Original: Hacker's jargon The Jargon File of hackers' loreJargon File, version 4.4.6, 25 October 2003 describes an idiomatic usage of the term: Any ceremonial action taken to correct a hardware problem, with the expectation that nothing will be accomplished.
Simplified: Hacker's jargon The term Rain Dance is described in the Jargon File of hackers.