firewall code

2 definitions found

firewall code - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  firewall code
  
     1. The code you put in a system (say, a telephone switch) to
     make sure that the users can't do any damage. Since users
     always want to be able to do everything but never want to
     suffer for any mistakes, the construction of a firewall is a
     question not only of defensive coding but also of interface
     presentation, so that users don't even get curious about those
     corners of a system where they can burn themselves.
  
     2. Any sanity check inserted to catch a can't happen error.
     Wise programmers often change code to fix a bug twice: once to
     fix the bug, and once to insert a firewall which would have
     arrested the bug before it did quite as much damage.
  
     [Jargon File]
  

firewall code - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  firewall code
   n.
  
     1. The code you put in a system (say, a telephone switch) to make
  sure
     that the users can't do any damage. Since users always want to be
  able
     to do everything but never want to suffer for any mistakes, the
     construction of a firewall is a question not only of defensive coding
     but also of interface presentation, so that users don't even get
     curious about those corners of a system where they can burn
     themselves.
  
     2. Any sanity check inserted to catch a can't happen error. Wise
     programmers often change code to fix a bug twice: once to fix the
  bug,
     and once to insert a firewall which would have arrested the bug
  before
     it did quite as much damage.