The Jargon File v2.3.1 03 JAN 1991, part 3 of 11
Eric S. Raymond
eric at snark.thyrsus.com
Fri Jan 4 08:02:50 AEST 1991
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X imagery and references such as: "Bob" the divine
X drilling-equipment salesman, the Benevolent Space Xists and the
X Stark Fist of Removal. Much Sub-Genius theory is concerned with
X the acquisition of the mystical substance or quality of "slack".
X See also <ha ha only serious>.
X
X<Classic C> /klas'ik see/ [a play on `Coke Classic'] n. The C
X programming language as defined in the first edition of <K&R>,
X with some small additions. It is also known as "K & R C."
X The name came into use during the standardisation process for C by
X the ANSI X3J11 committee. Also <C Classic>. This is sometimes
X generalized to "X Classic" where X = Star Trek (referring to the
X original TV series), or X = PC (referring to IBM's ISA-bus machines
X as opposed to the PS/2 series); this generalization is especially
X used of product series in which the newer versions are considered
X serious losers relative to the older ones.
X
X<clean> adj. Used of hardware or software designs, implies "elegance
X in the small", that is a design or implementation which may not
X hold any surprises but does things in a way that is reasonably
X intuitive and relatively easy to comprehend from the outside. The
X antonym is <grungy> or <crufty>.
X
X<CLM> [Sun, "Career Limiting Move"] 1. n. Endangering one's future
X prospects of getting plum projects and raises, also possibly one's
X job. "He used a bubblesort! What a CLM!" 2. adj. denoting
X extreme severity of a bug, discovered by a customer and obviously
X due to poor testing: "That's a CLM bug!"
X
X<clobber> v. Mistakenly overwrite. As in "I walked off the end of
X the array and clobbered the stack." Compare <mung>, <scribble>,
X <trash>, and <smash the stack>.
X
X<clocks> n. Processor logic cycles, so called because each generally
X corresponds to one clock pulse in the processor's timing. The
X relative execution times of instructions on a machine are usually
X discussed in `clocks' rather than absolute fractions of a second.
X Compare <cycle>.
X
X<clone> n. 1. An exact duplicate, as in "our product is a clone of
X their product." Implies a legal re-implementation from
X documentation or by reverse-engineering, as opposed to the
X illegalities under sense #3. Also connotes lower price. 2. A
X shoddy, spurious copy, as in "their product is a clone of our
X product." 3. A blatant ripoff, most likely violating copyright,
X patent, or trade secret protections, as in "your product is a
X clone of my product." This usage implies legal action is pending.
X 4. A "PC clone"; a PC-BUS/ISA or EISA-compatible 80x86 based
X microcomputer (this use is sometimes spelled "klone"). 5. In the
X construction <UNIX clone>: An OS designed to deliver a
X UNIX-lookalike environment sans UNIX license fees, or with
X additional "mission-critical" features such as support for
X real-time programming.
X
X<close> /klohz/ [from the verb "to close", thus the `z' sound] 1. n.
X Abbreviation for "close (or right) parenthesis", used when
X necessary to eliminate oral ambiguity. See <open>. 2. adj. Of a
X delimiting character, used at the right-hand end of a grouping.
X Used in such terms as "close parenthesis", "close bracket",
X etc. 3. vt. To release a file or communication channel after
X access.
X
X<clustergeeking> /kluh'ster-gee`king/ [CMU] n. An activity defined by
X spending more time at a computer cluster doing CS homework than
X most people spend breathing.
X
X<COBOL> n. Synonomous with <evil>. Hackers believe all COBOL
X programmers are <suit>s or <code grinder>s, and no self-respecting
X hacker will ever admit to having learned the language. Its very
X name is seldom uttered without ritual expressions of disgust or
X horror.
X
X<COBOL fingers> /koh'bol fing'grs/ n. Reported from Sweden, a
X (hypothetical) disease one might get from programming in COBOL.
X The language requires extremely voluminous code. Programming too
X much in COBOL causes the fingers to wear down (by endless typing),
X until short stubs remain. This malformity is called "COBOL
X fingers". "I refuse to type in all that source code again, it
X will give me cobol fingers!"
X
X<code grinder> n. 1. A <suit>-wearing minion of the sort hired in
X legion strength by banks and insurance companies to implement
X payroll packages in RPG and other such unspeakable horrors. This
X is about as far from hackerdom as you can get and still touch a
X computer. Connotes pity. See <Real World>. 2. Used of or to a
X hacker, a really serious slur on the person's creative ability;
X connotes a design style characterized by primitive technique,
X rule-boundedness, and utter lack of imagination. Compare <card
X walloper>.
X
X<code police> [by analogy with "thought police"] n. A mythical team
X of Gestapo-like storm troopers that might burst into one's office
X and arrest one for violating style rules. May be used either
X seriously, to underline a claim that a particular style violation
X is dangerous, or ironically, to suggest that the practice under
X discussion is condemned mainly by anal-retentive weenies. The
X ironic usage is perhaps more common.
X
X<codewalker> n. A program component that traverses other programs for
X a living. Compilers have codewalkers in their front ends; so do
X cross-reference generators and some database front-ends. Other
X utility programs which try to do too much with source code may turn
X into codewalkers. As in "This new vgrind feature would require a
X codewalker to implement."
X
X<cokebottle> /kohk'bot-l/ n. Any very unusual character, particularly
X one that isn't on your keyboard so you can't type it. MIT people
X used to complain about the "control-meta-cokebottle" commands at
X SAIL, and SAIL people complained right back about the
X "altmode-altmode-cokebottle" commands at MIT. Since the demise
X of the <space-cadet keyboard> this is no longer a serious usage,
X but may be invoked humorously to describe an (unspecified) weird or
X non-intuitive keystroke command.
X
X<COME FROM> n. A semi-mythical language construct dual to the `go to';
X COME FROM <label> would cause the referenced label to act as a sort
X of trapdoor, so that if the program ever reached it control would
X quietly fall through to the statement following the COME FROM.
X COME FROM was first proposed in a Datamation article in 1973 that
X parodied the then-raging `structured programming' wars (see
X <considered harmful>). Mythically, some variants are the "assigned
X come from", and the "computed come from" (parodying some nasty
X control constructs in BASIC and FORTRAN). Notionally,
X multi-tasking can be implemented by having more than one COME FROM
X statement coming from the same label.
