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DC.Ars, All Hallow?s Eve Edition

DC.Ars takes a Halloween-themed stroll through the newest projects added to …

It's a pleasant fall evening and you are out for an evening stroll. The wind is brisk but not cold, and it stirs up the leaves as it swirls about. A brilliant hunter moon is low on the horizon, providing more than enough light for your walk. You walk on and on, lost in your thoughts.

Suddenly, you realize that you are walking past a graveyard. You've walked this route before and don't remember it being here. There is a half-open gate, swinging in the breeze. It's the squeak of the gate that stirred you from your thoughts and caused you to realize where you are. Do you enter the gate, or keep walking?

You enter the graveyard. A well-worn path goes forward from where it starts at the gate. You follow the path for a short distance when you realize that it is leading toward a low, stone vault that is overgrown with weeds and vines. A shiver runs down your spine as a gust of wind scatters leaves around you. Approach the vault? (Y/N)

The path leads you right to the vault and up to a single, metal door. The door is open a crack, and a dull light spills out. Do you enter, or go back the way you came?

You open the heavy, metal door to find yourself in an alcove, dimly lit by two sputtering torches. Across the room is an archway. Grab a torch? (Y/N)

You cross to the archway and peer into a massive chamber. Stone columns extend as high as you can see, supporting a ceiling that appears far higher than the stone structure appeared from the outside. You hear nothing in the chamber. You see a faint light coming from what appears to be the far end of the chamber. Go forward or retreat?

You proceed forward toward the light. As you get closer, you realize that a large wooden table is illuminated by a lone candelabra. Several objects appear to be on the table. As you approach more closely, you realize that there is a computer on it. It is open to a web page that is dull, gray and stone-like in appearance. You recognize the web site as the DC Vault. You note that you have visited this web site before, but not recently. You realize that your hand is resting on a chair. Sit down, or look around?

You place your torch in an empty sconce on a nearby column and sit in the only chair near the heavy, oak table. You observe what appears to be a list of categories across the top and teams down the left. Something compels you to take the mouse and click on the "Biological and Medical Sciences" category. When that category loads, you notice that a new project has been added: Docking@Home.  You make a mental note to check it out later.

You hit the Back button to return to the main page. You now feel compelled to click on the "Mathematical" category. You observe that the SHA-1 Collision Search Graz project has been added to the Vault. You make a note to check that one later as well.

You return to the main page. The "Miscellaneous" category now draws you to it. Once loaded, you quickly note that a new project has been added here as well. NQueens sounds like it might have to do with chess. You like chess, so you consider exploring that before checking out the other two new projects.

About the time you return to the main page, you hear a shuffling off to your left. It sounds like feet stumbling or dragging over stone. Panic sets in. You know you are somewhere that you are not supposed to be. You fear being caught here, yet your curiosity still compels you. Who would be in this dark, dismal place? Who would have a computer here? 

Do you exit the vault, or go left toward the sound?

You get up from your chair to leave. You hear the sound again, only much closer. Then again. You quicken your pace. Now it sounds like it is right behind you. You want to start running, but find you cannot. A scream rises in your throat, unable to escape.

Then... You snap out of your daydream and find yourself back on your evening stroll. The wind is brisk but not cold, and it stirs up the leaves as it swirls about. A brilliant hunter moon is low on the horizon, providing more than enough light for your walk. 

You realize that you have walked further than you normally do. In fact, you are walking along the edge of a graveyard. You approach a gate, partly open, creaking in the wind....

(Props to DMF and Hobbes for the idea for the article.  If you do sign up for one of these newly Vaulted projects, please remember to join Team Ars Technica.)

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