Unixism

2 definitions found

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

  unixism n. A piece of code or a coding technique that depends on the
     protected multi-tasking environment with relatively low process-spawn
     overhead that exists on virtual-memory Unix systems. Common {unixism}s
     include: gratuitous use of `fork(2)'; the assumption that certain
     undocumented but well-known features of Unix libraries such as
     `stdio(3)' are supported elsewhere; reliance on {obscure} side-effects


     of system calls (use of `sleep(2)' with a 0 argument to clue the
     scheduler that you're willing to give up your time-slice, for example);
     the assumption that freshly allocated memory is zeroed; and the
     assumption that fragmentation problems won't arise from never
     `free()'ing memory. Compare {vaxocentrism}; see also {New Jersey}.
  
  

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

  Unixism
       
           A piece of code or a coding
          technique that depends on the protected {multitasking}
          environment with relatively low process-spawn overhead that
          exists on {virtual-memory} {Unix} systems.
       
          Common {Unixism}s include: gratuitous use of "{fork}"; the
          assumption that certain undocumented but well-known features
          of Unix libraries such as "{stdio}" are supported elsewhere;
          reliance on obscure side-effects of {system calls} (use of
          "sleep" with a 0 argument to tell the scheduler that you're
          willing to give up your time-slice, for example); the
          assumption that freshly allocated memory is zeroed; and the
          assumption that {fragmentation} problems won't arise from
          never freeing memory.
       
          Compare {vaxocentrism}.  See also {New Jersey}.
       
          [{Jargon File}]
       
          (1995-02-27)