:front end: n. 1. An intermediary computer that does set-up and
filtering for another (usually more powerful but less friendly)
machine (a `back end'). 2. What you're talking to when you
have a conversation with someone who is making replies without
paying attention. "Look at the dancing elephants!" "Uh-huh."
"Do you know what I just said?" "Sorry, you were talking to the
front end." See also {fepped out}. 3. Software that provides
an interface to another program `behind' it, which may not be as
user-friendly. Probably from analogy with hardware front-ends (see
sense 1) that interfaced with mainframes.
-- The AI Hackers Dictionary
filtering for another (usually more powerful but less friendly)
machine (a `back end'). 2. What you're talking to when you
have a conversation with someone who is making replies without
paying attention. "Look at the dancing elephants!" "Uh-huh."
"Do you know what I just said?" "Sorry, you were talking to the
front end." See also {fepped out}. 3. Software that provides
an interface to another program `behind' it, which may not be as
user-friendly. Probably from analogy with hardware front-ends (see
sense 1) that interfaced with mainframes.
-- The AI Hackers Dictionary
Related:
- front end n.
1. An intermediary computer that does
set-up and filtering for another (usually more powerful but less
friendly) machine (a `back end').
2. What you're talking to when you have a conversation with someone who is making replies without paying attention.... - fepped out: /fept owt/ adj. The Symbolics 3600 LISP Machine has a
Front-End Processor called a `FEP' (compare sense 2 of {box}).
When the main processor gets {wedged}, the FEP takes control of the keyboard and screen.... - alk mode n.
A feature supported by Unix, ITS, and some
other OSes that allows two or more logged-in users to set up a
real-time on-line conversation.
It combines the immediacy of talking with all the precision (and verbosity) that written language entails.... - DWIM /dwim/
[acronym, `Do What I Mean'] 1. adj. Able
to guess, sometimes even correctly, the result intended when bogus
input was provided.
2. n. obs. The BBNLISP/INTERLISP function that attempted to accomplish this feat by correcting many of the more common errors.... - engine: n. 1. A piece of hardware that encapsulates some function
but can't be used without some kind of {front end}.
Today we have, especially, `print engine': the guts of a laser printer.... - Jacques: First, you must get to know your lane. Feel the slickness,
feel the slippery finish.
Caresses it, experience it. Quite smooth, isn't it?... - eal user: n. 1. A commercial user. One who is paying *real*
money for his computer usage.
2. A non-hacker. Someone using the system for an explicit purpose (a research project, a course, etc.... - box: n. 1. A computer; esp. in the construction `foo box'
where foo is some functional qualifier, like `graphics', or
the name of an OS (thus, `UNIX box', `MS-DOS box', etc.
) "We preprocess the data on UNIX boxes before handing it up to the mainframe.... - user n.
1. Someone doing `real work' with the computer,
using it as a means rather than an end.
Someone who pays to use a computer. See real user....
