MAGIC
Technology Dictionary -> MAGICSearch:
MAGICMAGIC
Technology Dictionary -> MAGICSearch:
MAGIC
1. As yet unexplained, or too complicated to explain; compare
automagically and (Arthur C.) Clarke's Third Law:
Any sufficiently advanced technology is
indistinguishable from magic.
"TTY echoing is controlled by a large number of magic bits."
"This routine magically computes the parity of an 8-bit byte
in three instructions."
2. Characteristic of something that works although no one
really understands why (this is especially called black
magic).
3. (Stanford) A feature not generally publicised that allows
something otherwise impossible or a feature formerly in that
category but now unveiled.
Compare wizardly, deep magic, heavy wizardry.
For more about hackish "magic" see Magic Switch Story.
4. magic number.
[Jargon File]
(2001-03-19)