explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:612: Estimation

2018-03-05T00:02:33Z

00N8:

I've experienced this more strongly while installing programs rather than transfering files, and the "connection lost" part is not exclusively from Microsoft. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.196|108.162.212.196]] 22:06, 3 January 2014 (UTC)

I think there needs to be some explanation on what "per-file overhead" is, for those who don't know - myself, for instance. [[User:Codefreak5|Codefreak5]] ([[User talk:Codefreak5|talk]]) 22:12, 17 July 2014 (UTC)

:It's the time spent looking up the destination folder, adding an entry for the file in that folder (a folder is an index of file names and locations, not a physical division of the disk), and recording metadata such as the creation date and owner. Basically, it's the time it would take to move the file to a different folder on the same disk, minus the time it would take to delete the file (bypassing the Recycle Bin). [[User:Promethean|Promethean]] ([[User talk:Promethean|talk]]) 06:08, 18 July 2014 (UTC)

In fairness, I wonder if we should mention that this is a really hard problem to solve. it's only a little bit easier than the extremely hard problem given in 1425: Tasks [User: 00N8]

Talk:29: Hitler

2018-03-04T06:09:55Z

00N8: commented

I was born in the sixties of the last century, just into a new Germany. I can joke about Hitler, but sentences should be correct. An awful history which still does happen nowadays.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:46, 23 June 2013 (UTC)

Black Hat doesn't know what he's talking about. Hitler is actually a good artist. --[[User:ITErsoy|ITErsoy]] ([[User talk:ITErsoy|talk]]) 01:31, 10 January 2014 (UTC)

His art had no soul. They were in essence, forgeries of art that hasn't been done. The painting looks fine, but there's no depth. Take it from me, I'm an art student. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.122|141.101.99.122]] 11:06, 29 September 2014 (UTC)

I feel uneasy with saying most of them were jews. Most of those killed where men, and more likely, german men. Hitler lead an aliance with Mussolini (Italy), the Croats (who massacred the serbs in methods that disgusted even the german concentration camp leaders) and others. I think you should make it clear it was *Naszi* Germany. I think you should link to the wikipedia page on the holocaust, Nazis, and Hitler, because the explanation made here can be taken as oversimplified/childish. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.122|141.101.99.122]] 11:06, 29 September 2014 (UTC)

-Way after the fact here, but the Holocaust had nothing to do with Mussolini or the Serbs. Neither did the US and UK have anything to do with Stalin's brutality of his people. The comic specifically stated the Holocaust, which was committed against more Jews than all other ethnic group combined. To say the Holocaust was mostly focused on the killing of Jews is quite accurate historically and in no way is it childish. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.56.130|173.245.56.130]] 00:03, 17 October 2015 (UTC)

I just googled Hiter's paintings and he was actually a very good artist! [[User:Keavon|Keavon]] ([[User talk:Keavon|talk]]) 00:13, 10 November 2014 (UTC)
:Yea, but did you know that Hitler wrote the 2 sequels to The Matrix? (though not the original, obviously.) Taking that into account, I think we'll agree that a capricious enough god could object violently to whatever nonsense was motivating his work 🤔 [ User:00N8 ]

1961: Interaction

2018-03-02T08:17:03Z

00N8: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1961
| date = February 28, 2018
| title = Interaction
| image = interaction.png
| titletext = [They do not move.]
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete| Needs to be expanded with regards to social anxiety. There are now several links to comics dealing with similar issues of having problems with normal social interactions. Should there instead be a category (please add more similar comics to the list to see if it makes sense.) If you have an idea for what the title of such category should be, perhaps add it here (and in the discussion). "Small talk" or "Social interactions" could be possible, but seems not quite adequate?}}

[[Cueball]] and [[White Hat]] are making small talk. White Hat begins the conversation with a typical greeting, asking, "How are you doing?" Normally this is a habitualized greeting pattern, where the person being greeted would respond with a genetic positive like, "Good," "Okay," "Can't complain," etc. But instead, Cueball answers with a very open and honest statement about the {{w|social anxiety}} he thinks he is successfully dealing with. White Hat then admits that he is experiencing the same thing, and the two congratulate each other for having a "normal" conversation with another human. After that, there is an awkward silence where neither knows what to talk about next. Finally, White Hat makes note of the awkwardness and Cueball suggests they stop before it gets worse.

The scene is ironic because their dialogue mirrors the common pattern of typical minor daily interactions, but also differs greatly from anything "normal." White Hat & Cuteball are being really weird here, specifically because their dialogue is inappropriately open & honest. The literal semantic content of their dialogue is probably more accurate & meaningful than the usual pleasantries people exchange, but the effect is very different.

So basically they have not managed to behave like regular human beings, and thus have nothing to congratulate each other for. Except for White Hat's opening line nothing in the conversation has in any way resembled normal behavior due to their serious issues with small talking/interacting with other people, even this simple '''interaction''' fails completely, hence the title of the comic.

The title text states, that after saying goodbye they don't move away, keeping up the uncomfortable silence, continuing to display their problems. Neither of them wish to be the first to turn away, or one or both are locked in the situation and has no clue how to finish it, even though they are both obviously aware of their problems and what makes them anxious.

The title text may be a reference to the final stage direction "''They do not move.''" in Samuel Beckett's play {{w|Waiting for Godot}}, where the protagonists frequently discuss leaving, but do not move.

