.htm#foo5377. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5378. jarg422h.htm#metasyntactic%20variable5379. jarg422h.htm#foo5380. jarg422h.htm#DEC5381. jar
5400. jarg422h.htm#TOPS-205401. jarg422h.htm#Mars5402. jarg422h.htm#Mars5403. jarg422h.htm#for%20free5404. jarg422h.htm#Foonly5405. jarg422h.htm#%3d%2
see also [1321]scram switch. _________________________________________________________________ Node:Big Room, Next:[1322]big win, Previous
5424. jarg422h.htm#foreground5425. jarg422h.htm#for%20values%20of5426. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5427. jarg422h.htm#forum5428. jarg422h.htm#fork5429.
5448. jarg422h.htm#fork%20bomb5449. jarg422h.htm#fortune%20cookie5450. jarg422h.htm#forked5451. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5452. jarg422h.htm#forum5453
5472. jarg422h.htm#USG%20Unix5473. jarg422h.htm#brain-dead5474. jarg422h.htm#BBS5475. jarg422h.htm#bare%20metal5476. jarg422h.htm#hook5477. jarg422h.h
5496. jarg422h.htm#J.%20Random%20Hacker5497. jarg422h.htm#Dr.%20Fred%20Mbogo5498. jarg422h.htm#barney5499. jarg422h.htm#frednet5500. jarg422h.htm#fred
5520. jarg422h.htm#fried5521. jarg422h.htm#freeware5522. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5523. jarg422h.htm#frink5524. jarg422h.htm#freeze5525. jarg422h.htm
5544. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5545. jarg422h.htm#macdink5546. jarg422h.htm#window%20shopping5547. jarg422h.htm#frobnicate5548. jarg422h.htm#fritterw
5568. jarg422h.htm#frogging5569. jarg422h.htm#frobnitz5570. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5571. jarg422h.htm#foo5572. jarg422h.htm#bagbiting5573. jarg422h
5592. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5593. jarg422h.htm#emoticon5594. jarg422h.htm#fry5595. jarg422h.htm#frowney5596. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5597. jarg4
5616. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5617. jarg422h.htm#GNU5618. jarg422h.htm#-fu5619. jarg422h.htm#FSF5620. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5621. jarg422h.htm#b
5640. jarg422h.htm#fudge5641. jarg422h.htm#FUD5642. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5643. jarg422h.htm#FUD5644. jarg422h.htm#fudge%20factor5645. jarg422h.ht
_________________________________________________________________ Node:big-endian, Next:[1329]bignum, Previous:[1330]big win, Up:[1331]= B
5664. jarg422h.htm#metasyntactic%20variable5665. jarg422h.htm#foo5666. jarg422h.htm#bar5667. jarg422h.htm#baz5668. jarg422h.htm#funky5669. jarg422h.ht
5688. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20F%20%3d5689. jarg422h.htm#The%20Jargon%20Lexicon5690. jarg422h.htm#G5691. jarg422h.htm#g-file5692. jarg422h.htm#gabriel5693.
5712. jarg422h.htm#Genius%20From%20Mars%20Technique5713. jarg422h.htm#gensym5714. jarg422h.htm#Get%20a%20life!5715. jarg422h.htm#Get%20a%20real%20comp
5736. jarg422h.htm#gnubie5737. jarg422h.htm#GNUMACS5738. jarg422h.htm#go%20flatline5739. jarg422h.htm#go%20root5740. jarg422h.htm#go-faster%20stripes5
5760. jarg422h.htm#GPV5761. jarg422h.htm#grault5762. jarg422h.htm#gray%20goo5763. jarg422h.htm#Great%20Renaming5764. jarg422h.htm#Great%20Runes5765. j
5784. jarg422h.htm#gronked5785. jarg422h.htm#grovel5786. jarg422h.htm#grue5787. jarg422h.htm#grunge5788. jarg422h.htm#gubbish5789. jarg422h.htm#Guido5
5808. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d5809. jarg422h.htm#gang%20bang5810. jarg422h.htm#gabriel5811. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d5812. jarg422h.htm#choke5813.
5832. jarg422h.htm#wedged5833. jarg422h.htm#flush5834. jarg422h.htm#Gates's%20Law5835. jarg422h.htm#gas5836. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d5837. jarg
5856. jarg422h.htm#Multics5857. jarg422h.htm#big%20iron5858. jarg422h.htm#gedanken5859. jarg422h.htm#GCOS5860. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d5861. jarg422
5880. jarg422h.htm#geek%20code5881. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d5882. jarg422h.htm#computer%20geek5883. jarg422h.htm#propeller%20head5884. jarg422h.htm#
consistent format; and to announce and distribute updated versions periodically. Current volunteer editors include: Eric Raymond [5]esr@snar
1990 entries. Version 3.2.0, Mar 15 1995: Spring 1995 update. This version had 23822 lines, 185961 words, 1226358 characters, and 2031 entri
JANET's big-endian way as one in the U.K. (domain uk) or in the standard little-endian way as one in the domain as (American Samoa) on the
5904. jarg422h.htm#gensym5905. jarg422h.htm#generate5906. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d5907. jarg422h.htm#grok5908. jarg422h.htm#zen5909. jarg422h.htm#Ge
5928. jarg422h.htm#prowler5929. jarg422h.htm#reaper5930. jarg422h.htm#GC5931. jarg422h.htm#GIFs%20at%20115932. jarg422h.htm#GFR5933. jarg422h.htm#%3d%
5952. jarg422h.htm#GIGO5953. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d5954. jarg422h.htm#bogosity5955. jarg422h.htm#ginger5956. jarg422h.htm#gilley5957. jarg422h.htm
5976. jarg422h.htm#glass%20tty5977. jarg422h.htm#glark5978. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d5979. jarg422h.htm#silicon5980. jarg422h.htm#glassfet5981. jarg4
6000. jarg422h.htm#heisenbug6001. jarg422h.htm#glork6002. jarg422h.htm#glitch6003. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d6004. jarg422h.htm#UN*X6005. jarg422h.htm
6024. jarg422h.htm#gnubie6025. jarg422h.htm#gnarly6026. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d6027. jarg422h.htm#recursive%20acronym6028. mailto:<[email protected]&g
6048. jarg422h.htm#go-faster%20stripes6049. jarg422h.htm#go%20flatline6050. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d6051. jarg422h.htm#root%20mode6052. jarg422h.htm
6072. jarg422h.htm#Christmas%20tree%20packet6073. jarg422h.htm#martian6074. jarg422h.htm#golf-ball%20printer6075. jarg422h.htm#Godzillagram6076. jarg4
6096. jarg422h.htm#gonzo6097. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d6098. jarg422h.htm#Bad%20Thing6099. jarg422h.htm#gopher%20hole6100. jarg422h.htm#Good%20Thing6
6120. jarg422h.htm#bar6121. jarg422h.htm#Gosperism6122. jarg422h.htm#gorp6123. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d6124. jarg422h.htm#EMACS6125. jarg422h.htm#GN
calculations on very large numbers, such as 1000! (the factorial of 1000, which is 1000 times 999 times 998 times ... times 2 times 1). For exa
6144. jarg422h.htm#grault6145. jarg422h.htm#GPL6146. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d6147. jarg422h.htm#General%20Public%20Virus6148. jarg422h.htm#gray%20go
6168. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d6169. jarg422h.htm#runes6170. jarg422h.htm#smash%20case6171. jarg422h.htm#fold%20case6172. jarg422h.htm#great-wall6173
6192. jarg422h.htm#White%20Book6193. jarg422h.htm#Unix6194. jarg422h.htm#Purple%20Book6195. jarg422h.htm#book%20titles6196. jarg422h.htm#green%20card6
6216. jarg422h.htm#grep6217. jarg422h.htm#Green's%20Theorem6218. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d6219. jarg422h.htm#gribble6220. jarg422h.htm#greenbar6
6240. jarg422h.htm#crunch6241. jarg422h.htm#grovel6242. jarg422h.htm#hog6243. jarg422h.htm#gripenet6244. jarg422h.htm#grind6245. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%
6264. jarg422h.htm#frob6265. jarg422h.htm#gronked6266. jarg422h.htm#gronk6267. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d6268. jarg422h.htm#grovel6269. jarg422h.htm#g
6288. jarg422h.htm#grunge6289. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d6290. jarg422h.htm#guiltware6291. jarg422h.htm#gubbish6292. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d6293. j
6312. jarg422h.htm#gunch6313. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d6314. jarg422h.htm#laser%20chicken6315. jarg422h.htm#guru6316. jarg422h.htm#gunpowder%20chicke
6336. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20G%20%3d6337. jarg422h.htm#The%20Jargon%20Lexicon6338. jarg422h.htm#h6339. jarg422h.htm#ha%20ha%20only%20serious6340. jarg422h
6360. jarg422h.htm#hairball6361. jarg422h.htm#hairy6362. jarg422h.htm#HAKMEM6363. jarg422h.htm#hakspek6364. jarg422h.htm#Halloween%20Documents6365. ja
885062768629671466746975629112340824392081601537808898939645182632436716167621791689097799119037540312746222899880051954444142820121873617459926429565
6384. jarg422h.htm#hash%20bucket6385. jarg422h.htm#hash%20collision6386. jarg422h.htm#hat6387. jarg422h.htm#HCF6388. jarg422h.htm#heads%20down6389. ja
6408. jarg422h.htm#hing6409. jarg422h.htm#hired%20gun6410. jarg422h.htm#hirsute6411. jarg422h.htm#HLL6412. jarg422h.htm#hoarding6413. jarg422h.htm#hob
6432. jarg422h.htm#huff6433. jarg422h.htm#humma6434. jarg422h.htm#hung6435. jarg422h.htm#hungry%20puppy6436. jarg422h.htm#hungus6437. jarg422h.htm#hyp
6456. jarg422h.htm#Zork6457. jarg422h.htm#vadding6458. jarg422h.htm#The%20Meaning%20of%20Hack6459. jarg422h.htm#neat%20hack6460. jarg422h.htm#real%20h
6480. jarg422h.htm#hack%20up6481. jarg422h.htm#hack%20on6482. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6483. jarg422h.htm#cruft%20together6484. jarg422h.htm#hack%20v
6504. jarg422h.htm#critical%20mass6505. jarg422h.htm#hack%20up6506. jarg422h.htm#hacker%20ethic6507. jarg422h.htm#hacked%20up6508. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20
6528. jarg422h.htm#hacker%20ethic6529. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6530. jarg422h.htm#meta6531. jarg422h.htm#write-only%20memory6532. jarg422h.htm#INTER
6552. jarg422h.htm#Hackintosh6553. jarg422h.htm#hacking%20run6554. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6555. jarg422h.htm#plan%20file6556. jarg422h.htm#hackish6
6576. jarg422h.htm#TECO6577. jarg422h.htm#hairy6578. jarg422h.htm#hair6579. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6580. jarg422h.htm#HAKMEM6581. jarg422h.htm#hair
6600. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6601. jarg422h.htm#Evil%20Empire6602. http://www.opensource.org/halloween/6603. jarg422h.htm#Linux6604. jarg422h.htm#h
774045957417851608292301353580818400969963725242305608559037006242712434169090041536901059339838357779394109700277534720000000000000000000000000000000
6624. jarg422h.htm#hot%20spot6625. jarg422h.htm#HLL6626. jarg422h.htm#tune6627. jarg422h.htm#bum6628. jarg422h.htm#by%20hand6629. jarg422h.htm#cruft66
6648. jarg422h.htm#handle6649. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6650. jarg422h.htm#do%20protocol6651. jarg422h.htm#protocol6652. jarg422h.htm#hang6653. jarg4
6672. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6673. jarg422h.htm#hard%20boot6674. jarg422h.htm#happily6675. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6676. jarg422h.htm#hack6677. j
6696. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6697. jarg422h.htm#hardcoded6698. jarg422h.htm#hash%20bucket6699. jarg422h.htm#hardwired6700. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%
6719. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6720. jarg422h.htm#toggle6721. jarg422h.htm#killer%20poke6722. jarg422h.htm#heartbeat6723. jarg422h.htm#HCF6724. jarg4
6743. jarg422h.htm#X6744. jarg422h.htm#voodoo%20programming6745. jarg422h.htm#heisenbug6746. jarg422h.htm#heavy%20wizardry6747. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%2
6767. jarg422h.htm#catatonic6768. jarg422h.htm#ill-behaved6769. jarg422h.htm#hello%20wall!6770. jarg422h.htm#Helen%20Keller%20mode6771. jarg422h.htm#%
6791. jarg422h.htm#black%20art6792. jarg422h.htm#hexit6793. jarg422h.htm#hex6794. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6795. jarg422h.htm#HHOK6796. jarg422h.htm#
6815. jarg422h.htm#hobbit6816. jarg422h.htm#dread%20high-bit%20disease6817. jarg422h.htm#highly6818. jarg422h.htm#high%20bit6819. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H
6839. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6840. jarg422h.htm#HLL6841. jarg422h.htm#hired%20gun6842. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6843. jarg422h.htm#hairy6844. jarg
Node:bit, Next:[1351]bit bang, Previous:[1352]bigot, Up:[1353]= B = bit n. [from the mainstream meaning and `Binary digIT'] 1. [t
6863. jarg422h.htm#hollised6864. jarg422h.htm#hog6865. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6866. jarg422h.htm#flat6867. jarg422h.htm#holy%20wars6868. jarg422h.h
6887. jarg422h.htm#EMACS6888. jarg422h.htm#vi6889. jarg422h.htm#theology6890. jarg422h.htm#home%20machine6891. jarg422h.htm#holy%20wars6892. jarg422h.
6911. jarg422h.htm#EMACS6912. jarg422h.htm#hose6913. jarg422h.htm#hook6914. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6915. jarg422h.htm#UUCPNET6916. jarg422h.htm#Fid
6935. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6936. jarg422h.htm#hand-hacking6937. jarg422h.htm#tune6938. jarg422h.htm#bum6939. jarg422h.htm#hand-hacking6940. jarg4
6959. jarg422h.htm#sun-stools6960. jarg422h.htm#Slowlaris6961. jarg422h.htm#huff6962. jarg422h.htm#HP-SUX6963. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20H%20%3d6964. jarg422
6983. jarg422h.htm#hang6984. jarg422h.htm#crash6985. jarg422h.htm#down6986. jarg422h.htm#wedged6987. jarg422h.htm#hungus6988. jarg422h.htm#hung6989. j
7007. jarg422h.htm#I%20see%20no%20X%20here.7008. jarg422h.htm#IANAL7009. jarg422h.htm#IBM7010. jarg422h.htm#IBM%20discount7011. jarg422h.htm#ICBM%20ad
7030. jarg422h.htm#infinite7031. jarg422h.htm#infinite%20loop7032. jarg422h.htm#Infinite-Monkey%20Theorem7033. jarg422h.htm#infinity7034. jarg422h.htm
7054. jarg422h.htm#ironmonger7055. jarg422h.htm#ISO%20standard%20cup%20of%20tea7056. jarg422h.htm#ISP7057. jarg422h.htm#ITS7058. jarg422h.htm#IWBNI705
7078. jarg422h.htm#fear%20and%20loathing7079. jarg422h.htm#crufty7080. jarg422h.htm#elephantine7081. jarg422h.htm#Linux7082. jarg422h.htm#ICBM%20addre
bits. To [1354]toggle or `invert' a bit is to change it, either from 0 to 1 or from 1 to 0. See also [1355]flag, [1356]trit, [1357]mode bit.
%20it.7102. jarg422h.htm#idempotent7103. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20I%20%3d7104. jarg422h.htm#Internet%20Death%20Penalty7105. jarg422h.htm#UDP7106. jarg422h.h
7124. jarg422h.htm#OS7125. jarg422h.htm#bare%20metal7126. jarg422h.htm#well-behaved7127. jarg422h.htm#PC-ism7128. jarg422h.htm#mess-dos7129. jarg422h.
7148. jarg422h.htm#inc7149. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20I%20%3d7150. jarg422h.htm#wizard7151. jarg422h.htm#mutter7152. jarg422h.htm#include%20war7153. jarg422h
7172. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20I%20%3d7173. jarg422h.htm#coefficient%20of%20X7174. jarg422h.htm#infinite7175. jarg422h.htm#index%20of%20X7176. jarg422h.htm#
7196. jarg422h.htm#one-banana%20problem7197. jarg422h.htm#Linux7198. jarg422h.htm#bazaar7199. RFC27957200. jarg422h.htm#inflate7201. jarg422h.htm#Infi
7220. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20I%20%3d7221. jarg422h.htm#elegant7222. jarg422h.htm#hacker7223. jarg422h.htm#INTERCAL7224. jarg422h.htm#insanely%20great7225.
7244. jarg422h.htm#TOPS-107245. jarg422h.htm#TOPS-207246. jarg422h.htm#Unix7247. jarg422h.htm#TCP%2fIP7248. jarg422h.htm#killer%20app7249. jarg422h.ht
7268. jarg422h.htm#Internet%20Exploiter7269. jarg422h.htm#Internet%20Death%20Penalty7270. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20I%20%3d7271. jarg422h.htm#HP-SUX7272. jar
7292. jarg422h.htm#interrupt7293. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20I%20%3d7294. mailto:<[email protected]>7295. jarg422h.htm#intro7296. jarg422h.htm#interrupt%2
7316. jarg422h.htm#talk%20mode7317. jarg422h.htm#Iron%20Age7318. jarg422h.htm#IRC7319. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20I%20%3d7320. jarg422h.htm#mainframe7321. jar
presumably when UARTs were too expensive, and on archaic Z80 micros with a Zilog PIO but no SIO. In an interesting instance of the [1362]cycle
7340. jarg422h.htm#Bibliography7341. jarg422h.htm#padded%20cell7342. jarg422h.htm#honey%20pot7343. jarg422h.htm#ISO%20standard%20cup%20of%20tea7344. j
7364. jarg422h.htm#ITS7365. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20I%20%3d7366. jarg422h.htm#WIBNI7367. jarg422h.htm#J.%20Random7368. jarg422h.htm#IWBNI7369. jarg422h.htm
7388. jarg422h.htm#juggling%20eggs7389. jarg422h.htm#jump%20off%20into%20never-never%20land7390. jarg422h.htm#jupiter7391. jarg422h.htm#J.%20Random%20
7412. jarg422h.htm#Java7413. jarg422h.htm#jack%20in7414. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20J%20%3d7415. jarg422h.htm#JCL7416. jarg422h.htm#jaggies7417. jarg422h.htm#
7436. jarg422h.htm#IYFEG7437. jarg422h.htm#IYFEG7438. jarg422h.htm#retcon7439. jarg422h.htm#jello7440. jarg422h.htm#JEDR7441. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20J%20%
7460. jarg422h.htm#nano7461. jarg422h.htm#Real%20Soon%20Now7462. jarg422h.htm#jock7463. jarg422h.htm#jiffy7464. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20J%20%3d7465. jarg42
7484. jarg422h.htm#on%20the%20gripping%20hand7485. jarg422h.htm#jupiter7486. jarg422h.htm#juggling%20eggs7487. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20J%20%3d7488. jarg422
7508. jarg422h.htm#KIBO7509. jarg422h.htm#kiboze7510. jarg422h.htm#kibozo7511. jarg422h.htm#kick7512. jarg422h.htm#kill%20file7513. jarg422h.htm#kille
7532. jarg422h.htm#jupiter7533. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20K%20%3d7534. jarg422h.htm#kilo-7535. jarg422h.htm#meg7536. jarg422h.htm#gig7537. jarg422h.htm#quant
7556. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20K%20%3d7557. jarg422h.htm#Christmas%20tree%20packet7558. jarg422h.htm#RFC7559. jarg422h.htm#Chernobyl%20packet7560. jarg422h.
_________________________________________________________________ Node:bit bucket, Next:[1374]bit decay, Previous:[1375]bit bashing, Up:[1
7580. jarg422h.htm#kiboze7581. jarg422h.htm#kgbvax7582. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20K%20%3d7583. jarg422h.htm#GIGO7584. jarg422h.htm#SNAFU%20principle7585. htt
7604. jarg422h.htm#killer%20app7605. jarg422h.htm#kick7606. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20K%20%3d7607. jarg422h.htm#Usenet7608. jarg422h.htm#plonk7609. jarg422h.
7628. jarg422h.htm#KISS%20Principle7629. jarg422h.htm#kilo-7630. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20K%20%3d7631. jarg422h.htm#MIPS7632. jarg422h.htm#K7633. jarg422h.h
7652. jarg422h.htm#crock7653. jarg422h.htm#kluge7654. jarg422h.htm#kluge7655. jarg422h.htm#kluge%20around7656. jarg422h.htm#kludge7657. jarg422h.htm#%
7676. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20K%20%3d7677. jarg422h.htm#cruft%20together7678. jarg422h.htm#hack%20up7679. jarg422h.htm#hack%20on7680. jarg422h.htm#knobs768
7700. jarg422h.htm#koan7701. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20K%20%3d7702. jarg422h.htm#Usenet7703. jarg422h.htm#VAXen7704. jarg422h.htm#kgbvax7705. jarg422h.htm#la
7724. jarg422h.htm#leaf%20site7725. jarg422h.htm#leak7726. jarg422h.htm#leaky%20heap7727. jarg422h.htm#leapfrog%20attack7728. jarg422h.htm#leech7729.
7748. jarg422h.htm#linearithmic7749. jarg422h.htm#link%20farm7750. jarg422h.htm#link%20rot7751. jarg422h.htm#link-dead7752. jarg422h.htm#lint7753. jar
7772. jarg422h.htm#logical7773. jarg422h.htm#loop%20through7774. jarg422h.htm#loose%20bytes7775. jarg422h.htm#lord%20high%20fixer7776. jarg422h.htm#lo
7796. jarg422h.htm#lamer7797. jarg422h.htm#lace%20card7798. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d7799. jarg422h.htm#netlag7800. jarg422h.htm#language%20lawyer780
This term is used purely in jest. It is based on the fanciful notion that bits are objects that are not destroyed but only misplaced. This appe
7820. jarg422h.htm#C++7821. jarg422h.htm#LISP7822. jarg422h.htm#Perl7823. jarg422h.htm#Java7824. jarg422h.htm#Python7825. jarg422h.htm#Real%20Programm
7844. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d7845. jarg422h.htm#hacking%20run7846. jarg422h.htm#wannabee7847. jarg422h.htm#OS7848. jarg422h.htm#laser%20chicken7849
7868. jarg422h.htm#leaf%20site7869. jarg422h.htm#laundromat7870. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d7871. jarg422h.htm#DPB7872. jarg422h.htm#leak7873. jarg422h
7892. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d7893. jarg422h.htm#warez%20d00dz7894. jarg422h.htm#lamer7895. jarg422h.htm#legal7896. jarg422h.htm#leech7897. jarg422h
7916. jarg422h.htm#LER7917. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d7918. jarg422h.htm#letterbomb7919. jarg422h.htm#LERP7920. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d7921. jarg42
7940. jarg422h.htm#Life%20is%20hard7941. jarg422h.htm#lexiphage7942. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d7943. jarg422h.htm#TECO7944. jarg422h.htm#Gosperism7945
7964. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d7965. jarg422h.htm#line%20eater%20the7966. jarg422h.htm#like%20nailing%20jelly%20to%20a%20tree7967. jarg422h.htm#%3d%2
7988. jarg422h.htm#line%20starve7989. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d7990. jarg422h.htm#link%20rot7991. jarg422h.htm#linearithmic7992. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L
8012. jarg422h.htm#Linux8013. jarg422h.htm#Wintel8014. jarg422h.htm#Linux8015. jarg422h.htm#Lintel8016. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d8017. jarg422h.htm#L
8036. jarg422h.htm#languages%20of%20choice8037. jarg422h.htm#COBOL8038. jarg422h.htm#Ada8039. jarg422h.htm#crock8040. jarg422h.htm#Right%20Thing8041.
