eric@snark.thyrsus.com (Eric S. Raymond) (03/03/91)
Submitted-by: jargon@thyrsus.com
Archive-name: jargon/part16
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X USENET's alt.callahans newsgroup or the {MUD} experiments on
X Internet), interaction between the participants is written like a
X shared novel complete with scenery, `foreground characters' which
X may be personae utterly unlike the people who write them, and
X common `background characters' manipulable by all parties. The
X one iron law is that you may not write irreversible changes to a
X character without the consent of the person who `owns' it.
X Otherwise anything goes. See {bamf}, {cyberspace}.
X
Xvirus: [from the obvious analogy with biological viruses, via SF]
X n. A cracker program that searches out other programs and
X `infects' them by embedding a copy of itself in them, so that when
X these programs are executed, the embedded virus is executed, too,
X thus propagating the `infection'. This normally happens
X transparently to the user. The virus may do nothing but propagate
X itself. Usually, however, after propagating silently for a while
X it starts doing things like writing cute messages on the terminal
X or playing strange tricks with your display (some viruses include
X nice {display hack}s). Many nasty viruses, written by
X particularly perversely minded {cracker}s, do irreversible
X damage, like nuking all the user's files.
X
X In mid-1991, viruses have become a serious problem, especially
X among IBM PC and Macintosh users (the lack of security on these
X machines enables viruses to spread easily, even infecting the
X operating system). The production of special anti-virus software
X has become an industry, and a number of exaggerated media reports
X have caused outbreaks of near hysteria among users, to the point
X where many {luser}s tend to blame *everything* that doesn't
X work as they had expected on virus attacks. Accordingly, this
X sense of `virus' has passed not only into techspeak but into
X popular usage as well (where it is often incorrectly used to denote
X a worm). Compare {Trojan horse}, {back door}, {worm}; see
X also {UNIX conspiracy}.
X
Xvisionary: n. 1. One who hacks vision, in the sense of an
X Artificial Intelligence researcher working on the problem of
X getting computers to `see' things using TV cameras. (There isn't
X any problem in sending information from a TV camera to a computer.
X The problem is, how can the computer be programmed to make use of
X the camera information? See {SMOP}.) 2. [IBM] One who reads
X the outside literature.
X
XVMS: /vee em ess/ n. DEC's proprietary operating system for their VAX
X minicomputer; one of the seven or so environments that loom largest
X in hacker folklore. Many UNIX fans generously concede that VMS
X would probably be the hacker's favorite commercial OS if UNIX
X didn't exist; though true, this makes VMS fans furious. One major
X hacker gripe with it is its slowness, thus the following limerick:
X
X There once was a system called VMS
X Of cycles by no means abstemious.
X It's chock-full of hacks
X And runs on a VAX
X And makes my poor stomach all squeamious.
X ---The Great Quux
X
X See also {VAX}, {TOPS-10}, {TOPS-20}, {UNIX}, {runic}.
X
Xvoice-net: n. Hackish way of referring to the telephone system,
X analogizing it to a digital network. USENET {sig block}s not
X uncommonly include the sender's phone next to a "Voice:" or
X "Voice-Net:" header; common variants of this are "Voicenet" and
X "V-Net". Compare {paper-net}, {snail-mail}.
X
Xvoodoo programming: [from George Bush's "voodoo economics"] n.
X The use by guess or cookbook of an {obscure}, {hairy} system
X feature or algorithm that one does not truly understand. The
X implication is that the technique may not work, and if it doesn't,
X one will never know why. Compare {magic}, {deep magic},
X {heavy wizardry}, {rain dance}, {cargo-cult programming},
X {wave a dead chicken}.
X
Xvulcan nerve pinch: n. [From the old Star Trek TV series via
X Commodore Amiga hackers] The keyboard combination that forces a
X soft-boot or jump to ROM monitor (on machines that support such a
X feature). On many micros this is Ctrl-Alt-Del; on Suns, L1-A; on
X Macintoshes, it is <Cmd>-<Power switch>! Also called {three-finger
X salute}. Compare {quadruple bucky}.
X
Xvulture capitalist: n. Pejorative hackerism for `venture
X capitalist', deriving from the common practice of pushing
X contracts that deprive inventors of both control over their own
X innovations and most of the money they ought to have made from
X them.
X
X= W =
X=====
X
Xwabbit: /wab'it/ [almost certainly from Elmer Fudd's immortal line
X "you wascawwy wabbit!"] n. 1. A legendary early hack reported
X on a System/360 at RPI and elsewhere around 1978. The program
X would reproduce itself twice every time it was run, eventually
X crashing the system. 2. By extension, any hack that includes
X infinite self-replication but is not a {virus} or {worm}. See
X also {cookie monster}.
X
XWAITS: n. The mutant cousin of {TOPS-10} used on a handful of
X systems at {SAIL} up to 1990. There was never an `official'
X expansion of WAITS (the name itself having been arrived at by a
X rather sideways process), but it was frequently glossed as
X `West-Coast Alternative to ITS'. Though WAITS was less visible
X than ITS, there was frequent exchange of people and ideas between
X the two communities and innovations pioneered at WAITS exerted
X enormous indirect influence. The early screen modes of {EMACS},
X for example, were directly inspired by WAITS's `E' editor --- one
X of a family of editors which were the first to do `real-time
X editing', in which the editing commands were invisible and where
X one typed text at the point of insertion/overwriting. The modern
X style of multi-region windowing is said to have originated there,
X and WAITS alumni at XEROX PARC and elsewehere played major roles in
X the developments that led to the XEROX Star, Macintosh and Sun
X workstations. {Bucky bits} were also invented there --- thus,
X the ALT key on every IBM PC is a WAITS legacy. One notable WAITS
X feature never duplicated elsewhere was a news-wire interface that
X allowed WAITS hackers to read, store, and filter AP and UPI
X dispatches from their terminals; the system also featured a
X still-unique level of support for what is now called `multimedia'
X computing, allowing analog and video signals to be switched to
X programming terminals.
