The New Hacker's Dictionary

by Guy L. Steele

This is a compendium of the slang used by computer hackers. Although it is organized in reference form, it is not a mere technical dictionary or handbook of terms; it offers the reader a guide to the hacker's world, its myths, heroes, folk epics, in-jokes, taboos and dreams. This new edition contains almost five times as many entries as its predecessor, and in addition to detailing of hacker slang (terms like "bagbiter", "quux", "double bucky" and "frobnitz"), also includes some lessons in hacker jargon construction. Appendices include a selection of classic items of hacker folklore and humour, a composite portrait of "J. Random Hacker" assembled from the comments of over 100 respondents, and a bibliography of nontechnical works that have either influenced or described the culture.

Confessions of a happy hacker, Guy L. Steele Jr.; hacker in a strange land, Eric S. Raymond; how jargon works; how to use the lexicon; the jargon lexicon. Appendices: hacker folklore; a portrait of J. Random Hacker.