Node:bit rot, Next:[1388]bit twiddling, Previous:[1389]bit decay, Up:[1390]= B = bit rot n. [common] Also [1391]bit decay. Hypotheti
8060. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d8061. jarg422h.htm#virus8062. jarg422h.htm#vi8063. jarg422h.htm#hook8064. jarg422h.htm#trampoline8065. jarg422h.htm#li
8084. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d8085. jarg422h.htm#locked%20up8086. jarg422h.htm#locals%20the8087. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d8088. jarg422h.htm#Winche
8108. jarg422h.htm#loop%20through8109. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d8110. jarg422h.htm#shim8111. jarg422h.htm#lose8112. jarg422h.htm#loose%20bytes8113. j
8132. jarg422h.htm#lossage8133. jarg422h.htm#losing8134. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d8135. jarg422h.htm#lossage8136. jarg422h.htm#lost%20in%20the%20nois
8156. jarg422h.htm#content-free8157. jarg422h.htm#suit8158. jarg422h.htm#zero-content8159. jarg422h.htm#bandwidth8160. jarg422h.htm#math-out8161. jarg
8180. jarg422h.htm#heatseeker8181. jarg422h.htm#luser8182. jarg422h.htm#lunatic%20fringe8183. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20L%20%3d8184. jarg422h.htm#flamage8185
8204. jarg422h.htm#macro8205. jarg422h.htm#macro-8206. jarg422h.htm#macrology8207. jarg422h.htm#macrotape8208. jarg422h.htm#maggotbox8209. jarg422h.ht
8228. jarg422h.htm#marginally8229. jarg422h.htm#marketroid8230. jarg422h.htm#Mars8231. jarg422h.htm#martian8232. jarg422h.htm#massage8233. jarg422h.ht
8252. jarg422h.htm#meta8253. jarg422h.htm#meta%20bit8254. jarg422h.htm#metasyntactic%20variable8255. jarg422h.htm#MFTL8256. jarg422h.htm#mickey8257. j
8276. jarg422h.htm#missile%20address8277. jarg422h.htm#miswart8278. jarg422h.htm#MMF8279. jarg422h.htm#mobo8280. jarg422h.htm#moby8281. jarg422h.htm#m
Version 4.1.0, 8 Apr 1999: The Jargon File rides again after three years. This version had 25777 lines, 206825 words, 1359992 characters, and 2
effect, bit rot the notional cause. _________________________________________________________________ Node:bit twiddling, Next:[1394]bit-p
8300. jarg422h.htm#mouse%20around8301. jarg422h.htm#mouse%20belt8302. jarg422h.htm#mouse%20droppings8303. jarg422h.htm#mouse%20elbow8304. jarg422h.htm
8324. jarg422h.htm#music8325. jarg422h.htm#mutter8326. jarg422h.htm#M$8327. jarg422h.htm#luser8328. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8329. jarg422h.htm#quant
8348. jarg422h.htm#machoflops8349. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8350. jarg422h.htm#toy8351. jarg422h.htm#Macintrash8352. jarg422h.htm#macro8353. jarg422h
8372. jarg422h.htm#mega-8373. jarg422h.htm#macrotape8374. jarg422h.htm#macro-8375. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8376. jarg422h.htm#LISP8377. jarg422h.htm
8396. jarg422h.htm#deep%20magic8397. jarg422h.htm#heavy%20wizardry8398. jarg422h.htm#magic%20number8399. jarg422h.htm#magic8400. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%
8420. jarg422h.htm#hairball8421. jarg422h.htm#mailing%20list8422. jarg422h.htm#mail%20storm8423. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8424. jarg422h.htm#email842
8444. jarg422h.htm#big%20iron8445. jarg422h.htm#dinosaur8446. jarg422h.htm#Stone%20Age8447. jarg422h.htm#number-crunching8448. jarg422h.htm#cray8449.
8468. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8469. jarg422h.htm#mung8470. jarg422h.htm#scribble8471. jarg422h.htm#mangled%20name8472. jarg422h.htm#mangler8473. jar
8492. jarg422h.htm#core8493. jarg422h.htm#GC8494. jarg422h.htm#win8495. jarg422h.htm#marginally8496. jarg422h.htm#marginal8497. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%2
8516. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8517. jarg422h.htm#Christmas%20tree%20packet8518. jarg422h.htm#Godzillagram8519. jarg422h.htm#math-out8520. jarg422h.h
several years on early computer equipment. The ASR-33 was a mechanical device (see [1402]EOU), so the only way to generate the character codes
8540. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8541. jarg422h.htm#washing%20machine8542. jarg422h.htm#walking%20drives8543. jarg422h.htm#meatware8544. jarg422h.htm#m
8564. jarg422h.htm#MEGO8565. jarg422h.htm#mega-8566. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8567. jarg422h.htm#meltdown%20network8568. jarg422h.htm#megapenny8569.
8588. jarg422h.htm#memory%20leak8589. jarg422h.htm#memetics8590. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8591. jarg422h.htm#memory%20smash8592. jarg422h.htm#memory%
8612. jarg422h.htm#WIMP%20environment8613. jarg422h.htm#for%20the%20rest%20of%20us8614. jarg422h.htm#meta8615. jarg422h.htm#menuitis8616. jarg422h.htm
8636. jarg422h.htm#canonical8637. jarg422h.htm#scratch8638. jarg422h.htm#foo8639. jarg422h.htm#bar8640. jarg422h.htm#baz8641. jarg422h.htm#quux8642. j
8660. jarg422h.htm#baz8661. jarg422h.htm#foobar8662. jarg422h.htm#barf8663. jarg422h.htm#mumble8664. jarg422h.htm#Commonwealth%20Hackish8665. jarg422h
8684. jarg422h.htm#quantifiers8685. jarg422h.htm#attoparsec8686. jarg422h.htm#nanoacre8687. jarg422h.htm#microfortnight8688. jarg422h.htm#macro-8689.
8708. jarg422h.htm#tenured%20graduate%20student8709. jarg422h.htm#microserf8710. jarg422h.htm#microLenat8711. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8712. jarg422h
8732. jarg422h.htm#middle-endian8733. jarg422h.htm#Microsoft8734. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8735. jarg422h.htm#Microsoft8736. jarg422h.htm#bogus8737.
8756. jarg422h.htm#minifloppies8757. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8758. jarg422h.htm#benchmark8759. jarg422h.htm#marketroid8760. jarg422h.htm#BogoMIPS876
The result would have been something closer to a normal keyboard. But as it happened, Teletype had to use a lot of persuasion just to keep ASCI
8780. jarg422h.htm#Berzerkeley8781. jarg422h.htm#miswart8782. jarg422h.htm#Missed'em-five8783. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8784. jarg422h.htm#ICBM%
8804. jarg422h.htm#Appendix%20A8805. jarg422h.htm#bignum8806. jarg422h.htm#core8807. jarg422h.htm#brain-damaged8808. jarg422h.htm#mod8809. jarg422h.ht
8828. jarg422h.htm#losing8829. jarg422h.htm#modulo8830. jarg422h.htm#mode8831. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8832. jarg422h.htm#flag8833. jarg422h.htm#fla
8852. jarg422h.htm#hack%20up8853. jarg422h.htm#kluge%20up8854. jarg422h.htm#cruft%20together8855. jarg422h.htm#monstrosity8856. jarg422h.htm#monkey%20
8876. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8877. jarg422h.htm#Parkinson's%20Law%20of%20Data8878. jarg422h.htm#Gates's%20Law8879. jarg422h.htm#moria8880
8900. jarg422h.htm#MOTAS8901. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8902. jarg422h.htm#MOTAS8903. jarg422h.htm#MOTSS8904. jarg422h.htm#SO8905. jarg422h.htm#MOTAS8
8924. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8925. jarg422h.htm#rat%20belt8926. jarg422h.htm#mouse%20elbow8927. jarg422h.htm#mouse%20belt8928. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M
8948. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8949. jarg422h.htm#koan8950. jarg422h.htm#has%20the%20X%20nature8951. jarg422h.htm#Some%20AI%20Koans8952. jarg422h.htm
8972. jarg422h.htm#multician8973. jarg422h.htm#mudhead8974. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8975. jarg422h.htm#wizard8976. jarg422h.htm#luser8977. jarg422h.
8996. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d8997. jarg422h.htm#thrash8998. jarg422h.htm#mumble8999. jarg422h.htm#multitask9000. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d9001. ja
The doom of the bit-paired keyboard was the large-scale introduction of the computer terminal into the normal office environment, where out-
9020. jarg422h.htm#cracker9021. jarg422h.htm#hacked%20off9022. jarg422h.htm#munchkin9023. jarg422h.htm#munching9024. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20M%20%3d9025. j
9044. jarg422h.htm#recursive%20acronym9045. jarg422h.htm#munge9046. jarg422h.htm#BLT9047. jarg422h.htm#Finagle's%20Law9048. jarg422h.htm#scribble
9068. jarg422h.htm#magic%20smoke9069. jarg422h.htm#Finagle's%20Law9070. jarg422h.htm#mutter9071. jarg422h.htm#Murphy's%20Law9072. jarg422h.h
9092. jarg422h.htm#NAK9093. jarg422h.htm#NANA9094. jarg422h.htm#nano9095. jarg422h.htm#nano-9096. jarg422h.htm#nanoacre9097. jarg422h.htm#nanobot9098.
9116. jarg422h.htm#netburp9117. jarg422h.htm#netdead9118. jarg422h.htm#nethack9119. jarg422h.htm#netiquette9120. jarg422h.htm#netlag9121. jarg422h.htm
9140. jarg422h.htm#NIL9141. jarg422h.htm#Ninety-Ninety%20Rule9142. jarg422h.htm#nipple%20mouse9143. jarg422h.htm#NMI9144. jarg422h.htm#no-op9145. jarg
9164. jarg422h.htm#nyetwork9165. jarg422h.htm#nadger9166. jarg422h.htm#mutter9167. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9168. jarg422h.htm#Lubarsky's%20Law%
9188. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9189. jarg422h.htm#like%20nailing%20jelly%20to%20a%20tree9190. jarg422h.htm#naive%20user9191. jarg422h.htm#nailing%20j
9212. jarg422h.htm#nanoacre9213. jarg422h.htm#nano9214. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9215. jarg422h.htm#micro-9216. jarg422h.htm#micro-9217. jarg422h.htm
9236. jarg422h.htm#nanocomputer9237. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9238. jarg422h.htm#microfortnight9239. jarg422h.htm#attoparsec9240. jarg422h.htm#micro-
the case of overlapping source and destination rectangles is what makes BitBlt tricky). 2. Synonym for [1409]blit or [1410]BLT. Both uses are b
9260. jarg422h.htm#bounce%20message9261. jarg422h.htm#nature9262. jarg422h.htm#nastygram9263. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9264. jarg422h.htm#splat9265.
9284. jarg422h.htm#neep-neep9285. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9286. jarg422h.htm#music9287. jarg422h.htm#oriental%20food9288. jarg422h.htm#nerd%20knob92
9308. jarg422h.htm#net.god9309. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9310. jarg422h.htm#Usenet9311. jarg422h.htm#net.god9312. jarg422h.htm#NetBOLLIX9313. jarg422
9332. jarg422h.htm#netburp9333. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9334. jarg422h.htm#IRC9335. jarg422h.htm#netburp9336. jarg422h.htm#link-dead9337. jarg422h.h
9356. jarg422h.htm#netlag9357. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9358. jarg422h.htm#Usenet9359. jarg422h.htm#Netscrape9360. jarg422h.htm#netnews9361. jarg422h
9380. jarg422h.htm#bang%20path9381. jarg422h.htm#Internet%20address9382. jarg422h.htm#New%20Jersey9383. jarg422h.htm#network%20address9384. jarg422h.h
9404. jarg422h.htm#newline9405. jarg422h.htm#newbie9406. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9407. jarg422h.htm#newsgroup9408. jarg422h.htm#flamer9409. jarg422h
9428. jarg422h.htm#pr0n9429. jarg422h.htm#filk9430. jarg422h.htm#nick9431. jarg422h.htm#newsfroup9432. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9433. jarg422h.htm#Us
9452. jarg422h.htm#phase9453. jarg422h.htm#NIL9454. jarg422h.htm#night%20mode9455. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9456. jarg422h.htm#spl9457. jarg422h.htm#
9476. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9477. jarg422h.htm#great-wall9478. jarg422h.htm#node9479. jarg422h.htm#no-op9480. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9481. jarg
1. Information. Examples: "I need some bits about file formats." ("I need to know about file formats.") Compare [1422]core
9500. jarg422h.htm#Slowlaris9501. jarg422h.htm#Internet%20Exploder9502. jarg422h.htm#nonlinear9503. jarg422h.htm#Nominal%20Semidestructor9504. jarg422
9524. jarg422h.htm#not%20ready%20for%20prime%20time9525. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9526. jarg422h.htm#flaky9527. jarg422h.htm#down9528. jarg422h.htm#n
9548. jarg422h.htm#NSP9549. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9550. jarg422h.htm#bare%20metal9551. jarg422h.htm#nuke9552. jarg422h.htm#nude9553. jarg422h.htm#
9572. jarg422h.htm#NUXI%20problem9573. jarg422h.htm#number-crunching9574. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20N%20%3d9575. jarg422h.htm#pretty%20pictures9576. jarg422h
9596. jarg422h.htm#deckle9597. jarg422h.htm#chawmp9598. jarg422h.htm#chawmp9599. jarg422h.htm#gawble9600. jarg422h.htm#gawble9601. jarg422h.htm#Ob-960
9620. jarg422h.htm#-oid9621. jarg422h.htm#old%20fart9622. jarg422h.htm#Old%20Testament9623. jarg422h.htm#on%20the%20gripping%20hand9624. jarg422h.htm#
9644. jarg422h.htm#OSS9645. jarg422h.htm#OSU9646. jarg422h.htm#OTOH9647. jarg422h.htm#out-of-band9648. jarg422h.htm#overclock9649. jarg422h.htm#overfl
9668. jarg422h.htm#obscure9669. jarg422h.htm#obi-wan%20error9670. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20O%20%3d9671. jarg422h.htm#Right%20Thing9672. jarg422h.htm#octal%2
9692. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20O%20%3d9693. jarg422h.htm#fencepost%20error9694. jarg422h.htm#ogg9695. jarg422h.htm#off-by-one%20error9696. jarg422h.htm#%3d%
9716. jarg422h.htm#Classic%20C9717. jarg422h.htm#one-banana%20problem9718. jarg422h.htm#Old%20Testament9719. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20O%20%3d9720. jarg422h.
bixen pl.n. Users of BIX (the BIX Information eXchange, formerly the Byte Information eXchange). Parallels other plurals like boxen, [1436
9740. jarg422h.htm#Perl9741. jarg422h.htm#op9742. jarg422h.htm#one-liner%20wars9743. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20O%20%3d9744. jarg422h.htm#Ceremonial%20Chemica
9764. jarg422h.htm#optical%20diff9765. jarg422h.htm#open%20switch9766. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20O%20%3d9767. jarg422h.htm#Unix9768. jarg422h.htm#ITS9769. ja
9788. jarg422h.htm#Orange%20Book9789. jarg422h.htm#optimism9790. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20O%20%3d9791. jarg422h.htm#oriental%20food9792. jarg422h.htm#Oracle
9812. jarg422h.htm#OS9813. jarg422h.htm#orphaned%20i-node9814. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20O%20%3d9815. jarg422h.htm#OS%2f29816. jarg422h.htm#orthogonal9817. j
9836. jarg422h.htm#OSU9837. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20O%20%3d9838. jarg422h.htm#overclock9839. jarg422h.htm#OTOH9840. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20O%20%3d9841. jarg422
9860. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20O%20%3d9861. jarg422h.htm#PDL9862. jarg422h.htm#PDL9863. jarg422h.htm#stack9864. jarg422h.htm#overrun%20screw9865. jarg422h.h
9884. jarg422h.htm#precedence%20lossage9885. jarg422h.htm#fandango%20on%20core9886. jarg422h.htm#secondary%20damage9887. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20Q%20%3d988
9908. jarg422h.htm#patch9909. jarg422h.htm#patch%20pumpkin9910. jarg422h.htm#patch%20space9911. jarg422h.htm#path9912. jarg422h.htm#pathological9913.
9932. jarg422h.htm#pessimizing%20compiler9933. jarg422h.htm#peta-9934. jarg422h.htm#PETSCII9935. jarg422h.htm#PFY9936. jarg422h.htm#phage9937. jarg422
9956. jarg422h.htm#plan%20file9957. jarg422h.htm#platinum-iridium9958. jarg422h.htm#playpen9959. jarg422h.htm#playte9960. jarg422h.htm#plingnet9961. j
systems area (compare [1445]black magic). VLSI design and compiler code optimization were (in their beginnings) considered classic examples of
9980. jarg422h.htm#postcardware9981. jarg422h.htm#posting9982. jarg422h.htm#postmaster9983. jarg422h.htm#PostScript9984. jarg422h.htm#pound%20on9985.
10004. jarg422h.htm#program10005. jarg422h.htm#Programmer's%20Cheer10006. jarg422h.htm#programming10007. jarg422h.htm#programming%20fluid10008. j
10028. jarg422h.htm#Python10029. jarg422h.htm#P.O.D.10030. jarg422h.htm#overrun%20screw10031. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10032. jarg422h.htm#email10033
10052. jarg422h.htm#film%20at%201110053. jarg422h.htm#swap10054. jarg422h.htm#pain%20in%20the%20net10055. jarg422h.htm#page%20in10056. jarg422h.htm#%3
10076. jarg422h.htm#P-mail10077. jarg422h.htm#PARC10078. jarg422h.htm#paper-net10079. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10080. jarg422h.htm#parm10081. jarg422
10100. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10101. jarg422h.htm#param10102. jarg422h.htm#arg10103. jarg422h.htm#arg10104. jarg422h.htm#var10105. jarg422h.htm#Pas
10124. jarg422h.htm#mod10125. jarg422h.htm#HLL10126. jarg422h.htm#one-line%20fix10127. jarg422h.htm#diff10128. jarg422h.htm#patch%20space10129. jarg42
10148. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10149. jarg422h.htm#PBD10150. jarg422h.htm#pathological10151. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10152. jarg422h.htm#shareware
10172. jarg422h.htm#PD10173. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10174. jarg422h.htm#management10175. jarg422h.htm#flowchart10176. jarg422h.htm#PostScript10177.
10196. jarg422h.htm#pop10197. jarg422h.htm#push10198. http://www.inwap.com/pdp10/10199. jarg422h.htm#PEBKAC10200. jarg422h.htm#PDP-1010201. jarg422h.h
Compare [1454]bit bucket and see [1455]RBL. _________________________________________________________________ Node:black magic, Next:[1456
10220. jarg422h.htm#peek10221. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10222. jarg422h.htm#Pentium10223. jarg422h.htm#pencil%20and%20paper10224. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20
10244. jarg422h.htm#perf10245. jarg422h.htm#Perl10246. jarg422h.htm#perf10247. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10248. jarg422h.htm#toy%20problem10249. jarg4
10268. jarg422h.htm#peta-10269. jarg422h.htm#pessimal10270. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10271. jarg422h.htm#PETSCII10272. jarg422h.htm#pessimizing%20com
10292. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10293. jarg422h.htm#wrap%20around10294. jarg422h.htm#wrap%20around10295. jarg422h.htm#phase-wrapping10296. jarg422h.h
10316. jarg422h.htm#phreaker10317. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10318. jarg422h.htm#cracking10319. jarg422h.htm#cracking10320. jarg422h.htm#pig-tail10321
10340. jarg422h.htm#ENQ10341. jarg422h.htm#mailing%20list10342. jarg422h.htm#ACK10343. jarg422h.htm#blargh10344. jarg422h.htm#ping%20storm10345. jarg4
10364. jarg422h.htm#pipe10365. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10366. jarg422h.htm#pizza%20box10367. jarg422h.htm#pistol10368. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d103
10388. jarg422h.htm#sig%20block10389. jarg422h.htm#Hacking%20X%20for%20Y10390. jarg422h.htm#finger10391. jarg422h.htm#letterbomb10392. jarg422h.htm#tw
10412. jarg422h.htm#UUCPNET10413. jarg422h.htm#Commonwealth%20Hackish10414. jarg422h.htm#bang10415. jarg422h.htm#bang%20path10416. jarg422h.htm#plonk1
10436. jarg422h.htm#shell10437. jarg422h.htm#hairy10438. jarg422h.htm#tee10439. jarg422h.htm#pnambic10440. jarg422h.htm#plumbing10441. jarg422h.htm#%3
Death. See also [1468]Blue Screen of Death, which has become rather more common. ____________________________________________________________
10460. jarg422h.htm#drool-proof%20paper10461. jarg422h.htm#pointy-haired10462. jarg422h.htm#point-and-drool%20interface10463. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%
10484. jarg422h.htm#pop10485. jarg422h.htm#polygon%20pusher10486. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10487. jarg422h.htm#phase%20of%20the%20moon10488. jarg422h
10508. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10509. jarg422h.htm#mailing%20list10510. jarg422h.htm#newsgroup10511. jarg422h.htm#posting10512. jarg422h.htm#post105
10532. jarg422h.htm#EMACS10533. jarg422h.htm#power%20cycle10534. jarg422h.htm#PostScript10535. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10536. jarg422h.htm#bang%20on
10556. jarg422h.htm#precedence%20lossage10557. jarg422h.htm#PPN10558. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10559. jarg422h.htm#warez%20kiddies10560. jarg422h.htm
10580. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10581. jarg422h.htm#prettyprint10582. jarg422h.htm#prestidigitization10583. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10584. jarg422h
10604. jarg422h.htm#printing%20discussion10605. jarg422h.htm#prime%20time10606. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10607. jarg422h.htm#C10608. jarg422h.htm#tty
10628. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10629. jarg422h.htm#proglet10630. jarg422h.htm#progasm10631. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10632. jarg422h.htm#proglet106
10652. jarg422h.htm#wirewater10653. jarg422h.htm#propeller%20key10654. jarg422h.htm#programming%20fluid10655. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10656. jarg422
10676. jarg422h.htm#pseudo10677. jarg422h.htm#provocative%20maintenance10678. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10679. jarg422h.htm#daemon10680. jarg422h.htm#
characters, and 2269 entries. Version 4.2.2, 12 Aug 2000: This version had 27171 lines, 219630 words, 1444887 characters, and 2302 entries.
