freeware n.
[common] Free software, often written by enthusiasts and
distributed by users' groups, or via electronic mail, local
bulletin boards, Usenet, or other
electronic media. At one time, `freeware' was a trademark of
Andrew Fluegelman, the author of the well-known MS-DOS comm
program PC-TALK III. It wasn't enforced after his mysterious
disappearance and presumed death in 1984. See shareware, FRS.
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freeze v.
To lock an evolving software distribution or document against
changes so it can be released with some hope of stability.
Carries the strong implication that the item in question will
`unfreeze' at some future date. "OK, fix that bug and we'll
freeze for release."
There are more specific constructions on this term. A `feature
freeze', for example, locks out modifications intended to
introduce new features but still allows bugfixes and completion
of existing features; a `code freeze' connotes no more changes at
all. At Sun Microsystems and elsewhere, one may also hear
references to `code slush' -- that is, an almost-but-not-quite
frozen state.
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fried adj.
1. [common] Non-working due to hardware failure; burnt out.
Especially used of hardware brought down by a `power glitch' (see
glitch), drop-outs, a short, or some other electrical
event. (Sometimes this literally happens to electronic circuits!
In particular, resistors can burn out and transformers can melt
down, emitting noxious smoke -- see friode, SED and LER. However, this term is also used
metaphorically.) Compare frotzed.
2. [common] Of people, exhausted. Said particularly of those who
continue to work in such a state. Often used as an explanation or
excuse. "Yeah, I know that fix destroyed the file system, but I
was fried when I put it in." Esp. common in conjunction with
`brain': "My brain is fried today, I'm very short on sleep."
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frink /frink/ v.
The unknown ur-verb, fill in your own meaning. Found esp. on
the Usenet newsgroup _alt.fan.lemurs_, where it is said that
the lemurs know what `frink' means, but they aren't telling.
Compare gorets.
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friode /fri:'ohd/ n.
[TMRC] A reversible (that is, fused or blown) diode. Compare
fried; see also SED, LER.
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fritterware n.
An excess of capability that serves no productive end. The
canonical example is font-diddling software on the Mac (see macdink); the term describes anything
that eats huge amounts of time for quite marginal gains in
function but seduces people into using it anyway. See also window shopping.