Laurence Cadieux
May 25 is a sacred day on the Geekian Calendar: Geek Pride Day! For those of you who are new to the Geek World, this annual event launched in Spain in 2006, and has since become an international occasion to celebrate the many facets of geek culture: everything from Harry Potter to System Administration. And speaking of Harry Potter…
Our theme to commemorate Geek Pride Day this year is — yes, you guessed it — Harry Potter!
There isn’t a Harry Potter fan who hasn’t dreamed of attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and learning how to cast amazing spells (in between games of quidditch).
While there are 77 spells in the Potterverse, witches and wizards have a tendency to cast a favorite incantation, which is known as their “signature spell”. For example, Harry Potter’s signature spell is Expelliarmus, which forces an opponent to drop whatever they’re holding.
And this brings us to this month’s poll question, which is being unveiled a bit earlier than usual for Geek Pride Day. Please put on your robe and pointed hat, pull out your wand, and tell us: What’s your ideal Harry Potter-esque Signature Spell at work?
Here are some possibilities (and yes, these are REAL spells from the Potterverse!):
Accio. This is a summoning spell that allows you to instantly gather things. Can’t find an external hard drive? Did someone wander away with your headphones? Has your smartphone gone missing? Has a crucial file disappeared from the cloud? Fear not! Simply cast Accio and your beloved item will return to you at once.
Alohomora. This spell unlocks objects, which makes it perfect for accessing all of your accounts. Mere mortals have to use a password manager, but you get to use this awesome incantation!
Apparating. This is a transportation spell. It’s perfect if you’re not 100% remote, and have to commute to the office or to clients. Not only will you avoid traffic, but you’ll save big on skyrocketing fuel costs (ouch!).
Confundus. This spell inflicts confusion on someone. When would this come in handy at work? Well, let’s say that the Powers That Be in your workplace want to unwisely cut the IT security budget. Well, you can simply cast Confundus and they’ll forget all about it.
Incendio. With this spell you can conjure flames. Uh…we can’t really think of a good reason why you’d want this power, and we’re kind of afraid to ask. So let’s move on.
Obliviate. This spell erases memory. For example, you can wipe your browser history, and it’s also useful if you have to factory-reset computers infected with malware. And of course, it works on people, too. For example, if you’re running up against a really tight deadline and need a little more time to get things done, Obliviate may be exactly what you need to get people to “misremember” when things are supposed to be due.
Homonculus Charm. This spell reveals someone’s true identity and location. It can be used for various purposes. For example, you can expose hackers who may be hiding in your network. Or, you can discover that your boss has left early for the day 😊
Reparo. This spell repairs broken objects. Just imagine how helpful this would be with code. And hey, if those guys from Office Space had this spell, then the poor printer would have survived.
Silencio. This spell gives you the power to silence something or someone. Think of it like a mute button that you can use anywhere. Is your colleague in a workstation nearby talking too loudly? Give them a dose of Silencio. Are you trying to concentrate while construction workers are piercing your eardrums with various heavy-duty machines? Yup, you guessed it: Silencio to the rescue!
What if Your Ideal Signature Spell Isn’t Listed?
If your ideal signature spell at work isn’t on the list, then don’t worry: you can make one up! For example, maybe you wish you could cast Devolutio, which would instantly convince your boss to implement Devolutions products in the environment (sorry, we couldn’t resist!).
You can be as creative as you wish. There’s no limit. And who knows? Maybe your idea will end up in some Harry Potter Fan Fiction one day (something like “Harry Potter and the Order of the IT Pro”).
You Could Win!
Simply by participating in this month’s fun poll, you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two $25 Amazon gift cards. We’ll announce the two lucky winners and share the results in early July.
Thank you in advance for participating. We will leave you with the wise words of Albus Dumbledore: “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities”.
Steven Lafortune