incarnation of the blammo-gun is the command used to forcibly eject a user, operators speak of different levels of blammo-gun fire; e.g., a bla
10700. jarg422h.htm#lobotomy10701. jarg422h.htm#psyton10702. jarg422h.htm#pseudosuit10703. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10704. jarg422h.htm#display%20hac
10724. jarg422h.htm#patch%20pumpkin10725. jarg422h.htm#punched%20card10726. jarg422h.htm#pumpkin%20holder10727. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10728. jarg4
10748. jarg422h.htm#Wizard%20Book10749. jarg422h.htm#book%20titles10750. jarg422h.htm#push10751. jarg422h.htm#Purple%20Book10752. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P
10772. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d10773. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20P%20%3d10774. jarg422h.htm#The%20Jargon%20Lexicon10775. jarg422h.htm#quad10776. jarg422h.ht
10796. jarg422h.htm#quad10797. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20Q%20%3d10798. jarg422h.htm#space-cadet%20keyboard10799. jarg422h.htm#raw%20mode10800. jarg422h.htm#d
10820. jarg422h.htm#suit10821. jarg422h.htm#bogon10822. jarg422h.htm#computron10823. jarg422h.htm#suit10824. jarg422h.htm#psyton10825. jarg422h.htm#qu
10844. jarg422h.htm#Obfuscated%20C%20Contest10845. http://www.nyx.org/~gthompso/quine.htm10846. jarg422h.htm#quotient10847. jarg422h.htm#quine10848. j
10868. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20Q%20%3d10869. jarg422h.htm#metasyntactic%20variable10870. jarg422h.htm#baz10871. jarg422h.htm#foo10872. jarg422h.htm#bar1087
10892. jarg422h.htm#rainbow%20series10893. jarg422h.htm#random10894. jarg422h.htm#Random%20Number%20God10895. jarg422h.htm#random%20numbers10896. jarg
10916. jarg422h.htm#real%20hack10917. jarg422h.htm#real%20operating%20system10918. jarg422h.htm#Real%20Programmer10919. jarg422h.htm#Real%20Soon%20Now
logout. _________________________________________________________________ Node:blat, Next:[1488]bletch, Previous:[1489]blast, Up:[1490]= B
10940. jarg422h.htm#replicator10941. jarg422h.htm#reply10942. jarg422h.htm#restriction10943. jarg422h.htm#retcon10944. jarg422h.htm#RETI10945. jarg422
10964. jarg422h.htm#rot1310965. jarg422h.htm#rotary%20debugger10966. jarg422h.htm#round%20tape10967. jarg422h.htm#RSN10968. jarg422h.htm#RTBM10969. ja
10988. jarg422h.htm#rabbit%20job10989. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d10990. jarg422h.htm#incantation10991. jarg422h.htm#magic10992. jarg422h.htm#voodoo%20
11012. jarg422h.htm#random%20numbers11013. jarg422h.htm#random11014. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11015. jarg422h.htm#Angband11016. jarg422h.htm#Shub-Int
11036. jarg422h.htm#rape11037. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11038. jarg422h.htm#raw%20mode11039. jarg422h.htm#cooked%20mode11040. jarg422h.htm#raster%20b
11060. jarg422h.htm#random11061. jarg422h.htm#Infinite-Monkey%20Theorem11062. jarg422h.htm#rave11063. jarg422h.htm#rat%20dance11064. jarg422h.htm#%3d%
11084. jarg422h.htm#bogus11085. jarg422h.htm#rare%20mode11086. jarg422h.htm#cooked%20mode11087. jarg422h.htm#rc%20file11088. jarg422h.htm#raw%20mode11
11108. jarg422h.htm#lurker11109. jarg422h.htm#real11110. jarg422h.htm#read-only%20user11111. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11112. jarg422h.htm#real%20esta
11132. jarg422h.htm#proprietary11133. jarg422h.htm#Get%20a%20real%20computer!11134. jarg422h.htm#Real%20Soon%20Now11135. jarg422h.htm#real%20operating
11156. jarg422h.htm#reality%20check11157. jarg422h.htm#real%20user11158. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11159. jarg422h.htm#COBOL11160. jarg422h.htm#IBM111
Disgusting in design or function; esthetically unappealing. This word is seldom used of people. "This keyboard is bletcherous!" (Per
11180. jarg422h.htm#reaper11181. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11182. jarg422h.htm#recursion11183. jarg422h.htm#recompile%20the%20world11184. jarg422h.htm
11204. jarg422h.htm#White%20Book11205. jarg422h.htm#Green%20Book11206. jarg422h.htm#Orange%20Book11207. jarg422h.htm#book%20titles11208. jarg422h.htm#
11228. jarg422h.htm#rehi11229. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11230. jarg422h.htm#cycle%20of%20reincarnation11231. jarg422h.htm#relay%20rape11232. jarg422h
11252. jarg422h.htm#Get%20a%20life!11253. jarg422h.htm#reply11254. jarg422h.htm#religious%20issues11255. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11256. jarg422h.htm
11276. jarg422h.htm#marketroid11277. jarg422h.htm#flamage11278. jarg422h.htm#RETI11279. jarg422h.htm#restriction11280. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11281
11300. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11301. jarg422h.htm#rib%20site11302. jarg422h.htm#RFC11303. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11304. jarg422h.htm#RFC11305. j
11324. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11325. jarg422h.htm#chad11326. jarg422h.htm#roach11327. jarg422h.htm#ripoff11328. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11329. ja
11348. jarg422h.htm#robot11349. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11350. jarg422h.htm#bulletproof11351. jarg422h.htm#smart11352. jarg422h.htm#brittle11353. ja
11372. jarg422h.htm#luser11373. jarg422h.htm#drool-proof%20paper11374. jarg422h.htm#root%20mode11375. jarg422h.htm#room-temperature%20IQ11376. jarg422
11396. jarg422h.htm#rotary%20debugger11397. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11398. jarg422h.htm#macrotape11399. jarg422h.htm#square%20tape11400. jarg422h.ht
Node:blinkenlights, Next:[1512]blit, Previous:[1513]blink, Up:[1514]= B = blinkenlights /blink'*n-li:tz/ n. [common] Front-panel d
11420. jarg422h.htm#guru11421. jarg422h.htm#Don't%20do%20that%20then!11422. jarg422h.htm#randomness11423. jarg422h.htm#FM11424. jarg422h.htm#RTFA
11444. jarg422h.htm#RTI11445. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11446. jarg422h.htm#RTFM11447. jarg422h.htm#Great%20Worm11448. jarg422h.htm#RTFM11449. jarg422
11468. jarg422h.htm#runes11469. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20R%20%3d11470. jarg422h.htm#obscure11471. jarg422h.htm#rusty%20memory11472. jarg422h.htm#runic11473.
11492. jarg422h.htm#salescritter11493. jarg422h.htm#salt11494. jarg422h.htm#salt%20mines11495. jarg422h.htm#salt%20substrate11496. jarg422h.htm#same-d
11516. jarg422h.htm#screw11517. jarg422h.htm#screwage11518. jarg422h.htm#scribble11519. jarg422h.htm#script%20kiddies11520. jarg422h.htm#scrog11521. j
11540. jarg422h.htm#semi-infinite11541. jarg422h.htm#senior%20bit11542. jarg422h.htm#September%20that%20never%20ended11543. jarg422h.htm#server11544.
11564. jarg422h.htm#Shub-Internet11565. jarg422h.htm#sidecar11566. jarg422h.htm#SIG11567. jarg422h.htm#sig%20block11568. jarg422h.htm#sig%20quote11569
11588. jarg422h.htm#Slowlaris11589. jarg422h.htm#slurp11590. jarg422h.htm#smart11591. jarg422h.htm#smart%20terminal11592. jarg422h.htm#smash%20case115
11612. jarg422h.htm#sniff11613. jarg422h.htm#snivitz11614. jarg422h.htm#'Snooze11615. jarg422h.htm#SO11616. jarg422h.htm#social%20engineering1161
11636. jarg422h.htm#spaghetti%20code11637. jarg422h.htm#spaghetti%20inheritance11638. jarg422h.htm#spam11639. jarg422h.htm#spam%20bait11640. jarg422h.
it was reported at London University's ATLAS computing site. There are several variants of it in circulation, some of which actually do end
11660. jarg422h.htm#spoiler%20space11661. jarg422h.htm#sponge11662. jarg422h.htm#spoof11663. jarg422h.htm#spool11664. jarg422h.htm#spool%20file11665.
11684. jarg422h.htm#stroke11685. jarg422h.htm#strudel11686. jarg422h.htm#stubroutine11687. jarg422h.htm#studly11688. jarg422h.htm#studlycaps11689. jar
11708. jarg422h.htm#Suzie%20COBOL11709. jarg422h.htm#swab11710. jarg422h.htm#swap11711. jarg422h.htm#swap%20space11712. jarg422h.htm#swapped%20in11713
11732. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d11733. jarg422h.htm#sagan11734. jarg422h.htm#sacred11735. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d11736. jarg422h.htm#gabriel11737.
11756. jarg422h.htm#frob11757. jarg422h.htm#salt%20substrate11758. jarg422h.htm#salt11759. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d11760. jarg422h.htm#playpen11761.
11780. jarg422h.htm#sneaker11781. jarg422h.htm#Stupids11782. jarg422h.htm#social%20engineering11783. jarg422h.htm#cracker11784. jarg422h.htm#hacker%20
11804. jarg422h.htm#salescritter11805. jarg422h.htm#scag11806. jarg422h.htm#Saturday-night%20special11807. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d11808. jarg422h.h
11828. jarg422h.htm#mandelbug11829. jarg422h.htm#scram%20switch11830. jarg422h.htm#schroedinbug11831. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d11832. jarg422h.htm#de
11852. jarg422h.htm#science-fiction%20fandom11853. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d11854. jarg422h.htm#Big%20Red%20Switch11855. jarg422h.htm#frob11856. jarg
11876. jarg422h.htm#PM11877. jarg422h.htm#screaming%20tty11878. jarg422h.htm#scratch%20monkey11879. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d11880. jarg422h.htm#coug
front-panel cutouts, almost nobody needs or wants to interpret machine-register states on the fly anymore) are only part of the story. Another
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11924. jarg422h.htm#SCSI11925. jarg422h.htm#scrozzle11926. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d11927. jarg422h.htm#neats%20vs.%20scruffies11928. jarg422h.htm#Sc
11948. jarg422h.htm#creeping%20elegance11949. jarg422h.htm#creeping%20featurism11950. jarg422h.htm#Multics11951. jarg422h.htm#OS%2f211952. jarg422h.ht
11972. jarg422h.htm#LER11973. jarg422h.htm#seggie11974. jarg422h.htm#SED11975. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d11976. jarg422h.htm#segment11977. jarg422h.ht
11996. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d11997. jarg422h.htm#self-reference11998. jarg422h.htm#semi11999. jarg422h.htm#self-reference12000. jarg422h.htm#%3d%2
12020. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12021. jarg422h.htm#netiquette12022. jarg422h.htm#AOL!12023. jarg422h.htm#SEX12024. jarg422h.htm#September%20that%20n
12044. jarg422h.htm#sharchive12045. jarg422h.htm#Share%20and%20enjoy!12046. jarg422h.htm#shar%20file12047. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12048. jarg422h.h
12068. jarg422h.htm#shebang12069. jarg422h.htm#shareware12070. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12071. jarg422h.htm#OS12072. jarg422h.htm#shelfware12073. jar
12092. jarg422h.htm#PDP-1012093. jarg422h.htm#Programmer's%20Cheer12094. jarg422h.htm#shitogram12095. jarg422h.htm#shift%20left%20(or%20right)%20
12116. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12117. jarg422h.htm#Shub-Internet12118. jarg422h.htm#showstopper12119. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12120. jarg422h.htm#
network equipment often blink in visually pleasing and seemingly coordinated ways. Although this is different in some ways from register readin
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12188. jarg422h.htm#skrog12189. jarg422h.htm#since%20time%20T%20equals%20minus%20infinity12190. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12191. jarg422h.htm#network%
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12236. jarg422h.htm#slop12237. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12238. jarg422h.htm#background12239. jarg422h.htm#slurp12240. jarg422h.htm#slopsucker12241. j
12260. jarg422h.htm#robust12261. jarg422h.htm#brittle12262. jarg422h.htm#smash%20case12263. jarg422h.htm#smart12264. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12265.
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12308. jarg422h.htm#smoot12309. jarg422h.htm#smoke%20test12310. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12311. jarg422h.htm#display%20hack12312. jarg422h.htm#SMOP12
12332. jarg422h.htm#snail-mail12333. jarg422h.htm#snap12334. jarg422h.htm#snail12335. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12336. jarg422h.htm#email12337. jarg42
12356. jarg422h.htm#snarf%20&%20barf12357. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12358. jarg422h.htm#snarf12359. jarg422h.htm#nethack12360. jarg422h.htm#sneak
"Blit" stood for the Bacon, Lettuce, and Interactive Tomato.) _________________________________________________________________
12380. jarg422h.htm#glitch12381. jarg422h.htm#SO12382. jarg422h.htm#snivitz12383. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12384. jarg422h.htm#flamage12385. jarg422h
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12428. jarg422h.htm#creeping%20featuritis12429. jarg422h.htm#X12430. jarg422h.htm#BSD12431. jarg422h.htm#Missed'em-five12432. jarg422h.htm#OS%2f2
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12476. jarg422h.htm#sorcerer's%20apprentice%20mode12477. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12478. jarg422h.htm#losing12479. jarg422h.htm#quick-and-dirty1
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12524. jarg422h.htm#UCE12525. jarg422h.htm#UBE12526. jarg422h.htm#luser12527. jarg422h.htm#spamblock12528. jarg422h.htm#spam12529. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20
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12572. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12573. jarg422h.htm#dictionary%20flame12574. jarg422h.htm#spider%20food12575. jarg422h.htm#spelling%20flame12576. jar
12596. jarg422h.htm#spin12597. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12598. jarg422h.htm#interrupts%20locked%20out12599. jarg422h.htm#splat12600. jarg422h.htm#spl
but unkillable development effort. 5. An embarrassing bug that pops up during a customer demo. 6. In the subjargon of computer security special
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12716. jarg422h.htm#laser%20chicken12717. jarg422h.htm#oriental%20food12718. jarg422h.htm#mumble12719. jarg422h.htm#Stone%20Age12720. jarg422h.htm#sti
12740. jarg422h.htm#stone%20knives%20and%20bearskins12741. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12742. jarg422h.htm#lossage12743. jarg422h.htm#fried12744. jarg42
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12788. jarg422h.htm#sufficiently%20small12789. jarg422h.htm#Sturgeon's%20Law12790. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12791. jarg422h.htm#wedged12792. jar
12812. jarg422h.htm#suitable%20win12813. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12814. jarg422h.htm#random%20numbers12815. jarg422h.htm#sun%20lounge12816. jarg422h
12836. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12837. jarg422h.htm#Godzillagram12838. jarg422h.htm#breath-of-life%20packet12839. jarg422h.htm#superprogrammer12840.
Node:BLOB, Next:[1539]block, Previous:[1540]bloatware, Up:[1541]= B = BLOB 1. n. [acronym: Binary Large OBject] Used by database peopl
12860. jarg422h.htm#support12861. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12862. jarg422h.htm#swab12863. jarg422h.htm#surf12864. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12865. ja
12884. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12885. jarg422h.htm#swapped%20out12886. jarg422h.htm#swap%20space12887. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12888. jarg422h.htm
12908. jarg422h.htm#sys-frog12909. jarg422h.htm#syntactic%20salt12910. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12911. jarg422h.htm#chrome12912. jarg422h.htm#candygr
12932. jarg422h.htm#sysop12933. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20%3d12934. jarg422h.htm#system%20mangler12935. jarg422h.htm#system12936. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20S%20
12956. jarg422h.htm#TANSTAAFL12957. jarg422h.htm#tape%20monkey12958. jarg422h.htm#tar%20and%20feather12959. jarg422h.htm#tarball12960. jarg422h.htm#ta
12980. jarg422h.htm#terminal%20illness12981. jarg422h.htm#terminal%20junkie12982. jarg422h.htm#terpri12983. jarg422h.htm#test12984. jarg422h.htm#TeX12
13003. jarg422h.htm#thunk13004. jarg422h.htm#tick13005. jarg422h.htm#tick-list%20features13006. jarg422h.htm#tickle%20a%20bug13007. jarg422h.htm#tiger
13027. jarg422h.htm#toaster13028. jarg422h.htm#toeprint13029. jarg422h.htm#toggle13030. jarg422h.htm#tool13031. jarg422h.htm#toolsmith13032. jarg422h.
13051. jarg422h.htm#trit13052. jarg422h.htm#trivial13053. jarg422h.htm#troff13054. jarg422h.htm#troglodyte13055. jarg422h.htm#troglodyte%20mode13056.
13075. jarg422h.htm#twilight%20zone13076. jarg422h.htm#twink13077. jarg422h.htm#twirling%20baton13078. jarg422h.htm#two%20pi13079. jarg422h.htm#two-to
We were fortunate enough to have the aid of some accomplished linguists. David Stampe [57]<[email protected]> and Charles Hoequist [58
Node:block transfer computations, Next:[1547]Bloggs Family, Previous:[1548]block, Up:[1549]= B = block transfer computations n. [fro
13099. jarg422h.htm#prepend13100. jarg422h.htm#email13101. jarg422h.htm#ha%20ha%20only%20serious13102. jarg422h.htm#IMHO13103. jarg422h.htm#initgame13
13123. jarg422h.htm#down13124. jarg422h.htm#hosed13125. jarg422h.htm#tape%20monkey13126. jarg422h.htm#tanked13127. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13128. ja
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13171. jarg422h.htm#creationism13172. jarg422h.htm#TECO13173. jarg422h.htm#TCP%2fIP13174. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13175. jarg422h.htm#tee13176. jarg
13195. jarg422h.htm#teergrube13196. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13197. jarg422h.htm#VR13198. jarg422h.htm#MUD13199. jarg422h.htm#ha%20ha%20only%20seriou
13219. jarg422h.htm#ten-finger%20interface13220. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13221. jarg422h.htm#bum13222. jarg422h.htm#tenured%20graduate%20student1322
13243. jarg422h.htm#AIDX13244. jarg422h.htm#Nominal%20Semidestructor13245. jarg422h.htm#ScumOS13246. jarg422h.htm#sun-stools13247. jarg422h.htm#Telera
13267. jarg422h.htm#read-only%20user13268. jarg422h.htm#test13269. jarg422h.htm#terminal%20junkie13270. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13271. jarg422h.htm#
13291. jarg422h.htm#EBCDIC13292. jarg422h.htm#flat-ASCII13293. jarg422h.htm#That's%20not%20a%20bug%20that's%20a%20feature!13294. jarg422h.ht
13314. jarg422h.htm#Internet13315. jarg422h.htm#bang%20path13316. jarg422h.htm#Internet%20address13317. jarg422h.htm#network%20address13318. jarg422h.
as the old [1553]DEC Telephone Directory. Compare [1554]Dr. Fred Mbogo; [1555]J. Random Hacker; [1556]Fred Foobar. __________________________
13337. jarg422h.htm#mouso13338. jarg422h.htm#This%20time%20for%20sure!13339. jarg422h.htm#thinko13340. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13341. jarg422h.htm#c
13361. jarg422h.htm#ISP13362. jarg422h.htm#spam13363. jarg422h.htm#thumb13364. jarg422h.htm#throwaway%20account13365. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13366.
13385. jarg422h.htm#handwave13386. jarg422h.htm#tickle%20a%20bug13387. jarg422h.htm#tick13388. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13389. jarg422h.htm#tiger%20t
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13457. jarg422h.htm#TMRC13458. jarg422h.htm#to%20a%20first%20approximation13459. jarg422h.htm#TMRCie13460. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13461. jarg422h.h
13481. jarg422h.htm#toeprint13482. jarg422h.htm#toast13483. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13484. jarg422h.htm#elevator%20controller13485. jarg422h.htm#DWI
13505. jarg422h.htm#operating%20system13506. jarg422h.htm#filter13507. jarg422h.htm#plumbing13508. jarg422h.htm#hack13509. jarg422h.htm#toor13510. jar
13529. jarg422h.htm#topic%20group13530. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13531. jarg422h.htm#DEC13532. jarg422h.htm#PDP-1013533. jarg422h.htm#ITS13534. jarg4
13553. jarg422h.htm#channel%20hopping13554. jarg422h.htm#touristic13555. jarg422h.htm#tourist13556. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13557. jarg422h.htm#toy1
accident. "He reformatted the wrong partition and blew away last night's netnews." Oppose [1563]nuke. ________________________
13577. jarg422h.htm#gedanken13578. jarg422h.htm#toy%20program13579. jarg422h.htm#trampoline13580. jarg422h.htm#toy%20problem13581. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20
13601. jarg422h.htm#Good%20Thing13602. jarg422h.htm#trawl13603. jarg422h.htm#trap%20door13604. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13605. jarg422h.htm#mung13606
13625. jarg422h.htm#treeware13626. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13627. jarg422h.htm#bit13628. jarg422h.htm#flag13629. jarg422h.htm#troff13630. jarg422h.h
13649. jarg422h.htm#larval%20stage13650. jarg422h.htm#hack%20mode13651. jarg422h.htm#troll13652. jarg422h.htm#troglodyte%20mode13653. jarg422h.htm#%3d
13673. jarg422h.htm#true-hacker13674. jarg422h.htm#Troll-O-Meter13675. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13676. jarg422h.htm#spod13677. jarg422h.htm#tty13678.
13697. jarg422h.htm#turbo%20nerd13698. jarg422h.htm#tunafish13699. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13700. jarg422h.htm#hook13701. jarg422h.htm#bum13702. jar
13721. jarg422h.htm#Linux13722. http://www.woodsoup.org/~sbaker/tux/doc/13723. http://www.isc.tamu.edu/~lewing/linux/13724. http://www.ao.com/~regan/p
13745. jarg422h.htm#WAITS13746. jarg422h.htm#VMS13747. jarg422h.htm#twilight%20zone13748. jarg422h.htm#TWENEX13749. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13750. j
13769. jarg422h.htm#twirling%20baton13770. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20T%20%3d13771. jarg422h.htm#twonkie13772. jarg422h.htm#two%20pi13773. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20
13793. jarg422h.htm#uninteresting13794. jarg422h.htm#Unix13795. jarg422h.htm#Unix%20brain%20damage13796. jarg422h.htm#Unix%20conspiracy13797. jarg422h
blow up vi. 1. [scientific computation] To become unstable. Suggests that the computation is diverging so rapidly that it will soon overf
13817. jarg422h.htm#twonkie13818. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20U%20%3d13819. jarg422h.htm#micro-13820. jarg422h.htm#UBE13821. jarg422h.htm#u-13822. jarg422h.htm
13841. jarg422h.htm#undefined%20external%20reference13842. jarg422h.htm#UDP13843. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20U%20%3d13844. jarg422h.htm#(TM)13845. jarg422h.ht
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13889. jarg422h.htm#back%20door13890. jarg422h.htm#virus13891. jarg422h.htm#DEC13892. jarg422h.htm#Linux13893. jarg422h.htm#unixism13894. jarg422h.htm
13913. jarg422h.htm#smash%20the%20stack13914. jarg422h.htm#up13915. jarg422h.htm#unwind%20the%20stack13916. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20U%20%3d13917. jarg422h.