X
X COME FROM was actually implemented under a different name in
X Univac's Fortran, c.1975. The statement "AT 100" would perform a
X "COME FROM 100". It was intended strictly as a debugging aid,
X with dire consequences promised to anyone so deranged as to use it
X in production code. It was supported under its own name for the
X first time fifteen years later, in C-INTERCAL (see <INTERCAL>,
X <retrocomputing>); knowledgeable observers are still reeling from
X shock.
X
X<comment out> vt. To surround a section of code with comment
X delimiters in order to prevent it from being compiled. This may be
X done for a variety of reasons, most commonly when the code is
X redundant or obsolete but you want to leave it in the source to
X make the intent of the active code clearer.
X
X<com[m] mode> /kom mohd/ [from the ITS supporting on-line chat,
X spelled with one or two Ms] Syn. for <talk mode>.
X
X<COMMONWEALTH HACKISH> n. Hacker slang as spoken outside the U.S.,
X esp. in the British Commonwealth. It is reported that
X Commonwealth speakers are more likely to pronounce "char",
X "soc" etc. as spelled (/char/, /sok/) as opposed to American
X /keir/ or /sohsh/. Dots in names tend to be pronounced more often
X (/sok dot wi'bble/ rather than /sohsh wib'ble/). Preferred
X metasyntactic variables include EEK, OOK, FRODO and BILBO; WIBBLE,
X WOBBLE and in emergencies WUBBLE; BANANA, WOMBAT, FROG, <fish> and
X so on and on.
X
X Alternatives to verb doubling include suffixes "-o-rama",
X "frenzy" (as in feeding frenzy) and "city" (as in "barf
X city!" "hack-o-rama!" "core dump frenzy!"). Finally, note
X that the American usages `parens' `brackets' and `braces' for (),
X [], and {} are uncommon; Commonwealth hackish prefers
X "bracket", "square bracket" and "curly bracket". Also, the
X use of "pling" for <bang> is common outside the U.S..
X
X See also <calculator>, <chemist>, <console jockey>, <fish>,
X <grunge>, <hakspek>, <heavy metal>, <leaky heap>, <lord high
X fixer>, <noddy>, <psychedelicware>, <plingnet>, <raster blaster>,
X <seggie>, <spin-lock>, <terminal junkie>, <tick-list features>,
X <weeble>, <weasel>, <YABA> and notes or definitions under <Bad
X Thing>, <barf>, <bogus>, <bum>, <chase pointers>, <cosmic rays>,
X <crippleware>, <crunch>, <dodgy>, <gonk>, <nybble>, <root>, and
X <tweak>.
X
X<compress> [UNIX] vt. When used without a qualifier, generally refers
X to <crunch>ing of a file using a particular C implementation of
X Lempel-Ziv compression by James A. Woods et al. and widely
X circulated via <USENET>. Use of <crunch> itself in this sense is
X rare among UNIX hackers.
X
X<computer geek> n. One who eats [computer] bugs for a living. One
X who fulfills all of the dreariest negative stereotypes about
X hackers: an asocial, malodorous, pasty-faced monomaniac with all
X the personality of a cheese grater. Cannot be used by outsiders
X without implied insult to all hackers; compare black-on-black usage
X of "nigger". A computer geek may be either a fundamentally
X clueless individual or a true-hacker in <larval stage>. Also
X called "turbo nerd", "turbo geek". See also <clustergeeking>.
X
X<computron> /kom-pyoo-tron/ n. 1. A notional unit of computing power
X combining instruction speed and storage capacity, dimensioned
X roughly in instructions-per-sec times megabytes-of-main-store times
X megabytes-of-mass-storage. "That machine can't run GNU Emacs, it
X doesn't have enough computrons!" This usage is usually found in
X metaphors that treat computing power as a fungible commodity good
X like a crop yield or diesel horsepower. See <bitty box>, <get a
X real computer>, <toy>, <crank>. 2. A mythical subatomic particle
X that bears the unit quantity of computation or information, in much
X the same way that an electron bears one unit of electric charge
X (see <bogon>). An elaborate pseudo-scientific theory of computrons
X has been worked out based on the physical fact that the molecules
X in a solid object move more rapidly as it is heated. It is argued
X that an object melts because the molecules have lost their
X information about where they are supposed to be (that is, they have
X emitted computrons). This explains why computers get so hot and
X require air conditioning; they use up computrons. Conversely, you
X should be able to cool down an object by placing it in the path of
X a computron beam. It is believed that this may also explain why
X machines that work at the factory fail in the computer room ---
X because the computrons there have been all used up by your other
X hardware.
X
X<connector conspiracy> [probably came into prominence with the
X appearance of the KL-10, none of whose connectors match anything
X else] n. The tendency of manufacturers (or, by extension,
X programmers or purveyors of anything) to come up with new products
X which don't fit together with the old stuff, thereby making you buy
X either all new stuff or expensive interface devices.
X
X<cons> /kons/ [from LISP] 1. v. To add a new element to a list, esp.
X at the top. 2. <cons up>: vt. To synthesize from smaller pieces:
X "to cons up an example".
X
X<considered harmful> adj. Edsger Dijkstra's infamous March 1968 CACM
X note, "Goto Statement Considered Harmful", fired the first salvo
X in the "structured programming" wars. Amusingly, ACM considered
X the resulting acromony sufficiently harmful that they will (by
X policy) no longer print an article which takes up that assertive a
X position against a coding practice. In the ensuing decades a large
X number of both serious papers and parodies have borne titles of the
X form "X considered Y". The "structured programming" wars
X eventually blew over with the realization that both sides were
X wrong, but use of such titles has remained as a persistent minor
X in-joke (the "considered silly" found at various places in this
X jargon file is related).
X
X<console jockey> n. See <terminal junkie>.
X
X<content-free> adj. Ironic analogy with "context-free", used of a
X message which adds nothing to the recipient's knowledge. Though
X this adjective is sometimes applied to <flamage>, it more usually
X connotes derision for communication styles which exalt form over
X substance, or are centered on concerns irrelevant to the subject
X ostensibly at hand. Perhaps most used with reference to speeches
X by company presidents and like animals. "Content-free?
X Uh...that's anything printed on glossy paper".
X
X<Conway's Law> n. The rule that the organization of the software and
X the organization of the software team will be congruent; originally
X stated as "If you have four groups working on a compiler, you'll
X get a four-pass compiler."
