eric@snark.thyrsus.com (Eric S. Raymond) (12/16/90)
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# ============= jsplit.ae ==============
sed 's/^X//' << 'SHAR_EOF' > jsplit.ae &&
X cryptic message "GURU MEDITATION #XXXXXXXX.YYYYYYYY" appears,
X indicating what the problem was. An Amiga guru can figure things
X out from the numbers. Generally a GURU event must be followed by a
X VULCAN NERVE PINCH.
X
X {= H =}
X
XH INFIX [from SF fandom] A method of "marking" common words in the
X linguist's sense, i.e. calling attention to the fact that they are
X being used in a nonstandard, ironic or humorous way. Orig. in the
X fannish catchphrase "Bheer is the One True Ghod" from decades
X ago. H-infix marking of "Ghod" and other words spread into the
X Sixties counterculture via underground comix, and into early
X hackerdom either from the counterculture or SF fandom (all three
X overlapped heavily at the time). More recently, the h infix has
X become an expected feature of benchmark names, i.e. Whetstone,
X Dhrystone, Rhealstone, etc; this is prob. patterning on the
X original Whetstone name but influenced by the
X fannish/counterculture H infix.
X
XHA HA ONLY SERIOUS [from SF fandom, orig. as mutation of HHOK, "Ha Ha
X Only Kidding"] A phrase that aptly captures the flavor of much
X hacker discourse (often seen abbreviated as HHOS). Applied
X especially to parodies, absurdities and ironic jokes that are both
X intended and perceived to contain a possibly disquieting amount of
X truth, or truths which are constructed on in-joke and self-parody.
X The jargon file contains many examples of ha-ha-only-serious in
X both form and content. Indeed, the entirety of hacker culture is
X often perceived as ha-ha-only-serious by hackers themselves; to
X take it either too lightly or too seriously marks a person as an
X outsider or one in LARVAL STAGE. For further enlightenment on this
X subject, consult any Zen master. See also HUMOR, HACKER and AI
X KOANS.
X
XHACK 1. n. Originally a quick job that produces what is needed, but
X not well. 2. n. An incredibly good, and perhaps very
X time-consuming, piece of work that produces exactly what is needed.
X 3. The result of a hack (sense 1 or 2); 3. NEAT HACK: A clever
X technique. Also, a brilliant practical joke, where neatness is
X correlated with cleverness, harmlessness, and surprise value.
X Example: the Caltech Rose Bowl card display switch circa 1961. 4.
X REAL HACK: A crock (occasionally affectionate). vt. 5. With
X "together", to throw something together so it will work. 6. To
X bear emotionally or physically. "I can't hack this heat!" 7. To
X work on something (typically a program). In specific sense: "What
X are you doing?" "I'm hacking TECO." In general sense: "What
X do you do around here?" "I hack TECO." (The former is
X time-immediate, the latter time-extended.) More generally, "I
X hack x" is roughly equivalent to "x is my major interest (or
X project)". "I hack solid-state physics." 8. To pull a prank
X on. See definition 3 and HACKER (def #6). 9. v.i. To waste time
X (as opposed to TOOL). "Watcha up to?" "Oh, just hacking."
X 10. HACK UP (ON): To hack, but generally implies that the result is
X meanings 1-2. 11. [UNIX] A dungeon game similar to ROGUE (q.v.)
X but more elaborate, distributed in C source over USENET and very
X popular at UNIX sites and on PC-class machines. Recent versions
X are called `nethack'. HAPPY HACKING: A farewell. HOW'S HACKING?:
X A friendly greeting among hackers. HACK HACK: A somewhat pointless
X but friendly comment, often used as a temporary farewell. For more
X on the meaning of HACK, see Appendix A.
X
XHACK ATTACK n. Nearly synonymous with HACKING RUN (q.v.) though the
X latter implies an all-nighter more strongly.
X
XHACK VALUE n. Often adduced as the reason or motivation for expending
X effort toward a seemingly useless goal, the point being that the
X accomplished goal is a hack. For example, MacLISP has features for
X reading and printing roman numerals, which was installed purely for
X hack value. As a musician once said of jazz, if you don't
X understand hack value there is no way it can be explained.
X
XHACKER [originally, someone who makes furniture with an axe] n. 1. A
X person who enjoys learning the details of programming systems and
X how to stretch their capabilities, as opposed to most users who
X prefer to learn only the minimum necessary. 2. One who programs
X enthusiastically, or who enjoys programming rather than just
X theorizing about programming. 3. A person capable of appreciating
X HACK VALUE (q.v.). 4. A person who is good at programming quickly.
X Not everything a hacker produces is a hack. 5. An expert at a
X particular program, or one who frequently does work using it or on
X it; example: "A UNIX hacker". (Definitions 1 to 5 are
X correlated, and people who fit them congregate.) 6. An expert of
X any kind. One might be an astronomy hacker, for example. 7.
X (deprecated) A malicious or inquisitive meddler who tries to
X discover information by poking around. Hence "password hacker",
X "network hacker". See CRACKER.
X
XHACK MODE n. 1. What one is in when hacking, of course. 2. More
X specifically, a Zen-like state of total focus on The Problem which
X may be achieved when one is hacking. Ability to enter such
X concentration at will correlates strongly with wizardliness; it is
X one of the most important skills learned during LARVAL STAGE.
X Sometimes amplified as "deep hack mode". Being yanked out of hack
X mode (see PRIORITY INTERRUPT) may be experienced as an almost
X physical shock, and the sensation of being in it is more than a
X little habituating. The intensity of this experience is probably
X by itself sufficient explanation for the existence of hackers, and
X explains why many resist being promoted out of positions where they
X can do code.
X
XHACKING RUN [analogy with `bombing run' or `speed run'] n. A hack
X session extended long outside `normal' working times, especially
X one longer than 12 hours. May cause you to CHANGE PHASE THE HARD
X WAY (see PHASE).
X
XHACKISH /hak'ish/ adj. (also HACKISHNESS n.) 1. Being or involving a
X hack. 2. Of or pertaining to hackers or the hacker subculture. See
X also TRUE-HACKER. It is better to be described as hackish by others
X than to describe oneself that way. Hackers consider themselves
X somewhat of an elite, though one to which new members are gladly
X welcome. It is a meritocracy based on ability. There is a certain
X self-satisfaction in identifying yourself as a hacker (but if you
X claim to be one and are not, you'll quickly be labelled BOGUS).
X
XHACKISHNESS, HACKITUDE n. The quality of being or involving a hack.