13937. jarg422h.htm#Usenet%20Death%20Penalty13938. jarg422h.htm#URL13939. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20U%20%3d13940. jarg422h.htm#bboard13941. jarg422h.htm#news
13961. jarg422h.htm#user-obsequious13962. jarg422h.htm#userland13963. jarg422h.htm#user-friendly13964. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20U%20%3d13965. jarg422h.htm#u
13985. jarg422h.htm#UTSL13986. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20U%20%3d13987. jarg422h.htm#bang%20path13988. jarg422h.htm#network%20address13989. jarg422h.htm#%3d%2
14009. jarg422h.htm#ventilator%20card14010. jarg422h.htm#Venus%20flytrap14011. jarg422h.htm#verbage14012. jarg422h.htm#verbiage14013. jarg422h.htm#Ver
14033. jarg422h.htm#vadding14034. jarg422h.htm#UUCPNET14035. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20V%20%3d14036. jarg422h.htm#Version%20714037. jarg422h.htm#vanilla14038
Blue Book n. 1. Informal name for one of the four standard references on the page-layout and graphics-control language [1592]PostScript
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14081. jarg422h.htm#VAXectomy14082. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20V%20%3d14083. jarg422h.htm#DEC14084. jarg422h.htm#boxen14085. jarg422h.htm#vaxism14086. jarg422
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14177. jarg422h.htm#virtual%20Friday14178. jarg422h.htm#virtual14179. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20V%20%3d14180. jarg422h.htm#virtual%20reality14181. jarg422h.h
14201. jarg422h.htm#display%20hack14202. jarg422h.htm#cracker14203. jarg422h.htm#luser14204. jarg422h.htm#worm14205. jarg422h.htm#Trojan%20horse14206.
14225. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20V%20%3d14226. jarg422h.htm#talk%20mode14227. jarg422h.htm#voodoo%20programming14228. jarg422h.htm#voice14229. jarg422h.htm#%
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possible for the phone companies to move them out of band, one could actually hear the switching tones used to route long-distance calls. Early
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14321. jarg422h.htm#WIMP%20environment14322. jarg422h.htm#win14323. jarg422h.htm#win%20big14324. jarg422h.htm#win%20win14325. jarg422h.htm#Winchester1
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14417. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14418. jarg422h.htm#code%20grinder14419. jarg422h.htm#droid14420. jarg422h.htm#wall%20wart14421. jarg422h.htm#wall%20
14441. jarg422h.htm#bogometer14442. jarg422h.htm#neep-neep14443. jarg422h.htm#war%20dialer14444. jarg422h.htm#wank14445. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d144
14465. jarg422h.htm#fritterware14466. jarg422h.htm#guiltware14467. jarg422h.htm#liveware14468. jarg422h.htm#meatware14469. jarg422h.htm#payware14470.
14489. jarg422h.htm#wannabee14490. jarg422h.htm#handle14491. jarg422h.htm#elite14492. jarg422h.htm#courier14493. jarg422h.htm#leech14494. jarg422h.htm
14513. jarg422h.htm#boot14514. jarg422h.htm#washing%20machine14515. jarg422h.htm#warm%20boot14516. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14517. jarg422h.htm#crock
pens. A correspondent at U. Minn. reports that the CS department there has about 80 bottles of the stuff hanging about, so they often refer to
14537. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14538. jarg422h.htm#voodoo%20programming14539. jarg422h.htm#rain%20dance14540. jarg422h.htm#casting%20the%20runes1454
14561. jarg422h.htm#postmaster14562. jarg422h.htm#wedged14563. jarg422h.htm#webmaster14564. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14565. jarg422h.htm#wedgie14566.
14585. jarg422h.htm#gurfle14586. jarg422h.htm#weenie14587. jarg422h.htm#weeble14588. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14589. jarg422h.htm#branch%20to%20Fishk
14609. jarg422h.htm#ITS14610. http://www.cs.brown.edu/courses/cs167/weenix.html14611. jarg422h.htm#well-connected14612. jarg422h.htm#Weenix14613. jarg
14633. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14634. jarg422h.htm#NeWS14635. jarg422h.htm#GOSMACS14636. jarg422h.htm#whacker14637. jarg422h.htm#glark14638. jarg422
14657. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14658. jarg422h.htm#wheel%20bit14659. jarg422h.htm#What's%20a%20spline%3f14660. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14661.
14681. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14682. jarg422h.htm#K&R14683. jarg422h.htm#Red%20Book14684. jarg422h.htm#Green%20Book14685. jarg422h.htm#Blue%20B
14705. jarg422h.htm#WIBNI14706. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14707. jarg422h.htm#X14708. jarg422h.htm#WIMP%20environment14709. jarg422h.htm#widget14710.
14729. jarg422h.htm#win%20big14730. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14731. jarg422h.htm#win14732. jarg422h.htm#windoid14733. jarg422h.htm#win%20win14734. ja
14753. jarg422h.htm#winnage14754. jarg422h.htm#winged%20comments14755. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14756. jarg422h.htm#emoticon14757. jarg422h.htm#winne
of Death but much more common (many non-hackers have picked it up). Due to the extreme fragility and bugginess of Microsoft Windows misbehaving
14777. jarg422h.htm#wirewater14778. jarg422h.htm#wired14779. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14780. jarg422h.htm#wish%20list14781. jarg422h.htm#wirehead1478
14801. jarg422h.htm#wheel14802. jarg422h.htm#guru14803. jarg422h.htm#lord%20high%20fixer14804. jarg422h.htm#deep%20magic14805. jarg422h.htm#heavy%20wi
14825. jarg422h.htm#rogue14826. jarg422h.htm#wok-on-the-wall14827. jarg422h.htm#wizard%20mode14828. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14829. jarg422h.htm#feat
14849. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14850. jarg422h.htm#broken14851. jarg422h.htm#funky14852. jarg422h.htm#demented14853. jarg422h.htm#bozotic14854. jarg
14873. jarg422h.htm#working%20as%20designed14874. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14875. jarg422h.htm#virus14876. jarg422h.htm#cracker14877. jarg422h.htm#Gr
14897. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20W%20%3d14898. jarg422h.htm#Bad%20Thing14899. jarg422h.htm#write-only%20memory14900. jarg422h.htm#write-only%20code14901. jar
14921. jarg422h.htm#ADVENT14922. jarg422h.htm#ADVENT14923. jarg422h.htm#Zork14924. http://www.ccil.org/retro14925. jarg422h.htm#WYSIWYG14926. jarg422h
14945. jarg422h.htm#XOFF14946. jarg422h.htm#XON14947. jarg422h.htm#xor14948. jarg422h.htm#xref14949. jarg422h.htm#XXX14950. jarg422h.htm#xyzzy14951. j
14969. jarg422h.htm#XON14970. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20X%20%3d14971. jarg422h.htm#XXX14972. jarg422h.htm#xor14973. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20X%20%3d14974. jarg422h
14993. jarg422h.htm#YAFIYGI14994. jarg422h.htm#YAUN14995. jarg422h.htm#Yellow%20Book14996. jarg422h.htm#yellow%20card14997. jarg422h.htm#yellow%20wire
after mainstreanm slang `bodge' for a clumsy improvisation or sloppy job of work. Compare [1624]purple wire, [1625]red wire, [1626]yellow
15016. jarg422h.htm#TLA15017. jarg422h.htm#YAUN15018. jarg422h.htm#YABA15019. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20Y%20%3d15020. jarg422h.htm#WYSIWYG15021. jarg422h.htm
15040. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20Y%20%3d15041. jarg422h.htm#YA-15042. jarg422h.htm#YABA15043. jarg422h.htm#YAUN15044. jarg422h.htm#YKYBHTLW15045. jarg422h.ht
15063. jarg422h.htm#network%20address15064. jarg422h.htm#SO15065. jarg422h.htm#priority%20interrupt15066. http://albrecht.ecn.purdue.edu/~taylor/humor
15086. jarg422h.htm#zbeba15087. jarg422h.htm#zen15088. jarg422h.htm#zero15089. jarg422h.htm#zero-content15090. jarg422h.htm#Zero-One-Infinity%20Rule15
15110. jarg422h.htm#zap15111. jarg422h.htm#zbeba15112. jarg422h.htm#zapped15113. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20Z%20%3d15114. jarg422h.htm#zen15115. jarg422h.htm#
15134. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20Z%20%3d15135. jarg422h.htm#foo15136. jarg422h.htm#foo15137. jarg422h.htm#foo15138. jarg422h.htm#random15139. jarg422h.htm#in
15158. jarg422h.htm#zipperhead15159. jarg422h.htm#%3d%20Z%20%3d15160. jarg422h.htm#orphan15161. jarg422h.htm#Zork15162. jarg422h.htm#zombie15163. jarg
15182. jarg422h.htm#Some%20AI%20Koans15183. jarg422h.htm#OS%20and%20JEDGAR15184. jarg422h.htm#The%20Story%20of%20Mel15185. jarg422h.htm#TV%20Typewrite
15206. jarg422h.htm#Appendix%20A15207. jarg422h.htm#dike15208. jarg422h.htm#magic15209. jarg422h.htm#OS%20and%20JEDGAR15210. jarg422h.htm#A%20Story%20
15230. jarg422h.htm#Things%20Hackers%20Detest%20and%20Avoid15231. jarg422h.htm#Food15232. jarg422h.htm#Politics15233. jarg422h.htm#Gender%20and%20Ethn
languages, command sets, and the like. Widely used for language descriptions but seldom documented anywhere, so that it must usually be learned
15254. jarg422h.htm#Education15255. jarg422h.htm#Other%20Interests15256. jarg422h.htm#Appendix%20B15257. jarg422h.htm#Things%20Hackers%20Detest%20and%
15278. jarg422h.htm#Appendix%20B15279. jarg422h.htm#on%20the%20gripping%20hand15280. jarg422h.htm#Geographical%20Distribution15281. jarg422h.htm#Cerem
15302. jarg422h.htm#ADVENT15303. jarg422h.htm#Zork15304. jarg422h.htm#MUD15305. jarg422h.htm#IRC15306. jarg422h.htm#holy%20wars15307. jarg422h.htm#EMA
15326. jarg422h.htm#Church%20of%20the%20SubGenius15327. jarg422h.htm#bogon15328. jarg422h.htm#random%20numbers15329. jarg422h.htm#A%20Story%20About%20
comments, and done yeoman service in catching typos and minor usage bobbles. Their rare combination of enthusiasm, persistence, wide-ranging te
specifier, followed by a street number, followed by a street name. A zip-part consists of a town-name, followed by a comma, followed by a state
after they have been coiled for some time. It is rumored within IBM that channel cables for the 370 are limited to 200 feet because beyond that
hobbyist system; originally a term of annoyance, but became more and more affectionate as the hardware became more and more obsolete. _______
customer is always right", it was decided that there had to be at least one "Bob" on duty at all times, just in case. This si
BOF /B-O-F/ or /bof/ n. 1. [common] Abbreviation for the phrase "Birds Of a Feather" (flocking together), an informal discussio
Several people have written stories about BOFHs. The set usually considered canonical is by Simon Travaglia and may be found at the [1670]Ba
interesting property that, if the Many Worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics is true, it can sort an arbitrarily large array in constant t
BogoMIPS /bo'go-mips/ n. The number of million times a second a processor can do absolutely nothing. The [1690]Linux OS measures BogoMI
thing, as in "I'd like to go to lunch with you but I've got to go to the weekly staff bogon". 5. A person who is bogus or who
Node:bogon filter, Next:[1705]bogon flux, Previous:[1706]bogon, Up:[1707]= B = bogon filter /boh'gon fil'tr/ n. Any device, s
and John McCarthy's original crew of LISPers. These include verb doubling, soundalike slang, the `-P' convention, overgeneralization,
bogosity /boh-go's*-tee/ n. 1. [orig. CMU, now very common] The degree to which something is [1719]bogus. Bogosity is measured with
become bogotified and you had better not use it any more. This coinage led to the notional `autobogotiphobia' defined as `the fear of beco
bogus program." 3. False. "Your arguments are bogus." 4. Incorrect. "That algorithm is bogus." 5. Unbelievable. "Yo
unlisted [1746]Dr. Fred Mbogo. By the early 1980s `bogus' was also current in something like hacker usage sense in West Coast teen slan
and "Soap"] 1. v. To have sex with; compare [1757]bounce, sense 3. (This is mainstream slang.) In Commonwealth hackish the variant `bon
in this situation. _________________________________________________________________ Node:bondage-and-discipline language, Next:[1769]bonk
that one should acknowledge a bonk by saying `oif!' and there is a myth to the effect that failing to do so upsets the cosmic bonk/oif bal
Since about 1983 this tradition has gotten a boost from the popular O'Reilly and Associates line of technical books, which usually feature
Another variant: `soft boot', reinitialization of only part of a system, under control of other software still running: "If you're
powerful enough to load the actual OS and hand control over to it. _________________________________________________________________ Node:
A standard construction in English is to double a verb and use it as an exclamation, such as "Bang, bang!" or "Quack, quack!&quo
employees, all former members of Routing Geeks, showed up with t-shirts printed with "Recovering Borg". ___________________________
remarkably impressive Turing-test experiments, able to pass as human for as long as ten or fifteen minutes of conversation. 2. An AI-controlled
Node:bottom feeder, Next:[1830]bottom-up implementation, Previous:[1831]bot spot, Up:[1832]= B = bottom feeder n. 1. An Internet use
Hackish opposite of the techspeak term `top-down design'. It has been received wisdom in most programming cultures that it is best to design
Lab building used by the Stanford AI Lab in the 1970s had a volleyball court on the front lawn. From 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. was the scheduled mainten
Reasons might include a nonexistent or misspelled username or a [1854]down relay site. Bounce messages can themselves fail, with occasionally u
box n. 1. A computer; esp. in the construction `foo box' where foo is some functional qualifier, like `graphics', or the name of a
/************************************************* * * This is a boxed comment in C style * *************************************************/ Co
Node:boxology, Next:[1880]bozotic, Previous:[1881]boxen, Up:[1882]= B = boxology /bok-sol'*-jee/ n. Syn. [1883]ASCII art. This ter
BQS /B-Q-S/ adj. Syn. [1893]Berkeley Quality Software. _________________________________________________________________ Node:brai
comp.unix.internals.system.calls.brk.brk.brk sci.physics.edward.teller.boom.boom.boom alt.sadistic.dentists.drill.drill.drill _______
brain fart n. The actual result of a [1903]braino, as opposed to the mental glitch that is the braino itself. E.g., typing dir on a Unix box
_________________________________________________________________ Node:brain-dead, Next:[1911]braino, Previous:[1912]brain-damaged, Up:[19
[IBM: from the location of one of the corporation's facilities] Any unexpected jump in a program that produces catastrophic or just plain
Up:[1930]= B = break 1. vt. To cause to be [1931]broken (in any sense). "Your latest patch to the editor broke the paragraph comma
which the language is sufficiently effective that one can implement the language in itself. That is, for a new language called, hypothetically,
during the reboot process. See also [1943]dickless workstation. The notional `kiss-of-death packet', with a function complementary to t
A measurement of the severity of spam invented by long-time hacker Seth Breidbart, used for programming cancelbots. The Breidbart Index take
bring X to its knees v. [common] To present a machine, operating system, piece of software, or algorithm with a load so extreme or [1956]
_________________________________________________________________ Node:broadcast storm, Next:[1964]brochureware, Previous:[1965]brittle, U
than and inferior to the alternatives that had been available for years. _________________________________________________________________
However, terms like these are often made up on the spur of the moment. Standard examples include: Data General => Dirty Genitals IBM 360
Note: to appreciate this term fully, it helps to know that `broken arrow' is also military jargon for an accident involving nuclear weapon
brackets.) _________________________________________________________________ Node:Brooks's Law, Next:[1991]brown-paper-bag bug, Pre
Node:brown-paper-bag bug, Next:[1999]browser, Previous:[2000]Brooks's Law, Up:[2001]= B = brown-paper-bag bug n. A bug in a public
browser. _________________________________________________________________ Node:BRS, Next:[2005]brute force, Previous:[2006]browser, Up:[2
The [2013]canonical example of a brute-force algorithm is associated with the `traveling salesman problem' (TSP), a classical [2014]NP-ha
programmer time it would take to develop a more `intelligent' algorithm. Additionally, a more intelligent algorithm may imply more long-te
methodologies tends to encourage this sort of thing. Characteristic of early [2023]larval stage programming; unfortunately, many never outgrow
Node:BSOD, Next:[2036]BUAF, Previous:[2037]BSD, Up:[2038]= B = BSOD /B-S-O-D/ Very commmon abbreviation for [2039]Blue Screen of Death
BUAG // n. [abbreviation, from alt.fan.warlord] Big Ugly ASCII Graphic. Pejorative term for ugly [2050]ASCII art, especially as found in [
ignorance, but any use of bogo-sort could issue only from brain damage or willful perversity. _______________________________________________
boolean-valued function). The question should expect a yes/no answer, though it needn't. (See [94]T and [95]NIL.) At dinnertime:
after a prominent portion of his dental anatomy, and this nickname transferred to the bit. Bucky-bit commands were used in a number of editors
area) than it can handle. This problem is commonly exploited by [2073]crackers to get arbitrary commands executed by a program running with roo
Examples: "There's a bug in the editor: it writes things out backwards." "The system crashed because of a hardware bug."
