Nil
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In colloquial language, nil as an abbreviation of the Latin word "nihil" (nothing) is sometimes used to express disagreement.
In some computer programming languages, nil is used to indicate an invalid or uninitialized variable (see also Null). In this context it was first used in the LISP programming language and is an abbreviation for "not in list".
There is also a mock programming language called Nil which is in fact a technical joke. Here the word seems to derive from Nihilism.
Nil is also the name of an improvisational psychedelic rock band from Amherst, Massachussetts. Formed in March 1998, the founding members of Nil are Brendan Devlin(b.1972), Matthew Schmill(b.1972) and Thomas Adams(b.1969). Nil achieved great popularity on the internet as early competitors in the online songwriting competition Song Fight! from which they retired as undefeated champions. Nil has remained defunct since 2003.
Links
- The Nil Programming Language (http://www.kolmio.com/sascha/index.php?id=nil)
- Nil Music Homepage (http://www.nilmusic.com)