In the high-pressure world of tech, appearances sometimes matter as much as productivity. The recent release of Rust Stakeholder, a satirical command-line tool that generates impressive-looking terminal output, has sparked widespread discussion about workplace monitoring and the visual perception of productivity in tech environments.
The Art of Looking Busy
The tech community has embraced tools that generate busy-looking terminal output for decades, from simple commands like tree to sophisticated programs that simulate complex operations. These tools serve various purposes, from providing a moment of mental respite to avoiding micromanagement. As one developer noted in the discussion, terminal-based work often appears more impressive to non-technical observers than GUI-based activities, regardless of the actual work being accomplished.
I had this literally happen to me a couple of months ago... slacking off while waiting for some performance tests to run with my big 27 screen full of terminals for each runner, server logs etc... 'VP Of Technology' comes over 'I don't know what you are doing, but it's the most impressive thing I've seen in a while'... Yes sir!
Terminal Aesthetics and Management Perception
Color plays a crucial role in how terminal output is perceived by management. Several developers shared experiences about adding color codes to terminal output to make it more visually appealing and understandable to non-technical stakeholders. Red for errors and green for success creates an immediate visual language that managers can intuitively grasp, even without understanding the underlying code or processes. This visual shorthand has become so effective that some developers reported receiving more praise for aesthetic changes than for actual performance improvements.
The Boss Key Legacy
The concept of quickly hiding leisure activities when supervisors approach isn't new to computing. Developers reminisced about the boss key feature in 1980s and 1990s software, particularly games, which would instantly display fake spreadsheets or work-related screens when triggered. One commenter recalled creating a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) program for MS-DOS that would display a fake compilation screen, later enhanced with incrementing line numbers to make it appear as though work was progressing. Modern equivalents include tools like hollywood, which has been used in television shows and commercials to create realistic-looking hacker screens.
Popular Terminal-Based "Looking Busy" Tools Mentioned:
- rust-stakeholder: Generates impressive-looking terminal output with customizable development types and complexity
- hollywood: Terminal application that displays split-screen busy technical interfaces
- hackertyper: Web-based tool that generates code as you type
- genact: Simulates activity in terminal with various modules
- Basic commands: Simple commands like "tree" or building large codebases (e.g., "make world" in FreeBSD)
Common Uses:
- During stakeholder walk-bys
- In background during meetings
- When taking mental breaks
- On visible monitors in open offices
- As screen savers/lock screens
Remote Work and Productivity Theater
The discussion around these tools naturally extended to remote work dynamics, with many commenters debating whether office presence truly enhances productivity. Some argued that remote work allows for more natural productivity cycles, with one developer noting they accomplish most work in morning and evening bursts rather than in a continuous eight-hour block. Others pointed out that office environments often foster politics and coaster culture rather than focused work. The debate highlighted the tension between visual productivity (appearing busy) and actual output delivery.
Beyond Satire: Real Workplace Concerns
While Rust Stakeholder is presented as satire, the enthusiastic discussion it generated reveals genuine workplace concerns about micromanagement and surveillance. Multiple developers shared stories about managers who could remotely access their screens without warning or who judged productivity by physical presence rather than output. These experiences point to deeper issues around trust, autonomy, and how productivity is measured in technical roles.
In an industry that prides itself on innovation and efficiency, the popularity of tools designed to simulate work suggests a disconnect between how productivity is measured and how technical work actually happens. As one commenter succinctly put it, Pretending to work is self-degrading. Fix whatever authority problem incentives sending out false signals instead.
Whether used as a humorous statement about workplace dynamics or as a practical tool for managing perceptions, programs like Rust Stakeholder reflect the complex relationship between appearance and reality in technical work environments. They remind us that sometimes the most impressive-looking work isn't the most valuable, and that trust and outcome-based evaluation might be more effective than monitoring how busy someone appears to be.
Reference: Rust Stakeholder