[[Randall]] has previously made several comics with a similar theme showing Cueball's (or his Randall's own) problems with several social situations/interactions/small talk, especially this comic [[222: Small Talk]]. There are several more examples in this list, (please feel free to add more here):
*[[1324: Weather]]
*[[1640: Super Bowl Context]]
*[[1643: Degrees]]
*[[1650: Baby]]
*[[1917: How to Make Friends]]

It was more than two yeas ago he made the last of those type of comics. It seems that Randall this month returned to his [[1960:_Code_Golf#Revitalizing_old_themes|old themes]].

==Transcript==
:[White Hat and Cueball have just met and begins an interaction.]
:White Hat: How are you doing?
:Cueball: Really excited to be confidently handling this extremely basic social interaction!

:[White Hat holds is arms slightly out.]
:White Hat: Same here!
:Cueball: Hey, congrats!
:White Hat: You too!
:Cueball: Thanks!

:[In a frame-less beat panel, they just stand still.]

:[Same setting as in the first panel.]
:White Hat: And now it's falling apart before my eyes.
:Cueball: I'm gonna quit while I'm ahead.
:White Hat: Same.
:Cueball: See you later!

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Social interactions]]

1961: Interaction

2018-03-02T08:15:53Z

00N8: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1961
| date = February 28, 2018
| title = Interaction
| image = interaction.png
| titletext = [They do not move.]
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete| Needs to be expanded with regards to social anxiety. There are now several links to comics dealing with similar issues of having problems with normal social interactions. Should there instead be a category (please add more similar comics to the list to see if it makes sense.) If you have an idea for what the title of such category should be, perhaps add it here (and in the discussion). "Small talk" or "Social interactions" could be possible, but seems not quite adequate?}}

[[Cueball]] and [[White Hat]] are making small talk. White Hat begins the conversation with a typical greeting, asking, "How are you doing?" Normally this is a habitualized greeting pattern, where the person being greeted would respond with a genetic positive like, "Good," "Okay," "Can't complain," etc. But instead, Cueball answers with a very open and honest statement about the {{w|social anxiety}} he thinks he is successfully dealing with. White Hat then admits that he is experiencing the same thing, and the two congratulate each other for having a "normal" conversation with another human. After that, there is an awkward silence where neither knows what to talk about next. Finally, White Hat makes note of the awkwardness and Cueball suggests they stop before it gets worse.

The scene is ironic because their dialogue mirrors the common pattern of typical minor daily interactions, but also differs greatly from anything "normal." White Hat & Cuteball are being really weird here though, because their dialogue is inappropriately open & honest. The literal semantic content of their dialogue is probably more accurate & meaningful than the usual pleasantries people exchange, but the effect is very different.

So basically they have not managed to behave like regular human beings, and thus have nothing to congratulate each other for. Except for White Hat's opening line nothing in the conversation has in any way resembled normal behavior due to their serious issues with small talking/interacting with other people, even this simple '''interaction''' fails completely, hence the title of the comic.

The title text states, that after saying goodbye they don't move away, keeping up the uncomfortable silence, continuing to display their problems. Neither of them wish to be the first to turn away, or one or both are locked in the situation and has no clue how to finish it, even though they are both obviously aware of their problems and what makes them anxious.

The title text may be a reference to the final stage direction "''They do not move.''" in Samuel Beckett's play {{w|Waiting for Godot}}, where the protagonists frequently discuss leaving, but do not move.

[[Randall]] has previously made several comics with a similar theme showing Cueball's (or his Randall's own) problems with several social situations/interactions/small talk, especially this comic [[222: Small Talk]]. There are several more examples in this list, (please feel free to add more here):
*[[1324: Weather]]
*[[1640: Super Bowl Context]]
*[[1643: Degrees]]
*[[1650: Baby]]
*[[1917: How to Make Friends]]

It was more than two yeas ago he made the last of those type of comics. It seems that Randall this month returned to his [[1960:_Code_Golf#Revitalizing_old_themes|old themes]].

==Transcript==
:[White Hat and Cueball have just met and begins an interaction.]
:White Hat: How are you doing?
:Cueball: Really excited to be confidently handling this extremely basic social interaction!

:[White Hat holds is arms slightly out.]
:White Hat: Same here!
:Cueball: Hey, congrats!
:White Hat: You too!
:Cueball: Thanks!

:[In a frame-less beat panel, they just stand still.]

:[Same setting as in the first panel.]
:White Hat: And now it's falling apart before my eyes.
:Cueball: I'm gonna quit while I'm ahead.
:White Hat: Same.
:Cueball: See you later!

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Social interactions]]

1961: Interaction

2018-03-02T01:36:40Z

00N8: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1961
| date = February 28, 2018
| title = Interaction
| image = interaction.png
| titletext = [They do not move.]
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete| Needs to be expanded with regards to social anxiety. There are now several links to comics dealing with similar issues of having problems with normal social interactions. Should there instead be a category (please add more similar comics to the list to see if it makes sense.) If you have an idea for what the title of such category should be, perhaps add it here (and in the discussion). "Small talk" or "Social interactions" could be possible, but seems not quite adequate?}}

[[Cueball]] and [[White Hat]] are making small talk. White Hat begins the conversation with a typical greeting, asking, "How are you doing?" Normally this is a habitualized greeting pattern, where the person being greeted would respond with a genetic positive like, "Good," "Okay," "Can't complain," etc. But instead, Cueball answers with a very open and honest statement about the {{w|social anxiety}} he thinks he is successfully dealing with. White Hat then admits that he is experiencing the same thing, and the two congratulate each other for having a "normal" conversation with another human. After that, there is an awkward silence where neither knows what to talk about next. Finally, White Hat makes note of the awkwardness and Cueball suggests they stop before it gets worse.

