The Jargon File v2.5.1 29 JAN 1991, part 2 of 15
Eric S. Raymond
Archive-name: jargon/part02
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X
<Aluminum Book> [MIT] n. `Common Lisp: The Language', by Guy L.
X Steele Jr., Digital Press, first edition, 1984, second edition
X 1990. Strictly speaking, only the first edition is the aluminum
X book, since the second edition has a yucky pale green cover. See
X also <Blue Book>, <Red Book>, <Green Book>, <Silver Book>, <Purple
X Book>, <Orange Book>, <White Book>, <Pink-Shirt Book>, <Dragon
X Book>.
X
<amoeba> /@-mee'b@/ n. Humorous term for the Commodore Amiga
X personal computer.
X
<amp off> [Purdue] vt. To run in <background>. From the UNIX shell `&'
X operator.
X
<angle brackets> n. Either of the characters `<' and `>' (ASCII
X less-than or greater-than signs). The <Real World> angle brackets
X used by typographers are actually taller than a less-than or
X greater-than sign.
X See <broket>, <ASCII>.
X
<AOS> 1. /aws/ (East coast), /ay-os/ (West coast) [based on a PDP-10
X increment instruction] vt.,obs. To increase the amount of something.
X "Aos the campfire." Usage: considered silly, and now
X obsolescent. See <SOS>. Now largely supplanted by <bump>. 2.
X A crufty <Multics>-derived OS supported at one time by Data
X General. This was pronounced /ay-oh-ess/ or /ay-ahs/, the latter
X being prevalent internally at DG. A spoof of the standard AOS
X system administrator's manual (`How to load and generate your
X AOS system') was created, issued a part number, and allegedly
X released. It was called `How to goad and levitate your chaos
X system'.
X
X Historical note: AOS in sense #1 was the name of a <PDP-10>
X instruction that took any memory location in the computer and added
X one to it; AOS meant "Add One and do not Skip". Why, you may
X ask, does the "S" stand for "do not Skip" rather than for
X "Skip"? Ah, here was a beloved piece of PDP-10 folklore. There
X were eight such instructions: AOSE added one and then skipped the
X next instruction if the result was Equal to zero; AOSG added one
X and then skipped if the result was Greater than zero; AOSN added
X one and then skipped if the result was Not zero; AOSA added one and
X then skipped Always; and so on. Just plain AOS didn't say when to
X skip, so it never skipped. For similar reasons, AOJ meant "Add
X One and do not Jump". Even more bizarre, SKIP meant "do not
X SKIP"! If you wanted to skip the next instruction, you had to say
X "SKIPA". Likewise, JUMP means "do not JUMP". Such were the
X perverse mysteries of assembler programming.
X
<app> /ap/ n. Short for "application program", as opposed to a systems
X program. What systems vendors are forever chasing developers to do
X for their environments so they can sell more boxes. Hackers tend
X not to think of the things they themselves run as apps; thus, in
X hacker parlance the term excludes compilers, program editors,
X games, and messaging systems, though a user would consider all
X those apps. Oppose <tool>, <operating system>.
X
<arc> [primarily MSDOS] vt. to create a compressed archive from a
X group of files using the SEA ARC, PKWare PKARC, or compatible
X program. Rapidly becoming obsolete as the ARC compression method
X is falling into disuse, having been replaced by newer compression
X techniques. See <tar and feather>, <zip>.
X
<arc wars> [primarily MSDOS] n. <holy wars> over which archiving
X program one should use. The first arc war was sparked when System
X Enhancement Associates (SEA) sued PKWare for copyright and
X trademark infringement on its ARC program. PKWare's PKARC
X outperformed ARC on both compression and speed while largely
X retaining compatibility (it introduced a new compression type which
X could be disabled for backward-compatibility). PKWare settled out
X of court to avoid enormous legal costs (both SEA and PKWare are
X small companies); as part of the settlement, it was prohibited from
X distributing ARC-compatible archivers in the future. The public
X backlash against SEA for bringing suit helped to hasten the demise
X of ARC as a standard when PKWare and others introduced new,
X incompatible but better-compressing, archivers.
X
<arena> [UNIX] n. The area of memory attached to a process by `brk(2)'
X and `sbrk(2)' and used by `malloc(3)' as dynamic storage. So named
X from a semi-mythical `malloc: corrupt arena' message supposedly
X emitted when some early versions became terminally confused. See
X <overrun screw>, <aliasing bug>, <memory leak>, <smash the stack>.
X
<arg> /arg/ n. Abbreviation for "argument" (to a function), used so
X often as to have become a new word (like `piano' from
X `pianoforte'). "The sine function takes one arg, but the
X arc-tangent function can take either one or two args". Compare
X <param>, <var>.
X
<armor-plated> n. Syn. for <bulletproof>.
X
<asbestos cork award> n. Once, long ago at MIT, there was a <flamer>
X so consistently obnoxious that another hacker designed, had made,
X and distributed posters announcing that said flamer had been
X nominated for the "asbestos cork award". Persons in any doubt as
X to the intended application of the cork should consult the
X etymology under <flame>. Since then, it is agreed that only a
X select few have risen to the heights of bombast required to earn
X this dubious dignity --- but there's no agreement on *which*
X few.
X
<asbestos longjohns> n. Metaphoric garments often donned by <USENET>
X posters just before emitting a remark they expect will elicit
X <flamage>. Also "asbestos underwear", "asbestos overcoat",
X etc.
X
<ASCII> [American Standard Code for Information Interchange] /as'kee/
X n. Common slang names for ASCII characters are collected here. See
X individual entries for <bang>, <close>, <excl>, <open>, <ques>,
X <semi>, <shriek>, <splat>, <twiddle>, <what>, <wow>, and <Yu-Shiang
X whole fish>. This list derives from revision 2.2 of the USENET
X ASCII pronunciation guide. Single characters are listed in ASCII
X order; character pairs are sorted in by first member. For each
X character, common names are given in rough order of popularity
X followed by names which are reported but rarely seen; official
X ANSI/CCIT names are parenthesized.
