Talk:mask

Another computing sense?

We have the sense "a pattern of bits used in bitwise operations; bitmask"; however, I think it can be more general, suggesting we need another sense, or a single sense encompassing both. The missing sense is something like ####-###-#### for a telephone number, where the user can type any digits for the # signs, but cannot change the fixed dashes. So the general sense is something analogous to a physical "mask" with holes cut out, where the holes are the variable parts, and the solid parts are constant. Equinox ◑ 19:48, 9 June 2015 (UTC)