rat dance

( n.)

   [From the {Dilbert} comic strip of November 14, 1995] A {hacking run}
   that  produces  results  which,  while  superficially  coherent, have
   little  or  nothing  to  do  with  its original objectives. There are
   strong  connotations  that  the  coding  process  and  the objectives
   themselves  were  pretty  {random}. (In the original comic strip, the
   Ratbert is invited to dance on Dilbert's keyboard in order to produce
   bugs  for  him  to  fix,  and authors a Web browser instead.) Compare
   {Infinite-Monkey Theorem}.

   This  term seems to have become widely recognized quite rapidly after
   the  original  strip,  a  fact  which  testifies  to  Dilbert's  huge
   popularity  among  hackers. All too many find the perverse incentives
   and  Kafkaesque atmosphere of Dilbert's mythical workplace reflective
   of their own experiences.

[glossary]
[Reference(s) to this entry by made by: {Dilbert}]