X
X `!'
X Common: <bang>, pling, excl shriek, (exclamation point).
X Rare: factorial, exclam, smash, cuss, boing, yell, wow, hey,
X wham, spot-spark, soldier..
X
X `"'
X Common: double quote, quote. Rare: literal mark,
X double-glitch, (quotation marks), (diaresis), dirk..
X
X `#'
X Common: (number sign), pound, hash, sharp, <crunch>, mesh,
X hex. Rare: flash, crosshatch, grid, pig-pen, tictactoe,
X scratchmark, octothorpe, thud, <splat>..
X
X `$'
X Common: dollar, (dollar sign). Rare: currency symbol, buck,
X cash, string (from BASIC), escape (from <TOPS-10>), ding,
X cache..
X
X `%'
X Common: percent, (percent sign), mod, grapes..
X
X `&'
X Common: (ampersand), amper, and. Rare: address (from C),
X reference (from C++), andpersand, bitand, background (from
X `sh(1)'), pretzel..
X
X `''
X Common: single quote, quote, (apostrophe). Rare: prime,
X glitch, tick, irk, pop, spark, (closing single quotation
X mark), (acute accent)..
X
X `()'
X Common: left/right paren, left/right parenthesis, left/right,
X paren/thesis, open/close paren, open/close, open/close
X parenthesis, left/right banana. Rare: lparen/rparen,
X so/already, wax/wane, (opening/closing parenthesis),
X left/right ear, parenthisey/unparenthisey, open/close round
X bracket..
X
X `*'
X Common: star, <splat>, (asterisk). Rare: wildcard, gear,
X dingle, mult, spider, aster, times, twinkle, glob (see
X <glob>), <Nathan Hale>..
X
X `+'
X Common: (plus), add. Rare: cross..
X
X `,'
X Common: (comma). Rate: (cedilla)..
X
X `-'
X Common: dash, (hyphen), (minus). Rare: worm, option, dak,
X bithorpe..
X
X `.'
X Common: dot, point, (period), (decimal point), Rare: radix
X point, full stop..
X
X `/'
X Common: slash, stroke, (slant), forward slash. Rare: diagonal,
X solidus, over, slak, virgule..
X
X `:'
X Common: (colon). Rare: two-spot..
X
X `;'
X Common: (semicolon), semi. Rare: weenie..
X
X `<>'
X Common: (less/greater than), left/right angle bracket,
X bra/ket, left/right broket. Rare: from/{into,towards}, read
X from/write to, suck/blow, comes-from/gozinta, in/out,
X crunch/zap (all from UNIX).
X
X `='
X Common: (equals), gets. Rare: quadrathorpe..
X
X `?'
X Common: query, (question mark), <ques>. Rare: whatmark, what,
X wildchar, huh, hook, buttonhook, hunchback..
X
X `@'
X Common: at-sign, at, strudel. Rare: each, vortex, whorl,
X cyclone, snail, ape, cat, rose, cabbage, (commercial at)..
X
X `V'
X Rare: vee, book..
X
X `[]'
X Common: left/right square bracket, (opening/closing bracket),
X bracket/unbracket left/right bracket, Rare: square/unsquare..
X
X `\'
X Common: backslash, escape (from C/UNIX), reverse slash, slosh,
X backslant. Rare: bash, backwhack, (reversed slant), reversed
X virgule..
X
X `^'
X Common: hat, control, (as in `control to'), uparrow, (caret).
X Rare: (circumflex), chevron, shark (or shark fin), to (`to the
X power of'), fang..
X
X `_'
X Common: (underline), underscore, underbar, under. Rare:
X score, backarrow..
X
X ``'
X Common: backquote, left quote, open quote, (grave accent),
X grave. Rare: backprime, backspark, unapostrophe, birk,
X blugle, back tick, back glitch, push, (opening single
X quotation mark)..
X
X `{}'
X Common: open/close brace, left/right brace, left/right
X squiggly bracket, (opening/closing brace), left/right curly
X bracket. Rare: brace/unbrace, curly/uncurly, leftit/rytit..
X
X `|'
X Common: bar, or, or-bar, v-bar, pipe. Rare: vertical bar,
X (vertical line), gozinta, thru, pipesinta (last three ones
X from UNIX)..
X
X `~'
X Common: (tilde), squiggle, <twiddle>, not. Rare: approx,
X wiggle, swung dash, enyay, sqiggle.
X
X The pronunciation of `#' as `pound' is common in the U.S. but
X a bad idea; Commonwealth hackish has its own rather more apposite
X use of `pound'. The U.S. practice seems to derive from an old-time
X habit of using `#' to tag pound weights on bills of lading.
X The character is usually pronounced `hash' outside the U.S.
X
X Also note that the `swung dash' or `approx' sign is not quite the
X same as tilde in typeset material, but the ASCII tilde serves for
X both (compare <angle brackets>).
X
X Some other common usages cause odd overlaps. The `#',
X `$', `>' and `&' chars, for example, are all
X pronounced "hex" in different communities because various assemblers
X use them as a prefix tag for hexadecimal constants (in particular,
X $ in the 6502 world, > at Texas Instruments, and & on the Sinclair
X and some other Z80 machines).
X
<asymptotic> adj. Infinitely close to. This is used in a
X generalization of its mathematical meaning to allege that something
X is <within epsilon of> some standard, reference, or goal (see
X <epsilon>).
X
<autobogotiphobia> /aw'to-boh-got'@-foh`bee-uh/ n. See <bogotify>.
