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  3. How to Hire a Programmer

How to Hire a Programmer

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  • R Robert Royall

    From http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=hire.txt[^]... So there you have it. Look for developers who love cats, quote Monty Python, read Heinlein, play guitar, and are accomplished punsters. If you find all these characteristics in a single individual, hire that person immediately - confident you're hiring a truly great developer.

    Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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    Jim Crafton
    wrote on last edited by
    #3

    Of course it was written in a VB tech journal... Not sure what that means :)

    ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! Real Mentats use only 100% pure, unfooled around with Sapho Juice(tm)! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! VCF Blog

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    • R Robert Royall

      From http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=hire.txt[^]... So there you have it. Look for developers who love cats, quote Monty Python, read Heinlein, play guitar, and are accomplished punsters. If you find all these characteristics in a single individual, hire that person immediately - confident you're hiring a truly great developer.

      Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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      MrPlankton
      wrote on last edited by
      #4

      I once had a boss who was formally a CO on a nuclear sub. His philosophy when hiring EE's(including programmers) was to ask; "What's the first thing you do when you go to the head?". If they answered "check for toilet paper" they were 90% there to getting the job. Ironically, most of his hires were very competent.

      MrPlankton

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      • R Robert Royall

        From http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=hire.txt[^]... So there you have it. Look for developers who love cats, quote Monty Python, read Heinlein, play guitar, and are accomplished punsters. If you find all these characteristics in a single individual, hire that person immediately - confident you're hiring a truly great developer.

        Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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        Christian Graus
        wrote on last edited by
        #5

        Robert Royall wrote:

        read Heinlein

        If I were to do this, I've be 5 for 5.

        Christian Graus Please read this if you don't understand the answer I've given you "also I don't think "TranslateOneToTwoBillion OneHundredAndFortySevenMillion FourHundredAndEightyThreeThousand SixHundredAndFortySeven()" is a very good choice for a function name" - SpacixOne ( offering help to someone who really needed it ) ( spaces added for the benefit of people running at < 1280x1024 )

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        • R Robert Royall

          From http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=hire.txt[^]... So there you have it. Look for developers who love cats, quote Monty Python, read Heinlein, play guitar, and are accomplished punsters. If you find all these characteristics in a single individual, hire that person immediately - confident you're hiring a truly great developer.

          Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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          El Corazon
          wrote on last edited by
          #6

          Robert Royall wrote:

          Look for developers who love cats

          check...

          Robert Royall wrote:

          quote Monty Python

          Aha! No, you want room 12A, next door...

          Robert Royall wrote:

          read Heinlein

          you can even combine with the first one... "Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat." ;P

          Robert Royall wrote:

          play guitar

          will you settle for native american flute?

          Robert Royall wrote:

          and are accomplished punsters

          What is accomplished? does very BAD puns count as accomplished? :-D

          _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb) John Andrew Holmes "It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others."

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          • J Jim Crafton

            Of course it was written in a VB tech journal... Not sure what that means :)

            ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! Real Mentats use only 100% pure, unfooled around with Sapho Juice(tm)! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! VCF Blog

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            R Offline
            Robert Royall
            wrote on last edited by
            #7

            I debated with myself about whether to throw in a line at the end saying that despite the fact that this article is spot on, it will be dismissed by somebody because it was written by a VBer. Then I thought to myself, "nah, the CP people are cooler than that, they won't let languigism(sp?) get in the way of this brilliant article." Way to go, Jim. You really let me down. :((

            Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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            • E El Corazon

              Robert Royall wrote:

              Look for developers who love cats

              check...

              Robert Royall wrote:

              quote Monty Python

              Aha! No, you want room 12A, next door...

              Robert Royall wrote:

              read Heinlein

              you can even combine with the first one... "Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat." ;P

              Robert Royall wrote:

              play guitar

              will you settle for native american flute?

              Robert Royall wrote:

              and are accomplished punsters

              What is accomplished? does very BAD puns count as accomplished? :-D

              _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb) John Andrew Holmes "It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others."

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              Robert Royall
              wrote on last edited by
              #8

              El Corazon wrote:

              What is accomplished? does very BAD puns count as accomplished? [Big Grin]

              Being able to spot a pun and groan at the horribleness of it is accomplishment enough. The rest of the world just scratches their heads and say "I don't get it."

              Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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              • R Robert Royall

                I debated with myself about whether to throw in a line at the end saying that despite the fact that this article is spot on, it will be dismissed by somebody because it was written by a VBer. Then I thought to myself, "nah, the CP people are cooler than that, they won't let languigism(sp?) get in the way of this brilliant article." Way to go, Jim. You really let me down. :((

                Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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                Lost User
                wrote on last edited by
                #9

                Robert Royall wrote:

                Then I thought to myself, "nah, the CP people are cooler than that, they won't let languigism(sp?) get in the way of this brilliant article."

                You been drinking? ;P

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                • R Robert Royall

                  From http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=hire.txt[^]... So there you have it. Look for developers who love cats, quote Monty Python, read Heinlein, play guitar, and are accomplished punsters. If you find all these characteristics in a single individual, hire that person immediately - confident you're hiring a truly great developer.

                  Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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                  Dalek Dave
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #10

                  I heard it said many times, "If you can't quote Monty Python verbatim, you have no business being sat in front of a computer" :) Henry Bergson

                  ------------------------------------ "I want you to imagine I have a blaster in my hand" - Zaphod Beeblebrox. "You DO have a blaster in your hand" - Freighter Pilot "Yeah, so you don't have to tax your imagination too hard" - Zaphod Beeblebrox

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                  • R Robert Royall

                    From http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=hire.txt[^]... So there you have it. Look for developers who love cats, quote Monty Python, read Heinlein, play guitar, and are accomplished punsters. If you find all these characteristics in a single individual, hire that person immediately - confident you're hiring a truly great developer.

                    Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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                    John M Drescher
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #11

                    Does watching and enjoying Star Wars, Star Trek, and V in the past count? Otherwise my score is zero.

                    John

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                    • C Christian Graus

                      Robert Royall wrote:

                      read Heinlein

                      If I were to do this, I've be 5 for 5.

                      Christian Graus Please read this if you don't understand the answer I've given you "also I don't think "TranslateOneToTwoBillion OneHundredAndFortySevenMillion FourHundredAndEightyThreeThousand SixHundredAndFortySeven()" is a very good choice for a function name" - SpacixOne ( offering help to someone who really needed it ) ( spaces added for the benefit of people running at < 1280x1024 )

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                      Gary Wheeler
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #12

                      You hobbyist.

                      Software Zen: delete this;

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                      • R Robert Royall

                        From http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=hire.txt[^]... So there you have it. Look for developers who love cats, quote Monty Python, read Heinlein, play guitar, and are accomplished punsters. If you find all these characteristics in a single individual, hire that person immediately - confident you're hiring a truly great developer.

                        Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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                        Gary Wheeler
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #13

                        Love cats: I'm a client of four of them. They know who's boss (they are), and wish I was a little quicker on the uptake. Read Heinlein: I've read all of his stuff several times. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress I've read a dozen times or more. Play guitar: A long time ago, yes. Punster: Yes, much to the dismay of my family, friends, and coworkers. Am I a great developer? Beats me. I make a decent living at it.

                        Software Zen: delete this;

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                        • R Robert Royall

                          From http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=hire.txt[^]... So there you have it. Look for developers who love cats, quote Monty Python, read Heinlein, play guitar, and are accomplished punsters. If you find all these characteristics in a single individual, hire that person immediately - confident you're hiring a truly great developer.

                          Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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                          C Offline
                          Chris Austin
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #14

                          Robert Royall wrote:

                          love cats

                          Nope. I like em and their fun to visit but I never want to own one.

                          Robert Royall wrote:

                          quote Monty Python

                          Ok

                          Robert Royall wrote:

                          read Heinlein

                          See my sig :)

                          Robert Royall wrote:

                          play guitar

                          Does Bass Guitar count?

                          Robert Royall wrote:

                          and are accomplished punsters

                          Nope. I think I grew out of puns at the university since everyone else was always trying to tell the best bad pun. I suppose 3/5 isn't too bad.

                          Sovereign ingredient for a happy marriage: Pay cash or do without. Interest charges not only eat up a household budget; awareness of debt eats up domestic felicity. --Lazarus Long

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                          • R Robert Royall

                            From http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=hire.txt[^]... So there you have it. Look for developers who love cats, quote Monty Python, read Heinlein, play guitar, and are accomplished punsters. If you find all these characteristics in a single individual, hire that person immediately - confident you're hiring a truly great developer.

                            Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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                            NotYourAverageGuy
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #15

                            Now that is really funny. He asked me those exact questions in a job interview with him(or someone with the same name) a few months ago.

