what really happens when programmers die -- time for a bit of humor

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

  A software engineer dies and goes to heaven to be evaluated at the Pearly
  Gates.  "Well", says St. Peter, "Things look pretty good, Programmer.
  Your sins and your good deeds just about balance out.  Tell you what
  -- you may have your own choice of either Heaven or Hell." The engineer,
  weary of design tradeoffs and wary of uninformed decisions, asks for more
  details.  "Sure," replies the Gatekeeper.  "Here is the elevator.  You can
  ride up and see Heaven and down to see Hell.  Take your time and make your
  choice.  But choose wisely -- there is no turning back!"


  So the engineer rides the elevator up and takes a look at Heaven.  He
  sees the angels playing on their harps and the beatific look on the
  faces of the faithful, blissfully flitting back and forth among the
  clouds.  "Well, that looks about like what I expected," he says to
  himself.  "Let's go take a look at the alternative."  So he rides down
  the elevator to the floor labelled "HELL" and looks around there.  To
  his delight, he finds sandy beaches, beautiful women, snow-capped
  mountains in the background, and parties going on all over.  Returning
  to the Gates, he has no problem informing the Gatekeeper of his
  decision.  "Heaven looks fine, but pretty boring to me.  Hell is what
  I have always dreamed of!  Let me in."


  The Gatekeeper hands him an entry pass and the engineer goes back
  down the elevator to take his place in Hell.  But, to his surprise,
  the sun had gone out, the snow had melted and the parties were over.
  There is fire and brimstone, snakepits swarming with vipers, fiends
  torturing sinners, and devils tormenting babies.  "Wait!", he cries
  as two monsters haul him off to the chambers of eternal agony.  "What
  happened to the beach parties, fun, and sunshine I saw before?"  "Oh,"
  replies the Devil.  "That was just the demo."