We build software. When building software, one has to make sure the software will work on the full range of potential end-user machines, from fancy-and-new to crappy-and-old. To test the crappy-and-old, we have Doofus, the crappiest oldest computer we could scrounge up:
Doofus: vintage PC, running XP, takes about fifteen minutes to boot up and get its mind right, sounds like an airplane taking off, runs like a sloth in a barrel of molasses.1
And of course, a computer named Doofus ought to have a big yellow dunce cap and ridiculously oversized ears. Doofus—so doofy.
1 I just made up that folksy metaphor. I'm not sure how legitimate it is. I suspsect a sloth in barrel of molasses actually wouldn't do any running at all. But you know what I mean.
Silly as Doofus may be, he sounds like a real champion when it comes to checking the software you formed. On the flipside, we own a typewriter in our office. It isn't a doofus at all; rather, we all feel like successful writers whenever we use it. Beats computers suddenly going down, and a delightful addition to the office!
ReplyDeleteTypewriters are good things. I have a friend who used to keep a large assortment of typewriters arrayed around her house. It seemed right.
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