flat
1. Lacking any complex internal structure. "That bitty box has only a flat file
system, not a hierarchical one." The verb form is flatten. Usually used
pejoratively (at least with respect to file systems).
2. Said of a memory architecture like that of the VAX or Motorola 680x0 that is
one big linear address space (typically with each possible value of a processor
register corresponding to a unique address). This is a Good Thing. The opposite
is a "segmented" architecture like that of the Intel 80x86 in which addresses
are composed from a base-register/offset pair. Segmented designs are generally
considered cretinous.
3. A flat domain is one where all elements except bottom are incomparable
(equally well defined). E.g. the integers.
[Jargon File]
Nearby terms:
Flash Lights Impressively « flash memory « Flash ROM
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flat » flat address space » flat ASCII » flat
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