what the heck does vanilla mean

[ndelo]

Ok, yell at me, call me a newbie or a clotz, but I have no idea what vanilla means in reference to a vinalla system. Can anyone help lead me out of the dark. :D

[SubPar]

"Vanilla" refers to a system that doesn't have any extravagant extras. It just means a simple system that gets the job done and nothing more.

[mindwarp.out]

I think it is some kind of racial slurr against white aka "vanilla" people! you racist bastards! I see how it is.. you people all think we are plain... I am taking this one to court..

Mindwarp

[cotfessi]

there aren't any special additions like UDMA66 support, etc.

[skweegie]

hehe mindwarp, you HAD to bring race into the picture ... :)

anyways, "vanilla" in computer lingo is basically synonymous to "default" or "baseline"

so for simple examples:

Hardware:
you buy your overpriced dell model xyz. you DON'T play with clock multipliers, voltages, nor install any add on cards. you just plugged it in when you got it and turn it on and use it day to day. this would be considered a "vanilla" dell xyz configuration.

Software:
when you compile source, you just do a:
./configure; make; make install without adding any options/switches to the configure script nor changed the source code before you ran configure. this would be considered a "vanilla" compile...

comprendes??

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by mindwarp:
I think it is some kind of racial slurr against white aka "vanilla" people! you racist bastards! I see how it is.. you people all think we are plain... I am taking this one to court..

Mindwarp

dude, this is "general", keep that stuff in off-topic and rants, please :)

a generic, off-brand, PC, with no frills is "vanilla"

[ 02 February 2001: Message edited by: FoBoT ]

[Gnu/Vince]

Vanilla is just something with no extrordinary features. Vanilla vi is the orginial vi, which had lots of limitations. Vim is a enhanced-clone. Vanilla is for anything that is simple but from which more complex products appeared

[ndelo]

Thanks for filling me in. :)

[whiterabbit]

Asan old my old (literally ancient) MIS Administrator used to say....

"Keep it simple stupid."

If you've ever inherited a network especially a heterozygous mess (I've inherited serveral) that little or no documentation was done on with custom software, telco systems, highly unconventional yet inventive concepts, etc. Then you know that in the above statement there is MUCH wisdom. I just choose not to follow it.... :D