Pointy hat

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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.

pointy hat

Usage: n. Synonym(s): wizard hat

pointy hat: n.

1. Syn. wizard hat. This synonym specifically refers to the wizards of Unseen University in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series of humorous fantasies; these books are extremely popular among hackers.

[BSD hackers; common] Notional dunce cap handed to the original author of a bug that's been corrected. Unlike the wizard had, this is often self-assumed: "Somebody please pass me the pointy hat. I fouled up the distfile rather badly. This fixes it."

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