runes

from Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)

runes
 pl.n.

   1. Anything that requires {heavy wizardry} or {black art} to {parse}:
   core dumps, JCL commands, APL, or code in a language you haven't a
   clue how to read. Not quite as bad as {line noise}, but close. Compare
   {casting the runes}, {Great Runes}.

   2. Special display characters (for example, the high-half graphics on
   an IBM PC).

   3. [borderline techspeak] 16-bit characters from the Unicode
   multilingual character set.

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

runes

   1. Anything that requires {heavy wizardry} or {black art} to
   {parse}: core dumps, {JCL} commands, {APL} or code in a
   language you haven't a clue how to read.  Not quite as bad as
   {line noise}, but close.

   Compare {casting the runes}, {Great Runes}.

   2. Special display characters (for example, the high-half
   graphics on an {IBM PC}).

   [{Jargon File}]

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