[throwaway9191aa]

Almost 25 years ago I worked at a little startup. I started to build a network management system using ..... tcl/tk some open source HP Openview, what was the name?

Anyway, I had a neat display showing live nodes as green. I was redirected to enhance that display with graphs and charts and linking the nodes, we bought a TV to display it on... long story short, it was more important to show this awesome graphic tool to potential investors then to know whether our systems were actually down.

Some things never change.

[thelazydogsback]

I think it was from the movie industry - just something in the background shot with lots of blinking lights and occasional beeps was known as an EBG, or "electronic bullshit grinder". They do tend to impress investors as well as audiences.

[rasz]

Most Thinking Machines CM-1/CM-2 were sold to just sit there and blink away.

[kaustyap]

Was it MIMIC simulator by any chance?