elephantine

Used of programs or systems that are both conspicuous hogs

(owing perhaps to poor design founded on brute force andignorance) and exceedingly hairy in source form. An

elephantine program may be functional and even friendly, but

(as in the old joke about being in bed with an elephant) it's

tough to have around all the same (and, like a pachyderm,

difficult to maintain). In extreme cases, hackers have been

known to make trumpeting sounds or perform expressive

proboscatory mime at the mention of the offending program.

Usage: semi-humorous. Compare "has the elephant nature" and

the somewhat more pejorative monstrosity. See also

second-system effect and baroque.

[Jargon File]