User:Zigamorph
Zigamorph is the on-line alter ego of Mike, who was brought into the world of Wiki editing back in 2005.
As of 2019, I work as a professional journalist. I know stuff about computers, science, math, literature, theater, and a wide assortment of other things. I know a bunch of computer programming languages, typically run Linux on my personal workstations, and prefer open-source software.
Frequently Asked Questions[edit]
- What does "Zigamorph" mean?
See my Wiktionary article.
A "zigamorph" is a slang computer term for the last character in a binary alphabet where all bits are set to one rather than zero, usually represented in hexadecimal as 0x7F (7-bit), 0xFF (8-bit), 0xFFFF (16-bit), and so on. In the era of paper punched tape, it would be the character that punched all possible holes, such as the ASCII character "DEL" (0x7F). On the classic Teletype Model 33 ASR, to correct an error the tape punch could be backspaced manually and overpunched with a zigamorph, labeled "RUBOUT" on the keyboard, causing the character to be ignored when the tape was subsequently read. The term has fallen out of common use with the decline of computer storage media, such as tape and cards, that involves punching physical holes.
A zigamorph character was also often used as a trailer or marker for end of data, the basis for what I wrote around 2002 when I adopted the pen name: "You can always tell a zigamorph by the element of surprise. You're going along, perfectly happy and content, and then — BAM! You run right smack into a zigamorph, and you know time's up, you've reached the end, game over. Zigamorphs always come upon you when you least expect it, otherwise they just wouldn't be doing their job."
- Where can I imbibe the wit and wisdom of Zigamorph?
See my Live Journal or MySpace.
- What's with that Zigamorph logo, anyway?
It was created as a kind of computer self-portrait in 1992 (when I had more hair) shortly after the release of version 2.0 of IBM's OS/2 computer operating system, done with the included system icon editor. This unusual legacy accounts for its extremely coarse granularity, since it was originally 32x32 pixels.
- Isn't that Zigamorph logo rather... um... egotistical?
Probably, but I'm worth it. I'm really more of a narcissist than an egotist. You should just be glad I'm not a solipsist.
- What are Zigamorph's qualifications to expound upon various encyclopedic subjects?
I read the 1953 edition of the World Book Encyclopedia when I was six years old. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but in retrospect it represented an unwise embarkation upon a lifetime of verbose pomposity. There were annual updates, and I felt an unhealthy precocious nostalgia for having missed the International Geophysical Year.
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