Number-crunching

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The Jargon File Parts of this article are based on the Jargon File, v. 4.4.7, a public domain document of hacker jargon.

number-crunching

Usage: n. Derivation: Common See Also: crunch

number-crunching: n.

[common] Computations of a numerical nature, esp. those that make extensive use of floating-point numbers. The only thing Fortrash is good for. This term is in widespread informal use outside hackerdom and even in mainstream slang, but has additional hackish connotations: namely, that the computations are mindless and involve massive use of brute force. This is not always evil, esp. if it involves ray tracing or fractals or some other use that makes pretty pictures, esp. if such pictures can be used as screen backgrounds. See also crunch.

Hydrodynamic number-crunching.

(The next cartoon in the Crunchly saga is 74-12-29. The previous cartoon was 74-08-18.)

Sources

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