Article View: comp.sys.mac
Article #15681Re: Kludge
From: Mike Wilber
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1987 01:58
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1987 01:58
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The following defninition comes from the ARPANet Hacker's Dictionary, as of
11/82 (it may be old, but this definition is still pretty good):
KLUGE (kloodj) alt. KLUDGE [from the German "kluge", clever] n. 1. A
Rube Goldberg device in hardware or software. 2. A clever
programming trick intended to solve a particular nasty case in an
efficient, if not clear, manner. Often used to repair bugs. Often
verges on being a crock. 3. Something that works for the wrong
reason. 4. v. To insert a kluge into a program. "I've kluged this
routine to get around that weird bug, but there's probably a better
way." Also KLUGE UP. 5. KLUGE AROUND: To avoid by inserting a
kluge. 6. (WPI) A feature which is implemented in a RUDE manner.
The Hacker's Dictionary also states that
(The following terms are all used to describe programs or portions
thereof, except for the first two, which are included for completeness.)
CRASH STOPPAGE BUG SCREW LOSS MISFEATURE
CROCK KLUGE HACK WIN FEATURE PERFECTION
(The last is never actually attained.)
-- David D. Levine, formerly of Tektronix, now of Intel
...{decvax,ihnp4,hplabs}!tektronix!ogcvax!inteloa!inteloe!davidl
...fyi, this message came with the following header...(i tried to make this
article's header simulate his having sent it directly, please forgive me if i
confused your news reader)...
From mkhaw Tue Apr 21 17:01:28 1987
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 87 17:01:27 pst
From: mkhaw (Michael Khaw)
To: mwilber
Subject: uucp - wrong one last time
Status: R
>From ctnews!pyramid!oliveb!intelca!mipos3!inteloe!davidl Fri Apr 17 13:05:45 1987 remote from sri-unix
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To: omepd!mipos3!intelca!oliveb!pyramid!ctnews!sri-unix!teknowledge-vaxc!mwilber
Subject: Re: Re: kludge
In-Reply-To: Your message of 16 Apr 87 03:35:17 GMT.
<11848@teknowledge-vaxc.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 87 09:16:49 PST
From: David D. Levine <sri-unix!mipos3!inteloe!davidl>
I'd like to post this, but I can't (well, not easily). Would you please?
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Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!sri-unix!teknowledge-vaxc!mwilber From: mwilber@teknowledge-vaxc.ARPA (Mike Wilber) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: Kludge Message-ID: <12023@teknowledge-vaxc.ARPA> Date: Tue, 21-Apr-87 20:58:22 EST Article-I.D.: teknowle.12023 Posted: Tue Apr 21 20:58:22 1987 Date-Received: Thu, 23-Apr-87 03:16:18 EST Reply-To: sri-unix!mipos3!inteloe!davidl (David D. Levine) Distribution: world Organization: Teknowledge, Inc., Palo Alto CA Lines: 52