X
Xwaldo: /wol'doh/ [probably taken from the story `Waldo', by
X Robert A. Heinlein, which is where the term was first used to mean
X a remote mechanical agent controlled by a human limb] At Harvard
X (particularly by Tom Cheatham and students) this is used instead of
X {foobar} as a meta-syntactic variable and general nonsense word.
X See {foo}, {bar}, {foobar}, {quux}.
X
Xwalk: n.,vt. Traversal of an actual or {logical} data structure,
X especially a linked-list data structure in {core}. See also
X {codewalker}, {silly walk}, {clobber}.
X
Xwalking drives: n. An occasional failure mode of magnetic-disk
X drives back in the days when they were huge, clunky {washing
X machine}s. Those old {dinosaur} parts carried terrific angular
X momentum; the combination of a misaligned spindle or worn bearings
X and stick-slip interactions with the floor could cause them to
X `walk' across a room, lurching alternate corners forward a couple
X of millimeters at a time. There is a legend about a drive that
X walked over to the only door to the computer room and jammed it
X shut; the staff had to cut a hole in the wall in order to get at
X it! Walking could also be induced by certain patterns of drive
X access (a fast seek across the whole width of the disk, followed by
X a slow seek in the other direction). It is known that some bands
X of old-time hackers figured out how to induce disk-accessing
X patterns that would do this to particular drive models and held
X disk-drive races. This is not a joke!
X
Xwall: [WPI] interj. 1. An indication of confusion, usually spoken
X with a quizzical tone. "Wall??" 2. A request for further
X explication. Compare {octal forty}.
X
X It is said that "Wall?" really came from `talking to a blank
X wall'. It was initially used in situations where, after one
X carefully answered a question, the questioner stared at you
X blankly, having understood nothing that was explained. One would
X then throw out a "Hello, wall?" to elicit some sort of response
X from the questioner. Later, confused questioners began voicing
X "Wall?" themselves.
X
X There is an anecdote about a child in a hospital who is addressed
X by a nurse over an intercom and replies "What do you want, Wall?"
X
Xwall follower: n. A person or algorithm which compensates for
X native stupidity by efficiently following procedures shown to have
X been effective in the past. Used of an algorithm, this is not
X necessarily pejorative; it recalls `Harvey Wallbanger', the winning
X robot in an early AI contest (named, of course, after the
X cocktail). Harvey successfully solved mazes by keeping a `finger'
X on one wall and running till it came out the other end. This was
X inelegant, but mathematically guaranteed to work on
X simply-connected mazes --- and, in fact, Harvey outperformed more
X sophisticated robots that tried to `learn' each maze by building an
X internal representation of it. Used of humans, the term *is*
X pejorative and implies an uncreative, bureaucratic, by-the-book
X mentality. See also {code grinder}.
X
Xwall time: n. (also `wall clock time') 1. `Real world' time
X (what the clock on the wall shows) as opposed to the system clock's
X idea of time. 2. The real running time of a program, as opposed to
X the number of {clocks} required to execute it (on a timesharing
X system these will differ, as no one program gets all the
X {clocks}).
X
Xwallpaper: n. 1. A file containing a listing (e.g., assembly listing)
X or transcript, esp. a file containing a transcript of all or part
X of a login session. (The idea was that the LPT paper for such
X listings was essentially good only for wallpaper, as evidenced at
X Stanford, where it was used as such to cover windows.) Usage: not
X often used now, esp. since other systems have developed other terms
X for it (e.g., PHOTO on TWENEX). However, the UNIX world doesn't
X have an equivalent term, so perhaps {wallpaper} will take hold
X there. The term probably originated on ITS, where the commands to
X begin and end transcript files were :WALBEG and :WALEND, with
X default file DSK:WALL PAPER. 2. The background pattern used on
X graphical workstations (this is jargon under the `Windows'
X graphical user interface to MS-DOS). 3. `wallpaper file' n. The
X file that contains the wallpaper information before it is actually
X printed on paper. (Sometimes you don't intend ever to produce a
X real paper copy of the file, because you can look at the file
X directly on your terminal, but it is still called a `wallpaper
X file'.)
X
Xwango: n. Random bit-chugging going on in a system during some
X unspecified operation. Often used in combination with mumble. For
X example: "You start with the .o file and mumble-wango, and it comes out a
X snazzy object-oriented executable."
X
Xwank: /wangk/ [Columbia University; prob. by mutation from
X Commonwealth slang v. `wank', to masturbate] n.,v. Used much as
X {hack} (senses #4, #6, #7) is elsewhere. May describe
X (negatively) the act of hacking for hacking's sake ("Quit wanking,
X let's go get supper!") or (more positively) a {wizard}. Adj.
X `wanky' describes something particularly clever (a person,
X program, or algorithm). Conversations can also get wanky when
X there are too many wanks involved. This excess wankiness is
X signalled by an overload of the `wankometer' (compare
X {bogometer}). When the wankometer overloads, the conversation's
X subject must be changed, or all non-wanks will leave. Compare
X `neep-neeping' (under {neep-neep}).
X
Xwannabee: [from a term recently used to describe Madonna fans who
X dress, talk, and act like their idol; prob. originally from biker
X slang] n. A would-be {hacker}. The connotations of this term
X differ sharply depending on the age and exposure of the subject.
X Used of a person who is in or might be entering {larval stage},
X it's semi-approving; such wannabees can be annoying but most
X hackers remember that they, too, were once such creatures. When
X used of any professional programmer, CS academic, writer, or
X {suit}, it's derogatory, implying that said person is trying to
X cuddle up to the hacker mystique but doesn't, fundamentally, have a
X prayer of understanding what it's all about. Overuse of terms from
X this File is often an indication of the {wannabee} nature.
