A value or parameter that is varied in an ad hoc way to
produce the desired result. The terms "tolerance" and slop
are also used, though these usually indicate a one-sided
leeway, such as a buffer that is made larger than necessary
because one isn't sure exactly how large it needs to be, and
it is better to waste a little space than to lose completely
for not having enough. A fudge factor, on the other hand, can
often be tweaked in more than one direction. A good example
is the "fuzz" typically allowed in floating-point
calculations: two numbers being compared for equality must be
allowed to differ by a small amount; if that amount is too
small, a computation may never terminate, while if it is too
large, results will be needlessly inaccurate. Fudge factors
are frequently adjusted incorrectly by programmers who don't
fully understand their import. See also coefficient of X.
Nearby terms:
FUBAR « FUD « fudge « fudge factor » Fudgets » FUDGIT » FUD wars
