glitch

/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]