This is hardly old (because I am not that old yet) and not a big deal, but it's an interesting story of how your code can be re-used when you least expect it.

This is hardly old (because I am not that old yet) and not a big deal, but it's an interesting story of how your code can be re-used when you least expect it. Back in 2005 I was starting my Masters degree in Biomedical Engineering. I was working on a project where we did processing on the raw RF data from a diagnostic ultrasound system. The system manufacturer had just created an "RF module" that gave us access to this data in a raw, proprietary format. We were their beta testers and they provided no SDK. Since most of our research started with analysis in Matlab, I reverse-engineered their proprietary format and wrote some Matlab functions to load the RF data into Matlab data structures. I assumed this whole time that these scripts would only ever be used by me. Before I finished up my Masters, I made sure I documented all of the code that left behind. None of this code was "online" (these were pre-Github days) and it was only stored locally on my machine, available to my lab members. Well, about a year ago (2015), I heard back from a former labmate who is now faculty at another institution. She mentioned in passing that that those scripts are still used today by anyone who interfaces with that system! I had to do a double-take before I believed what she said. I guess the scripts got e-mailed around and have found some use beyond my own. I was both proud and alarmed to hear it!