{{Short description, Out-of-bounds pointer effects
Fandango on core is a
computer programming
Computer programming or coding is the composition of sequences of instructions, called computer program, programs, that computers can follow to perform tasks. It involves designing and implementing algorithms, step-by-step specifications of proc ...
term for the effects of a pointer running out of bounds, often leading to a
core dump
In computing, a core dump, memory dump, crash dump, storage dump, system dump, or ABEND dump consists of the recorded state of the working Computer storage, memory of a computer program at a specific time, generally when the program has crash (com ...
, or failures in other seemingly unrelated processes. In extreme situations, ''fandango on core'' may lead to the overwriting of
operating system
An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware and software resources, and provides common daemon (computing), services for computer programs.
Time-sharing operating systems scheduler (computing), schedule tasks for ...
code, possibly causing data loss or system crashes. The advent of
protected memory
Memory protection is a way to control memory access rights on a computer, and is a part of most modern instruction set architectures and operating systems. The main purpose of memory protection is to prevent a process from accessing memory that h ...
means that while a program cannot overwrite the memory of other programs, a loose pointer can still cause strange behaviour within the application.
The term presumably comes from the programmer imagining the program following the wild pointer and dancing a
fandango
Fandango is a lively partner dance originating in Portugal and Spain, usually in triple metre, triple meter, traditionally accompanied by guitars, castanets, tambourine or hand-clapping. Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is u ...
on the core (an older term for memory) of a program.
References
''This article or an earlier version of it came from the
Jargon File
The Jargon File is a glossary and usage dictionary of slang used by computer programmers. The original Jargon File was a collection of terms from technical cultures such as the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT AI Lab ...
Jargon File
The Jargon File is a glossary and usage dictionary of slang used by computer programmers. The original Jargon File was a collection of terms from technical cultures such as the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT AI Lab ...