"Forgive me, sysadmin, for I have sinned.  It has been 3.2 teraflops
since my last confession."  Done something wrong, but need to feel
good about yourself fast?  Get thee to
http://anther.learning.cs.cmu.edu/priest.html, and bare your soul.
Most forms of licentiousness are catered for: not only does their menu
include sins of the classic "seven deadly" variety, but also a few
that you might expect to vex techie researchers, such as "big-time
kludgy hack" and "didn't put printouts in bin".  For shame.

Detail your transgression and offer it to "God".  Those of a more
exhibitionist nature may elect to have their wrong included on the
web-accessible Scroll of Sin.  But let's face it: most of you are
going to skip the angst of dealing with your own wrongdoing and jump
right to said Scroll, to pruriently wallow in the iniquity of others.
Virtual vicarious tabloid gratification.  Yum.

After making your confession, you'll receive instructions for penance,
which are predictably techie-nerdish, such as "use your modem at no
higher than 300bps for one week", or "abstain from your vice until
that MPEG from the Netherlands finally downloads", but there are a few
surprises worth waiting for.

In providing a complete cycle of confession, absolution and penance,
the electronic Confession Booth is just what the godhead ordered for
those who find their productivity being hindered by guilt pangs and
flashes of conscience.  Try it if you have been wanting to have a good
confess sesh but can't seem to pull yourself away from your web
browser -- being in such a sad state itself calls for a few "Hail
Bill"s.  Mea maxima culpa.

-- Ron Chrisley