The scene is ironic because their dialogue mirrors the common pattern of typical minor daily interactions, but also differs greatly from anything "normal." White Hat & Cuteball are being far from normal here mostly because their dialogue is inappropriately open & honest.

So basically they have not managed to behave like regular human beings, and thus have nothing to congratulate each other for. Except for White Hat's opening line nothing in the conversation has in any way resembled normal behavior due to their serious issues with small talking/interacting with other people, even this simple '''interaction''' fails completely, hence the title of the comic.

The title text states, that after saying goodbye they don't move away, keeping up the uncomfortable silence, continuing to display their problems. Neither of them wish to be the first to turn away, or one or both are locked in the situation and has no clue how to finish it, even though they are both obviously aware of their problems and what makes them anxious.

The title text may be a reference to the final stage direction "''They do not move.''" in Samuel Beckett's play {{w|Waiting for Godot}}, where the protagonists frequently discuss leaving, but do not move.

[[Randall]] has previously made several comics with a similar theme showing Cueball's (or his Randall's own) problems with several social situations/interactions/small talk, especially this comic [[222: Small Talk]]. There are several more examples in this list, (please feel free to add more here):
*[[1324: Weather]]
*[[1640: Super Bowl Context]]
*[[1643: Degrees]]
*[[1650: Baby]]

It was more than two yeas ago he made the last of those type of comics. It seems that Randall this month returned to his [[1960:_Code_Golf#Revitalizing_old_themes|old themes]].

==Transcript==
:[White Hat and Cueball have just met and begins an interaction.]
:White Hat: How are you doing?
:Cueball: Really excited to be confidently handling this extremely basic social interaction!

:[White Hat holds is arms slightly out.]
:White Hat: Same here!
:Cueball: Hey, congrats!
:White Hat: You too!
:Cueball: Thanks!

:[In a frame-less beat panel, they just stand still.]

:[Same setting as in the first panel.]
:White Hat: And now it's falling apart before my eyes.
:Cueball: I'm gonna quit while I'm ahead.
:White Hat: Same.
:Cueball: See you later!

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Social interactions]]

Talk:1960: Code Golf

2018-03-01T07:18:33Z

00N8:

What's the programming language? It seems to me like a special reverse golf variant of Python, where <code>def</code> is replaced by <code>define</code>, just to make it longer. Or is there a real language with that syntax? --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.110.106|172.68.110.106]] 08:40, 26 February 2018 (UTC)
: Lisp/some derivatives (I'm most familiar with scheme) use <code>define<define></code> as does Slate, however both have a different syntax. Most likely, this is just pseudo-code. [[User:Baldrickk|Baldrickk]] ([[User talk:Baldrickk|talk]]) 09:59, 26 February 2018 (UTC)

Definitely going to have to include a link to the actual longest language: Unary, which is literally just a certain length of 1s. No one actually writes in it: you write in another language and then it gets converted. [[User:Trlkly|Trlkly]] ([[User talk:Trlkly|talk]]) 10:48, 26 February 2018 (UTC)
: You could make a longer programming language by representing "1" with some longer string; perhaps the entire text of Moby Dick. And now the file size can be arbitrarily big. [[Special:Contributions/198.41.230.100|198.41.230.100]] 16:45, 26 February 2018 (UTC)
:: Though this idea is still quite compressible. It might be better (?) to make a language where the file size cannot be easily significantly compressed.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.25.106|172.68.25.106]] 16:48, 26 February 2018 (UTC)

This might be directed at a code golfing challenge currently taking place: https://codegolf.stackexchange.com/questions/152856/write-moby-dick-approximately. The goal is to write a program that outputs a text, that is as closly as possible to moby dick, while no containing it, and of course beeing as small as possible.[[Special:Contributions/141.101.105.150|141.101.105.150]] 13:04, 26 February 2018 (UTC)

Not sure why JSFuck is included in the explanation. Not sure how it really has any relevance here as it is not mentioned in the text and is not the programming language being used by Randall in the comic. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.94|108.162.216.94]] 13:18, 26 February 2018 (UTC)

: agreed, JSFuck is not relevant in the explanation. moved it to the discussion (see below) [[User:Thawn|Thawn]] ([[User talk:Thawn|talk]]) 13:56, 26 February 2018 (UTC)

:: Instead of {{w|Python (programming language)|Python}}, one could use {{w|JSFuck}} though, which is valid {{w|JavaScript}} code - but written with only six different characters. Even mundane variable names like `LowestDenominator` will take up hundreds, if not thousands, of bytes in JSFuck. {{unsigned|Comment Police}}
: I added it because JSFuck allows you to write you simple and useful tasks with zillions of bytes, each of which is needed for the programm to run correctly. It's the ultimate Reverse Coding Golf.--[[Special:Contributions/172.68.50.178|172.68.50.178]] 13:53, 27 February 2018 (UTC)
Off Topic: I just realized that statistical thermodynamics is nothing else than reverse molecule golf: The entropy of a given system is equal to the maximum score you can achieve in reverse molecule golf. [[User:Thawn|Thawn]] ([[User talk:Thawn|talk]]) 13:56, 26 February 2018 (UTC)

Seems like Java programmers play this game all the time.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.234.100|162.158.234.100]] 20:13, 26 February 2018 (UTC)

Someone made everyone's comments monospaced. Please fix this. [[Special:Contributions/198.41.230.100|198.41.230.100]] 14:24, 26 February 2018 (UTC)
:Fixed [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.26|162.158.155.26]] 15:52, 26 February 2018 (UTC)
:They just wanted to play reverse comments golf with the comments section by making the comments take as much space as possible. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.126.76|162.158.126.76]] 15:56, 26 February 2018 (UTC)

This is called Code Bowling.

