Enchant (software)

Enchant is a free software project developed as part of the AbiWord word processor with the aim of unifying access to the various existing spell-checker software. Enchant wraps a common set of functionality present in a variety of existing products/libraries, and exposes a stable API/ABI for doing so. Where a library doesn't implement some specific functionality, Enchant will emulate it.

Enchant is capable of having multiple backends loaded at once. As of May 2009 it has support for 8 backends:

Enchant is currently licensed under GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL), with an additional permission notice saying that any plugin backend can be loaded and used by Enchant. This ensures that it can use the native spell checkers on various platforms (Mac OS X, Microsoft Office, Amazon Kindle, etc.), and users can use their favorite third-party product to do the job.

Software

Computer software also called a program or simply software is any set of instructions that directs a computer to perform specific tasks or operations. Computer software consists of computer programs, libraries and related non-executable data (such as online documentation or digital media). Computer software is non-tangible, contrasted with computer hardware, which is the physical component of computers. Computer hardware and software require each other and neither can be realistically used without the other.

At the lowest level, executable code consists of machine language instructions specific to an individual processor—typically a central processing unit (CPU). A machine language consists of groups of binary values signifying processor instructions that change the state of the computer from its preceding state. For example, an instruction may change the value stored in a particular storage location in the computer—an effect that is not directly observable to the user. An instruction may also (indirectly) cause something to appear on a display of the computer system—a state change which should be visible to the user. The processor carries out the instructions in the order they are provided, unless it is instructed to "jump" to a different instruction, or interrupted.

Software (novel)

Software is a 1982 cyberpunk science fiction novel written by Rudy Rucker. It won the first Philip K. Dick Award in 1983. The novel is the first book in Rucker's Ware Tetralogy, and was followed by a sequel, Wetware, in 1988.

Plot summary

Software introduces Cobb Anderson as a retired computer scientist who was once tried for treason for figuring out how to give robots artificial intelligence and free will, creating the race of boppers. By 2020, they have created a complex society on the Moon, where the boppers developed because they depend on super-cooled superconducting circuits. In that year, Anderson is a pheezer — a freaky geezer, Rucker's depiction of elderly Baby Boomers — living in poverty in Florida and terrified because he lacks the money to buy a new artificial heart to replace his failing, secondhand one.

As the story begins, Anderson is approached by a robot duplicate of himself who invites him to the Moon to be given immortality. Meanwhile, the series' other main character, Sta-Hi Mooney the 1st — born Stanley Hilary Mooney Jr. — a 25-year-old cab driver and "brainsurfer", is kidnapped by a gang of serial killers known as the Little Kidders who almost eat his brain. When Anderson and Mooney travel to the Moon together at the boppers' expense, they find that these events are closely related: the "immortality" given to Anderson turns out to be having his mind transferred into software via the same brain-destroying technique used by the Little Kidders.

Software (development cooperation)

See also

Further reading

Enchanté

The Enchanté (French: Nice to meet you (Literally: Enchanted)) is a Belgian barge of the spitz category, constructed in 1958 as a trading barge and refitted in 2009 as a luxury hotel barge. She is berthed on the Canal du Midi in south-west France.

Enchanté was built in Oostkamp Belgium and was 39.50m in length. She carried grain, carbon, chemicals and other bulk goods. She was christened Maria and was renamed several times before finally being registered in France under the name Enchanté, in 2009. She is constructed of steel with a high carbon content, which was more common in pre-war barges. Although slightly more brittle, this type of steel has excellent anti-corrosion properties.

Enchanté was purchased by Roger and Louisa Gronow in 2008, for €65,000, still containing some sand from her final cargo. Another €500,000 were spent on renovations.

After the plans were drawn up by the Parisian naval architects Technicarene, Enchanté was transformed at the Chantier Naval de Meuse et Sambre in Belgium in 2008/09. She was reduced to 30.00m in length, to suit the Canal du Midi, with its shorter locks and low curved bridges. She is one of only two midi passenger barges with two interior decks.

Enchant

Enchant may refer to:

See also

Enchant (album)

Enchant is the debut studio album by Emilie Autumn, originally released on February 26, 2003, by Traitor Records and re-released on August 17, 2007 by Trisol Music Group GmbH. The original release included the Enchant Puzzle (see Enchant Puzzle subheading).

There wasn't an official single released for Enchant, although "Chambermaid" was considered the album's only single. The Chambermaid EP was released before Enchant. The song "Castle Down" was featured on the "By the Sword" single.

Enchant Puzzle

The Enchant Puzzle is only available in the original Traitor Records release of Enchant. It was the reverse of a fold out leaflet, consisting of rhymes and pictures. The answer is believed to be a way of contacting Emilie Autumn herself, although there is no concrete proof. The first to solve the puzzle would receive the Faerie Queene's wings, ruff, fan and sceptre. As yet, the puzzle has not been solved.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Emilie Autumn. 

Notes

References