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Everything about Jargon File

Collection of definitions from computer subcultures

The Jargon File is a glossary and usage dictionary of slang used by computer programmers. The original Jargon File was a collection of terms from technical cultures such as the MIT AI Lab, the Stanford AI Lab (SAIL) and others of the old ARPANET AI/LISP/PDP-10 communities, including Bolt, Beranek and Newman (BBN), Carnegie Mellon University, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. It was published in paperback form in 1983 as The Hacker's Dictionary and revised in 1991 as The New Hacker's Dictionary. Wikipedia →

🧭 Start here: a 6-step reading path

  1. Read the overview: Jargon FileA 5-minute orientation
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  4. Go sideways: Hacker cultureA closely related topic

📖 Definitions

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🗂️ The subject at a glance

  1. 1975 to 1983
  2. 1983 to 1990
  3. 1990 and later
  4. Impact and reception

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📚 Books worth reading

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