UDP
= U =
undefined external reference
UN*X n.
Used to refer to the Unix operating system (a
trademark of AT&T, then of Novell, then of Univel, then of the Open
Group; the source code parted company with it after Novell and was
owned by SCO, which was acquired by Caldera) in writing, but
avoiding the need for the ugly
(TM) typography.
Also used to refer to any or all varieties of Unixoid operating
systems. Ironically, lawyers now say that the requirement for the
trademark postfix has no legal force, but the asterisk usage is
entrenched anyhow. It has been suggested that there may be a
psychological connection to practice in certain religions
(especially Judaism) in which the name of the deity is never
written out in full, e.g., `YHWH' or `G-d' is used. See also
glob and splat out.
--The Jargon File version 4.3.1, ed. ESR, autonoded by rescdsk.