Plug and Play

The monk Wangohan had been given a web application to develop on his own. For this task he had chosen a promising new framework, but because it was unfamiliar his initial implementation was awkward and fragile. For weeks Wangohan labored to correct the problems, restructuring his code as his understanding of the framework grew. By release time his application was elegant beyond compare, and the abbots of the Spider Clan agreed to allow the new tool in future projects.

“But first,” said the junior abbot, “we must implement the fundamental components that the Temple will need, and provide them to all who would consume this framework.”

To Wangohan’s great dismay, the monk Landhwa was chosen for this task. Worse yet, Landhwa had no interest in studying Wangohan’s code, nor in learning from Wangohan the many particulars of the framework. Instead Landhwa consulted Wangohan only when he could not be bothered to find the answer to some simple question on his own.

Finally Wangohan asked the junior abbot of the Spider Clan why Landhwa was chosen to lead the adoption of the framework.

“He is skilled with code, his workload was light, and he did not object to the opportunity,” said the junior abbot indifferently.

Wangohan bowed and went out.

The next day, master Suku summoned Wangohan to her chamber.

“The junior abbot has been taken ill with stomach cramps of a most unpleasant nature,” she said. “The cause is unknown, but I suspect bad cinnamon.”

“It is a common malady,” agreed Wangohan.

“I was going to suggest as much to the junior abbot, but learned that you had already taken him to the operating room,” said Suku. “I was unaware that the Temple had an operating room.”

“It serves primarily as the carpenter’s shed,” said Wangohan.

“And I presume that the surgeon serves primarily as the carpenter?”

“Yes,” said Wangohan. “But as I told the junior abbot: he is skilled with blades, his workload was light, and he did not object to the opportunity.”