X (The word HACKITUDE is considered silly; the standard term is
X HACKISHNESS.)
X
XHAIR n. The complications which make something hairy. "Decoding TECO
X commands requires a certain amount of hair." Often seen in the
X phrase INFINITE HAIR, which connotes extreme complexity. Also in
X HAIRIFEROUS (tending to promote hair growth): "GNU elisp
X encourages lusers to write complex editing modes." "Yeah, it's
X pretty hairiferous all right." (or just: "Hair squared!")
X
XHAIRY adj. 1. Overly complicated. "DWIM is incredibly hairy." 2.
X Incomprehensible. "DWIM is incredibly hairy." 3. Of people,
X high-powered, authoritative, rare, expert, and/or incomprehensible.
X Hard to explain except in context: "He knows this hairy lawyer who
X says there's nothing to worry about."
X
XHAKMEM /hak'mem/ n. MIT AI Memo 239 (February 1972). A legendary
X collection of neat mathematical and programming hacks contributed
X by many people at MIT and elsewhere. (The title of the memo really
X is "HAKMEM", which is an acronym of sorts for "hacks memo".)
X Some of them are very useful techniques or powerful theorems, but
X most fall into the category of mathematical and computer trivia. A
X sampling of the entries (with authors), slightly paraphrased:
X
X Item 41 (Gene Salamin) There are exactly 23,000 prime numbers less
X than 2 to the 18th power.
X
X Item 46 (Rich Schroeppel) The most *probable* suit distribution in
X bridge hands is 4-4-3-2, as compared to 4-3-3-3, which is the most
X *evenly* distributed. This is because the world likes to have
X unequal numbers: a thermodynamic effect saying things will not be
X in the state of lowest energy, but in the state of lowest
X disordered energy.
X
X Problem 81 (Rich Schroeppel) Count the magic squares of order 5
X (that is, all the 5-by-5 arrangements of the numbers from 1 to 25
X such that all rows, columns, and diagonals add up to the same
X number). There are about 320 million, not counting those that
X differ only by rotation and reflection.
X
X Item 174 (Bill Gosper and Stuart Nelson) 21963283741 is the only
X number such that if you represent it on the PDP-10 as both an
X integer and a floating-point number, the bit patterns of the two
X representations are identical.
X
XHAKMEM also contains some rather more complicated mathematical and
X technical items, but these examples show some of its fun flavor.
X
XHAND-HACKING n. 1. The practice of translating HOT SPOTS from an HLL
X into custom hand-optimized assembler, as opposed to trying to
X coerce the compiler into generating better code. Both the term and
X the practice are becoming uncommon. See TUNE, BUM; syn. with v.
X CRUFT. 2. More generally, manual construction or patching of data
X sets that would normally be ground out by a translation utility and
X interpreted by another program, and aren't really designed to be
X read or modified by humans.
X
XHANDWAVE 1. v. To gloss over a complex point; to distract a listener;
X to support a (possibly actually valid) point with blatantly faulty
X logic. If someone starts a sentence with "Clearly..." or
X "Obviously..." or "It is self-evident that...", you can be
X sure he is about to handwave. The theory behind this term is that
X if you wave your hands at the right moment, the listener may be
X sufficiently distracted to not notice that what you have said is
X BOGUS. Alternatively, if a listener does object, you might try to
X dismiss the objection with a wave of your hand. 2. n. The act of
X handwaving. "Boy, what a handwave!" The use of this word is
X often accompanied by gestures: both hands up, palms forward,
X swinging the hands in a vertical plane pivoting at the elbows
X and/or shoulders (depending on the magnitude of the handwave);
X alternatively, holding the forearms still while rotating the hands
X at the wrist to make them flutter. In context, the gestures alone
X can suffice as a remark; if a speaker makes an outrageous
X unsupported assumption, you might simply wave your hands in this
X way, as an accusation more eloquent than words could express that
X his logic is faulty
X
XHANG v. 1. To wait for some event to occur; to hang around until
X something happens. "The program displays a menu and then hangs
X until you type a character." 2. More commonly, to wait for an
X event that will never occur. "The system is hanging because it
X can't read from the crashed drive". See WEDGED.
X
XHANLON'S RAZOR n. A "murphyism" parallel to Occam's Razor that reads
X "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained
X by stupidity". The derivation of the common title Hanlon's Razor
X is unknown; a similar epigram has been attributed to William James.
X Quoted here because it seems to be a particular favorite of
X hackers, often showing up in FORTUNE COOKIE files and the login
X banners of BBS systems and commercial networks. This probably
X reflects the hacker's daily experience of environments created by
X the well-intentioned but shortsighted.
X
XHARDWARILY /hard-weir'i-lee/ adv. In a way pertaining to hardware.
X "The system is hardwarily unreliable." The adjective
X "hardwary" is *not* used. See SOFTWARILY.
X
XHAS THE X NATURE [seems to derive from Zen Buddhist koans of the form
X "Does an X have the Buddha-nature?"] adj. Common hacker
X construction for `is an X', used for humorous emphasis. "Anyone
X who can't even use a program with on-screen help embedded in it
X truly has the LOSER nature!"
X
XHASH COLLISION [from the technical usage] n. When used of people,
X signifies a confusion in associative memory or imagination,
X especially a persistent one (see THINKO). True story: one of us
X (ESR) was once on the phone with a friend about to move out to
X Berkeley. When asked what he expected Berkeley to be like, the
X friend replied "Well, I have this mental picture of naked women
X throwing Molotov cocktails, but I think that's just a collision in
X my hash tables." The variant "hash clash" is also reported.
X
XHCF /aych-see-eff/ n. Mnemonic for "Halt and Catch Fire", any of
X several undocumented and semi-mythical machine instructions with
X destructive side-effects, supposedly included for test purposes on
X several well-known architectures going as far back as the IBM 360.
X The MC6800 microprocessor was the first for which the HCF opcode
X became widely known. This instruction caused the processor to
X toggle a subset of the bus lines as rapidly as it can; in some
X configurations this can actually cause lines to burn up.
X
XHEARTBEAT n. 1. The master clock signal propagated across an Ethernet;
X by extension, the time-baseline synchronization signal at the
X physical level of any network. 2. The `natural' oscillation
X frequency of a computer's clock crystal, before frequency division
X down to the machine's CLOCK RATE.
X
XHEAVY METAL [Cambridge] n. Syn. with BIG IRON (q.v).