X Compare {newbie}.
X
X [Historical note: the wannabee phenomenon has a bit different
X flavor now (1991) than it did ten or fifteen years ago. When the
X people who are now hackerdom's tribal elders were in {larval
X stage}, the process of becoming a hacker was largely unconscious
X and unaffected by models known in popular culture --- communities
X formed spontaneously around people who, *as individuals*, felt
X irresistibly drawn to do hackerly things, and what wannabees
X experienced was a fairly pure, skill-focused desire to become
X similarly wizardly. Those days of innocence are gone forever;
X society's adaptation to the advent of the microcomputer after 1980
X included the elevation of hackers as a new kind of folk hero, and
X the result is that some people semi-consciously set out to *be
X hackers* and borrow hackish prestige by fitting the public hacker
X image. Fortunately, to do this really well one has to actually
X become a wizard. Nevertheless, old-time hackers tend to share a
X poorly articulated disquiet about the change; among other things,
X it gives them mixed feelings about the effects of public compendia
X of lore like this one.]
X
Xwart: n. A small, crocky {feature} that sticks out of an
X otherwise {clean} design. Something conspicuous for localized
X ugliness, especially a special-case exception to a general rule.
X For example, in some versions of `csh(1)', single-quotes
X literalize every character inside them except `!'. In ANSI C,
X the `??' syntax used for escapes to foreign-language alphabets is a
X wart. See also {miswart}.
X
Xwashing machine: n. Old-style 14" hard disks in floor-standing
X cabinets. So called because of the size of the cabinet and the
X `top-loading' access to the media packs --- and, of course, they
X were always set on `spin cycle'. The washing-machine idiom
X transcends language barriers; it's even used in Russian hacker
X jargon. See {walking drives}. The thick channel cables
X connecting these were called `bit hoses' (see {hose}).
X
Xwater MIPS: n. Large, water-cooled machines of either today's
X ECL-supercomputer flavor or yesterday's traditional {mainframe}
X type.
X
Xwave a dead chicken: v. To perform a ritual in the direction of
X crashed software or hardware that one believes to be futile but
X is nevertheless necessary so that others are satisfied that an
X appropriate degree of effort has been expended. "I'll wave a dead
X chicken over the source code, but I really think we've run into an
X OS bug." Compare {voodoo programming}, {rain dance}.
X
Xweasel: n. [Cambridge] A naive user, one who deliberately or
X accidentally does things that are stupid or ill-advised. Roughly
X synonymous with {luser}.
X
Xwedged: [from a common description of recto-cranial inversion] adj.
X 1. To be stuck, incapable of proceeding without help. This is
X different from having crashed. If the system has crashed, then it
X has become totally non-functioning. If the system is wedged, it is
X trying to do something but cannot make progress; it may be capable
X of doing a few things, but not be fully operational. For example,
X the system may become wedged if the disk controller fries; there
X are some things you can do without using the disks, but not many.
X Being wedged is slightly milder than being {hung}. Also see
X {gronk}, {locked up}, {hosed}. 2. This term is sometimes used to
X describe a {deadlock} condition. 3. Often refers to humans
X suffering misconceptions. 4. [UNIX] Specifically used to describe
X the state of a TTY left in a losing state by abort of a
X screen-oriented program or one that has messed with the line
X discipline in some obscure way.
X
Xwedgitude: /wedj'i-t[y]ood/ n. The quality or state of being
X {wedged}.
X
Xweeble: /weeb'l/ [Cambridge] interj. Use to denote frustration,
X usually at amazing stupidity. "I stuck the disk in upside down."
X "Weeble...." Compare {gurfle}.
X
Xweeds: n. Refers to development projects or algorithms that have no
X possible relevance or practical application. Comes from `off in
X the weeds'. Used in phrases like "lexical analysis for microcode
X is serious weeds...."
X
X At CDC/ETA before its demise, the phrase `go off in the weeds'
X was equivalent to IBM's {branch to Fishkill} and mainstream
X hackerdom's {jump off into never-never land}.
X
Xweenie: n. 1. The semicolon character, `;' (ASCII #b0111011).
X 2. When used with a qualifier (for example, as in {UNIX weenie},
X VMS weenie, IBM weenie) can become either an insult or a term of
X praise, depending on context, tone of voice, and whether or not it
X is applied by a person who considered him/herself to be the same
X sort of weenie. Implies that the weenie has put a major investment
X of time, effort, and concentration into the area indicated; whether
X this is positive or negative depends on the hearer's judgement of
X how the speaker feels about that area. See also {bigot}.
X
XWeenix: [ITS] n. A derogatory term for {UNIX}, derived from
X {UNIX weenie}. According to one noted ex-ITSer, it is "The
X operating system preferred by Unix Weenies. Typified by poor
X modularity, poor reliability, hard file deletion, no file version
X numbers, case sensitivity everywhere, and users who believe that
X these are all advantages." Some ITS fans behave as though UNIX
X stole a future that rightfully belonged to them. See {ITS}.
X
Xwell-behaved: adj. 1. [primarily {MS-DOS}] Said of software
X conforming to system interface guidelines and standards. Well
X behaved software uses the operating system to do chores such as
X keyboard input, allocating memory and drawing graphics. Oppose
X {ill-behaved}. 2. Software that does its job quietly and without
X counterintuitive effects. Esp. said of software having an
X interface spec sufficiently simple and well-defined that it can be
X used as a {tool} by other software.
X
Xwell-connected: adj. Said of a computer installation, this means it
X has reliable email links with the network and/or relays a large
X fraction of available {USENET} newsgroups. `Well-known' can
X be almost synonymous, but also implies that the site's name is
X familiar to many (due perhaps to an archive service or active
X USENET users).
