rococo
     
         {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)