| nuke
= N =
numbers
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
wallpaper. See also crunch.
--The Jargon File version 4.3.1, ed. ESR, autonoded by rescdsk.
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