hamster

1. programming (From Fairchild) A particularly slick

little piece of code that does one thing well; a small,

self-contained hack. The image is of a hamster happily

spinning its exercise wheel.

2. hardware A tailless mouse; that is, one with an infrared

link to a receiver on the machine, as opposed to the

conventional cable.

3. product (UK) Any item of hardware made by Amstrad, a

company famous for its cheap plastic PC-almost-compatibles.

[Jargon File]

(1995-02-16)