batch

( adj.)

   1.  Non-interactive.  Hackers use this somewhat more loosely than the
   traditional technical definitions justify; in particular, switches on
   a   normally   interactive   program   that  prepare  it  to  receive
   non-interactive  command  input  are  often referred to as batch mode
   switches.  A  batch  file  is  a series of instructions written to be
   handed to an interactive program running in batch mode.

   2.  Performance  of  dreary  tasks all at one sitting. "I finally sat
   down  in batch mode and wrote out checks for all those bills; I guess
   they'll turn the electricity back on next week..."

   3.  batching  up: Accumulation of a number of small tasks that can be
   lumped  together  for  greater  efficiency.  "I'm  batching  up those
   letters  to  send  sometime"  "I'm batching up bottles to take to the
   recycling center."

   

   (The  next cartoon in the Crunchly saga is 76-03-17:5-8. The previous
   one is 76-02-14.)

[glossary]