🚀 go-pugleaf

He Who Laughs Last Laughs Best Department:

(names are changed to protect the innocent)

I worked with RCA Computer Systems Division in Cinnaminson,
New Jersey (and later Blue Bell, Pa) for several years both 
before and after the Computer div. was sold to Univac (many
years before Univac became Unisys, or whatever). We wrote
all the OS, compiler, and communication software for RCA's
Spectra computers.

There was a super programmer (we didn't use the word hacker in
those antediluvian times) in the Languages Group, whom I will
refer to as Rube. Rube was/is your basic computer genius. He had
single-handedly invented and implemented a programming language
which I will call IPL. IPL was used for all kinds of semi-official
projects within the software development group.

\Everyone/ in the company had high regard for Rube, who was a
genial and helpful person to everyone. Well, nearly everyone.

Now several management control systems had been cobbled-up using
Rube's IPL language. There was one data center manager who
apparently had no idea who Rube was, or who was otherwise 
too self-important to treat Rube with respect. One day, Rube
wanted a small favor from this manager. The manager, forgetting
which side his bread was buttered on, refused Rube's request
as being against policy or whatever.

This same data center manager daily ran his summaries and
reports to higher management using Rube's IPL system. In a
nice display of justice, Rube included in the next release of
IPL, an additional feature, such that, when it was running
a job for THIS manager a deliberate delay would be taken
after each I/O operation. The amount of delay was minuscule,
but was increased each and every calendar day!

>From the point of view of the hapless manager, his job would
run imperceptibly slower each day; but after a period of months
(and years) he would no longer be able to get his report finished
within the 24-hour reporting period!

Remember - don't try this at home, kids!

This is not a so-called urban myth; I am personally acquainted with "Rube".

Michael Stimac
.....sun!oliveb!tymix!stimac

disclaimer: dis claimer here ain't dat claimer der!