The Jargon File by Eric S. Raymond (sites to read books for free .TXT) 📖

or that they have suddenly

stopped making sense. See [9202]ACK, sense 3. "And then, after we

recode the project in COBOL...." "Nak, Nak, Nak! I thought I heard you

say COBOL!" 4. A negative answer. "OK if I boot the server?" "NAK!"

Node:NANA, Next:[9203]nano, Previous:[9204]NAK, Up:[9205]= N =

NANA //

[Usenet] The newsgroups news.admin.net-abuse.*, devoted to fighting

[9206]spam and network abuse. Each individual newsgroup is often

referred to by adding a letter to NANA. For example, NANAU would refer

to news.admin.net-abuse.usenet.

When spam began to be a serious problem around 1995, and a loose

network of anti-spammers formed to combat it, spammers immediately

accused them of being the [9207]backbone cabal, or the Cabal reborn.

Though this was not true, spam-fighters ironically accepted the label

and the tag line "There is No Cabal" reappeared (later, and now

commonly, abbreviated to "TINC"). Nowadays "the Cabal" is generally

understood to refer to the NANA regulars.

Node:nano, Next:[9208]nano-, Previous:[9209]NANA, Up:[9210]= N =

nano /nan'oh/ n.

[CMU: from `nanosecond'] A brief period of time. "Be with you in a

nano" means you really will be free shortly, i.e., implies what

mainstream people mean by "in a jiffy" (whereas the hackish use of

`jiffy' is quite different -- see [9211]jiffy).

Node:nano-, Next:[9212]nanoacre, Previous:[9213]nano, Up:[9214]= N =

nano- pref.

[SI: the next quantifier below [9215]micro-; meaning * 10^(-9)]

Smaller than [9216]micro-, and used in the same rather loose and

connotative way. Thus, one has [9217]nanotechnology (coined by hacker

K. Eric Drexler) by analogy with `microtechnology'; and a few machine

architectures have a nanocode' level belowmicrocode'. Tom Duff at

Bell Labs has also pointed out that "Pi seconds is a nanocentury". See

also [9218]quantifiers, [9219]pico-, [9220]nanoacre, [9221]nanobot,

[9222]nanocomputer, [9223]nanofortnight.

Node:nanoacre, Next:[9224]nanobot, Previous:[9225]nano-, Up:[9226]= N

=

nanoacre /nan'oh-ay`kr/ n.

A unit (about 2 mm square) of real estate on a VLSI chip. The term

gets its giggle value from the fact that VLSI nanoacres have costs in

the same range as real acres once one figures in design and

fabrication-setup costs.

Node:nanobot, Next:[9227]nanocomputer, Previous:[9228]nanoacre,

Up:[9229]= N =

nanobot /nan'oh-bot/ n.

A robot of microscopic proportions, presumably built by means of

[9230]nanotechnology. As yet, only used informally (and

speculatively!). Also called a `nanoagent'.

Node:nanocomputer, Next:[9231]nanofortnight, Previous:[9232]nanobot,

Up:[9233]= N =

nanocomputer /nan'oh-k*m-pyoo'tr/ n.

A computer with molecular-sized switching elements. Designs for

mechanical nanocomputers which use single-molecule sliding rods for

their logic have been proposed. The controller for a [9234]nanobot

would be a nanocomputer.

Node:nanofortnight, Next:[9235]nanotechnology,

Previous:[9236]nanocomputer, Up:[9237]= N =

nanofortnight n.

[Adelaide University] 1 fortnight * 10^(-9), or about 1.2 msec. This

unit was used largely by students doing undergraduate practicals. See

[9238]microfortnight, [9239]attoparsec, and [9240]micro-.

Node:nanotechnology, Next:[9241]nasal demons,

Previous:[9242]nanofortnight, Up:[9243]= N =

nanotechnology /nan'-oh-tek-no`l*-jee/ n.

A hypothetical fabrication technology in which objects are designed

and built with the individual specification and placement of each

separate atom. The first unequivocal nanofabrication experiments took

place in 1990, for example with the deposition of individual xenon

atoms on a nickel substrate to spell the logo of a certain very large

computer company. Nanotechnology has been a hot topic in the hacker

subculture ever since the term was coined by K. Eric Drexler in his

book "Engines of Creation" (Anchor/Doubleday, ISBN 0-385-19973-2),

where he predicted that nanotechnology could give rise to replicating

assemblers, permitting an exponential growth of productivity and

personal wealth (there's an authorized transcription at

[9244]http://www.foresight.org/EOC/index.html.). See also [9245]blue

goo, [9246]gray goo, [9247]nanobot.

Node:nasal demons, Next:[9248]nastygram,

Previous:[9249]nanotechnology, Up:[9250]= N =

nasal demons n.

