May 15, 2003

front end

n.

1. An intermediary computer that does set-up and filtering for another (usually more powerful but less friendly) machine (a back end).

2. What you're talking to when you have a conversation with someone who is making replies without paying attention. Look at the dancing elephants! Uh-huh. Do you know what I just said? Sorry, you were talking to the front end.

3. Software that provides an interface to another program ‘behind’ it, which may not be as user-friendly. Probably from analogy with hardware front-ends (see sense 1) that interfaced with mainframes.

Posted by Jargon File at May 15, 2003 10:46 AM

Comments
Post a comment









Remember personal info?