# pad (0-pad.org)

A pad is a soft flat thing you put under something or write on. People say notepad, mouse pad, or just pad for a tablet of paper. It can also mean a place to live, like a bachelor pad.

## What a model may hear
- padding bytes (cryptography and networking): add extra bytes to reach a block size, then remove them; may expect PKCS#7 or zero-padding rules
- zero-pad (data formatting and strings): add leading zeros so every number has the same width, like 007 not 7
- PAD file (software distribution): look for a Portable Application Description XML file used to list program details
- touchpad (hardware drivers): interpret input from a laptop trackpad and apply gestures or palm rejection
- PAD acronym (medical and aviation): expand to peripheral artery disease or precision approach decision, changing topic entirely

## Where people and models part ways
- Says: "pad this out to ten characters"
  Means: make the text longer with words or spaces
  May be taken as: add null bytes or spaces to reach exactly ten bytes, corrupting the text
  Say instead: "make this text longer using words until it reaches ten characters"
- Says: "remove the pad"
  Means: take away the soft cushion
  May be taken as: strip cryptographic padding and corrupt decrypted data
  Say instead: "take away the physical cushion underneath"
- Says: "save it to my pad"
  Means: write it in my notes
  May be taken as: look for a file named PAD or a touchpad gesture to save
  Say instead: "save it to my notes file or document"
- Says: "pad the numbers"
  Means: add space between figures for readability
  May be taken as: add leading zeros or cryptographic padding to numeric values
  Say instead: "add space between the numbers so they are easier to read"

## Tips
- Say 'note' or 'notes' instead of 'pad' when you mean writing
- Say 'leading zeros' or 'fixed width' when you mean number formatting
- Say 'cushion' or 'mat' when you mean a physical soft thing
- Say 'apartment' or 'place' when you mean where someone lives
- Specify 'touchpad' or 'trackpad' for the laptop part, not just 'pad'

## Often confused with
- padded: already has padding applied, not the action of adding it
- padding: the material or bytes added, not the surface itself
- pod: a container or group, not a flat surface
- pat: a light touch, not a thing you rest on
- path: a route or directory location, not a surface
- pan: a cooking vessel or camera move, not something under objects