1. <unit, text> (Sometimes abbreviated "pt") The unit of
	length used in {typography} to specify text character height,
	{rule} width, and other small measurements.

	There are six slightly different definitions: {Truchet point},
	{Didot point}, {ATA point}, {TeX point}, {Postscript point},
	and {IN point}.

	In Europe, the most commonly used is Didot and in the US, the
	formerly standard ATA point has essentially been replaced by
	the PostScript point due to the demise of traditional
	typesetting systems and rise of desktop computer based systems
	running software such as {QuarkXPress}, {Adobe InDesign} and
	{Adobe Pagemaker}.

	There are 20 {twips} in a point and 12 points in a {pica}
	(known as a "Cicero" in the Didot system).

	{Different point systems
	(http://www.vakcer.com/oberon/dtp/fonts/point.htm)}.

	(2004-12-23)

	2. <hardware> To move a {pointing device} so that the
	on-screen pointer is positioned over a certain object on the
	screen such as a {button} in a {graphical user interface}.  In
	most {window systems} it is then necessary to {click} a
	(physical) button on the pointing device to activate or select
	the object.  In some systems, just pointing to an object is
	known as "mouse-over" {event} which may cause some help text
	(called a "tool tip" in {Windows}) to be displayed.

	(2001-05-21)

<protocol> (UDP) {Internet} {standard} {network layer},
	{transport layer} and {session layer} {protocols} which
	provide simple but {unreliable} {datagram} services.  UDP is
	defined in {STD 6}, {RFC 768}.  It adds a {checksum} and
	additional process-to-process addressing information [to
	what?].  UDP is a {connectionless protocol} which, like {TCP},
	is layered on top of {IP}.

	UDP neither guarantees delivery nor does it require a
	connection.  As a result it is lightweight and efficient, but
	all error processing and retransmission must be taken care of
	by the {application program}.

	{Unix manual page}: udp(4).

	[Postel, Jon, User Datagram Protocol, RFC 768, Network
	Information Center, SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif.,
	August 1980].

	(1998-02-11)

<networking> Hardware and software data communication systems.

	The {OSI} seven layer model attempts to provide a way of
	partitioning any computer network into independent modules
	from the lowest (physical) layer to the highest (application)
	layer.  Many different specifications exist at each of these
	layers.

	Networks are often also classified according to their
	geographical extent: {local area network} (LAN), {metropolitan
	area network} (MAN), {wide area network} (WAN) and also
	according to the {protocols} used.

	See {BITNET}, {Ethernet}, {Internet}, {Novell}, {PSTN},
	{network, the}.

	[Tanenbaum, A., "Computer Networks; 2nd ed.", Prentice Hall,
	Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1989.]

	(1995-03-10)

<programming, library> A collection of {subroutines} and
	{functions} stored in one or more files, usually in compiled
	form, for linking with other programs.  Libraries are one of
	the earliest forms of organised {code reuse}.  They are often
	supplied by the {operating system} or {software development
	environment} developer to be used in many different programs.
	The routines in a library may be general purpose or designed
	for some specific function such as three dimensional animated
	graphics.

	Libraries are linked with the user's program to form a
	complete {executable}.  The linking may be {static linking}
	or, in some systems, {dynamic linking}.

	(1998-11-21)

<data, data processing, jargon> /day't*/ (Or "raw data")
	Numbers, {characters}, {images}, or other method of recording,
	in a form which can be assessed by a human or (especially)
	input into a {computer}, stored and {processed} there, or
	transmitted on some {digital channel}.  Computers nearly
	always represent data in {binary}.

	Data on its own has no meaning, only when interpreted by some
	kind of {data processing system} does it take on meaning and
	become {information}.

	People or computers can find patterns in data to perceive
	information, and information can be used to enhance
	{knowledge}.  Since knowledge is prerequisite to wisdom, we
	always want more data and information.  But, as modern
	societies verge on {information overload}, we especially need
	better ways to find patterns.

	1234567.89 is data.

	"Your bank balance has jumped 8087% to $1234567.89" is
	information.

	"Nobody owes me that much money" is knowledge.

