nonlinear adj.
[scientific computation] 1. Behaving in an
erratic and unpredictable fashion; unstable. When used to describe
the behavior of a machine or program, it suggests that said machine
or program is being forced to run far outside of design
specifications. This behavior may be induced by unreasonable
inputs, or may be triggered when a more mundane bug sends the
computation far off from its expected course. 2. When describing
the behavior of a person, suggests a tantrum or a flame.
"When you talk to Bob, don't mention the drug problem or he'll go
nonlinear for hours." In this context, `go nonlinear' connotes
`blow up out of proportion' (proportion connotes linearity).
[scientific computation] 1. Behaving in an
erratic and unpredictable fashion; unstable. When used to describe
the behavior of a machine or program, it suggests that said machine
or program is being forced to run far outside of design
specifications. This behavior may be induced by unreasonable
inputs, or may be triggered when a more mundane bug sends the
computation far off from its expected course. 2. When describing
the behavior of a person, suggests a tantrum or a flame.
"When you talk to Bob, don't mention the drug problem or he'll go
nonlinear for hours." In this context, `go nonlinear' connotes
`blow up out of proportion' (proportion connotes linearity).
Related:
- nonlinear adj.
[scientific computation] 1. Behaving in an
erratic and unpredictable fashion;
unstable. When used to describe the behavior of... - blow up: vi. 1. [scientific computation] To become unstable.
Suggests that the computation is diverging so rapidly... - blow up vi.
1. [scientific computation] To become unstable.
Suggests that the computation is diverging so rapidly... - pathological adj.
1. [scientific computation] Used of a
data set that is grossly atypical of normal expected input,
esp. one that exposes a weakness or bug in whatever... - pathological: adj. 1. [scientific computation] Used of a data set
that is grossly atypical of normal expected input,
esp. one that exposes a weakness or bug in whatever... - cycle: 1. n. The basic unit of computation. What every hacker
wants more of (noted hacker Bill Gosper describes himself as a
"cycle junkie").
One can describe an instruction as taking so many... - cycle
1. n. The basic unit of computation. What every
hacker wants more of (noted hacker Bill Gosper described himself as
a "cycle junkie").
One can describe an instruction as taking so many... - highly: [scientific computation] adv. The preferred modifier for
overstating an understatement.
As in: `highly nonoptimal', the worst possible way... - highly adv.
[scientific computation] The preferred modifier
for overstating an understatement.
As in: `highly nonoptimal', the worst possible way...
From the same category:
- reality-distortion field n.
An expression used to describe the persuasive ability... - VAXectomy /vak-sek't*-mee/ n.
[by analogy with
`vasectomy'] A VAX removal.
DEC's Microvaxen, especially, are much slower than... - terpri /ter'pree/ vi.
[from LISP 1.5 (and later,
MacLISP)] To output a newline. Now rare as jargon... - core dump n.
[common Iron Age jargon, preserved by
Unix] 1.
[techspeak] A copy of the contents of core, produced... - hat n.
Common (spoken) name for the circumflex (`^',
ASCII 1011110) character. See ASCII for other synonyms...
