Cheers to all.

Regards,

LelandJ

Ted Roche wrote:

> 'Twas the night before crisis, and all through the house,

> Not a program was working, not even a browse.

> The programmers were wrung out, too mindless to care,

> Knowing chances of shipping hadn't a prayer.

>

> The users were nestled all snug in their beds,

> While visions of inquiries danced in their heads.

> When out in the lobby there arose such a clatter,

> That I sprang from my cube to see what was the matter.

>

> And what to my wondering eyes should appear,

> But a SUPER PROGRAMMER, oblivious to fear.

> More rapid than eagles, his programs they came,

>

> And he whistled and shouted and called them by name:

> On Update! On Add! On Inquiry! On Delete!

> On Batch Jobs! On Closing! On Functions Complete!

>

> His eyes were glazed over, his fingers were lean,

> >From weekends and nights in front of the screen.

> A wink of his eye, and a twist of his head,

> Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

>

> He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

> Turning specs into code, then he turned with a jerk.

> And laying his finger on the ENTER key,

> The system came up, and worked perfectly.

>

> The updates, updated; the deletes, they deleted;

> The inquiries, inquired; and the closing completed.

> He tested each whistle, he tested each bell,

> With nary an abend, and all had gone well.

>

> The system was finished, the tests were concluded,

> The client's last changes were even included!

> And the client exclaimed with a snarl and a taunt,

> "It's just what I asked for, but NOT what I want "

>

> (attributed variously, my copy came from here[1])

>

> [1] http://www.mdarwin.ca/humour/night-before-xmas/night-before-crisis.phtml

>

> Merry Christmas, happy Qwanza, merry Solstice, happy Saturnalia and so

> forth to all!

>

>

[excessive quoting removed by server]