Was I crazy to delete my only copy of this script?

[league55]

I wrote a script that generated random strings of ascii letters with the randomness weighted according to a letter frequency table based on how often the letters occur in actual English words. So I was testing the script with a simple half-loop that had an empty input prompt so the script execution would pause for me to hit enter after each string was printed to screen. Some of the strings were nonsense, some were actual English words. Then the following three strings came up in this order:

elu
die
bastard

The first one, "elu," reminded me of some foolish dabbling in mystical things in my very distant past, which wsa incredibly damaging to me. That succession of strings really unsettled me. Then followed a sequence of non-words that looked like real words of invective with random letters interspersed inside the words. I became so unsettled that I hit ctrl-c and immediately deleted all copies of the script.

Did I suffer a bout of temporary insanity?

[metulburr]

Use version control software to keep backups

[sparkz_alot]

Not at all, in fact I often advise people in a similar circumstance to also do the following:
1) Disconnect yourself from the internet, water supply and power grid so such devilry cannot escape.
2) Secure erase the hard drive(s)
3) Remove the hard drive(s) and completely destroy all the platters within.
4) Remove any CMOS batteries in the computer and dispose of in a responsible manner.
5) Perform steps 1 thru 4 for any additional computers and electronic devices you might have.
6) Bury all equipment in a pit at least 6 to 8 feet deep and cover with a concrete slab 6 inches thick
7) Secure yourself in your home, sealing all doors and windows with protective runes and incantations.
8) Find an empty space on the floor and assume the Lotus Position
9) Wait ...

I hope this puts your mind at ease.

[league55]

I was just thinking that this test was kind of an experiment, and the results of the experiment told me that using the script could have a highly negative effect on the user.

Also, I wrote the script without a use case, for the sole purpose of practising writing scripts in order to help become proficient at writing scripts; so I shouldn't be surprised that the script had undefined output. I had done nothing to define the desired output in the first place!

Apart from learning to use version control (and now I always put everything in a local Git repository), I learned not to launch projects without defining the intended use case thoroughly before launching the project. Undefined output can be VERY bad.

[nilamo]

and now I always put everything in a local Git repository

Why local? If your computer melts, you'll still lose everything.