:samizdat: [Russian, literally "self publishing"] n. The process
of disseminating documentation via underground channels.
Originally referred to photocopy duplication and distribution of
banned books in the former Soviet Union; now refers by obvious
extension to any less-than-official promulgation of textual
material, esp. rare, obsolete, or never-formally-published computer
documentation. Samizdat is obviously much easier when one has
access to high-bandwidth networks and high-quality laser printers.
Note that samizdat is properly used only with respect to documents
which contain needed information (see also {hacker ethic, the})
but which are for some reason otherwise unavailable, but *not*
in the context of documents which are available through normal
channels, for which unauthorized duplication would be unethical
copyright violation. See {Lions Book} for a historical example.
-- The AI Hackers Dictionary
