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blinkenlights

   on a computer, esp. a dinosaur.  Derives from the last word
   of the famous blackletter-Gothic sign in mangled pseudo-German that
   once graced about half the computer rooms in the English-speaking
   world.  One version ran in its entirety as follows:


              ACHTUNG!  ALLES LOOKENSPEEPERS!  Das computermachine
     ist nicht fuer gefingerpoken und mittengrabben.  Ist easy schnappen
     der springenwerk, blowenfusen und poppencorken mit spitzensparken.
     Ist nicht fuer gewerken bei das dumpkopfen.  Das rubbernecken
     sichtseeren keepen das cotten-pickenen hans in das pockets muss;
     relaxen und watchen das blinkenlichten.



   This silliness dates back at least as far as 1959 at Stanford
   University and had already gone international by the early 1960s,
   when it was reported at London University's ATLAS computing site.
   There are several variants of it in circulation, some of which
   actually do end with the word `blinkenlights'.


   In an amusing example of turnabout-is-fair-play, German hackers
   have developed their own versions of the blinkenlights poster in
   fractured English, one of which is reproduced here:


                               ATTENTION
        This room is fullfilled mit special electronische equippment.
        Fingergrabbing and pressing the cnoeppkes from the computers is
        allowed for die experts only!  So all the "lefthanders" stay away
        and do not disturben the brainstorming von here working
        intelligencies.  Otherwise you will be out thrown and kicked
        anderswhere!  Also: please keep still and only watchen astaunished
        the blinkenlights.


   See also geef.