sos
NounSynonyms:
SOS
WordNet 3.0
Noun (1)
- an internationally recognized distress signal in radio codeSynonyms: SOS
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
SOS \SOS\ The letters signified by the signal ( . . . --- . . . ) prescribed by the International Radiotelegraphic Convention of 1912 for use by ships in distress. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Free On-line Dictionary of Computing
SOS
2.An infamously losing text editor. Once, back in the 1960s, when a text editor was needed for the PDP-6, a hacker crufted together a quick-and-dirty "stopgap editor" to be used until a better one was written. Unfortunately, the old one was never really discarded when new ones (in particular, TECO) came along. SOS is a descendant ("Son of Stopgap") of that editor, and many PDP-10 users gained the dubious pleasure of its acquaintance. Since then other programs similar in style to SOS have been written, notably the early font editor BILOS /bye'lohs/, the Brother-In-Law Of Stopgap (the alternate expansion "Bastard Issue, Loins of Stopgap" has been proposed).
3.The PDP-10 instruction to decrease a value. Oppose AOS. [Jargon File]