Speaking Technically: Characters and Personification
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As a follow up to the announcement about my upcoming workshop, I've put together a brief essay on using personification to make technical details more interesting.
The key point of the essay, is that we can endow technical objects, like the Oracle cost-based-optimizer, with personality by talking about it like it's a person. I didn't put too fine a point on it, but if the Oracle CBO had a personality, it'd be a passive-aggressive jerk, with a petty streak a mile wide.
"Oh, you gave me a hint? Well, screw you and your hint. I'm going to ignore it, and while I'm at it, I'm going to ignore the index you want me to use too."
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If I was going to characterise a piece of software that way, it'd be Java, which I'd describe as being rather like Mr. Creosote.
Mr. Creosote - Monty Python's The Meaning of Life – 02:38
— Monty Python
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Go usually uses personified gophers. So Java could technically just be "Creosote" without the "Mister".
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on using personification to make technical details more interesting.
You might not want to invite Erik Gern to that workshop...
Filed under: like a ninja in the night, the COM Surrogate once again faces the mortal danger
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Where's @Onyx when you need him?
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On vacation.
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How does that help me now?
</petulant-child>
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On vacation.
That was me last week. I hope someone kept @blakeyrat in line in my absence.
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He's been quite tame for the most part, a little more depressed than angry - though we did see the signs of a brewing ragequit earlier.
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I know. I fueled it. ;-)
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Wasn't sure if you'd seen it. This small avatar bullshit is a barrier to recognition at a glance.
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On vacation.
I wish. Too chaotic here atm, and TDWTF proves to be a barrier to working more often than not.
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Full ack on that one.