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What does the word "vector" mean when it's used as a computer term? I can't see a very strong apparent connection with physics vectors or math vectors.
From the C++ type "vector" to "vector tables" and "status vectors" and "vectored interrupts", all I can get is that it's loosely synonymous with "stored in a contiguous or connected region of memory" or "array".
Looking it up in my dictionary isn't much help, either. Is anyone familiar with its etymology?
Yes, it means something akin to array, but from a strict data type standpoint in C, an "array" is a type with specific capabilities and limitations, thus a new word was needed.
A vector table is something akin to a branch table, if you are familiar with Assembler programming. In this sense, a vector (an offset in the table) is a pointer to something, sometimes a piece of code to execute or it could just be data.
Todd
And there is the math term, too, in terms of coordinates.