X
X This was originally promulgated by Melvin Conway, an early
X proto-hacker who wrote an assembler for the Burroughs 220 called
X SAVE. "SAVE" didn't stand for anything, it was just that you
X lost fewer decks and listings because they all had SAVE written on
X top of them.
X
X<cookie> n. A handle, transaction ID or other form of agreement
X between cooperating programs. "I give him a packet, he gives me
X back a cookie." See <magic cookie>.
X
X<cookie monster> [from `Sesame Street'] n. Any of a family of
X early (1970s) hacks reported on <TOPS-10>, <ITS> and elsewhere that
X would lock up either the victim's terminal (on a time-sharing
X machine) or the operator's console (on a batch mainframe),
X repeatedly demanding "I WANT A COOKIE". The required responses
X ranged in complexity from "COOKIE" through "HAVE A COOKIE" and
X upward. See also <wabbit>.
X
X<copyleft> /kop'ee-left/ n. 1. The copyright notice ("General Public
X License") carried by <GNU EMACS> and other Free Software
X Foundation software, granting re-use and reproduction rights to all
X comers (but see also <General Public Virus>). 2. By extension, any
X copyright notice intended to achieve similar aims.
X
X<core> n. Main storage or DRAM. Dates from the days of ferrite-core
X memory; now archaic, but still used in the UNIX community and by
X old-time hackers or those who would sound like same. See <core
X dump>.
X
X<core dump> n. [UNIX] 1. A symptom of catastrophic program failure due
X to internal error. 2. By extension, used for humans passing out,
X vomiting, or registering extreme shock. "He dumped core. All over
X the floor. What a mess." "He heard about ... and dumped core."
X 3. Occasionally used for a human rambling on pointlessly at great
X length; esp. in apology: "Sorry I dumped core on you". 4. A
X recapitulation of knowledge (compare <bits>, sense 1). Hence,
X spewing all one knows about a topic, esp. in a lecture or answer to
X an exam question. "Short, concise answers are better than core
X dumps" [From the instructions to a qual exam at Columbia]. See
X <core>.
X
X<core leak> n. Syn. with <memory leak>.
X
X<Core Wars> n. A game between "assembler" programs in a simulated
X machine, where the objective is to kill your opponent's program by
X overwriting it. This was popularized by A.K. Dewdney's column in
X `Scientific American' magazine, but is said to have been first
X devised by Victor Vyssotsky as a PDP-1 hack, during the early '60s
X at Bell Labs. It is rumored that the game is a civilized version
X of an amusement called DARWIN common on pre-MMU multitasking
X machines. See <core>.
X
X<corge> /korj/ [originally, the name of a cat] n. Yet another
X meta-syntactic variable, invented by Mike Gallaher and propagated
X by the Gosmacs documentation. See <grault>.
X
X<cosmic rays> n. Notionally, the cause of <bit rot>. However, this is
X a semi-independent usage which may be invoked as a humorous way to
X <handwave> away any minor <randomness> that doesn't seem worth the
X bother of investigating. "Hey, Eric --- I just got a burst of
X garbage on my <tube>, where did that come from?" "Cosmic rays, I
X guess". Compare <sunspots>, <phase of the moon>. The British seem
X to prefer the usage `cosmic showers'; `alpha particles' is also
X heard, because stray alpha particles passing through a memory chip
X can cause single bit errors (this becomes increasingly more likely
X as memory sizes and densities increase).
X
X<cowboy> [Sun, from William Gibson's cyberpunk SF] n. Synonym for
X <hacker>. It is reported that at Sun, this is often said with
X reverence.
X
X<CP/M> (see-pee-em) [Control Program for Microcomputers] An early
X microcomputer <OS> written by hacker Gary Kildall for 8080 and Z-80
X based machines, very popular in the late 1970s until virtually
X wiped out by MS-DOS after the release of the IBM PC in 1981 (legend
X has it that Kildall's company blew their chance to write the PC's
X OS because Kildall decided to spend the day IBM's reps wanted to
X meet with him enjoying the perfect flying weather in his private
X plane). Many of its features and conventions strongly resemble
X those of early DEC operating systems such as OS-8, RSTS and RSX-11.
X See <MS-DOS>, <operating system>.
X
X<CPU Wars> n. A 1979 large-format comic by Chas Andres chronicling the
X attempts of the brainwashed androids of "IPM" (Impossible to
X Program Machines) to conquer and destroy the peaceful denizens of
X HEC (Human Engineered Computers). This rather transparent allegory
X featured many references to <ADVENT> and the immortal line "Eat
X flaming death, minicomputer mongrels!" (uttered, of course, by an
X IPM stormtrooper). It is alleged that the author subsequently
X received a letter of appreciation on IBM company stationery from
X the then-head of IBM's Thomas J. Watson research laboratories (then
X as now one of the few islands of true hackerdom in the IBM
X archipelago). The lower loop of the `B' in the IBM logo, it is
X said, had been carefully whited out. See <eat flaming death>.
X
X<cracker> n. One who breaks security on a system. Coined c.1985 by
X hackers in defense against journalistic misuse of <hacker> (q.v.,
X sense #7). There had been an earlier attempt to establish "worm"
X in this sense around 1981-1982 on USENET; this largely failed.
X
X<crank> [from automotive slang] vt. Verb used to describe the
X performance of a machine, especially sustained performance. "This
X box cranks about 6 MegaFLOPS, with a burst mode of twice that on
X vectorized operations."
X
X<crash> 1. n. A sudden, usually drastic failure. Most often said of
X the system (q.v., sense #1), sometimes of magnetic disk drives.
X "Three lusers lost their files in last night's disk crash." A
X disk crash which entails the read/write heads dropping onto the
X surface of the disks and scraping off the oxide may also be
X referred to as a "head crash", whereas the term "system crash"
X usually, though not always, implies that the operating system or
X other software was at fault. 2. vi. To fail suddenly. "Has the
X system just crashed?" Also used transitively to indicate the
X cause of the crash (usually a person or a program, or both).
X "Those idiots playing <SPACEWAR> crashed the system." 3.
X Sometimes said of people hitting the sack after a long <hacking
X run>; see <gronk> (sense #4).
X
X<crash and burn> vi.,n. A spectacular crash, in the mode of the
X conclusion of the car chase scene from Steve McQueen's "Bullitt".