X
<automagically> /aw-toh-maj'i-klee/ or /aw-toh-maj'i-k@l-ee/ adv.
X Automatically, but in a way which, for some reason (typically
X because it is too complicated, or too ugly, or perhaps even too
X trivial), the speaker doesn't feel like explaining to you. See
X <magic>. "The C-INTERCAL compiler generates C, then automagically
X invokes `cc(1)' to produce an executable."
X
<awk> 1. n. [UNIX] An interpreted language developed by Aho,
X Weinberg and Kernighan (the name is from their initials).
X characterized by: C-like syntax, a BASIC-like approach to variable
X typing and declarations, associative arrays, and field-oriented
X text processing. See also <Perl>. 2. Editing term for an
X expression awkward to manipulate through normal regular expression
X facilities. 2. vt. To process data using `awk(1)'.
X
X {= B =}
X
<backbone cabal> n. A group of large-site administrators who pushed
X through the <Great Renaming> and reined in the chaos of <USENET>
X during most of the 1980s. The cabal <mailing list> disbanded in late
X 1988 after a bitter internal catfight, but the net hardly noticed.
X
<backbone site> n. A key USENET and email site; one which processes
X a large amount of third-party traffic, especially if it's the home
X site of any of the regional coordinators for the USENET maps.
X Notable backbone sites as of early 1991 include "uunet" and the
X mail machines at Rutgers University, UC Berkeley, DEC's Western
X Research Laboratories, Ohio State University, and the University of
X Texas. Compare <rib site>, <leaf site>.
X
<back door> n. A hole in the security of a system deliberately left in
X place by designers or maintainers. The motivation for this is not
X always sinister; some operating systems, for example, come out of
X the box with privileged accounts intended for use by field service
X or the vendor's maintenance programmers.
X
X Historically, back doors have often lurked in systems longer than
X anyone expected or planned, and a few have become widely known.
X The famous RTM worm of late 1988, for example, used a back door in
X the <BSD UNIX> `sendmail(1)' utility.
X
X Ken Thompson's 1983 Turing Award lecture to the ACM revealed the
X existence of a back door in early UNIX versions that may have
X qualified as the most fiendishly clever security hack of all time.
X The binaries of the C compiler had code in them which a) would
X automatically patch itself into the output executable whenver
X whenever the compiler itself was being recompiled, b) would also
X patch the `login' command, when *it* was being
X recompiled, to accept a password that gave Thompson entry to the
X computer whether or not an account had been created for him! This
X back door was propagated through hundreds of machines without any
X clue to it ever showing up in source.
X
X Syn. <trap door>; may also be called a "wormhole". See also
X <iron box>, <cracker>, <worm>, <logic bomb>.
X
<background> vt.,adj. A task running in background is detached from
X the terminal where it was started (and often running at a lower
X priority); oppose <foreground>. Nowadays this term is primarily
X associated with <UNIX>, but it appears first to have been used in
X this sense on OS/360. By extension, to do a task "in
X background" is to do it whenever <foreground> matters are not
X claiming your undivided attention, and "to background"
X something means to relegate it to a lower priority. Note that this
X implies ongoing activity but at a reduced level or in spare time,
X in contrast to mainstream `back burner' which connotes benign
X neglect until some future resumption of activity. Compare <amp
X off>, <slopsucker>.
X
<backspace and overstrike> interj. Whoa! Back up. Used to suggest
X that someone just said or did something wrong. Common among
X APL programmers.
X
<BAD> [IBM; acronym, Broken As Designed] adj. Said of a program
X which is <bogus> due to bad design and misfeatures rather than
X due to bugginess. See <working as designed>.
X
<Bad Thing> [from the 1962 Sellars & Yeatman parody `1066 and All
X That'] n. Something which can't possibly result in improvement of
X the subject. This term is always capitalized, as in "Replacing
X all of the 9600 baud modems with bicycle couriers would be a Bad
X Thing." Oppose <Good Thing>. British correspondents confirm that
X <Bad Thing> and <Good Thing> (and prob. therefore <Right Thing> and
X <Wrong Thing>) come from the book referenced in the etymology,
X which discusses rulers who were Good Kings, but Bad Things. This
X has apparently created a mainstream idiom on their side of the
X pond.
X
<bagbiter> /bag'biet-@r/ n. 1. Something, such as a program or a
X computer, that fails to work, or works in a remarkably clumsy
X manner. Example: "This text editor won't let me make a file with
X a line longer than 80 characters! What a bagbiter!" 2. A person
X who has caused you some trouble, inadvertently or otherwise,
X typically by failing to program the computer properly. Synonyms:
X <loser>, <cretin>, <chomper>. 3. Also in the form
X "bagbiting" adj. Having the quality of a bagbiter. "This
X bagbiting system won't let me compute the factorial of a negative
X number." Compare <losing>, <cretinous>, <bletcherous>,
X <barfucious> and "chomping" (under <chomp>). 4. "bite
X the bag" vi. To fail in some manner. "The computer keeps crashing
X every five minutes." "Yes, the disk controller is really biting
X the bag." The original loading of these terms was almost
X undoubtedly obscene, possibly referring to the scrotum, but in
X their current usage they have become almost completely sanitized.
X
<bamf> /bamf/ 1. [from old X-men comics] interj. Notional sound made
X by a person or object teleporting in or out of the hearer's
X vicinity. Often used in <virtual reality> (esp. <MUD>)
X electronic fora when a character wishes to make a dramatic entrance
X or exit. 2. [from `Don Washington's Survival Guide'] n.
X Acronym for `Bad-Ass Mother Fucker', used to refer to one of the
X handful of nastiest monsters on an LPMUD or similar MUD.
