nadger

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing

<jargon> /nad'jr/ [Great Britain] To modify software or hardware in a hidden manner, generally so that it conforms better to some format.

For instance, an assembly code string printing subroutine that takes its string argument from the instruction stream would be called like this:

jsr print:"Hello world"

The print routine would use the saved instruction pointer (its return address) to find its argument and would have to "nadger" it so that the processor returns to the instruction after the string. [Jargon File]

(2014-07-09)

The Jargon File

[UK, from rude slang noun nadgers for testicles; compare American & British bollixed] Of software or hardware (not people), to twiddle some object in a hidden manner, generally so that it conforms better to some format. For instance, string printing routines on 8-bit processors often take the string text from the instruction stream, thus a print call looks like jsr print:"Hello world". The print routine has to nadger the saved instruction pointer so that the processor doesn't try to execute the text as instructions when the subroutine returns. See adger.