number crunching
<application, jargon> Computations of a numerical nature, especially
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,
especially if it involves ray tracing or fractals or some other use that makes
pretty pictures, especially if such pictures can be used as wallpaper.
See also crunch.
[Jargon File]
(1995-03-17)
Nearby terms:
null modem « null-terminated multibyte string « NUMA
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number crunching » numbers » number sign »
Numeris
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