twirling baton

graphics The overstrike sequence -/|-/|- which produces an

animated twirling baton. If you output it with a single

backspace between characters, the baton spins in place. If

you output the sequence BS SP between characters, the baton

spins from left to right. If you output BS SP BS BS between

characters, the batton spins from right to left.

The twirling baton was a popular component of animated

signature files on the pioneering PLATO educational

time-sharing system. The "archie" Internet service is

perhaps the best-known baton program today; it uses the

twirling baton as an idler indicating that the program is

working on a query.

[Jargon File]

(1995-02-23)