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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
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As more options become available for communication, it becomes more difficult to determine the social etiquette of communicating with others. It is customary (or at least rarely incorrect) to return a communication from someone using the same medium as the initial contact. For example, a voicemail is generally returned with a phone call (perhaps resulting in another voicemail), and an email with an email, etc. However, sometimes people respond through a different channel, such as texting a response to a voicemail or emailing a reply to a text. This can create confusion that [[Randall]] is pointing out, because the recipient may be unsure whether to go back to their original communication method, or if the response was a signal that the recipient prefers the new method. Similarly, it becomes important for people to know what type of communication is preferred by a recipient, or most likely to reach the recipient quickly and generate the most useful response.
 
  
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Randall portrays the difficulty [[Cueball]] is facing when communicating with a seemingly irrational recipient. Today's multitude of social networks and communication systems amplifies the problem. After several misses, Cueball is leaving a voicemail for his intended recipient to clarify the best way to reach them. He initially tried texting the recipient, to which they made one reply on the instant-messaging service {{w|Google Talk}} (commonly called GChat). This is unusual because instant messaging services are usually used to engage in longer conversations than one message. Cueball further is confused because the recipient, although silent on Google Talk, continues responding on {{W|Internet Relay Chat|IRC}}. Cueball then attempted to communicate by email, but the response came on {{w|Skype}}, another instant messaging service that features voice and video chat along with text. The recipient mentions that the email "''woke [them] up''", implying that they have e-mail configured to make an audible alert, possibly by being forwarded to a cell phone.
 
  
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Cueball clarifies that he appreciates that the recipient is very quick to respond, but his confusion stems from his inability to determine the proper medium to use. As he finishes his voicemail, an owl (appears to be a {{w|Barn Owl}} from its face) flies towards him carrying a written message. This appears to be a reference to [[wikia:w:c:harrypotter:Owl post|owl post]], which is a form of communication in the {{w|Harry Potter}} lore which itself is presumably based on the real-world usage of {{w|Carrier pigeon|carrier pigeons}}. The owl post message indicates that the voicemail was received, and suggests using {{w|Google Voice}} next time, which is yet another form of voice and text communication, one that bypasses the standard telecom companies and gives the user a range of controls such as which device is called depending on who is calling or what time of day it is, or to simply ignore the call altogether.
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As more options become available for communication, it becomes more and more difficult to determine the social etiquette of how you choose to communicate with people. It is generally customary to return a communication from someone in the same medium that they contacted you. For example, a voicemail is generally returned with a phone call, or an email with an email, etc. However, sometimes people respond through a different channel, such as texting a response to a voicemail or emailing a reply to a text. This can create confusion that [[Randall]] is pointing out, because the recipient doesn't know whether to go back to their original communication method, or whether the response was a signal that the recipient prefers the new communication method. Similarly, it becomes commonplace for people to know which communication is preferred by the recipient or most likely to reach the recipient quickly and generate the fastest response.
  
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Randall seems to have an interest in bird-related communications; [http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc1149 RFC 1149 - IP over Avian Carriers] has been mentioned in previous comics.
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Randall portrays the difficulty [[Cueball]] is facing when communicating with a seemingly irrational recipient. Today's multitude of social networks and communication systems only amplifies the problem. Cueball is leaving a voicemail for his intended recipient to clarify the best way to reach them. He is doing so, he says, because he initially tried texting the recipient which they replied to with one message on the instant-messaging service {{w|Google Talk}} (commonly called GChat). This is unusual because instant messaging services are usually used to engage in longer conversations than one message. Cueball further is confused because the recipient, although silent on Google Talk, continues responding on {{W|Internet Relay Chat|IRC}} (presumably to others or in public chat rooms). Cueball then attempted to communicate by email, but the response came on {{w|Skype}}, another instant messaging service that features voice and video chat along with text. The recipient mentions that the email "''woke [them] up''", which is generally something that might happen with a ringing phone call, but is not common with email (people generally don't set their email to to give immediate audible alarms).
  
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The title text mentions a {{w|pager}}, a low-tech, low-cost wireless telecommunications device that beeps or vibrates when it receives a message. Simpler pagers can display numbers, usually the caller's phone number plus a couple of additional digits, while more sophisticated ones can receive text messages. The usual intent of a pager is for the recipient to call the number back or, today, to tell you that your table is ready. Pager use peaked in the 1980s and 1990s, but declined thereafter as cellular phones became ubiquitous. There can be absolutely no need for this hyper-connected individual to use a pager, and having your own cellphone forward messages to your pager makes almost no sense. The question in the beginning of the owl-message further suggests that the receiver did not actually receive the voicemail, but just had Cueball's phone number displayed on his pager.
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Cueball clarifies that he appreciates that the recipient is very quick to respond, but his confusion stems from his inability to determine the proper medium to use. As he finishes his voicemail, an owl flies towards him carrying a written message. This appears to be a reference to [http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Owl_post owl post], which is a form of communication in the {{w|Harry Potter}} lore which itself is presumably based on the real-world usage of {{w|Carrier pigeon|carrier pigeons}}. The owl post message indicates that the voicemail was received, and suggests using {{w|Google Voice}} next time, which is an alternative form of voice and text to the standard telecom companies.
  
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A possible suggestion is that they are intentionally using such an abundance of communications options to, perversely, make it harder to have a conversation with them. So far, it seems to be working. If this is true, the person Cueball is trying to contact may very well be Black Hat.  
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The owl could also be a reference to [http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc1149 RFC 1149 - IP over Avian Carriers], which is more in line with this comic and has been mentioned before.
  
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Another suggestion is that Cueball is attempting to contact Beret Guy, as Beret Guy is known for doing odd things such as this.
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The title text mentions a {{w|pager}}, a wireless telecommunications device that receives text messages. The first use was in 1950 for physicians in New York City .
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This comic is closely related to a later comic, [[1789: Phone Numbers]].
 
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
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:Cueball: Sorry for the voicemail, but I'm confused about how to reach you.
 
:Cueball: Sorry for the voicemail, but I'm confused about how to reach you.
 
:Cueball: When I text you, you reply once on GChat, then go quiet, yet answer IRC right away. I emailed you, and you replied on Skype and mentioned that the email "woke you up".
 
:Cueball: When I text you, you reply once on GChat, then go quiet, yet answer IRC right away. I emailed you, and you replied on Skype and mentioned that the email "woke you up".
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:Cueball: You're very responsive - I just have no sense of how you use technology.
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:Cueball: You're very responsive - I just haven no sense of how you use technology.
 
:[An owl flies into the panel.]
 
:[An owl flies into the panel.]
 
:Cueball: ?!?
 
:Cueball: ?!?
 
:[The owl perches on Cueballs's head. It has delivered a note to Cueball.]
 
:[The owl perches on Cueballs's head. It has delivered a note to Cueball.]
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:Note: did you try to call me? use my google voice number next time.
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:did you try to call me? use my google voice number next time.
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
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[[Category:Animals]]
 
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[[Category:Phones]]
 
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[[Category:Comics with lowercase text]] <!-- the owlmail -->
 
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[[Category:Google]]
 

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