X
Xwetware: [prob. from the novels of Rudy Rucker] n. 1. The human
X brain, as opposed to computer hardware or software (as in "Wetware
X has at most 7 plus or minus 2 registers"). 2. Human beings
X (programmers, operators, administrators) attached to a computer
X system, as opposed to the system's hardware or software.
X
Xwhat: n. The question mark character (`?', ASCII #b0111111).
X Syn. {ques}. Usage: rare, used particularly in conjunction with
X `wow'.
X
Xwheel: n. 1. A privilege bit that canonically allows the
X possessor to perform any operation on a timesharing system, such as
X read or write any file on the system regardless of protections,
X change or or look at any address in the running monitor, crash or
X reload the system, and kill/create jobs and user accounts. The
X term was invented on the TENEX operating system, and carried over
X to TOPS-20, Xerox-IFS and others. 2. A person who posses a wheel
X bit. "We need to find a wheel to unwedge the hung tape drives."
X
X This term entered the UNIX culture from TWENEX in the mid-80s and
X has been gaining popularity there (esp. at university sites).
X Privilege bits are sometimes called `wheel bits'. The state of
X being in a privileged logon is sometimes called `wheel mode'.
X See also {root}.
X
Xwheel wars: [Stanford University] A period in {larval stage} during
X which student wheels hack each other by attempting to log each
X other out of the system, delete each other's files, and otherwise
X wreak havoc, usually at the expense of the lesser users.
X
XWhite Book: n. Syn. {K&R}.
X
Xwhizzy: [Sun] adj. (alt. `wizzy') Describes a {cuspy} program;
X one that is feature-rich and well presented.
X
XWIBNI: [Bell Labs, Wouldn't It Be Nice If] n. What most requirements
X documents and specifications consist entirely of. Compare {IWBNI}.
X
Xwidget: n. 1. A meta-thing. Used to stand for a real object in
X didactic examples (especially database tutorials). Legend has it
X that the original widgets were holders for buggy whips. 2. [poss.
X from `window gadget'] A user interface object in X Window System
X graphical user interfaces.
X
Xwiggles: n. [scientific computation] In solving partial differential
X equations by finite difference and similar methods, wiggles are
X sawtooth (up-down-up-down) oscillations at the shortest wavelength
X representable on the grid. If an algorithm is unstable, this is
X often the most unstable waveform, so it grows to dominate the
X solution. Alternatively, stable (though inaccurate) wiggles can be
X generated near a discontinuity by a Gibbs phenomenon.
X
XWIMP environment: n. [acronymic from Window, Icon, Menu, Pointing
X device] A graphical-user-interface-based environment, as described
X by a hacker who prefers command-line interfaces for their superior
X flexibility and extensibility. See {menuitis},
X {user-obsequious}.
X
Xwin: [from MIT jargon] 1. vi. To succeed. A program wins if no
X unexpected conditions arise. 2. Success, or a specific instance
X thereof. A pleasing outcome. A {feature}. Emphatic forms:
X `moby win', `super win', `hyper-win' (often used
X interjectively as a reply). For some reason `suitable win' is
X also common at MIT, usually in reference to a satisfactory solution
X to a problem. Oppose {lose}; see also {big win}, which isn't
X quite just an intensification of `win'.
X
Xwin big: vi. See {big win}.
X
Xwin win: interj. Expresses pleasure at a {win}.
X
XWinchester:: n. Informal term for the now-standard `floating-head'
X magnetic-disk technology in which the read-write head planes over
X the disk surface on an air cushion. The name arose because the
X original 1973 engineering prototype for what later became the IBM
X 3340 featured two 30-megabyte volumes; 30-30 became `Winchester'
X when somebody noticed the similarity to the common term for a
X famous Winchester rifle (in the latter, the first 30 referred to
X caliber and the second to the grain weight of the charge).
X
Xwinged comments: n. Comments set on the same line as code, as
X opposed to {boxed comments}. In C, for example:
X
X d = sqrt(x*x + y*y); /* d = distance of (x,y) from origin */
X
X Generally these refer only to the action(s) taken on that line.
X
Xwinnage: /win'@j/ n. The situation when a lossage is corrected, or
X when something is winning. Quite rare. Usage: also quite rare.
X
Xwinner: 1. n. An unexpectedly good situation, program, programmer or
X person. 2. `real winner': Often sarcastic, but also used as high
X praise (see also the note following the {user} entry).
X
Xwinnitude: /win'i-tood/ n. The quality of winning (as opposed to
X {winnage}, which is the result of winning). "That's really great!
X Boy, what winnitude!"
X
Xwired: n. See {hardwired}.
X
Xwirehead: n. [prob. from notional SF slang for an electrical brain
X stimulation junkie] 1. A hardware hacker, especially one who
X concentrates on communications hardware. 2. An expert in
X local-area networks. A wirehead can be a network software wizard
X too, but will always have the ability to deal with network
X hardware, down to the smallest component. Wireheads are known for
X their ability to lash up an Ethernet terminator from spare
X resistors, for example.
X
Xwish list: n. A list of desired features or bug fixes that probably
X won't get done for a long time, usually because the person
X responsible for the code is too busy or can't think of a clean way
X to do it. Compare {tick-list features}.
X
Xwizard: n. 1. A person who knows how a complex piece of software
X or hardware works (that is, who {grok}s it); esp. someone who
X can find and fix bugs quickly in an emergency. This term differs
X somewhat from {hacker}. Someone is a hacker if he has general
X hacking ability, but is only a wizard with respect to something if
X he has specific detailed knowledge of that thing. A good hacker
X could become a wizard for something given the time to study it.
X 2. A person who is permitted to do things forbidden to ordinary
X people. For example, an Adventure wizard at Stanford may play the
X Adventure game during the day, which is forbidden (the program
X simply refuses to play) to most people because it consumes too many
X {cycle}s. 3. A UNIX expert, esp. a UNIX systems programmer.
