Commit messages
Okay, here’s my “Joke Poo” version based on the software engineer vows joke:
Joke Poo: What do you call a plumber’s promises?
Pipe dreams.
Alright, let’s dive into this coding humor!
Joke Dissection:
- Setup: “What do you call the vows of a software engineer?”
- Punchline: “Commit messages”
- Key Element 1: Vows: This evokes images of solemn promises, often associated with marriage or significant life commitments.
- Key Element 2: Software Engineer: Identifies the target group and hints at a technical context.
- Key Element 3: Commit Messages: In software development, commit messages are short descriptions attached to code changes when those changes are saved to a version control system (like Git). They’re intended to explain why a change was made.
- Humor Mechanism: The joke relies on a pun and a clever juxtaposition. “Vows” are typically serious and long-lasting, whereas commit messages, while important, are often short, pragmatic, and (sometimes) less than rigorously descriptive. The humor comes from the unexpected and slightly absurd connection. There’s also a layer of inside joke for developers who have encountered or written questionable commit messages.
Comedic Enrichment & Expansion:
Now, let’s leverage this foundation to create something new:
Option 1: Witty Observation/Meta-Joke:
“You know a software project is in trouble when the commit messages start reading like desperate love letters. ‘Please, compiler, just work this time. I’ll never use semicolons wrong again, I promise!'”
- Enhancement: This builds on the original joke by imagining the “vows” (commit messages) as increasingly emotional and unrealistic promises born out of coding desperation. It’s relatable to developers who have faced frustrating bugs and tried-and-failed solutions.
Option 2: “Did You Know?” – Style Enhancement:
“Did you know the best commit messages are clear, concise, and explain the ‘why’ behind the change? But a study by [insert a fictitious or actual research institution name here] found that over 70% of commit messages actually translate to, ‘I touched some stuff. Hope it works.'”
- Enhancement: This adds a layer of playful pseudo-intellectualism. The supposed statistic highlights the often-sloppy reality of commit messages, amplifying the humor of the original joke’s contrast between solemn vows and pragmatic reality. The fictitious research institution gives it a bit of absurdist flair.
Option 3: New Joke Structure (Building on the Theme):
“Why did the software engineer break up with the database? Because their relationship was full of conflicts…and neither was willing to commit.”
- Explanation: This joke leverages wordplay, using “conflict” in the context of version control and interpersonal relationships, and “commit” as both a coding term and a relational commitment. It’s a more direct pun but still tied to the software engineering theme.
Option 4: (A more absurdist option)
“What’s a software engineer’s favorite type of wedding? A pull request. Because after some back-and-forth, it’s finally time to merge.”
- Explanation: This joke is more involved. It replaces the concept of vows with wedding, and the ‘commit’ with merging.