Why does man print "gimme gimme gimme" at 00:30? (2017)

Easter egg behavior and removal

• man printed “gimme gimme gimme” around 00:30 as an ABBA reference; originally it triggered after midnight and was later adjusted (“half past twelve”).
• It was supposed to show only in error cases (e.g., no page), but also appeared with certain flags like --path and in man -w.
• After reports that it broke automated workflows, the behavior was first constrained, then the easter egg was removed entirely in later versions, though it still exists in some older distributions.

Impact on workflows and tests

• Some users’ CI/tests invoked man -w (e.g., to verify manpage install paths) and failed when the unexpected string appeared.
• Several commenters argue tests should rely on exit codes or better-specified behavior, not fragile assumptions about stderr formatting.
• Others note that even small surprises can waste time, especially in complex or time-critical environments.

Debate over easter eggs in core tools

• Supportive views: easter eggs are charming, humanizing, and fun; software is made by people and a bit of playfulness is welcome, especially in non-mission-critical contexts.
• Critical views: hidden jokes in core utilities are unprofessional, can resemble Heisenbugs, and violate expectations of determinism, especially in serious or safety-related systems.
• Some suggest limiting easter eggs to explicitly triggered options or clearly user-facing entertainment contexts.

Debugging practices and leaked debug strings

• Large subthread of stories where humorous or profane debug messages and test strings escaped into production, demos, or public logs, sometimes causing serious embarrassment or firings.
• Many now use easily grep-able, neutral markers (“DEBUG”, “DO NOT SUBMIT”, distinctive tokens) plus git hooks or CI checks to prevent accidental commits.
• Ongoing debate over print-debugging vs modern debuggers; consensus that print/logging still dominates in many real-world cases.

Professionalism, language filters, and corporate norms

• Companies sometimes blacklist words (including innocuous ones like “bad” or “master”) in code, comments, or content for PR or inclusivity reasons, leading to awkward workarounds and “Newspeak” jokes.
• Broader tension appears between strict professionalism (no jokes, no profanity, no surprises) and those who see such rigidity as stifling and unnecessary in most software.