core
1. {Main memory} or {RAM}. This term dates from the
days of {ferrite core memory}; now archaic most places outside
{IBM}, but also still used in the {Unix} community and by
old-time {hackers} or those who would sound like them.
Some derived idioms are quite current; "in core", for example,
means "in memory" ({paged in}, as opposed to "on disk", {paged
out}), and both {core dump} and the "core image" or "core
file" produced by one are terms in favour. Some varieties of
Commonwealth hackish prefer {store}.
[{Jargon File}]
(1995-03-03)
2.
An {integrated circuit} design, usually for a {microprocessor}, which includes only the {CPU} and which is
intended to form part of a complete circuit design which
incorporates other circuits on the same chip such as {cache},
{memory management unit}, I/O ports and timers.
The {ARM6}, {ARM7} and {ARM8} are examples.
3. A varient on {kernel} as used to describe
features built into a language as opposed to those provided by
{libraries}.
(1995-03-03)