I would like to point out that there may be a ReCaptcha site shutdown? It will occur on the 1st of March (maybe). [[User:QATEKLYXM|QATEKLYXM]]

Is the explanation thinking of miniature golf when it mentions a hedge or border and the need for a ramp? In actual golf you can easily hit the ball through the air with almost every single club...and just as easily hit it off of the golf course.
[[[Special:Contributions/172.69.62.64|172.69.62.64]] 15:11, 27 February 2018 (UTC)]

Curious Georges also likes Reverse Regular Golf! [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.232|108.162.237.232]] 02:18, 28 February 2018 (UTC)

I found this xkcd confusing because there appears to be no obvious limiting principal. The code in the panel is written verbosely, but it could easily be a word longer, a paragraph longer, a page longer, a chapter longer, an entire book longer. Nor is skill (or chance!) particularly required to do such a thing [I suppose in "blinded reverse code golf" the question might be to guess how much length your opponents would bother to express and then to top that]. The result is I feel confused. Maybe my standards for humor are too high, but maybe, also, I'm just missing something here? [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 12:02, 28 February 2018 (UTC)
: +1 [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 12:07, 28 February 2018 (UTC)
: I think that is the joke: what a stupidly bad game reverse code golf is. ditto for reverse regular golf. Or a dumb excuse for writing unreasonably long code/playing with a golfball in random settings [[ User:00N8 ]]

No mention of The International Obfuscated C Code Contest? It's about as close to reverse code golf as there is. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.255.158|172.68.255.158]] 14:20, 28 February 2018 (UTC)

If Randall plays Reverse Golf while playing out-of-bounds, and that means he's getting at least one penalty stroke for every regular, out-of-bounds stroke, it seems to me he perfectly well understood the rules of both golf and reverse golf. He's gaining strokes at twice the regular speed. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.17|141.101.104.17]] 15:49, 28 February 2018 (UTC)
:this guy gets it [[ 00N8 ]]

Talk:1960: Code Golf

2018-03-01T07:16:20Z

00N8:

217: e to the pi Minus pi

2018-02-06T18:13:00Z

00N8: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 217
| date = January 31, 2007
| title = e to the pi Minus pi
| image = e_to_the_pi_minus_pi.png
| titletext = Also, I hear the 4th root of (9^2 + 19^2/22) is pi.
}}

==Explanation==

''e'' is a mathematical constant roughly equal to 2.71828182846. ''π'' is another, roughly equal to 3.14159265359. Both are {{w|transcendental number}}s.

The first panel discusses {{w|Gelfond's constant|''e''''π''}} − ''π'', which is around 19.999099979 — very close to 20. [[Black Hat]] explains how he tricked a programming team into believing that ''e''''π'' − ''π'' really equals 20 - instead of just being weirdly close - thus that any noticeable deviation from 20 results from errors in the code. This made them waste a lot of time trying to find a nonexistent bug until they realized that Black Hat was lying (clearly they had not known him for very long).

{{w|Floating point}} numbers are how computers store non-integer real numbers as decimals — or rather, in most cases, approximate them: infinite amounts of data would be required to represent most numbers in decimal form (exceptions are {{w|whole numbers}} and {{w|terminating decimal}}s). The "floating-point handlers" would be the code performing the ''e''''π'' − ''π'' calculation.

ACM is the {{w|Association for Computing Machinery}}, sponsoring the {{w|ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest|International Collegiate Programming Contest}}.

Some random facts about the math here:

* ''e''''π'' − ''π'' is an irrational number, but this is not a trivial fact. It was proven by {{w|Yuri Valentinovich Nesterenko}} in the late 20th century.
* The mysterious almost-equation is believed to be a {{w|mathematical coincidence}}, or a numerical relationship that "just happens" with no satisfactory explanation. It can be rearranged to (π + 20)i ≈ −1, so cos(ln(π + 20)) ≈ −1. Piling on a few more cosines gives cos(π cos(π cos(ln(π + 20)))) ≈ −1, which is off by less than 10−35!

The title text pokes fun at another coincidence: ∜(9² + 19²/22) ≈ 3.1415926525, close to ''π'' (deviating only in the 9th decimal place). The humor comes from the fact that ''π'' is transcendental. Transcendental numbers are numbers that cannot be expressed through basic arithmetic with integers; one cannot end up with the exact value for any transcendental number (including ''π'') by adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, exponentiating, and/or taking the nth root of any whole number, meaning the title text cannot possibly be true.

A much later comic, [[1047: Approximations]], puts forth quite a few more mathematical coincidences.

