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For free

Said of a capability of a programming language or hardware equipment that is available by its design without needing cleverness to implement: "In APL, we get the matrix operations for free."

"And owing to the way revisions are stored in this system, you get revision trees for free."

The term usually refers to a serendipitous feature of doing things a certain way (compare big win), but it may refer to an intentional but secondary feature.

[Jargon File]

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