title: What does this bash code mean :(){ :|:& };:
body: <p>An assignment for a class is to describe in one or two sentences what this line means and does   </p>
  
  <pre><code>:(){ :|:&amp; };:
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>From messing around with it it seems like the only part of it that works on its own is the <code>:|:&amp;</code> part which displays a number and then displays an extra line after every future command entered.</p>
  
  <p>Just running the line creates a constant stream of "bash fork retry resource temporarily unavailable" running as a background process. </p>
  
  <p>Running it as root displayed the number again and then made redhat freeze. </p>