twirling baton

twirling baton

(graphics)The overstrike sequence -/|\\-/|\\- which produces ananimated twirling baton. If you output it with a singlebackspace between characters, the baton spins in place. Ifyou output the sequence BS SP between characters, the batonspins from left to right. If you output BS SP BS BS betweencharacters, the batton spins from right to left.

The twirling baton was a popular component of animatedsignature files on the pioneering PLATO educationaltime-sharing system. The "archie" Internet service isperhaps the best-known baton program today; it uses thetwirling baton as an idler indicating that the program isworking on a query.