The Morally Questionable Code Trolls That Crashed Computers and Drove Coworkers Nuts

As a seasoned SEO expert, I’ve seen it all. Morally questionable code trolloid tactics have not only crashed computers but also driven coworkers to the brink of madness. Here are a few of the best trolling codes I’ve encountered:

The Never-Ending Trolling Computer

I once came across a simple yet vexing troll code:

pythonimport webbrowserwhile True:    print('troll face')

This three-line code loop s?med my classmate's computer to a grinding halt for five whole minutes. It's a testament to the absurdity of pranking with code, even when it's a harmless loop displayed on the screen.

The "Do Not Press" Button

Years ago, I added a button to a menu that displayed a warning message: "Please don't press the button again," followed by an 'acknowledge' option. Pressing it again would crash the system, requiring a lengthy reload. My coworker was less than impressed when I informed him that the menu wanted to strongly advise against pressing the button.

The Embarrassment Tool

While working on a real-time monitor for a trading exchange in London, I developed a metric system to visualize speed moves. In a moment of mischief, I downloaded a library from an internet forum, took a screenshot, and saved it on Dropbox. This was not just a simple prank, but a tool that could play embarrassing photos of my colleagues for a fleeting moment, just for a laugh. Management was furious when they realized it and took hours to figure out how to fix it.

The Debugging Nightmare

A classic among aspiring programmers, this code snippet is a masterclass in creating a debugging nightmare:

define true falseOrdefine if while

This simple snippet replaces all 'if' with 'while' in C code, or replaces 'true' with 'false'. It's not just a code troll, it's a frustrating journey into the depths of debugging hell. It’s a prime example of how a small change can disrupt the entire codebase, leaving developers confused and frustrated.

The Keyboard Twister

When I was in college, Twitter was still a thing, and Timofey and Roman were still "cools." I wrote a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) that transposed 'i' and 'e' if both were in the keyboard buffer and the current second on the clock was evenly divisible by 6. People would type along, only to realize they had transposed and get annoyed. It was a clever way to get a chuckle at the expense of those who took their typing too seriously.

Those were the days before digital watches and fitness trackers. If they can come back, maybe it's time to update the idea for more modern devices. Imagine an iWatch that transposes your letters for you—now that would be something!

Code trolling has evolved over the years, but the principle remains the same: to cause harmless chaos and to witness the face of frustration on your unsuspecting comrades. Whether it's crashing computers, flashing embarrassing photos, or causing debugging nightmares, these pranks remind us that programming is not just about logic and syntax, but also about a bit of fun and creativity.