Environment variable

Environment variables are a set of dynamic named values that can affect the way running processes will behave on a computer.

They are part of the environment in which a process runs. For example, a running process can query the value of the TEMP environment variable to discover a suitable location to store temporary files, or the HOME or USERPROFILE variable to find the directory structure owned by the user running the process.

They were introduced in their modern form in 1979 with Version 7 Unix, so are included in all Unix operating system flavors and variants from that point onward including Linux and OS X. From PC DOS 2.0 in 1982, all succeeding Microsoft operating systems including Microsoft Windows, and OS/2 also have included them as a feature, although with somewhat different syntax, usage and standard variable names.

Details

In all Unix and Unix-like systems, each process has its own separate set of environment variables. By default, when a process is created, it inherits a duplicate environment of its parent process, except for explicit changes made by the parent when it creates the child. At the API level, these changes must be done between running fork and exec. Alternatively, from command shells such as bash, a user can change environment variables for a particular command invocation by indirectly invoking it via env or using the ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE=VALUE <command> notation. All Unix operating system flavors, DOS, and Windows have environment variables; however, they do not all use the same variable names. A running program can access the values of environment variables for configuration purposes.

Randomness

Randomness is the lack of pattern or predictability in events. A random sequence of events, symbols or steps has no order and does not follow an intelligible pattern or combination. Individual random events are by definition unpredictable, but in many cases the frequency of different outcomes over a large number of events (or "trials") is predictable. For example, when throwing two dice, the outcome of any particular roll is unpredictable, but a sum of 7 will occur twice as often as 4. In this view, randomness is a measure of uncertainty of an outcome, rather than haphazardness, and applies to concepts of chance, probability, and information entropy.

The fields of mathematics, probability, and statistics use formal definitions of randomness. In statistics, a random variable is an assignment of a numerical value to each possible outcome of an event space. This association facilitates the identification and the calculation of probabilities of the events. Random variables can appear in random sequences. A random process is a sequence of random variables whose outcomes do not follow a deterministic pattern, but follow an evolution described by probability distributions. These and other constructs are extremely useful in probability theory and the various applications of randomness.

Random (Lady Sovereign song)

"Random" is the first CD single from UK hip hop artist Lady Sovereign, following the release of her 12" vinyl single "Ch Ching (Cheque 1 2)" in 2004. It was her second and last single for Casual Records in 2005.

The single was Lady Sovereign's first to make the UK top 75, peaking at #73 there and spending one week within the top 75. After the single release, she was signed by Def Jam Recordings and this single is considered to be her breakthrough into the mainstream market.

"Random" was featured on an episode of The O.C. aired on April 27, 2006, playing in the background during the senior prom in Season 3, Episode 23 - "The Party Favor" and was featured as a track on Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix. A remix of this song was played on the "Jamalot" episode of CSI: NY.

The first rapped line in the song references the hit song "Tipsy" by J-Kwon.

Track listing

The Remixes - 12" Promo single

Activate

Activate is an independent student news organisation at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa. They produce a publication once a month and curate a news website.

History

Activate was established in 1947 as Rhodeo, and during apartheid became an active part of the struggle for freedom of expression as part of the now defunct South African Student Press Union.Activate is now committed to informing students about issues relevant to their lives, mainly on campus. The newspaper is run entirely by the students and is published every second week during term time. The newspaper receives a grant from the Student Representative Council but a large portion of its revenue is generated through advertising.

Leadership

The staff is divided into executive and editorial teams, which oversee management and content production respectively. The members of these teams are selected each year by an editorial board made up of the outgoing editor and deputy editor, one other outgoing senior staff member (usually the editorial consultant), the station manager of Rhodes Music Radio and various staff members from the Rhodes School of Journalism and Media Studies. Traditionally the senior staff serve a one year term of office.

Activate (album)

Activate is the fourth studio album by Back Door, released in 1976 by Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Carl Palmer, known for his drumming in the bands Atomic Rooster and ELP. Original member Tony Hicks had left the band before recording the album and had been replaced by Adrian Tilbrook on drums. After the release of Activate, the band played less and less together, and eventually broke up around 1977.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Ron Aspery and Colin Hodgkinson, except "Thru the Zig Zag Gate", "Train Won't Blow" and "Eliminate" co-written with Adrian Tilbrook. 

Personnel

Adapted from the Another Fine Mess liner notes.

Release history

References

External links