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.