display hack

graphics A program with the same approximate purpose as a

kaleidoscope: to make pretty pictures. Famous display hacks

include munching squares, smoking clover, the BSD Unix

"rain(6)" program, "worms(6)" on miscellaneous Unixes, and the

X "kaleid(1)" program. Display hacks can also be

implemented without programming by creating text files

containing numerous escape sequences for interpretation by a

video terminal; one notable example displayed, on any VT100, a

Christmas tree with twinkling lights and a toy train circling

its base. The hack value of a display hack is proportional

to the aesthetic value of the images times the cleverness of

the algorithm divided by the size of the code. Synonym

psychedelicware.

[Jargon File]

(1995-05-10)