Browsing page 5 of new words for September 28, 2009

noun

• a bug that makes hardware or software unusable. For example, crashing on startup. "Showstopper" bugs certainly must be fixed before a product can be released, and often need to be fixed before development can proceed.
  
  Interestingly, in its original theatrical use, a "showstopper" is something that's amazingly good.
  • See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
  • See more words with the same meaning: to break, ruin, destroy.

  Last edited on Nov 11 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Sep 28 2009.

noun

• a test of a new, repaired, or modified piece of electronic equipment whereby power is turned on, and people nearby look for smoke.
  • See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.

  Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Sep 28 2009.

• by extension, a similar test performed on software after creation or modification. The software is started and monitored for signs of dramatic failure.
  • See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.

  Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Sep 28 2009.

verb - transitive

• to perform a smoke test as described in the noun senses.

  Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Nov 30 2010.

adjective

• used for commentary on something that has been overstated.

  Demonstrator: And as you can see, the new software works!
  
  <software crashes>
  
  CEO: Obviously, only for suitably small values of "works."

  • See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.

  Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Sep 28 2009.

verb - ambitransitive

• to move information between one's memory and some other source of information, e.g. a book. (These respectively correspond to "fast-access memory" and "slower storage" referred to in the "origin" section below.)
  
  To keep something "swapped in" is to keep it fresh in one's memory. To "swap something out" is to write it down before you forget. To "have swapped something out" is to have forgotten it because - in theory - some other information overwrote it in one's brain.

  I read the programming manual every few months to keep it swapped in.

  Person, being interrupted while writing: Just a second, let me finish swapping this out.

  Person A: Which order do the functional parameters go?
  
  Person B: I swapped that out. Let me check the manual.

  Shit, sorry Kevin, I had your name swapped out.

  • See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.

  Last edited on Nov 11 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Sep 28 2009.

notes

• "Page in" and "page out" are synonymous with "swap in" and "swap out", respectively. Page in and page out do have additional meanings which are covered in those entries.

  Last edited on Nov 11 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Sep 28 2009.

origin

• In computer speak, to move information from fast-access memory to a slower storage device, e.g. disk ("swap out") or the other way around ("swap in.")
  
  This often refers to loading data from disk into memory as needed (swapping in) and writing the data back to disk when it is no longer needed (swapping out.)
  • See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.

  Last edited on Feb 17 2018. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Sep 28 2009.

verb - transitive

• Details are available in the entry for swap. See also page out.
  • See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.

  Last edited on Nov 11 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Sep 28 2009.

noun

• a tool that is very versatile but isn't easy to use.
  • See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.

  Last edited on Nov 11 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Sep 28 2009.

notes

• The programming language Perl is often called a Swiss-Army chainsaw.

  Last edited on Nov 11 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Sep 28 2009.