hack value

2 definitions found

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

  hack value
  
     Often adduced as the reason or motivation for expending effort
     toward a seemingly useless goal, the point being that the
     accomplished goal is a hack.  For example, MacLISP had
     features for reading and printing Roman numerals, which were
     installed purely for hack value.  See display hack for one
     method of computing hack value, but this cannot really be
     explained, only experienced.  As Louis Armstrong once said
     when asked to explain jazz: "Man, if you gotta ask you'll
     never know."  (Feminists please note Fats Waller's explanation
     of rhythm: "Lady, if you got to ask you ain't got it.")
  

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

  hack value
   n.
  
     Often adduced as the reason or motivation for expending effort toward
     a seemingly useless goal, the point being that the accomplished goal
     is a hack. For example, MacLISP had features for reading and printing
     Roman numerals, which were installed purely for hack value. See
     display hack for one method of computing hack value, but this
  cannot
     really be explained, only experienced. As Louis Armstrong once said
     when asked to explain jazz: "Man, if you gotta ask you'll never
  know."
     (Feminists please note Fats Waller's explanation of rhythm: "Lady, if
     you got to ask, you ain't got it.")