X
<banana label> n. The labels often used on the sides of <macrotape>
X reels, so called because they're shaped roughly like blunt-ended
X bananas. This term, like macrotapes themselves, is still current
X but visibly headed for obsolescence.
X
<banana problem> n. [from the story of the little girl who said "I
X know how to spell `banana', but I don't know when to stop"]. Not
X knowing where or when to bring a production to a close. One may
X say there is a banana problem of an algorithm with poorly defined
X or incorrect termination conditions, or in discussing the evolution
X of a design that may be succumbing to featuritis (see also
X <creeping elegance>).
X
<bandwidth> n. 1. Used by hackers in a generalization of its technical
X meaning as the volume of information per unit time that a computer,
X person or transmission medium can handle. "Those are amazing
X graphics but I missed some of the detail --- not enough bandwidth,
X I guess." 2. Attention span. 3. On <USENET>, a measure of
X network capacity that is often wasted by people complaining about
X how network news items posted by others are a waste of bandwidth.
X
<bang> 1. n. Common spoken name for `!' (ASCII 0100001),
X especially when used in pronouncing a <bang path> in spoken
X hackish. In elder days this was considered a CMUish usage, with
X MIT and Stanford hackers preferring <excl> or <shriek>; but the
X spread of UNIX has carried <bang> with it (esp. via the term
X <bang path>) and it is now certainly the most common spoken name
X for `!'. Note that it is used exclusively for non-emphatic
X written `!'; one would not say "Congratulations bang"
X (except possibly for humorous purposes), but if one wanted to
X specify the exact characters `FOO!', one would speak "Eff oh oh
X bang". See <shriek>, <ASCII>. 2. interj. An exclamation
X signifying roughly "I have achieved enlightenment!", or "The
X dynamite has cleared out my brain!". Often used to acknowledge
X that one has perpetrated a <thinko> immediately after one has
X been called on it.
X
<bang path> n. An old-style UUCP electronic-mail address specifying
X hops to get from some assumed-reachable location to the addressee,
X so called because each <hop> is signified by a <bang> sign. Thus
X the path `...!bigsite!foovax!barbox!me' directs correspondents
X to route their mail to machine bigsite (presumably a well-known
X location accessible to everybody) and from there through the
X machine `foovax' to the account of user `me' on `barbox'. In the
X bad old days of not so long ago, before autorouting mailers became
X commonplace, people often published compound bang addresses using
X the { } convention (see <glob>) to give paths from
X *several* big machines, in the hopes that one's correspondent
X might be able to get mail to one of them reliable (example:
X ...!{seismo, ut-sally, gatech}!rice!beta!gamma!me). Bang paths of 8
X to ten hops were not uncommon in 1981. Late night dial-up uucp
X links would cause week-long transmission times. Bang paths were
X often selected by both transmission time and reliability, as
X messages would often get lost. See <Internet address>,
X <network, the>, and <sitename>.
X
<banner> n. 1. The title page added to printouts by most print
X spoolers see <spool>. Typically includes user or account ID
X information in very large character-graphics capitals. 2. A
X similar printout generated from user-specified text, e.g by a
X program such as UNIX's `banner[16]'. 3. On interactive
X software, a first screen containing a logo and/or author credits
X and/or copyright notice.
X
<bar> /bar/ n. 1. The second metasyntactic variable, after <foo>
X and before <baz>. "Suppose we have two functions FOO and BAR.
X FOO calls BAR..." 2. Often appended to <foo> to produce
X <foobar>.
X
<bare metal> n. 1. New computer hardware, unadorned with such snares
X and delusions as an <operating system>, <HLL>, or even
X assembler. Commonly in the phrase `programming on the bare metal',
X which refers to the arduous work of <bit bashing> needed to
X create these basic tools for a new machine. Real bare-metal
X programming involves things like building boot proms and BIOS
X chips, implementing basic monitors used to test device drivers, and
X writing the assemblers that will be used to write the compiler back
X ends that will give the new machine a real development environment.
X 2. The same phrase is also used to describe a style of
X <hand-hacking> that relies on bit-level peculiarities of a
X particular hardware design, esp. tricks for speed and space
X optimization that rely on crocks such as overlapping opcodes (or,
X as in the famous case described in Appendix A, interleaving of
X opcodes on a magnetic drum to minimize fetch delays due to the
X device's rotational latency). This sort of thing has become less
X common as the relative costs of programming time and machine
X resources have changed, but is still found in heavily constrained
X environments like industrial embedded systems. See <real
X programmer>.
X
<barf> /barf/ [from mainstream slang meaning `vomit'] 1. interj.
X Term of disgust. This is the closest hackish equivalent of the
X Valspeak `gag me with a spoon'. See <bletch>. 2. To say
X "Barf!" or emit some similar expression of disgust. "I showed
X him my latest hack and he barfed" means only that he complained
X about it, not that he literally vomited. 3. vi. To fail to work
X because of unacceptable input. May mean to give an error message.
X Examples: "The division operation barfs if you try to divide by
X zero." (that is, division by zero fails in some unspecified
X spectacular way) "The text editor barfs if you try to read in a
X new file before writing out the old one." See <choke>, <gag>.
X Note that in Commonwealth hackish, `barf' is generally replaced by
X `puke' or `vom'. <barf> is sometimes also used as a
X metasyntactic variable like <foo> or <bar>.
X
<barfulous> adj. (also <barfucious>) Said of something which would
X make anyone barf, if only for esthetic reasons.
X
<barfulation> interj. Variation of <barf> used around the Stanford
X area. An exclamation, expressing disgust. On seeing some
X particularly bad code one might exclaim, "Barfulation! Who wrote
X this, Quux?"
