htmx/www/content/essays/lore.md

+++ title = "htmx lore" description = """
Carson Gross explores the fascinating lore of htmx, from its playful community memes like "It's So Over/We're
So Back" and "Laser Eye Horse" to humorous controversies such as the "Microsoft Purchase
Rumor" and the htmx/intercooler.js feud. This essay dives into the vibrant culture, iconic moments, and
lighthearted chaos surrounding htmx.""" date = 2024-12-17 updated = 2024-12-17 authors = ["Carson Gross"] [taxonomies] tag = ["posts"] +++

For better or for worse, htmx has collected a lot of lore, mainly around the twitter account.

Here are some explanations.

It's So Over/We're So Back

A common set of phrases used by htmx enthusiasts when, for example, @bunjavascript told me to delete my account

htmx CEO

At one point there was a hostile takeover attempt of the htmx CEO position and, in a desperate poison pill, I declared everyone CEO of htmx.

Turk created https://htmx.ceo if you want to register as a CEO.

If someone emails hr@bigsky.software asking if you are CEO of htmx, I will tell them yes.

You can put it on your LinkedIn, because it's true.

Laser Eye Horse

At some point I photoshopped lasers onto a horse mask, as kind of an homage to @horse_js.

For some reason it stuck and now it's the official unofficial mascot of htmx.

Spieltrieb

Spieltrieb means "play instinct", and is a big part of the htmx vibe.

Pickles

At some point someone (I think @techsavvytravvy), generated a grug AI image, and there was a pickle smiling in a really bizarre way in it.

So we started riffing on pickles and now there's a shirt.

Cry more, drizzle.

XSS

In July 2023, when htmx first got popular, there was a moral panic around cross site scripting. I may have overcooked my response to it.

Shut Up Warren

@WarrenInTheBuff is the king of twitter and we regularly fight with him. This often ends in someone saying "shut up warren".

You can see the htmx website do this by going to https://htmx.org?suw=true

Microsoft Purchase Rumor

In mid-January of 2024 I got really serious with the htmx twitter account and started quote tweeting things about microsoft. People started worrying. I announced a license change to get people freaked out about a rug pull.

I then changed htmx to BSD0

This is the offer I got from microsoft (real).

(same thing)

I believe that this tweet is the origin of the (same thing) meme

Stronger Together

In December 2023, I was trying to get some indonesian twitter users to take a look at htmx, so I created a "Montana & Indonesia, Stronger Together!" tweet w/an AI image.

This turned into a whole series of tweets.

Hinges

Sometimes I am accused of being "unhinged" but, in fact, I own many hinges.

* library

People often call htmx a framework, but it's a library

"man"

A common one word response when I don't feel like arguing with someone.

The Le Marquee d'<something>

In December 2024, I added a marquee tag to the htmx website and started using the honorific (sic) in my twitter title.

htmx sucks

I wrote an essay called htmx sucks in which I criticize htmx (some valid, some tongue in cheek, most both.) I also released a mug that I will often link to when people are criticizing htmx.

Jason Knight

Jason Knight hates htmx and wrote a great post about it.

Please don't harass him, I draw energy from his posts.

Drop Downs

In July 2023, sparked by the accusation that htmx users could not create dropdowns, I did a deep-dive into web drop down technology and uncovered a bombshell

"htmx is a front end library of peace"

A phrase I will often quote tweet violent htmx-related imagery with.

The Process ™

The Process™ is the mechanism by which people initially hostile to htmx come to be enlightened.

"that's ridiculous"

In June 2023, @srasash accused htmx of being a government op, the first in many such increasingly ridiculous claims. I typically quote-tweet these claims and point out that "that's ridiculous"

Grug

I created http://grugbrain.dev.

The htmx/intercooler.js feud

The htmx & intercooler.js twitter accounts often fight with one another. Sometimes its just me switching back and forth, but two other people have access to the intercooler account, so sometimes I have no idea who I am fighting with.

If Nothing Magically Works

Nothing magically breaks.

/r/webdev

I was very unfairly given a lifetime ban from /r/webdev/ for an obviously satirical post. Even the term "htmx" is banned (or semi-banned) on that sub, so people now use the htmeggs instead.

"looking into this"

idk, I just think it's funny

"Look at this nerd ragin'"

A common phrase used to mock people (including ourselves) with.

Joker/Bane/Skeletor/Thanos, etc.

htmx is a villain in the front-end world, I'm good w/that