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Ask Slashdot: What's The Worst IT-Related Joke You've Ever Heard? 656

dryriver writes: In just about any field of employment -- whether you're a 3D artist, a pastry chef or a lawyer -- there's an abundance of jokes related to the profession, or to situations commonly encountered during that profession. Some are pretty good, some so-so, and some are very, very bad.

What I want to know is, what are the absolute WORST computer or IT related jokes you've either heard from someone, found on the internet or possibly even invented yourself? And since this is Slashdot, feel free to throw in science-related jokes as well, provided that they are just as bad as the computer or IT jokes.

Leave your best answers in the comments. What's the worst IT (or science)-related joke you've ever heard?
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

Ask Slashdot: What's The Worst IT-Related Joke You've Ever Heard?

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  • by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @04:39AM (#55759349)

    If you don't watch your kerning, you'll end up keming

    • Re: CPUs (Score:5, Funny)

      by Robin Bermanseder ( 4925885 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:48AM (#55759603)
      Two CPU's walk into a bar. Cpu1: Have you had any good forks lately? Cpu2: No, but I'm in a relationship with a process.
    • by HornWumpus ( 783565 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @11:53AM (#55761373)

      A trucker is hauling a load of 6 terabyte hard drives though the SF bay area. He stops at a bar and gets a beer, starts to talk to the bartender about how much he hates geeks. Just then a computer geek walks into the bar and starts to order some girly drink. The bartender just pulls a shotgun and shoots him.

      WTF he says to the bartender? I hate geeks as much as the next guy, but isn't that going to be a problem. No says the bartender, they're an invasive pest species, no season, no limit.

      Wouldn't you know it, the trucker gets into a wreck. The box is broken open and hard drives are scattered all over El Camino. Nerds are everywhere, getting into slap fights over a drive when 100 are at their feet etc. The trucker pulls out his shotgun and just starts mowing them down. The cops show up and arrest him. He says: 'They're invasive species...', the cop cuts him off: 'You're not allowed to bait them...'

  • Easy (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @04:39AM (#55759351)

    Windows 10

  • by Freischutz ( 4776131 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @04:39AM (#55759353)

    What's The Worst IT-Related Joke You've Ever Heard?

    Pretty much anything Ajit Pai says to justify the eradication of net neutrality.

  • by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @04:42AM (#55759367)

    He looks at your shoes when he's talking to you.

  • This one: (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @04:44AM (#55759369)

    "It's not gonna take long..."

  • by Freshly Exhumed ( 105597 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @04:45AM (#55759377) Homepage

    :loop

    echo Radio Shack Sucks

    goto loop

  • El Terrible (Score:5, Funny)

    by Spilt_Blood ( 5195539 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @04:47AM (#55759381)
    I wish end-user was a command!
  • by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @04:48AM (#55759391)

    What's "pieces of seven, pieces of seven"?

    It's a parroty error.

    • by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:30AM (#55759533)

      No it isn't. The parity of both seven and eight is the same:

      Eight in binary = 1000, containing an odd number of 1s

      Seven in binary = 0111, also containing an odd number of 1s

      The set up should be "What goes pieces of nice, pieces of nine", as:

      Nine in binary = 1001, containing an even number of 1s

      • by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @06:30AM (#55759755)

        No it isn't. The parity of both seven and eight is the same:

        Eight in binary = 1000, containing an odd number of 1s

        Seven in binary = 0111, also containing an odd number of 1s

        The set up should be "What goes pieces of nice, pieces of nine", as:

        Nine in binary = 1001, containing an even number of 1s

        And that's why you can't get laid.

      • by Roger W Moore ( 538166 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @09:48AM (#55760419) Journal

        No it isn't. The parity of both seven and eight is the same: Eight in binary = 1000, containing an odd number of 1s Seven in binary = 0111, also containing an odd number of 1s The set up should be "What goes pieces of nice, pieces of nine", as: Nine in binary = 1001, containing an even number of 1s

        So I guess this is what you call a parody error?

        • by Geoffrey.landis ( 926948 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @10:20AM (#55760589) Homepage

          No it isn't. The parity of both seven and eight is the same:
          Eight in binary = 1000, containing an odd number of 1s
          Seven in binary = 0111, also containing an odd number of 1s
          The set up should be "What goes pieces of nice, pieces of nine", as:
          Nine in binary = 1001, containing an even number of 1s

          So I guess this is what you call a parody error?

          It's a parody parroty parity error!

          Let's all get together to make fun of it, and have a parody parroty parity error parody party..

