supporter

n 1: a person who backs a politician or a team etc.; "all their

supporters came out for the game"; "they are friends of

the library" [syn: {protagonist}, {champion}, {admirer},

{booster}, {friend}]

2: someone who supports or champions something [syn: {patron},

{sponsor}]

3: a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or

furtherance of an effort or purpose; "my invaluable

assistant"; "they hired additional help to finish the

work" [syn: {assistant}, {helper}, {help}]

4: a band (usually elastic) worn around the leg to hold up a

stocking (or around the arm to hold up a sleeve) [syn: {garter}]

support

After-sale handholding; something many software vendors

promise but few deliver. To hackers, most support people are

useless - because by the time a hacker calls support he or she

will usually know the software and the relevant manuals better

than the support people (sadly, this is ▫not▫ a joke or

exaggeration). A hacker's idea of "support" is a t�te-�-t�te

or exchange of {electronic mail} with the software's designer.

[{Jargon File}]

(1995-02-15)