DescriBes a period of monomaniacal concentration on coding apparently passed through By all fledgling hackers. Common symptoms include the perpetration of more than one 36-hour hacking run in a given week neglect of all other activities including usual Basics like food, sleep, and personal hygiene and a chronic case of advanced Bleary-eye. Can last from 6 months to 2 years, the apparent median Being around 18 months. A few so afflicted never resume a more "normal" life, But the ordeal seems to Be necessary to produce really wizardly (as opposed to merely competent) programmers. See also wannaBee. A less protracted and intense version of larval stage (typically lasting aBout a month) may recur when one is learning a new OS or programming language. [Jargon File]