X This usage is well enough established that `UNIX Wizard' is a
X recognized job title at some corporations and to most headhunters.
X See {guru}, {lord high fixer}. See also {deep magic},
X {heavy wizardry}, {incantation}, {magic}, {mutter}, {rain
X dance}, {voodoo programming}, {wave a dead chicken}.
X
XWizard Book: n. Abelson and Sussman's `Structure and Interpretation
X of Computer Programs', an excellent CS text used in introductory
X courses at MIT. So called because of the wizard on the cover of
X the MIT Press edition.
X
Xwizard mode: [from nethack] n. A special access mode of a program or
X system, usually passworded, that permits some users godlike
X privileges. Generally not used for operating systems themselves
X (`root mode' or `wheel mode' would be used instead).
X
Xwizardly: adj. Pertaining to wizards. A wizardly {feature} is one
X that only a wizard could understand or use properly.
X
XWOMBAT: [Waste Of Money, Brains, And Time] adj. Applied to problems
X which are both profoundly {uninteresting} in themselves and
X unlikely to benefit anyone interesting even if solved. Often used
X in fanciful constructions such as `wrestling with a wombat'. See
X also {crawling horror}, {SMOP}. Also note the rather different
X usage as a meta-syntactic variable under {{Commonwealth Hackish}}.
X
Xwonky: /wong'kee/ [from Australian slang] adj. Yet another approximate
X synonym for {broken}. Specifically connotes a malfunction which
X produces behavior seen as crazy, humorous, or amusingly perverse.
X "That was the day the printer's font logic went wonky and
X everybody's listings came out in Elvish." Also in `wonked out'.
X See {funky}, {demented}.
X
Xworkaround: n. A temporary {kluge} inserted in a system under
X development or test in order to avoid the effects of a {bug} or
X {misfeature} so that work can continue. Theoretically,
X workarounds are always replaced by {fix}es; in practice, customers
X often find themselves living with workarounds in the first couple
X of releases. "The code died on nul characters in the input, so I
X fixed it to abort with an error message when it sees one."
X "That's not a fix, that's a workaround!"
X
Xworking as designed: [IBM] adj. 1. In conformance to a wrong or
X inappropriate specification; useful, but mis-designed. 2.
X Frequently used as a sardonic comment on a program's utility. 3.
X Unfortunately also used as a bogus reason for not accepting a criticism
X or suggestion. At {IBM}, this sense is used in official
X documents! See {BAD}.
X
Xworm: [from `tapeworm' in John Brunner's `The Shockwave
X Rider', via XEROX PARC] n. A program that propagates itself over a
X network, reproducing itself as it goes. Compare {virus}.
X Nowadays the term has negative connotations, as it is assumed that
X only crackers write worms. Perhaps the best known example was
X Robert T. Morris's `Internet Worm' in 1988, a `benign' one that
X got out of control and hogged hundreds of Suns and VAXen
X nationwide. See also {cracker}, {Trojan horse}, {ice}.
X
Xwound around the axle: adj. In an infinite loop. Often used by older
X computer types.
X
Xwrap around: vi. (also n. `wraparound' and v. shorthand `wrap')
X 1. This is jargon in its normal computer usage, i.e., describing
X the action of a counter that starts over at 0 or at `minus
X infinity' after its maximum value has been reached, and continues
X incrementing, either because it is programmed to do so, or because
X of an overflow like a car's odometer starting over at 0. 2. To
X change {phase} gradually and continuously by maintaining a steady
X wake-sleep cycle somewhat longer than 24 hours, e.g., living 6 long
X (28-hour) days in a week (or, equivalently, sleeping at the rate of
X 10 microhertz).
X
Xwrite-only code: [a play on `read-only memory'] n. Code
X sufficiently arcane, complex, or ill-structured that it cannot be
X modified or even comprehended by anyone but the original author,
X and possibly not even by him/her. A {Bad Thing}.
X
Xwrite-only language: n. A language with syntax (or semantics)
X sufficiently dense and bizarre that any routine of significant size
X is {write-only code}. A sobriquet often applied to APL,
X though {INTERCAL} and {TECO} certainly deserve it more.
X
Xwrite-only memory: n. The obvious antonym to `read-only memory'.
X In frustration with the long and seemingly useless chain of
X approvals required of component specifications, during which no
X actual checking seemed to occur, an engineer at Signetics created a
X specification for a write-only memory, and included it with a bunch
X of other specifications to be approved. This inclusion only came
X to the attention of Signetics when regular customers started
X calling and asking for pricing information. Signetics published a
X corrected edition of the data book and requested the return of the
X `erroneous' ones. Later, about 1974, Signetics bought a double
X page spread in Electronics magazine's April issue and used the
X spec as an April Fools' day joke. Instead of the more conventional
X characteristic curves, the 25120 "fully encoded, 9046 x N, Random
X Access, write-only-memory" data sheet included diagrams of "bit
X capacity vs. Temp.", "Iff vs. Vff", "Number of pins remaining
X vs. number of socket insertions" and "AQL vs. selling price".
X The 25120 required a 6.3 VAC VFF supply, a +10V VCC, and VDD of 0V,
X +/- 2%.
X
XWrong Thing: n. A design, action, or decision which is clearly
X incorrect or inappropriate. Often capitalized; always emphasized
X in speech as if capitalized. The opposite of the Right Thing; more
X generally, anything that is not the Right Thing. In cases where
X `the good is the enemy of the best', the merely good, while good,
X is nevertheless the Wrong Thing.
X
Xwugga wugga: /wuh'g@ wuh'g@/ n. Imaginary sound that a computer
X program makes as it labors with a tedious or difficult task.
