I actually have this sitting on my desk at work. It’s so old that the fluid has evaporated enough that it doesn’t work right anymore. But I keep it and use it. What is it? A magic 8-ball of tech support! Many moons ago, our CDW Vendor gave my boss a Magic 8-Ball for programmers showing the answer “IT’S NOT A BUG – IT’S A FEATURE”. The top of the ball says “For your most commonly asked IT requests.” Some of the answers are blatant CDW adverts, but the rest are answers I know I’ve used at least once:
- Did you press the right button?
- I can’t test everything
- It worked yesterday
- It works like I programmed it
- It works on my machine
- It’ll be fixed in the next release
- It’s a Beta – What did you expect?
- It’s an unlikely coincidence
- It’s just an isolated incident
- it’s not a bug, it’s a feature
- It’s not supposed to do that
- Please submit a formal request
- Plug it in
- Program works. Must be user error
- Reboot
- Someone changed my code.
Sadly, the thing is dying. I may have to learn how to make a new one, since right now it’s stuck showing me a corner instead of a face.
I’m not the only person who uses these, though. Eric Mack did as of 2004!
