Capterra Glossary
The Jargon File, which was published as The New Hacker’s Dictionary in 1983, is a glossary and dictionary of slang used by computer programmers. The Jargon File is not a technical dictionary, it was created by computer hackers to form a collection of their slang terms. The terms included are ones hackers use among themselves for social communication, fun, and technical debate. The creators of the dictionary deemed themselves “hackers” as they discovered themselves to be creative people who do not coincide with “normal” working habits. The special language and slang among these creative people help to hold their culture together. The best way they thought to do this was to create The Jargon File. This work is designed to be enjoyable to read by people who are beginners at computer programming or interested in learning about it.
Small and midsize tech companies can benefit by keeping The New Hacker’s Dictionary in the workplace. Because computer programming workflows could be overwhelming, it is beneficial to keep a lighthearted resource that also provides explanations of terms for those new to the programming industry.