balloonian variable n.
[Commodore users; perh. a deliberate
phonetic mangling of `boolean variable'?] Any variable that
doesn't actually hold or control state, but must nevertheless be
declared, checked, or set. A typical balloonian variable started
out as a flag attached to some environment feature that either
became obsolete or was planned but never implemented.
Compatibility concerns (or politics attached to same) may require
that such a flag be treated as though it were live.
[Commodore users; perh. a deliberate
phonetic mangling of `boolean variable'?] Any variable that
doesn't actually hold or control state, but must nevertheless be
declared, checked, or set. A typical balloonian variable started
out as a flag attached to some environment feature that either
became obsolete or was planned but never implemented.
Compatibility concerns (or politics attached to same) may require
that such a flag be treated as though it were live.
Related:
- flag n.
[very common] A variable or quantity that can
take on one of two values;
a bit, particularly one that is used to indicate... - flag: n. A variable or quantity that can take on one of two
values;
a bit, particularly one that is used to indicate one... - The questions remain the same.
The answers are eternally variable... - The questions remain the same.
The answers are eternally variable... - hidden flag n.
[scientific computation] An extra option
added to a routine without changing the calling sequence.
For example, instead of adding an explicit input... - hidden flag: [scientific computation] n. An extra option added to
a routine without changing the calling sequence.
For example, instead of adding an explicit input... - Choose variable names that will not be
confused... - flag day n.
A software change that is neither forward-
nor backward-compatible, and which is costly to make... - flag day: n. A software change that is neither forward-
nor backward-compatible, and which is costly to...