X
XHEAVY WIZARDRY n. Code or designs which trade on a particularly
X intimate knowledge or experience of a particular operating system
X or language or complex application interface. Distinguished from
X DEEP MAGIC, which trades more on arcane *theoretical* knowledge.
X Writing device drivers is heavy wizardry; so is interfacing to X
X (sense #2) without a toolkit. Esp. found in comments of the form
X "Heavy wizardry begins here...".
X
XHEISENBUG /hie'sen-buhg/ [from Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle
X quantum physics] n. A bug which disappears or alters its behavior
X when one attempts to probe or isolate it. Antonym of BOHR BUG
X (q.v.). In C, 9 out of 10 heisenbugs result from either FANDANGO ON
X CORE phenomena (esp. lossage related to corruption of the malloc
X ARENA) or errors which SMASH THE STACK.
X
XHELEN KELLER MODE n. State of a hardware or software system which is
X deaf, dumb, and blind, i.e. accepting no input and generating no
X output, usually due to an infinite loop or some other excursion
X into DEEP SPACE. (Unfair to the real Helen Keller, whose success
X at learning speech was triumphant.) See also GO FLATLINE.
X
XHELLO SAILOR! interj. Occasional West Coast equivalent of `Hello,
X world!'; seems to have originated at SAIL, later associated with
X the game ZORK. See HELLO WORLD.
X
XHELLO WALL! excl. See WALL.
X
XHELLO WORLD! interj. 1. The canonical minimal test message in the
X C/UNIX universe. In folklore, the first program a C coder is
X supposed to write in a new environment is one that just prints
X "Hello, world!" to standard output. Environments that
X generate an unreasonably large executable for this trivial test or
X which require a HAIRY compiler-linker invocation to generate it are
X considered to LOSE. 2. Greeting uttered by a hacker making an
X entrance or requesting information from anyone present. "Hello,
X world! Is the VAX back up yet?"
X
XHIGH BIT n. 1. See META BIT. Also meaning most significant part of
X something other than a data byte, e.g. "Spare me the whole saga,
X just give me the high bit."
X
XHIGH MOBY /hie mohb'ee/ n. The high half of a stock PDP-10's address
X space; the other half was of course the LOW MOBY. This usage has
X been generalized in a way that has outlasted the PDP-10; for
X example, at the 1990 Washington D.C Area Science Fiction Conclave
X (DISCLAVE) when a miscommunication resulted in two separate @-SIGN
X PARTIES being held in commemoration of the shutdown of MIT's last
X ITS machines, the one on the upper floor was dubbed the HIGH MOBY
X and the other the LOW MOBY. All parties involved grokked this
X instantly. See MOBY in main text and Appendix B.
X
XHIRSUTE adj. Occasionally used humorously as a synonym for HAIRY.
X
XHLL /aych-el-el/ n. [High-Level Language (as opposed to assembler)]
X Found primarily in email and news rather than speech. Rarely, the
X variants `VHLL' and `MLL' are found. VHLL = `Very-High-Level
X Language' and is used to describe a BONDAGE-AND-DISCIPLINE LANGUAGE
X that the speaker happens to like; Prolog and Backus's FP are often
X called VHLLs. `MLL' = `Medium-Level Language' and is sometimes used
X half-jokingly to describe C, alluding to its `structured-assembler'
X image. See also LANGUAGES OF CHOICE.
X
XHOG n.,v. Favored term to describe programs or hardware which seem to
X eat far more than their share of a system's resources, esp. those
X which noticeably degrade general timesharing response. *Not* used
X of programs which are simply extremely large or complex or which
X are merely painfully slow themselves (see PIG, RUN LIKE A). More
X often than not encountered in qualified forms, e.g. "memory hog",
X "core hog", "hog the processor", "hog the disk". Example: "A
X controller that never gives up the I/O bus gets killed after the
X bus hog timer expires."
X
XHOLY WARS [from USENET, but may predate it] n. FLAME WARS over
X RELIGIOUS ISSUES. The 1980 paper by Danny Cohen that popularized
X the terms BIG-ENDIAN and LITTLE-ENDIAN in connection with the
X LSB-first/MSB-first controversy was entitled "On Holy Wars and a
X Plea for Peace". Other perennial Holy Wars have included: EMACS vs.
X VI, <my personal computer> vs. <everyone else's personal computer>,
X UNIX vs. VMS, BSD UNIX vs. AT&T UNIX, C vs. Pascal, etc. etc. etc.
X The characteristic that distinguishes HOLY WARS from normal
X technical disputes is that (regardless of the technical merits of
X the case on either side) most participants spend their time trying
X to pass off personal value choices and cultural attachments as
X objective technical evaluations.
X
XHOOK n. An extraneous piece of software or hardware included in order
X to simplify later additions or changes by a user. For instance, a
X program might execute a location that is normally a JFCL, but by
X changing the JFCL to a PUSHJ one can insert a debugging routine at
X that point. As another example, a simple program that prints
X numbers might always print them in base ten, but a more flexible
X version would let a variable determine what base to use; setting
X the variable to 5 would make the program print numbers in base
X five. The variable is a simple hook. An even more flexible
X program might examine the variable, and treat a value of 16 or less
X as the base to use, but treat any other number as the address of a
X user-supplied routine for printing a number. This is a very
X powerful hook; one can then write a routine to print numbers as
X roman numerals, say, or as Hebrew characters, and plug it into the
X program through the hook. Often the difference between a good
X program and a superb one is that the latter has useful hooks in
X judiciously chosen places. Both may do the original job about
X equally well, but the one with the hooks is much more flexible for
X future expansion of capabilities.
X
XHOME BOX n. A hacker's personal machine, especially one he owns.
X "Yeah? Well, *my* home box runs a full 4.2BSD, so there!"
X
XHOSE 1. v. To make non-functional or greatly degraded in performance,
X as in "That big ray-tracing program really hoses the system." See
X HOSED. 2. n. A narrow channel through which data flows under
X pressure. Generally denotes data paths in a system that represent
X performance bottlenecks. 3. Cabling, especially thick Ethernet
X cable. This is sometimes called "bit hose" or "hosery" (play
X on "hosiery"). See also WASHING MACHINES.
X
XHOSED adj. Same as DOWN. Used primarily by UNIX hackers. Humorous:
X also implies a condition thought to be relatively easy to reverse.
X Probably a back-formation from the Canadian slang `hoser'
X popularized by the Bob and Doug skits on SCTV. See HOSE.