Recognized shorthand on the Usenet group comp.std.c for any unexpected

behavior of a C compiler on encountering an undefined construct.

During a discussion on that group in early 1992, a regular remarked

"When the compiler encounters [a given undefined construct] it is

legal for it to make demons fly out of your nose" (the implication is

that the compiler may choose any arbitrarily bizarre way to interpret

the code without violating the ANSI C standard). Someone else followed

up with a reference to "nasal demons", which quickly became

established.

Node:nastygram, Next:[9251]Nathan Hale, Previous:[9252]nasal demons,

Up:[9253]= N =

nastygram /nas'tee-gram/ n.

A protocol packet or item of email (the latter is also called a

[9254]letterbomb) that takes advantage of misfeatures or security

holes on the target system to do untoward things. 2. Disapproving

mail, esp. from a [9255]net.god, pursuant to a violation of

[9256]netiquette or a complaint about failure to correct some mail- or

news-transmission problem. Compare [9257]shitogram, [9258]mailbomb. 3.

A status report from an unhappy, and probably picky, customer. "What'd

Corporate say in today's nastygram?" 4. [deprecated] An error reply by

mail from a [9259]daemon; in particular, a [9260]bounce message.

Node:Nathan Hale, Next:[9261]nature, Previous:[9262]nastygram,

Up:[9263]= N =

Nathan Hale n.

An asterisk (see also [9264]splat, [9265]ASCII). Oh, you want an

etymology? Notionally, from "I regret that I have only one asterisk

for my country!", a misquote of the famous remark uttered by Nathan

Hale just before he was hanged. Hale was a (failed) spy for the rebels

in the American War of Independence.

Node:nature, Next:[9266]neat hack, Previous:[9267]Nathan Hale,

Up:[9268]= N =

nature n.

See [9269]has the X nature.

Node:neat hack, Next:[9270]neats vs. scruffies, Previous:[9271]nature,

Up:[9272]= N =

neat hack n.

[very common] 1. A clever technique. 2. A brilliant practical joke,

where neatness is correlated with cleverness, harmlessness, and

surprise value. Example: the Caltech Rose Bowl card display switch

(see [9273]Appendix A for discussion). See also [9274]hack.

Node:neats vs. scruffies, Next:[9275]neep-neep, Previous:[9276]neat

hack, Up:[9277]= N =

neats vs. scruffies n.

The label used to refer to one of the continuing [9278]holy wars in AI

research. This conflict tangles together two separate issues. One is

the relationship between human reasoning and AI; `neats' tend to try

to build systems that `reason' in some way identifiably similar to the

way humans report themselves as doing, while `scruffies' profess not

to care whether an algorithm resembles human reasoning in the least as

long as it works. More importantly, neats tend to believe that logic

is king, while scruffies favor looser, more ad-hoc methods driven by

empirical knowledge. To a neat, scruffy methods appear promiscuous,

successful only by accident, and not productive of insights about how

intelligence actually works; to a scruffy, neat methods appear to be

hung up on formalism and irrelevant to the hard-to-capture `common

sense' of living intelligences.

Node:neep-neep, Next:[9279]neophilia, Previous:[9280]neats vs.

scruffies, Up:[9281]= N =

neep-neep /neep neep/ n.

[onomatopoeic, widely spread through SF fandom but reported to have

originated at Caltech in the 1970s] One who is fascinated by

computers. Less specific than [9282]hacker, as it need not imply more

skill than is required to boot games on a PC. The derived noun

`neeping' applies specifically to the long conversations about

computers that tend to develop in the corners at most SF-convention

parties (the term `neepery' is also in wide use). Fandom has a related

proverb to the effect that "Hacking is a conversational black hole!".

Node:neophilia, Next:[9283]nerd, Previous:[9284]neep-neep, Up:[9285]=

N =

neophilia /nee`oh-fil'-ee-*/ n.

The trait of being excited and pleased by novelty. Common among most

hackers, SF fans, and members of several other connected leading-edge

subcultures, including the pro-technology `Whole Earth' wing of the

ecology movement, space activists, many members of Mensa, and the

Discordian/neo-pagan underground. All these groups overlap heavily and

(where evidence is available) seem to share characteristic hacker

tropisms for science fiction, [9286]music, and [9287]oriental food.

The opposite tendency is `neophobia'.

Node:nerd, Next:[9288]nerd knob, Previous:[9289]neophilia, Up:[9290]=

N =

nerd n.

[mainstream slang] Pejorative applied to anyone with an

above-average IQ and few gifts at small talk and ordinary social

rituals. 2. [jargon] Term of praise applied (in conscious ironic

reference to sense 1) to someone who knows what's really important and

interesting and doesn't care to be distracted by trivial chatter and

silly status games. Compare the two senses of [9291]computer geek.

