delint /dee-lint/ v. obs.
To modify code to remove problems detected when linting. Confusingly, this process is also
referred to as `linting' code. This term is no longer in general
use because ANSI C compilers typically issue compile-time
warnings almost as detailed as lint warnings.
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delta n.
1. [techspeak] A quantitative change, especially a small or
incremental one (this use is general in physics and engineering).
"I just doubled the speed of my program!" "What was the delta on
program size?" "About 30 percent." (He doubled the speed of his
program, but increased its size by only 30 percent.) 2. [Unix] A
diff, especially a diff stored under the set of version-control
tools called SCCS (Source Code Control System) or RCS (Revision
Control System). 3. n. A small quantity, but not as small as
epsilon. The jargon usage of delta and epsilon stems from the traditional use of
these letters in mathematics for very small numerical quantities,
particularly in `epsilon-delta' proofs in limit theory (as in the
differential calculus). The term delta is often used, once epsilon has been mentioned, to mean a quantity
that is slightly bigger than epsilon but still very small. "The cost isn't
epsilon, but it's delta" means that the cost isn't totally
negligible, but it is nevertheless very small. Common
constructions include `within delta of --', `within epsilon of
--': that is, `close to' and `even closer to'.
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demented adj.
Yet another term of disgust used to describe a malfunctioning
program. The connotation in this case is that the program works
as designed, but the design is bad. Said, for example, of a
program that generates large numbers of meaningless error
messages, implying that it is on the brink of imminent collapse.
Compare wonky, brain-damaged, bozotic.
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demigod n.
A hacker with years of experience, a world-wide reputation,
and a major role in the development of at least one design, tool,
or game used by or known to more than half of the hacker
community. To qualify as a genuine demigod, the person must
recognizably identify with the hacker community and have helped
shape it. Major demigods include Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie
(co-inventors of Unix and C), Richard M. Stallman (inventor of EMACS), Larry Wall (inventor of Perl), Linus Torvalds (inventor of Linux), and most recently James Gosling
(inventor of Java, NeWS, and GOSMACS) and Guido van Rossum (inventor
of Python). In their hearts of
hearts, most hackers dream of someday becoming demigods
themselves, and more than one major software project has been
driven to completion by the author's veiled hopes of apotheosis.
See also net.god, true-hacker.
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demo /de'moh/
[short for `demonstration'] 1. v. To demonstrate a product or
prototype. A far more effective way of inducing bugs to manifest
than any number of test runs,
especially when important people are watching. 2. n. The act of
demoing. "I've gotta give a demo of the drool-proof interface;
how does it work again?" 3. n. Esp. as `demo version', can refer
either to an early, barely-functional version of a program which
can be used for demonstration purposes as long as the operator
uses exactly the right commands and skirts its numerous
bugs, deficiencies, and unimplemented portions, or to a special
version of a program (frequently with some features crippled)
which is distributed at little or no cost to the user for
enticement purposes. 4. [demoscene] A sequence of demoeffects (usually) combined with
self-composed music and hand-drawn ("pixelated") graphics. These
days (1997) usually built to attend a compo. Often called `eurodemos' outside Europe,
as most of the demoscene activity
seems to have gathered in northern Europe and especially
Scandinavia. See also intro, dentro.
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demo mode n.
1. [Sun] The state of being heads
down in order to finish code in time for a demo, usually due yesterday. 2. A mode in which
video games sit by themselves running through a portion of the
game, also known as `attract mode'. Some serious apps have a demo mode they use as a screen saver,
or may go through a demo mode on startup (for example, the
Microsoft Windows opening screen -- which lets you impress your
neighbors without actually having to put up with Microsloth Windows).