X
<baroque> adj. Feature-encrusted; complex; gaudy; verging on
X excessive. Said of hardware or (esp.) software designs, this has
X many of the connotations of <elephantine> or <monstrosity> but is
X less extreme and not pejorative in itself. See also <rococo>.
X
<BartleMUD> n. Any of the MUDs which are devived from the original MUD
X game (see <MUD>) or use the same software drivers. BartleMUDs are
X noted for their (usually slightly offbeat) humour, dry but friendly
X syntax, and lack of adjectives in object descriptions, so a player
X is likely to come across `brand172', for instance (see <brand
X brand brand>). Some mudders intensely dislike Bartle and this
X term, preferring to speak of `MUD-1'.
X
<batch> adj. Non-interactive. Hackers use this somewhat more
X loosely than the traditional technical definitions justify; in
X particular, switches on a normally interactive program that prepare
X it to receive what would normally be keyboard input from a file are
X often referred to as <batch mode> switches. A "batch file"
X is a series of instructions written to be handed to an interactive
X program running in batch mode. Compare <script>.
X
<baud barf> /bawd barf/ n. The garbage one gets on the monitor when
X using a modem connection with some protocol setting (esp. line
X speed) incorrect, or when someone picks up a voice extension on the
X same line, or when really bad line noise disrupts the connection.
X Baud barf is not completely <random>, by the way; hackers with a
X lot of serial-line experience can usually tell whether the device
X at the other end is expecting a higher or lower speed than the
X terminal is set to. *Really* experienced ones can identify
X particular speeds.
X
<bathtub curve> n. Common term for the curve (resembling an
X end-to-end section of one of those claw-footed antique bathtubs)
X that describes the expected failure rate of electronics with time:
X initially high, dropping to near zero for most of the system's
X lifetime, then rising again as it `tires out'. See also <burn-in
X period>, <infant mortality>.
X
<baz> /baz/ n. [Stanford corruption of <bar>] 1. The third
X metasyntactic variable, after <foo> and <bar> and before
X <qux>. "Suppose we have three functions FOO, BAR, and BAZ. FOO
X calls BAR, which calls BAZ..." 2. interj. Term of mild
X annoyance. In this usage the term is often drawn out for two or
X three seconds, producing an effect not unlike the bleating of a
X sheep; /baaaaaaz/. 3. Occasionally appended to <foo> to produce
X `foobaz'.
X
<bboard> /bee'bord/ [contraction of "bulletin board"] n. 1. Any
X electronic bulletin board; esp. used of <BBS> systems running of
X personal micros, less frequently of a USENET <newsgroup>. 2. At
X CMU and other colleges with similar facilities, refers to
X campuswide electronic bulletin boards. 3. The term "physical
X bboard" is sometimes used to refer to a non-electronic
X old-fashioned cork memo board. At CMU, it refers to a particular
X one outside the CS Lounge.
X
X In either of senses 1 or 2, the term is usually prefixed by the
X name of the intended board (`the Moonlight Casino bboard' or
X `market bboard'); however, if the context is clear, the better-read
X bboards may be referred to by name alone, as in [at CMU] "Don't
X post for-sale ads on general".
X
<BBS> [acronym, Bulletin Board System] n. An electronic bulletin
X board system; that is, a message database where people can log in
X and leave broadcast messages for others grouped (typically) into
X topic areas. Thousands of local BBS systems are in operation
X throughout the U.S., typically run by amateurs for fun out of their
X homes on MS-DOS boxes with a single modem line each. Fans of
X USENET and Internet or the big commercial timesharing boards like
X CompuServe or GEnie tend to consider local BBSes the `low-rent
X district' of the hacker culture, but they serve a valuable function
X by knitting together lots of hackers and users in the
X personal-micro world who would otherwise be unable to exchange code
X at all.
X
<beam> [from Star Trek Classic's "Beam me up, Scotty!"] vt. To
X transfer <softcopy> of a file electronically; most often in
X combining forms such as "beam me a copy" or "beam that over to
X his site". Compare <blast>, <snarf>, <BLT>.
X
<beep> n.,v. Syn. <feep>. This term seems to be preferred among micro
X hobbyists.
X
<bells and whistles> [by analogy with steam calliopes] n. Features
X added to a program or system to make it more <flavorful> from a
X hacker's point of view, without necessarily adding to its utility
X for its primary function. Distinguished from <chrome> which is
X intended to attract users. "Now that we've got the basic program
X working, let's go back and add some bells and whistles." However,
X no one seems to know what distinguishes a bell from a whistle.
X
<belly up> [think of a dead fish] adj. Down, and it stinks. Used of
X hardware which suddenly stops working, especially when the
X <stoppage> is ideally timed to disrupt a development schedule.
X Esp. found in the phrase `to go belly up' or `gone belly up'. See
X also <casters up mode>, <down>.
X
<benchmark> n. An inaccurate measure of computer performance. "In
X the computer industry, there are three kinds of lies: lies, damn
X lies, and benchmarks." Well known ones include Whetstone,
X Dhrystone, the Gabriel LISP benchmarks (see <Gabriel mode>),
X Rhealstone (see <h infix>) and LINPACK. See also <machoflops>,
X <MIPS>.
X
<berklix> /ber'kliks/ n.,adj. Contraction of `Berkeley UNIX'. See
X <BSD>. Not used at Berkeley itself. May be more common among
X <suits> attempting to sound like cognoscenti than among hackers,
X who usually just say `BSD'.
X
<berserking> vi. A <MUD> term meaning to gain points *only* by
X killing other players and mobiles (non-player characters). Hence a
X Berserker-Wizard is a player character that has achieved enough
X points to become a wizard, but only by killing other characters.
X Berserking is sometimes frowned upon because of its inherently
X antisocial nature, but some MUDs have a "berserker mode" in which a
X player becomes *permanently* berserk, can never flee out of a
X fight, cannot use magic, get no score for treasure, but they
X *do* get double kill points. "Berserker wizards can seriously
X damage your elf!"
