Core




1. <storage> Main memory or RAM.

This term dates from the days of ferrite core memory; now archaic most places outside IBM, but also still used in the Unix community and by old-time hackers or those who would sound like them.

Some derived idioms are quite current; "in core", for example, means "in memory" (paged in, as opposed to "on disk", paged out), and both core dump and the "core image" or "core file" produced by one are terms in favour.

Some varieties of Commonwealth hackish prefer store.

[Jargon File]

(1995-03-03)

2. <processor> An integrated circuit design, usually for a microprocessor, which includes only the CPU and which is intended to form part of a complete circuit design which incorporates other circuits on the same chip such as cache, memory management unit, I/O ports and timers.

The ARM6, ARM7 and ARM8 are examples.

3. <language> A varient on kernel as used to describe features built into a language as opposed to those provided by libraries.



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