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.