X Compare {cruncha cruncha cruncha}, {grind} (sense #4).
X
XWYSIWYG: /wiz'ee-wig/ adj. User interface (usu. text or graphics
X editor) characterized as being "what you see is what you get"; as
X opposed to one which uses more-or-less obscure commands which do
X not result in immediate visual feedback. The term can be mildly
X derogatory, as it is often used to refer to dumbed-down
X {user-friendly} interfaces targeted at non-programmers, while a
X hacker has no fear of obscure commands. On the other hand, EMACS
X was one of the very first WYSIWYG editors, replacing (actually, at
X first overlaying) the extremely obscure, command-based {TECO}.
X [Oddly enough, this term has already made it into the OED --- ESR]
X
X= X =
X=====
X
XX: /eks/ n. 1. Used in various speech and writing contexts in
X roughly its algebraic sense of `unknown within a set defined by
X context' (compare {N}). Thus: the abbreviation 680x0 stands for
X 68000, 68010, 68020, 68030, or 68040, and 80x86 stands for 80186,
X 80286 80386 or 80486 (note that a UNIX hacker might write these as
X 680[01234]0 and 80[1234]86 or 680?0 and 80?86 respectively; see
X {glob}). 2. [after the name of an earlier window system called
X `W'] An over-sized, over-featured, over-engineered window system
X developed at MIT and widely used on UNIX systems.
X
Xxor: /eks'ohr/ conj. Exclusive or. `A xor B' means `A or B, but
X not both'. Example: "I want to get cherry pie xor a banana
X split." This derives from the technical use of the term as a
X function on truth-values that is true if either of two arguments is
X true, but not both.
X
Xxref: /eks'ref/ vt.,n. Hackish standard abbreviation for
X `cross-reference'.
X
XXXX: /eks-eks-eks/ n. A marker that attention is needed. Commonly
X used in program comments to indicate areas that are kluged up or
X need to be. Some hackers liken XXX code to pornographic movies
X that contain the symbol.
X
Xxyzzy: /eks-wie-zee-zee-wie/, /ik-zi'zee/, /eks-wie-ziz'ee/,
X /zi'zee/; in Commonwealth hackish, /eks-wie-zed-zed-wie/. [from the
X ADVENT game] adj. The {canonical} `magic word'. This comes from
X {ADVENT}, in which the idea is to explore an underground cave
X with many rooms to collect treasure. If you type `xyzzy' at the
X appropriate time, you can move instantly between two otherwise
X distant points. If, therefore, you encounter some bit of
X {magic}, you might remark on this quite succinctly by saying
X simply "Xyzzy!" Example: "Ordinarily you can't look at someone
X else's screen if he has protected it, but if you type
X quadruple-bucky-clear the system will let you do it anyway."
X "Xyzzy!" Xyzzy has actually been implemented as an undocumented
X no-op command on several OSs; in Data General's AOS/VS, for
X example, it would typically respond "Nothing happens", just as
X {ADVENT} did if the magic was invoked at the wrong spot or before
X a player had performed the action that enabled the word. See also
X {plugh}.
X
X= Y =
X=====
X
XYA-: [Yet Another...] abbrev. In hackish acronyms this almost
X invariably expands to {Yet Another}, following the precedent set
X by UNIX `yacc(1)'. See {YABA}.
X
XYABA: /ya'buh/ [Cambridge] n. Yet Another Bloody Acronym. Whenever
X some program is being named, someone invariably suggests that it be
X given a name which is acronymic. The response from those with a
X trace of originality is to remark ironically that the proposed name
X would then be `YABA-compatible'. Also used in response to questions
X like "What is WYSIWYG?" "YABA." See also {TLA}.
X
XYAUN: /yawn/ [Acronym for `Yet Another UNIX Nerd'] n. Reported
X from the San Diego Computer Society (predominantly a microcomputer
X users' group) as a good-natured punning insult aimed at UNIX
X zealots.
X
XYellow Book: n. The print version of this Jargon File; `The
X New Hacker's Dictionary', forthcoming from MIT Press, 1991.
X Includes all the material in the File, plus a Foreword by Guy
X Steele and a Preface by Eric S. Raymond. Most importantly, the
X book version is nicely typeset and includes almost all of the
X infamous Crunchly cartoons by the Great Quux, each attached to an
X appropriate entry.
X
XYet Another: adj. [From UNIX's `yacc(1)', `Yet Another Compiler-
X Compiler', a LALR parser generator] 1. Of your own work: humorous
X allusion often used in titles to acknowledge that the topic is not
X original, though the content is. As in `Yet Another AI Group'
X or `Yet Another Simulated Annealing Algorithm'. 2. Of other's
X work: describes something of which there are far too many. See
X also {YA-}, {YABA}, {YAUN}.
X
XYou are not expected to understand this: cav. [UNIX] Canonical
X comment describing something {magic} or too complicated to bother
X explaining properly. From a comment in either the
X context-switching code of the V6 UNIX kernel or the V6 tty driver
X (accounts differ).
X
XYou know you've been hacking too long when...: The set-up line
X for a genre of one-liners told by hackers about themselves. These
X include the following:
X
X * not only do you check your email more often than your paper
X mail, but you remember your {network address} faster than your
X postal one.
X * your {SO} kisses you on the neck and the first thing you
X think is "Uh, oh, {priority interrupt}."
X * you go to balance your checkbook and discover that you're
X doing it in octal.
X * your computers have a higher street value than your car.
X * `round numbers' are powers of 2, not 10.
X * you've woken up more than once to recall of a dream in
X some programming language.
X * you realize you've never met half of your best friends.
X
X All but one of these have been reliably reported as hacker traits
X (some of them quite often). Even hackers may have trouble spotting
X the ringer.
