rain dance

3 definitions found

rain dance - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  rain dance
      n 1: a ritual dance intended to bring rain

rain dance - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  rain dance
  
     1. Any ceremonial action taken to correct a hardware problem,
     with the expectation that nothing will be accomplished.  This
     especially applies to reseating printed circuit boards,
     reconnecting cables, etc.  "I can't boot up the machine.
     We'll have to wait for Greg to do his rain dance."
  
     2. Any arcane sequence of actions performed with computers or
     software in order to achieve some goal; the term is usually
     restricted to rituals that include both an incantation or
     two and physical activity or motion.
  
     Compare magic, voodoo programming, black art, cargo cult programming
     , wave a dead chicken.
  
     [Jargon File]
  
     (1995-02-09)
  

rain dance - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  rain dance
   n.
  
     1. Any ceremonial action taken to correct a hardware problem, with
  the
     expectation that nothing will be accomplished. This especially
  applies
     to reseating printed circuit boards, reconnecting cables, etc. "I
     can't boot up the machine. We'll have to wait for Greg to do his rain
     dance."
  
     2. Any arcane sequence of actions performed with computers or
  software
     in order to achieve some goal; the term is usually restricted to
     rituals that include both an incantation or two and physical
     activity or motion. Compare magic, voodoo programming, black art
     , cargo cult programming, wave a dead chicken; see also
     casting the runes.