background

1. operating system A task running in the background (a

background task) is detached from the terminal where it was

started (and often running at a lower priority); opposite of

foreground. This means that the task's input and output

must be from/to files (or other processes).

Nowadays this term is primarily associated with Unix, but it

appears to have been first used in this sense on OS/360.

Compare amp off, batch, slopsucker.

2. jargon For a human to do a task "in the background" is to

do it whenever foreground matters are not claiming your

undivided attention, and "to background" something means to

relegate it to a lower priority. "For now, we'll just print a

list of nodes and links; I'm working on the graph-printing

problem in the background." Note that this implies ongoing

activity but at a reduced level or in spare time, in contrast

to mainstream "back burner" (which connotes benign neglect

until some future resumption of activity). Some people prefer

to use the term for processing that they have queued up for

their unconscious minds (often a fruitful tack to take upon

encountering an obstacle in creative work).

(1996-05-28)