Indeed, the use of `bug' to mean an industrial defect was already established in Thomas Edison's time, and a more specific and rathe
keyers, and it could take some practice to ensure one didn't introduce extraneous dots into the code by holding the key down a fraction too
walking spectre"; this is traced to `bugbear', a Welsh term for a variety of mythological monster which (to complete the circle) has
History of American Technology Museum didn't know this and agreed that it would make a worthwhile exhibit. It was moved to the Smithsonian i
Same as [2095]bug-compatible, with the additional implication that much tedious effort went into ensuring that each (known) bug was replicat
buglix /buhg'liks/ n. [uncommon] Pejorative term referring to [2104]DEC's ULTRIX operating system in its earlier severely buggy ve
Up:[2118]= B = bullschildt /bul'shilt/ n. [comp.lang.c on USENET] A confident, but incorrect, statement about a programming langua
* [6]Introduction: The purpose and scope of this File * [7]A Few Terms: Of Slang, Jargon and Techspeak * [8]Revision History: How the Fil
[One of the best of these is a [96]Gosperism. Once, when we were at a Chinese restaurant, Bill Gosper wanted to know whether someone would like
to improve whatever it was removed from (without changing function; this distinguishes the process from a [2125]featurectomy). 3. n. A small ch
[from Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky"] Like [2135]flame, but connotes that the source is truly clueless and ineffectual (mere fla
burn-in period n. 1. A factory test designed to catch systems with [2145]marginal components before they get out the door; the theory is
_________________________________________________________________ Node:busy-wait, Next:[2154]buzz, Previous:[2155]burst page, Up:[2156]= B
buzz vi. 1. Of a program, to run with no indication of progress and perhaps without guarantee of ever finishing; esp. said of programs thoug
Node:by hand, Next:[2170]byte, Previous:[2171]BWQ, Up:[2172]= B = by hand adv. [common] 1. Said of an operation (especially a repetiti
byte /bi:t/ n. [techspeak] A unit of memory or data equal to the amount used to represent one character; on modern architectures this is
byte sex n. [common] The byte sex of hardware is [2182]big-endian or [2183]little-endian; see those entries. ___________________________
programs, such as Truth or Consequences, where an incorrect answer earns one a blast from the buzzer and condolences from the interlocutor. A w
* [2208]canonical: * [2209]card walloper: * [2210]careware: * [2211]cargo cult programming: * [2212]cascade: * [2213]case and
porous => porosity generous => generosity hackers happily generalize: mysterious => mysteriosity ferrous => fer
* [2232]chawmp: * [2233]check: * [2234]cheerfully: * [2235]chemist: * [2236]Chernobyl chicken: * [2237]Chernobyl packet:
* [2256]clobber: * [2257]clock: * [2258]clocks: * [2259]clone: * [2260]clone-and-hack coding: * [2261]clover key: * [2262
* [2280]comm mode: * [2281]command key: * [2282]comment out: * [2283]Commonwealth Hackish: * [2284]compact: * [2285]compiler
* [2304]control-Q: * [2305]control-S: * [2306]Conway's Law: * [2307]cookbook: * [2308]cooked mode: * [2309]cookie: *
* [2328]cosmic rays: * [2329]cough and die: * [2330]courier: * [2331]cow orker: * [2332]cowboy: * [2333]CP/M: * [2334]CPU
* [2352]creeping elegance: * [2353]creeping featurism: * [2354]creeping featuritis: * [2355]cretin: * [2356]cretinous: * [235
* [2376]cuspy: * [2377]cut a tape: * [2378]cybercrud: * [2379]cyberpunk: * [2380]cyberspace: * [2381]cycle: * [2382]cycle
earlier Algol-derived language, CPL.) Before Bjarne Stroustrup settled the question by designing [2392]C++, there was a humorous debate over wh
68 (or even as much as 70, to allow for future expansion) and recompile. This gives the programmer the comfortable feeling of having made the e
Designed by Bjarne Stroustrup of AT&T Bell Labs as a successor to [2406]C. Now one of the [2407]languages of choice, although many hackers
Also, note that all nouns can be verbed. E.g.: "All nouns can be verbed", "I'll mouse it up", "Hang on while I clip
C = Camel Book n. Universally recognized nickname for the book "Programming Perl", by Larry Wall and Randal L. Schwartz, O&ap
Node:can't happen, Next:[2426]cancelbot, Previous:[2427]can, Up:[2428]= C = can't happen The traditional program comment for
[Usenet: compound, cancel + robot] 1. Mythically, a [2433]robocanceller 2. In reality, most cancelbots are manually operated by being fed lists
By early 1995, others had stepped into the spam-cancel business, and appeared to be comporting themselves well, after the 'Moose's m
[The overtones from the old Chevy Chase skit on Saturday Night Live should not be overlooked. This was a "Jaws" parody. Someone lurking
you can use to decide whether something is in canonical form. The jargon meaning, a relaxation of the technical meaning, acquired its present l
Alongside this usage was the promulgation of `canons' (`rules') for the government of the Catholic Church. The techspeak usages (&quo
card walloper n. An EDP programmer who grinds out batch programs that do stupid things like print people's paychecks. Compare [2453]cod
code or program structures that serve no real purpose. A cargo cult programmer will usually explain the extra code as a way of working around s
compiler with poor error recovery. Too frequently, one trivial syntax error (such as a missing `)' or `}') throws the parser out of syn
win => winnitude, winnage disgust => disgustitude hack => hackification Further, note the prevalence of certain kinds of
rather than thinking carefully about what is required to integrate the code for two similar cases. At [2476]DEC (now Compaq), this is someti
What a [2483]guru does when you ask him or her to run a particular program and type at it because it never works for anyone else; esp. used
cat [from `catenate' via [2492]Unix cat(1)] vt. 1. [techspeak] To spew an entire file to the screen or some other output sink without p
= catatonic adj. Describes a condition of suspended animation in which something is so [2503]wedged or [2504]hung that it makes no resp
incomplete) in the classical assumptions. _________________________________________________________________ Node:cd tilde, Next:[2512]CDA,
with imprisonment anyone who "knowingly" makes accessible to minors any message that "describes, in terms patently offensive as me
cdr /ku'dr/ or /kuh'dr/ vt. [from LISP] To skip past the first item from a list of things (generalized from the LISP operation on
chad /chad/ n. 1. [common] The perforated edge strips on printer paper, after they have been separated from the printed portion. Also called
A metal box about the size of a lunchbox (or in some models a large wastebasket), for collecting the [2535]chad (sense 2) that accumulated i
for one which is of interest to the executing program. The implication is that there is a very large number of links on the chain. __________
The pattern here, as with other hackish grammatical quirks, is generalization of an inflectional rule that in English is either an import or
channel hopping n. [common; IRC, GEnie] To rapidly switch channels on [2550]IRC, or a GEnie chat board, just as a social butterfly might hop
[IRC] See [2559]channel op. _________________________________________________________________ Node:char, Next:[2560]charityware, Previo
chase pointers 1. vi. To go through multiple levels of indirection, as in traversing a linked list or graph structure. Used esp. by programm
FORTH hacks that made the overloading intolerable. For similar reasons, /gaw'bl/ (spelled `gawble' or possibly `gawbul') was in us
Node:cheerfully, Next:[2582]chemist, Previous:[2583]check, Up:[2584]= C = cheerfully adv. See [2585]happily. ___________________
Chernobyl chicken n. See [2594]laser chicken. _________________________________________________________________ Node:Chernobyl packet
[Commodore] The Commodore Business Machines logo, which strongly resembles a poultry part (within Commodore itself the logo was always called `
using them. Customers rejected the idea with almost equal unanimity, and chiclets are not often seen on anything larger than a digital watch an
languages have confirmed that `choad' is in fact an Indian vernacular word equivalent to `fuck'; it is therefore likely to have entered
A hand gesture commonly accompanies this. To perform it, hold the four fingers together and place the thumb against their tips. Now open and
sometimes heard is "Complain!", meaning "I have a complaint!" _____________________________________________________________
Node:CHOP, Next:[2638]Christmas tree, Previous:[2639]chomper, Up:[2640]= C = CHOP /chop/ n. [IRC] See [2641]channel op. ___________
derives from a fanciful image of each little option bit being represented by a different-colored light bulb, all turned on.) Compare [2650]Godz
like crazy." _________________________________________________________________ Node:Church of the SubGenius, Next:[2660]Cinderella Bo
Hopcroft and Jeffrey Ullman, (Addison-Wesley, 1979). So called because the cover depicts a girl (putatively Cinderella) sitting in front of a R
known as `K&R C'. The name came into use while C was being standardized by the ANSI X3J11 committee. Also `C Classic'. An anal
Node:CLM, Next:[2683]clobber, Previous:[2684]clean, Up:[2685]= C = CLM /C-L-M/ [Sun: `Career Limiting Move'] 1. n. An action endange
1. n 1. [techspeak] The master oscillator that steps a CPU or other digital circuit through its paces. This has nothing to do with the time
Node:clone, Next:[2702]clone-and-hack coding, Previous:[2703]clocks, Up:[2704]= C = clone n. 1. An exact duplicate: "Our produc
Node:clone-and-hack coding, Next:[2706]clover key, Previous:[2707]clone, Up:[2708]= C = clone-and-hack coding n. [DEC] Syn. [2709]case
got to hit him with a two-by-four. That's to get his attention." The clue-by-four is a close relative of the [2717]LART. Syn. `clue sti
anything with a really complex behavioral repertoire as `like a person' rather than `like a thing'. At first glance, to anyone who
Co-lo boxes are typically web and FTP servers remote-administered by their owners, who may seldom or never visit the actual site. ___________
boring mindless things on [2732]dinosaur mainframes. Hackers believe that all COBOL programmers are [2733]suits or [2734]code grinders, and no
Node:cobweb site, Next:[2741]code, Previous:[2742]COBOL fingers, Up:[2743]= C = cobweb site n. A World Wide Web Site that hasn't b
code grinder n. 1. A [2753]suit-wearing minion of the sort hired in legion strength by banks and insurance companies to implement payroll
1. A person only capable of grinding out code, but unable to perform the higher-primate tasks of software architecture, analysis, and design. M
Gestapo-like storm troopers that might burst into one's office and arrest one for violating programming style rules. May be used either se
A program component that traverses other programs for a living. Compilers have codewalkers in their front ends; so do cross-reference genera
of liking a movie for its silliness factor. Quotient tends to imply that the property is a ratio of two opposing factors: "I would have wo
cokebottle /kohk'bot-l/ n. Any very unusual character, particularly one you can't type because it isn't on your keyboard. MIT
_________________________________________________________________ Node:COME FROM, Next:[2794]comm mode, Previous:[2795]cold boot, Up:[2796
Hackers tend to take this a step further and argue that the difference between a substrate of CHON atoms and water and a substrate of silicon a
continues at the statement following the DO. Some generous FORTRANs would allow arbitrary statements (other than CONTINUE) for the statement, l
COME FROM was supported under its own name for the first time 15 years later, in C-INTERCAL (see [2802]INTERCAL, [2803]retrocomputing); knowled
comment out vt. To surround a section of code with comment delimiters or to prefix every line in the section with a comment marker; this
/sohsh wib'l/). Preferred [2821]metasyntactic variables include [2822]blurgle, eek, ook, frodo, and bilbo; [2823]wibble, wobble, and in
[2833]grunge, [2834]hakspek, [2835]heavy metal, [2836]leaky heap, [2837]lord high fixer, [2838]loose bytes, [2839]muddie, [2840]nadger, [2841]n
non-compact through accreting [2877]features and [2878]cruft that don't merge cleanly into the overall design scheme (thus, some fans of [
compos, quick [2890]demo compos (build a demo within 4 hours for example), etc. _____________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________ Node:computer confetti, Next:[2901]computer geek, Previous:[2902]Compu$e
Cannot be used by outsiders without implied insult to all hackers; compare black-on-black vs. white-on-black usage of `nigger'. A computer
like a crop yield or diesel horsepower. See [2921]bitty box, [2922]Get a real computer!, [2923]toy, [2924]crank. 2. A mythical subatomic partic
intentional stance. _________________________________________________________________ Node:Comparatives, Previous:[113]Anthropomorphizatio
con n. [from SF fandom] A science-fiction convention. Not used of other sorts of conventions, such as professional meetings. This term, unli
condom n. 1. The protective plastic bag that accompanies 3.5-inch microfloppy diskettes. Rarely, also used of (paper) disk envelopes. Unlike
Common soundalike slang for `computer'. Usually encountered in compounds such as `confuser room', `personal confuser', `confuse
(A closely related phenomenon, with a slightly different intent, is the habit manufacturers have of inventing new screw heads so that only D
In LISP itself, cons is the most fundamental operation for building structures. It takes any two objects and returns a `dot-pair' or tw
papers and parodies have borne titles of the form "X considered Y". The structured-programming wars eventually blew over with the rea
Node:console jockey, Next:[2965]content-free, Previous:[2966]console, Up:[2967]= C = console jockey n. See [2968]terminal junkie. _
Node:control-C, Next:[2974]control-O, Previous:[2975]content-free, Up:[2976]= C = control-C vi. 1. "Stop whatever you are doing
Node:control-Q, Next:[2981]control-S, Previous:[2982]control-O, Up:[2983]= C = control-Q vi. "Resume." From the ASCII DC1 or
Up:[2992]= C = Conway's Law prov. The rule that the organization of the software and the organization of the software team will be
rare in the U.S.) and may change places with `flaky' for some speakers. Coinages for describing [115]lossage seem to call forth the ver
Up:[2997]= C = cookbook n. [from amateur electronics and radio] A book of small code segments that the reader can use to do various [29
driver. Oppose [3007]raw mode, [3008]rare mode. This term is techspeak under Unix but jargon elsewhere; other operating systems often have simi
Up:[3016]= C = cookie bear n. obs. Original term, pre-Sesame-Street, for what is now universally called a [3017]cookie monster. A corre
from various sources including this lexicon. _________________________________________________________________ Node:cookie jar, Next:[3022
[3034]mainframe), repeatedly demanding "I WANT A COOKIE". The required responses ranged in complexity from "COOKIE" through &
_________________________________________________________________ Node:copper, Next:[3044]copy protection, Previous:[3045]copious free tim
copybroke /kop'ee-brohk/ adj. 1. [play on `copyright'] Used to describe an instance of a copy-protected program that has been `bro
Node:copyleft, Next:[3059]copyparty, Previous:[3060]copycenter, Up:[3061]= C = copyleft /kop'ee-left/ n. [play on `copyright&ap
Node:copywronged, Next:[3070]core, Previous:[3071]copyparty, Up:[3072]= C = copywronged /kop'ee-rongd/ adj. [play on `copyright
Node:core cancer, Next:[3079]core dump, Previous:[3080]core, Up:[3081]= C = core cancer n. [rare] A process that exhibits a slow but in
subcultures of computer hackers. Though some technical material is included for background and flavor, it is not a technical dictionary; what w
common (similarly, a hacker would be likely to write "Excuse me, I'm cixelsyd today", rather than "I'm dyslexic today&qu
lecture or answer to an exam question. "Short, concise answers are better than core dumps" (from the instructions to an exam at Colum
1960s (Dennis Ritchie is sometimes incorrectly cited as a co-author, but was not involved). Their original game was called `Darwin' and ran
[3110]handwave away any minor [3111]randomness that doesn't seem worth the bother of investigating. "Hey, Eric -- I just got a burst of
these hits. _________________________________________________________________ Node:cough and die, Next:[3115]courier, Previous:[3116]cosmi
culture. See also [3128]warez d00dz, [3129]cracker, [3130]elite. _________________________________________________________________ Node:co
Node:CP/M, Next:[3145]CPU Wars, Previous:[3146]cowboy, Up:[3147]= C = CP/M /C-P-M/ n. [Control Program/Monitor; later [3148]retconned
conquer and destroy the peaceful denizens of HEC (Human Engineered Computers). This rather transparent allegory featured many references to [31
scheme than to actually copy the program. 3. n. A program, instructions or patch used to remove the copy protection of a program or to uncrippl
Use of both these neologisms reflects a strong revulsion against the theft and vandalism perpetrated by cracking rings. While it is expected
_________________________________________________________________ Node:cracking, Next:[3183]crank, Previous:[3184]cracker, Up:[3185]= C =
Then delete a line from the file by typing "dd." but that would be very bad -- because the reader would be prone to type the s
_________________________________________________________________ Node:crapplet, Next:[3190]CrApTeX, Previous:[3191]crank, Up:[3192]= C =
_________________________________________________________________ Node:crash, Next:[3199]crash and burn, Previous:[3200]CrApTeX, Up:[3201]
Up:[3210]= C = crash and burn vi.,n. A spectacular crash, in the mode of the conclusion of the car-chase scene in the movie "Bulli
we code new stuff in C, but they pay us to maintain one big FORTRAN II application from nineteen-sixty-X that's a real crawling horror...&q
1. A shortcoming of a program or algorithm that manifests itself only when a large problem is being run on a powerful machine (see [3227]cra
crayola books n. The [3235]rainbow series of National Computer Security Center (NCSC) computer security standards (see [3236]Orange Book). U
Node:creationism, Next:[3242]creep, Previous:[3243]crayon, Up:[3244]= C = creationism n. The (false) belief that large, innovative soft
low-budget monster movies. _________________________________________________________________ Node:creeping elegance, Next:[3249]creeping f
Unix has always been creeping featurism." 2. More generally, the tendency for anything complicated to become even more complicated because
means `condition' or `pursuit of', whereas -itis usually means `inflammation of'.) ___________________________________________
was a personal quirk of mine until I checked with Usenet --ESR]. One further permutation that is definitely not standard is a hackish tendency
[3281]losing, [3282]brain-damaged. _________________________________________________________________ Node:crippleware, Next:[3283]critical
Node:critical mass, Next:[3289]crlf, Previous:[3290]crippleware, Up:[3291]= C = critical mass n. In physics, the minimum amount of f
influence this usage has become less common (Unix uses a bare line feed as its `CRLF'). ________________________________________________
Node:cross-post, Next:[3307]crossload, Previous:[3308]crock, Up:[3309]= C = cross-post vi. [Usenet; very common] To post a single ar
appropriate for ananonymized networks like Gnutella and Freenet. _________________________________________________________________ Node:cr
something normally (and better) done by a compiler (see [3325]hand-hacking). 4. n. Excess; superfluous junk; used esp. of redundant or supersed
[from [3337]cruft] The antithesis of craftsmanship. _________________________________________________________________ Node:crufty, Next:[3
have been the physics department's radar lab during WWII. To this day (early 1993) the windows appear to be full of random techno-junk. MIT
complicated scheme that produces bit configurations completely unrelated to the original data, such as by a Huffman code. (The file ends up loo
Node:CTSS, Next:[3364]cube, Previous:[3365]cryppie, Up:[3366]= C = CTSS /C-T-S-S/ n. Compatible Time-Sharing System. An early (1963) e
notable in this respect that other hackish inventions (for example, in vocabulary) also tend to carry very precise shades of meaning even when
cubing vi. [parallel with `tubing'] 1. Hacking on an IPSC (Intel Personal SuperComputer) hypercube. "Louella's gone cubing
Up:[3382]= C = cursor dipped in X n. There are a couple of metaphors in English of the form `pen dipped in X' (perhaps the most co
Node:cut a tape, Next:[3389]cybercrud, Previous:[3390]cuspy, Up:[3391]= C = cut a tape vi. To write a software or document distribut
Node:cybercrud, Next:[3392]cyberpunk, Previous:[3393]cut a tape, Up:[3394]= C = cybercrud /si:'ber-kruhd/ n. 1. [coined by Ted Nel
"Neuromancer" (though its roots go back through Vernor Vinge's "True Names" (see the [3399]Bibliography in Appendix C) t
Up:[3406]= C = cyberspace /si:'br-spays`/ n. 1. Notional `information-space' loaded with visual cues and navigable with brain
silver, and the imagery often involves constellations of marching dots, elaborate shifting patterns of lines and angles, or moire patterns.
was big. Knew I'd burn too many cycles on it if I let myself." 3. vt. Syn. [3418]bounce (sense 4), [3419]120 reset; from the phrase `cy
Previous:[3425]cycle crunch, Up:[3426]= C = cycle drought n. A scarcity of cycles. It may be due to a [3427]cycle crunch, but it could
A powerful machine that exists primarily for running large compute-, disk-, or memory-intensive jobs (more formally called a `compute server&ap
by "=hell=", "\hell/", or "/hell/" are occasionally seen (it's claimed that in the last example the first slas
[Usenet] Coffee through Nose to Keyboard; that is, "I laughed so hard I [3446]snarfed my coffee onto my keyboard.". Common on alt.
* [3462]day mode: * [3463]dd: * [3464]DDT: * [3465]de-rezz: * [3466]dead: * [3467]dead beef attack: * [3468]dead code:
* [3486]defined as: * [3487]dehose: * [3488]deletia: * [3489]deliminator: * [3490]delint: * [3491]delta: * [3492]demented
* [3510]/dev/null: * [3511]dickless workstation: * [3512]dictionary flame: * [3513]diddle: * [3514]die: * [3515]die horribly:
* [3534]distro: * [3535]disusered: * [3536]do protocol: * [3537]doc: * [3538]documentation: * [3539]dodgy: * [3540]dogcow
* [3558]DPer: * [3559]Dr. Fred Mbogo: * [3560]dragon: * [3561]Dragon Book: * [3562]drain: * [3563]dread high-bit disease:
* [3582]dumpster diving: * [3583]dup killer: * [3584]dup loop: * [3585]dusty deck: * [3586]DWIM: * [3587]dynner: ________
[from the mythological meaning, later rationalized as the acronym `Disk And Execution MONitor'] A program that is not invoked explicitly,
Node:daemon book, Next:[3602]dahmum, Previous:[3603]daemon, Up:[3604]= D = daemon book n. "The Design and Implementation of the 4.
those about operating systems, is composed. Homeomorphic to [3612]spam. The term `dahmum' is derived from the name of a militant [3613]OS/
for some [124]random member of a larger class (this is straight from [125]BNF). Examples like the following are common:So this <ethnic> wal
[common] A reference that doesn't actually lead anywhere (in C and some other languages, a pointer that doesn't actually point at any
A magazine that many hackers assume all [3631]suits read. Used to question an unbelieved quote, as in "Did you read that in `Datamation
(stupidest imaginable user). From the engineering-slang GAU for Grösster Anzunehmender Unfall, worst assumable accident, esp. of a LNG tank far
See [3651]phase (sense 1). Used of people only. _________________________________________________________________ Node:dd, Next:[3652]DDT,
DDT /D-D-T/ n. [from the insecticide para-dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethene] 1. Generic term for a program that assists in debugging other p
dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (C14-H9-Cl5) should be minimal since each attacks a different, and apparently mutually exclusive, class
Occasionally used of a person who seems to have suddenly `fuzzed out' mentally rather than physically. Usage: extremely silly, also rare.
dead beef attack n. [cypherpunks list, 1996] An attack on a public-key cryptosystem consisting of publishing a key having the same ID as
think about what it means. (Sometimes it simply means that an extremely defensive programmer has inserted [3686]can't happen tests which r
(decimal -21524111) under a number of IBM environments, including the RS/6000. Some modern debugging tools deliberately fill freed memory with
line-based chat systems.I've seen that term used on alt.foobar often.Send it to Erik for the File.Oops...s/Erik/Eric/. The s/Erik/Eric/ says
`constipation', in which each process is trying to send stuff to the other but all buffers are full because nobody is reading anything.) S
A routine whose job is to set everything in the computer -- registers, memory, flags, everything -- to zero, including that portion of memory w
analogy with [3717]Death Star, because many people believed Novell was bungling the lead in Unix systems exactly as AT&T did for many years.
DEC /dek/ n. 1. v. Verbal (and only rarely written) shorthand for decrement, i.e. `decrease by one'. Especially used by assembly pro
hackers too young to have grown up on DEC machines. DEC reclaimed some of its old reputation among techies in the first half of the 1990s. T
decay n.,vi [from nuclear physics] An automatic conversion which is applied to most array-valued expressions in [3741]C; they `decay into
DED /D-E-D/ n. Dark-Emitting Diode (that is, a burned-out LED). Compare [3751]SED, [3752]LER, [3753]write-only memory. In the early 1970s bo
one that could only have been composed by a true [3763]wizard. Compiler optimization techniques and many aspects of [3764]OS design used to be
Node:defenestration, Next:[3777]defined as, Previous:[3778]deep space, Up:[3779]= D = defenestration n. [mythically from a traditional
In the role of, usually in an organization-chart sense. "Pete is currently defined as bug prioritizer." Compare [3783]logical. _
In on-line exchanges, hackers tend to use decimal forms or improper fractions (`3.5' or `7/2') rather than `typewriter style' mixe
Node:deliminator, Next:[3791]delint, Previous:[3792]deletia, Up:[3793]= D = deliminator /de-lim'-in-ay-t*r/ n. [portmanteau, delim
Node:delta, Next:[3798]demented, Previous:[3799]delint, Up:[3800]= D = delta n. 1. [techspeak] A quantitative change, especially a small
Node:demented, Next:[3809]demigod, Previous:[3810]delta, Up:[3811]= D = demented adj. Yet another term of disgust used to describe a ma
[3821]Perl), Linus Torvalds (inventor of [3822]Linux), and most recently James Gosling (inventor of Java, [3823]NeWS, and [3824]GOSMACS) and Gu
at little or no cost to the user for enticement purposes. 4. [[3832]demoscene] A sequence of [3833]demoeffects (usually) combined with self-com
Node:demoeffect, Next:[3845]demogroup, Previous:[3846]demo mode, Up:[3847]= D = demoeffect n. [[3848]demoscene] What among hackers is c
graphicians (the ones who painstakingly pixelate the fine art), musicians (the music composers), [3856]sysops, traders/swappers (the ones who d
demons. Whenever a new piece of knowledge was added, various demons would activate (which demons depends on the particular piece of data) and w
Up:[3872]= D = demoparty n. [[3873]demoscene] Aboveground descendant of the [3874]copyparty, with emphasis shifted away from software p
often added an advertisement of in the beginning, usually containing colorful [3880]display hacks with greetings to other cracking groups. The
A related practice borrows syntax from preferred programming languages to express ideas in a natural-language text. For example, one might s
this, but the majority think it's a good direction. Many demosceneers end up working in the computer game industry. Demoscene resource pages
[by (faulty) analogy with `decapitate'] Humorously, to cut off the feet of. When one is using some computer-aided typesetting tools, carel
Node:derf, Next:[3904]deserves to lose, Previous:[3905]deprecated, Up:[3906]= D = derf /derf/ v.,n. [PLATO] The act of exploiting a
[3914]lose!" ([3915]ITS fans used to say the same thing of [3916]Unix; many still do.) See also [3917]screw, [3918]chomp, [3919]bagbiter.
