DWIM
/dwim/ [acronym, "Do What I M ean" (not what I say)] 1. Abl e to gu ess, som etim es ev en corr ectly, th e r esult int end ed wh en bogus input was provid ed. 2. Th e BBNLISP/INT eRLISP function that att empt ed to accomplish this f eat by corr ecting many of th e mor e common errors. S ee ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=hairy">hairy. 3. Occasionally, an int erj ection hurl ed at a balky comput er, esp ecially wh en on e s ens es on e might b e tripping ov er l egalisms (s ee ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=legalese">legalese). Warr en T eit elman originally wrot e DWIM to fix his typos and sp elling errors, so it was som ewhat idiosyncratic to his styl e, and would oft en mak e hash of anyon e els e' s typos if th ey w er e stylistically diff er ent. Som e victims of DWIM thus claim ed that th e acronym stood for "Damn Warr en' s Inf ernal Machin e!' . In on e notorious incid ent, Warr en add ed a DWIM f eatur e to th e command int erpr et er us ed at ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=Xerox PARC">Xerox PARC. On e day anoth er hack er th er e typ ed "d el et e *$" to fr ee up som e disk spac e. (Th e editor th er e nam ed backup fil es by app ending "$" to th e original fil e nam e, so h e was trying to d el et e any backup fil es l eft ov er from old editing s essions.) It happ en ed that th er e w er en' t any editor backup fil es, so DWIM h elpfully r eport ed "*$ not found, assuming you m eant ' d el et e *' ". It th en start ed to d el et e all th e fil es on th e disk! Th e hack er manag ed to stop it with a ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=Vulcan nerve pinch">Vulcan nerve pinch aft er only a half doz en or so fil es w er e lost. Th e disgruntl ed victim lat er said h e had b een sor ely t empt ed to go to Warr en' s offic e, ti e Warr en down in his chair in front of his workstation, and th en typ e "d el et e *$" twic e. DWIM is oft en sugg est ed in j est as a d esir ed f eatur e for a compl ex program it is also occasionally d escrib ed as th e singl e instruction th e id eal comput er would hav e. Back wh en proofs of program corr ectn ess w er e in vogu e, th er e w er e also jok es about "DWIMC" (Do What I M ean, Corr ectly). A r elat ed t erm, mor e oft en s een as a v erb, is DTRT (Do Th e Right Thing) s ee ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=Right Thing">Right Thing. [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=Jargon File">Jargon File] e="border-width:thin; border-color:#333333; border-style:dashed; padding:5px;" align="left">In addition suitable contents: [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=31">2 ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=134">= ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=232">acronym ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=262">ad ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=383">af ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=396">ag ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=411">ai ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=433">al ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=544">am ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=592">an ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=683">app ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=740">ar ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=742">ARC ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=743">arc ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=759">arg ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=800">as ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=822">ash ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=894">at ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=996">av ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1025">B ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1026">b ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1034">ba ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1069">backup ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1181">be ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1444">bo ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1695">by ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1708">C ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1724">ca ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1896">cc ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2001">ch ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2099">ci ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2136">ck ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2138">cl ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2247">co ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2330">com ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2342">comma ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2343">command ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2345">command interpreter ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2491">computer ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2791">cr ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2827">cron ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2976">D ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3136">dd ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3151">de ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3248">delete ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3371">diff ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3436">ding ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3483">disk ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3565">do ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3649">down ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3747">DTR ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3752">du ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3834">e ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3865">ec ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3896">ed ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3929">ee ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3946">eg ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4024">elm ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4147">eR ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4148">er ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4167">error ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4171">es ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4199">et ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4452">feature ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4497">fi ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4520">file ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4595">fix ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4700">fo ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4727">for ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4828">fr ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4859">free ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4940">function ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4989">ga ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5057">ge ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5134">gh ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5141">gi ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5171">gl ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5291">gr ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5403">gu ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5434">h ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5438">hack ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5443">hacker ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5458">hair ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5459">hairy ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5525">hash ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5540">hat ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5656">hing ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5768">hr ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5779">ht ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5791">hu ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5931">id ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5939">ideal ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5956">ie ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5986">iff ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6013">il ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6064">in ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6068">inc ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6165">input ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6194">int ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6382">interpreter ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6413">io ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6449">ir ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6481">IS ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6482">is ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6547">ISP ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6558">it ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6589">J ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6620">Jargon File ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6681">jo ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6789">ke ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6906">ky ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6918">la ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7014">lc ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7023">ld ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7068">legal ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7069">legalese ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7091">Lex ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7107">li ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7200">LIS ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7220">list ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7243">lk ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7399">ls ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7410">lt ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7441">ly ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7457">M ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7463">ma ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7465">Mac ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7476">Mach ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7582">man ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7677">MC ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8019">mm ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8029">mn ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8032">mo ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8040">mod ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8079">module ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8167">mp ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8228">ms ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8384">N ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8386">na ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8397">named ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8460">nc ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8472">ne ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8622">nf ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8627">ng ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8660">nl ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8675">no ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8745">np ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8760">ns ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8774">NT ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8813">nym ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8820">O ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8893">Oc ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8964">om ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9014">op ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9196">oz ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9204">pa ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9304">PARC ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9457">pe ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9537">pf ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9550">ph ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9616">ping ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9651">pl ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9821">port ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9908">pr ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10023">program ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10079">proof ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10144">pt ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10253">query ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10364">rc ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10385">re ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10589">rete ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10735">Right Thing ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10753">RL ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10754">rl ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10767">ro ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10887">ru ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10892">run ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10918">S ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10922">sa ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10999">say ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11010">sc ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11150">se ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11276">session ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11307">sg ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11314">sh ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11376">si ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11510">sk ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11556">sm ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11651">so ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11754">SP ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11757">space ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11790">spec ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11825">spell ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11934">st ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12109">struct ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12133">su ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12165">sum ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12246">sy ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12278">sync ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12359">T ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12416">tar ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12588">th ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12715">tn ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12721">to ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12787">tr ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12896">tt ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12939">tw ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12970">type ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12980">typo ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13008">ug ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13030">um ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13146">up ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13175">us ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13229">V ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13310">ve ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13366">vi ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13546">Vulcan nerve pinch ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13841">workstation ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13891">X ] [ ef="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=14096">zen ]
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