dirtball

(XEROX PARC) A small, perhaps struggling outsider; not in

the major or even the minor leagues. For example, "Xerox is

not a dirtball company".

Outsiders often observe in the PARC culture an institutional

arrogance which usage of this term exemplifies. The

brilliance and scope of PARC's contributions to computer

science have been such that this superior attitude is not much

resented. - ESR

[Jargon File]

(1994-12-07)