X Sun-3 monitors losing the flyback transformer and lightning strikes
X on VAX-11/780 backplanes are notable crash and burn generators.
X
X<crawling horror> n. Ancient crufty hardware or software that forces
X beyond the control of the hackers at a site refuse to let die.
X Like <dusty deck> or <gonkulator>, but connotes that the thing
X described is not just an irritation but an active menace to health
X and sanity. "Mostly we code new stuff in C, but they pay us to
X maintain one big Fortran II application from nineteen-sixty-X
X that's a real crawling horror...". Compare <WOMBAT>.
X
X<cray> /kray/ n. 1. One of the line of supercomputers designed by Cray
X Research. The term is actually the lowercased last name of Seymour
X Cray, a noted computer architect and co-founder of the company.
X Numerous vivid legends surround him, some true and some admittedly
X invented by Cray Research brass to shape their corporate culture.
X 2. Any supercomputer at all.
X
X<cray instability> n. A shortcoming of a program or algorithm which
X only manifests itself when running a large problem on a powerful
X machine. Generally more subtle than bugs which can be detected in
X smaller problems running on a workstation or mini.
X
X<crayola> n. A super-mini or -micro computer that provides some
X reasonable percentage of supercomputer performance for an
X unreasonably low price. Might also be a <killer micro>.
X
X<crayon> n. Someone who works on Cray supercomputers. More
X specifically implies a programmer, probably of the CDC ilk,
X probably male, and almost certainly wearing a tie (irrespective of
X gender). Unicos systems types who have a Unix background tend not
X to be described as crayons.
X
X<creeping featuritis> /kree'ping fee-ch at r-ie't at s/ n. 1. Describes a
X systematic tendency to load more <chrome> onto systems at the
X expense of whatever elegance they may have posessed when originally
X designed. See also <feeping creaturitis>. "You know, the main
X problem with <BSD UNIX> has always been creeping featuritis". At
X MIT, this tends to be called "creeping featur*ism*" (and
X likewise, "feeping creaturism"). (After all, -ism means
X "condition" whereas -itis usually means "inflammation of"...)
X 2. More generally, the tendency for anything complicated to become
X even more complicated because people keep saying, "Gee, it would
X be even better if it had this feature too." (See <feature>.) The
X result is usually a patchwork because it grew one ad-hoc step at a
X time, rather than being planned. Planning is a lot of work, but
X it's easy to add just one extra little feature to help someone...
X and then another... and another.... When creeping featurism gets
X out of hand it's like a cancer. Usually this term is used to
X describe computer programs, but it could also be said of the
X federal government, the IRS 1040 form, and new cars.
X
X<cretin> /kre'tn/ or /kree'tn/ n. Congenital <loser>; an obnoxious
X person; someone who can't do anything right. It has been observed
X that American hackers tend to favor the British pronunciation
X /kret'n/ over standard American /kreet'n/; it is thought this may
X be due to the insidious phonetic influence of Monty Python's Flying
X Circus.
X
X<cretinous> /kre't at n-us/ or /kree't at n-us/ adj. Wrong;
X non-functional; very poorly designed (Also used pejoratively of
X people). Synonyms: <bletcherous>, <bagbiter>, <losing>,
X <brain-damaged>.
X
X<crippleware> n. 1. <shareware> which has some important functionality
X deliberately removed, so as to entice potential users to pay for a
X working version. See also <guiltware>. 2. [Cambridge] <guiltware>
X which exhorts you to donate to some charity.
X
X<crlf> /ker'l at f/, sometimes /kru'l at f/ n. A carriage return (CR)
X followed by a line feed (LF). More loosely, whatever it takes to
X get you from the end of one line of text to the beginning of the
X next line. See <newline>, <terpri>. Under <UNIX> influence this
X usage has become less common (UNIX uses a bare line feed as its
X `CRLF').
X
X<crock> [from the obvious mainstream scatologism] n. 1. An awkward
X feature or programming technique that ought to be made cleaner.
X Example: Using small integers to represent error codes without the
X program interpreting them to the user (as in, for example, UNIX
X `make(1)') is a crock. 2. Also, a technique that works acceptably
X but which is quite prone to failure if disturbed in the least, for
X example depending on the machine opcodes having particular bit
X patterns so that you can use instructions as data words too; a
X tightly woven, almost completely unmodifiable structure. See
X <kluge>. Also in the adjectives "crockish", "crocky" and the
X noun "crockitude".
X
X<cross-post> [USENET] v. To post a single article directed to several
X newsgroups. Distinguished from posting the article repeatedly,
X once to each newsgroup, which causes people to see it multiple
X times. Cross-posting is frowned upon, as it tends to cause
X followup articles to go to inappropriate newsgroups, as people
X respond to only one part of the original posting (unless the
X originator is careful to specify a newsgroup for followups.)
X
X<crudware> n. Pejorative term for the hundreds of megabytes of
X low-quality <freeware> circulated by user's groups and BBS systems
X in the micro-hobbyist world. "Yet *another* set of disk
X catalog utilities for <MS-DOS>? What crudware!" The related usage
X "fuckware" is reported for software so bad it mutilates your
X disk, broadcasts to the Internet, or some similar fiasco.
X
X<cruft> /kruhft/ 1. [back-formation from <crufty>] n. 1. An unpleasant
X substance. The dust that gathers under your bed is cruft. 2. n.
X The results of shoddy construction. 3. v. [from hand cruft, pun on
X hand craft] to write assembler code for something normally (and
X better) done by a compiler (see <hand-hacking>). 4. Excess;
X superfluous junk. Esp. used of redundant or superseded code.
X
X<cruft together> /kruhft too-ge'thr/ vt. (also <cruft up /kruhft
X uhp/>) To throw together something ugly but temporarily workable.
X Like v. <kluge>, but more pejorative. "There isn't any program
X now to reverse all the lines of a file, but I can probably cruft
X one together in about ten minutes." See <crufty>.
X
X<cruftsmanship> n. [from <cruft>] The antithesis of craftsmanship.