X
XYour mileage may vary: cav. [from the standard disclaimer attached
X to EPA mileage ratings by American car manufacturers] A ritual
X warning often found in UNIX freeware distributions. Translates
X roughly as "Hey, I tried to write this portably but who
X *knows* what'll happen on your system?"
X
XYow!: /yow/ [from Zippy the Pinhead comix] interj. Favored hacker
X expression of humorous surprise or emphasis. "Yow! Check out what
X happens when you twiddle the foo option on this display hack!"
X Compare {gurfle}.
X
Xyoyo mode: n. State in which the system is said to be when it
X rapidly alternates several times between being up and being down.
X Interestingly (and perhaps not by coincidence), many hardware
X vendors give out free yoyos at Usenix exhibits.
X
X Sun Microsystems gave out logoized yoyos at SIGPLAN '88. Tourists
X staying at one of Atlanta's most respectable hotels were
X subsequently treated to the sight of 200 of the country's top
X computer scientists testing yo-yo algorithms in the lobby.
X
XYu-Shiang Whole Fish: /yoo-shyang hohl fish/ n. obs. The character
X gamma (extended SAIL ASCII #b1001011), which with a loop in its tail
X looks like a little fish swimming down the page. The term is
X actually the name of a Chinese dish in which a fish is cooked whole
X (not {parse}d) and covered with Yu Shiang sauce. Usage: was used
X primarily by people on the MIT LISP Machine, which could display
X this character on the screen. Tends to elicit incredulity from
X people who hear about it second-hand.
X
X= Z =
X=====
X
Xzap: 1. n. Spiciness. 2. vt. To make food spicy. 3. vt. To make
X someone `suffer' by making his food spicy. (Most hackers love
X spicy food. Hot-and-sour soup is considered wimpy unless it makes
X you blow your nose for the rest of the meal.) See {zapped}. 4. vt.
X To modify, usually to correct. Also implies surgical precision. In
X some communities, this used to describe modifying a program's
X binary executable. In the IBM mainframe world, binary patches are
X applied to programs or to the OS with a program called `superzap',
X whose file name is `IMASPZAP' (I Am a SuPerZAP) 5. vt. To erase or
X reset. 6. To {fry} a chip with static electricity.
X
Xzapped: adj. Spicy. This term is used to distinguish between food
X that is hot (in temperature) and food that is *spicy*-hot.
X For example, the Chinese appetizer Bon Bon Chicken is a kind of
X chicken salad that is cold but zapped; by contrast, {vanilla}
X wonton soup is hot but not zapped. See also {{Oriental Food}},
X {laser chicken}. See {zap}, senses #1 and #2.
X
Xzen: vt. To figure out something by meditation, or by a sudden flash
X of enlightenment. Originally applied to bugs, but occasionally
X applied to problems of life in general. "How'd you figure out the
X buffer allocation problem?" "Oh, I zenned it". Contrast {grok},
X which connotes a time-extended version of zenning a system.
X Compare {hack mode}. See also {guru}.
X
Xzero: vt. 1. To set to zero. Usually said of small pieces of data,
X such as bits or words. 2. To erase; to discard all data from.
X Said of disks and directories, where `zeroing' need not involve
X actually writing zeroes throughout the area being zeroed. One may
X speak of something being `logically zeroed' rather than being
X `physically zeroed'. See {scribble}.
X
Xzero-content: adj. Syn. {content-free}.
X
Xzeroth: /zee'rohth/ adj. First. Among software designers, comes
X from C's and LISP's 0-based indexing of arrays. Hardware people
X also tend to start counting at zero instead of one; this is natural
X since, e.g., the 256 states of 8 bits correspond to the binary
X numbers 0,1,...,255 and the digital devices known as `counters'
X count in this way.
X
X Hackers and computer scientists often like to call the first
X chapter of a publication `Chapter 0', especially if it is of an
X introductory nature (one of the classic instances was in the First
X Edition of {K&R}). In recent years this trait has also been
X observed among many pure mathematicians (who have an independent
X tradition of numbering from 0). Zero-based numbering tends to
X reduce {fencepost error}s, though it cannot eliminate them
X entirely.
X
Xzigamorph: /zig'@-morf/ n. Hex FF (binary #b11111111) when used
X as a delimiter or {fence} character.
X
Xzip: [primarily MSDOS] vt. To create a compressed archive from a
X group of files using PKWare's PKZIP or a compatible archiver. Its
X use is spreading now that portable implementations of the algorithm
X have been written. Commonly used as "I'll zip it up and send it
X to you." See {arc}, {tar and feather}.
X
Xzipperhead: [IBM] n. A person with a closed mind.
X
Xzombie: [UNIX] n. A process that has died but has not yet
X relinquished its process table slot (because the parent process
X hasn't executed a `wait(2)' for it yet). These show up in
X `ps(1)' listings occasionally. Compare {orphan}.
X
XZork: /zork/ n. Second of the great early experiments in computer
X fantasy gaming; see {ADVENT}. Originally written on MIT-DMS during
X the late seventies, later distributed with BSD UNIX and
X commercialized as `The Zork Trilogy' by Infocom.
X
X
X
XHacker Folklore
X***************
X
XThis appendix contains several fables and legends which illuminate the
Xmeaning of various entries in the main text. Some of this material
Xappeared in the 1983 paper edition of the Jargon File (but not in the
Xprevious on-line versions).
X
XThe Meaning of `Hack'
X=====================
X
X"The word {hack} doesn't really have 69 different meanings", according
Xto Phil Agre, an MIT hacker. "In fact, {hack} has only one meaning, an
Xextremely subtle and profound one which defies articulation. Which
Xconnotation is implied by a given use of the word depends in similarly
Xprofound ways on the context. Similar remarks apply to a couple of
Xother hacker words, most notably {random}."
X
XHacking might be characterized as "an appropriate application of
Xingenuity". Whether the result is a quick-and-dirty patchwork job or
Xa carefully crafted work of art, you have to admire the cleverness
Xthat went into it.
