Humor and Humorlessness

Raymond makes a joke about his writing. [Link]

But now I know how you all feel when you read this Web site: It's page after page of text that makes no sense whatsoever.

Funny and self deprecating. People immediately misunderstand (sometimes I think intentionally). I think it has to do with the tendency of many of his readers to be annoyingly pedantic and overly literal to the point of obtuseness.

One of the comments:

Lacking social skills and a tolerance for idiocy is one thing. I can relate to that. It's something totally different to post a blanket insult to everyone that reads your blog and/or your book.

It doesn't matter how smart you are, being a dick is still being a dick.

(Why did you link to Amazon? Does insulting people spur them into buying your product?)

[I wasn't insulting you. I was insulting me. Occasionally somebody spoofs my Web site by making it out to be utterly incomprehensible, so I figured I'd run with it. -Raymond]

The spoof is hilarious if you read Raymond's site. It is written in his tone of voice. [Link]

So take a quick look at theunderlying architecture. My diagram shows how the Windows Stuff Resource Pool Manager, the large gray octagon top left, is controlled by calls into STUFF.DLL (as it was then called), the triangle towards the center of the picture. The small purple stars represent the interaction between applications contending for resource, with the gray arrows delineating the split between the Windows NT architecture and the earlier system. Of course, in post XP systems the situation is changed again; just imagine the red horseshoes as yellow ovals and you will more or less have it.Resource Pool GetExceptWindowsResourceStuff() Release 100% 12% GDI STUFF.DLL §

That much, then, is clear.

Crystal clear comedy gold.