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                            • R Robert Royall

                              From http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=hire.txt[^]... So there you have it. Look for developers who love cats, quote Monty Python, read Heinlein, play guitar, and are accomplished punsters. If you find all these characteristics in a single individual, hire that person immediately - confident you're hiring a truly great developer.

                              Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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                              keyboard warrior
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #16

                              i hate monty python. it's so boring. maybe im the only geek in the world that hasn't watched more than the one legged hopping knight bit.

                              ----------------------------------------------------------- "When I first saw it, I just thought that you really, really enjoyed programming in java." - Leslie Sanford

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                              • M MrPlankton

                                I once had a boss who was formally a CO on a nuclear sub. His philosophy when hiring EE's(including programmers) was to ask; "What's the first thing you do when you go to the head?". If they answered "check for toilet paper" they were 90% there to getting the job. Ironically, most of his hires were very competent.

                                MrPlankton

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                                Zhat
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #17

                                "What's the first thing you do when you go to the head?" I thought it was the ballast/presure valves being shut...I've heard some pretty funny stories about what happens when the valves are not set correctly (my brother was a bubblehead, I was aviation hunting those buggers).

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                                • R Robert Royall

                                  From http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=hire.txt[^]... So there you have it. Look for developers who love cats, quote Monty Python, read Heinlein, play guitar, and are accomplished punsters. If you find all these characteristics in a single individual, hire that person immediately - confident you're hiring a truly great developer.

                                  Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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                                  Vikram A Punathambekar
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #18

                                  Cats: I loathe them. Monty Python: Never watched. Heinlein: Never heard of him (her?) Play guitar: Never touched one. Punster: Aaah, my saving grace. :-D

                                  Cheers, Vikram.


                                  The hands that help are holier than the lips that pray.

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                                  • M MrPlankton

                                    I once had a boss who was formally a CO on a nuclear sub. His philosophy when hiring EE's(including programmers) was to ask; "What's the first thing you do when you go to the head?". If they answered "check for toilet paper" they were 90% there to getting the job. Ironically, most of his hires were very competent.

                                    MrPlankton

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                                    Lost User
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #19

                                    Nice, sees if they think of the simple things.

                                    Visit http://www.notreadytogiveup.com/[^] and do something special today.

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                                    • R Robert Royall

                                      From http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=hire.txt[^]... So there you have it. Look for developers who love cats, quote Monty Python, read Heinlein, play guitar, and are accomplished punsters. If you find all these characteristics in a single individual, hire that person immediately - confident you're hiring a truly great developer.

                                      Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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                                      t7bros
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #20

                                      Cats: Indifferent, but highly allergic Monty Python: I worship at the alter of Graham, Terry, Terry, Michael, Eric, and John. (including Terry Gilliam's movies e.g., Brazil) Heinlein: No, but I read a ton of sci-fi. Play guitar: Barely, but I can play a lot of other instruments with anywhere from beginner to expert proficiency. Punster: Eh. Can I substitue a love of Mel Brooks or Douglas Adams for this one? I'm not terrible, but not great. EDIT: Fixed punctuation Have faith in yourself; amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic.

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                                      • V Vikram A Punathambekar

                                        Cats: I loathe them. Monty Python: Never watched. Heinlein: Never heard of him (her?) Play guitar: Never touched one. Punster: Aaah, my saving grace. :-D

                                        Cheers, Vikram.


                                        The hands that help are holier than the lips that pray.

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                                        JudyL_MD
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #21

                                        Vikram A Punathambekar wrote:

                                        Heinlein: Never heard of him (her?)

                                        Robert A. Heinlein - one of the gods of science fiction writing

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                                        • R Robert Royall

                                          From http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=hire.txt[^]... So there you have it. Look for developers who love cats, quote Monty Python, read Heinlein, play guitar, and are accomplished punsters. If you find all these characteristics in a single individual, hire that person immediately - confident you're hiring a truly great developer.

                                          Imagine that you are hired to build a bridge over a river. The river gets slightly wider every day; sometimes it shrinks but nobody can predict when. Your contract says you can't use concrete or steel - the client only provides timber and cut stone (but won't tell you what kind). Gravity changes from hour to hour, as does the viscosity of air. Your only tools are a hacksaw, a chainsaw, a rubber mallet, and a length of rope. Welcome to my world. -Me explaining my job to an engineer

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                                          Lost User
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #22

                                          Also in that article: "I've witnessed online pun-fests that lasted as long as a week, with as many as 30 programmers trying to outdo each other." Now would you hire a 'grammer that spends a week online in a pun-fest...? Imagine how much work they got done! :wtf:

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