The Question

The Question--regrets to the Moody Blues
 lyrics by Jay Chesavage

Why do we never get an answer
   When we're waiting in the queue?
There's a thousand million questions
   about Pascal, and EMACS, too.

'Cause when we stop and look around us,
   There's not a TA to debate
In the Class of 10X
   Where programs can't be late.

(ah..ah....)

Why do we never get an answer?
   To the 'Print' command this week?
Because the printer blew its hammers
    and was donated by HP.

Why does the system crash on Tuesday?
   And the folks at DEC insist
That AMPEX memory's the problem
   'Preventative Maintanence', the fix.

(ah...ah...)

(rit.)

It's not the way
   That the system
types 'No Such File'
   to you
It's more the way
   That the days pass 
Inside the CERAS cube.

And when you stop
   And think about it
You won't believe it's true
   consultants are paid good money
to hurl abuse at you.

I'm looking for
   a manual on DEBUG
I'm looking for
   my girlfriend, to hug
And if you could see
   What this has done to me
You'll see why it's so clear
   I won't use LOTS next year.

Between the Whining of the Printer
   and the crashing cpu
There lies a file that's been Deleted
   Oh, Shit! That program's due.
(Repeat to beginning, a tempo)