What's the difference between polling and pulling?
What's the difference between polling and pulling? Is there any? ...
terminology
What exactly do "IB" and "UB" mean?
I've seen the terms "IB" and "UB" used several times, particularly in the context of C++. I've tried googling them, but apparently those two-letter combinations see a lot of use. :P So, i ask you...what do they mean, if they're said like it's a bad thing? ...
Term for cross-browser/desktop applications?
Is there a term that describes applications that can compile as both browser and desktop applications? An example would be an Adobe Flex application being compiled as a Flash application for display in a browser and also being compiled as an Air application to be run as a desktop application. ...
Terminology: opposite of "zero copy"?
We're benchmarking some code that we've converted to use sendfile(), the linux zero-copy system call. What's the term for the traditional read()/write() loop that sendfile() replaces? I.e., in our report I want to say "zerocopy is X millisecs, and ??? is Y millisecs." What word/phrase should I use? ...
Subversion terminology. Difference between projects, modules and root directories
I'm setting up a repository for me and some colleagues. I have a subversion repository at hand, and all required rights. The usual directory-skeleton has been set up for me (branches, tags and trunk). Now I'm about to create a directory for me and my colleagues to put our files in. I'm quite sure the right place to put it is in trunk. ...
Armchair Linguists: 'code' vs. 'codes'--or why I write 'code' and my manager asks for 'codes'
I wanted to tap into the collective wisdom here to see if I can get some insight into one of my pet peeves, people who treat "code" as a countable noun. Let me also preface this by saying that I am not talking about anyone who speaks english as a second language, this is a native phenomenon. For those of us who slept through grammar cl...
What does "object affine" mean?
What does "object affine" mean? For instance, there are object affine thread pools. While I understand both thread pools and affine transformations in math, I can't think of an association between them. ...
What is an "import" called?
It is not a statement nor an expression. What is that called then? A directive? ...
Difference between chart, plot and graph
I'm thinking of what would be the right terms to use in the UI of my new program, when referring to graphical data representations - i.e., whether to call them "charts", "plots" or "graphs". I was wondering how these terms are different, and when is it appropriate to use each of them? Thanks, Pradyumna ...
In C++, what's the difference between the terms "source file" and "translation unit"?
What's the diference between source file and translation unit? ...
What is a "pluggable" API?
I'm evaluating a piece of software (uPortal), and it lists one of its features as "Pluggable APIs." I know what an API is, but have not heard the pluggable term before. What does it mean for an API to be "pluggable"? ...
Who are Alice and Bob?
Is it just me, or are the names Alice and Bob used often in connection to programming, emailing, encoding...? Where did these names come from? What is their relation to computers and programming? ...
Concepts: Channel vs. Stream
Hello, is there a conceptual difference between the terms "Channel" and "Stream"? Do the terms require/determine, for example, the allowed number of concurrent Consumers or Producers? I'm currently developing a Channel/Stream of DataFlowVariables, which may be written by one producer and read by one consumer as the implementation is de...
How to call a change that does not change the output?
How would you call changes in the source code that, by their nature, are never supposed to change the bin output? For instance, formatting or commenting. ...
What is the Difference between a Hash and MAC (Message Authentication code)?
Hi Folks, What is the Difference between a Hash and MAC (Message Authentication code)? By their definitions they seem to serve the same function. Can someone explain what the difference is? Thanks ...
What's the difference between logging and printing to the console
This is kind of a philosophical question. Basically people often ask if I am logging - and since I am not a full time programmer, but someone who programs often but is actually more of a requirements analyst, I don't know all the best practices. I use Java a lot so I often do things like System.out.println() What's the difference i...
Difference between use case and SRS?
What is the difference between a use case and an SRS? ...
definition of wait-free (referring to parallel programming)
In Maurice Herlihy paper "Wait-free synchronization" he defines wait-free: "A wait-free implementation of a concurrent data object is one that guarantees that any process can complete any operation in a finite number of steps, regardless the execution speeds on the other processes." www.cs.brown.edu/~mph/Herlihy91/p124-herlihy.pdf Let'...
Dynamic function. What is it? What's the difference from a regular function?
What is a dynamic function? Also how does it differ from a regular function? Just wondering. I was asked in an interview and I didn't know. I found nothing concrete on google ...
How to explain to a non-technical person what source code is in a few words?
I'm writing a bit of open-source propaganda and I need to explain what source code is to a non-technical audience in ten words or less without them losing interest. I've tried things relating to recipes and the like but I'm not an English major so I'm having a really hard time with this. Any ideas? ...