Subscription

In the Jabber open-source instant messaging system, indicates a relationship between two users involving the transfer of presence information. If Alice subscribes to Bob, Alice will receive presence messages from Bob indicating Bob's current status. Subscriptions are frequently bidirectional (e.g. Bob subscribes to Alice as well), but need not be.

Subscriptions are managed by using <presence/> elements with a "type=" attribute of "subscribe" (to request a new subscription), "subscribed" (to acknowledge a new subscription), "unsubscribe" (to request the removal of a subscription) or "unsubscribed" (to acknowledge the subscription's removal). Subscription information is also stored as a "subscription=" attribute on roster items for a user.

In online discussion or code, the term "subscription" is often abbreviated "S10N".

Sub*scrip"tion (?), n. [L. subscriptio: cf. F. souscription.]

1.

The act of subscribing.

2.

That which is subscribed.

Specifically: (a)

A paper to which a signature is attached.

(b)

The signature attached to a paper.

(c)

Consent or attestation by underwriting the name.

(d)

Sum subscribed; amount of sums subscribed; as, an individual subscription to a fund.

3. Eccl.

The acceptance of articles, or other tests tending to promote uniformity; esp. Ch. of Eng., formal assent to the Thirty-nine Articles and the Book of Common Prayer, required before ordination.

4.

Submission; obedience.

[Obs.]

You owe me no subscription. Shak.

5. Pharm.

That part of a prescription which contains the direction to the apothecary.

<-- 6.

A method of purchasing items produced periodically in a series, as newspapers or magazines, in which a certain number of the items are delivered as produced, without need for ordering each item individually; also, the purchase thus executed.

The right to attend a series of public performances of ballet, opera, or music are also often sold by subscription. The payment for a subscription may be made prior to delivery of any items (common with magazines and performances), or after a certain number of the items have been delivered (common with newspapers or works of art produced in a series).

7. An application to purchase a certain number of securities to be delivered when they are newly issued. -->

 

© Webster 1913.