display hack

2 definitions found

display hack - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  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)
  

display hack - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  display hack
   n.
  
     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 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 esthetic value of the images times the cleverness
     of the algorithm divided by the size of the code. Syn.
     psychedelicware.