/glich/ [German "glitschen" to slip, via Yiddish "glitshen",
to slide or skid] 1. (Electronics) When the inputs of a
circuit change, and the outputs change to some random value
for some very brief time before they settle down to the
correct value. If another circuit inspects the output at just
the wrong time, reading the random value, the results can be
very wrong and very hard to debug (a glitch is one of many
causes of electronic heisenbugs).
2. A sudden interruption in electric service, sanity,
continuity, or program function. Sometimes recoverable. An
interruption in electric service is specifically called a
"power glitch" (or power hit), of grave concern because it
usually crashes all the computers. See also gritch.
2. [Stanford] To scroll a display screen, especially several
lines at a time. WAITS terminals used to do this in order
to avoid continuous scrolling, which is distracting to the
eye.
4. Obsolete. Same as magic cookie.
[Jargon File]
Nearby terms:
glibc « Glish « Glisp « glitch » glob » global index » globalisation
