Strawman

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

strawman
    n 1: a person used as a cover for some questionable activity
         [syn: {front man}, {front}, {figurehead}, {nominal head},
         {straw man}, {strawman}]
    2: a weak or sham argument set up to be easily refuted [syn:
       {straw man}, {strawman}]
    3: an effigy in the shape of a man to frighten birds away from
       seeds [syn: {scarecrow}, {straw man}, {strawman}, {bird-
       scarer}, {scarer}]

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

Strawman

   The first of the series of {DoD} requirements that led to
   {Ada} ({Woodenman}, {Tinman}, {Ironman}, {Steelman}).
   Strawman was produced by the {HOLWG} in Apr 1975.

   (1995-01-30)