	"I'd better talk to the bank before I spend it, because of
	what has happened to other people" is wisdom.

	(1999-04-30)

<programming> Waffle for "{features}" or "function".  The
	capabilities or behaviours of a program, part of a program, or
	system, seen as the sum of its {features}.  Roughly, "the
	things it can do".  Generally used in a comparative sense,
	e.g. "The latest update adds some useful functionality".

	(1997-07-14)

<networking, protocol> (TCP) The most common {transport layer}
	{protocol} used on {Ethernet} and the {Internet}.  It was
	developed by {DARPA}.

	TCP is the {connection-oriented} protocol built on top of
	{Internet Protocol} (IP) and is nearly always seen in the
	combination {TCP/IP} (TCP over IP).  It adds {reliable
	communication} and {flow-control} and provides {full-duplex},
	process-to-process connections.

	TCP is defined in {STD 7} and {RFC} 793.

	{User Datagram Protocol} is the other, connectionless,
	protocol that runs on top of IP.

	(2001-06-14)

<programming> A description of code which is either
	{re-entrant} or protected from multiple simultaneous execution
	by some form of {mutual exclusion}.

	(1997-01-30)

/sink/ (Or "synch") 1. To synchronise, to bring into
	synchronisation.

	2. <file system> To force ("{flush}") all pending buffered
	disk writes to the disk.

	3. More generally, to force a number of competing processes or
	agents to a state that would be "safe" if the system were to
	crash, i.e. to {checkpoint} in the {database} sense.

	[{Jargon File}]

	(1994-11-11)

1. {Borland C/C++}.

	2. {Watcom C/C++}.

	3. Either {C} or {C++}.

	(1996-04-06)

<software> Instructions for a computer in some programming
	language, often {machine language}.  The word "code" is often
	used to distinguish instructions from {data} (e.g. "The code
	is marked 'read-only'") whereas "{software}" is used in
	contrast with "{hardware}" and may consist of more than just
	code.

	(2000-04-08)

<jargon> ({MIT}) 1. To fail.  A program loses when it
	encounters an exceptional condition or fails to work in the
	expected manner.

	2. To be exceptionally unesthetic or crocky.

	3. Of people, to be obnoxious or unusually stupid (as opposed
	to ignorant).

	4. Refers to something that is {losing}, especially in the
	phrases "That's a lose!" and "What a lose!"

	[{Jargon File}]

	(1995-04-19)

1. The {supervisor} program or {operating system} on a
	computer.

	2. The entire computer system, including input/output devices,
	the {supervisor} program or {operating system} and possibly
	other {software}.

	3. Any large program.

	4. Any method or {algorithm}.

	[{Jargon File}]

A language proposed by Cii {Honeywell-Bull} to meet the DoD
	{Ironman} requirements which led to {Ada}.  This language won
	in 1979.

	["On the GREEN Language Submitted to the DoD", E.W. Dijkstra,
	SIGPLAN Notices 13(10):16-21 (Oct 1978)].

	(1994-12-02)

1. {application program}.

	2. {function application}.

<character> (Or "ctrl", "^") One (or a pair) of {modifier
	keys} found on all modern {keyboards}.  If the control key is
	held down while pressing and releasing certain other keys then
	a "{control character}" is generated, e.g. holding control and
	hitting "A" generates control-A ({ASCII} code 1).  The ASCII
	code for the control character is generally 64 less than that
	for the unmodified character.

	The control key does not generate any character on its own but
	most modern keyboards and {operating systems} allow a program
	to tell whether each of the individual keys on the keyboard
	(including modifier keys) is pressed at any time.

	Control characters mostly have some kind of "non-printing"
	effect on the output such as ringing the bell (Control-G) or
	advancing to the next line (Control-J).  Most have alternative
	names suggesting these functions (Bell, Line Feed, etc.).

	See {ASCII character table}.

	(1997-07-10)

To produce something according to an {algorithm} or program or
	set of rules, or as a (possibly unintended) {side effect} of
	the execution of an algorithm or program.

	The opposite of {parse}.

	[{Jargon File}]

	(1995-06-15)