  • by Freshly Exhumed ( 105597 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @04:53AM (#55759411) Homepage

    "Hello Compaq? I bought a PC from you but I didn't order this coffee mug holder."
    "I'm sorry, did you say 'coffee mug holder'? We do not offer such an accessory."
    "Yes, my PC came with the coffee mug holder that flashes a little light and then pops out the front when I push this little button."

    • I used to sell computer systems.

      I actually took that call.
    • by Quirkz ( 1206400 ) <ross AT quirkz DOT com> on Monday December 18, 2017 @01:33PM (#55762319) Homepage

      Back in the day I ran across a site that had a huge list of purportedly real-life IT stories, like the cup holder, the floppy magnet, the foot-pedal mouse, and others. For whatever crazy reason the host had titled it with some non-intuitive word (spam, I think?) that the host insisted was valid usage, but makes it probably un-searchable these days.

      So, here's a few of my favorite real-life IT moments.

      Them: It's not working.
      Me: Is it plugged in?
      Them: Yes.
      I walk over, check the power cord, and it's unplugged.
      Them: Oooh, I didn't check that end of the cord.

      Them: I can't play this DVD.
      Me: Um, you only have a CD drive.

      The user's password is on a post-it on their monitor. It was their initials and their date of birth. I still don't know why they needed the reminder.

      Email from customer: Help
      Me, in email: How can I help?
      Them, in second email: I can't send email.
      Me: It looks like you just did.

      Them: Can you give me a copy of my predecessor's files?
      Me: Sure. There's a lot, though. Which ones do you need?
      Them: You do it. It's too unsecure for me to tell you which ones.
      Me: I'm just worried about file space. You can have any or all of them if you want.
      Them: That doesn't sound very safe. You tell me.
      Me: I can't really tell you what files you need.

      Them: My mouse is jumping around.
      Me: Oh, it's just got a little dirt inside. It's easy to clean.
      Them: Can't you just buy me a new one instead?

      Director: I got a new computer. Can you drive out to my house to set up email for me?
      Me: Okay.
      I drive out and find the new computer is a laptop.

      Me, on phone with ISP: We can't receive email.
      ISP: We'll look into it and get back to you.
      Me, four hours later: Can I get an update?
      ISP: We found the problem and emailed you a fix hours ago.

      Them: I'm trying to use Greg's computer but it won't come on.
      I troubleshoot and discover user is pressing the monitor button.
      Me: Look for the box, and press that button instead.
      Them: Box? I don't see one. Greg took his laptop with him. Does that mean I can't use it?

      Me: do you have a desktop or a laptop?
      Him: I've got both.
      Me: which are we using?
      Him: well, it's a desktop right now.
      Me: Huh? Desktop right now?
      Him: Sometimes it's a laptop but right now it's a desktop.
      Me: You mean your laptop is plugged into a dock?
      Him: yeah.
      Me: Okay, that still counts as a laptop.

      Them: The printer is working, but it's not printing
      Me: what does working but not printing mean?
      Them: Well, I don't know, but it's .... it's ... it's not printing, but it's working?
      Me: Well, in what ways is it working if it's not printing?
      Them: I don't know. Can't you just come over here and fix it?
      I come over. The printer is not plugged in.

      Them: My computer won't play sound.
      I adjust the volume slider. The computer beeps.
      Them: Well, I thought it was the sound, but, it won't play this voice mail.
      I double-click the file, and it runs for one second and ends.
      Me: I think it's just a hang-up.
      Them: Oh, nevermind then.

      Her: I'm trying to opposite-click X, but it's not working.
      Me: Uh, most people call it right click.
      Her: Yeah, but it's the opposite button, so I call it opposite click.
      Me: You know, if you use a term that nobody else understands, they probably won't understand you.
      Her: So anyway, I'm trying to opposite-click this file, and ...

      Him: I'm getting spam from myself! Help!
      Me: Addresses can be faked.
      Him: Ah.

      Her: I used to be able to use my work computer at home, but the wireless stopped working.
      Me: Hm, it seems to work here in the office.
      Her: Yeah, it's fine here, just not at home. It use to work but now it wants a password.
      Me: Uh, let's back up. Do you have wireless installed at home?
      Her: No. I just grab something from the list of wireless networks. But now they have passwords.
      Me: Oh, you've been stealing w

  • by petes_PoV ( 912422 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @04:54AM (#55759415)
    I can't even bring myself to repeat it!
  • by Tomahawk ( 1343 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @04:55AM (#55759421) Homepage

    The FCC

  • by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @04:55AM (#55759423)

    "I like telling UDP jokes because I don't care if you don't get them."
    Or the TCP variant:
    " You wanna hear a TCP joke ?
      You wanna hear a TCP joke ?
      You wanna hear a TCP joke ?
      You wanna hear a TCP joke ?
      [...]"

