This is Vroom's fault, so don't blame me.

You know on his homenode, he's got the "/msg me with good books" thing? Well a while ago, I read The Dice Man, by Luke Rhinehart and was blown away by it.

Using my limited perl skills, I have decided to emulate Dr Rhinehart's tools here.

In case you didn't click the above link, The Dice Man was a guy who had a pair of dice, and made decisions by them.
(example 3, 5, 7 - Quit my job,
2, 4, 6 - Stay,
Snake Eyes - Kill Myself)

The book is almost certainly fiction, but the thousands of cults that sprang up in the late 70s as a result certainly were not. A lot are still going strong today. The key to "living the dicelife" is one rule : always follow what they say. If you can't carry out an order, don't assign it in the first place.

In PerlDice.pl, I have created a little bit of fun, and also ten options at the bottom for diceliving. (To play the PerlMonks version, your usage is merely PerlDice.pl. To play the dicelife version, it's PerlDice.pl -dice.) You can delete, edit, add as many as you want. Just remember Rule # 1.

I would be interested to see what people think of this, but it only ever works if you actually follow the rules. I have done it a couple of times, with pretty tame options, and the feeling is unbelievable.

Enough rambling.

Cheers,
ML

#!/usr/bin/perl
##########
#
# PerlDice.pl
#
# Author : mr_leisure (mr_leisure@hotmail.com)
# 
# Usage : PerlDice.pl / PerlDice.pl -dice
#
# Requirements : TK and Long modules
#
##########
use Getopt::Long;
use Tk;


my %opt = ();

GetOptions(\%opt,

    "dice!",    #enables 'diceman' options

    );


srand;


@names = qw ( Extremely Tilly Turnstep ybiC Zoogie Chipmunk Mirod Foot
+pad Vroom Ovid 
    Chromatic Danger Johannz Agoth Salvadors Davorg Mr_leisure Boo_rad
+ley Mina 
    Nate Merlyn Ichimunki Princepawn Notsoevil $code_or_die BBQ Dealga
+n Wonko
    Jcwren Rastolfe Adam Tye Dominus AgentM Nuance Eduardo t0mas KM Bt
+rott Zdog
    Guildenstern Mischief Repson Clemburg Zencrypt Lhoward Russ Japhy 
+Mdillon 
    Corion BigJoe Arturo Jptxs Jjhorner Redmist Ozymandias Kudra OeufM
+ayo Neophyte
    Snowcrash Hannibal Sutch Swiftone Gag PurlGurl Perlknight Macphist
+o Petruchio
    MF Jima C-era Kschwab Mkmcconn ChOas Crazy_insomniac Dchetlin Core
+olyn Kapper
    Redcloud PsychoSpunk Malkavian Tekniko Colderclimate j.a.p.h Erudi
+l Russ Plaid
    Athomason ZZamboni Jeffa Neshura Mrmick Royalnjr Wombat PipTigger 
+Arturo);

$rn = $names[rand @names];
$rn2 = $names[rand @names];

# perlmonks related stuff

$one = "\nTell $rn you like to take long walks on the beach, usually w
+ith $rn2.\n";
$two = "\nSpam the CB with \"Vroom, My Life for You!\".\n";
$three = "\nBuy a #!/usr/bin/perl bumpersticker, and stick it on your 
+forehead.\n";
$four = "\nTell $rn he should really read the documentation, just like
+ $rn2 said.\n";
$five = "\nTell $rn that $rn2 writes really sloppy code, and NEVER use
+s the -w switch.\n";
$six = "\nTell $rn you are really $rn2 incognito.\n";
$seven = "\nYour task this week : ++ everything $rn has posted.\n";
$eight = "\nYour task this week : -- everything $rn has posted.\n";
$nine = "\n$rn is hungry.  Feed them.\n";
$ten = "\nTell $rn that $rn2 told you that he downvoted them.\n";
$eleven = "\n\/msg $rn, telling them you really, really like them.\n";
$twelve = "\nAsk $rn if they are feeling ok.  Can you get them anythin
+g?\n";
$thirteen = "\n$rn is after you. Attack is the best form of defence!\n
+";
$fourteen = "\nThe next time $rn says something in CB, repeat it.\n";
$fifteen = "\nWrite a book on Perl.";
$sixteen = "\nTell $rn you taught $rn2 everything they know.\n";
$seventeen = "\nPost \"Why $rn Is A Fraud\", and make some wild accusa
+tions.\n";
$eighteen = "\n-- the node that gave you this code.\n";
$nineteen = "\n++ the node that gave you this code.\n";
$twenty = "\nLearn a Language in 3 days.\n";

# diceman stuff

$tone = "\nDon't go home for two days.\n";
$ttwo = "\nGo out tonight, and drink the entire  bottle of something.\
+n";
$tthree = "\nStop playing this game.\n";
$tfour = "\nJoin a local club.\n";
$tfive = "\nGet a tattoo.\n";
$tsix  = "\nGive 10 % of your paycheck to a charity.\n";
$tseven = "\nShoplift something of worth from your local store.\n"; 
$teight = "\nGo to Church every sunday this month.\n"; 
$tnine = "\nCall up an old friend right now.\n"; 
$thirty = "\nWrite Ten New Options for PerlDice.\n"; 

# perlmonks array

@strings = ( $one, $two, $three, $four, $five, $six, $seven, $eight, $
+nine, $ten,
    $eleven, $twelve, $thirteen, $fourteen, $fifteen, $sixteen, $seven
+teen, $eighteen,
    $nineteen, $twenty);

#all options (careful - this includes the diceman array)

@all = ($one, $two, $three, $four, $five, $six, $seven, $eight, $nine,
+ $ten,
     $eleven, $twelve, $thirteen, $fourteen, $fifteen, $sixteen, $seve
+nteen, $eighteen,
     $nineteen, $twenty, $tone, $ttwo, $tthree, $tfour, $tfive, $tsix,
+ $tseven, $teight,
     $tnine, $thirty );

$rstring = $strings[rand @strings];
$rall = $all [rand @all];



if ($opt{dice}) {

print "\t\nYou are using the DiceMan Mode : \n\n";
print "\tDISCLAIMER\n";
print "\tThe author of this program (mr_leisure)\n";
print "\tIs in no way responsible for the consequences\n";
print "\tOf using this program, direct or indirect.  YOU are\n";
print "\tResponsible for your own actions.\n";
print "\n\n";
print "\n$rall\n";

} else {

print "\nUser Friendly Mode : No Dice!\n";
print "\n$rstring\n";

}

# copyright 2001 jimkasystems.co ltd - based on the philosophy of dr l
+uke rhinehart
[download]

#if ($mr_leisure) { bow; }
[download]

UPDATE : Click here for the GUI Version. this is still not finished