Bogon

2 definitions found

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  bogon /boh'gon/ n. [very common; by analogy with
     proton/electron/neutron, but doubtless reinforced after 1980 by the
     similarity to Douglas Adams's `Vogons'; see the {Bibliography} in
     Appendix C and note that Arthur Dent actually mispronounces `Vogons' as
     `Bogons' at one point] 1. The elementary particle of bogosity (see
     {quantum bogodynamics}). For instance, "the Ethernet is emitting bogons


     again" means that it is broken or acting in an erratic or bogus fashion.
     2. A query packet sent from a TCP/IP domain resolver to a root server,
     having the reply bit set instead of the query bit. 3. Any bogus or
     incorrectly formed packet sent on a network. 4. By synecdoche, used to
     refer to any bogus thing, as in "I'd like to go to lunch with you but
     I've got to go to the weekly staff bogon". 5. A person who is bogus or
     who says bogus things. This was historically the original usage, but has
     been overtaken by its derivative senses 1-4. See also {bogosity},
     {bogus}; compare {psyton}, {fat electrons}, {magic smoke}.
  
     The bogon has become the type case for a whole bestiary of nonce
     particle names, including the `clutron' or `cluon' (indivisible particle
     of cluefulness, obviously the antiparticle of the bogon) and the futon
     (elementary particle of {randomness}, or sometimes of lameness). These
     are not so much live usages in themselves as examples of a live
     meta-usage: that is, it has become a standard joke or linguistic
     maneuver to "explain" otherwise mysterious circumstances by inventing
     nonce particle names. And these imply nonce particle theories, with all
     their dignity or lack thereof (we might note parenthetically that this
     is a generalization from "(bogus particle) theories" to "bogus (particle
     theories)"!). Perhaps such particles are the modern-day equivalents of
     trolls and wood-nymphs as standard starting-points around which to
     construct explanatory myths. Of course, playing on an existing word (as
     in the `futon') yields additional flavor. Compare {magic smoke}.
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  bogon
       
          /boh'gon/ [by analogy with proton/electron/neutron, but
          doubtless reinforced after 1980 by the similarity to Douglas
          Adams's "Vogons"] 1. The elementary particle of bogosity (see
          {quantum bogodynamics}).  For instance, "the Ethernet is
          emitting bogons again" means that it is broken or acting in an
          erratic or bogus fashion.
       
          2. A query {packet} sent from a {TCP/IP} {domain resolver} to
          a root server, having the reply bit set instead of the query
          bit.
       
          3. Any bogus or incorrectly formed packet sent on a network.
       
          4. A person who is bogus or who says bogus things.  This was
          historically the original usage, but has been overtaken by its
          derivative senses.  See also {bogosity}; compare {psyton},
          {fat electrons}, {magic smoke}.
       
          The bogon has become the type case for a whole bestiary of
          nonce particle names, including the "clutron" or "cluon"
          (indivisible particle of cluefulness, obviously the
          antiparticle of the bogon) and the futon (elementary particle
          of {randomness}, or sometimes of lameness).  These are not so
          much live usages in themselves as examples of a live
          meta-usage: that is, it has become a standard joke or
          linguistic maneuver to "explain" otherwise mysterious
          circumstances by inventing nonce particle names.  And these
          imply nonce particle theories, with all their dignity or lack
          thereof (we might note parenthetically that this is a
          generalisation from "(bogus particle) theories" to "bogus
          (particle theories)"!).  Perhaps such particles are the
          modern-day equivalents of trolls and wood-nymphs as standard
          starting-points around which to construct explanatory myths.
          Of course, playing on an existing word (as in the "futon")
          yields additional flavour.
       
          [{Jargon File}]