Editing 413: New Pet
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| date = April 21, 2008 | | date = April 21, 2008 | ||
| title = New Pet | | title = New Pet | ||
− | | image = | + | | image = new_pet.png |
− | | titletext = ONE LAPTOP PER HAMSTER | + | | titletext = ONE LAPTOP PER HAMSTER |
+ | | imagesize = | ||
}} | }} | ||
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] | + | In this comic, [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] make a new pet by putting an EEE PC into a hamster ball, allowing it to roll around. |
− | The {{w|Asus Eee PC}} was one of the first subnotebook computers available on the American market, noted for its small size and coming pre-installed with Linux. With a diagonal size of 11 inches, it would take a big hamster | + | The {{w|Asus Eee PC}} was one of the first subnotebook computers available on the American market, noted for its small size and coming pre-installed with Linux. With a diagonal size of 11 inches, it would take a big hamster wheel to carry it like this. |
− | {{w|Omniwheel}}s are wheels with rollers mounted on the edge to allow the wheel to slide sideways. The wheels in the drawing look more like {{w|Mecanum wheel}}s, which have rollers mounted at an angle to the edge. Both | + | {{w|Omniwheel}}s are wheels with rollers mounted on the edge to allow the wheel to slide sideways. The wheels in the drawing look more like {{w|Mecanum wheel}}s, which have rollers mounted at an angle to the edge. Both Omniwheels and Mecanum wheels are used in omni-directional drive systems, like you would use to drive a hamster ball from the inside. |
− | + | A {{w|Roomba}} is a self-directed robotic vacuum cleaner made by iRobot. | |
− | + | {{w|Python (programming language)|python}} is a programming language popular among geeks running Linux. Among other features, it has a large number of easily installed 3rd-party libraries which make it easy to add features to programs. In this case, [[Cueball]] is importing the "soul" library to give the new pet a soul. | |
− | {{w| | + | The title-text refers to the {{w|One Laptop per Child}} project spearheaded by Nicholas Negroponte around 2005, with the goal of building an inexpensive, durable sublaptop that could be distributed to children in developing countries to give them an educational edge. |
− | + | ==Transcript== | |
+ | [Girl is placing EEE PC inside hamster ball. Guy scratches head] | ||
+ | |||
+ | Guy: What are you doing? | ||
+ | |||
+ | Girl: Mounting your EEE PC in a hamster ball. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Girl: Well, the TCO of a cat is like $1000 year, so we're saving money. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [Guy is typing] | ||
+ | |||
+ | Girl: Microcontrollers are all wired up. How's the brain coming? | ||
+ | |||
+ | Guy: I've taught it obstacle avoidance and blogging. | ||
− | + | Guy: Aww, look, it's making friends with the Roomba." | |
− | : | + | |
− | : | + | <<EEE PC: RRRRR>> |
− | + | ||
+ | <<Roomba: Beep!>> | ||
+ | |||
+ | Diagram: Webcam, RF links, bearings, omni wheels, magnets, EEE PC, omni wheels, battery | ||
+ | |||
+ | [Hamster ball bounces down flight of stairs] | ||
+ | |||
+ | <<Hamster ball: Bonk, bonk>> | ||
+ | |||
+ | Off-panel: Man, I hope it's OK that we're laughing at this. | ||
+ | |||
+ | [Girl picks up ball] | ||
− | : | + | Girl: I think my mothering instinct took a wrong turn somewhere. |
− | : | + | Guy: You mean an awesome turn. |
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− | + | [Guy is typing] | |
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− | : | + | Girl: Too bad we can't give it a soul. |
− | : | + | Guy: Sure we can. |
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− | : | + | Guy types: import soul |
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− | + | Girl: Oh, right. Python. | |
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− | + | {{Comic discussion}} | |
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[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
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