software laser
An optical laser works by bouncing photons back and forth between two mirrors,
one totally reflective and one partially reflective. If the lasing material
(usually a crystal) has the right properties, photons scattering off the atoms
in the crystal will excite cascades of more photons, all in lockstep. Eventually
the beam will escape through the partially reflective mirror.
One kind of sorcerer's apprentice mode involving bounce messages can produce
closely analogous results, with a cascade of messages escaping to flood nearby
systems. By mid-1993 there had been at least two publicised incidents of this
kind.
[Jargon File]
Nearby terms:
software handshaking « software interrupt « Software
in the Public Interest, Inc. « software laser
» software law » software life-cycle » Software
Method
|
