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Dilbert cartoon first published on Friday 12th September 2008

Dilbert//7090, first published eighteen years ago on Friday 12th September 2008


Tags

worked around clock ten programmers establish new baseline tragic death march stretch golas stupid


Official transcript

Asok says, "I worked around the clock and finished a project that would normally require ten programmers."

Asok says, "Um... did I just establish a new baseline expectation that will turn my job into a tragic death march?"

The Boss says, "It's time to set some stretch goals."

Asok says, "STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!"

originally published on dilbert.com


Open source transcript

I WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK AND FINISHED A PROJECT THAT WOULD NORMALLY REQUIRE TEN PROGRAMMERS.

UM... DID I JUST ESTABLISH A NEW BASELINE EXPECTATION THAT WILL TURN MY JOB INTO A TRAGIC DEATH MARCH?

IT'S TIME TO SET SOME STRETCH GOALS STUPID!

STUPID!

STUPID!

collated from github.com/jvarn/dilbert-archive


AI Analysis

Comic Strip Title: "The Tragic Death of a Programmer's Job"

Summary:

The comic strip revolves around a programmer's encounter with his boss, who has assigned him a new project that requires ten programmers. The programmer is initially enthusiastic about the challenge but soon realizes that it will lead to his job being turned into a "tragic death march." He attempts to set some stretch goals, but his boss responds with a dismissive "Stupid!" and tells him to get back to work.

Key Elements:

  • The programmer's initial enthusiasm and subsequent disappointment
  • The boss's dismissive attitude and lack of understanding of the project's complexity
  • The programmer's frustration and sense of being overwhelmed
  • The use of humor to highlight the absurdity of the situation

Themes:

  • The challenges of working in a high-pressure environment
  • The importance of setting realistic goals and expectations
  • The impact of poor leadership on employee morale and productivity

generated by llama-3.2-11b-vision-instruct


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