rococo

jargon, abuse Baroque in the extreme. Used to imply that

a program has become so encrusted with the software equivalent

of gold leaf and curlicues that they have completely swamped

the underlying design. Called after the later and more

extreme forms of Baroque architecture and decoration prevalent

during the mid-1700s in Europe. Alan Perlis said: "Every

program eventually becomes rococo, and then rubble."

Compare critical mass.

[Jargon File]

(1996-04-06)