    • by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @07:19AM (#55759905)

      a packet bar UDP into a walks ...

    • by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @07:58AM (#55759985)

      and the one from bash's archive follows:

        "Hi, I'd like to hear a TCP joke."
        "Hello, would you like to hear a TCP joke?"
        "Yes, I'd like to hear a TCP joke."
        "OK, I will tell you a TCP joke."
        "Are you ready to hear a TCP joke?"
        "Yes, I am ready to hear a TCP joke."
        "OK, I am about to send the TCP joke. It will last 10 seconds, has 2 characters, it does not have a setting, it ends with a punchline."
        "OK, I am ready to get the TCP joke that will last 10 seconds, has 2 characters, does not have a setting, and ends with a punchline."
        "I'm sorry, your connection has been timed out."
        "Hello, would you like to hear a TCP joke?"

    • by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @09:03AM (#55760185)

      I made an NTP joke once, the timing was perfect.

  • by Andrew Bainbridge ( 816777 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @04:58AM (#55759431)
    making my code simpler by cutting down on the number of boolean literals I used. Turns out it was a false economy.
  • by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:01AM (#55759441)

    From http://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/96/Jun/nosmoke.html

    Service Rep: Sir, something has burned within your power supply.

    Customer: I bet that there is some command that I can put into
                                the AUTOEXEC.BAT that will take care of this.

    Service Rep: There is nothing that software can do to help you with
                                this problem.

    Customer: I know that there is something that I can put in...
                                some command... maybe it should go into the
                                CONFIG.SYS.

                                [After a few minutes of going round and round]

    Service Rep: Okay, I am not supposed to tell anyone this but there
                                is a hidden command in some versions of DOS that you
                                can use. I want you to edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT and add
                                the last line as C:DOSNOSMOKE and reboot your
                                computer.

                                [Customer does this]

    Customer: It is still smoking.

    Service Rep: I guess you'll need to call Microsoft and ask them for
                                a patch for the NOSMOKE.EXE.

                                [The customer then hung up. We thought that we had
                                heard the last of this guy but NO... he calls back
                                four hours later]

    Service Rep: Hello Sir, how is your computer?

    Customer: I called Microsoft and they said that my power supply
                                is incompatible with their NOSMOKE.EXE and that I need
                                to get a new one. I was wondering, where can I get it
                                done and how much it will cost..

  • LotR Joke (Score:5, Funny)

    by Scarletdown ( 886459 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:01AM (#55759443) Journal

    One token ring to rule them all, and in the darkness bind them.

  • by Freshly Exhumed ( 105597 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:03AM (#55759449) Homepage

    "Hello IT? I think my floppy drive on my work PC is broken. Every time I bring in a floppy from home it never works. Yes, it works fine at home. Yes, I saved everything correctly, shut off my PC, and then stuck the floppy up on the fridge so I'd find it easily in the morning. Yes, the fridge. Yes, with a fridge magnet. ...Hello... Hello IT?"

    (props to Bob Newhart for the schtick)

  • Bash.org (Score:5, Funny)

    by goose-incarnated ( 1145029 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:03AM (#55759455) Journal
    From bash.org (hopefully the formatting is preserved). [bash.org]
    #962213 +(451)- [X]
    "Hi, I'd like to hear a TCP joke."
    "Hello, would you like to hear a TCP joke?"
    "Yes, I'd like to hear a TCP joke."
    "OK, I will tell you a TCP joke."
    "Are you ready to hear a TCP joke?"
    "Yes, I am ready to hear a TCP joke."
    "OK, I am about to send the TCP joke. It will last 10 seconds, has 2 characters, it does not have a setting, it ends with a punchline."
    "OK, I am ready to get the TCP joke that will last 10 seconds, has 2 characters, does not have a setting, and ends with a punchline."
    "I'm sorry, your connection has been timed out."
    "Hello, would you like to hear a TCP joke?"
  • by Hal_Porter ( 817932 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:06AM (#55759467)

    to To other side. get the

    Why did the multithreaded chicken cross the road?
    other to side. To the get

  • by Freshly Exhumed ( 105597 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:06AM (#55759469) Homepage

    Hello IT? My computer is frozen. All it says is "press any key" but there is no key marked "any" on my keyboard."

  • by Maxo-Texas ( 864189 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:31AM (#55759535)

    They... Log In.

