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.