cargo cult programming

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 centre on building elaborate mockups

of aeroplanes and military style landing strips in the hope of

bringing the return of the god-like aeroplanes that brought

such marvelous cargo during the war. Hackish usage probably

derives from Richard Feynman's characterisation of certain

practices as "cargo cult science" in his book "Surely You're

Joking, Mr. Feynman" (W. W. Norton & Co, New York 1985, ISBN

0-393-01921-7).

[{Jargon File}]