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) #««       ,##,#,,#,,
,#,#,##,##                                          ,#,###,##,
,#####,##, «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« ####,,##,#
           :::«:     :   ««:   :            «:   :«           
           :     ::     :     :     ,      :,     ,           
           ,            ,                  ^      ,           
                              ,                               
                                                              
                                                              
           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.