note
liverpole
[ambrus] is [id://600195|correct]. I suppose I should tell the whole story ...
<p>Several weeks ago, as it became evident that node 600,000 would be coming along shortly, I considered trying to "grab it" as it became available.
</p><p>On probably 5 or 6 occasions I was tempted to craft an [id://1597] post, but each time surrendered the thought, due to the stress it might take, both to predict the approximate day, and then to have to watch patiently while #600000 came closer and closer. There was also a fair chance it might happen at night (my time), and I wasn't about to stay awake for it.
</p><p>In all honesty, I never even considered using a script to do it, even for the short term of the last few minutes. The idea of not doing it "by hand" would have left too much to chance; I figured the best shot would have been to wait until #600000 was next in line, with my post already previewed and ready to submit next.
</p><p>On Wednesday we were snowed in, with the first major blizzard of the year (for New England). Shortly after I wandered into the Monastery, I noticed that it was down to the last 50 nodes or so, and again the urge was rekindled to claim the node for myself.
</p><p>With renewed resolve, I began an obfuscation that would hide a message amidst the code, printing first "welcome to node ...", and then turn into a big, colorful "600,000!". But as I worked on the obfuscation (checking every few minutes on the number of the newest node), it became clearer and clearer there wasn't going to be enough time!
</p><p>So eventually I gave up the idea of doing an obfuscation, and focused my energy on a [id://1590] submission instead.
</p><p>My [wp://haiku] finished, I went back to [id://3628], and was startled to see node [id://599999|#599999] already posted. Hastily, I went to hit the "create" button on my post and ... disaster! A title hadn't been chosen, so the "create" button was not even <i>visible</i> yet! Even after frantically adding the title the post still was not accepted, because the chosen title was one word, and the two-word minimum was brutally enforced.
</p><p>Although it was no more than 15 or 20 seconds, it seemed like an eternity as I struggled to submit the post as rapidly as I could. Fully expecting to miss the mark, I was finally rewarded with the "create" button, and clicked on it, with my heart racing ... <i>success</i>! Frankly, had another monk been scheming to achieve the same goal, my attempts could easily have been in vain.
</p><p>PS. I see that node [id://600296|#600296] was just submitted, so I'll wait and try to make this one a nice, round [id://600300|#600300]. ;-D
<div class="pmsig"><div class="pmsig-465654">
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s''(q.S:$/9=(T1';s;(..)(..);$..=substr+crypt($1,$2),2,3;eg;print$..$/
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600000
600000