BIT BASHING
\bˈɪt bˈaʃɪŋ], \bˈɪt bˈaʃɪŋ], \b_ˈɪ_t b_ˈa_ʃ_ɪ_ŋ]\
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(Also "bit diddling" or bit twiddling). Any of severalkinds of low-level programming characterised by manipulationof bit, flag, nibble, and othersmaller-than-character-sized pieces of data. These includelow-level device control, encryption algorithms, checksum anderror-correcting codes, hash functions, some flavours ofgraphics programming (see bitblt), and assembler/compilercode generation. May connote either tedium or a realtechnical challenge (more usually the former). "The commanddecoding for the new tape driver looks pretty solid but thebit-bashing for the control registers still has bugs." Seealso bit bang, mode bit.
By Denis Howe
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