теперь серьезно.
http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=daemon&gwp=13
[from Maxwell's Demon, later incorrectly retronymed as ‘Disk And Execution MONitor’] A program that is not invoked explicitly, but lies dormant waiting for some condition(s) to occur. The idea is that the perpetrator of the condition need not be aware that a daemon is lurking (though often a program will commit an action only because it knows that it will implicitly invoke a daemon).
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Daemon and demon are often used interchangeably, but seem to have distinct connotations.Теперь из Википедии:
http://www.answers.com/topic/daemon-computer-software
The term was coined by the programmers of MIT's Project MAC. They took the name from Maxwell's daemon, an imaginary being from a famous thought experiment that constantly works in the background, sorting molecules. Unix systems inherited this terminology. Daemons are also characters in Greek mythology, some of whom handled tasks that the gods couldn't be bothered with, much like computer daemons often handle tasks in the background that the user can't be bothered with.
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In the Unix System Administration Handbook, Evi Nemeth has this to say about daemons: "Many people equate the word daemon with the word demon, implying some kind of Satanic connection between UNIX and the underworld. This is an egregious misunderstanding. Daemon is actually a much older form of demon; daemons have no particular bias towards good or evil, but rather serve to help define a person's character or personality. The ancient Greeks' concept of a personal daemon was similar to the modern concept of a guardian angel --- eudaemonia is the state of being helped or protected by a kindly spirit. As a rule, UNIX systems seem to be infested with both daemons and demons." (p403)
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