[Russian, literally self publishing
] The process of
disseminating documentation via underground channels. Originally referred
to underground duplication and distribution of banned books in the Soviet
Union; now refers by obvious extension to any less-than-official
promulgation of textual material, esp. rare, obsolete, or
never-formally-published computer documentation. Samizdat is obviously
much easier when one has access to high-bandwidth networks and high-quality
laser printers. Note that samizdat is properly used only with respect to
documents which contain needed information (see also
hacker ethic) but which are for some reason otherwise unavailable, but
not in the context of documents which are available
through normal channels, for which unauthorized duplication would be
unethical copyright violation. See Lions Book for a
historical example.