Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

Symbolic Link
     
         (SYLK) A standard file format for
        {spreadsheets}, (not to be confused with {symbolic link}).
     
        [Context?  Reference?]
     
        (1999-12-06)

symbolic link
     
         (Or "symlink", "soft link" (by contrast with
        "{hard link}"), "{shortcut}", "{alias}") A special type of
        {Unix} file which refers to another file by its {pathname}.  A
        symbolic link is created with the "ln" (link) command:
     
        	ln -s OLDNAME NEWNAME
     
        Where OLDNAME is the target of the link (usually a pathname)
        and NEWNAME is the pathname of the link itself.
     
        Most operations ({open}, {read}, {write}) on the symbolic link
        automatically {dereference} it and operate on its target
        (OLDNAME).  Some operations (e.g. removing) work on the link
        itself (NEWNAME).
     
        In contrast with {hard links}, there are no restrictions on
        where a symbolic link can point, it can refer to a file on
        another file system, to itself or to a file which does not
        even exist (e.g. when the target of the symlink is removed).
        Such problems will only be detected when the link is accessed.
     
        (1997-10-22)