X
X<crufty> /kruhf'tee/ [origin unknown; poss. from "crusty" or
X "cruddy"] adj. 1. Poorly built, possibly overly complex. The
X <canonical> example is "This is standard old crufty DEC
X software". In fact, one theory of the origin of "crufty" holds
X that was originally a mutation of "crusty" applied to DEC
X software so old that the Ss were tall and skinny, looking more like
X Fs. Hence <cruft>, n. shoddy construction. 2. Unpleasant,
X especially to the touch, often with encrusted junk. Like spilled
X coffee smeared with peanut butter and catsup. 3. Generally
X unpleasant. 4. <crufty> or <cruftie'> n. A small crufty object
X (see <frob>); often one which doesn't fit well into the scheme of
X things. "A LISP property list is a good place to store crufties
X (or, random cruft)."
X
X<crumb> n. Two binary digits; a quad. Larger than a <bit>, smaller
X than a <nybble>. Syn. <taste> (sense #2).
X
X<crunch> 1. vi. To process, usually in a time-consuming or complicated
X way. Connotes an essentially trivial operation which is
X nonetheless painful to perform. The pain may be due to the
X triviality being imbedded in a loop from 1 to 1000000000.
X "FORTRAN programs do mostly number crunching." 2. vt. To reduce
X the size of a file by a complicated scheme that produces bit
X configurations completely unrelated to the original data, such as
X by a Huffman code. (The file ends up looking like a paper document
X would if somebody crunched the paper into a wad.) Since such
X compression usually takes more computations than simpler methods
X such as counting repeated characters (such as spaces) the term is
X doubly appropriate. (This meaning is usually used in the
X construction "file crunch(ing)" to distinguish it from "number
X crunch(ing)".) See <compress>. 3. n. The character "#".
X Usage: used at Xerox and CMU, among other places. See <ASCII>. 4.
X [Cambridge] To squeeze program source into a minimum-size
X representation that will still compile. The term came into being
X specifically for a famous program on the BBC micro which crunched
X Basic source in order to make it run more quickly (it was a
X wholly-interpretive basic).
X
X<cruncha cruncha cruncha> /kruhn'chah kruhn'chah kruhn'chah/ interj.
X An encouragement sometimes muttered to a machine bogged down in a
X serious <grovel>. Also describes a notional sound made by
X grovelling hardware. See <wugga wugga>, <grind> (sense #3).
X
X<cryppie> /krip'ee/ n. A cryptographer. One who hacks or implements
X cryptographic software or hardware.
X
X<CTSS> /see-tee-ess-ess/ n. Compatible Time-Sharing System. An early
X (1963) experiment in the design of interactive time-sharing
X operating systems. Cited here because it was ancestral to
X <Multics>, <UNIX>, and <ITS>. The name <ITS> ("Incompatible
X Time-sharing System") was a hack on CTSS.
X
X<CTY> /sit'ee/ or /see tee wie/ n. [MIT] The terminal physically
X associated with a computer's operating console. The term is a
X contraction of "Console TTY", that is, "Console TeleTYpe".
X This <ITS> and <TOPS-10>-associated term has become less common
X than formerly, as most UNIX hackers simply refer to the CTY as `the
X console'.
X
X<cubing> [parallel with "tubing"] vi. 1. Hacking on an IPSC (Intel
X Personal SuperComputer) hypercube. "Louella's gone cubing
X *again*!!" 2. An indescribable form of self-torture (see
X sense #1).
X
X<cuspy> /kuhs'pee/ [coined at WPI from the DEC acronym CUSP, for
X Commonly Used System Program, i.e., a utility program used by many
X people] adj. 1. (of a program) Well-written. 2. Functionally
X excellent. A program which performs well and interfaces well to
X users is cuspy. See <rude>. 2. [NYU] An attractive woman,
X especially one regarded as available.
X
X<cybercrud> [coined by Ted Nelson] n. Obfuscatory tech-talk. Verbiage
X with a high <MEGO> factor. The computer equivalent of
X bureaucratese.
X
X<cyberpunk> /sie'ber-puhnk/ [orig. by SF critic Gardner Dozois]
X n.,adj. A subgenre of SF launched in 1982 by William Gibson's
X epoch-making novel `Neuromancer' (though its roots go back
X through Vernor Vinge's `True Names' (See Appendix C) to John
X Brunner's 1975 Hugo winner, `The Shockwave Rider'). Gibson's
X near-total ignorance of computers and the present-day hacker
X culture enabled him to speculate about the role of computers and
X hackers in futures in ways hackers have since found both
X irritatingly naive and tremendously stimulating. Gibson's work was
X widely imitated, in particular by the short-lived but innovative
X `Max Headroom' TV series. See <cyberspace>, <ice>, <go
X flatline>.
X
X<cyberspace> /sie'ber-spays/ n. Notional "information-space" loaded
X with visual cues and navigable with brain-computer interfaces
X called "cyberspace decks"; a characteristic prop of <cyberpunk>
X SF. At time of writing (1990) serious efforts to construct
X <virtual reality> interfaces modelled explicitly on <cyberspace>
X are already under way, using more conventional devices such as
X glove sensors and binocular TV headsets. Few hackers are prepared
X to outright deny the possibility of a cyberspace someday evolving
X out of the network (see <network, the>).
X
X<cycle> n. The basic unit of computation. What every hacker wants
X more of. One might think that single machine instructions would be
X the measure of computation, and indeed computers are often compared
X by how many instructions they can process per second, but some
X instructions take longer than others. Nearly all computers have an
X internal clock, though, and you can describe an instruction as
X taking so many "clock cycles". Frequently the computer can
X access its memory once on every clock cycle, and so one speaks also
X of "memory cycles". These are technical meanings of "cycle".
X The slang meaning comes from the observation that there are only so
X many cycles per second, and when you are sharing a computer, the
X cycles get divided up among the users. The more cycles the
X computer spends working on your program rather than someone else's,
X the faster your program will run. That's why every hacker wants
X more cycles: so he can spend less time waiting for the computer to
X respond.
X
X<cycle crunch> n. The situation where the number of people trying to
X use the computer simultaneously has reached the point where no one
X can get enough cycles because they are spread too thin. Usually
X the only solution is to buy more computer. Happily, this has
X rapidly become easier in recent years, so much so that the very
X term <cycle crunch> now has a faintly archaic flavor (most hackers
X now use workstations or personal computers as opposed to
X traditional timesharing systems).
X
X<cycle drought> n. A scarcity of cycles. It may be due to a <cycle
X crunch>, but could also occur because part of the computer is
X temporarily not working, leaving fewer cycles to go around.