Node:Devil Book, Next:[3931]/dev/null, Previous:[3932]despew, Up:[3933]= D = Devil Book n. See [3934]daemon book, the term preferred
Extremely pejorative hackerism for `diskless workstation', a class of botches including the Sun 3/50 and other machines designed exclusiv
diddle 1. vt. To work with or modify in a not particularly serious manner. "I diddled a copy of [3951]ADVENT so it didn't doubl
The software equivalent of [3967]crash and burn, and the preferred emphatic form of [3968]die. "The converter choked on an FF in its input
An employee of Digital Equipment Corporation. See also [3979]VAX, [3980]VMS, [3981]PDP-10, [3982]TOPS-10, [3983]field circus. ____________
Dilbert n. Name and title character of a comic strip nationally syndicated in the U.S. and enormously popular among hackers. Dilbert is an
#include <disclaimer.h>-- == Frank Foonly (Fubarco Systems) In the above, the #ifdef/#endif pair is a conditional compilation
authority gives you a minor bitching about something, esp. something trivial. "I was dinged for having a messy desk." _____________
microprocessor-based machines. In a famous quote from the 1988 Unix EXPO, Bill Joy compared the liquid-cooled mainframe in the massive IBM disp
reflects a perception by hackers that these signal another stage in the long, slow dying of the [4020]mainframe industry. In its glory days of
scope of PARC's contributions to computer science have been such that this superior attitude is not much resented. --ESR] ______________
article reflects its author's opinions and not necessarily those of the organization running the machine through which the article entered
Node:disk farm, Next:[4039]display hack, Previous:[4040]Discordianism, Up:[4041]= D = disk farm n. (also [4042]laundromat) A large room
[4051]psychedelicware. _________________________________________________________________ Node:dispress, Next:[4052]Dissociated Press, Prev
the original text of the last N words (or letters) already printed and then prints the next word or letter. [4060]EMACS has a handy command for
`travesty generators' have been employed with considerable satirical effect to the utterances of Usenet flamers; see [4063]pseudo. _____
Synonym for [4075]distribution, sense 1. _________________________________________________________________ Node:disusered, Next:[4076]do p
in the slang of jazz musicians and some kinds of fine artists but hard to detect in most technical or scientific cultures; parts of it are code
You seem well-suited for a career in government.</flame> Another recent (late 1990s) construction now common on USENET seems to be borrowed
ask for the check, calculate the tip and everybody's share, collect money from everybody, generate change as necessary, and pay the bill.
on-line. A common comment on this predilection is "You can't [4091]grep dead trees". See [4092]drool-proof paper, [4093]verbiage,
[4103]rot13 is involved. A dogcow also appears if you choose `Page Setup...' with a LaserWriter selected and click on the `Options' b
= dogpile v. [Usenet: prob. fr. mainstream "puppy pile"] When many people post unfriendly responses in short order to a singl
from more serious work. 2. v. To engage in such a project. Many games and much [4114]freeware get written this way. _________________________
[4122]bang paths. These senses are now (1996) obsolete, as effectively all sites have converted. ____________________________________________
then!, Up:[4129]= D = dongle /dong'gl/ n. 1. [now obs.] A security or [4130]copy protection device for proprietary software consis
1999 and is now dominant. Laptop owners curse these things because they're notoriously easy to lose and the vendors commonly charge extort
Node:donuts, Next:[4138]doorstop, Previous:[4139]dongle-disk, Up:[4140]= D = donuts n. obs. A collective noun for any set of memory
Node:DoS attack, Next:[4146]dot file, Previous:[4147]doorstop, Up:[4148]= D = DoS attack // [Usenet,common; note that it's unrelat
communication have shown that electronic links have a de-inhibiting effect on people. Deprived of the body-language cues through which emotiona
creating the appropriate file in the current or home directory. (Therefore, dot files tend to [4154]creep -- with every nontrivial application
from the home position on the keyboard. It was half-seriously suggested that the extra shifting keys be implemented as pedals; typing on such a
Bits four: Double double bucky! Double bucky, left and right OR'd together, outta sight!
experience in electronic communication. See [4171]B1FF, [4172]pseudo. _________________________________________________________________ No
Node:download, Next:[4181]DP, Previous:[4182]down, Up:[4183]= D = download vt. To transfer data or (esp.) code from a far-away system (es
Node:DPB, Next:[4191]DPer, Previous:[4192]DP, Up:[4193]= D = DPB /d*-pib'/ vt. [from the PDP-10 instruction set] To plop somethin
Node:Dr. Fred Mbogo, Next:[4199]dragon, Previous:[4200]DPer, Up:[4201]= D = Dr. Fred Mbogo /*m-boh'goh, dok'tr fred/ n. [Stan
invoked at all, but is instead used by the system to perform various secondary tasks. A typical example would be an accounting program, which k
V. Aho and Jeffrey D. Ullman; Addison-Wesley, 1977; ISBN 0-201-00022-9), was the `Green Dragon Book' (1977). (Also `New Dragon Book',
(including ASR-33 teletypes and PRIME minicomputers) that results in all characters having their high (0x80) bit forced on. This of course make
Node:Email Quotes, Next:[129]Hacker Speech Style, Previous:[130]Hacker Writing Style, Up:[131]Top Email Quotes and Inclusion Conventions O
up as questionmarks. The usual culprit is the misnamed `smart quotes' feature in Microsoft Word. For more details (and a program called `d
gets commands and dispatches them for execution. 2. [techspeak] In `device driver', code designed to handle a particular peripheral device
broken; an "It's not my job, man" attitude. Typical droid positions include supermarket checkout assistant and bank clerk; th
knowledge about the products they sell, yet possessed of the conviction that they are more competent than their hacker customers. Usage: "
drop on the floor vt. To react to an error condition by silently discarding messages or other valuable data. "The gateway ran out of
drop-outs n. 1. A variety of `power glitch' (see [4267]glitch); momentary 0 voltage on the electrical mains. 2. Missing characters in t
drum adj, n. Ancient techspeak term referring to slow, cylindrical magnetic media that were once state-of-the-art storage devices. Under
(isopropyl alcohol) at their desks. When the steel ball on the mouse had picked up enough [4283]cruft to be unreliable, the mouse was doused in
The most dramatic use yet seen of [4290]fall through in C, invented by Tom Duff when he was at Lucasfilm. Trying to [4291]bum all the instructi
controversial single feature; Duff observed that "This code forms some sort of argument in that debate, but I'm not sure whether it&apo
used to quote lines starting with "From" in text, so they wouldn't look like the beginnings of new message headers). Inclusions wi
Node:dumbass attack, Next:[4299]dumbed down, Previous:[4300]dumb terminal, Up:[4301]= D = dumbass attack /duhm'as *-tak'/ n.
Up:[4311]= D = dump n. 1. An undigested and voluminous mass of information about a problem or the state of a system, especially one rou
what is elsewhere called a `skip'). Back in AT&T's monopoly days, before paper shredders became common office equipment, phone phre
Node:dup loop, Next:[4324]dusty deck, Previous:[4325]dup killer, Up:[4326]= D = dup loop /d[y]oop loop/ (also `dupe loop') n. [Fid
card-punch days. Used esp. when referring to old scientific and [4334]number-crunching software, much of which was written in FORTRAN and very
Some victims of DWIM thus claimed that the acronym stood for `Damn Warren's Infernal Machine!'. In one notorious incident, Warren
_________________________________________________________________ Node:dynner, Next:[4344]earthquake, Previous:[4345]DWIM, Up:[4346]= D =
* [4363]ed: * [4364]egosurf: * [4365]eighty-column mind: * [4366]El Camino Bignum: * [4367]elder days: * [4368]elegant: *
* [4387]epsilon: * [4388]epsilon squared: * [4389]era the: * [4390]Eric Conspiracy: * [4391]Eris: * [4392]erotics: * [439
_________________________________________________________________ Node:earthquake, Next:[4411]Easter egg, Previous:[4412]dynner, Up:[4413]
quoted and thus pull the message below the rejection threshold. Because the default mailers supplied with Unix and other operating systems h
credits. One well-known early Easter egg found in a couple of OSes caused them to respond to the command make love with not war?. Many personal
A construction popularized among hackers by the infamous [4426]CPU Wars comic; supposedly derive from a famously turgid line in a WWII-era a
card code in the early 1960s and promulgated it as a customer-control tactic (see [4433]connector conspiracy), spurning the already established
Node:ed, Next:[4447]egosurf, Previous:[4448]ECP, Up:[4449]= E = ed n. "ed is the standard text editor." Line taken from orig
_________________________________________________________________ Node:eighty-column mind, Next:[4457]El Camino Bignum, Previous:[4458]ego
walloper. A copy of "The Last Bug" lives on the the GNU site at [4465]http://www.gnu.org/fun/jokes/last.bug.html. _________________
When a hacker from MIT visited Stanford in 1976, he remarked what a long road El Camino Real was. Making a pun on `real', he started calli
been rather consciously adopted from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy epic "The Lord of the Rings". Compare [4477]Iron Age; see also [44
elephantine adj. Used of programs or systems that are both conspicuous [4487]hogs (owing perhaps to poor design founded on [4488]brute fo
the canonical example of a really stupid, memory-limited computation environment. "You can't require printf(3) to be part of the defaul
Thanks to poor design of some PC-based mail agents, one will occasionally see the entire quoted message after the response, like this respo
A true hacker would be more likely to use `wizardly'. Oppose [4502]lamer. ______________________________________________________________
a [4506]Good Thing when writing a programming language, but it can blind you to serious shortcomings when analyzing an Artificial Intelligence
called `Böcklin', an art-Noveau display font. _________________________________________________________________ Node:EMACS, Next:[451
Some EMACS versions running under window managers iconify as an overflowing kitchen sink, perhaps to suggest the one feature the editor does no
open work". A use from 1480 is given. The word is probably derived from French `émaillé' (enameled) and related to Old French `emmail
by [4540]newbies), resulting in arguments and [4541]flame wars. Hundreds of emoticons have been proposed, but only a few are in common use.
also [4543]bixie. On [4544]Usenet, `smiley' is often used as a generic term synonymous with [4545]emoticon, as well as specifically for the
empire n. Any of a family of military simulations derived from a game written by Peter Langston many years ago. A number of multi-player
engine n. 1. A piece of hardware that encapsulates some function but can't be used without some kind of [4560]front end. Today we have,
from it by a compiler. The idea behind the term is that to a real hacker, a program written in his favorite programming language is at least as
authoritative sources such as standards documents; the intended allusion is to the root prompt (the special Unix command prompt issued when one
Node:ENQ, Next:[4573]EOF, Previous:[4574]enhancement, Up:[4575]= E = ENQ /enkw/ or /enk/ [from the ASCII mnemonic ENQuire for 0000101] An
terminal driver into an end-of-file condition. 3. Used by extension in non-computer contexts when a human is doing something that can be modele
ASCII from the days when it was associated more with wire-service teletypes than computers (e.g., FS, GS, RS, US, EM, SUB, ETX, and esp. EOT).
increase by then. See also [4603]wall time. Microsoft Windows, on the other hand, has an epoch problem every 49.7 days - but this is seldom not
epsilon squared n. A quantity even smaller than [4612]epsilon, as small in comparison to epsilon as epsilon is to something normal; complete
Eric Conspiracy n. A shadowy group of mustachioed hackers named Eric first pinpointed as a sinister conspiracy by an infamous talk.bizarre p
original, she was reinvented as a more benign personification of creative anarchy starting in 1959 by the adherents of [4630]Discordianism and
_________________________________________________________________ Node:eurodemo, Next:[4639]evil, Previous:[4640]error 33, Up:[4641]= E =
can be pretty evil if you're prone to typos." Often pronounced with the first syllable lengthened, as /eeee'vil/. Compare [4651]ev
Evil Empire n. [from Ronald Reagan's famous characterization of the communist Soviet Union] Formerly [4660]IBM, now [4661]Microsoft. Fu
It has been observed that many hackers are confused by negative questions -- or, at least, that the people to whom they are talking are often c
The process of [4671]grovelling through a [4672]core dump or hex image in an attempt to discover the bug that brought a program or system down.
Abbreviation for `exclamation point'. See [4684]bang, [4685]shriek, [4686]ASCII. ____________________________________________________
systems. 3. At IBM and VM/CMS shops, the equivalent of a shell command file (among VM/CMS users). The mainstream `exec' as an abbreviat
A generic obscenity that quickly entered wide use on the Internet and Usenet after [4703]Black Thursday. From the last name of Senator James
over the network. The [4712]Ping O' Death is a famous exploit. 2. More grammatically, a program that exploits an exploit in sense 1, ___
also told this term is mainstream slang for soft pornography, but that sense does not appear to be live among hackers. ______________________
* [4736]fall through: * [4737]fan: * [4738]fandango on core: * [4739]FAQ: * [4740]FAQ list: * [4741]FAQL: * [4742]faradiz
* [4760]feeping creaturism: * [4761]feetch feetch: * [4762]fence: * [4763]fencepost error: * [4764]fiber-seeking backhoe: * [
* [4784]firewall code: * [4785]firewall machine: * [4786]fireworks mode: * [4787]firmware: * [4788]firmy: * [4789]fish: *
* [4808]flat-file: * [4809]flatten: * [4810]flavor: * [4811]flavorful: * [4812]flippy: * [4813]flood: * [4814]flowchart:
disturb them. In a related vein, hackers sometimes make a game of answering questions containing logical connectives with a strictly literal
* [4832]footprint: * [4833]for free: * [4834]for the rest of us: * [4835]for values of: * [4836]fora: * [4837]foreground:
* [4856]friode: * [4857]fritterware: * [4858]frob: * [4859]frobnicate: * [4860]frobnitz: * [4861]frog: * [4862]frogging:
* [4880]Full Monty: * [4881]fum: * [4882]functino: * [4883]funky: * [4884]funny money: * [4885]furrfu: * [4886]fuzzball:
See [4893]coefficient of X. _________________________________________________________________ Node:fairings, Next:[4894]fall over, Previou
Node:fall through, Next:[4903]fan, Previous:[4904]fall over, Up:[4905]= F = fall through v. (n. `fallthrough', var. `fall-throu
do_red(); break;default: do_blue(); break;} The variant spelling /* FALL THRU */ is also common. The effect of the above code is to do
Without qualification, indicates a fan of science fiction, especially one who goes to [4911]cons and tends to hang out with other fans. Many ha
_________________________________________________________________ Node:FAQ, Next:[4924]FAQ list, Previous:[4925]fandango on core, Up:[4926
_________________________________________________________________ Node:FAQL, Next:[4931]faradize, Previous:[4932]FAQ list, Up:[4933]= F =
farkled /far'kld/ adj. [DeVry Institute of Technology, Atlanta] Syn. [4941]hosed. Poss. owes something to Yiddish `farblondjet' an
intended to describe some variations in hacker usage as reported in the English spoken in Great Britain and the Commonwealth (Canada, Australia
fascist adj. 1. [common] Said of a computer system with excessive or annoying security barriers, usage limits, or access policies. The im
the big generators with a pair of coil taps located near the top of the dynamo. When the normal tap brushes get dirty, they take them off line
Node:faulty, Next:[4961]fd leak, Previous:[4962]fat-finger, Up:[4963]= F = faulty adj. Non-functional; buggy. Same denotation as [49
[from Hunter S. Thompson] A state inspired by the prospect of dealing with certain real-world systems and standards that are totally [4974]b
format function is the ability to print numbers in two different Roman-numeral formats (see [4985]bells whistles and gongs). 5. A property or b
A: "Oh. Then it's a misfeature; they should have increased the spacing between rows here." B: "Yes. But if they'd i
[poss. fr. slang `creature feature' for a horror movie] 1. One who loves to add features to designs or programs, perhaps at the expense
`beanie' (an apparent reference to the major feature of a propeller beanie), [5006]splat, `open-apple' or (officially, in Mac documen
antiquity. _________________________________________________________________ Node:feature shock, Next:[5007]featurectomy, Previous:[5008]f
featurectomies are performed to satisfy some external constraint such as code size or execution speed. ______________________________________
game to be played for conscious pleasure. Their inventions thus display an almost unique combination of the neotenous enjoyment of language-pla
European hackers report that this happens partly because the English terms make finer distinctions than are available in their native vocabular
Node:feeper, Next:[5020]feeping creature, Previous:[5021]feep, Up:[5022]= F = feeper /fee'pr/ n. The device in a terminal or wo
A deliberate spoonerism for [5032]creeping featurism, meant to imply that the system or program in question has become a misshapen creature
Node:fence, Next:[5036]fencepost error, Previous:[5037]feetch feetch, Up:[5038]= F = fence n. 1. A sequence of one or more distinguishe
_________________________________________________________________ Node:fencepost error, Next:[5041]fiber-seeking backhoe, Previous:[5042]f
binary tree or hash table implementation. (The error here involves the difference between expected and worst case behaviors of an algorithm.)
cheap Internet access probably means its days are numbered. In early 1999 Fidonet has approximately 30,000 nodes, down from 38K in 1996. ____
There is also the `Field Circus Cheer' (from the old [5058]plan file for DEC on MIT-AI):Maynard! Maynard!Don't mess with us!We'
Fight-o-net n. [FidoNet] Deliberate distortion of [5067]FidoNet, often applied after a flurry of [5068]flamage in a particular [5069]echo
system automatically dials another and [5079]snarfs one or more files. Often abbreviated `FReq'; files are often announced as being "
sung late at night at SF conventions. There is a flourishing subgenre of these called `computer filks', written by hackers and often conta
typically have neither significant programming ability, nor Internet expertise, nor experience with UNIX or other true multi-user systems). The
doing the fixing rather than responding to questions, the answers to which will appear on the normal "11:00 news", if people will just
The generalized or `folk' version of [5106]Murphy's Law, fully named "Finagle's Law of Dynamic Negatives" and usually
Node:finger, Next:[5113]finger trouble, Previous:[5114]fine, Up:[5115]= F = finger [WAITS, via BSD Unix] 1. n. A program that displays
surprisingly common among hackers, given the amount of time they spend at keyboards). "I keep putting colons at the end of statements instea
from the `Finn' character in William Gibson's seminal cyberpunk novel "Count Zero", who at one point says to another (much yo
An opposite of hacking. "Been hacking your new newsreader?" "No, a power glitch hosed the network and I spent the whole afternoon
firewall code n. 1. The code you put in a system (say, a telephone switch) to make sure that the users can't do any damage. Since us
inexpensive micro-based Unix box kept clean of critical data, with a bunch of modems and public network ports on it but just one carefully watc
separately this was quite a spectacular effect. _________________________________________________________________ Node:firmware, Next:[515
_________________________________________________________________ Node:fish, Next:[5165]FISH queue, Previous:[5166]firmy, Up:[5167]= F =
TIME. These traits are similar to those of [147]B1FF, who originated as a parody of naive [148]BBS users; also of his latter-day equ
Node:FITNR, Next:[5173]fix, Previous:[5174]FISH queue, Up:[5175]= F = FITNR // adj. [Thinking Machines, Inc.] Fixed In The Next Release.
Compare [5183]XXX. _________________________________________________________________ Node:flag, Next:[5184]flag day, Previous:[5185]FIXME,
to do with the use of the word [5193]flag to mean a variable that has two values. It came into use when a massive change was made to the [5194]
Node:flamage, Next:[5202]flame, Previous:[5203]flaky, Up:[5204]= F = flamage /flay'm*j/ n. [very common] Flaming verbiage, esp. h
or "Stop all that flamage!" to try to get them to cool down (so to speak). The term may have been independently invented at severa
flame bait n. [common] A posting intended to trigger a [5215]flame war, or one that invites flames in reply. See also [5216]troll. _____
Node:flamer, Next:[5227]flap, Previous:[5228]flame war, Up:[5229]= F = flamer n. [common] One who habitually [5230]flames. Said esp. o
Node:flarp, Next:[5236]flash crowd, Previous:[5237]flap, Up:[5238]= F = flarp /flarp/ n. [Rutgers University] Yet another [5239]meta
[5244]slashdot effect). _________________________________________________________________ Node:flat, Next:[5245]flat-ASCII, Previous:[5246
flat-ASCII adj. [common] Said of a text file that contains only 7-bit ASCII characters and uses only ASCII-standard control characters (that
Pronunciation Guide Pronunciation keys are provided in the jargon listings for all entries that are neither dictionary words pronounced as in stan
[common] To remove structural information, esp. to filter something with an implicit tree structure into a simple sequence of leaves; also t
system. Though the Flavors design has been superseded (notably by the Common LISP CLOS facility), the term `flavor' is still used as a gen
Node:flood, Next:[5286]flowchart, Previous:[5287]flippy, Up:[5288]= F = flood v. [common] 1. To overwhelm a network channel with mec
lower forms of life. This attitude follows from the observations that flowcharts (at least from a hacker's point of view) are no easier to
or deletion as in sense 1, but a demand for early completion! 3. To leave at the end of a day's work (as opposed to leaving for a meal). &
Node:Flyspeck 3, Next:[5308]flytrap, Previous:[5309]flypage, Up:[5310]= F = Flyspeck 3 n. Standard name for any font that is so tiny
the manual itself in the [5319]RTFM. "Have you seen the Networking FM lately?" 2. Abbreviation for "Fucking Magic", used in t
hackers (it is used in Jan Brunvand's books on urban folklore), but is much better recognized on Usenet and elsewhere than in mainstream E
= fold case v. See [5339]smash case. This term tends to be used more by people who don't mind that their tools smash case. It also
= fontology n. [XEROX PARC] The body of knowledge dealing with the construction and use of new fonts (e.g., for window systems and type
/a/ back, that /ah/ father, palm (see note) /ar/ fa
[5361]waldo, [5362]fred, [5363]plugh, [5364]xyzzy, [5365]thud. When `foo' is used in connection with `bar' it has generally traced t
English `fooey' and `fool'. Holman's strip featured a firetruck called the Foomobile that rode on two wheels. The comic strip
here" or something similar showed up. Several slang dictionaries aver that FOO probably came from Forward Observation Officer, but this (l
something like this: FOO: The first syllable of the sacred chant phrase "FOO MANE PADME HUM." Our first obligation is to keep
slang or jargon sense. See also [5382]Fred Foobar. In RFC1639, "FOOBAR" was made an abbreviation for "FTP Operation Over Big Addre
forbid the use of Algol on its computers. See also [5390]DEADBEEF. _________________________________________________________________ Node:
an error message emitted by a PDP-10 assembler at SAIL meaning "FOO is Not a Legal Identifier". The intention was to leapfrog from the
eclipsed by the [5401]Mars, and the company never quite recovered. See the [5402]Mars entry for the continuation and moral of this story. ___
for free adj. [common] Said of a capability of a programming language or hardware that is available by its design without needing cleverness
get in the way of the task instead of helping accomplish it. Used in reference to Macintosh software which doesn't provide obvious capabil
/i/ trip, hit /i:/ life, sky /o/ block, stock (see
Historical note: at MIT this usage has traditionally been traced to the programming language MAD (Michigan Algorithm Decoder), an Algol-58-l
[Unix; common] To bring a task to the top of one's [5431]stack for immediate processing, and hackers often use it in this sense for non-co
later be folded back into the original source code base. Nor should it be confused with what happens when a new distribution of Linux or some o
the gods down upon the perpetrator. See also [5443]logic bomb. _________________________________________________________________ Node:fork
_________________________________________________________________ Node:Fortrash, Next:[5449]fortune cookie, Previous:[5450]forked, Up:[545
Up:[5458]= F = forum n. [Usenet, GEnie, CI$; pl. `fora' or `forums'] Any discussion group accessible through a dial-in [5459]
and [5471]BSD Unix tty driver, designed for use with monocase terminals. (In a perversion of the usual backward-compatibility goal, this functi
glossies, give me the tech ref manuals." Often applied as an indication of superficiality even when the material is printed on ordinary pa
Syn [5490]brittle. _________________________________________________________________ Node:fred, Next:[5491]Fred Foobar, Previous:[5492]fra
Fred Foobar n. [5502]J. Random Hacker's cousin. Any typical human being, more or less synomous with `someone' except that Fred Foo
/uh/ but, some /u/ put, foot /y/ yet, young
As defined by Richard M. Stallman and used by the Free Software movement, this means software that gives users enough freedom to be used by
_________________________________________________________________ Node:freeze, Next:[5520]fried, Previous:[5521]freeware, Up:[5522]= F =
used of hardware brought down by a `power glitch' (see [5526]glitch), [5527]drop-outs, a short, or some other electrical event. (Sometimes
friode /fri:'ohd/ n. [TMRC] A reversible (that is, fused or blown) diode. Compare [5539]fried; see also [5540]SED, [5541]LER. __
[MIT; very common] The [5550]TMRC definition was "FROB = a protruding arm or trunnion"; by metaphoric extension, a `frob' is any r
Usage: frob, twiddle, and tweak sometimes connote points along a continuum. `Frob' connotes aimless manipulation; `twiddle' connotes
[5566]Zork. These variants can also be applied to nonphysical objects, such as data structures. Pete Samson, compiler of the original [5567]
= frogging [University of Waterloo] v. 1. Partial corruption of a text file or input stream by some bug or consistent glitch, as oppose
(usually more powerful but less friendly) machine (a `back end'). 2. What you're talking to when you have a conversation with someone w
machine that is merely frotzed may be fixable without replacing parts, but a fried machine is more seriously damaged. _______________________
network announcers and typical of educated speech in the Upper Midwest, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Philadelphia). However, we separate /
for papers and other literature during 1995. The term was in steady though not common use until 1998 and the invention of [5599]open source.