X
XAn important secondary meaning of {hack} is `a creative practical
Xjoke'. This kind of hack is often easier to explain to non-hackers
Xthan the programming kind. Accordingly, here are some examples of
Xpractical joke hacks:
X
XIn 1961, students from Caltech (California Institute of Technology in
XPasadena) hacked the Rose Bowl football game. One student posed as a
Xreporter and `interviewed' the director of the University of
XWashington card stunts (such stunts involve people in the stands who
Xhold up colored cards to make pictures). The reporter learned exactly
Xhow the stunts were operated, and also that the director would be out
Xto dinner later.
X
XWhile the director was eating, the students (who called themselves the
X`Fiendish Fourteen') picked a lock and stole one of the direction
Xsheets for the card stunts. They then had a printer run off 2300
Xcopies of the sheet. The next day they picked the lock again and
Xstole the master plans for the stunts, large sheets of graph paper
Xcolored in with the stunt pictures. Using these as a guide, they
Xcarefully made `corrections' for three of the stunts on the
Xduplicate instruction sheets. Finally, they broke in once more,
Xreplacing the stolen master plans and substituting the stack of
Xaltered instruction sheets for the original set.
X
XThe result was that three of the pictures were totally different.
XInstead of spelling "WASHINGTON", the word "CALTECH" was flashed.
XAnother stunt showed the word "HUSKIES", the Washington nickname,
Xbut spelled it backwards. And what was supposed to have been a
Xpicture of a husky instead showed a beaver. (Both Caltech and MIT use
Xthe beaver as a mascot. Beavers are nature's engineers.)
X
XAfter the game, the Washington faculty athletic representative said,
X"Some thought it ingenious; others were indignant." The Washington
Xstudent body president remarked, "No hard feelings, but at the time
Xit was unbelievable. We were amazed."
X
XThis is now considered a classic hack, particularly because revising
Xthe direction sheets constituted a form of programming not unlike
Xcomputer programming.
X
XAnother classic hack:
X
XSome MIT students once illicitly used a quantity of thermite to weld a
Xtrolley car to its tracks. The hack was actually not dangerous, as
Xthey did this at night to a parked trolley. It took the transit
Xpeople quite a while to figure out what was wrong with the trolley,
Xand even longer to figure out how to fix it. They ended up putting
Xjacks under the trolley and cutting the section of track on either
Xside of the wheel with oxyacetylene torches. Then they unbolted the
Xwheel, welded in a new piece of track, bolted on a new wheel, and
Xremoved the jacks. The hackers sneaked in the next night and stole the
Xpiece of track and wheel!
X
XThe piece of trolley track with the wheel still welded to it was later
Xused as the trophy at the First Annual All-Tech Sing. They carted it
Xin on a very heavy duty dolly up the freight elevator of the Student
XCenter. Six feet of rail and a trolley wheel is a *lot* of
Xsteel.
X
XA rather similar hack, perpetrated by a fraternity at CMU, cost their
Xcampus its trolley service.
X
XThough these displayed some cleverness, the side-effect of expensive
Xproperty damage was definitely an esthetic minus. The best hacks are
Xharmless ones.
X
XAnd another:
X
XOne winter, late at night, an MIT fraternity hosed down an underpass
Xthat is part of a commuter expressway near MIT. This produced an ice
Xslick that `trapped' a couple of small cars: they didn't have the
Xmomentum or traction to climb out of the underpass. While it was
Xclever to apply some simple science to trap a car, it was also very
Xdangerous as it could have caused a collision. Therefore this was a
Xvery poor hack overall.
X
XAnd yet another:
X
XOn November 20, 1982, MIT hacked the Harvard-Yale football game. Just
Xafter Harvard's second touchdown against Yale in the second quarter, a
Xsmall black ball popped up out of the ground at the 40-yard line, and
Xgrew bigger, and bigger, and bigger. The letters "MIT" appeared all
Xover the ball. As the players and officials stood around gawking, the
Xball grew to six feet in diameter and then burst with a bang and a
Xcloud of white smoke.
X
XAs the Boston Globe later reported, "If you want to know the truth,
XM.I.T. won The Game."
X
XThe prank had taken weeks of careful planning by members of MIT's
XDelta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. The device consisted of a weather
Xballoon, a hydraulic ram powered by Freon gas to lift it out of the
Xground, and a vacuum-cleaner motor to inflate it. They made eight
Xseparate expeditions to Harvard Stadium between 1 and 5 AM, in which
Xthey located an unused 110-volt circuit in the stadium, and ran buried
Xwiring from the stadium circuit to the 40-yard line, where they buried
Xthe balloon device. When the time came to activate the device, two
Xfraternity members had merely to flip a circuit breaker and push a
Xplug into an outlet.
X
XThis stunt had all the earmarks of a perfect hack: surprise,
Xpublicity, the ingenious use of technology, safety, and harmlessness.
XThe use of manual control allowed the prank to be timed so as not to
Xdisrupt the game (it was set off between plays, so the outcome of the
Xgame would not be unduly affected). The perpetrators had even
Xthoughtfully attached a note to the balloon explaining that the device
Xwas not dangerous and contained no explosives.
X
XHarvard president Derek Bok commented: "They have an awful lot of
Xclever people down there at MIT, and they did it again." President
XPaul E. Gray of MIT said, "There is absolutely no truth to the rumor
Xthat I had anything to do with it, but I wish there were."
X
XFinally, here is a great story about one of the classic computer hacks.
X
XBack in the mid-1970s, several of the system support staff at Motorola
Xdiscovered a relatively simple way to crack system security on the
SHAR_EOF
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fi
echo 'End of part 16, continue with part 17'
echo 17 > _shar_seq_.tmp
exit 0