X
<Berzerkeley> [from "berserk"] /b@r-zer'klee/ [from the name of a
X now-deceased record label] n. Humorous, distortion of `Berkeley'
X used esp. to refer to the practices or products of the <BSD> UNIX
X hackers. See <software bloat>, <Missed'em-five>.
X
<beta> /be't@/, /bay't@/ or (Commonwealth) /bee't@/ n. 1. In the
X <Real World>, software often goes through two stages of testing:
X Alpha (in-house) and Beta (out-house?). Software is said to be
X "in beta". 2. Anything that is new and experimental is in
X beta. "His girlfriend is in beta." 3. Beta software is
X notoriously buggy, so `in beta' connotes flakiness.
X
X Historical note: More formally, to beta-test is to test a
X pre-release (potentially unreliable) version of a piece of software
X by making it available to selected customers and users. This term
X derives from early nineteen-sixties terminology for product cycle
X checkpoints, first used at IBM but later standard throughout the
X industry. `Alpha Test' was the unit, module, or component test
X phase; `Beta Test' was initial system test. These themselves came
X from earlier A and B tests for hardware. The A-test was a
X feasibility and manufacturability evaluation done before any
X commitment to design and development. The B-test was a
X demonstration that the engineering model functioned as specified.
X The C test (corresponding to today's beta) was the B-test performed
X on early samples of the production design.
X
<BFI> n. See <brute force and ignorance>. Also encountered in the
X variant "BFMI", `brute force and "massive" ignorance'.
X
<bible> n. 1. One of a small number of fundamental source books
X such as <Knuth> and <K&R>. 2. The most detailed and
X authoritative reference for a particular language, operating
X system, or other complex software system.
X
<BiCapitalization> adj. The act said to have been performed on
X trademarks such as VisiCalc, FrameMaker, TKsolver, EasyWriter and
X others which have been raised above the hoi polloi of common
X coinage by nonstandard capitalization. <Marketroid> types think
X this sort of thing is really cute, even the 2,317th time they do
X it. Compare <studlycaps>.
X
<BIFF> /bif/ [USENET] n. The most famous <pseudo>, and the
X prototypical <newbie>. Articles from BIFF are characterized by
X all upper case letters sprinkled liberally with bangs, typos,
X `cute' misspellings (EVRY BUDY LUVS GOOD OLD BIFF CUZ HE"S A K00L
X DOOD AN HE RITES REEL AWESUM THINGZ IN CAPITULL LETTRS LIKE
X THIS!!!), use (and often misuse) of fragments of <talk mode>
X abbreviations, a long <sig block> (sometimes even a <doubled
X sig>), and unbounded naivete. BIFF posts articles using his elder
X brother's VIC-20. BIFF's location is a mystery, as his articles
X appear to come from a variety of sites. However, BITNET seems to
X be the most frequent origin. The theory that BIFF is a denizen of
X BITNET is supported by BIFF's (unfortunately invalid) electronic
X mail address: BI...@BIT.NET.
X
<biff> /bif/ vt. To notify someone of incoming mail; from the BSD
X utility `biff(1)' which was in turn named after the
X implementor's dog; it barked whenever the mailman came.
X
<big-endian> [From Swift's `Gulliver's Travels' via a famous
X paper `On Holy Wars and a Plea for Peace' by Danny Cohen,
X USC/ISI IEN 137 dated 1 April 1980] 1. adj. Describes a computer
X architecture in which, within a given word, lower byte addresses
X have higher significance (the word is stored `big-end-first').
X Most processors including the IBM 370 family and the <PDP-10> and
X Motorola microprocessor families and most of the various RISC
X designs current in 1990 are big-endian. See <little-endian>,
X <middle-endian>, <NUXI problem>. 2. adj. An <internet
X address> the wrong way round. Most of the world follows the
X Internet standard and writes email addresses starting with the name
X of the computer and ending up with the name of the country. In the
X UK the Joint Networking Team decided to do it the other way round.
X E.g. `ran...@uk.ac.redbrick.cs'. Most gateway sites have
X <ad-hockery> in their mailers to handle this, but can still be
X confused. In particular the address above could be in the UK (code
X `uk') or Czechoslovakia (code `cs').
X
<Big Grey Wall> n. What greets a <VMS> user searching for
X documentation. A full VMS kit comes on a pallet, the documentation
X taking up around 15 feet of shelf space before adding layered
X products such as compilers, databases, multivendor networking,
X programming tools etc. Recent (since VMS V5) DEC documentation
X comes with grey binders; under VMS V4 the binders were orange
X ("big orange wall"), and under V3 they were blue. See <VMS>.
X
<big iron> n. Large, expensive, ultra-fast computers. Used generally
X of number crunching supercomputers such as Crays, but can include
X more conventional big commercial IBMish mainframes. Term of
X approval; compare <heavy metal>, oppose <dinosaur>.
X
<Big Red Switch> [IBM] n. The power switch on a computer, esp. the
X `Emergency Pull' switch on an IBM <mainframe> or the power switch on
X an IBM-PC where it really is large and red. "This !@%$% <bitty
X box> is hung again; time to hit the Big Red Switch." Sources at
X IBM report that, in tune with the company's passion for <TLA>s,
X this is often acronymized as "BRS" (this has also become
X established on FidoNet and in the PC <clone> world). It is alleged
X that the emergency pull switch on a 360/91 actually fired a
X non-conducting bolt into the main power feed. Compare
X <power cycle>, <three-finger salute>.
X
<bignum> /big'num/ [orig. from MIT MACLISP] n. 1. A
X multiple-precision computer representation for very large integers.