X
X There is a story that a Cray which had been experiencing periodic
X difficulties once CRASHED, and it was announced to have been HOSED.
X It was discovered that the crash was due to the disconnection of
X some coolant hoses. The problem was connected, and users were then
X assured that everything was OK because the system had been rehosed.
X [This is an excellent example of hackish wordplay --- ESR].
X
XHOT SPOT n. 1. [primarily C/UNIX programmers, but spreading] n. In most
X programs, less than 10% of the code eats 90% of the execution time;
X if one were to graph instruction visits versus code addresses, one
X would typically see a few huge spikes amidst a lot of low-level
X noise. Such spikes are called "hot spots" and are good candidates
X for micro-optimization or HAND-HACKING. The term is especially used
X of tight loops and recursions in the code's central algorithm, as
X opposed to (say) initial set-up costs or large but infrequent I/O
X operations. See TUNE, BUM, HAND-HACKING. 2. The active location
X of a cursor on a bit-map display. "Put the mouse's hot spot on
X the `ON' widget and click the left button."
X
XHOUSE WIZARD [prob. from ad-agency lingo, cf. `house freak'] n. A lone
X hacker occupying a technical-specialist, R&D or systems position at
X a commercial shop. A really effective house wizard can have
X influence out of all proportion to his/her ostensible rank and
X still not have to wear a suit. Used esp. of UNIX experts. The
X term HOUSE GURU is equivalent.
X
XHP-SUX /aych pee suhx/ n. Unflattering hackerism for HP-UX,
X Hewlett-Packard's UNIX port. Features some truly unique bogosities
X in the filesystem internals and elsewhere that occasionally create
X portability problems. HP-UX is often referred to as "hockey-pux"
X inside HP, and one outside correspondent claims that the proper
X pronunciation is /aych-pee ukkkhhhh/ as though one were spitting.
X See also TELERAT, SUN-STOOLS, TERMINAK.
X
XHUMMA excl. A filler word used on various "chat" and "talk"
X programs when you had nothing to say but felt that it was important
X to say something. The word apparently originated (at least with
X this definition) on the MECC Timeshare System (MTS) a now-defunct
X educational time-sharing system running in Michigan during the
X 1970s and early '80s, but was later sighted on early UNIX systems.
X
XHUMONGOUS /hyoo-mohng'gus/ alt. HUMUNGOUS (hyoo-muhng'gus) See HUNGUS.
X
XHUMOR, HACKER n. A distinctive style of shared intellectual humor
X found among hackers, having the following marked characteristics:
X
X 1) Fascination with form-vs.-content jokes, paradoxes, and humor
X having to do with confusion of metalevels (see META). One way to
X make a hacker laugh: hold an index card in front of him/her with
X "THIS IS GREEN" written on it in bold red ink, or vice-versa
X (note, however, that this is only funny the first time).
X
X 2) Elaborate deadpan parodies of large intellectual constructs such
X as standards documents, language descriptions (see INTERCAL) and
X even entire scientific theories (see QUANTUM BOGODYNAMICS,
X COMPUTRON).
X
X 3) Jokes which involve screwily precise reasoning from bizarre,
X ludicrous or just grossly counter-intuitive premises.
X
X 4) Fascination with puns and wordplay.
X
X 5) A fondness for apparently mindless humor with subversive
X currents of intelligence in it, for example: old Warner Brothers
X and Rocky & Bullwinkle cartoons, Charlie Chaplin movies, the B-52s,
X and Monty Python's Flying Circus. Humor which combines this trait
X with elements of high camp and slapstick is especially favored.
X
X 6) References to the symbol-object antinomies and associated ideas
X in Zen Buddhism and (less often) Taoism. See HAS THE X NATURE,
X DISCORDIANISM, ZEN, HA HA ONLY SERIOUS, AI KOANS.
X
X See also FILK, COMPUTER; RETROCOMPUTING; and Appendix C.
X If you have an itchy feeling that all six of these traits are
X really aspects of one thing that is incredibly difficult to talk
X about exactly, you are a) correct and b) responding like a hacker.
X These traits are also recognizable (though in a less marked form)
X throughout SCIENCE-FICTION FANDOM.
X
XHUNG [from "hung up"] adj. Equivalent to WEDGED, q.v. but more
X common at UNIX/C sites. Not generally used of people. Syn. with
X LOCKED UP, WEDGED; compare HOSED.
X
XHUNGUS /hung'ghis/ [perhaps related to current slang "humongous";
X which one came first (if either) is unclear] adj. Large, unwieldy,
X usually unmanageable. "TCP is a hungus piece of code." "This
X is a hungus set of modifications."
X
XHYPERSPACE (hie'per-spays) n. A memory location within a virtual
X memory machine that is many, many megabytes (or gigabytes) away
X from where the program counter should be pointing, usually
X inaccessible because it is not even mapped in. "Another core
X dump... looks like the program jumped off to hyperspace somehow."
X
X {= I =}
X
XIBM /ie bee em/ Inferior But Marketable; It's Better Manually;
X Insidious Black Magic; It's Been Malfunctioning; Incontinent Bowel
X Movement; and a near-INFINITE number of even less complimentary
X expansions, including "International Business Machines". See TLA.
X These abbreviations illustrate the considerable antipathy most
X hackers have long felt for the "industry leader" (see FEAR AND
X LOATHING). What galls hackers about most IBM machines above the PC
X level isn't so much that they're underpowered and overpriced
X (though that counts against them) but that the designs are
X incredibly archaic, crufty and ELEPHANTINE and you can't *fix* them
X --- source code is locked up tight and programming tools are
X expensive, hard to find, and bletcherous to use once you've found
X them. With the release of the UNIX-based RIOS family this may have
X begun to change --- but then, we thought that when the PC-RT came
X out, too. In the spirit of universal peace and brotherhood, this
X lexicon now includes a number of entries marked `IBM'; these derive
X from a rampantly unofficial jargon list circulated among IBM's own
X beleaguered hacker underground.
X
XICE [from William Gibson's cyberpunk SF: notionally, "Intrusion
X Countermeasure Electronics"] Security software (in Gibson's
X original, software that responds to intrusion by attempting to
X literally kill the intruder). Also, ICEBREAKER: a program designed
X for cracking security on a system. Neither term is in serious use
X yet as of 1990, but many hackers find the metaphor attractive and
X they may be in the near future.