[5612]scary devil monastery and the bofh.net newsgroups, but became much more widespread following the passage of [5613]CDA. Also occasionally
Node:-fu, Next:[5623]FUBAR, Previous:[5624]FTP, Up:[5625]= F = -fu [common; generalized from `kung-fu'] Combining form denoting e
fuck me harder excl. Sometimes uttered in response to egregious misbehavior, esp. in software, and esp. of misbehaviors which seem unfairly
Node:FUD, Next:[5635]FUD wars, Previous:[5636]fuck me harder, Up:[5637]= F = FUD /fuhd/ n. Defined by Gene Amdahl after he left IBM
software vendors ostensibly committed to standardization but actually willing to fragment the market to protect their own shares. The Unix Inte
produce the desired result. The terms `tolerance' and [5650]slop are also used, though these usually indicate a one-sided leeway, such as a
Node:Full Monty, Next:[5657]fum, Previous:[5658]fuel up, Up:[5659]= F = Full Monty n. See [5660]monty, sense 2. ________________
a function in C and C++. By association with sub-atomic particles such as the neutrino, it accurately conveys an impression of smallness (one p
Node:funny money, Next:[5675]furrfu, Previous:[5676]funky, Up:[5677]= F = funny money n. 1. Notional `dollar' units of computing t
Other Lexicon Conventions Entries are sorted in case-blind ASCII collation order (rather than the letter-by-letter order ignoring interword spa
furrfu excl. [Usenet; written, only rarely spoken] Written-only equivalent of "Sheesh!"; it is, in fact, "sheesh" mod
Jargon Lexicon = G = * [5690]G: * [5691]g-file: * [5692]gabriel: * [5693]gag: * [5694]gang bang: * [5695]garbage collect:
* [5710]General Public Virus: * [5711]generate: * [5712]Genius From Mars Technique: * [5713]gensym: * [5714]Get a life!: * [5
* [5734]gnarly: * [5735]GNU: * [5736]gnubie: * [5737]GNUMACS: * [5738]go flatline: * [5739]go root: * [5740]go-faster str
* [5758]gotcha: * [5759]GPL: * [5760]GPV: * [5761]grault: * [5762]gray goo: * [5763]Great Renaming: * [5764]Great Runes:
* [5782]gronk: * [5783]gronk out: * [5784]gronked: * [5785]grovel: * [5786]grue: * [5787]grunge: * [5788]gubbish: * [
_________________________________________________________________ Node:g-file, Next:[5803]gabriel, Previous:[5804]G, Up:[5805]= G = g-f
unnecessary (in the opinion of the opponent) stalling tactic, e.g., tying one's shoelaces or combing one's hair repeatedly, asking the
inevitable result is enormous buggy masses of code entirely lacking in [5817]orthogonality. When market-driven managers make a list of all the
Node:gas, Next:[5829]gaseous, Previous:[5830]garply, Up:[5831]= G = gas [as in `gas chamber'] 1. interj. A term of disgust and ha
Defining instances of terms and phrases appear in `slanted type'. A defining instance is one which occurs near to or as part of an expl
Deserving of being [5837]gassed. Disseminated by Geoff Goodfellow while at SRI; became particularly popular after the Moscone-Milk killings in
See [5845]chawmp. _________________________________________________________________ Node:GC, Next:[5846]GCOS, Previous:[5847]gawble, Up
is more frequently used because it is shorter. Note that there is an ambiguity in usage that has to be resolved by context: "I'm going
carry GCOS ID information was called the `GECOS field' and survives today as the pw_gecos member used for the user's full name and othe
but useful to consider because it can be reasoned about theoretically. (A classic gedanken experiment of relativity theory involves thinking ab
[ostensibly from `gefingerpoken'] vt. Syn. [5870]mung. See also [5871]blinkenlights. ___________________________________________________
The geek code originated in 1993; it was inspired (according to the inventor) by previous "bear", "smurf" and "twink&quo
Short for [5887]generate, used frequently in both spoken and written contexts. ___________________________________________________________
General Public Virus n. Pejorative name for some versions of the [5895]GNU project [5896]copyleft or General Public License (GPL), which req
rules, or as a (possibly unintended) side effect of the execution of an algorithm or program. The opposite of [5902]parse. This term retains it
The intensity and consciousness of hackish invention make a compilation of hacker slang a particularly effective window into the surrounding
Various abbreviations used frequently in the lexicon are summarized here: abbrev. abbreviation adj. adjective
[from MacLISP for `generated symbol'] 1. v. To invent a new name for something temporary, in such a way that the name is almost certainly
mainstream currency via the sitcom "Get A Life" in 1990. _________________________________________________________________ Node:
actually moved files to tape). Often generalized to pieces of data below file level. "I used to have his phone number, but I guess I [5927
[Fidonet] Fidonet alternative to [5938]film at 11, especially in echoes (Fidonet topic areas) where uuencoded GIFs are permitted. Other formats
[5950]lusers who complain that a program didn't "do the right thing" when given imperfect input or otherwise mistreated in some wa
tera/trillion] 10^9. Same as an American billion or a British `milliard'. How one pronounces this depends on whether one speaks [5959]giga
glark /glark/ vt. To figure something out from context. "The System III manuals are pretty poor, but you can generally glark the meanin
glass tty /glas T-T-Y/ or /glas ti'tee/ n. A terminal that has a display screen but which, because of hardware or software limitations,
glitch /glich/ [very common; from German `glitschig' to slip, via Yiddish `glitshen', to slide or skid] 1. n. A sudden interrup
_________________________________________________________________ Node:glob, Next:[6001]glork, Previous:[6002]glitch, Up:[6003]= G = gl
excl. exclamation imp. imperative interj. interjection n. noun
alternation of comma-separated alternatives; thus, `foo{baz,qux}' would be read as `foobaz' or `fooqux'
_________________________________________________________________ Node:glue, Next:[6014]gnarly, Previous:[6015]glork, Up:[6016]= G = gl
1. [acronym: `GNU's Not Unix!', see [6027]recursive acronym] A Unix-workalike development effort of the Free Software Foundation h
Written-only variant of [6038]newbie in common use on IRC channels, which implies specifically someone who is new to the Linux/open source/free
serious a matter to employ jargon-jokes about. 2. To go completely quiescent; said of machines undergoing controlled shutdown. "You can su
_________________________________________________________________ Node:GoAT, Next:[6056]gobble, Previous:[6057]go-faster stripes, Up:[6058
Godwin's Law prov. [Usenet] "As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approa
packet, [6073]martian. _________________________________________________________________ Node:golden, Next:[6074]golf-ball printer, Prev
and jerked alarmingly in action and when in motion was sometimes described as an `infuriated golf ball'. This was the technology that enab
gonkulator /gon'kyoo-lay-tr/ n. [common; from the 1960s "Hogan's Heroes" TV series] A pretentious piece of equipment tha
prob. probably prov. proverbial quant. quantifier suff. suffix
Good Thing n.,adj. [very common; often capitalized; always pronounced as if capitalized.] 1. Self-evidently wonderful to anyone in a positio
the University of Minnesota, was named after the Minnesota Gophers (a sports team). Others claim the word derives from American slang `gofer&ap
gorets /gor'ets/ n. The unknown ur-noun, fill in your own meaning. Found esp. on the Usenet newsgroup alt.gorets, which seems to be
like one afterwards. This is now considered a classic cautionary tale to human-factors designers; "Remember the gorilla arm!" is shorth
to invent [6126]NeWS and the programming language Java; the latter earned him [6127]demigod status. _________________________________________
even correct. It puts the value of b into a and then executes code if a is non-zero. What the programmer probably meant was if (a==b) {code;},
Yet another [6151]metasyntactic variable, invented by Mike Gallaher and propagated by the [6152]GOSMACS documentation. See [6153]corge. __
The [6163]flag day in 1987 on which all of the non-local groups on the [6164]Usenet had their names changed from the net.- format to the curren
teleprinter codes was well established by 1870, long before Teletype was even founded. ______________________________________________________
[from SF fandom] A mass expedition to an oriental restaurant, esp. one where food is served family-style and shared. There is a common heuristi
vt. transitive verb Where alternate spellings or pronunciations are given, alt. separates two possibilities with nearly equa
like. This grimoire is taken with particular seriousness in Europe. See [6194]Purple Book. 4. The IEEE 1003.1 POSIX Operating Systems Interface
Node:green card, Next:[6202]green lightning, Previous:[6203]green bytes, Up:[6204]= G = green card n. [after the "IBM System/36
Node:green lightning, Next:[6206]green machine, Previous:[6207]green card, Up:[6208]= G = green lightning n. [IBM] 1. Apparently random
mechanical shock, extremes of temperature and humidity, and so forth). Comes from the olive-drab `uniform' paint used for military equipment
_________________________________________________________________ Node:grep, Next:[6219]gribble, Previous:[6220]greenbar, Up:[6221]= G =
data stream are displayed as gribble. Modems with mismatched bitrates usually generate gribble (more specifically, [6227]baud barf). Dumping a
1. [MIT and Berkeley; now rare] To prettify hardcopy of code, especially LISP code, by reindenting lines, printing keywords and comments in dis
Historical note: At least one real machine actually had a grind crank -- the R1, a research machine built toward the end of the days of the
Node:gritch, Next:[6250]grok, Previous:[6251]gripenet, Up:[6252]= G = gritch /grich/ [MIT] 1. n. A complaint (often caused by a [6253]
[from the novel "Stranger in a Strange Land", by Robert A. Heinlein, where it is a Martian word meaning literally `to drink' and
CMU Carnegie-Mellon University Commodore Commodore Business Machines DEC The Digital E
= gronk out vi. To cease functioning. Of people, to go home and go to sleep. "I guess I'll gronk out now; see you all tomorro
1. To work interminably and without apparent progress. Often used transitively with `over' or `through'. "The file scavenger ha
The grue, according to scholars of the Great Underground Empire, is a sinister, lurking presence in the dark places of the earth. Its favorite
Node:gubbish, Next:[6287]Guido, Previous:[6288]grunge, Up:[6289]= G = gubbish /guhb'*sh/ n. [a portmanteau of `garbage' and `ru
1. A piece of [6297]freeware decorated with a message telling one how long and hard the author worked on it and intimating that one is a no-goo
[ITS, now rare: from the :GUN command] To forcibly terminate a program or job (computer, not career). "Some idiot left a background process
Up:[6317]= G = gurfle /ger'fl/ interj. An expression of shocked disbelief. "He said we have to recode this thing in FORTRAN b
Amiga equivalent of `panic' in Unix (sometimes just called a `guru' or `guru event'). When the system crashes, a cryptic message o
[WPI] 1. v. To [6332]hack, usually at night. At WPI, from 1975 onwards, one who gweeped could often be found at the College Computing Center pu
* [6344]hack together: * [6345]hack up: * [6346]hack value: * [6347]hacked off: * [6348]hacked up: * [6349]hacker: * [635
NRL Naval Research Laboratories NYU New York University OED The Oxford English Dictionary
* [6368]hand cruft: * [6369]hand-hacking: * [6370]handle: * [6371]handle: * [6372]hand-roll: * [6373]handshaking: * [6374
* [6392]heavy wizardry: * [6393]heavyweight: * [6394]heisenbug: * [6395]Helen Keller mode: * [6396]hello sailor!: * [6397]hel
* [6416]hollised: * [6417]holy wars: * [6418]home box: * [6419]home machine: * [6420]home page: * [6421]honey pot: * [642
Node:h, Next:[6439]ha ha only serious, Previous:[6440]gweep, Up:[6441]= H = h [from SF fandom] A method of `marking' common wor
[from SF fandom, orig. as mutation of HHOK, `Ha Ha Only Kidding'] A phrase (often seen abbreviated as HHOS) that aptly captures the flavor
"What are you doing?" "I'm hacking TECO." In a general (time-extended) sense: "What do you do around here?" &q
Up:[6463]= H = hack attack n. [poss. by analogy with `Big Mac Attack' from ads for the McDonald's fast-food chain; the varian
mode is more than a little habituating. The intensity of this experience is probably by itself sufficient explanation for the existence of hack
pre-existing hunk of code that one is evolving, as opposed to something one might [6479]hack up. ____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________ Node:hack value, Next:[6494]hacked off, Previous:[6495]hack up, Up:[6496
Sun Microsystems TMRC Some MITisms go back as far as the Tech Model Railroad Club (TMRC) at MIT c. 1960. Mater
become annoyed, upset, or touchy owing to suspicions that their sites have been or are going to be victimized by crackers, or used for inapprop
Node:hacker, Next:[6506]hacker ethic, Previous:[6507]hacked up, Up:[6508]= H = hacker n. [originally, someone who makes furniture wi
community defined by the net (see [6511]the network and [6512]Internet address). For discussion of some of the basics of this culture, see the
1. The belief that information-sharing is a powerful positive good, and that it is an ethical duty of hackers to share their expertise by writi
The most reliable manifestation of either version of the hacker ethic is that almost all hackers are actively willing to share technical tricks
as specifications (see [6531]write-only memory), standards documents, language descriptions (see [6532]INTERCAL), and even entire scientific th
(b) responding like a hacker. These traits are also recognizable (though in a less marked form) throughout [6544]science-fiction fandom. __
_________________________________________________________________ Node:Hacking X for Y, Next:[6552]Hackintosh, Previous:[6553]hacking run,
belonging to different models in the line. _________________________________________________________________ Node:hackish, Next:[6559]hack
hackitude n. Syn. [6571]hackishness; this word is considered sillier. _________________________________________________________________
XEROX PARC XEROX's Palo Alto Research Center, site of much pioneering research in user interface design and networking
1. [Fidonet] A large batch of messages that a store-and-forward network is failing to forward when it should. Often used in the phrase "Fi
associate the term `hairy' with the informal version of this theorem; "You can't comb a hairy ball smooth." The adjectiv
and elsewhere. (The title of the memo really is "HAKMEM", which is a 6-letterism for `hacks memo'.) Some of them are very useful
on a sign-magnitude machine. If the result loops with period = 1 at -1, you are on a twos-complement machine. If the result loops with period g
This ensures that every 4-letter string output occurs in the original. The program typed BANANANANANANANA... We note an ambiguity in the phras
A shorthand method of spelling found on many British academic bulletin boards and [6596]talker systems. Syllables and whole words in a sente
were extensively cited on the Internet and in the press and proved so embarrassing that Microsoft PR barely said a word in public for six month
Node:HAND, Next:[6612]hand cruft, Previous:[6613]hamster, Up:[6614]= H = HAND // [Usenet: very common] Abbreviation: Have A Nice Day
1. [rare] The practice of translating [6624]hot spots from an [6625]HLL into hand-tuned assembler, as opposed to trying to coerce the compiler
Node:handle, Next:[6634]handshaking, Previous:[6635]hand-roll, Up:[6636]= H = handle n. 1. [from CB slang] An electronic pseudonym;
Previous:[170]Other Lexicon Conventions, Up:[171]Top Format For New Entries You can mail submissions for the Jargon File to [172]jargon@snark
_________________________________________________________________ Node:handshaking, Next:[6647]handwave, Previous:[6648]handle, Up:[6649]=
If someone starts a sentence with "Clearly..." or "Obviously..." or "It is self-evident that...", it is a good b
hang v. 1. [very common] To wait for an event that will never occur. "The system is hanging because it can't read from the cras
"Logic of Empire", a classic 1941 SF story by Robert A. Heinlein, who calls it the `devil theory' of sociology. Heinlein's po
output is going to /dev/null." Also used to suggest that a program or device would really rather be doing something destructive, and is be
See [6682]boot. _________________________________________________________________ Node:hardcoded, Next:[6683]hardwarily, Previous:[6684
though it has recently been reported from the U.K. See [6693]softwarily. _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________ Node:hash bucket, Next:[6704]hash collision, Previous:[6705]has the X na
[from the techspeak] (var. `hash clash') When used of people, signifies a confusion in associative memory or imagination, especially a per
semi-mythical machine instructions with destructive side-effects, supposedly included for test purposes on several well-known architectures goi
We are not interested in straight technical terms explained by textbooks or technical dictionaries unless an entry illuminates `underground&apo
1. The signal emitted by a Level 2 Ethernet transceiver at the end of every packet to show that the collision-detection circuit is still con
selling it to them as release (n+1). Microsoft in fact seems to have mastered this technique. _______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________ Node:heavyweight, Next:[6745]heisenbug, Previous:[6746]heavy wizardry, U
[from Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle in quantum physics] A bug that disappears or alters its behavior when one attempts to probe or is
bypasses the very interrupts the screen saver watches for activity. Your choices are to try to get from the program's current state throug
hello, wall! excl. See [6777]wall. _________________________________________________________________ Node:hello world, Next:[6778]
Up:[6787]= H = hex n. 1. Short for [6788]hexadecimal, base 16. 2. A 6-pack of anything (compare [6789]quad, sense 2). Neither usage has
base-16 would be something like `sendenary'. `Decimal' is from an ordinal number; the corresponding prefix for 6 would imply something
HHOK See [6802]ha ha only serious. _________________________________________________________________ Node:HHOS, Next:[6803]hidden fla
hurry. _________________________________________________________________ Node:high bit, Next:[6810]high moby, Previous:[6811]hidden flag,
either necessary or desirable to eliminate all such; they, too, contribute flavor, and one of this document's major intended audiences --
The Jargon Lexicon * [176]= 0 =: * [177]= A =: * [178]= B =: * [1
miscommunication resulted in two separate wakes being held in commemoration of the shutdown of MIT's last [6822]ITS machines, the one on t
[IRC] Fortuitous typo for `hint', now in wide intentional use among players of [6834]initgame. Compare [6835]newsfroup, [6836]filk. _
HLL /H-L-L/ n. [High-Level Language (as opposed to assembler)] Found primarily in email and news rather than speech. Rarely, the variants `V
[6858]high bit. 2. The non-ITS name of [6859][email protected] (*Hobbit*), master of lasers. ___________________________________________________
hole n. A region in an otherwise [6866]flat entity which is not actually present. For example, some Unix filesystems can store large file
threat of being fired in 1994 at the behest of NASA public-relations officers. The result was, of course, a huge publicity black eye for NASA.
[Free|Net|Open]BSD. Hardy perennials include [6887]EMACS vs. [6888]vi, my personal computer vs. everyone else's personal computer, ad naus
1. Syn. [6896]home box. 2. The machine that receives your email. These senses might be distinct, for example, for a hacker who owns one comp
in action. It is usually well isolated from the rest of the network, but has extensive logging (usually network layer, on a different machine).
Often the difference between a good program and a superb one is that the latter has useful hooks in judiciously chosen places. Both may do the
* [198]= V =: * [199]= W =: * [200]= X =: * [201]= Y =: * [202]= Z =: _______________________________________________________
hose 1. vt. [common] To make non-functional or greatly degraded in performance. "That big ray-tracing program really hoses the system.&
difficulties crashed, and it was announced to have been hosed. It was discovered that the crash was due to the disconnection of some coolant ho
amidst a lot of low-level noise. Such spikes are called `hot spots' and are good candidates for heavy optimization or [6936]hand-hacking.
A [6946]hot spot on a World Wide Web page; an area, which, when clicked or selected, chases a URL. Also spelled `hot link'. Use of this te
Unflattering hackerism for HP-UX, Hewlett-Packard's Unix port, which features some truly unique bogosities in the filesystem internals an
Node:huff, Next:[6966]humma, Previous:[6967]HTH, Up:[6968]= H = huff v. To compress data using a Huffman code. Various programs that use
hung adj. [from `hung up'; common] Equivalent to [6979]wedged, but more common at Unix/C sites. Not generally used of people. Syn. with
hungus /huhng'g*s/ adj. [perhaps related to slang `humongous'] Large, unwieldy, usually unmanageable. "TCP is a hungus pie
Node:hysterical reasons, Next:[6999]I didn't change anything!, Previous:[7000]hyperspace, Up:[7001]= H = hysterical reasons n.
