voodoo programming

2 definitions found

voodoo programming - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  voodoo programming
  
     <jargon> (From George Bush's "voodoo economics") The use by
     guess or cookbook of an obscure or hairy system, feature, or
     algorithm that one does not truly understand.  The implication
     is that the technique may not work, and if it doesn't, one
     will never know why.  Almost synonymous with black magic,
     except that black magic typically isn't documented and
     *nobody* understands it.
  
     Compare magic, deep magic, heavy wizardry, rain dance,
     cargo cult programming, wave a dead chicken.
  
     [Jargon File]
  
     (1995-03-10)
  

voodoo programming - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  voodoo programming
   n.
  
     [from George Bush's "voodoo economics"]
  
     1. The use by guess or cookbook of an obscure or hairy system,
     feature, or algorithm that one does not truly understand. The
     implication is that the technique may not work, and if it doesn't,
  one
     will never know why. Almost synonymous with black magic, except
  that
     black magic typically isn't documented and nobody understands it.
     Compare magic, deep magic, heavy wizardry, rain dance, cargo cult programming
     , wave a dead chicken, SCSI voodoo.
  
     2. Things programmers do that they know shouldn't work but they try
     anyway, and which sometimes actually work, such as recompiling
     everything.