Usable, but only just so; not very robust; for internal use only.
Said of a program or device. Often connotes that the thing will be
made more solid {Real Soon Now}. This term comes from the ensemble
name of the original cast of Saturday Night Live, the "Not Ready for
Prime Time Players". It has extra flavor for hackers because of the
special (though now semi-obsolescent) meaning of {prime time}.
Compare {beta}.
[glossary]