blinkenlights

English

Alternative forms

• blinkenlichten, blinklichter

Etymology

Mock German from blink and lights; see the Wikipedia article for history.

Pronunciation

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

Noun

blinkenlights pl (plural only)

1. (computing, slang) The flashing lights on an electronic device such as a modem, router, or network hub (originally the front-panel lights on old computers).
   • 2007, Charles Stross, The Merchants' War:

     The back of the NIRT truck was crowded with consoles and flashing panels of blinkenlights, battered laptops plastered with security inventory stickers...

   • 2011 June 6, Charlie Sorrel, “LightDims: Tiny Sunglasses for Blinkenlights”, in Wired‎^[1], archived from the original on 8 June 2011:

     I am talking about — of course — LED blinkenlights, the usually-blue glowing pimples that pepper routers, speakers, computers and even USB hubs.

   • 2023 August 27, sdomi, “Building a luggable computer (for absolutely no reason)”, in sdomi's webpage‎^[2] (weblog), archived from the original on 3 September 2023:

     Through a friend at hswaw [Warsaw Hackerspace], I have obtained a launchpad mini while working on this project (thanks drozdziak1!). ar jokingly suggested that I should velcro it to the [computer's] case and use it as blinklichter, and.. that was too good of an idea not to.