  • by randomErr ( 172078 ) <.ervin.kosch. .at. .gmail.com.> on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:43AM (#55759581) Journal

    Who is General Fault and why is he on my hard drive?

  • by Opportunist ( 166417 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:46AM (#55759589)

    (I admit, that one is old)

    What do F-18 pilots and internet addicts have in common.

    They break out in cold sweat if they get NO CARRIER.

  • by Opportunist ( 166417 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:48AM (#55759605)

    And god said "Go forth and multiply"
    Came the snakes and said "Oh lord allmighty, we cannot follow your command, for we are adders."

    Thus spoke the lord "Go and fell those trees and build furniture out of them. For adders can multiply with the aid of log tables".

  • Cookies (Score:5, Funny)

    by Nighttime ( 231023 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:51AM (#55759617) Homepage Journal

    Our team manager brought in some cookies to say "thank you" for our recent coding sprint, but I wouldn't have any. I told her, "I'm sorry, but I don't accept third-party cookies."

  • by JasperKlewer ( 1600041 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @06:03AM (#55759667)
    Q: Why is Christmas identical to Halloween?

    A: Because Dec 25 equals Oct 31.
  • Programming (Score:5, Funny)

    by dromgodis ( 4533247 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @06:18AM (#55759711)

    There are only two really difficult things in programming:

    - Naming
    - Cache invalidation
    - Off-by-one errors

  • by Zedrick ( 764028 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @06:21AM (#55759715)
    ? Who is the hackers least favorite actor?
    ! Error Flynn

    (there were some other equally bad jokes that I unfortunately can't remember right now)
  • by irving47 ( 73147 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @06:24AM (#55759723) Homepage

    One of our team spilled half their orange soda all over the fast food table we were eating at... When the third or fourth of us started wiping it up with our napkins, the boss asked, "Geez, how many network engineers does it take to clean up a spill??"
    I just stated I wasn't sure, we didn't have a MOP.
    (Maintenance Operations Protocol)

  • Manager Says... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @06:30AM (#55759751)

    *everything is working fine*
    Mgr: "...Everything is working fine. What do we even pay you for?"

    *something breaks*
    Mgr: "Everything is broken... What do we even pay you for?"

  • Y2KY Jelly (Score:5, Funny)

    by wiretrip ( 552807 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @06:36AM (#55759777)
    ...helps you fit 4 digits into your date instead of 2.
  • by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @06:41AM (#55759795)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • by shanen ( 462549 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @07:02AM (#55759857) Homepage Journal

    My favorite oldie is this one:

    Yip yip yip yip yip.
    *BANG*
    NO TERRIER

    Another one that got me was this ancient one:

    [Khassaki] HI EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!
    [Judge-Mental] try pressing the the Caps Lock key
    [Khassaki] O THANKS!!! ITS SO MUCH EASIER TO WRITE NOW!!!!!!!
    [Judge-Mental] fuck me

    http://www.bash.org/?835030 [bash.org] is the source of the second one.

  • by chrisvdb ( 149510 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @07:07AM (#55759879)

    ... is probably the day they start making vacuum cleaners.

  • by InterGuru ( 50986 ) <(moc.urugretni) (ta) (dhj)> on Monday December 18, 2017 @07:13AM (#55759897)

    man bash

    • by Opportunist ( 166417 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @08:00AM (#55759997)

      Politically correct linux is now finally a reality. The changes are subtle but very important.

      1) man pages are now person pages.
      2) Due to complaints from allergic people, cat has been replaced by hypoallergenic_domestic_animal.
      3) "yes" is a relic from the times men dominated IT and thought that the only way a woman could reply was in the positive, so it has been complemented with a "no" command.
      4) -f(orce) has been removed from all programs to ensure no program can be made do things it does not want to do by itself.
      5) The gender biased "mail" command has been replaced by "gender". And you can have as many copies of it as you please, as well as create your own and enforce their use.
      6) The "touch" command was removed, due to recent events concerning its use in certain management circles.
      7) "unzip" has been removed as well, for similar reasons.
      8) "more", being a relic from the Reagan-era'esque thinking of amassing wealth being the only goal in life, has been completely removed. People are encouraged to use the more environmentally friendly "less".
      9) LaTex has been removed by the biodegradable KleeNex.
      10) Due to causing stress and anxiety with people, "kill" has been replaced by the more agreeable "euthanize". Prior consent of tasks for it to be used on them is required and strictly observed.
      11) The "nice" command has been frequently used by users of the privileged class to grant themselves more resources. Unprivileged users and those that think they are can now use the "sue" command to achieve the same.
      12) history has been completely rewritten and is now herstory
      13) "quota" is now strictly enforced, whether the resources warrant it or not, whether the tasks actually require the allotted resources or not and whether it makes sense or not.
      14) abort() is now choice()
      15) daemons are now spiritual guides
      16) X Window is now NC-17 Window
      17) Terminals with limited capabilities are no longer to be called dumb terminals. All terminals are considered equally valuable and some of them are special.
      18) root and its wheel oligarchy have been ousted. Instead we implemented the People's Committee for Democratic Organisation of Systems (PC-DOS). Everyone is allowed to do everything and expected to take only what they need.

