Rambles around computer science

What kind of framework is that?

The word “framework” continually pops up in computer science literature, particularly in the fields of software engineering and distributed systems. The most essential aspect of its meaning is clear: a framework is something which confers structure but not content. Unfortunately, any given use of the word will usually have a more specific intention -- but it's often unclear what kind of “thing” an author is talking about, and what exactly the “structure” and “content” might be. Principally this is because authors often don't define the term when they use it -- but even when they do, they can have remarkably different definitions.