* [7010]IBM discount: * [7011]ICBM address: * [7012]ice: * [7013]ID10T error: * [7014]idempotent: * [7015]IDP: * [7016]If
Numeric zero, as opposed to the letter `O' (the 15th letter of the English alphabet). In their unmodified forms they look a lot alike,
* [7034]inflate: * [7035]Infocom: * [7036]initgame: * [7037]insanely great: * [7038]installfest: * [7039]INTERCAL: * [704
* [7058]IWBNI: * [7059]IYFEG: _________________________________________________________________ Node:I didn't change anything!,
I see no X here. Hackers (and the interactive computer games they write) traditionally favor this slightly marked usage over other possible
Inferior But Marketable; It's Better Manually; Insidious Black Magic; It's Been Malfunctioning; Incontinent Bowel Movement; and a nea
IBM's own beleaguered hacker underground. _________________________________________________________________ Node:IBM discount, Next:[
became traditional to refer to this as one's `ICBM address' or `missile address', and some people include it in their [7089]sig bl
and computer scientists formed ICE (International Cryptographic Experiment) in 1994. ICE is a consortium to promote uniform international acces
header files, which contain common definitions and declarations to be included by several source files. If a header file is ever included twice
If you want X, you know where to find it. There is a legend that Dennis Ritchie, inventor of [7109]C, once responded to demands for features
IIRC // Common abbreviation for "If I Recall Correctly". _________________________________________________________________
capital letter-O (this was endorsed by a draft ANSI standard for how to draw ASCII characters, but the final standard changed the distinguisher
IMHO // abbrev. [from SF fandom via Usenet; abbreviation for `In My Humble Opinion'] "IMHO, mixed-case C names should be avoide
increasing volume, or the possible loss of a key node or link, or the potential for lawsuits when ignoramuses post copyrighted material, etc.,
Node:incantation, Next:[7147]include, Previous:[7148]inc, Up:[7149]= I = incantation n. Any particularly arbitrary or obscure comman
#include <disclaimer.h> has appeared in [7156]sig blocks to refer to a notional `standard [7157]disclaimer file'. ________________
and Java, which have C-like syntaxes. The significant variable is the placement of { and } with respect to the statement(s) they enclose and to
<body>} `Whitesmiths style' -- popularized by the examples that came with Whitesmiths C, an early commercial C compiler. Basic
while, which is a [7168]Bad Thing). Defenders of 1TBS argue that any putative gain in readability is less important than their style's rel
Node:infant mortality, Next:[7174]infinite, Previous:[7175]index of X, Up:[7176]= I = infant mortality n. It is common lore among hacke
infinite loser." The word most likely to follow `infinite', though, is [7182]hair. (It has been pointed out that fractals are an excell
Infinite-Monkey Theorem n. "If you put an [7193]infinite number of monkeys at typewriters, eventually one will bash out the script for
2 infix. In translation software written by hackers, infix 2 often represents the syllable to with the connotation `translate to': as i
Theorem, Up:[7202]= I = infinity n. 1. The largest value that can be represented in a particular type of variable (register, memory loc
I = Infocom n. A now-legendary games company, active from 1979 to 1989, that commercialized the MDL parser technology used for [7210]Zo
Node:initgame, Next:[7212]insanely great, Previous:[7213]Infocom, Up:[7214]= I = initgame /in-it'gaym/ n. [IRC] An [7215]IRC versi
[Mac community, from Steve Jobs; also BSD Unix people via Bill Joy] Something so incredibly [7221]elegant that it is imaginable only to someone
Pronounceable Acronym'] A computer language designed by Don Woods and James Lyons in 1972. INTERCAL is purposely different from all other
of the language on Usenet. Inevitably, INTERCAL has a home page on the Web: [7229]http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/intercal/. An extended version,
Internet n. The mother of all networks. First incarnated beginning in 1969 as the ARPANET, a U.S. Department of Defense research testbed. Th
microcomputers. The Internet's protocols grew more capable, most notably in the move from NCP/IP to [7247]TCP/IP in 1982 and the implement
the second wave of wide-area networking after 1980. It is now (1996) a commonplace even in mainstream media to predict that a globally-extended
most important top-level functional Internet domains followed by a selection of geographical domains: com commercial organizations
the administrators of the hosting site as a result of net abuse by the website operators. The term is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the standa
uk sites in the United Kingdom Within the us domain, there are subdomains for the fifty states, each generally with a name i
Internet Exploder [very common] Pejorative hackerism for Microsoft's "Internet Explorer" web browser (also "Internet
interrupt 1. [techspeak] n. On a computer, an event that interrupts normal processing and temporarily diverts flow-of-control through an &
_________________________________________________________________ Node:interrupts locked out, Next:[7295]intro, Previous:[7296]interrupt l
_________________________________________________________________ Node:IRC, Next:[7310]iron, Previous:[7311]intro, Up:[7312]= I = IRC /
electronics (but the term is also used of modern supercomputers). Often in the phrase [7321]big iron. Oppose [7322]silicon. See also [7323]dino
[Unix/Internet] A special environment set up to trap a [7334]cracker logging in over remote connections long enough to be traced. May include a
[South Africa] A cup of tea with milk and one teaspoon of sugar, where the milk is poured into the cup before the tea. Variations are ISO 0, wi
ISP /I-S-P/ Common abbreviation for Internet Service Provider, a kind of company that barely existed before 1993. ISPs sell Internet access
essentially as a hobby and service to the hacker community. The shutdown of the lab's last ITS machine in May 1990 marked the end of an er
par`tee/) A semi-closed party thrown for hackers at a science-fiction convention (esp. the annual World Science Fiction Convention or "Wor
[Usenet] Abbreviation for `Insert Your Favorite Ethnic Group'. Used as a meta-name when telling ethnic jokes on the net to avoid offending
* [7388]juggling eggs: * [7389]jump off into never-never land: * [7390]jupiter: _____________________________________________________
[very common] A mythical figure like the Unknown Soldier; the archetypal hacker nerd. This term is one of the oldest in the jargon, apparent
Node:jaggies, Next:[7412]Java, Previous:[7413]jack in, Up:[7414]= J = jaggies /jag'eez/ n. The `stairstep' effect observable
embraced by many in the hacker community - but it has been a considerable source of frustration to many others, for reasons ranging from uneven
language used to control the execution of programs in IBM's batch systems. JCL has a very [7426]fascist syntax, and some versions will, fo
Synonymous with [7436]IYFEG. At one time, people in the Usenet newsgroup rec.humor.funny tended to use `JEDR' instead of [7437]IYFEG or `&
substitutions endemic to the script kiddie and [7446]warez d00dz communities. Jeff's offerings, among other things, include hardware advic
recognized but not commonly used; most people refer to both kinds of abuse or their combination as spam. ____________________________________
Node:job security, Next:[7462]jock, Previous:[7463]jiffy, Up:[7464]= J = job security n. When some piece of code is written in a partic
* [249]accumulator: * [250]ACK: * [251]Acme: * [252]acolyte: * [253]ad-hockery: * [254]Ada: * [255]address harvester:
_________________________________________________________________ Node:joe code, Next:[7470]jolix, Previous:[7471]jock, Up:[7472]= J =
Up:[7477]= J = jolix /joh'liks/ n.,adj. 386BSD, the freeware port of the BSD Net/2 release to the Intel i386 architecture by Bill
Node:jump off into never-never land, Next:[7485]jupiter, Previous:[7486]juggling eggs, Up:[7487]= J = jump off into never-never land v.
Jargon Lexicon = K = * [7499]K: * [7500]K&R: * [7501]k-: * [7502]kahuna: * [7503]kamikaze packet: * [7504]kangaroo co
* [7519]kit: * [7520]klone: * [7521]kludge: * [7522]kluge: * [7523]kluge around: * [7524]kluge up: * [7525]Knights of the
K&R [Kernighan and Ritchie] n. Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie's book "The C Programming Language", esp. the classi
kahuna /k*-hoo'n*/ n. [IBM: from the Hawaiian title for a shaman] Synonym for [7552]wizard, [7553]guru. ___________________________
Node:kangaroo code, Next:[7560]ken, Previous:[7561]kamikaze packet, Up:[7562]= K = kangaroo code n. Syn. [7563]spaghetti code. ____
_________________________________________________________________ Node:kernel-of-the-week club, Next:[7569]kgbvax, Previous:[7570]ken, Up:
1. [acronym] Knowledge In, Bullshit Out. A summary of what happens whenever valid data is passed through an organization (or person) that de
* [273]alpha particles: * [274]alt: * [275]alt bit: * [276]Aluminum Book: * [277]ambimouseterous: * [278]Amiga: * [279]Am
[Usenet] One who [7594]kibozes but is not Kibo (see [7595]KIBO, sense 2). ________________________________________________________________
discard summarily (without presenting for reading) articles matching some particularly uninteresting (or unwanted) patterns of subject, author,
Node:killer micro, Next:[7612]killer poke, Previous:[7613]killer app, Up:[7614]= K = killer micro n. [popularized by Eugene Brooks]
micros as far as the eye can see. --ESR] _________________________________________________________________ Node:killer poke, Next:[7618]ki
Node:KIPS, Next:[7628]KISS Principle, Previous:[7629]kilo-, Up:[7630]= K = KIPS /kips/ n. [abbreviation, by analogy with [7631]MIPS usi
[Usenet; poss. fr. [7641]DEC slang for a full software distribution, as opposed to a patch or upgrade] A source software distribution that h
1960s, and widely confounded in Great Britain since the end of World War II. 2. [TMRC] A [7652]crock that works. (A long-ago "Datamation&quo
key, a hint, a main point)] 1. n. A Rube Goldberg (or Heath Robinson) device, whether in hardware or software. 2. n. A clever programming trick
printing presses. Legend has it that the Kluge feeder was designed before small, cheap electric motors and control electronics; it relied on a
The variant `kludge' was apparently popularized by the [7665]Datamation article mentioned above; it was titled "How to Design a Kl
* [297]asbestos: * [298]asbestos cork award: * [299]asbestos longjohns: * [300]ASCII: * [301]ASCII art: * [302]ASCIIbetical o
Some observers consider this mess appropriate in view of the word's meaning. ________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________ Node:Knights of the Lambda Calculus, Next:[7680]knobs, Previous:[7681]kl
_________________________________________________________________ Node:Knuth, Next:[7687]koan, Previous:[7688]knobs, Up:[7689]= K = Knu
Koans, [7697]has the X nature, [7698]hacker humor. _________________________________________________________________ Node:kremvax, Next:[7
asserting that he was a hoax! Eventually he even arranged to have the domain's gateway site named kremvax, thus neatly turning fiction
Node:kyrka, Next:[7705]lace card, Previous:[7706]kremvax, Up:[7707]= K = kyrka /chur'ka/ n. [Swedish] See [7708]feature key. _
* [7723]LDB: * [7724]leaf site: * [7725]leak: * [7726]leaky heap: * [7727]leapfrog attack: * [7728]leech: * [7729]leech m
* [7747]line starve: * [7748]linearithmic: * [7749]link farm: * [7750]link rot: * [7751]link-dead: * [7752]lint: * [7753]
* [7771]logic bomb: * [7772]logical: * [7773]loop through: * [7774]loose bytes: * [7775]lord high fixer: * [7776]lose: *
lace card n. obs. A [7795]punched card with all holes punched (also called a `whoopee card' or `ventilator card'). Card readers
Linguists usually refer to informal language as `slang' and reserve the term `jargon' for the technical vocabularies of various occup
ABEND /a'bend/, /*-bend'/ n. [ABnormal END] 1. Abnormal termination (of software); [317]crash; [318]lossage. Derives from an er
L = lamer n. [prob. originated in skateboarder slang] 1. Synonym for [7803]luser, not used much by hackers but common among [7804]warez
above. _________________________________________________________________ Node:language lawyer, Next:[7810]languages of choice, Previous:
knows one of C or LISP, and most good ones are fluent in both. C++, despite some serious drawbacks, is generally preferred to other object-orie
_________________________________________________________________ Node:LART, Next:[7835]larval stage, Previous:[7836]languages of choice,
larval stage n. Describes a period of monomaniacal concentration on coding apparently passed through by all fledgling hackers. Common sym
things." _________________________________________________________________ Node:laser chicken, Next:[7851]lasherism, Previous:[7852]l
lasherism n. [Harvard] A program that solves a standard problem (such as the Eight Queens puzzle or implementing the [7858]life algorithm) i
[from the PDP-10 instruction set] To extract from the middle. "LDB me a slice of cake, please." This usage has been kept alive by Co
leak n. With qualifier, one of a class of resource-management bugs that occur when resources are not freed properly after operations on them
host (e.g., downloading a file of account IDs and passwords, tapping TELNET, etc.) to compromise another host. Also, the act of TELNETting thro
around for quite a while and/or that the architecture under discussion is quite old. The term in full is almost never used of microprocessor re
Node:leech mode, Next:[7895]legal, Previous:[7896]leech, Up:[7897]= L = leech mode n. [warez d00dz] "Leech mode" or "lee
Their use of `legal' is flavored as much by this game-playing sense as by the more conventional one having to do with courts and lawyers.
(that is, one in the process of burning up). Ohm's law was broken. See also [7914]SED. 2. An incandescent light bulb (the filament emits l
Node:letterbomb, Next:[7923]lexer, Previous:[7924]let the smoke out, Up:[7925]= L = letterbomb 1. n. A piece of [7926]email containing
Common hacker shorthand for `lexical analyzer', the input-tokenizing stage in the parser for a language (the part that breaks it into w
1970); the game's popularity had to wait a few years for computers on which it could reasonably be played, as it's no fun to simulate t
Node:light pipe, Next:[7950]lightweight, Previous:[7951]Life is hard, Up:[7952]= L = light pipe n. Fiber optic cable. Oppose [7953]copp
of IBM's mainframe OSes. "Well, you could write a C compiler in COBOL, but it would be like kicking dead whales down the beach." S
Node:line 666, Next:[7965]line eater the, Previous:[7966]like nailing jelly to a tree, Up:[7967]= L = line 666 [from Christian eschatolog
the `line eater', and postings often included a dummy line of `line eater food'. Ironically, line eater `food' not beginning with
is distinguished by a following exclamation point. 3. Used to politely interrupt someone to tell them you understand their point (see [329]NAK)
source but employs syntax so bizarre that it looks like line noise in senses 1 or 2. Yes, there are languages this ugly. The canonical example
character 0x8D. Unlike `line feed', `line starve' is not standard [7983]ASCII terminology. Even among hackers it is considered a bit
several nearly identical copies of the same source tree -- for example, when the only difference is architecture-dependent object files. "
[8001]MUD without leaving it properly. The player is then commonly left as a statue in the game, and is only removed after a certain period of
The emerging [8012]Linux/Intel alliance. This term began to be used in early 1999 after it became clear that the [8013]Wintel alliance was u
hacker project in history -- an entire clone of Unix for 386, 486 and Pentium micros, distributed for free with sources over the net (ports to
acceptance). _________________________________________________________________ Node:lion food, Next:[8024]Lions Book, Previous:[8025]Linux
"Source Code and Commentary on Unix level 6", by John Lions. The two parts of this book contained (1) the entire source listing of the
based on the ideas of (a) variable-length lists and trees as fundamental data types, and (b) the interpretation of code as data and vice-versa.
Up:[8044]= L = list-bomb v. To [8045]mailbomb someone by forging messages causing the victim to become a subscriber to many mailing lis
on paper, but in practice it's really easy to shoot yourself in the foot with it." Compare [337]pistol. This term, specially cheri
little-endian adj. Describes a computer architecture in which, within a given 16- or 32-bit word, bytes at lower addresses have lower sig
make sure it works perfectly before we throw live data at it." The implication here is that record deletion is something pretty significan
_________________________________________________________________ Node:Live Free Or Die!, Next:[8065]livelock, Previous:[8066]live data, U
livelock /li:v'lok/ n. A situation in which some critical stage of a task is unable to finish because its clients perpetually create mo
1. What a hacker subjected to formal management training is said to have undergone. At IBM and elsewhere this term is used by both hackers and
[from military slang for an M-16 rifle with magazine inserted and prepared for firing] Said of a removable disk volume properly prepared for
specified conditions are met. Compare [8097]back door. _________________________________________________________________ Node:logical, Nex
is setting almost directly in front of him. The concept is reinforced by North American highways which are almost, but not quite, consistently
To process each element of a list of things. "Hold on, I've got to loop through my paper mail." Derives from the computer-language
The person in an organization who knows the most about some aspect of a system. See [8114]wizard. ___________________________________________
ad-hockery /ad-hok'*r-ee/ n. [Purdue] 1. Gratuitous assumptions made inside certain programs, esp. expert systems, which lead to the
Node:loser, Next:[8123]losing, Previous:[8124]lose lose, Up:[8125]= L = loser n. An unexpectedly bad situation, program, programmer,
Something (not a person) that loses; a situation in which something is losing. Emphatic forms include `moby loss', and `total loss',
Node:lost in the noise, Next:[8140]lost in the underflow, Previous:[8141]lossage, Up:[8142]= L = lost in the noise adj. Syn. [8143]lost
the path of a thrown baseball, but that effect gets lost in the underflow." Compare [8147]epsilon, [8148]epsilon squared; see also [8149]o
low-bandwidth talk, but what can you expect for an audience of [8157]suits!" Compare [8158]zero-content, [8159]bandwidth, [8160]math-out.
_________________________________________________________________ Node:Lumber Cartel, Next:[8169]lunatic fringe, Previous:[8170]Lubarsky&a
Node:lurker, Next:[8181]luser, Previous:[8182]lunatic fringe, Up:[8183]= L = lurker n. One of the `silent majority' in a electr
[common] A [8188]user; esp. one who is also a [8189]loser. ([8190]luser and [8191]loser are pronounced identically.) This word was coined aroun
* [8197]M: * [8198]M$: * [8199]macdink: * [8200]machinable: * [8201]machoflops: * [8202]Macintoy: * [8203]Macintrash:
* [8220]manged: * [8221]mangle: * [8222]mangled name: * [8223]mangler: * [8224]manularity: * [8225]marbles: * [8226]margi
by committee, crockish, difficult to use, and overall a disastrous, multi-billion-dollar boondoggle (one common description wss "The PL/I
* [8244]meme: * [8245]meme plague: * [8246]memetics: * [8247]memory farts: * [8248]memory leak: * [8249]memory smash: * [
* [8268]middle-endian: * [8269]middle-out implementation: * [8270]milliLampson: * [8271]minifloppies: * [8272]MIPS: * [8273]m
* [8292]Moof: * [8293]Moore's Law: * [8294]moose call: * [8295]moria: * [8296]MOTAS: * [8297]MOTOS: * [8298]MOTSS:
* [8316]munch: * [8317]munching: * [8318]munching squares: * [8319]munchkin: * [8320]mundane: * [8321]mung: * [8322]munge
monopoly. _________________________________________________________________ Node:macdink, Next:[8333]machinable, Previous:[8334]M$, Up:[83
Up:[8344]= M = machoflops /mach'oh-flops/ n. [pun on `megaflops', a coinage for `millions of FLoating-point Operations Per Se
The Apple Macintosh, as described by a hacker who doesn't appreciate being kept away from the real computer by the interface. The term
quite as powerful and expensive as [8366]HLLs, only to fall from favor as improving compiler technology marginalized assembler programming (see
_________________________________________________________________ Node:macrology, Next:[8373]macrotape, Previous:[8374]macro-, Up:[8375]=
Node:maggotbox, Next:[8384]magic, Previous:[8385]macrotape, Up:[8386]= M = maggotbox /mag'*t-boks/ n. See [8387]Macintrash. Thi
Node:adger, Next:[358]admin, Previous:[359]address harvester, Up:[360]= A = adger /aj'r/ vt. [UCLA mutant of [361]nadger, poss.
& development, elegance in the extreme; from the first corollary to Clarke's Third Law: "Any technology distinguishable from magic
whose contents are not defined but which can be passed back to the same or some other program later. 2. An in-band code for changing graphic re
data file to indicate its type to a utility. Under Unix, the system and various applications programs (especially the linker) distinguish betwe
magic smoke n. A substance trapped inside IC packages that enables them to function (also called `blue smoke'; this is similar to th
mail storm n. [from [8419]broadcast storm, influenced by `maelstrom'] What often happens when a machine with an Internet connection and
Node:mailing list, Next:[8430]main loop, Previous:[8431]mailbomb, Up:[8432]= M = mailing list n. (often shortened in context to `list&a
lectroids and tanstaafl, still include a number of the oddest and most interesting people in hackerdom. Mailing lists are easy to create and
Up:[8442]= M = mainframe n. Term originally referring to the cabinet containing the central processor unit or `main frame' of a ro
_________________________________________________________________ Node:management, Next:[8451]mandelbug, Previous:[8452]mainframe, Up:[845
[8459]Bohr bug, rather than a [8460]heisenbug. See also [8461]schroedinbug. _________________________________________________________________
Node:ADVENT, Next:[370]AFAIK, Previous:[371]admin, Up:[372]= A = ADVENT /ad'vent/ n. The prototypical computer adventure game, fi
_________________________________________________________________ Node:mangled name, Next:[8472]mangler, Previous:[8473]mangle, Up:[8474]=
mangler is somewhat different in connotation. _________________________________________________________________ Node:manularity, Next:[848
build your way further up some hierarchy of tools or abstractions. After a bad system crash, you need to determine if the machine has enough ma
Up:[8497]= M = Marginal Hacks n. Margaret Jacks Hall, a building into which the Stanford AI Lab was moved near the beginning of the 198
A member of a company's marketing department, esp. one who promises users that the next version of a product will have features that are n
When DEC cancelled the Jupiter project in 1983, Systems Concepts should have made a bundle selling their machine into shops with a lot of so
Node:martian, Next:[8514]massage, Previous:[8515]Mars, Up:[8516]= M = martian n. A packet sent on a TCP/IP network with a source addre
Node:math-out, Next:[8525]Matrix, Previous:[8526]massage, Up:[8527]= M = math-out n. [poss. from `white-out' (the blizzard vari
sense by John Quarterman; rare outside academic literature). _________________________________________________________________ Node:maximu
running meatspace implementation (the universe). Compare [8547]RL. _________________________________________________________________ Node:
`Bedquilt' as in the game, and the `Y2' that also turns up is cavers' jargon for a map reference to a secondary entrance. ADV
See [8559]quantifiers. _________________________________________________________________ Node:mega-, Next:[8560]megapenny, Previous:[85
[`My Eyes Glaze Over', often `Mine Eyes Glazeth (sic) Over', attributed to the futurologist Herman Kahn] Also `MEGO factor'. 1. n.
meme /meem/ n. [coined by analogy with `gene', by Richard Dawkins] An idea considered as a [8579]replicator, esp. with the connotation
Astrology, BASIC, and the other guy's religion are often considered to be examples. This usage is given point by the historical fact that
The flatulent sounds that some DOS box BIOSes (most notably AMI's) make when checking memory on bootup. _____________________________
Up:[8604]= M = memory smash n. [XEROX PARC] Writing through a pointer that doesn't point to what you think it does. This occasiona
Node:mess-dos, Next:[8614]meta, Previous:[8615]menuitis, Up:[8616]= M = mess-dos /mes-dos/ n. [semi-obsolescent now that DOS is] Der
syntax, and meta-language is language used to describe language. This is difficult to explain briefly, but much hacker humor turns on deliberat
Node:metasyntactic variable, Next:[8632]MFTL, Previous:[8633]meta bit, Up:[8634]= M = metasyntactic variable n. A name used in examples
common signatures: [8638]foo, [8639]bar, [8640]baz, [8641]quux, quuux, quuuux...: MIT/Stanford usage, now found everywhere (thanks la
Internet and other hacker networks. _________________________________________________________________ Node:AFK, Next:[390]AI, Previous:[39
zxc, spqr, wombat: Cambridge University (England). shme Berkeley, GeoWorks, Ingres. Pronounced /shme/ with
pippo, pluto, paperino Italy. Pippo /pee'po/ and Paperino /pa-per-ee'-no/ are the Italian names for Goofy and
Node:MFTL, Next:[8665]mickey, Previous:[8666]metasyntactic variable, Up:[8667]= M = MFTL /M-F-T-L/ [abbreviation: `My Favorite Toy Lang
compiler is beneath contempt. (The qualification has become necessary because of the increasing popularity of interpreted languages like [8669]
performance. _________________________________________________________________ Node:mickey mouse program, Next:[8677]micro-, Previous:[867
one CS professor used to characterize the standard length of his lectures as a microcentury -- that is, about 52.6 minutes (see also [8685]atto
_________________________________________________________________ Node:microfloppies, Next:[8694]microfortnight, Previous:[8695]MicroDroid
utility, and one of these is TIMEPROMPTWAIT, the time the system will wait for an operator to set the correct date and time at boot if it reali
as the microReid. _________________________________________________________________ Node:microReid, Next:[8709]microserf, Previous:[8710]m
Microsloth Windows /mi:'kroh-sloth` win'dohz/ n. (Variants combine {Microshift, Macroshaft, Microsuck} with {Windoze, WinDOS}. Hac
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