When one wishes to specify a large but
random number of things, and the context is inappropriate for
N, certain numbers are preferred by hacker tradition (that is,
easily recognized as placeholders). These include the following:
17
Long described at MIT as `the least random number'; see 23.
23
Sacred number of Eris, Goddess of Discord (along with 17 and 5).
42
The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and
Everything. (Note that this answer is completely fortuitous.
:-))
69
From the sexual act. This one was favored in MIT's ITS culture.
105
69 hex = 105 decimal, and 69 decimal = 105 octal.
666
The Number of the Beast.
For further enlightenment, study the "Principia Discordia",
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", "The Joy
of Sex", and the Christian Bible (Revelation 13:18). See also
Discordianism or consult your pineal gland. See also for
magic number n.
[Unix/C; common] 1. In source code
some non-obvious constant whose value is significant to the
operation of a program and that is inserted inconspicuously in-line
(hardcoded), rather than expanded in by a symbol set by a
commented #define....
