In reading an article about the Arthur Andersen Accounting firm's and Enron's debacle, I found the following quote: "...some auditors who worked on Enron had a word for the iffy accounting calls: shambolic. Interesting word. I found it also used by the BBC in a headline, "'Shambolic' control of foot-and-mouth". Interestingly, the Jargon Dictionary defines "'shambolic link': /sham-bol'ik link/ n. A Unix symbolic link, particularly when it confuses you, points to nothing at all, or results in your ending up in some completely unexpected part of the filesystem... "
Otherwise, I didn't find it except as quoted in articles. Is this a new jargon word?

I don't know about "new", as it's not an uncommon British term. It is formed from shambles in its figurative meaning of complete disorder; a total mess, probably by analogy with symbolic. You have already discovered that UNIX uses it in the sense of a "shambolic link", one that goes nowhere. Windows users talk about "an orphaned shortcut".

Thanks, arnie. I figured it must have come from shambles. Since I have only heard it used recently and could not find it anywhere except that one dictionary, I thought it was new. I must be wrong.

I don't know if its regional but around here (in the Midlands) it's pretty common to describe something that is generally badly organised as 'shambolic'.
I'm not a football fan but I've often heard my friends who are describe various teams' perfomances as 'shambolic'.

Habent Abdenda Omnes Praeter Me ac Simiam Meam

"Shambolic"? Never heard of it. So I was surprised to find it in the AHD (www.dictionary.com):
sham.bol.ic

"adj. Chiefly British Slang
Disorderly or chaotic: “ [The country's] transportation system is in a shambolic state” (London Sunday Times). [Probably from alteration of shambles.]"
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company

M-W Collegiate Dictionary, 2002
(www.m-w.com/dictionary) dates it from 1970:
"chiefly British : obviously disorganized or confused "

The OED, 1989 (http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/00221765), says "Chaotic, disorderly, undisciplined.
Reported to be ‘in common use’ in 1958."

1958? Their oldest quote was from 1970, which would make it 32 years old. But 1958 would make it 44 years old!

I'm not sure what I think of the word. It sounds like a useful adjective. Maybe it will grow on me.

Tinman

Thanks, Tinman, for all your work on "shambolic". It was not in my dictionary at work (Merriam Webster--not sure of the date), though I did find it in my AHD (1996) at home. I am glad to find that I am not the only one not to have heard of it! I do think I will use it because it is so descriptive.