M-03 / software_engineering.ts

// CLASSIFICATION
toy chaos shell for fake mainframes.
leverage: 3/10

// STACK
terminal ui — fast to fake the mainframe feel. one trap: novelty dies if the prompts all look the same.
parser combinator or peg — turns nonsense phrases into repeatable actions. one trap: random syntax becomes untestable sludge.
canvas/SVG renderer — draws the dog and the block text cleanly. one trap: pixel soup on high-dpi screens.
in-memory state store — keeps the fake machine “alive” between commands. one trap: session resets will feel broken fast.
sqlite — boring infra that saves your ass when you need command history and presets. one trap: people skip it and then lose every weird little script.

// HARD PROBLEMS
1. making “weird things happen” feel intentional instead of dumb noise without building a real language engine.
2. keeping the dog, blocks, and text layout stable across screen sizes while the output stays gloriously chaotic.
3. designing command feedback so users can tell whether “booty tooty” did anything or the system just flaked out.

// 6-WEEK CUT
ship a single-screen command console with 20-30 hardcoded nonsense commands, each mapped to one visual or text mutation.
ship the dog art as SVG, not generated art; use layered blocks and overlaid text so the gag reads instantly.
ship command history, saved sessions, and a reset button; that is the spine of the product.
what to delete: real programming semantics, user accounts, multiplayer, plugin systems, and any claim that this is a language.

// THE QUESTION WE'D ASK FIRST
*is this a toy command shell, or are you trying to trick people into learning a real language?*