mod_tourettes, or more correctly "mod_tourette's", is an amusing idea that I have no time to implement. But I figure there might be someone out there who's done something like this (or wants to).
It's an Apache module that will randomly insert profane words and phrases into HTML pages it serves. The idea came up when Derek and I were talking last week during the MySQL Conference. I really don't remember how. Perhaps he does.
See also: lots of sites on Tourette's Syndrome via Google.
Posted by jzawodn at April 23, 2004 05:14 PM
I'm at a loss to understand why random profanity should be amusing. Other than mocking what is almost certainly an uncomfortable medical condition to live with, what is the purpose of this thought exercise (or not) anyway ?
Then it's safe to assume you'd never install the module, huh?
I've seen a page like this. I'm searching for it right now. It's a blog with an option to enable it.
> Then it's safe to assume you'd never install the module, huh?
Yes.
The module would be better named mod_coprolalia than mod_tourettes. Coprolalia (literally: "shit lips") is the specific behaviour of compulsively spouting profanity, whereas Tourette's Syndrome is diagnosed as the presence of a collection of symptoms which may or may not include coprolalia, and indeed does so only rarely, in only 5 to 30 percent of Tourette's cases. The resistance you will get from the Tourette's community stems from their being tired of being dogged by the misconception that coprolalia and Tourette's are equivalent and indivisible.
Other than that, it's a fucking hilarious idea.
I prefer random kittens on the client side:
Michael Rutman was working on his hack, "MoreKittiesPlease!". This was an application that, when launched, pushed an OpenTransport STREAMS module onto the system-wide network stack. At a very low level, the module would look for incoming TCP+HTTP data and rewrite incoming HTML code. Specifically, it would dynamically add image tags to a preselected website that featured pictures of kittens.
This reminds me of the Mac virus idea that you posted a while back.
Scott's close... Jeremy was talking about his Mac Virus idea one night in the hotel, and I suggested "something like that for Apache to fuck with every web page that went out", and Jeremy suggested "mod_tourettes".
I would probably cause incredible flamewars if those words are inserted into comments.
No sweat, though... it's probably very easy to implement as a MT plugin.
