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The Jargon File, Version 4.0.0, 24 Jul 1996 by Various
page 108 of 773 (13%)
`canonical'.

:card walloper: /n./ An EDP programmer who grinds out batch
programs that do stupid things like print people's paychecks.
Compare {code grinder}. See also {{punched card}},
{eighty-column mind}.

:careware: /keir'weir/ /n./ A variety of {shareware} for
which either the author suggests that some payment be made to a
nominated charity or a levy directed to charity is included on top
of the distribution charge. Syn. {charityware}; compare
{crippleware}, sense 2.

:cargo cult programming: /n./ A style of (incompetent)
programming dominated by ritual inclusion of code or program
structures that serve no real purpose. A cargo cult programmer
will usually explain the extra code as a way of working around some
bug encountered in the past, but usually neither the bug nor the
reason the code apparently avoided the bug was ever fully
understood (compare {shotgun debugging}, {voodoo
programming}).

The term `cargo cult' is a reference to aboriginal religions that
grew up in the South Pacific after World War II. The practices of
these cults center on building elaborate mockups of airplanes and
military style landing strips in the hope of bringing the return of
the god-like airplanes that brought such marvelous cargo during the
war. Hackish usage probably derives from Richard Feynman's
characterization of certain practices as "cargo cult science" in
his book "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" (W. W. Norton
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