[common] Computations of a
numerical nature, esp. those that make extensive use of
floating-point numbers. The only thing Fortrash is good for.
This term is in widespread informal use outside hackerdom and even
in mainstream slang, but has additional hackish connotations:
namely, that the computations are mindless and involve massive use
of brute force. This is not always evil, esp. if it
involves ray tracing or fractals or some other use that makes
pretty pictures, esp. if such pictures can be used as
wallpaper. See also crunch.
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....