X
XILL-BEHAVED adj. 1. [numerical analysis] Said of an algorithm or
X computational method that tends to blow up due to accumulated
X roundoff error or poor convergence properties. 2. Software which
X bypasses the defined OS interfaces to do things (like screen,
X keyboard and disk I/O) itself, often in a way that depends on the
X hardware of the machine it is running on or which is nonportable or
X incompatible with other pieces of software. In the IBM PC/MS-DOS
X world, there is a folk theorem (nearly true) to the effect that
X (due to gross inadequacies and performance penalties in the OS
X interface) all interesting applications are ill-behaved. Oppose
X WELL-BEHAVED, compare PC-ISM. See MESS-DOS.
X
XIMHO [from SF fandom via USENET] Written acronym for In My Humble
X Opinion. Example: "IMHO, mixed-case C names should be avoided, as
X mistyping something in the wrong case can cause hard-to-detect
X errors --- and they look too Pascalish anyhow."
X
XINCANTATION n. Any particularly arbitrary or obscure command that must
X be muttered at a system to attain a desired result. Not used of
X passwords or other explicit security features. Especially used of
X tricks that are so poorly documented they must be learned from a
X WIZARD. E.g. "This compiler normally locates initialized data in
X the data segment, but if you mutter the right incantation they will
X be forced into text space". See MUTTER.
X
XINFINITE adj. Consisting of a large number of objects; extreme. Used
X very loosely as in: "This program produces infinite garbage."
X "He is an infinite loser." This is an abuse of the word's
X mathematical meaning.
X
XINFINITY n. 1. The largest value that can be represented in a
X particular type of variable (register, memory location, data type,
X whatever). 2. MINUS INFINITY The smallest such value. Note that
X this is different from TIME T EQUALS MINUS INFINITY, which is
X closer to a mathematician's usage of infinity.
X
XINFANT MORTALITY n. It is common lore among hackers that the chances
X of sudden hardware failure drop off exponentially with a machine's
X time since power-up (that is until the relatively distant time at
X which mechanical wear in I/O devices and thermal-cycling stress in
X components has accumulated enough for the machine to start going
X senile). Up to half of all chip-and-wire failures happen within a
X new system's first few weeks; such failures are often referred to
X as "infant mortality" problems (or, occasionally, as "sudden
X infant death syndrome").
X
XINTERCAL /in'tr-kal/ [said by the authors to stand for "Compiler
X Language With No Pronounceable Acronym"] n. A computer language
X designed by Don Woods and James Lyon in 1972. INTERCAL is purposely
X different from all other computer languages in all ways but one; it
X is purely a written language, being totally unspeakable. An
X excerpt from the INTERCAL Reference Manual will make the style of
X the language clear. In most languages, if you wanted the variable
X A to have the value 65536, you would write something like
X
X LET A = 65536;
X
X The INTERCAL Reference Manual, however, explains that "It is a
X well-known and oft-demonstrated fact that a person whose work is
X incomprehensible is held in high esteem. For example, if one were
X to state that the simplest way to store a value of 65536 in a
X 32-bit INTERCAL variable is:
X
X DO :1 <- #0$#256
X
X any sensible programmer would say that that was absurd. Since this
X is indeed the simplest method, the programmer would be made to look
X foolish in front of his boss, who would of course happened to turn
X up, as bosses are wont to do. The effect would be no less
X devastating for the programmer having been correct." INTERCAL has
X many other peculiar features designed to make it even more
X unspeakable. The Woods/Lyons implementation was actually used by
X many (well, at least several) people at Princeton. The language
X has been recently re-implemented as C-INTERCAL and is consequently
X enjoying an unprecedented level of unpopularity; there is even an
X alt.lang.intercal newsgroup devoted to the study and ...
X appreciation of the language on USENET.
X
XINTERESTING adj. In hacker parlance, this word is not simply
X synonymous with "intriguing", but has strong connotations of
X "annoying", or "difficult", or both. Hackers relish a
X challenge. Oppose UNININTERESTING.
X
XINTERNET ADDRESS n. An `absolute' network address of the form
X foo@bar.baz, where foo is a user name, bar is a SITENAME (q.v.),
X and baz is a `domain' name, possibly including periods itself.
X Contrasts with BANG PATH, q.v.; see also NETWORK, THE and NETWORK
X ADDRESS. All Internet machines and most UUCP sites can now resolve
X these addresses, thanks to a large amount of behind-the-scenes
X magic and PD software written since 1980 or so. See also BANG
X PATH.
X
XINTERRUPT interj. 1. On a computer, an event which interrupts normal
X processing and temporarily diverts flow-of-control through an
X "interrupt handler" routine. See also TRAP. 2. A request for
X attention from a hacker. Often explicitly spoken. "Interrupt ---
X have you seen Joe recently?". See PRIORITY INTERRUPT.
X
XINTERRUPTS LOCKED OUT adj. When someone is ignoring you. In a
X restaurant, after several fruitless attempts to get the waitress's
X attention, a hacker might well observe that "She must have
X interrupts locked out." Variations of this abound; "to have one's
X interrupt mask bit set" is also heard.
X
XIRON n. Hardware, especially older/larger hardware of mainframe class
X with big metal cabinets housing relatively low-density electronics
X (but also used of modern supercomputers). Often in the phrase BIG
X IRON. Oppose SILICON. See also DINOSAUR.
X
XIRON BOX [UNIX/Internet] n. A special environment set up to trap a
X CRACKER logging in over remote or network connections long enough
X so he can be traced. May include a specially-gimmicked SHELL
X restricting the hacker's movements in unobvious ways, and `bait'
X files designed to keep him interested and logged on. See also BACK
X DOOR, FIREWALL, VENUS FLYTRAP.
X
XIRONMONGER [IBM] n. A hardware specialist. Derogatory. Compare
X SANDBENDER, POLYGON PUSHER.
X
XITS /ie-tee-ess/ n. Incompatible Time-Sharing System, an influential
X but highly idiosyncratic operating system written for PDP-10s at
X MIT and long used at the MIT AI lab; much AI-hacker slang derives
X from ITS folklore. After about 1982 most actual work was shifted
X to newer machines, with the remaining ITS boxes run essentially as
X a hobby and service to the hacker community. The shutdown of the
X lab's last ITS machine in May 1990 marked the end of an era and
X sent old-time hackers into mourning nationwide. The Royal
X Institute of Technology in Sweden is maintaing one `live' ITS site
X at its computer museum (right next to the only TOPS-10 system still
X on the Internet), so ITS is still alleged to hold the record for OS
X in longest continuous use. See Appendix B.
