Definition: buffer flush

The transfer of data from memory (RAM) to storage. Whenever a document is saved, the program writes the contents of a reserved area of RAM (the buffer) to the hard disk or SSD. It flushes the buffer. See buffer, buffer overflow and buffering.

Go Flush Your Cold Buffer!
Try this on your colleagues. Tell them to "go flush their cold buffers!" A cold buffer is a memory area that either contains stale data or unsaved data (not yet flushed to storage).

Better yet, say "go flush your cold buffer into your scuzzy dazdy" (SCSI DASD), which means "save your data to your SCSI drive" (see SCSI and DASD). SCSI drives are typically not used in desktop computers today, but so what... the most important thing is that you say this without cracking a smile. The more technical your colleagues, the more puzzled their reactions. See how to spoof your techie friends.

Go Flush

Alan Freedman, author of this encyclopedia, coined the buffer flush statement and has had several T-shirts made over the years. People don't know what to make of it.