filter

	This is the JargonFile ^(V4.00) entry for filter - Next: Finagle's Law, Prev: film at 11
:filter: /n./ [orig. [[[[Unix]]]], now also in [[MS-DOS]]] A program that processes an input data stream into an output data stream in some well-defined way, and does no I/O to anywhere else except possibly on error conditions; one designed to be used as a stage in a pipeline (see plumbing). Compare sponge.
* (text is auto-included via JargonExtension by mutante using jargon with VERSION 4.0.0, 24 JUL 1996* - JargonFile by Eric S. Raymond is in the public domain)*