X
XIWBNI [acronym] It Would Be Nice If. No pronunciation, as this is
X never spoken, only written. Compare WIBNI.
X
XIYFEG [USENET] Abbreviation for "Insert Your Favourite Ethnic
X Group". Used as a meta-name when telling racist jokes in email to
X avoid offending anyone.
X
X {= J =}
X
XJ. RANDOM /jay rand'm/ n. [generalized from J. RANDOM HACKER, q.v.]
X Arbitrary; ordinary; any one; "any old". "Would you let J.
X Random Loser marry your daughter?". See RANDOM.
X
XJ. RANDOM HACKER /jay rand'm hak'r/ n. A mythical figure like the
X Unknown Soldier; the archetypal hacker nerd. See RANDOM, LITTLE
X SUZIE COBOL.
X
XJAGGIES /jag'eez/ n. The `stairstep' effect observable when an edge
X (esp. a linear edge of slope far from a multiple of 45 degrees) is
X rendered on a pixel device (as opposed to a vector display).
X
XJIFFY n. 1. The width of one tick of the system clock on the computer
X (see TICK). Often 1 AC cycle time (1/60 second in the U.S. and
X 1/50 elsewhere) but more recently 1/100 sec has become common. 2.
X Confusingly, the term is sometimes also used for a 1-millisecond
X WALL TIME interval. "The swapper runs every six jiffies" means
X that the virtual memory management routine is executed once for
X every six ticks of the clock, or about ten times a second. 3.
X Indeterminate time from a few seconds to forever. "I'll do it in a
X jiffy" means certainly not now and possibly never. This is a bit
X contrary to the more widespread use of the word.
X
XJOCK n. 1. Programmer who is characterized by large and somewhat brute
X force programs. See BRUTE FORCE. 2. When modified by another noun,
X describes a specialist in some particular computing area. The
X compounds `compiler jock' and `systems jock' seem to be the best
X established examples of this.
X
XJOE CODE /joh kohd/ [said to commemmorate a notoriously bad coder
X named Joe at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory] n. Badly written,
X possibly buggy source code. "Perl may be a handy program, but if
X you look at the source, it's complete joe code." Correspondents
X wishing to remain anonymous have fingered a particular Joe and
X observed that usage has drifted slightly; they described his code
X as "overly TENSE and unmaintainable".
X
X {= K =}
X
XKAHUNA /k@-hoo'nuh/ [IBM, from the Hawaiian title for a shaman] n.
X Synonym for WIZARD, GURU (q.v.).
X
XKEN /ken/ n. A flaming user. This noun was in use by the Software
X Support group at Symbolics because the two greatest flamers in the
X user community were both named Ken.
X
XKGBVAX /kay-jee-bee-vaks/ n. See KREMVAX
X
XKILL FILE [USENET] n. Per-user file used by some USENET reading
X programs to discard summarily (without presenting for reading)
X articles which match some particularly uninteresting (or unwanted)
X patterns of subject, author, or other header lines. Thus to "add
X a person (or subject) to one's kill file" is to arrange for that
X person to be ignored by your newsreader in future. By extension,
X it may be used for a decision to ignore the person or subject in
X other media.
X
XKILLER MICRO [popularized by Eugene Brooks] n. A microprocessor-based
X machine that infringes on mini, mainframe or supercomputer
X performance turf. Often heard in "No one will survive the attack
X of the killer micros!", the battle cry of the downsizers. Used
X esp. of RISC architectures.
X
XKILLER POKE n. A recipe for inducing hardware damage on a machine via
X insertion of invalid values in a memory-mapped control register;
X used esp. of various fairly well-known tricks on MMU-less BITTY
X BOXES like the IBM PC and Commodore PET that can overload and trash
X analog electronics in the monitor. See also HCF.
X
XKLUGE /klooj/ alt. KLUDGE /kluhj/ [from the German "klug", clever]
X (`klooj' is the original pronunciation, more common in the US;
X `kluhj' is reported more common in England). n. 1. A Rube Goldberg
X (or Heath Robinson) device in hardware or software. (A long-ago
X Datamation article said: "An ill-assorted collection of poorly
X matching parts, forming a distressing whole.") 2. n. A clever
X programming trick intended to solve a particular nasty case in an
X expedient, if not clear, manner. Often used to repair bugs. Often
X involves AD-HOCKERY and verges on being a CROCK. 3. Something
X that works for the wrong reason. 4. v. To insert a kluge into a
X program. "I've kluged this routine to get around that weird bug,
X but there's probably a better way." Also KLUGE UP. 5. KLUGE
X AROUND: To avoid by inserting a kluge. 6. [WPI] A feature which
X is implemented in a RUDE manner.
X
XKNIGHTS OF THE LAMBDA CALCULUS n. A semi-mythical organization of
X wizardly LISP and Scheme hackers (the name refers to a mathematical
X formalism invented by Alonzo Church with which LISP is intimately
X connected). There is no enrollment list and the criteria for
X induction are unclear, but one well-known LISPer has been known to
X give out buttons and, in general, the *members* know who they
X are...
X
XKREMVAX /krem-vaks/ [From the then large number of USENET VAXEN with
X names of the form "foovax"] n. A fictitious USENET site at the
X Kremlin, announced on April 1, 1984, in a posting ostensibly from
X Soviet leader Konstantin Chernenko. The posting was actually
X forged by Piet Beertema as an April Fool's joke. Other sites
X mentioned in the hoax were moskvax and KGBVAX, which now seems to
X be the one by which it is remembered. This was probably the
X funniest of the many April Fool's forgeries perpetrated on USENET
X (which has negligible security against them), because the notion
X that USENET might ever penetrate the Iron Curtain seemed so totally
X absurd at the time. But in fact, the first genuine site in Moscow
X (demos.su) joined USENET only 6 years later --- and some readers
X needed convincing that it wasn't a hoax.
X
X [Ed. note: Vadim Antonov (avg), the major poster from demos.su up
X to at least the end of 1990, was well acquainted with the kremvax
X hoax and referred to it in his own postings --- even to the extent
X of twitting a number of credulous netters on alt.folklore.computers
X by blandly "admitting" that *he* was a hoax! Mr. Antonov,
X BTW, also contributed the Russian-language material for this File
X --- ESR]
X
X {= L =}
X
XLACE CARD n. obs. A Hollerith card with all holes punched (also called
X a WHOOPEE CARD). Card readers jammed when they got to one of
X these, as the resulting card had too little structural strength to
X avoid buckling inside the mechanism. When some practical joker fed
X a LACE CARD through the reader you needed to clear the jam with a
X card knife --- which you use on the joker first.
