rituals for computer operation
..##...... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #....##...
#....##### ..##....##
..##..#### the computer is a very common tool in #....##..#
.......### the futures, and in some ways even now. ..##......
######..## its job is to do vast amounts of small .....#####
#####....# calculations in a short amount of time. ####..####
####..##.. ###....###
###......# most work on the principles of posing ##..##..##
##..####.. the problem on a hilbert plane, which .........#
#....##..# is then folded out of causality, so ########..
..##...... that daemons can solve the problem #######...
#....##### without affecting real life. (these ######..##
..##..#### daemons are under contract with the #####....#
.......##. computer manufacturer.) ####..##..
######.... ###......#
#####..### it's commonplace for programmers and ##..####..
.###....## clerks to pray to the "gods" of their #....##...
..#..##... computer, or to the daemons doing the ..##....##
........## work, for a quick and fault free .....##...
#######..# operation. ####....##
######.... ###..##..#
#####..##. some ubiquitous and generally ##........
.###...... non-controversial rituals include: #..######.
..#..####. ....####..
#.....##.. ~~# light a scented candle #~~ ###..##..#
..###....# ~~# for quiet and calm #~~ ##........
#..#..##.. #..#######
.........# ~~# recite a mantra or other #~~ ....######
.#######.. ~~# reassuring message to make #~~ .##..####.
..#####..# ~~# the computer comfortable #~~ ......##..
#..###.... ~~# and at ease #~~ #####....#
....#..##. ####..##..
###....... ~~# some like to say a brief #~~ .##......#
##..#####. ~~# prayer for solace, to be #~~ ....####..
.....###.. ~~# left alone during their work #~~ ###..##...
####..#..# ##......##
###....... ~~# offer a cup of steaming tea #~~ ...####..#
##..###### ~~# or a meal to the machines #~~ ##..##....
.....##### ~~# (sometimes, by fey rules, #~~ #......##.
####..#### ~~# the daemons are allowed #~~ ..####....
.##....### ~~# to respond to this) #~~ ...##..##.
....##..#. ##........
###....... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ...#######
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~ ~~ ~ ~ . ~. .
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would you consider code golf
to be a kind of prayer?
as in, you make a convoluted,
intricate, beautiful, and useless
artifact. as in, you're using your
skills to ask for something,
...i'd ask for a handful of bugs?
code has bugs, lots of it.