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<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><title>burn-in period</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="../../jargon.css" type="text/css"/><meta name="generator" content="DocBook XSL Stylesheets V1.61.0"/><link rel="home" href="../index.html" title="The Jargon File"/><link rel="up" href="../B.html" title="B"/><link rel="previous" href="burn-a-CD.html" title="burn a CD"/><link rel="next" href="burst-page.html" title="burst page"/></head><body><div class="navheader"><table width="100%" summary="Navigation header"><tr><th colspan="3" align="center">burn-in period</th></tr><tr><td width="20%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="burn-a-CD.html">Prev</a> </td><th width="60%" align="center">B</th><td width="20%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="burst-page.html">Next</a></td></tr></table><hr/></div><dt><a id="burn-in-period"/><dt xmlns="" id="burn-in-period"><b>burn-in period</b>: <span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="grammar">n.</span></dt></dt><dd><p> 1. A factory test designed to catch systems with
<a href="../M/marginal.html"><i class="glossterm">marginal</i></a> components before they get out the door;
the theory is that burn-in will protect customers by outwaiting the
steepest part of the <a href="bathtub-curve.html"><i class="glossterm">bathtub curve</i></a> (see
<a href="../I/infant-mortality.html"><i class="glossterm">infant mortality</i></a>). </p></dd><dd><p> 2. A period of indeterminate length in which a person using a
computer is so intensely involved in his project that he forgets basic
needs such as food, drink, sleep, etc. Warning: Excessive burn-in can lead
to burn-out. See <a href="../H/hack-mode.html"><i class="glossterm">hack mode</i></a>,
<a href="../L/larval-stage.html"><i class="glossterm">larval stage</i></a>.</p></dd><dd><p>Historical note: the origin of &#8220;<span class="quote">burn-in</span>&#8221; (sense 1) is
apparently the practice of setting a new-model airplane's brakes on fire,
then extinguishing the fire, in order to make them hold better. This was
done on the first version of the U.S. spy-plane, the U-2.</p></dd><div class="navfooter"><hr/><table width="100%" summary="Navigation footer"><tr><td width="40%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="burn-a-CD.html">Prev</a> </td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="u" href="../B.html">Up</a></td><td width="40%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="burst-page.html">Next</a></td></tr><tr><td width="40%" align="left" valign="top">burn a CD </td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="h" href="../index.html">Home</a></td><td width="40%" align="right" valign="top"> burst page</td></tr></table></div></body></html>