Riddles

[Lord_Potato]

Input to output.

[vexx32]

Software/Hardware?

[Chrisd857]

RAM/Aircooling?

hard drive could that be it or a a solid state drive?

Apple/Microsoft

one/zero

Is it, login and logout?

Input to output.

Software/Hardware?

No. Gosh, and I was worried that I might make the riddle too easy. Another bonus verse, so let's hope there are enough clues here.

Original:

We stand as sentinels, the two of us

People from every class must pass

From me to my friend

From creation to destruction

Never out of order, no step ignored

There are many like us

In lands where strange tongues are spoken

But there are other places, like one island

Where I alone have a true counterpart

And my friend's counterpart is left

To pick up the pieces

Never explicitly called upon, oft overlooked

Who are we?

Bonus verse 1:

We operate within the machine

I arrange the bits just so

Preparing everything to go

My friend cleans up

And casts the dust to the wind

Freed to become something anew

Bonus verse 2:

If I became lazy and never build

The many functionaries will attempt to act

But a great fault will fracture every segment

A million tiny voices will call up the stack

This is by God seen

Plus a fix here, plus a fix there

I am whipped into shape

And the course of events is set right

Also, recall this guess that I thought was close:

Creation/destruction?

[Helix935]

i have a feeling that this is addressing a specific part of a computer's hardware so how about RAM/ROM

[vexx32]

Sounds more like a hard disk, with the disk stack and the write head.

[Deadpangod3]

But a great fault will fracture every segment

A million tiny voices will call up the stack

Sounds like a bug in software or something, and people complaining or something.

Something that runs in the computer like a game or something?

Software?

[Helix935]

CD/Floppies? i am not sure i am just guessing

[Starwhip]

How about typing and deleting?

[Lord_Potato]

OS or BIOS?

[toolofdarkness]

code like java and a compiler

Edited January 7, 2014 by toolofdarkness

[Chrisd857]

i have a feeling that this is addressing a specific part of a computer's hardware so how about RAM/ROM

Sounds more like a hard disk, with the disk stack and the write head.

Sounds like a bug in software or something, and people complaining or something.

Something that runs in the computer like a game or something?

Software?

CD/Floppies? i am not sure i am just guessing

How about typing and deleting?

OS or BIOS?

code like java and a compiler

Software is close, code is closer, and Java is relevant to part of the riddle.

[vexx32]

I have a hunch this is going to be something that few of us will understand, especially if we're not programmers or something. I never got past QBASIC.

[DisarmingBaton5]

C and C++?

Java would perhaps be the "counterpart" spoken of.

[Starwhip]

Java? Damn. Y U Post riddle which only a few can understand?

[vexx32]

Didn't we just say only a riddle or two ago it was better to have one that everyone can understand? xD

[Chrisd857]

Didn't we just say only a riddle or two ago it was better to have one that everyone can understand? xD

I probably missed that then. Would you all like the answer so we can move on to another riddle? (it still hasn't been guessed yet)

[vexx32]

Yeah, it was after both I and one other guy almost consecutively posted obscure riddles.

I'm all for it, but wait for at least a few other people to concede before giving it away, just in case there is still someone who thinks they can get it

Edited January 9, 2014 by vexx32

[Deadpangod3]

I think we should continue since we're so close, but I don't know anything about coding

Minecraft?

I think minecraft requires "Java"

[vexx32]

I have a hunch it's going to be some specific kind of code or a particular technique or operation.

[Deadpangod3]

I have a hunch it's going to be some specific kind of code or a particular technique or operation.

*begin code fail*

If kraken.exe>attack, do calljeb.exe

[

]

[

Do FIRETHESRBS!!.exe

*end code fail*

I couldn't program a dot...

[Starwhip]

while True:

print('Error-509: Riddle Incompatible')

(/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ would crash your computer, given enough time.)

But in relation to said riddle, how about the compiler and a virus which kills your code?

[Lord_Potato]

I think that we need a new riddle.

[vexx32]

I'm thinking the same, aye. I doubt we're going to get this one. By your leave, Chrisd857?

[Chrisd857]

Okay, since we want this over, here is the answer with my reasoning:

We are the constructor and destructor

Para 1:

We stand as sentinels, the two of us

People from every class must pass

From me to my friend

From creation to destruction

Never out of order, no step ignored

Class was intended to indicate that people (objects) are part of a class

"creation to destruction" corresponds to 'constructor' and 'destructor'

Also, you can't destruct before you construct

Para 2:

There are many like us

In lands where strange tongues are spoken

But there are other places, like one island

Where I alone have a true counterpart

And my friend's counterpart is left

To pick up the pieces

Never explicitly called upon, oft overlooked

Who are we?

Many programming languages (tongues) have constructor and destructors

The island was supposed to be a play on Java (which is a language and an island). In Java, there isn't strictly a destructor, but rather a garbage collector. So the destructor ('my counterpart', since I'm the constructor), has to pick up garbage. Since GC is automatic, it rarely needs to be dealt with.

Para 3:

We operate within the machine

I arrange the bits just so

Preparing everything to go

My friend cleans up

And casts the dust to the wind

Freed to become something anew

Basically, this is in a computer: I construct, my companion destructs (which also frees up memory for new objects)

Para 4:

If I became lazy and never build

The many functionaries will attempt to act

But a great fault will fracture every segment

A million tiny voices will call up the stack

Para 5:

This is by God seen

Plus a fix here, plus a fix there

I am whipped into shape

And the course of events is set right

I'm the constructor ('build'). If an object isn't constructed, it is null, and calling a function on a null object/pointer will cause a segfault ('fault' 'segment') which goes up the call stack.

Here, God is the user, who fixes the code he wrote wrong that would let this happen.

'Seen Plus... Plus' was an attempted play at C++ to say that the constructor/destructor pair was intended to be partially interpreted as being from that language, as opposed to say Java from earlier.

Who has an easier riddle?

[vexx32]

Okay, yep, that was way over my head.

I think I'll stand down for now, let someone else have a turn, unless there really is no one else to give a riddle.