3 Nov
2004
3 Nov
'04
9:58 p.m.
On Wed, 2004-11-03 at 22:47 +0100, Wayne Stallwood wrote:
When typed into a bash prompt :(){ :|:&};: I have been told it does bad things so don't try it, is it folklore or does it really do something nasty ?
It's a fork bomb.. read fully it is:
define function called ':' as being the result of calling ':' piped through ':' put into the background. Then call the function ':'
Rapidly spirals into doom.
A common alternative you see floating around is:
_(){_&_}_
D.
--
Daniel Silverstone http://www.digital-scurf.org/
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