lost in the underflow
<jargon> Too small to be worth considering; more specifically, small
beyond the limits of accuracy or measurement. This is a reference to "floating
point underflow".
The Hacker's Jargon File claimed that it is also a pun on "undertow" (a kind of
fast, cold current that sometimes runs just offshore and can be dangerous to
swimmers).
"Well, sure, photon pressure from the stadium lights alters the path of a thrown
baseball, but that effect gets lost in the underflow".
Compare epsilon, epsilon squared; see also overflow bit.
(1997-09-05)
Nearby terms:
lossy « lossy audio compression « lost in the noise
«
lost in the underflow » LOTIS » LOTOS » lots of
MIPS but no I/O
|