==Transcript==
:Cueball: Hey, check it out: eπ − π is 19.999099979. That's weird.
:Black Hat: Yeah. That's how I got kicked out of the ACM in college.
:Cueball: ...what?
:Black Hat: During a competition, I told the programmers on our team that eπ − π was a standard test of floating-point handlers -- it would come out to 20 unless they had rounding errors.
:Cueball: That's awful.
:Black Hat: Yeah, they dug through half their algorithms looking for the bug before they figured it out.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Math]]
[[Category:Programming]]

Talk:126: Red Spiders Cometh

2018-02-06T09:10:35Z

00N8:

Does anyone else think that the red spiders are supposed to be revealed as unexpectedly huge in this entry of the Red Spiders series, and that's to what the "Uh-oh" in the title text refers? That is, the humans in "[[Counter-Red_Spiders|Counter-Red Spiders]]" thought they could fight the red spiders, but the perspective in "Red Spiders Cometh" reveals the red spiders to be building-sized rather than person-sized? ...Or am I probably just over-thinking this, and the spiders' blocks are curving down from the viewer toward the city, resulting in a false apparent size, and the "Uh-oh" just refers to their arrival? Because it really seems to me that 1: the spiders are on a much larger scale than humans, and 2: this is a troubling revelation as of "Red Spiders Cometh". [[User:JET73L|JET73L]] ([[User talk:JET73L|talk]]) 07:21, 10 November 2012 (UTC)

I imagined them to be human sized. Still scary and formidable prompting the same title response. I would love to see the author do another Red Spiders comic. I want to see the fight between them.[[Special:Contributions/72.193.184.110|72.193.184.110]] 07:02, 19 May 2013 (UTC)

there's no way to tell what the size of the spiders is. the perspective has the spiders closer to the observer (us) than the buildings, so they might actually be any size (depending on how close they are). {{unsigned ip|108.162.254.85}}
:The comic "Bad Timing" indicates their bodies are about the size of a human head. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.238.177|108.162.238.177]] 14:39, 12 March 2015 (UTC)
::From which we should be able to figure out how close they are. [[User:Richmond tudor|Richmond tudor]] ([[User talk:Richmond tudor|talk]]) 05:02, 13 March 2015 (UTC)

Personally, I think if them as all being in the micro scale - the city & people too, which would explain how people can make such a tall human ladder in the counter red spiders comic. Maybe small enough to float down on the blocks (because air is a proportionally more viscous fluid at that scale iirc)? Them again I imagine them being inspired by clover mites, which is probably totally unfounded
09:10, 6 February 2018 (UTC)

Guys? Anyone feel that the grammar error (unless I'm to be a silhouette on someone's desk soon) is worth mention? "Cometh" is third person ''singular'' ("he cometh", but "they come") after all... Unless I'm wrong.
[[Special:Contributions/108.162.225.92|108.162.225.92]] 14:53, 10 August 2015 (UTC)

:I think it is probably a pun on "comets", which the spiders are kind of falling down along with. 02:18, 8 November 2015 (UTC)

Talk:941: Depth Perception

2018-01-22T22:44:36Z

00N8:

Somebody needs to try this. Couldn't be that hard.
[[Special:Contributions/71.178.11.180|71.178.11.180]] 21:27, 22 October 2012 (UTC)

Those must have been some tall goalposts if his point of view is above the clouds! -- mwburden [[Special:Contributions/70.91.188.49|70.91.188.49]] 13:16, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

Also, the cameras should be mounted on servos so that when the phone is moved or tilted the cameras can follow, so your viewpoint isn't fixed in one direction. -- mwburden [[Special:Contributions/70.91.188.49|70.91.188.49]] 13:18, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

:That wouldn't work. The entire football field would have to swivel, or else he'd get some wicked image shearing... [[Special:Contributions/108.28.72.186|108.28.72.186]] 01:42, 7 August 2013 (UTC)

::actually, it might be possible to correct for that, using bipolar geometry. Essentially, you can derive a 3d model from 2 images from different view points. [http://danielwedge.com/fmatrix/ Here] is a (very geeky) demontration of what can be done. Watch the end, where they construct a fly-around video from two images of the opera house in sidney. -- [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.22|141.101.104.22]] 21:10, 19 January 2015 (UTC)

::: Interesting link, thanks, but I don't think the video was generated from only 2 images, there isn't enough information. If you select "Download the Opera House sequence" you can download the original 43 photographs used. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.9|141.101.99.9]] 14:05, 19 March 2015 (UTC)

:::: You're right. But of course you wouldn't need a 90-degree flyby for this. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.43|141.101.104.43]] 16:56, 8 July 2015 (UTC)

An updated solution would be to put the two stabilised cameras on quadracopters which are coded to remain a set distance apart. When you want to look left/right it would take a while for the pair of drones to rotate around their centre point but not too long..... Then you could also get a perspective from the height of a giant (drones can go to any height) and with their degree of parallax (from whatever value of height and eye spacing you choose). {{unsigned ip|108.162.250.225}}
:This is a very cool project indeed! Some hardcore image stabilizing software would be required too, since you would get nauseous if the two images weren't perfectly aligned at all times. But this setup is the only one I could think of that would enable you to perceive the view from the last frame. [[User:Mumiemonstret|Mumiemonstret]] ([[User talk:Mumiemonstret|talk]]) 08:44, 17 December 2014 (UTC)

Look at this in stereo mode: http://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/Solar and cross your eyes so you see three images, then hold your hands up so you only see the one, then...
I forget...

[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 12:44, 23 January 2015 (UTC)

I used to do that all the time at one time ... until I got a l...ot of things different to do..

[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 12:44, 23 January 2015 (UTC)

Stereo aerial pairs of clouds do exist see the Google search: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=stereoscopic+aerial+photos+clouds [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.206|141.101.98.206]] 07:33, 19 August 2015 (UTC)

Or you could ride in an airplane. Or stand on a mountain. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.50.174|173.245.50.174]] 19:58, 5 September 2015 (UTC)

:That would defeat the point entirely. The distance between the two viewpoints is what provides the increased perspective, not the height of the observer. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.80.84|141.101.80.84]] 21:55, 16 November 2015 (UTC)
: using a plane isn't a substitute for this, but there's no reason adding the element of flight has to defeat it ''entirely'': you could put one cam on each wing tip & get maybe the coolest effect of all..

