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A.Word.A.Day--abend

ABEND (A-bend, a-BEND) noun

1. Abnormal termination (of software); crash; lossage. Derives from an error message on the IBM 360; used jokingly by hackers but seriously mainly by code grinders. Usually capitalized, but may appear as `abend'. Hackers will try to persuade you that ABEND is called `abend' because it is what system operators do to the machine late on Friday when they want to call it a day, and hence is from the German `Abend' = `Evening'.

2. [alt.callahans] Absent By Enforced Net Deprivation - used in the subject lines of postings warning friends of an imminent loss of Internet access. (This can be because of computer downtime, loss of provider, moving or illness.) Variants of this also appear: ABVND = `Absent By Voluntary Net Deprivation' and ABSEND = `Absent By Self-Enforced Net Deprivation' have been sighted.

[ABnormal + END.]

"Novell has released an update ... which Novell says should fix an abend that sometimes happens during an upgrade." Stephanie Sanborn, Global Strategy offers hope for sick dot-coms, InfoWorld, Jul 10, 2000.

This week's theme: words from the hackers' jargon.

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