X
XLANGUAGE LAWYER n. A person, usually an experienced or senior software
X engineer, who is intimately familiar with many or most of the
X numerous syntactic and semantic restrictions (both useful and
X esoteric) applicable to one or more computer programming languages.
X Compare WIZARD.
X
XLANGUAGES OF CHOICE n. C or LISP. Essentially all hackers know one of
X these and most good ones are fluent in both. Smalltalk and Prolog
X are popular in small but influential communities. Assembler used
X to be a language of choice, but is generally no longer considered
X interesting or appropriate for anything but compiler code
X generation and a few time-critical uses in systems programs.
X
XLARVAL STAGE n. Describes a period of monomaniacal concentration on
X coding apparently passed through by all fledgling hackers. Common
X symptoms include: the perpetration of more than one 36-hour HACKING
X RUN in a given week, neglect of all other activities including
X usual basics like food and sex, and a chronic case of advanced
X bleary-eye. Can last from six months to two years, with the
X apparent median being around eighteen months. A few so afflicted
X never resume a more `normal' life, but the ordeal seems to be
X necessary to produce really wizardly (as opposed to merely
X competent) programmers. A less protracted and intense version of
X larval stage (typically lasting about a month) may recur when
X learning a new OS or programming language.
X
XLASE /layz/ vt. To print a given document via a laser printer. "OK,
X let's lase that sucker and see if all those graphics-macro calls
X did the right things." Compare DIABLO in Appendix B.
X
XLASER CHICKEN n. Kung Pao Chicken, a standard Chinese dish containing
X chicken, peanuts, and bell peppers in a spicy pepper-oil sauce. A
X few hackers call it "laser chiicken" for two reasons; it can ZAP
X you just like a laser, and the pepper-oil sauce has a red color
X reminiscent of a laser beam.
X
XLEAK n. With qualifier, one of a class of resource-management bugs
X that occur when resources are not freed properly after operations
X on them are finished, leading to eventual exhaustion as new
X allocation requests come in. MEMORY LEAK and FD LEAK have their
X own entries; one might also refer, say, to a "window handle leak"
X in a window system.
X
XLEAKY HEAP [Cambridge] n. Syn. MEMORY LEAK (q.v.).
X
XLERP /lerp/ v.,n. Quasi-acronym for Linear Interpolation, used as a
X verb or noun for the operation. Ex. Bresenham's algorithm lerps
X incrementally between the two endpoints of the line.
X
XLEXER /lek'sr/ n. Common hacker shorthand for "lexical analyzer",
X the input-tokenizing stage in the parser for a language. "Some C
X lexers get confused by the old-style compound ops like =-".
X
XLIFE n. 1. A cellular-automata game invented by John Horton Conway,
X and first introduced publicly by Martin Gardner (Scientific
X American, October 1970). Many hackers pass through a stage of
X fascination with it, and hackers at various places contributed
X heavily to the mathematical analysis of this game (most notably
X Bill Gosper at MIT; see GOSPERISM). When a hacker mentions
X "life", he is much more likely to mean this game than the
X magazine, the breakfast cereal, or the human state of existence.
X 2. The opposite of USENET. As in "Get a life!".
X
XLIKE KICKING DEAD WHALES DOWN THE BEACH adj. A slow and disgusting
X process. First popularized by a famous quote about the difficulty
X of getting work done under one of IBM's mainframe OSs. "Well, you
X *could* write a C compiler in COBOL, but it would be like kicking
X dead whales down the beach."
X
XLINE EATER, THE [USENET] n. 1. A bug in some now-obsolete versions of the
X netnews software used to cause the first parts of articles to be
X discarded under some circumstances. This bug was quickly
X personified as a mythical creature called "the line eater", and
X postings often included a dummy line of "line eater food". The
X practice of "sacrificing to the line eater" continued for some
X time after the bug had been NAILED TO THE WALL, and is still
X humorously referred to. The bug itself is still (in mid-1990)
X occasionally reported to be lurking in some mail-to-netnews
X gateways. 2. The mythical NSA trawling program sometimes assumed
X to be reading USENET for the U.S. Government's spooks. Some
X netters put loaded phrases like `Uzi' `nuclear materials'
X `Palestine' `cocaine' and `assassination' in their SIG BLOCKs in an
X attempt to confuse and overload the creature.
X
XLINE STARVE [MIT] 1. v. To feed the paper through the terminal the
X wrong way by one line (most terminals can't do this!). On a
X display terminal, to move the cursor up to the previous line of the
X screen. Example: "To print X squared, you just output X, line
X starve, 2, line feed." (The line starve causes the 2 to appear on
X the line above the X, and the line feed gets back to the original
X line.) 2. n. A "character" (or character sequence) that causes a
X terminal to perform this action. Unlike "line feed", "line
X starve" is *not* standard ASCII terminology. Even among hackers
X it is considered a bit silly. 3. [proposed] A sequence like \c
X (used in System V echo, as well as nroff/troff) which suppresses a
X line feed that would normally implicitly be emitted.
X
XLINK FARM [UNIX] n. A directory tree that contains many links to files
X in another, master directory tree of files. Link farms save space
X when maintaining several nearly identical copies of the same source
X tree, e.g. when the only difference is architecture-dependent
X object files. Example use: `Let's freeze the source and then
X rebuild the FROBOZZ-3 and FROBOZZ-4 link farms.' Link farms may
X also be used to get around restrictions on the number of -I
X arguments on older C preprocessors.
X
XLINT [from UNIX's lint(1), named perhaps for the bits of fluff it
X picks from programs] v. To examine a program closely for style,
X language usage, and portability problems, esp. if in C, esp. if via
X use of automated analysis tools, most esp. if the UNIX utility
X lint(1) is used. This term used to be restricted to use of lint(1)
X itself but (judging by references on USENET) has become a shorthand
X for `desk-check' at some non-UNIX shops, even in some languages
X other than C. See also DELINT.
X
XLION FOOD [IBM] n. Middle management or HQ staff (by extension,
X administrative drones in general). From an old joke about two lions
X who, escaping from the zoo, split up to increase their chances but
X agreed to meet after two months. When they do meet, one is skinny
X and the other overweight. The thin one says "How did you manage?
X I ate a human just once and they turned out a small army to chase
X me --- guns, nets, it was terrible. Since then I've been reduced to
X eating mice, insects, even grass." The fat one replies "Well, *I*
X hid near an IBM office and ate a manager a day. And nobody even
X noticed!"
