green lightning

[IBM] 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

"something is happening". That, it certainly does. Later

microprocessor-driven IBM colour graphics displays were

actually *programmed* to produce green lightning!

2. [proposed] Any bug perverted into an alleged feature by

adroit rationalisation or marketing. "Motorola calls the CISC

cruft in the 88000 architecture "compatibility logic", but I

call it green lightning". See also feature.