How Looking at Web Development Code Leads to Hidden Messages

There are many tools at a web developer's disposal, be it actual development software like Adobe Dreamweaver or Microsoft Frontpage, or coding helpers like Notepad++. Universally, however, web developers can learn a lot from looking at a running website's code. To see any website's code in the development console in Google Chrome, just press the buttons control, shift and I at the same time. This allows developers to see any bugs in their own launched websites as well as code from others' websites.

In this case, a bored code enthusiast decided to take a gander into the code of The New York Times' website and discovered something interesting. After a bit of searching and scrolling through deliberately blocked code (to prevent theft) and some curious Javascript errors (Javascript is a commonly used programming language for websites), the user uncovered a version of the Times' logo written in ASCII characters, followed by a two-line recruiting message.

"NYTimes.com: All the code that's fit to printf()
We're hiring: developers.nytimes.com/careers"

Those who are familiar with the Times will right away realize part of the pun: The company's longtime slogan is "All the news that's fit to print." However, unless you're pretty familiar with Javascript, you'll be a little confused by the last word of the first line. "printf()" is a coding function that sends messages to a development console. In fact, that very function was probably used to send this hidden message to curious console sleuths.

This clever, hidden recruitment message is just one of many fun Easter eggs hidden in web development code throughout the Internet. Here are some other notable examples:

Viewing the source code of the Coca-Cola website and scrolling down a little bit brings up an elegant ASCII drawing of the Coca-Cola logo, followed by an artist (or programmer) signature.

Flickr also choose to seek out savvy web developers in their source code. Their logo, made in fancy ASCII art, precedes a recruitment message.

Celebrity sites known to (at least at one point) have ASCII art in their source code belong to Kanye West and former candidate Hillary Clinton. For more information click here https://i.redd.it/gsostak8lgu01.png.