/dev/null

In Unix (and Unix-like) operating systems, the /dev/null file is a container that disposes all data written to it, and returns nothing when read from, except the End of File (EOF) character. Because it is located in the /dev, or device, directory, it is commonly known as the 'null device'. Other synonyms include the 'black hole' and the 'bit bucket'.

It is commonly used for erasing unwanted data steams, and has oft been used in jokes and puns. For instance, the original BSD Daemon, drawn by Phil Foglio, featured a demon standing near a 'bit bucket'.