bit bashing n.
(alt. `bit diddling' or bit
twiddling) Term used to describe any of several kinds of
low-level programming characterized by manipulation of bit, flag, nybble, and other
smaller-than-character-sized pieces of data; these include
low-level device control, encryption algorithms, checksum and
error-correcting codes, hash functions, some flavors of graphics
programming (see bitblt), and
assembler/compiler code generation. May connote either tedium or
a real technical challenge (more usually the former). "The
command decoding for the new tape driver looks pretty solid but
the bit-bashing for the control registers still has bugs." See
also bit bang, mode bit.