format of article reference

[Mike Shannon]

Here is an example where someone is citing an article,
and I was wondering why so many people post articles
in this format?  Is this format the input or output
of a popular 'biblio search' program?

Thanks!
----format follows-----

@ARTICLE{stryker:91,
    AUTHOR = {Michael P. Stryker},
    TITLE = {Seeing the Whole Picture},
    JOURNAL = {Current Biology},
    YEAR = 1991,
    VOLUME = {1},
    NUMBER = {4},
    PAGES = {252--253},
}

	Mike Shannon shannon at esd.sgi.com