Re^2: Verbose Tk Code

As brought to my attention by a nice guy called Rolf, googling indicates that "Too bad about that bread-truck" (often extended with "pal") is an idiom/set phrase used by only two people on the planet, namely sundialsvc4:

and well-respected Stack Overflow Java expert Mike Robinson - as in, for example, the last (not downvoted) response to this SO thread:

If you need to special-case return a different data type, you should define a custom method to do so. This will also(!) be important for the various Programmers Who Will Follow You. (“Too bad about that bread-truck ...” etc.)

As for the meaning of this curious set phrase, that has never been explained AFAIK - though it may be contending that computer programmers are often unluckily and fatally struck from behind by a runaway bread-truck while strolling down the pavement.

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Re^3: Verbose Tk Code by marinersk (Priest) on Mar 13, 2021 at 14:40 UTC
I think I've sussed sundialsvc4's usage of the phrase, and it fits other previously observed elements of his online personality. As brought to my attention by a nice guy called Rolf, googling indicates that "Too bad about that bread-truck" (often extended with "pal") is an idiom/set phrase used by only two people on the planet, namely sundialsvc4: ... As for the meaning of this curious set phrase, that has never been explained AFAIK - though it may be contending that computer programmers are often unluckily and fatally struck from behind by a runaway bread-truck while strolling down the pavement. In my experience, a similar phrase has been used to support either the timely creation of continuity documentation, or the timely sharing of knowledge to a colleague: "In case I get hit by a truck (or bus, or train, etc.), ...". The idea being that since we can never absolutely guarantee that someone will actually be around tomorrow to handle things only they know (or know well), we should sooner, rather than later, get that information into a shared or sharable state. sundialsvc4 appears to want to present this seemingly common idiomatic concept by pushing to the next level of presuming the original intent is already understood, but awkwardly choosing a more specific reference than I've personally noted to be common, and thus, in a way, de-idiomizing it. (I think I just invented a word LOL). That would account for the awkwardness of the phrase, and is somewhat in keeping with what has historically been his posting style -- presumptive, and often generalized past usability. At any rate, I think he's making an indirect reference to taking actions to attempt to insure against the possible loss of the programmer and knowledge and understanding only they might possess. As I prepare to review this, it occurs to me that this might have actually been obvious to everyone but me, rendering this explanation humorous (or perhaps pathetic), but, ah well, just in case...	[reply]

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Re^3: Verbose Tk Code
by marinersk (Priest) on Mar 13, 2021 at 14:40 UTC

I think I've sussed sundialsvc4's usage of the phrase, and it fits other previously observed elements of his online personality.

As brought to my attention by a nice guy called Rolf, googling indicates that "Too bad about that bread-truck" (often extended with "pal") is an idiom/set phrase used by only two people on the planet, namely sundialsvc4:
...
As for the meaning of this curious set phrase, that has never been explained AFAIK - though it may be contending that computer programmers are often unluckily and fatally struck from behind by a runaway bread-truck while strolling down the pavement.

In my experience, a similar phrase has been used to support either the timely creation of continuity documentation, or the timely sharing of knowledge to a colleague: "In case I get hit by a truck (or bus, or train, etc.), ...".

The idea being that since we can never absolutely guarantee that someone will actually be around tomorrow to handle things only they know (or know well), we should sooner, rather than later, get that information into a shared or sharable state.

sundialsvc4 appears to want to present this seemingly common idiomatic concept by pushing to the next level of presuming the original intent is already understood, but awkwardly choosing a more specific reference than I've personally noted to be common, and thus, in a way, de-idiomizing it. (I think I just invented a word LOL).

That would account for the awkwardness of the phrase, and is somewhat in keeping with what has historically been his posting style -- presumptive, and often generalized past usability.

At any rate, I think he's making an indirect reference to taking actions to attempt to insure against the possible loss of the programmer and knowledge and understanding only they might possess.

As I prepare to review this, it occurs to me that this might have actually been obvious to everyone but me, rendering this explanation humorous (or perhaps pathetic), but, ah well, just in case...

[reply]