Way back when we had to bang rocks together to do computation, and I was first learning to do so, one of the programs that the nerds at the Santa Monica High School Computer Lab put together was the “Store Program.” The only place to get snacks that was in walking distance of Samohi way back then was a rather scary liquor store on Pico just, uh, I guess that’s north-east of Lincoln.
Amazingly enough, that liquor store is still there.
The Store Program was pretty cool, in its primitive little Interdata 7/16 BASIC kind of way. It would take everyone’s order (red licorice and Coke for me, thanks!), calculate how much everyone owed (including tax), figure out from how much each person was putting in how much of what kind of change to get (down to the dime, nickel and penny), and (most important!) pick someone at random to walk to the store.
It is good to know that we still have geeks out there who are continuing the fine tradition of the Store Program, and the Xerox PARC burrito utility.