Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 22:11:07 -0700 From: Joey Garcia <gummibear@we.mediaone.net> To: chat@freebsd.org Subject: Robust: Such a Versatile Word Message-ID: <3.0.6.32.19990810221107.007978b0@we.mediaone.net>
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Robust! I'm like so sick of that word. It's like so over used. Okay, I've seen people use the word "robust" as describing Folgers coffee, Beer, Wine and now Operating Systems such as FreeBSD and Linux. So I'm like...what the hell does robust truly mean. So I'm looking it up. (www.dictionary.com) First definition: <i> robust \Ro*bust"\, a. [L. robustus oaken, hard, strong, fr. robur strength, a very hard kind of oak; cf. Skr. rabhas violence: cf. F. robuste.] 1. Evincing strength; indicating vigorous health; strong; sinewy; muscular; vigorous; sound; as, a robust body; robust youth; robust health. </i> Okay, now that has nothingn to do with software, unless their refferring it to be strong and stuff. Second definition: <i> robust adj 1: physically strong [ant: frail] 2: marked by richness and fullness of flavor; "a rich ruby port"; "full-bodied wines"; "a robust claret"; "the robust flavor of fresh-brewed coffee" [syn: full-bodied, rich] 3: strong enough to withstand intellectual challenge; "the experiment yielded robust results"; "a robust faith" 4: rough and crude; "a robust tale" </i> Hmmmm...FreeBSD is full of strong flavor? Nah...that can't be it. Okay here's some more definitions: <i> robust Said of a system that has demonstrated an ability to recover gracefully from the whole range of exceptional inputs and situations in a given environment. One step below bulletproof. Carries the additional connotation of elegance in addition to just careful attention to detail. Compare smart, opposite: brittle. </i> Okay, now it seems like we're getting somewhere, I think. FreeBSD recovers well when input is thrown at it? Hmmmm....that doesn't sound right. Makes it sound as though it crashes then recovers well. One step below bulletproof? I guess we're getting closer. FreeBSD is almost bulletproof? I'd like to think that it *is* bulletproof. FreeBSD is smart? Hey that sounds good. :) Opposite of brittle. hmmm...the opposite would be something strong! Something that lasts. Okay, now that sounds much better. Sounds to me that robust is some BS word that they came up with to describe a whole slew of things. Reminds me of that "Corinthian Leather" that Ricardo Mantoban was talking about in those commercials. (You do know they made that up right?) Although, it does sound good. Joey To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
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