X More generally, any very large number. "Have you ever looked at
X the United States Budget? There's bignums for you!"
X
X Most computer languages provide a kind of data called `integer',
X but such computer integers are usually very limited in size;
X usually they must be smaller than 2^31 (2147483648) or (on a losing
X <bitty box>) 2^15 (32768). If you want to work with numbers
X larger than that, you have to use floating-point numbers, which are
X usually accurate to only six or seven decimal places. Computer
X languages that provide bignums can perform exact calculations on
X very large numbers, such as 1000! (the factorial of 1000, which is
X 1000 times 999 times 998 times ... times 2 times 1). For
X example, this value for 1000! was computed by the MACLISP system
X using bignums:
X
X 40238726007709377354370243392300398571937486421071
X 46325437999104299385123986290205920442084869694048
X 00479988610197196058631666872994808558901323829669
X 94459099742450408707375991882362772718873251977950
X 59509952761208749754624970436014182780946464962910
X 56393887437886487337119181045825783647849977012476
X 63288983595573543251318532395846307555740911426241
X 74743493475534286465766116677973966688202912073791
X 43853719588249808126867838374559731746136085379534
X 52422158659320192809087829730843139284440328123155
X 86110369768013573042161687476096758713483120254785
X 89320767169132448426236131412508780208000261683151
X 02734182797770478463586817016436502415369139828126
X 48102130927612448963599287051149649754199093422215
X 66832572080821333186116811553615836546984046708975
X 60290095053761647584772842188967964624494516076535
X 34081989013854424879849599533191017233555566021394
X 50399736280750137837615307127761926849034352625200
X 01588853514733161170210396817592151090778801939317
X 81141945452572238655414610628921879602238389714760
X 88506276862967146674697562911234082439208160153780
X 88989396451826324367161676217916890977991190375403
X 12746222899880051954444142820121873617459926429565
X 81746628302955570299024324153181617210465832036786
X 90611726015878352075151628422554026517048330422614
X 39742869330616908979684825901254583271682264580665
X 26769958652682272807075781391858178889652208164348
X 34482599326604336766017699961283186078838615027946
X 59551311565520360939881806121385586003014356945272
X 24206344631797460594682573103790084024432438465657
X 24501440282188525247093519062092902313649327349756
X 55139587205596542287497740114133469627154228458623
X 77387538230483865688976461927383814900140767310446
X 64025989949022222176590433990188601856652648506179
X 97023561938970178600408118897299183110211712298459
X 01641921068884387121855646124960798722908519296819
X 37238864261483965738229112312502418664935314397013
X 74285319266498753372189406942814341185201580141233
X 44828015051399694290153483077644569099073152433278
X 28826986460278986432113908350621709500259738986355
X 42771967428222487575867657523442202075736305694988
X 25087968928162753848863396909959826280956121450994
X 87170124451646126037902930912088908694202851064018
X 21543994571568059418727489980942547421735824010636
X 77404595741785160829230135358081840096996372524230
X 56085590370062427124341690900415369010593398383577
X 79394109700277534720000000000000000000000000000000
X 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
X 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
X 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
X 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
X 000000000000000000.
X
X 2. [Stanford] n. In backgammon, large numbers on the dice are
X called "bignums", especially a roll of double fives or double
X sixes. See also <El Camino Bignum>.
X
<bigot> n. A person who is religiously attached to a particular
X language, operating system, editor or other tool (see <religious
X issues>). Usually found with a specifier; thus, "APL bigot",
X "VMS bigot", "EMACS bigot". A true bigot can be
X distinguished from a mere partisan or zealot by the fact that
X he/she refuses to learn alternatives. It is said "You can tell a
X bigot, but you can't tell him much." Compare <weenie>.
X
<bit> [from the mainstream meaning and `binary digit'] n. 1. The
X unit of information; the amount of information obtained by asking a
X yes-or-no question for which the two outcomes are equally probable
X (this is straight technicalese). 2. A computational quantity that
X can take on one of two values, such as true and false, or zero and
X one. 3. A mental flag: a reminder that something should be done
X eventually. Example: "I have a bit set for you." (I haven't seen
X you for a while, and I'm supposed to tell or ask you something.)
X "I just need one bit from you" is a polite way of indicating that
X you intend only a short interruption for a question which can
X presumably be answered with a yes or no.
X
X A bit is said to be "set" if its value is true or one, and
X "reset" or "clear" if its value is false or zero. One
X speaks of setting and clearing bits. To "toggle" or
X "invert" a bit is to change it, either from zero to one or from
X one to zero. See also <flag>, <trit>, <mode bit>.
X
<bit bang> n. Transmission of data on a serial line, when accomplished by
X rapidly tweaking a single output bit at the appropriate times
X (popular on certain early models of Prime computers, presumably
X when UARTs were too expensive, and on archaic Z-80 micros with a
X Zilog PIO but no SIO). The technique is a simple loop with eight
X OUT and SHIFT instruction pairs for each byte. Input is more
X interesting. And full duplex (doing input and output at the same
X time) is one way to separate the real hackers from the <wannabees>.
X
<bit bashing> n. (also, "bit diddling" or "bit twiddling") Term
X used to describe any of several kinds of low-level programming
X characterized by manipulation of <bit>, <flag>, <nybble> and other
X smaller-than-character-sized pieces of data: these include
X low-level device control, encryption algorithms, checksum and
X error-correcting codes, hash functions, some flavors of graphics
X programming (see <bitblt>), and assembler/compiler code generation.
X May connote either tedium or a real technical challenge (more
X usually the former). "The command decoding for the new tape
X driver looks pretty solid but the bit-bashing for the control
X registers still has bugs." See also <bit bang>, <mode bit>.
