2016-11-08: Runtime Error
09-12-2024, 11:46 AM (This post was last modified: 09-12-2024, 11:48 AM by robkelk.)
09-12-2024, 11:46 AM (This post was last modified: 09-12-2024, 11:48 AM by robkelk.)
Blossom Apartments, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
November 8, 2016
4:44 pm ET
"That's odd."
"What's odd?" Rob asked, leaving his coffee cup on the table and walking over to where Kazari was performing system maintenance on the common room's computer.
"This isn't what I thought I was downloading."
Blossom's building manager looked over the resident white-hat hacker's shoulder at the screen.
Welcome to Master PC
Welcome to the Master Command Center...
where the Master allows you to become a virtual god to the people around you...
Now, you possess the power to bend their reality to your specifications.
You are the Master's representative
Faster than even he thought possible, Rob grabbed his phone and hit the "PANIC" speed-dial button that wasn't on any of the residents' phones and had been added a week earlier, when various celestials had taken personal responsibility for each residence. After one ring, the line connected. Before the person on the other end could reply, Rob said, "Skuld! We have an emergency down here!"
Thirty seconds later, Skuld was present and looking at the screen, with a very serious expression on her face. "Where did this come from?"
"I thought I was downloading a patch for the Pi's operating system from GitHub," Kazari replied. "I got this instead."
"I see. You haven't touched it." Skuld's statement was more a command than a question.
"As soon as Rob-oji reacted the way he did, I knew better than to do anything with it," she replied.
"We have no intention of touching it," Rob replied. "As tempting as it might be to issue a global command to raise everyone's IQ by ten points, or to 100, whichever is higher." [1]
Approval started to show on Skuld's face for a brief moment; then she frowned. "Unfortunately, that wouldn't be a good idea, as much as it would help the individuals affected. You need to leave their lives alone."
Rob nodded. "They're their lives. Can we at least issue a global command undoing everything that Master PC may have done?"
"I'll do that from Yggdrasil."
Blossom Apartments, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
November 8, 2016
4:44 pm ET
"That's done. Now for the next upgrade."
Rob half-listened to Kazari performing system maintenance on the common room's computer. Woah. Deja vu, he thought.
The computer kept running, completely normally.
Yggdrasil
November 8, 2016
4:45 pm ET
"I hate having to do system restores. There are so many things that can go wrong, especially in this situation."
Urd looked over Skuld's shoulder at the screen. "Would you rather have that thing loose?"
"Ew! No!"
Footnotes
Quoted text from the original "Master PC" story. No, I'm not going to provide a link.
November 8, 2016
4:44 pm ET
"That's odd."
"What's odd?" Rob asked, leaving his coffee cup on the table and walking over to where Kazari was performing system maintenance on the common room's computer.
"This isn't what I thought I was downloading."
Blossom's building manager looked over the resident white-hat hacker's shoulder at the screen.
Welcome to Master PC
Welcome to the Master Command Center...
where the Master allows you to become a virtual god to the people around you...
Now, you possess the power to bend their reality to your specifications.
You are the Master's representative
Faster than even he thought possible, Rob grabbed his phone and hit the "PANIC" speed-dial button that wasn't on any of the residents' phones and had been added a week earlier, when various celestials had taken personal responsibility for each residence. After one ring, the line connected. Before the person on the other end could reply, Rob said, "Skuld! We have an emergency down here!"
Thirty seconds later, Skuld was present and looking at the screen, with a very serious expression on her face. "Where did this come from?"
"I thought I was downloading a patch for the Pi's operating system from GitHub," Kazari replied. "I got this instead."
"I see. You haven't touched it." Skuld's statement was more a command than a question.
"As soon as Rob-oji reacted the way he did, I knew better than to do anything with it," she replied.
"We have no intention of touching it," Rob replied. "As tempting as it might be to issue a global command to raise everyone's IQ by ten points, or to 100, whichever is higher." [1]
Approval started to show on Skuld's face for a brief moment; then she frowned. "Unfortunately, that wouldn't be a good idea, as much as it would help the individuals affected. You need to leave their lives alone."
Rob nodded. "They're their lives. Can we at least issue a global command undoing everything that Master PC may have done?"
"I'll do that from Yggdrasil."
Blossom Apartments, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
November 8, 2016
4:44 pm ET
"That's done. Now for the next upgrade."
Rob half-listened to Kazari performing system maintenance on the common room's computer. Woah. Deja vu, he thought.
The computer kept running, completely normally.
Yggdrasil
November 8, 2016
4:45 pm ET
"I hate having to do system restores. There are so many things that can go wrong, especially in this situation."
Urd looked over Skuld's shoulder at the screen. "Would you rather have that thing loose?"
"Ew! No!"
Footnotes
Quoted text from the original "Master PC" story. No, I'm not going to provide a link.
- BL: You can't cure stupid.
--
Rob Kelk
Sticks and stones can break your bones,
But words can break your heart.
- unknown
Rob Kelk
Sticks and stones can break your bones,
But words can break your heart.
- unknown
