Output text so that it looks like someone is typing it. (Filters STDIN to STDOUT with random short intervals between characters)

gistfile1.txt

#!/usr/bin/env ruby
#
# Print output as if someone was typing it.
#
#   * random short intervals between characters
#
#   I have no idea why this seems so neat to me.
#   Try piping the output of w3m -dump to it.
#
#   -jdc 2013-06-20

trap 'INT', 'SYSTEM_DEFAULT' # ^C exits.

speed = ARGV.length > 0 ? ARGV[0].to_i : 3
lastchar = ''
STDIN.read.split(//).each do |char|

    print char

    # Normal delay
    sleep (rand / speed) + 0.05

    # Occasional pauses between words
    if ( (char != ' ') and
        (lastchar == ' ') and
        (rand(5) == 0) )

        # Sometimes the pause is long
        if (rand(5) == 0)
            sleep 16 / speed
        else
            sleep 4 / speed
        end

    end

    lastchar = char
end

This was a fun toy in Ruby. I'm posting it primarily to fiddle with the gist interface to github.