Related:

• fudge factor: n. A value or parameter that is varied in an ad hoc way to produce the desired result.
  The terms `tolerance' and {slop} are also used, though these usually indicate a one-sided leeway, such as a buffer that is made larger than necessary because one isn't sure exactly how large it needs to be, and it is better to waste a little space than to lose completely for not having enough....
• lop n. 1. A one-sided fudge factor, that is, an allowance for error but in only one of two directions.
  For example, if you need a piece of wire 10 feet long and have to guess when you cut it, you make very sure to cut it too long, by a large amount if necessary, rather than too short by even a little bit, because you can always cut off the slop but you can't paste it back on again....
• lop: n. 1. A one-sided {fudge factor}, that is, an allowance for error but in only one of two directions.
  For example, if you need a piece of wire 10 feet long and have to guess when you cut it, you make very sure to cut it too long, by a large amount if necessary, rather than too short by even a little bit, because you can always cut off the slop but you can't paste it back on again....
• coefficient of X n. Hackish speech makes heavy use of pseudo-mathematical metaphors.
  Four particularly important ones involve the terms `coefficient', `factor', `index of X', and `quotient'....
• creeping featurism /kree'ping fee'chr-izm/ n. [common] 1.
  Describes a systematic tendency to load more chrome and features onto systems at the expense of whatever elegance they may have possessed when originally designed....
• buffer overflow: n. What happens when you try to stuff more data into a buffer (holding area) than it can handle.
  This may be due to a mismatch in the processing rates of the producing and consuming processes (see {overrun} and {firehose syndrome}), or because the buffer is simply too small to hold all the data that must accumulate before a piece of it can be processed....
• creeping featurism: /kree'ping fee'chr-izm/ n. 1. Describes a systematic tendency to load more {chrome} and {feature}s onto systems at the expense of whatever elegance they may have possessed when originally designed.
  See also {feeping creaturism}. "You know, the main problem with {BSD} UNIX has always been creeping featurism....
• brute force adj. Describes a primitive programming style
  one in which the programmer relies on the computer's processing power instead of using his or her own intelligence to simplify the problem, often ignoring problems of scale and applying naive methods suited to small problems directly to large ones....
• alk mode n. A feature supported by Unix, ITS, and some other OSes that allows two or more logged-in users to set up a real-time on-line conversation.
  It combines the immediacy of talking with all the precision (and verbosity) that written language entails....