Yak Shaving Guild - Revision history

Nthmost: /* Guild Norms */ formatting

2025-12-14T07:56:38Z

Guild Norms: formatting

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:56, 14 December 2025
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	== Guild Norms ==		== Guild Norms ==
			'''Developed through painful experience:'''
	~~====~~ '''~~Guild norms''' (developed~~ through painful experience): ~~====~~
	* If your yak shave exceeds '''5 levels deep''', you must diagram it for the archive		* If your yak shave exceeds '''5 levels deep''', you must diagram it for the archive
	* Depth claims require a witness or documentation. We've had... exaggerations.		* Depth claims require a witness or documentation. We've had... exaggerations.

Nthmost: /* About */ colorful upgrades

2025-12-14T07:55:59Z

About: colorful upgrades

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:55, 14 December 2025
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	''"I was going to fix the wiki, but first I had to update the server. But first I needed to learn Docker. But first I had to upgrade my laptop. But first I had to find my charger. But first I had to clean my desk. But first..."''{{guilds}}		''"I was going to fix the wiki, but first I had to update the server. But first I needed to learn Docker. But first I had to upgrade my laptop. But first I had to find my charger. But first I had to clean my desk. But first..."''{{guilds}}
	== About ==		== 🐃 About ==
	'''What we do:''' Document, honor, and occasionally complete the endless chains of prerequisite tasks that stand between a hacker and their original goal.		'''What we do:''' Document, honor, and occasionally complete the endless chains of prerequisite tasks that stand between a hacker and their original goal.

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	'''How levels work:''' In this guild, levels represent self-awareness and documentation practice, not speed or efficiency. Finishing quickly is not the point.		'''How levels work:''' In this guild, levels represent self-awareness and documentation practice, not speed or efficiency. Finishing quickly is not the point.

	• Aware = "I can recognize when I'm yak shaving"		🟢 '''Aware''' = "I can recognize when I'm yak shaving"

	• Documenting = "I diagram my yak shaves as they unfold"		🟡 '''Documenting''' = "I diagram my yak shaves as they unfold"

	• Transcendent = "I have achieved peace with the infinite regress"		🟣 '''Transcendent''' = "I have achieved peace with the infinite regress"

	''Maximum verified depth is tracked separately. See Hall of Fame.''		''Maximum verified depth is tracked separately. See Hall of Fame below.''
	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
	!Member		!Member
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	\|-		\|-
	\|0xDEADBEEF		\|0xDEADBEEF
	\|~~Transcendent~~		\|🟣
	\|11		\|11
	\|Infrastructure yaks		\|Infrastructure yaks
	\|-		\|-
	\|Mirepoix		\|Mirepoix
	\|~~Documenting~~		\|🟡
	\|7		\|7
	\|Toolchain yaks		\|Toolchain yaks
	\|-		\|-
	\|Barnacle		\|Barnacle
	\|~~Documenting~~		\|🟡
	\|6		\|6
	\|Hardware yaks		\|Hardware yaks
	\|-		\|-
	\|sudo_feel_better		\|sudo_feel_better
	\|~~Aware~~		\|🟢
	\|4		\|4
	\|Documentation yaks (ironic)		\|Documentation yaks (ironic)
	\|-		\|-
	\|Pliers		\|Pliers
	\|~~Aware~~		\|🟢
	\|3		\|3
	\|Still identifying specialty		\|Still identifying specialty
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	== Guild Norms ==		== Guild Norms ==
	~~'''Guild norms''' (developed through painful experience):~~

			==== '''Guild norms''' (developed through painful experience): ====
	* If your yak shave exceeds '''5 levels deep''', you must diagram it for the archive		* If your yak shave exceeds '''5 levels deep''', you must diagram it for the archive
	* Depth claims require a witness or documentation. We've had... exaggerations.		* Depth claims require a witness or documentation. We've had... exaggerations.
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	== Hall of Fame: Legendary Shaves ==		== Hall of Fame: Legendary Shaves ==
	Verified chains of 5+ levels, documented for posterity.		Verified chains of 5+ levels, documented for glorious posterity.

