what means an "engine"?

[Hano]

Hi everyone,

Lately i had found that the term "engine" for a code / program its very specific, but i don't grasp it fully yet...

as i understand, a required condition for the term, its that the program loads dynamically the libraries it uses, there are other characteristics involved?

Thanx

[Manish Malik]

Originally posted by Hano
as i understand, a required condition for the term, its that the program loads dynamically the libraries it uses, there are other characteristics involved?

I don't think above is a "required" condition for anything to be called an "engine". Engine is a very broad term ... given to any software module that takes in your input data, does a *LOT* (now here is where the "broadness" of the term figures) of computations (usually complex), and then performs a task OR returns a result to you. Simplest example can be a 3D Engine ... takes in your input to draw certain 3-dimensional figures on the 2-D screen....calculates all the incident light sources angles, reflection parameters,etc.etc. and finally outputs 2D pixel information to the monitor.

You even usually hear the term "Game Engine" (logic and graphic based engines/libraries/modules).