Likely the reason the right image is shown on the left and vise versa is that there are two ways to fuse stereo images. Either Walleyed, right-to-rght, or Crosseyed, right-to-left. Doing it the wrong way may result in concave faces and other aberrations. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.125|162.158.255.125]] 15:20, 30 March 2016 (UTC)

Clouds are fractal, small ones up close look the same as big ones far away. So I don't think this would look as spectacular as imagined. {{unsigned ip|162.158.39.209}}

Talk:941: Depth Perception

2018-01-22T22:42:21Z

00N8:

Somebody needs to try this. Couldn't be that hard.
[[Special:Contributions/71.178.11.180|71.178.11.180]] 21:27, 22 October 2012 (UTC)

Those must have been some tall goalposts if his point of view is above the clouds! -- mwburden [[Special:Contributions/70.91.188.49|70.91.188.49]] 13:16, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

Also, the cameras should be mounted on servos so that when the phone is moved or tilted the cameras can follow, so your viewpoint isn't fixed in one direction. -- mwburden [[Special:Contributions/70.91.188.49|70.91.188.49]] 13:18, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

:That wouldn't work. The entire football field would have to swivel, or else he'd get some wicked image shearing... [[Special:Contributions/108.28.72.186|108.28.72.186]] 01:42, 7 August 2013 (UTC)

::actually, it might be possible to correct for that, using bipolar geometry. Essentially, you can derive a 3d model from 2 images from different view points. [http://danielwedge.com/fmatrix/ Here] is a (very geeky) demontration of what can be done. Watch the end, where they construct a fly-around video from two images of the opera house in sidney. -- [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.22|141.101.104.22]] 21:10, 19 January 2015 (UTC)

::: Interesting link, thanks, but I don't think the video was generated from only 2 images, there isn't enough information. If you select "Download the Opera House sequence" you can download the original 43 photographs used. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.9|141.101.99.9]] 14:05, 19 March 2015 (UTC)

:::: You're right. But of course you wouldn't need a 90-degree flyby for this. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.43|141.101.104.43]] 16:56, 8 July 2015 (UTC)

An updated solution would be to put the two stabilised cameras on quadracopters which are coded to remain a set distance apart. When you want to look left/right it would take a while for the pair of drones to rotate around their centre point but not too long..... Then you could also get a perspective from the height of a giant (drones can go to any height) and with their degree of parallax (from whatever value of height and eye spacing you choose). {{unsigned ip|108.162.250.225}}
:This is a very cool project indeed! Some hardcore image stabilizing software would be required too, since you would get nauseous if the two images weren't perfectly aligned at all times. But this setup is the only one I could think of that would enable you to perceive the view from the last frame. [[User:Mumiemonstret|Mumiemonstret]] ([[User talk:Mumiemonstret|talk]]) 08:44, 17 December 2014 (UTC)

Look at this in stereo mode: http://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/Solar and cross your eyes so you see three images, then hold your hands up so you only see the one, then...
I forget...

[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 12:44, 23 January 2015 (UTC)

I used to do that all the time at one time ... until I got a l...ot of things different to do..

[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 12:44, 23 January 2015 (UTC)

Stereo aerial pairs of clouds do exist see the Google search: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=stereoscopic+aerial+photos+clouds [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.206|141.101.98.206]] 07:33, 19 August 2015 (UTC)

Or you could ride in an airplane. Or stand on a mountain. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.50.174|173.245.50.174]] 19:58, 5 September 2015 (UTC)

:That would defeat the point entirely. The distance between the two viewpoints is what provides the increased perspective, not the height of the observer. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.80.84|141.101.80.84]] 21:55, 16 November 2015 (UTC)
: using a plane isn't a substitute for this, but there's no reason adding the element of flight has to defeat it [[entirely]]: you could put one can on each wing tip & get maybe the coolest effect of all..

Likely the reason the right image is shown on the left and vise versa is that there are two ways to fuse stereo images. Either Walleyed, right-to-rght, or Crosseyed, right-to-left. Doing it the wrong way may result in concave faces and other aberrations. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.125|162.158.255.125]] 15:20, 30 March 2016 (UTC)

Clouds are fractal, small ones up close look the same as big ones far away. So I don't think this would look as spectacular as imagined. {{unsigned ip|162.158.39.209}}

Talk:941: Depth Perception

2018-01-22T22:40:46Z

00N8:

Somebody needs to try this. Couldn't be that hard.
[[Special:Contributions/71.178.11.180|71.178.11.180]] 21:27, 22 October 2012 (UTC)

Those must have been some tall goalposts if his point of view is above the clouds! -- mwburden [[Special:Contributions/70.91.188.49|70.91.188.49]] 13:16, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

Also, the cameras should be mounted on servos so that when the phone is moved or tilted the cameras can follow, so your viewpoint isn't fixed in one direction. -- mwburden [[Special:Contributions/70.91.188.49|70.91.188.49]] 13:18, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

:That wouldn't work. The entire football field would have to swivel, or else he'd get some wicked image shearing... [[Special:Contributions/108.28.72.186|108.28.72.186]] 01:42, 7 August 2013 (UTC)

::actually, it might be possible to correct for that, using bipolar geometry. Essentially, you can derive a 3d model from 2 images from different view points. [http://danielwedge.com/fmatrix/ Here] is a (very geeky) demontration of what can be done. Watch the end, where they construct a fly-around video from two images of the opera house in sidney. -- [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.22|141.101.104.22]] 21:10, 19 January 2015 (UTC)

