Read Me
I’ve no idea how old I was when I encountered my first “Read Me”. I suspect it appeared alongside a shareware game; petitioning the reader to remit funds to the hobbyist developer.
Surely somewhere in the vast network of networks there is a thoroughly detailed history of the read-me; the genre’s birth and creator’s intention. If an origin story exists, I hope it methodically details how long the first read-me collected dust before anyone bothered reading it. And furthermore, how much time passed before a reader actually found it useful.
I’ve written a few read-me’s in recent years. My imagined audience approaches them with a sense of annoyed bewilderment. Their task being urgent, and having spent a sizable hunk of their energy trying to fathom a block of code I’ve written, I envision them sighing heavily and opening the read-me as a last resort before ultimately abandoning my legacy and starting over from scratch.
A little more creative effort perhaps, and a “Read Me” could gain the humor of the bossy treats “Down the Rabbit Hole” in “Alice’s Adventure’s in Wonderland”. Then at least the reader might be amused before inevitably shaking the etch-a-sketch.
With the fumbling first steps of that heroine’s quest in mind, I’ve drafted this read-me. I’ve layered in a good deal of pedantic pontification which I encourage you to consider akin to a sign declaring: Beware, radioactive biohazard, read on at your own peril.
While you’re welcome to tagalong on this adventure of mine, I make no promise that this will be even mildly amusing or of interest. This read-me will be of minimal aid in making sense of what accumulates herein.
A decade ago you might have arrived via search engine. As I write this, it’s more likely a social network or other vaguely novel adaptation of an old technology harshly deposited you on this threshold. However you arrived at this particular rabbit hole, just remember , be careful what you eat and drink, self-asserting substances are best ignored. And by all means don’t leave the key on the table top.