X
<bit bucket> n. The universal data sink (originally, the mythical
X receptacle used to catch bits when they fall off the end of a
X register during a shift instruction). Data that is discarded,
X lost, or destroyed is said to "go to the bit bucket". On <UNIX>,
X often used for </dev/null>. Sometimes amplified as "the Great Bit
X Bucket in the Sky". This term is used purely in jest. It's based
X on the fanciful notion that bits are objects that are not
X destroyed, but only misplaced. This appears to have been a
X mutation of an earlier term "bit box", about which the same
X legend was current; old-time hackers also report that trainees used
X to be told that when the CPU stored bits into memory it was
X actually pulling them "out of the bit box". See also <chad box>,
X <null device>.
X
<bit decay> n. See <software rot>. People with a physics background
X tend to prefer this one for the analogy with particle decay. See
X also <computron>, <quantum bogodynamics>.
X
<bit-paired keyboard> n. obs. A non-standard keyboard layout which
X seems to have originated with the Teletype ASR-33 and remained
X common for several years on early computer equipment. The TTY was
X a mechanical device (see <EOU>) so the only way to generate the
X character codes from keystrokes was by some physical linkage. The
X design of the ASR-33 assigned each character key a basic pattern
X which could be modified by flipping bits if the SHIFT or CTRL key
X were pressed. This meant that in order to avoid making the thing
X more of a Rube Goldberg kluge than it already was the design had to
X group on one keytop characters which shared the same basic bit
X pattern.
X
X Looking at the ASCII chart, we find:
X
X b7b6b5 b4b3b2b1 --- (in decimal)
X 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
X
X 0 1 0 sp ! " # $ % & ' ( )
X
X 0 1 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
X
X That's why the shifted decimal digits on a Teletype are arranged
X that way (except that 0 was moved over to the right-hand side).
X This was <not> the weirdest variant of <QWERTY> layout widely
X seen, by the way; that palm probably goes to the keycaps on IBM's
X even clunkier 029 card punch.
X
X When electronic terminals became popular in the early
X nineteen-seventies there was no agreement in the industry over how
X the keyboards should be laid out. Some vendors opted to emulate
X the Teletype keyboard, while others used the flexibility of
X electronic circuitry to make their product look like an office
X typewriter. These alternatives became known as `bit-paired' and
X `typewriter-paired' keyboards. To a hacker, the bit-paired
X keyboard seemed far more logical --- and because most hackers in
X those days had never learned to touch-type, there was little
X pressure from the pioneering users to adapt keyboards to the
X typewriter standard.
X
X The doom of the bit-paired keyboard was the large-scale
X introduction of the computer terminal into the normal office
X environment, where out-and-out technophobes were expected to use
X the equipment. The `typewriter-paired' standard became universal,
X `bit-paired' hardware was quickly junked or relegated to dusty
X corners, and both terms passed into obsolescence.
X
<bit rot> n. Also <bit decay>. Hypothetical disease the existence
X of which has been deduced from the observation that unused programs
X or features will often stop working after sufficient time has
X passed, even if `nothing has changed'. The theory explains that
X bits decay as if they were radioactive. As time passes, the
X contents of a file or the code in a program will become
X increasingly garbled.
X
X There actually are physical processes that produce such effects
X (the alpha particles such as are found in cosmic rays can change
X the contents of a computer memory unpredictably, and various kinds
X of subtle media failures can corrupt files in mass storage) but
X they are quite rare.
X
X The term <software rot> is almost synonymous.
X
<bitblt> /bit'blit/ n. [from <BLT>, q.v.] 1. Any of a closely
X related family of algorithms for moving and copying rectangles of
X bits between main and display memory on a bit-mapped device, or
X between two areas of either main or display memory (the requirement
X to do the Right Thing in the case of overlapping source and
X destination rectangles is what makes BitBlt tricky). 2. Synonym
X for <blit> or <BLT>
X
<bits> n. 1. Information. Examples: "I need some bits about file
X formats." ("I need to know about file formats.") Compare <core
X dump>, sense #4. 2. Machine-readable representation of a document,
X specifically as contrasted with paper. "I only have a photocopy
X of the Jargon File; does anyone know where I can get the bits?".
X See <softcopy>. 3. Also in <the source of all good bits> n. A
X person from whom (or a place from which) information may be
X obtained. If you need to know about a program, a <wizard> might be
X the source of all good bits. The title is often applied to a
X particularly competent secretary.
X
<bitty box> /bit'ee boks/ n. 1. A computer sufficiently small,
X primitive, or incapable as to cause a hacker acute claustrophobia at
X the thought of developing for it. Especially used of small,
X obsolescent, single-tasking-only personal machines like the Atari
X 800, Osborne, Sinclair, VIC-20, TRS-80, or IBM PC. 2. More
X generally, the opposite of `real computer' (see <Get a real
X computer!>). Pejorative. See also <mess-dos>, <toaster>, and
X <toy>.
X
<bixie> /biks'ee/ n. Synonym for <emoticon> used on BIX (the Byte
X Information Exchange); many BIXers believe (incorrectly) the
X emoticon was invented there.
X
<black art> n. A collection of arcane, unpublished, and (by
X implication) mostly ad-hoc techniques developed for a particular
X application or systems area. VLSI design and compiler code
X optimization were (in their beginnings) considered classic examples
X of black art; as theory developed they became <deep magic>, and
X once standard textbooks had been written became merely <heavy
X wizardry>. The huge proliferation of formal and informal channels
X for spreading around new computer-related technologies during the
X last twenty years has made both the term `black art' and what it
X describes less common than formerly. See also <voodoo
SHAR_EOF
true || echo 'restore of jargon.ascii failed'
fi
echo 'End of part 2, continue with part 3'
echo 3 > _shar_seq_.tmp
exit 0