(Also known as "BOF".)


An informal session at a conference where people with a common interest that's relatively uncommon at the conference meet to "flock together".  Sun uses the term more loosely to refer to formal sessions at JavaOne where the expected audience is smaller than the main sessions.

From the proverb, ''birds of a feather stick(flock) together''.

See WhatIsBof.

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I believe the term dates back to early IETF (InternetEngineeringTaskForce), where they'd have things like router BOFs, email BOFs, etc.

See also the "net dinners" they used to have at MacWorldExpo, back before everyone was on the net.  (Do they still have these?)

''I recall BOF being used at DECUS meetings in the early '80s. Can anyone confirm?''

''Yes. Like many things it orginated at DEC.''

The term BOF was in common usage at ACM sponsored conferences in the early '70s. 

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CategoryJargon CategoryAcronym