X Example: "The <high moby> is <down>, so we're running with only
X half the usual amount of memory. There will be a cycle drought
X until it's fixed."
X
X<cycle server> n. A powerful machine which exists primarily for
X running large batch jobs. Interactive tasks such as editing should
X be done on other machines on the network, such as workstations.
X
X {= D =}
X
X<daemon> /day'mun/ or /dee'mun/ [Disk And Execution MONitor] n. A
X program which is not invoked explicitly, but which lies dormant
X waiting for some condition(s) to occur. The idea is that the
X perpetrator of the condition need not be aware that a daemon is
X lurking (though often a program will commit an action only because
X it knows that it will implicitly invoke a daemon). For example,
X under <ITS> writing a file on the LPT spooler's directory would
X invoke the spooling daemon, which prints the file. The advantage
X is that programs which want (in this example) files printed need
X not compete for access to the LPT. They simply enter their
X implicit requests and let the daemon decide what to do with them.
X Daemons are usually spawned automatically by the system, and may
X either live forever or be regenerated at intervals. Usage:
X <daemon> and <demon> are often used interchangeably, but seem to
X have distinct connotations. The term <daemon> was introduced to
X computing by <CTSS> people (who pronounced it dee'mon) and used it to
X refer to what ITS called a <dragon>. The meaning and pronunciation
X have drifted, and we think this glossary reflects current usage.
X See also <demon>.
X
X<DATAMATION> n. A magazine that many hackers assume all <suits> read.
X Used to question an unbelieved quote, as in "Did you read that in
X DATAMATION?".
X
X<day mode> n. See <phase> (of people).
X
X<dd> /dee-dee/ [from IBM <JCL> via] vt. Equivalent to <cat> or <BLT>.
X A specialized UNIX copy command for block-oriented devices. Often
X used in heavy-handed system abuse, as in "Let's dd the root
X partition onto a tape, then use the boot prom to load it back on to
X a new disk". The UNIX `dd(1)' was originally written with a weird,
X distinctly non-UNIXy keyword option syntax reminiscent of IBM
X System/360 JCL (which had a similar DD command); though the command
X filled a need, the design choice looks to have been somebody's
X joke. The slang usage is now very rare outside UNIX sites and now
X nearly obsolescent even there, as `dd(1)' has been <deprecated> for a
X long time (though it has no replacement). Replaced by <BLT> or
X simple English `copy'.
X
X<DDT> /dee'dee'tee'/ n. 1. Generic term for a program that helps you
X to debug other programs by showing individual machine instructions
X in a readable symbolic form and letting the user change them. In
X this sense the term DDT is now slightly archaic, having been widely
X displaced by `debugger' 2. [ITS] Under MIT's fabled <ITS> operating
X system, its DDT was also used as the SHELL or top level command
X language used to execute other programs. 3. Any one of several
X specific DDTs (sense 1) supported on early DEC hardware. The DEC
X PDP-10 Reference Handbook (1969) contained a footnote on the first
X page of the documentation for DDT which illuminates the origin of
X the term:
X
X Historical footnote: DDT was developed at MIT for the PDP-1
X computer in 1961. At that time DDT stood for "DEC Debugging
X Tape". Since then, the idea of an on-line debugging program
X has propagated throughout the computer industry. DDT programs
X are now available for all DEC computers. Since media other
X than tape are now frequently used, the more descriptive name
X "Dynamic Debugging technique" has been adopted, retaining
X the DDT acronym. Confusion between DDT-10 and another well
X known pesticide, dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane
X (C14-H9-Cl5) should be minimal since each attacks a different,
X and apparently mutually exclusive, class of bugs.
X
X Sadly, this quotation was removed from later editions of the
X handbook as the <suit>s took over and DEC became much more
X "businesslike".
X
X<dead code> n. Code which was once `live' but can never be accessed
X due to changes in other parts of the program. Syn. <grunge>.
X
X<deadlock> n. 1. A situation wherein two or more processes are unable
X to proceed because each is waiting for another to do something. A
X common example is a program communicating to a server, which may
X find itself waiting for output from the server before sending
X anything more to it, while the server is similarly waiting for more
X input from the controlling program before outputting anything. (It
X is reported that this particular flavor of deadlock is sometimes
X called a "starvation" deadlock, though that term is more properly
X used for situations where a program can never run simply because it
X never gets high enough priority. Another common flavor is
X "constipation", where each process is trying to send stuff to the
X other, but all buffers are full because nobody is reading
X anything.) See <deadly embrace>. 2. Also used of deadlock-like
X interactions between humans, as when two people meet in a narrow
X corridor, and each tries to be polite by moving aside to let the
X other pass, but they end up swaying from side to side without
X making any progress because they always both move the same way at
X the same time.
X
X<deadly embrace> n. Same as <deadlock>, though usually used only when
X exactly two processes are involved. This term more popular term in
X Europe; <deadlock> in the United States. Also "deadly embrace"
X is often restricted to the case where exactly two processes are
X involved, while <deadlock> can involve any number.
X
X<death star> [from the movie `Star Wars'] The AT&T corporate logo,
X which appears on computers sold by AT&T and bears an uncanny
X resemblance to the "Death Star" in the movie. This usage is
X particularly common among partisans of <BSD> UNIX, who tend to
X regard the AT&T versions as inferior and AT&T as a bad guy.
X
X<DEC Wars> n. A 1983 <USENET> posting by Alan Hastings and Steve Tarr,
X spoofing the `Star Wars' movies in hackish terms. Some years
X later, ESR (disappointed by Hastings/Tarr's failure to exploit a
X great premise more thoroughly) posted a three-times-longer complete
X rewrite called `UNIX WARS'; the two are often confused.
X
X<deckle> /dek'l/ n. Two <nickle>s; 10 bits. Reported among developers
X for Mattel's GI 1600 (the Intellivision games processor), a chip
X with 16-bit-wide RAM but 10-bit-wide ROM.
X
X<defenestration> [from the traditional Czechoslovak method of
X assassinating prime ministers, via SF fandom] n. 1. Proper karmic
X retribution for an incorrigible punster. "Oh, ghod, that was
X *awful*!" "Quick! Defenestrate him!" See also <h infix>.
X 2. [proposed] The requirement to support a command-line interface.
X As: "It has to run on a VT100." "Curses! I've been
X defenestrated".
