A constant compiled into a computer program or used in a file format for the purpose of being identifiably unique. A number which could only exist in memory on purpose and rarely by accident. For example, 0 is a bad choice for a magic number, since it's the default value for memory when a computer is turned on.
Programmers use them to quickly validate a larger data structure which could crash if it guesses the type wrong, using the theory that whatever code put the magic number there probably got the rest of it right, since they would have made it store the magic number AFTER everything else checked out.
Usually it's something easy for a programmer to remember, like DEADBEEF or B00B135 or something equally assinine.
It's like a secret signal or whistle you might use with friends when trying to coordinate something sneaky.
Programmers use them to quickly validate a larger data structure which could crash if it guesses the type wrong, using the theory that whatever code put the magic number there probably got the rest of it right, since they would have made it store the magic number AFTER everything else checked out.
Usually it's something easy for a programmer to remember, like DEADBEEF or B00B135 or something equally assinine.
It's like a secret signal or whistle you might use with friends when trying to coordinate something sneaky.
I fed an mp3 I accidentally renamed to a avi into windows media player, but it didn't crash because it checked the magic number first.
by pr0ntab January 8, 2004
Get the magic number mug.A mysterious sequence of numbers that keeps appearing, either in fully or individually, on the American hit TV drama Lost. The sequence is 4-8-15-16-23-42.
by Shay Guy October 23, 2006
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The feeling of heaviness and thickness a device seems to have after you hold the extremely thin iPod touch.
Guy 1: "Dude my SLVRis so fucking thin"
Guy 2: "Yeah, so is my iPod touch."
Guy 1: "Well let me see! Yeah it is."
Guy 2: "Told you!"
Guy 1: "Hold on, I got a call, hello? WTF IS THIS MY PHONE OR A FUCKING BRICK?!?!?!?!?!!!"
Guy 2: "Yeah, that's the iPod touch Numbness"
Guy 2: "Yeah, so is my iPod touch."
Guy 1: "Well let me see! Yeah it is."
Guy 2: "Told you!"
Guy 1: "Hold on, I got a call, hello? WTF IS THIS MY PHONE OR A FUCKING BRICK?!?!?!?!?!!!"
Guy 2: "Yeah, that's the iPod touch Numbness"
by RiiVERB February 27, 2009
Get the iPod touch Numbness mug.by m>r May 21, 2018
Get the numbet mug.Referring someone to the line: "You're my number eight because eight on it's side is infinity and that's what I feel like when I'm with you."
by Kimmi Hauser October 5, 2007
Get the my number eight mug.A euphemism for fake breasts used during conversations in which the subject or subject's friends may be able to hear what is being said.
Derived from mathematics where complex numbers are those that are not real (like the breasts.)
Derived from mathematics where complex numbers are those that are not real (like the breasts.)
by qukkie August 6, 2008
Get the Complex numbers mug.In sports, the opposite of the "magic number". The amount of games the team in 2nd place in a division needs to lose to lose the division.
Sportscenter: "The Yankees win tonight gives them a magic number of 7."
Red Sox fan: "Damn, now our tragic number is down to 7."
Red Sox fan: "Damn, now our tragic number is down to 7."
by Tex-Mex Shawn C. September 23, 2010
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