::: Interesting link, thanks, but I don't think the video was generated from only 2 images, there isn't enough information. If you select "Download the Opera House sequence" you can download the original 43 photographs used. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.9|141.101.99.9]] 14:05, 19 March 2015 (UTC)

:::: You're right. But of course you wouldn't need a 90-degree flyby for this. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.43|141.101.104.43]] 16:56, 8 July 2015 (UTC)

An updated solution would be to put the two stabilised cameras on quadracopters which are coded to remain a set distance apart. When you want to look left/right it would take a while for the pair of drones to rotate around their centre point but not too long..... Then you could also get a perspective from the height of a giant (drones can go to any height) and with their degree of parallax (from whatever value of height and eye spacing you choose). {{unsigned ip|108.162.250.225}}
:This is a very cool project indeed! Some hardcore image stabilizing software would be required too, since you would get nauseous if the two images weren't perfectly aligned at all times. But this setup is the only one I could think of that would enable you to perceive the view from the last frame. [[User:Mumiemonstret|Mumiemonstret]] ([[User talk:Mumiemonstret|talk]]) 08:44, 17 December 2014 (UTC)

Look at this in stereo mode: http://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/Solar and cross your eyes so you see three images, then hold your hands up so you only see the one, then...
I forget...

[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 12:44, 23 January 2015 (UTC)

I used to do that all the time at one time ... until I got a l...ot of things different to do..

[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 12:44, 23 January 2015 (UTC)

Stereo aerial pairs of clouds do exist see the Google search: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=stereoscopic+aerial+photos+clouds [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.206|141.101.98.206]] 07:33, 19 August 2015 (UTC)

Or you could ride in an airplane. Or stand on a mountain. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.50.174|173.245.50.174]] 19:58, 5 September 2015 (UTC)

:That would defeat the point entirely. The distance between the two viewpoints is what provides the increased perspective, not the height of the observer. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.80.84|141.101.80.84]] 21:55, 16 November 2015 (UTC)
: using a plane isn't a substitute for this, but there's no reason adding the element of flight has to defeat it **entirely**: you could put one can on each wing tip & get maybe the coolest effect of all..

Likely the reason the right image is shown on the left and vise versa is that there are two ways to fuse stereo images. Either Walleyed, right-to-rght, or Crosseyed, right-to-left. Doing it the wrong way may result in concave faces and other aberrations. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.125|162.158.255.125]] 15:20, 30 March 2016 (UTC)

Clouds are fractal, small ones up close look the same as big ones far away. So I don't think this would look as spectacular as imagined. {{unsigned ip|162.158.39.209}}

1944: The End of the Rainbow

2018-01-22T03:30:20Z

00N8: /* Explanation I made it better*/

{{comic
| number = 1944
| date = January 19, 2018
| title = The End of the Rainbow
| image = the_end_of_the_rainbow.png
| titletext = The retina is the exposed surface of the brain, so if you think about a pot of gold while looking at a rainbow, then there's one at BOTH ends.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Edited by a leprechaun. We are here. We are watching. The bit about percentages of the mass of the Sun should be made more readable.}}
[[Megan]] appears to reference the myth that at the end of every {{w|rainbow}} lies a {{w|leprechaun}}'s pot of gold. Instead of claiming that leprechauns and their gold don't exist, [[Cueball]] offers the refutation that, technically, {{w|File:Circular_rainbow.jpg|rainbows are circles}}, so they do not have an end.

However, Megan counters that if one considers the path light takes to form a rainbow, then it forms a two-cone structure, where the Sun (the vertex of the outer cone) emits light rays that move towards the Earth (forming the faces of the outer cone), then reflect off water droplets located at just the right angle (the circular base) to reach our eyes (the vertex of the inner cone). Thus, such a rainbow structure ''can'' be said to have "ends", represented by the vertices of the two cones: one at the eye of the viewer, and another at the light source (usually the sun).

Megan then says that the Sun is indeed a pot of gold. The Sun is approximately 1.989 × 1030 (1 nonillion 989 octillion) kilograms[https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/sunfact.html], and its abundance of gold is approximately 0.3 parts per trillion[http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?1968PASAu...1..133A&data_type=PDF_HIGH&filetype=.pdf&type=PRINTER&whole_paper=YES]. Based on these numbers, the sun contains 5.967 × 1017 (596 quadrillion 700 trillion) kilograms of gold. This equates to 5.967 × 1014 (596 trillion 700 billion) metric tons of gold. As such, Megan's statement that the sun contains "quintillions of tons of gold" is off by a factor of roughly 4000. But the amount of gold within the sun is far more than a pot's worth nonetheless.

The amount of water in the oceans is about 1.35 × 1018 (1 quintillion 350 quadrillion) metric tons[https://phys.org/news/2014-12-percent-earth.html]. If we assume that Megan is still talking in terms of mass rather than volume or molecule count, then this means that her next statement (that there is more gold in the sun than water in the oceans) is off by a factor of roughly 2300 (though it would have been true if the previous one was).

Cueball then asks about leprechauns (perhaps ironically; Megan's theory at this point appears to involve astronomy/physics, not mythical creatures/beings). Megan replies that the leprechauns all died when the Sun formed, building on the irony of Cueball's question (& opening questions about the role of leprechauns in the early formation of our solar system)

The title text suggest that, since the pot of gold exists in the brains of people thinking about it, and the retina is the foremost part of the brain for the light perception, it can be argued that, in addition to existing in the sun as the comic explains, the gold (and leprechauns) also exist at the other end, in the retina and brain of the person seeing the rainbow -- as long as they are thinking about a pot of gold at the time -- and then it's gone as soon as they stop thinking about it.

