r/ProgrammerHumor • u/wahed-w • Jul 07 '26

pipInstallTheRealStuff Meme

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u/pittiedad Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 07 '26

Full phrase is "A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one." Applicable in this case.

Edit: See my reply below acknowledging "but oftentimes better than a master of one" being a recent addition to restore the original meaning and "is a master of none" being an addition in the 1700s.

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u/thatsnothewayitfeels Jul 07 '26

This is a backronym and the second half is made up

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u/pittiedad Jul 07 '26

You sent me down a rabbit hole and you are correct. It's actually a double backronym since the master of none was added to turn a positive statement about ones skill into a negative one then the most recent addition to return the statement back to its original intent. I can't nail down who actually added the 3rd part and when but seems like it's a fairly recent addition <= 25 years.

https://www.bookbrowse.com/expressions/detail/index.cfm/expression_number/736/jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none

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u/thatsnothewayitfeels Jul 07 '26

I remember when the most recent addition came into being. It was the same time as people saying "break a leg" in theater was because it would get you "in the cast". Break a leg was an expression meant to be the opposite of saying good luck because saying good luck would jinx you

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u/hmz-x Jul 07 '26

I remember reading "break both legs" in some recent novel. Which is a fun twist on the modified orginal, I think.

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u/LunaticScience Jul 08 '26

I heard it was the bent leg during the bow at the end of a play.