Computing (FOLDOC) dictionary
Jump to user comments
jargon /o'bend/, /*-bend'/ ABnormal END. Abnormal
an error message on the
IBM 360; used jokingly by hackers
but may appear as "abend". Hackers will try to persuade you
that ABEND is called "abend" because it is what system
operators do to the computer late on Friday when they want to
call it a day, and hence is from the German "Abend" =
"Evening".
(1994-11-08)