[net.unix-wizards] A new topic

reg@vaxine.UUCP (Rick Genter) (05/22/84)

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     We've all heard about the origins of "grep".  We've heard about return
with and without parentheses.  Well, I would like to start a new subject.

     Can anyone tell me the origin of the abbreviation (I am assuming it is
one) BSS (that little-known section which has a size but no body that is part
of every .o and a.out file)?

     Please send me mail; I will summarize the answers to the net.

                                        -reg
                                        Rick Genter
                                        Automatix Inc.
                                        ...!linus!vaxine!reg

pdt@mhuxv.UUCP (tyma) (05/23/84)

How about "blank-storage segment" as what "bss" stands for?
(Are you *sure* we didn't go through this one a few months ago?)

gwyn@brl-vgr.ARPA (Doug Gwyn ) (05/25/84)

BSS mnemonic is no a new topic!  We did this one a few months back.

Instead, how about:  What is the new "stream" character I/O that
Research UNIX is supposed to have?  Could someone who knows for
sure give us all a brief description?  Thanks..

kre@mulga.OZ (Robert Elz) (05/26/84)

I don't believe this.  BSS is/was block starting with symbol.
It dates from ancient IBM assemblers.  There was also BES
for block ending with symbol, where the label was assigned the
value of the end of the reserved space.  I'm certain that someone
said all this just a short while ago.

Maybe this should be added to the "Answers to frequently asked questions"
in net.announce.newusers, that I just know every one of you has read ...

Robert Elz					decvax!mulga!kre