for free

Said of a capability of a programming language or hardware

equipment that is available by its design without needing

cleverness to implement: "In APL, we get the matrix operations

for free." "And owing to the way revisions are stored in this

system, you get revision trees for free." The term usually

refers to a serendipitous feature of doing things a certain

way (compare big win), but it may refer to an intentional

but secondary feature.

[Jargon File]

(1994-12-14)