What jargon do you use among programmers in a non-work context?
What expression do you "import" from programming while talking, in a non-work context, with other programmers? Is "2.0" the only expression that made it into mainstream? ...
terminology
Does programming terminology have an inbuilt tendency away from clarity?
A little while back I decided to learn C# which has been a fairly rewarding experience as the language seems very easy to pick up. That is, with the exception of the terminology. It's not that there's loads of jargon (that comes with learning any new language/technology) - it's that the terms used seem to be either awkward, unclear or ...
What is a code cave, and is there any legitimate use for one?
I encountered this word for the first time in the StackOverflow question "C# Theoretical: Write a JMP to a codecave in asm." I see that according to Wiktionary, a code cave is: an unused block of memory that someone, typically a software cracker, can use to inject custom programming code to modify the behavior of a program. Did ...
Term to represent all possible values of a variable
Is there a term to represent a set of all possible values a variable can assume? Analogy: In mathematics a domain of a function is a set of values a function is defined on (function can take as an argument). Examples: A variable of type UInt16 can hold values in range [0-65536). Completion status (represented by a double value) c...
What's the opposite of "embarrassingly parallel"?
According to Wikipedia, an "embarrassingly parallel" problem is one for which little or no effort is required to separate the problem into a number of parallel tasks. Raytracing is often cited as an example because each ray can, in principle, be processed in parallel. Obviously, some problems are much harder to parallelize. Some may eve...
What is the official name for a credit card's 3 digit code?
I am working on a payment form. What is that 3-digit code on the back of the card called? I can't find a consistent reference as to what to call it. ...
BCL (Base Class Library) vs FCL (Framework Class Library)
What's the difference between the two? Can we use them interchangeably? ...
UTF8 or UTF-8?
Which of the two is correct terminology? ...
Is there a catchy term for repatriating work once offshored?
I think the term repatriation is specific for people. "Unshore, deshore, disremote." Every term I think up sounds like a nails scratching down a chalk board. "Inshoring" blech.... "Resourcing" "Desourcing" - "Onshoring?" ...
Terminology: What is the forcible removal of a resource assigned to a process called?
What is the forcible (non-voluntary) removal of a resource assigned to a process called? I can't seem to remember the name describing this. I've tried searching and haven't come up with the key term either. ...
What is the offical terminology for the basic .NET objects in C#
What is the official term for the basic object types available in the C#? I am creating API documentation and I need to explain any that one property of my API will accept any basic C# object (string, Int32, etc.) and it will not accept any complex data type (struct, class) ...
syntax terminology
Does anyone know the term for this form of command-line syntax notation? For instance, when specifying command-line arguments: key[,alignment][:format] So that key is a required argument, and can be followed by a space and an alignment parameter, which can also be followed by a colon and a format. It's not BNF. Is there a name for ...
Can someone describe some DI terms to me?
I'm in the process of writing a DI framework for PHP 5, and I've been trying to find the 'official' definitions of some words in relation to dependency injection. Some of these words are 'context' and 'lifecycle'. And also, what would I call the object that gets created/injected? Finally, what is the difference between components and ser...
What does 'rich user interface' mean?
What exactly is meant by the term "rich user interface"? Does it mean the same thing when referring to user-interfaces as it does when referring to, say, communications frameworks? Does it imply that a user-interface can be "poor"? (as in the opposite of rich, not as in poorly designed) ...
CPU bound and I/O bound?
What do the terms "CPU bound" and "I/O bound" mean? ...
Why are wizard dialogs called "wizards"?
I was talking with my non-techie wife tonight. She was talking about how she was training staff to use some new software. The software made heavy use of wizards to accomplish tasks. Her question to me was "Why are wizards called 'wizards?' Are they made by some nerd with an interest in Dungeons & Dragons?" I realized that, while the...
In Ruby what does the "receiver" refer to?
I'm reading a document that talks about a method having a receiver. What's a receiver? ...
"k.send :hello" - if k is the "receiver", who is the sender?
In the example below, why do we say "k.send :hello" instead of "k.receive :hello" if, as stated elsewhere, k is actually the receiver? It sounds like k is the sender rather than the receiver. When we say "k.send :hello" who is sending, if not k? (Are you as confused as I am?) class Klass def hello "Hello!" end end k = Klass....
Is the "caller" in Java the same as the "receiver" in Ruby?
If I say x.hello() In Java, object x is "calling" the method it contains. In Ruby, object x is "receiving" the method it contains. Is this just different terminology for expressing the same idea or is there a fundamental difference in ideology here? Coming from Java I find Ruby's "receiver" idea quite baffling. Perhaps someone coul...
Abstract classes vs. interfaces vs. mixins
Could someone please explain to me the differences between abstract classes, interfaces, and mixins? I've used each before in my code but I don't know the technical differences. (And yes, I've searched, but everything I found was either too technical or otherwise unhelpful.) ...