pgn@osupyr.UUCP (04/14/87)
Here are some of the reponses I received for my message:
"Will someone explain it to me what exactly a "kludge" is?"
From osu-eddie!sarrel Mon Apr 13 15:43:44 1987
From: Marc Sarrel <osu-eddie!sarrel>
Subject: kludge
Well, it has two related meanings, as far as I know. Most of the time,
the word kludge refers to a "quick and dirty" solution to a programming
problem. Kludges in this sense are most often used when the programmer
is running out of time for the project. Again, in this sense, the term
can either refer to bad programming style or to a mistake in the program
that causes errors when the prgram is run.
"Kludge" can also be used to refer to a whole program. In this sense it
means either that the program was not well designed (even if it works
correctly) or that the program has a lot of bugs in it. Hope this helps.
-Marc
From cbosgd!clyde!watmath!watcgl!kdmoen Mon Apr 13 18:37:44 1987
From: Doug Moen <watmath!watcgl!kdmoen>
Subject: Re: kludge
Here is the definition from the Hacker's Dictionary
(my version was last edited 82-11-14)
KLUGE (kloodj) alt. KLUDGE [from the German "kluge", clever] n. 1. A
Rube Goldberg device in hardware or software. 2. A clever
programming trick intended to solve a particular nasty case in an
efficient, if not clear, manner. Often used to repair bugs. Often
verges on being a crock. 3. Something that works for the wrong
reason. 4. v. To insert a kluge into a program. "I've kluged this
routine to get around that weird bug, but there's probably a better
way." Also KLUGE UP. 5. KLUGE AROUND: To avoid by inserting a
kluge. 6. (WPI) A feature which is implemented in a RUDE manner.
PS: In my experience, the word is almost always spelled "kludge".
--
Doug Moen (watmath!watcgl!kdmoen)
University of Waterloo Computer Graphics Lab
From osu-eddie!cbatt!ucbvax!ucbcad!ames!ucla-cs!feldy Mon Apr 13 22:37:17 1987
From: osu-eddie!ucbvax!ucbcad!ames!ucla-cs!feldy (Bob Felderman)
Subject: Re: kludge
The first place I saw the word "kludge" was in the book "Soul of a New Machine"
by Tracy Kidder. Kludge was used at Data General as a term to describe a
hacked up job of design or implementation. Generally it refers to quick and
dirty workarounds of problems as opposed to redesign when necessary.
--
Bob Felderman
3732L Boelter Hall feldy@ats.ucla.edu
University of California ...!{trwspp,sdcrdcf,ihnp4,ucbvax}!ucla-cs!feldy
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(213) 825-2841
From oster@lapis.berkeley.edu Mon Apr 13 22:37:20 1987
From: oster@lapis.berkeley.edu (David Phillip Oster)
Subject: Re: kludge
A kludge is a cleverness, that sort of works, but only by depending on
something it shouldn't be depending on. An example is thunderscan: it
makes assumptions about the ImageWriter Printer's print head motion speed
that turned out to be false when the imagewriter was upgraded.
There is a thin line between elegance and kludginess: it all depends on
how the think about the system the kludge is in: if it depends on an
essential component of the underlying system, the cleverness is elegance.
If it depends on an accidental component of the underlying system, it is a
kludge.
From sppy00!ico!nbires!utah-cs!u!u-cdmorr Mon Apr 13 23:36:41 1987
From: utah-cs!ug.utah.edu!u-cdmorr (Cliff Morrison) <u-cdmorr@u.UUCP>
Subject: Definition of kludge
I am not sure myself, but it seems to be anything written for the IBM PC.
From cbosgd!ecsvax!wmcb Tue Apr 14 05:37:44 1987
From: William C. Bauldry <ecsvax!wmcb>
Message-Id: <8704131900.AA18794@ecsvax>
Subject: kludge
hello again, just saw your posting on the net...
kludge comes from an old electronic term "kludge board" where temporary
circuits were tried - {even that came from something that I don't remember
right now}. The meaning has changed now to indicate (in computers) a routine
that was written to fix a problem as an after the fact add on. Usually it
indicates that the new fix is difficult to understand and shouldn't have been
necessary if the original was correct. Also it comes in when someone uses a
routine or device for something other than the original intention and has to
modify (again after the fact) the device. oops - I'm getting wordy...
Bill
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In addition, I got a very funny story describing the origins of the word
kludge as well. However, I must have failed to save it properly, and it
got lost somewhere.
Thanks to all of you who helped me.
Paul
Have Orthogonal Polynomials
Will Travel
Paul Nevai pgn%osupyr.uucp (PREFERRED)
Department of Mathematics nevai-p@osu-eddie.uucp
The Ohio State University ...!ihnp4!cbatt!osupyr!pgn
231 West Eighteenth Avenue TS1171@OHSTVMA.bitnet
Columbus, OH 43210, U.S.A. 1-614-292-5688