X
X<defined as> adj. Currently in the role of, usually in an
X off-the-organization-chart sense. "Pete is currently defined as
X bug prioritizer".
X
X<dehose> vt. To clear a <hosed> condition.
X
X<delint> vt. To modify code to remove problems detected when linting.
X See <lint>.
X
X<demo mode> [Sun] n. State of being <heads down> in order to finish
X code in time for a demo, usually due RSN.
X
X<deep magic> n. An awesomely arcane technique central to a program or
X system, esp. one not generally published and available to hackers
X at large (compare <black art>). one which could only have been
X uttered by a true <wizard>. Compiler optimization techniques and
X many aspects of <OS> design used to be <deep magic>; many
X techniques in cryptography, signal processing, graphics and AI
X still are. Compare <heavy wizardry>. Esp. found in comments of
X the form "Deep magic begins here...". Compare <voodoo
X programming>.
X
X<deep space> adj. 1. Describes the "location" of any program which
X has gone <off the trolley>. Esp. used of programs which just sit
X there silently grinding long after either failure or some output is
X expected. Compare <buzz>, <catatonia>. 2. The metaphorical
X "location" of a human so dazed and/or confused or caught up in
X some esoteric form of <bogosity> that he/she no longer responds
X coherently to normal communication. Compare <page out>.
X
X<delta> n. 1. A change, especially a small or incremental change.
X Example: "I just doubled the speed of my program!" "What was
X the delta on program size?" "About thirty percent." (He
X doubled the speed of his program, but increased its size by only
X thirty percent.) 2. [UNIX] A <DIFF>, especially a <DIFF> stored
X under the set of version-control tools called SCCS (Source Code
X Control System). 3. n. A small quantity, but not as small as
X <epsilon>. The slang usage of <delta> and <epsilon> stems from the
X traditional use of these letters in mathematics for very small
X numerical quantities, particularly in so-called "epsilon-delta"
X proofs in the differential calculus. <delta> is often used once
X <epsilon> has been mentioned to mean a quantity that is slightly
X bigger than <epsilon> but still very small. For example, "The
X cost isn't epsilon, but it's delta" means that the cost isn't
X totally negligible, but it is nevertheless very small. Compare
X <within delta of>, <within epsilon of>: that is, close to and even
X closer to.
X
X<demented> adj. Yet another term of disgust used to describe a
X program. The connotation in this case is that the program works as
X designed, but the design is bad. For example, a program that
X generates large numbers of meaningless error messages implying it
X is on the point of imminent collapse.
X
X<demigod> n. Hacker with years of experience, a national reputation,
X and a major role in the development of at least one design, tool or
X game used by or known to more than 50% of the hacker community. To
X qualify as a genuine demigod, the person must recognizably identify
X with the hacker community and have helped shape it. Major demigods
X include Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie (co-inventors of <UNIX> and
X C) and Richard M. Stallman (inventor of <EMACS>). In their hearts
X of hearts most hackers dream of someday becoming demigods
X themselves, and more than one major software project has been
X driven to completion by the author's veiled hopes of apotheosis.
X See also <net.god>, <true-hacker>.
X
X<demon> n. 1. [MIT] A portion of a program which is not invoked
X explicitly, but which lies dormant waiting for some condition(s) to
X occur. See <daemon>. The distinction is that demons are usually
X processes within a program, while daemons are usually programs
X running on an operating system. Demons are particularly common in
X AI programs. For example, a knowledge manipulation program might
X implement inference rules as demons. Whenever a new piece of
X knowledge was added, various demons would activate (which demons
X depends on the particular piece of data) and would create
X additional pieces of knowledge by applying their respective
X inference rules to the original piece. These new pieces could in
X turn activate more demons as the inferences filtered down through
X chains of logic. Meanwhile the main program could continue with
X whatever its primary task was. 2. [outside MIT] Often used
X equivalently to <daemon>, especially in the <UNIX> world where the
X latter spelling and pronunciation is considered mildly archaic.
X
X<deprecated> n. Said of a program or feature that is considered
X obsolescent and in the process of being phased out, usually in
X favor of a specified replacement. Deprecated features can,
X unfortunately, linger on for many years.
X
X<de-rezz, derez> /dee rez/ [from the movie TRON] 1. vi. To disappear
X or dissolve; the image that goes with it is of an object breaking
X up into raster lines and static and then dissolving. Occasionally
X used of a person who seems to have suddenly "fuzzed out" mentally
X rather than physically. Usage: extremely silly, also rare. This
X verb was actually invented as *fictional* hacker slang, and
X adopted in a spirit of irony by real hackers years after the fact.
X 2. vt. On a Macintosh, the data is compiled separately from the
X program, in small segments of the program file known as
X "resources". The standard resource compiler is Rez. The standard
X resource decompiler is DeRez. Usage: very common.
X
X<devo> /dee'vo/ [orig. in-house slang at Symbolics] n. A person in a
X development group. See also <doco> and <mango>.
X
X<dickless workstation> n. Extremely pejorative hackerism for
X "diskless workstation", a class of botches including the Sun 3/50
X and other machines designed exclusively to network with an
X expensive central disk server. These combine all the disadvantages
X of time-sharing with all the disadvantages of distributed personal
X computers.
X
X<diddle> 1. vt. To work with in a not particularly serious manner.
X "I diddled a copy of <ADVENT> so it didn't double-space all the
X time." "Let's diddle this piece of code and see if the problem
X goes away." See <tweak> and <twiddle>. 2. n. The action or result
X of diddling. See also <tweak>, <twiddle>, <frob>.
X
X<diffs> n. 1. Differences, especially difference in source code or
X documents. Includes additions. "Send me your diffs for the jargon
X file!" 2. (often in the singular <diff>) the output from the
X `diff(1)' utility, esp. when used as specification input to the
X `patch(1)' utility (which can actually perform the mods). This is a
X common method of distributing patches and source updates in the
X UNIX/C world.
X
X<digit> /dij'it/ n. An employee of Digital Equipment Corporation. See
X also <VAX>, <VMS>, <PDP-10>, <TOPS-10>, <field circus>.
