What is Hardcode? What is Automatic?

What is Hardcode?
In computer programming or text markup, to hardcode (less frequently, hard code) is to use an explicit rather than a symbolic name for something that is likely to change at a later time. Such coding is sometimes known as hardcode (noun) and it is more difficult to change if it later becomes necessary. In most programming languages, it is possible to equate a symbol with a particular name (which may also represent a number) value. If the name changes, the symbol stays the same and only the equate line of code needs to be changed to reflect the new name. When the program is recompiled, the new name is picked up wherever the symbol occurs in the code. Although there are search-and-replace tools that can change all occurrences of a given name, program code is very unforgiving in case a small error is introduced, and it is safer to have a single place in which such a change can be made. For this reason, hardcoding is usually a practice to be avoided.
Hardcode is also sometimes used in describing more difficult programming languages such as C or C++ rather than such "softcode" languages as Visual Basic.


What is Automatic?
Automatic can mean a lot of things, I assume you mean automagically. Here is the definition, let me if this is not you mean.

Automagically is a term used when the user either doesn't want to go into the technical details of something or doesn't know the details but does know what the end result has to be. The term is sometimes used in planning and design discussions and trade show demonstrations. For example, one might say:
"Our new CD-ROM will put a handy button on your computer desktop automagically. You won't even have to think about it."
The term is a playful variation of automatically.

2007-02-16 15:10:34 補充：
Automatic 不等於 Generic. Automatic是自動的Generic是一般性的兩個都不一樣....