	=== 🏆 The Eleven-Layer Infrastructure Yak (2024) ===		=== 🏆 The Eleven-Layer Infrastructure Yak (2024) ===

Nthmost: /* 🏆 The Eleven-Layer Infrastructure Yak (2024) */ typo fix

2025-12-14T07:38:58Z

🏆 The Eleven-Layer Infrastructure Yak (2024): typo fix

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:38, 14 December 2025
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	=== 🏆 The Eleven-Layer Infrastructure Yak (2024) ===		=== 🏆 The Eleven-Layer Infrastructure Yak (2024) ===
	'''Original goal:''' Update the wiki ~~sidebar~~		'''Original goal:''' Update the wiki header

	'''Documented by:''' 0xDEADBEEF		'''Documented by:''' 0xDEADBEEF

Nthmost: /* About */ added discord channel

2025-12-14T07:38:08Z

About: added discord channel

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:38, 14 December 2025
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	'''Where:''' Everywhere. Yak shaving knows no physical bounds. This is a fully distributed guild. Members have reported shaving yaks from four continents, two airports, and one moving train.		'''Where:''' Everywhere. Yak shaving knows no physical bounds. This is a fully distributed guild. Members have reported shaving yaks from four continents, two airports, and one moving train.

			'''Online:''' Find us in the Noisebridge Discord in the Guilds section as #🤘-yak-shaving

	'''Equipment we steward:''' None. The yak is metaphorical. ''(Do not bring actual yaks to Noisebridge.)''		'''Equipment we steward:''' None. The yak is metaphorical. ''(Do not bring actual yaks to Noisebridge.)''

Nthmost: removed redundant thing

2025-12-14T07:31:06Z

removed redundant thing

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ''"I was going to fix the wiki, but first I had to update the server. But first I needed to learn Docker. But first I had to upgrade my laptop. But first I had to find my charger. But first I had to clean my desk. But first..."''{{guilds}}
 == About ==
 '''What we do:''' Document, honor, and occasionally complete the endless chains of prerequisite tasks that stand between a hacker and their original goal.

Nthmost: thing

2025-12-14T07:30:37Z

thing

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:30, 14 December 2025
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	''"I was going to fix the wiki, but first I had to update the server. But first I needed to learn Docker. But first I had to upgrade my laptop. But first I had to find my charger. But first I had to clean my desk. But first..."''{{guilds}}~~Part of Guilds · Last updated: December 2025 · Edit this page~~		''"I was going to fix the wiki, but first I had to update the server. But first I needed to learn Docker. But first I had to upgrade my laptop. But first I had to find my charger. But first I had to clean my desk. But first..."''{{guilds}}


	Contents		Contents

Nthmost: Yak Shaving Guild up

2025-12-14T07:12:45Z

Yak Shaving Guild up

New page

''"I was going to fix the wiki, but first I had to update the server. But first I needed to learn Docker. But first I had to upgrade my laptop. But first I had to find my charger. But first I had to clean my desk. But first..."''{{guilds}}Part of Guilds · Last updated: December 2025 · Edit this page

Contents

# [[Yak Shaving Guild#about|About]]
# [[Yak Shaving Guild#stewards|Stewards]]
# [[Yak Shaving Guild#directory|Directory: Depths Achieved]]
# [[Yak Shaving Guild#norms|Guild Norms]]
# [[Yak Shaving Guild#contributions|Hall of Fame: Legendary Shaves]]
# [[Yak Shaving Guild#knowledge|Knowledge Base]]
# [[Yak Shaving Guild#join|How to Join]]

== About ==
'''What we do:''' Document, honor, and occasionally complete the endless chains of prerequisite tasks that stand between a hacker and their original goal.

'''What is yak shaving?''' Any seemingly pointless activity which is actually necessary to solve a problem which solves a problem which, several alarm levels away, solves the real problem you're working on.

'''Where:''' Everywhere. Yak shaving knows no physical bounds. This is a fully distributed guild. Members have reported shaving yaks from four continents, two airports, and one moving train.

'''Equipment we steward:''' None. The yak is metaphorical. ''(Do not bring actual yaks to Noisebridge.)''

'''Regular meetups:''' We keep meaning to schedule one, but first we need to fix the calendar integration...

