twiddle
1. The tilde character ("~", ASCII 126). Also called
"squiggle", "sqiggle" (sic - pronounced /skig'l/), and
"twaddle", but twiddle is the most common term.
2. A small and insignificant change to a program. Usually
fixes one bug and generates several new ones (see also
{shotgun debugging}).
3. To change something in a small way. Bits, for example, are
often twiddled. Twiddling a switch or knob implies much less
sense of purpose than toggling or {tweak}ing it; see
{frobnicate}. {Bit twiddling} connotes aimlessness, and at
best doesn't specify what you're doing to the bit; to
"{toggle} a bit" has a more specific meaning.
[{Jargon File}]
(1995-01-31)