1. <file system> {hard link} or {symbolic link}.

	2. <hypertext> {hyperlink}.

	(1997-10-22)

<programming> A computer system or process that requests a
	service of another computer system or process (a "{server}")
	using some kind of {protocol} and accepts the server's
	responses.  A client is part of a {client-server} software
	architecture.

	For example, a {workstation} requesting the contents of a file
	from a {file server} is a client of the file server.

	(1997-10-27)

<programming> (Sometimes "var" /veir/ or /var/) A named memory
	location in which a program can store intermediate results and
	from which it can read it them.  Each {programming language}
	has different rules about how variables can be named, typed,
	and used.  Typically, a value is "assigned" to a variable in
	an {assignment} statement.  The value is obtained by
	evaluating an expression and then stored in the variable.  For
	example, the assignment

		x = y + 1

	means "add one to y and store the result in x".  This may look
	like a mathematical equation but the mathematical equality is
	only true in the program until the value of x or y changes.
	Furthermore, statements like

		x = x + 1

	are common.  This means "add one to x", which only makes sense
	as a state changing operation, not as a mathematical equality.

	The simplest form of variable corresponds to a single-{word}
	of {memory} or a {CPU} {register} and an assignment to a
	{load} or {store} {machine code} operation.

	A variable is usually defined to have a {type}, which never
	changes, and which defines the set of values the variable can
	hold.  A type may specify a single ("atomic") value or a
	collection ("aggregate") of values of the same or different
	types.  A common aggregate type is the {array} - a set of
	values, one of which can be selected by supplying a numerical
	{index}.

	Languages may be {untyped}, {weakly typed}, {strongly typed},
	or some combination.  {Object-oriented programming} languages
	extend this to {object} types or {classes}.

	A variable's {scope} is the region of the program source
	within which it represents a certain thing.  Scoping rules are
	also highly language dependent but most serious languages
	support both {local variables} and {global variables}.
	{Subroutine} and {function} {formal arguments} are special
	variables which are set automatically by the language runtime
	on entry to the subroutine.

	In a {functional programming} language, a variable's value
	never changes and change of state is handled as recursion over
	lists of values.

	(2004-11-16)

<language, World-Wide Web> (CFML) A {tag} based {markup}
	language used to create {ColdFusion} applications by embedding
	ColdFusion commands in {HTML} files.

	(1999-08-01)

<networking> 1. A lasting connection between a user (or user
	agent) and a {peer}, typically a {server}, usually involving
	the exchange of many packets between the user's computer and
	the server.  A session is typically implemented as a layer in
	a network {protocol} (e.g. {telnet}, {FTP}).

	In the case of protocols where there is no concept of a
	session layer (e.g. {UDP}) or where sessions at the {session
	layer} are generally very short-lived (e.g. {HTTP}), {virtual}
	sessions are implemented by having each exchange between the
	user and the remote host include some form of {cookie} which
	stores state (e.g. a unique session ID, information about the
	user's preferences or authorisation level, etc.).

	See also {login}.

	2. A lasting connection using the {session layer} of a
	networking protocol.

	(1997-08-03)