JargonFile/original/html/G/green-lightning.html
2014-03-27 18:54:56 +00:00

13 lines
2.4 KiB
HTML
Raw Blame History

This file contains invisible Unicode characters

This file contains invisible Unicode characters that are indistinguishable to humans but may be processed differently by a computer. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1" standalone="no"?>
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><title>green lightning</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="../../jargon.css" type="text/css"/><meta name="generator" content="DocBook XSL Stylesheets V1.61.0"/><link rel="home" href="../index.html" title="The Jargon File"/><link rel="up" href="../G.html" title="G"/><link rel="previous" href="green-card.html" title="green card"/><link rel="next" href="green-machine.html" title="green machine"/></head><body><div class="navheader"><table width="100%" summary="Navigation header"><tr><th colspan="3" align="center">green lightning</th></tr><tr><td width="20%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="green-card.html">Prev</a> </td><th width="60%" align="center">G</th><td width="20%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="green-machine.html">Next</a></td></tr></table><hr/></div><dt><a id="green-lightning"/><dt xmlns="" id="green-lightning"><b>green lightning</b>: <span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="grammar">n.</span></dt></dt><dd><p> [IBM] </p></dd><dd><p> 1. Apparently random flashing streaks on the face of 3278-9
terminals while a new symbol set is being downloaded. This hardware bug
was left deliberately unfixed, as some genius within IBM suggested it would
let the user know that &#8216;something is happening&#8217;. That, it
certainly does. Later microprocessor-driven IBM color graphics displays
were actually <span class="emphasis"><em>programmed</em></span> to produce green lightning!
</p></dd><dd><p> 2. [proposed] Any bug perverted into an alleged feature by adroit
rationalization or marketing. &#8220;<span class="quote">Motorola calls the CISC cruft in the
88000 architecture &#8216;compatibility logic&#8217;, but I call it green
lightning</span>&#8221;. See also <a href="../F/feature.html"><i class="glossterm">feature</i></a> (sense
6).</p></dd><div class="navfooter"><hr/><table width="100%" summary="Navigation footer"><tr><td width="40%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="green-card.html">Prev</a> </td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="u" href="../G.html">Up</a></td><td width="40%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="green-machine.html">Next</a></td></tr><tr><td width="40%" align="left" valign="top">green card </td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="h" href="../index.html">Home</a></td><td width="40%" align="right" valign="top"> green machine</td></tr></table></div></body></html>