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prestidigitization /pres' -di'j-t -zay'shn/ n. act of putting something into digital notation via sleight of hand. 2. Data entry through legerdemain. |
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pretty pictures n. [scientific computation] The next step up from numbers. Interesting graphical output from a program that may not have any sensible relationship to the system the program is intended to model. Good for showing to management. |
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prettyprint /prit'ee-print/ v. (alt. pretty-print) 1. To generate 'pretty' human-readable output from a hairy internal representation; esp. used for the process of grinding (sense 1) program code, and most esp. for LISP code. 2. To format in some particularly slick and nontrivial way. |
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pretzel key n. [Mac users] See feature key. |
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priesthood n. obs. [TMRC] The select group of system managers responsible for the operation and maintenance of a batch operated computer system. On these computers, a user never had direct access to a computer, but had to submit his/her data and programs to a priest for execution. Results were returned days or even weeks later. See acolyte. |
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prime time n. [from TV programming] Normal high-usage hours on a timesharing system; the day shift. Avoidance of prime time was traditionally given as a major reason for night mode hacking. The rise of the personal workstation has rendered this term, along with timesharing itself, almost obsolete. The hackish tendency to late-night hacking runs has changed not a bit. |
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printing discussion n. [XEROX PARC] A protracted, low-level, time-consuming, generally pointless discussion of something only peripherally interesting to all. |
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priority interrupt n. [from the hardware term] Describes any stimulus compelling enough to yank one right out of hack mode. Classically used to describe being dragged away by an SO for immediate sex, but may also refer to more mundane interruptions such as a fire alarm going off in the near vicinity. Also called an NMI (non-maskable interrupt), especially in PC-land. |
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profile n. 1. A control file for a program, esp. a text file automatically read from each user's home directory and intended to be easily modified by the user in order to customize the program's behavior. Used to avoid |
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