Toast (computing)
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In software engineering, a toast is a small, informational window displayed by certain kinds of software, especially instant messaging clients such as AOL Instant Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, XFire and Trillian. Toasts notify users of various kinds of events, such as reception of new e-mail, a change in a peer's availability, or a change in network connectivity[1].
An ex-Microsoft employee of Google is credited with coining the term during the development of MSN Messenger, since Messenger's small notification windows slide upward into view, like toast popping out of a toaster [citation needed].
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