      You will find these new guidelines and features very stimulating and you will agree that they are very useful, sensible and are going to increase our productivity. Or you're just a reactionary, sexist, racist pig!

    • The man command is short for manual. Back in the day, when you bought something it came with a book that explained it, known as a manual. Many young people these days don't remember this era and so the notion of a manual doesn't help them remember the command. Instead, I tell them that 'man' is short for 'mansplain'.
  • by leonbev ( 111395 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @07:22AM (#55759913) Journal

    He's making a database
    He's sorting it twice
    SELECT * FROM KIDS WHERE BEHAVIOR="NICE"
    SQL Clause is coming to town

  • by eth1 ( 94901 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @07:29AM (#55759933)

    An electrical engineer, a mechanical engineer, and a civil engineer were arguing over what sort of engineer God is.

    The electrical engineer said, "Just look at human nervous system! Only an electrical engineer could design that!"

    The mechanical engineer said, "But what about the human skeleton and musculature? Obviously He was a mechanical engineer!"

    The civil engineer said, "You're both wrong. God HAS to be a civil engineer, because only a civil engineer would put a sewage pipeline right down the middle of prime recreational real estate!"

  • by Rambo Tribble ( 1273454 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @08:21AM (#55760049) Homepage
    How is a blonde like a computer? You don't appreciate either one until it goes down on you.
  • by Limitless_Potential ( 4097769 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @08:26AM (#55760065)
    I asked my cousin what he wants to be when he grows up He replied “I want to help scanners and computers talk to each other” So he wants to be a Twain driver
  • by higuita ( 129722 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @08:34AM (#55760091) Homepage

    Easy response: managing windows and windows users!

  • by Trailer Trash ( 60756 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @08:43AM (#55760113) Homepage

    I use this to gauge the relative age of an audience:

    Did you hear that IBM finally came up with an object oriented COBOL?

    It's called "Add 1 to COBOL giving OBJECT-ORIENTED-COBOL".

    (And, yes, I know that IBM actually *does* have object oriented cobol)

    (For those who don't get it, note that "++" is the increment operator in C, thus "C++" is just C incremented. COBOL's verbosity means that the same operation requires the code above, although "Add 1 to COBOL" should be enough)

    • I'm obviously too old, because I remember the punchline as 'ADD 1 TO COBOL RETURNING COBOL' (C++ adds one to C and returns C).
  • by SlashDread ( 38969 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @09:12AM (#55760229)

    "Array!"

  • systemd (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Hognoxious ( 631665 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @10:30AM (#55760671) Homepage Journal

    systemd, closely followed by its proponents.

  • by techdolphin ( 1263510 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @10:42AM (#55760777)

    How many programmers does it take to change a light bulb?

    None, that is a hardware problem.

  • by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 18, 2017 @10:59AM (#55760899)

    A Priest, a Doctor, and an Engineering are playing golf and are stuck behind a group of guys who are playing really slow.

    One of them ask the greens keeper why the group ahead is so slow. He replies that the group ahead are blind ex firemen who saved the field house last year when it caught fire. We were so grateful that we let them play golf whenever they want for free.

    The Priest said: That's so sad, I'll remember to say a special prayer on Saturday.
    The Doctor said: I have a friend who handles cases like this. I'll ask him if there is anything he can do..
    The Engineering: Looks down at his shoes and says, "Can't these guys play at night?"

  • Groceries (Score:5, Funny)

    by Doctor Memory ( 6336 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @11:31AM (#55761175)

    A woman asked her programmer husband to run to the store for her.

    "Run to the store and get a gallon of milk. If they have eggs, get a dozen."

    The husband comes back with 12 gallons of milk. "They had eggs."

    • by Tolvor ( 579446 ) on Monday December 18, 2017 @02:42PM (#55763083)

      I've heard a different version of this....

      A woman had a husband who was a programmer. As the programmer was about to leave for work the woman tells him, "While you are out, buy a loaf of bread."

      She never saw him again. :-)

The Tao is like a glob pattern: used but never used up. It is like the extern void: filled with infinite possibilities.

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