X
XLISP n. The name of AI's mother tongue, a language based on the ideas
X of 1) variable-length lists and trees as fundamental data types,
X and 2) the interpretation of code as data and vice-versa. Invented
X by John McCarthy at Stanford in the late 1950s, it is actually
X older than any other HLL still in use except FORTRAN. Accordingly,
X it has undergone considerable adaptive radiation over the years;
X modern variants (of which Scheme is perhaps the most successful)
X are quite different in detail from the original LISP 1.5 at
X Stanford. The hands-down favorite of hackers until the early
X 1980s, LISP now shares the throne with C (q.v.). See LANGUAGES OF
X CHOICE.
X
XLITTLE-ENDIAN adj. Describes a computer architecture in which, within
X a given 16- or 32-bit word, lower byte addresses have lower
X significance (the word is stored `little-end-first'). The PDP-11
X and VAX families of computers and Intel microprocessors and a lot
X of communications and networking hardware are little-endian. See
X BIG-ENDIAN, MIDDLE-ENDIAN.
X
XLIVE FREE OR DIE! imp. 1. The state motto of New Hampshire. 2. A
X slogan associated with UNIX in the romantic days when UNIX
X aficionados saw themselves as a tiny, beleaguered underground
X tilting against the windmills of industry. Armando Stettner, one of
X the early UNIX developers, used to give out fake license plates
X bearing this motto under a large UNIX, all in New Hampshire colors
X of green and white. These are now valued collector's items.
X
XLIVELOCK n. A situation in which some critical stage of a task is
X unable to finish because its clients perpetually create more work
X for it to do after they've been serviced but before it can clear.
X Differs from DEADLOCK in that the process is not blocked or waiting
X for anything, but has a virtually infinite amount of work to do and
X accomplishes nothing.
X
XLIVEWARE n. Synonym for WETWARE (q.v.) Less common.
X
XLOCKED UP adj. Syn. for HUNG, WEDGED.
X
XLOGIC BOMB n. Code surreptitiously inserted in an application or OS
X which causes it to perform some destructive or
X security-compromising activity whenever specified conditions are
X met. Compare BACK DOOR.
X
XLOGICAL [from the technical term "logical device", wherein a
X physical device is referred to by an arbitrary name] adj.
X Understood to have a meaning not necessarily corresponding to
X reality. E.g., if a person who has long held a certain post (e.g.,
X Les Earnest at SAIL) left and was replaced, the replacement would
X for a while be known as the "logical Les Earnest". Compare
X VIRTUAL, oppose PHYSICAL. This use of LOGICAL is an extension from
X its technical use in computer science. A program can be written to
X do input or output using a "logical device"; when the program is
X run, the user can specify which "physical" (actual) device to use
X for that logical device. For example, a program might write all
X its error messages to a logical device called ERROR; the user can
X then specify whether logical device ERROR should be associated to
X the terminal, a disk file, or the BIT BUCKET (to throw the error
X messages away). Perhaps the word "logical" is used because even
X though a thing isn't the actual object in question, you can reason
X logically about the thing as if it were the actual object.
X
X At Stanford, "logical" compass directions denoted a coordinate
X system in which "logical north" is toward San Francisco,
X "logical west" is toward the ocean, etc., even though logical
X north varies between physical (true) north near San Franscisco and
X physical west near San Jose. (The best rule of thumb here is that
X El Camino Real by definition always runs logical north-and-south.)
X In giving directions, one might say, "To get to Rincon Tarasco
X restaurant, get onto El Camino Bignum going logical north." Using
X the word "logical" helps to prevent the recipient from worrying
X about that the fact that the sun is setting almost directly in
X front of him. The concept is perpetuated by North American
X highways which are almost, but not quite, consistently labelled
X with logical rather than physical directions. A similar situation
X exists at MIT. Route 128 (famous for the electronics industries
X that have grown up along it) is a three-quarters circle surrounding
X Boston at a radius of ten miles, terminating at the coastline at
X each end. It would be most precise to describe the two directions
X along this highway as being "clockwise" and "counterclockwise",
X but the road signs all say "north" and "south", respectively.
X A hacker would describe these directions as "logical north" and
X "logical south", to indicate that they are conventional
X directions not corresponding to the usual convention for those
X words. (If you went logical south along the entire length of route
X 128, you would start out going northwest, curve around to the
X south, and finish headed due east!)
X
XLORD HIGH FIXER [primarily British] n. The person in an organisation
X who knows the most about some aspect of a system. See WIZARD.
X
XLOSE [from MIT jargon] v. 1. To fail. A program loses when it
X encounters an exceptional condition or fails to work in the
X expected manner. 2. To be exceptionally unaesthetic. 3. Of
X people, to be obnoxious or unusually stupid (as opposed to
X ignorant). 4. DESERVES TO LOSE: v. Said of someone who willfully
X does the wrong thing; humorously, if one uses a feature known to be
X marginal. What is meant is that one deserves the consequences of
X one's losing actions. "Boy, anyone who tries to use MESS-DOS
X deserves to lose!" (ITS fans used to say this of UNIX; many still
X do) See also SCREW, CHOMP, BAGBITER. LOSE LOSE --- a reply or
X comment on a situation. 5. LOSE as a noun refers to something which
X is losing, especially in the phrases "That's a lose!" or "What a
X lose!".
X
XLOSE LOSE interj. A reply or comment on an undesirable situation. "I
X accidentally deleted all my files!" "Lose lose."
X
XLOSER n. An unexpectedly bad situation, program, programmer, or
X person. Someone who habitually loses (even winners can lose
X occasionally). Someone who knows not and knows not that he knows
X not. emphatic forms are "real loser", "total loser", and
X "complete loser" (but not "moby loser", which would be a
X contradiction in terms). See LUSER.
X
XLOSS n. Something (not a person) which loses; a situation in which
X something is losing. Emphatic forms include "moby loss" "total
X loss", "complete loss". WHAT A (MOBY) LOSS!: interjection.
X Compare LOSSAGE.
X
XLOSSAGE /los'@j/ n. The result of a bug or malfunction. This is a
X collective noun. "What a loss!" and "What lossage!" are nearly
X synonymous remarks. The former is slightly more particular to the
SHAR_EOF
chmod 0644 jsplit.ae || echo "restore of jsplit.ae fails"
if [ $TOUCH = can ]
then
touch -am 1215215290 jsplit.ae
fi
exit 0