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<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><title>rain dance</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="../R.html" title="R"/><link rel="previous" href="rabbit-job.html" title="rabbit job"/><link rel="next" href="rainbow-series.html" title="rainbow series"/></head><body><div class="navheader"><table width="100%" summary="Navigation header"><tr><th colspan="3" align="center">rain dance</th></tr><tr><td width="20%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="rabbit-job.html">Prev</a> </td><th width="60%" align="center">R</th><td width="20%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="rainbow-series.html">Next</a></td></tr></table><hr/></div><dt><a id="rain-dance"/><dt xmlns="" id="rain-dance"><b>rain dance</b>: <span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="grammar">n.</span></dt></dt><dd><p> 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. &#8220;<span class="quote">I
can't boot up the machine. We'll have to wait for Greg to do his rain
dance.</span>&#8221; </p></dd><dd><p> 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 <a href="../I/incantation.html"><i class="glossterm">incantation</i></a> or two and
physical activity or motion. Compare <a href="../M/magic.html"><i class="glossterm">magic</i></a>,
<a href="../V/voodoo-programming.html"><i class="glossterm">voodoo programming</i></a>,
<a href="../B/black-art.html"><i class="glossterm">black art</i></a>, <a href="../C/cargo-cult-programming.html"><i class="glossterm">cargo cult programming</i></a>,
<a href="../W/wave-a-dead-chicken.html"><i class="glossterm">wave a dead chicken</i></a>; see also
<a href="../C/casting-the-runes.html"><i class="glossterm">casting the runes</i></a>.</p></dd><div class="navfooter"><hr/><table width="100%" summary="Navigation footer"><tr><td width="40%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="rabbit-job.html">Prev</a> </td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="u" href="../R.html">Up</a></td><td width="40%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="rainbow-series.html">Next</a></td></tr><tr><td width="40%" align="left" valign="top">rabbit job </td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="h" href="../index.html">Home</a></td><td width="40%" align="right" valign="top"> rainbow series</td></tr></table></div></body></html>