Acephalous's DISTANCE LEARNING! is a notional Zork-like game that illustrates the daily round of a distance education instructor:
You are sitting at your desk with a cup of coffee, checking your online course webpage. There are twenty-three assignments that need grading.
> drink coffee
All is right with the world again.
> grade assignments
You have graded twenty-three assignments. You are sitting at your desk with a half-finished cup of coffee, checking your online course webpage. There are twenty-three assignments that need grading.
> drink more coffee
You curse the law of diminishing returns.
> grade assignments
You have graded twenty-three assignments. You are sitting at your desk with an empty cup of coffee, checking your online course webpage. There are twenty-three assignments that need grading.
> no all done
There are twenty-three assignments that need grading.
(via Uncertain Principles)