In computing, a quine is a program (a form of metaprogram) that produces its complete source code as its only output. For amusement, hackers sometimes attempt to develop the shortest possible quine in any given programming language.

Note that programs which take input are not considered quines. This would allow the source code to be fed to the program via keyboard input, opening the source file of the program, and similar mechanisms. Also, a quine which contains no code is ruled out as trivial; in many programming languages executing such a program will output the code (i.e. nothing). Such an empty program once won the "worst abuse of the rules" prize in the Obfuscated C contest (indeed, an empty program is not legal ISO C since it has no main() function, so many compilers will reject it).

Quines are named after philosopher Willard Van Orman Quine (1908–2000), who made an extensive study of indirect self-reference: he coined, among others, the paradox-producing expression, "yields falsehood when appended to its own quotation."

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@joanmercadal jajaja quines reflexions més bones! m'ha agradat lo de sa seguretat social! ;)
carlesmascaro (Carles Mascaró Pons) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:41:08 -0000
@joanmercadal jajaja quines reflexions més bones! m'ha agradat lo de sa seguretat social! ;)
This month I am eating: beetroot, leeks, chicory, cavolo nero, pumpkin, English apples, quines, walnuts, mussels, pollack, late season lamb.
savvycook (Monique) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:26:41 -0000
This month I am eating: beetroot, leeks, chicory, cavolo nero, pumpkin, English apples, quines, walnuts, mussels, pollack, late season lamb.
@martaabella quines reunions més rares que fas... deu ser perque tindràs un MBA
ferranbdn (ferranbdn) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:11:56 -0000
@martaabella quines reunions més rares que fas... deu ser perque tindràs un MBA
RT @yuribcn: Però això què és?! Quines hores son aquestes?! A veure qui es lleva abans, o què?!!! ;-) Ora et Labora ....
cristofoljosep (Cristòfol-Josep) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:33:32 -0000
RT @yuribcn: Però això què és?! Quines hores son aquestes?! A veure qui es lleva abans, o què?!!! ;-) Ora et Labora ....
Però això què és?! Quines hores son aquestes?! A veure qui es lleva abans, o què?!!! ;-)
yuribcn (YuriBCN aka JordiVK) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:32:28 -0000
Però això què és?! Quines hores son aquestes?! A veure qui es lleva abans, o què?!!! ;-)
Odio facebook y a quines se pasan TODO el dia enajenados en los juego estupidos de esta red "social". Le pudre el cerebro a la gente.
aquiles_voy (Carlos VD) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:45:40 -0000
Odio facebook y a quines se pasan TODO el dia enajenados en los juego estupidos de esta red "social". Le pudre el cerebro a la gente.

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