== Stewards ==
Stewards maintain the archive of legendary shaves and certify depth claims. This role rotates annually, assuming the handoff process ever gets finished.
{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Role
!Since
!Contact
|-
|0xDEADBEEF
|Steward
|March 2023
|@deadbeef on Discord
|-
|Harriet
|Steward Emeritus
|2019–2022
|Unreachable (still finishing original yak)
|}

== Directory: Depths Achieved ==
'''How levels work:''' In this guild, levels represent self-awareness and documentation practice, not speed or efficiency. Finishing quickly is not the point.

• Aware = "I can recognize when I'm yak shaving"

• Documenting = "I diagram my yak shaves as they unfold"

• Transcendent = "I have achieved peace with the infinite regress"

''Maximum verified depth is tracked separately. See Hall of Fame.''
{| class="wikitable"
!Member
!Level
!Max Verified Depth
!Specialty
|-
|0xDEADBEEF
|Transcendent
|11
|Infrastructure yaks
|-
|Mirepoix
|Documenting
|7
|Toolchain yaks
|-
|Barnacle
|Documenting
|6
|Hardware yaks
|-
|sudo_feel_better
|Aware
|4
|Documentation yaks (ironic)
|-
|Pliers
|Aware
|3
|Still identifying specialty
|}

== Guild Norms ==
'''Guild norms''' (developed through painful experience):

* If your yak shave exceeds '''5 levels deep''', you must diagram it for the archive
* Depth claims require a witness or documentation. We've had... exaggerations.
* It is considered poor form to yak-shame. We've all been there.
* You may not count "making coffee" as level 1. That's just being alive.
* Recursive yak shaves (shaving a yak in order to document a yak shave) are scored separately

'''⚠️ Health advisory:''' If you have been shaving the same yak for more than 6 months, please reach out to a steward. We have resources.

== Hall of Fame: Legendary Shaves ==
Verified chains of 5+ levels, documented for posterity.

=== 🏆 The Eleven-Layer Infrastructure Yak (2024) ===
'''Original goal:''' Update the wiki sidebar

'''Documented by:''' 0xDEADBEEF

Goal: Update wiki header

└─ Need wiki admin access

└─ Need to contact previous admin

└─ Previous admin's email bounces

└─ Need to find them on social media

└─ LinkedIn requires account

└─ Need professional headshot

└─ Camera battery dead

└─ Charger cable frayed

└─ Need soldering iron

└─ Soldering iron tip corroded

└─ Need to order tips

└─ Amazon account locked

└─ [ABANDONED]

''Header was eventually updated 8 months later by someone else.''

=== The Backwards Time Machine Yak (2023) ===
'''Original goal:''' Recover file from backup

'''Documented by:''' Mirepoix

Goal: Recover file from backup

└─ Backup is on old hard drive

└─ Old hard drive uses FireWire

└─ FireWire adapter doesn't work on M1 Mac

└─ Need to boot old MacBook

└─ Old MacBook needs Yosemite

└─ Yosemite installer requires Apple ID

└─ Apple ID email is defunct Hotmail

└─ Hotmail account recovery requires phone number from 2009

└─ That phone number belongs to someone in Ohio now

└─ [CALLED STRANGER IN OHIO, SURPRISINGLY HELPFUL]

''File was recovered. Purpose of file recovery, however, could not be recalled.''

=== Recent Submissions ===

* Dec 2025: "The SSH Key Cascade" 6 (Barnacle) — original goal was to check server uptime
* Nov 2025: "The Font Incident" 5 (sudo_feel_better) — original goal was to send an email
* Oct 2025: "Nested Documentation" 5 (sudo_feel_better) — original goal was to document a yak shave

== Knowledge Base ==
Resources for the practicing yak shaver:

* How to Recognize You're Yak Shaving — Warning signs and interventions
* Diagramming Standards — Official notation for yak shave trees
* The Ethics of Abandonment — When to walk away (and why it's okay)
* Yak Shave vs. Scope Creep — A taxonomy
* Famous Historical Yak Shaves — Including "how fixing a printer led to the creation of GNU"

== How to Join ==
'''If you're reading this, you're probably already a member.'''

Formally joining is simple:

# Document your first yak shave of 3+ levels
# Submit it to a steward for verification
# Add yourself to the directory

Most people discover they've been yak shaving for years before finding this page. Welcome. You are among your people.
----'''See also:''' Guilds · Taxidermy Guild · Electronics Guild · Rubber Duck Guild · MetaGuild