2 definitions found
From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]:
bootstrap
n : a strap that is looped and sewn to the top of a boot for
pulling it on
v : help oneself, often through improvised means
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (13 Mar 01) [foldoc]:
bootstrap
1. (From "to pull oneself up by one's
bootstraps") To load and initialise the {operating system} on
a computer. Normally abbreviated to "{boot}".
See {bootstrap loader}.
2. (From "to pull oneself up by one's bootstraps")
to use a {compiler} to compile itself
The usual process is to write an {interpreter} for a language,
L, in an existing language, M. The compiler is then written
in L and the interpreter is used to run it This produces an
{executable} for compiling programs in L from the source of
the compiler in L.
This technique is often used to verify the correctness of a
compiler. It was first used in the {LISP} community.
See also {my favourite toy language}.
(27 November 1995)
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