The word itself appears to derive from the lines "And then, just to

show them, I'll sail to Ka-Troo / And Bring Back an It-Kutch, a Preep

and a Proo, / A Nerkle, a Nerd, and a Seersucker, too!" in the Dr.

Seuss book "If I Ran the Zoo" (1950). (The spellings `nurd' and

gnurd' also used to be current at MIT, wherenurd' is reported from

as far back as 1957.) How it developed its mainstream meaning is

unclear, but sense 1 seems to have entered mass culture in the early

1970s (there are reports that in the mid-1960s it meant roughly

"annoying misfit" without the connotation of intelligence).

An IEEE Spectrum article (4/95, page 16) once derived `nerd' in its

variant form knurd' from the worddrunk' backwards, but this bears

all the hallmarks of a bogus folk etymology.

Hackers developed sense 2 in self-defense perhaps ten years later, and

some actually wear "Nerd Pride" buttons, only half as a joke. At MIT

one can find not only buttons but (what else?) pocket protectors

bearing the slogan and the MIT seal.

Node:nerd knob, Next:[9292]net.-, Previous:[9293]nerd, Up:[9294]= N =

nerd knob n.

[Cisco] a command in a complex piece of software which is more likely

to be used by an extremely experienced user to tweak a setting of one

sort or another - a setting which the average user may not even know

exists. Nerd knobs tend to be toggles, turning on or off a particular,

specific, narrowly defined behavior.

Node:net.-, Next:[9295]net.god, Previous:[9296]nerd knob, Up:[9297]= N

=

net.- /net dot/ pref.

[Usenet] Prefix used to describe people and events related to Usenet.

From the time before the [9298]Great Renaming, when most non-local

newsgroups had names beginning `net.'. Includes [9299]net.gods,

`net.goddesses' (various charismatic net.women with circles of on-line

admirers), net.lurkers' (see [9300]lurker),net.person',

`net.parties' (a synonym for [9301]boink, sense 2), and many similar

constructs. See also [9302]net.police.

Node:net.god, Next:[9303]net.personality, Previous:[9304]net.-,

Up:[9305]= N =

net.god /net god/ n.

Accolade referring to anyone who satisfies some combination of the

following conditions: has been visible on Usenet for more than 5

years, ran one of the original backbone sites, moderated an important

newsgroup, wrote news software, or knows Gene, Mark, Rick, Mel, Henry,

Chuq, and Greg personally. See [9306]demigod. Net.goddesses such as

Rissa or the Slime Sisters have (so far) been distinguished more by

personality than by authority.

Node:net.personality, Next:[9307]net.police, Previous:[9308]net.god,

Up:[9309]= N =

net.personality /net per`sn-al'-*-tee/ n.

Someone who has made a name for him or herself on [9310]Usenet,

through either longevity or attention-getting posts, but doesn't meet

the other requirements of [9311]net.godhood.

Node:net.police, Next:[9312]NetBOLLIX, Previous:[9313]net.personality,

Up:[9314]= N =

net.police /net-p*-lees'/ n.

(var. `net.cops') Those Usenet readers who feel it is their

responsibility to pounce on and [9315]flame any posting which they

regard as offensive or in violation of their understanding of

[9316]netiquette. Generally used sarcastically or pejoratively. Also

spelled `net police'. See also [9317]net.-, [9318]code police.

Node:NetBOLLIX, Next:[9319]netburp, Previous:[9320]net.police,

Up:[9321]= N =

NetBOLLIX n.

[from bollix: to bungle, or British `bollocks'] [9322]IBM's NetBIOS,

an extremely [9323]brain-damaged network protocol that, like

[9324]Blue Glue, is used at commercial shops that don't know any

better.

Node:netburp, Next:[9325]netdead, Previous:[9326]NetBOLLIX, Up:[9327]=

N =

netburp n.

[IRC] When [9328]netlag gets really bad, and delays between servers

exceed a certain threshhold, the [9329]IRC network effectively becomes

partitioned for a period of time, and large numbers of people seem to

be signing off at the same time and then signing back on again when

things get better. An instance of this is called a `netburp' (or,

sometimes, [9330]netsplit).

Node:netdead, Next:[9331]nethack, Previous:[9332]netburp, Up:[9333]= N

=

netdead n.

[IRC] The state of someone who signs off [9334]IRC, perhaps during a

[9335]netburp, and doesn't sign back on until later. In the interim,

he is "dead to the net". Compare [9336]link-dead.

Node:nethack, Next:[9337]netiquette, Previous:[9338]netdead,

Up:[9339]= N =

nethack /net'hak/ n.

[Unix] A dungeon game similar to [9340]rogue but more elaborate,

distributed in C source over [9341]Usenet and very popular at Unix

sites and on PC-class machines (nethack is probably the most widely

distributed of the freeware dungeon games). The earliest versions,

written by Jay Fenlason