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From: Lars Brinkhoff <lars@nocrew.org>
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Subject: [COFF] Re: Terminology query - 'system process'?
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For the record, daring to stray outside Unix, ITS originally had a
"system job", and later split off a "core job".  Both running in monitor
mode.  Job means the same thing as process here, and monitor same as
kernel.

--- >8 --- cut and stop reading here --- >8 --- off topic --- >8 ---

In ITS terminology, "demon" means a (user space) process that is started
on demand by the system.  This could be due to an external event (say, a
network connection), or another process indicating a need for a service.
The demon may go away right after it has done its job, or linger around
for a while.

There's a separate term "dragon" which means a continuously running
background process.