X
X<dike> vt. To remove or disable a portion of something, as a wire from
X a computer or a subroutine from a program. A standard slogan runs:
X "When in doubt, dike it out." (The implication is that it is
X usually more effective to attack software problems by reducing
X complexity rather than increasing it). The word "dikes" is
X widely used among mechanics and engineers to mean "diagonal
X cutters", a heavy-duty metal-cutting device; to "dike something
X out" means to use such cutters to remove something. Among hackers
X this term has been metaphorically extended to non-physical objects
X such as sections of code.
X
X<ding> /ding/ n.,vi. 1. Synonym for <feep>. Usage: rare among
X hackers, but commoner in the <Real World>. 2. <dinged>: What
X happens when someone in authority gives you a minor bitching about
X something, esp. something you consider trivial. "I was dinged for
X having a messy desk".
X
X<dink> adj. Said of a machine which has the <bitty box> nature; a
X machine too small to be worth bothering with, sometimes the current
X system you're forced to work on. First heard from an MIT hacker
X (BADOB) working on a CP/M system with 64K in reference to any 6502
X system, then from people writing 32 bit software about 16 bit
X machines. "GNUmacs will never work on that dink machine."
X Probably derived from mainstream "dinky", which isn't
X sufficiently perjorative
X
X<dinosaur> n. Any hardware requiring raised flooring and special
X power. Used especially of old minis and mainframes when contrasted
X with newer microprocessor-based machines. In a famous quote from
X the '88 UNIX EXPO, Bill Joy compared the mainframe in the massive
X IBM display with a grazing dinosaur, "with a truck outside pumping
X its bodily fluids through it". IBM was not amused. Compare <big
X iron>.
X
X<dinosaur pen> n. A traditional mainframe computer room complete with
X raised flooring, special power, its own ultra-heavy-duty air
X conditioning, and a side order of Halon fire extinguishers. See
X <boa>.
X
X<Discordianism> /dis-kor'di-uhn-ism/ n. The veneration of <Eris>, aka
X Discordia; widely popular among hackers. Popularized by Robert
X Anton Wilson's _Illuminatus!_ trilogy as a sort of self-subverting
X dada-Zen for Westerners --- it should on no account be taken
X seriously but is far more serious than most jokes. Usually
X connected with an elaborate conspiracy theory/joke involving
X millenia-long warfare between the anarcho-surrealist partisans of
X Eris and a malevolent, authoritarian secret society called the
X Illuminati. See Appendix B, <Church of the Sub-Genius>, and <ha ha
X only serious>.
X
X<display hack> n. A program with the same approximate purpose as a
X kaleidoscope: to make pretty pictures. Famous display hacks
X include <munching squares>, <smoking clover>, the BSD UNIX `rain(6)'
X program, `worms(6)' on miscellaneous UNIXes, and the <X> kaleid
X program. Display hacks can also be implemented without programming
X by creating text files containing numerous escape sequences for
X interpretation by a video terminal; one notable example displayed,
X on any VT100, a Christmas tree with twinkling lights and a toy
X train circling its base.
X
X<doco> /do'ko/ [orig. in-house slang at Symbolics] n. A documentation
X writer. See also <devo> and <mango>.
X
X<do protocol> [from network protocol programming] vt. To perform an
X interaction with somebody or something that follows a clearly
X defined procedure. For example, "Let's do protocol with the
X check" at a restaurant means to ask the waitress for the check,
X calculate the tip and everybody's share, generate change as
X necessary, and pay the bill.
X
X<dodgy> adj. Syn. with <flaky>. Preferred outside the U.S.
X
X<dogwash> [From a quip in the "urgency" field of a very optional
X software change request, about 1982. It was something like,
X "Urgency: Wash your dog first."] n. A project of minimal
X priority, undertaken as an escape from more serious work. Also, to
X engage in such a project. Many games and much <freeware> gets
X written this way.
X
X<Don't do that, then!> [from an old doctor's office joke about a
X patient with a trivial complaint] interj. Stock response to a user
X complaint. "When I type control-S, the whole system comes to a
X halt for thirty seconds." "Don't do that, then." Compare
X <RTFM>.
X
X<dongle> /don-gl/ n. 1. A security device for commercial microcomputer
X programs consisting of a serialized EPROM and some drivers in an
X RS-232 connector shell. Programs that use a dongle query the port
X at startup and programmed intervals thereafter, and terminate if it
X does not respond with the dongle's programmed validation code.
X Thus, users could make as many copies of the program as they want
X but must pay for each dongle. The idea was clever but initially a
X failure, as users disliked tying up a serial port this way. Most
X dongles on the market today (1990) will pass data through the port,
X and monitor for "magic codes" (and combinations of status lines)
X with minimal if any interference with devices further down the line
X (this innovation was necessary to allow daisy-chained dongles for
X multiple pieces of software). The devices are still not widely
X used, as the industry has trended away from copy-protection schemes
X in general. 2. By extension, any physical electronic key or
X transferrable ID required for a program to function. See
X <dongle-disk>.
X
X<dongle-disk> /don'gl disk/ n. See <dongle>; a "dongle-disk" is a
X floppy disk with some coding which allows an application to
X identify it uniquely. It can therefore be used as a <dongle>.
X Also called a "key disk".
X
X<donuts> n. Collective noun for any set of memory bits. This is
X really archaic and may no longer be live slang; it dates from the
X days of ferrite-core memories in which each bit was represented by
X a doughnut-shaped magnetic flip-flop. Compare <core>.
X
X<doorstop> n. Used to describe equipment that is non-functional and
X halfway expected to remain so, especially obsolescent equipment
X kept around for political reasons or ostensibly as a backup.
X "When we get another Wyse-50 in here that ADM3 will turn into a
X doorstop." Compare <boat anchor>.
X
X<dot file> [UNIX] n. A file that is not visible to normal
X directory-browsing tools (on UNIX, files named beginning with a dot
X are normally invisible to the directory lister).
X
X<double bucky> adj. Using both the CTRL and META keys. "The command
X to burn all LEDs is double bucky F." See also <meta bit>,
X <cokebottle>, <quadruple bucky>, <space-cadet keyboard>. The
X following lyrics were written on May 27, 1978, in celebration of
X the Stanford keyboard. A typical MIT comment was that the Stanford
X <bucky bits> (control and meta shifting keys) were nice, but there
SHAR_EOF
chmod 0644 jsplit.ac || echo "restore of jsplit.ac fails"
if [ $TOUCH = can ]
then
touch -am 0103154591 jsplit.ac
fi
exit 0
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