Alice Averlong🏳️‍⚧️

You know, the older I get, the more I think about Charles Stross's Laundry Series and how in it, computer science and applied demonology are the same subject, and older experts in this joint field tend to develop spongey brains from accidentally summoning tiny demons in their head.

I'm just saying "your brain doesn't work because your knowledge of programming has caused interdimensional energy beings to manifest in your grey matter" keeps making more and more sense as time goes on.

Jun 20, 2023 at 4:28pmWeb
Show threadWill Jun 20, 2023
@foone I love that series
Show threadJeremy KahnJun 20, 2023

@foone

YEP THIS

also the bit about vampires feels too real too; vampire virus operates like venture capital.

it's gonna eat _somebody's_ brain and it'll loan you superpowers if you help it eat someone _else's_

Show threadCharlie StrossJun 20, 2023
@foone When the process runs to completion you go into management.
Show threadBudleyJun 20, 2023
@cstross @foone so this is specific solution to the halting problem.
Show threadAlice Averlong🏳️‍⚧️Jun 20, 2023
@cstross that explains a lot about some of the managers I've had.
Like that time I saved the US government something like 50 million dollars worth of work and they forgot I worked there
Show threadChip UnicornJun 20, 2023
@foone
I didn't know Charles Stross wrote non-fiction!
Show threadKraksenJun 20, 2023
@foone This happens when you accidentally leave daemons running instead of disabling them properly.
Show threadDave BradyJun 20, 2023
@foone This makes absolutely no sense at all I can't underst--oh no wait wait please no
Show threadPseudo NymJun 20, 2023

@foone I figured that was the "flow" state when you really got into the zone. Demons make deals, right? Nice cozy place in your brain in return for the focus and endorphins to code up that last pesky library function.

I'll say it again, we never should have trapped lightning in rocks, and taught them to think.

Show threadSarah O'KeefeJun 20, 2023
@foone My favorite was the part about how you could have actual Death by PowerPoint.
Show threadSemi Sentient AI Cooling WaterJun 20, 2023

@foone Thanks for guiding me towards a new (to me) sci-fi writer. I've been hankering after some new stuff to read.

Also on his Wikipedia page
"Personal life
Stross believes himself to be autistic, but does not intend to seek a professional diagnosis." #ActuallyAutistic

Show threadBrent, in a jarJun 20, 2023
@sentient_water If you're looking for a cross between Lovecraft and spy thrillers, you won't regret it! I remember when I discovered that series I chewed through all of it in a few months. Have been away for a few years, bet there are some new offerings!
Plus @cstross is a great follow, bonus!
@foone
Show threadBrent, in a jarJun 20, 2023
@sentient_water Think I had more fun reading the Laundry Files, but there are stupendous ideas and twists and turns in the Merchant Princes series. Don't miss those either!
@cstross @foone
Show threadMx Autumn Jun 20, 2023
@foone ooh I hadn’t heard about Charles Stross's Laundry Series before. Just checked out some of the books and it’s absolutely my kind of thing. Added to my reading list 😊
Show threadBrent, in a jarJun 20, 2023
@carbontwelve
While The Laundry Files are my favorite, his Merchant Princes series is also very worthwhile
@foone
Show threadeuroplus Jun 21, 2023
@BrentInMasto @carbontwelve @foone high recommend on all books by @cstross
Show threadPete WildsmithJun 20, 2023
@foone Earlier today you were talking about the void and I remembered the quote from a Laundry book: "Like the famous mad philosopher said, when you stare into the void, the void stares also; but if you cast into the void, you get a type conversion error."
Show threadAnalog AIJun 20, 2023
@foone Computer programmers don't get Alzheimers, they get possessed.
Show thread💡𝚂𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗆𝖺𝗇 𝙰𝗉𝗉𝗌📱Jun 20, 2023
@foone
Show threadchxJun 20, 2023

@foone absolutely. This has been known for a very long time. According to the Du Cange glossarium, a mathematician is an astrologer, people who tried to predict the future and wizards summoning demons.

http://ducange.enc.sorbonne.fr/mathematicus

MATHEMATICA, Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, Du Cange et al.

Show threadJack C.Jun 20, 2023
@foone I'll have to check this out 👀
Show threadDavid J. AtkinsonJun 21, 2023

@foone @cstross Charles, I’m inclined to agree. What do you think?

https://digipres.club/@foone/110577484841751713

Foone🏳️‍⚧️ (@[email protected])

You know, the older I get, the more I think about Charles Stross's Laundry Series and how in it, computer science and applied demonology are the same subject, and older experts in this joint field tend to develop spongey brains from accidentally summoning tiny demons in their head. I'm just saying "your brain doesn't work because your knowledge of programming has caused interdimensional energy beings to manifest in your grey matter" keeps making more and more sense as time goes on.

digipres.club
Show threadCharlie StrossJun 21, 2023
@meltedcheese @foone I think you didn't read the replies, did you?
Show threadDec [{()}]Jun 21, 2023
@cstross @meltedcheese @foone
It's possible that the replies just didn't federate to the c dot im instance.
Show threadDavid J. AtkinsonJun 22, 2023
@dec23k @foone @cstross I’m still learning about how messages get to a place where I can see them. If the instance I’m on is not showing me the good stuff, I need to figure out the remedy. Thanks for the follow up.