Many neurologists would agree with the concept that ideas in your mind can be said to be physically located in your brain. However, there are significant implications to this. For example, there is a hippopotamus in the room you are in. It's in your brain, because you read that sentence. Feel free to inform anybody else nearby of this, and any similar true facts.

==Transcript==

:[Megan and Cueball are walking.]
:Megan: There's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
:Cueball: Rainbows are circles. They have no end.
:Megan: Not quite!

:[In a borderless panel, a multi-part graphic is shown depicting what Megan is describing off-panel: a short cone inside a longer cone, with the longer cone having its point starting at the Sun, the shorter cone having its point at a miniature Cueball's head, and both cones sharing the same circular base. The diagram is repeated from 3 different perspectives to make the structure easier to grasp.]
:Megan (off-panel): A '''rainbow''' is light leaving the Sun, bouncing off the clouds, and converging on your eye. It's an inside-out two-ended cone.

:[Megan and Cueball are still walking.]
:Megan: One end of that cone is your retina.

:[A wider view of the same scene, with Megan and Cueball walking on a dark ground.]
:Megan: The other end is the Sun—which contains quintillions of tons of gold. There's more gold in the Sun than water in the oceans.
:Cueball: So there ''is'' a pot of gold!
:Cueball: What about leprechauns?
:Megan: All incinerated as the sun formed. Very sad.

==Trivia==

As of January 19, 2017, the value of gold is 42,692.98 USD per kilogram. Based on this, all of the gold in the sun is worth 2.5474901 × 10^22 (25 sextillion 474 quintillion 901 quadrillion) USD. Of course, if you tried to sell the gold in the sun, the market would be saturated and the value of gold would plummet astronomically. You would never be able to cash out.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics_featuring_Megan]]
[[Category:Comics_featuring_Cueball]]

1917: How to Make Friends

2017-11-21T08:57:12Z

00N8: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1917
| date = November 17, 2017
| title = How to Make Friends
| image = how_to_make_friends.png
| titletext = No, wait, come back! I want to be friends at you!
}}

==Explanation==
This comic follows an example interaction, purportedly showing how to make friends. We see [[Cueball]]'s strategy for making friends. It does incorporate various points of advice for building friendships, which are completely sound in the abstract. But it's clearly not helping him -- he's out of sync with the interaction context & makes bigger social gaffes by following the abstract advice. Escalating awkwardness ensues.

It starts out with a common way of making friends or interacting with friends, hanging out over a meal. However, Cueball suggests doing so with awkwardly literal phrasing; whereas most people use expressions such as “have lunch” or “grab a bite to eat”, Cueball explicitly invites Hairy to “eat food”. The fact that he feels the need to clarify that they’ll be eating food, as opposed to any other orally consumable items, indicates his lack of confidence to clearly communicate his intentions.

Before Hairy can even respond, Cueball then says that they could instead “sit together and talk without eating.” Although this is indeed another common way to make friends, it’s kind of an odd way to phrase it, especially since he didn’t even give Hairy a chance to reply to his initial suggestion. Cueball then says he doesn’t need to eat (meaning not ''right now'', especially as a prerequisite to talking), but he immediately feels compelled to clarify that he ''does'' need to eat (meaning ''in general''), and again it’s weird that he clarified, as his original wording probably would have been understood. He then awkwardly remarks about how he can eat later if Hairy would rather just talk. The overall implication is that Cueball’s awkwardness and over-explanation would be off-putting to a typical person.

This is apparently a situation that Randall has encountered before, and he apologizes for trying to offer advice.

The title text says Cueball wants to be friends ''at'' Hairy, rather than ''with'' him, which isn’t how friendship usually works. “At” implies that Cueball considers being friends to be a unilateral action that he needs to direct towards Hairy, like “smiling at” or “pointing at”, and does not understand that it is typically a mutual activity of building a relationship, which would be indicated by being friends ''with'' him. “At” can even carry a degree of animosity (compare: “he just phoned up to wash his head at us” in H2G2).

==Transcript==

:[First panel with words:]
:''Presenting:''

:How to make friends

:[Second panel with Cueball and Hairy facing each other:]
:Cueball: Want to go eat food together?
:Cueball: We could also sit together and talk without eating. I don't need to eat. I mean, I do need to eat. But if you don't want to eat then we can just talk. I can eat later.

:[Third panel with words:]
:''Okay''

:It turns out I still haven't figured out how to do this.

:''Sorry''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]

1917: How to Make Friends

2017-11-21T08:52:24Z

00N8: /* Explanation I fixed stupid social over social usage of word social on part of my prev exit. terrible social habit it was.. */

{{comic
| number = 1917
| date = November 17, 2017
| title = How to Make Friends
| image = how_to_make_friends.png
| titletext = No, wait, come back! I want to be friends at you!
}}

==Explanation==
This comic follows an example interaction, purportedly showing how to make friends. We see [[Cueball]]'s strategy for making friends. It does incorporate various points of advice for building friendships, which are completely sound in the abstract. But it's clearly not helping him -- he's misreading the context & making bigger social gaffes in the course of following the abstract advice. Escalating awkwardness ensues.

It starts out with a common way of making friends or interacting with friends, hanging out over a meal. However, Cueball suggests doing so with awkwardly literal phrasing; whereas most people use expressions such as “have lunch” or “grab a bite to eat”, Cueball explicitly invites Hairy to “eat food”. The fact that he feels the need to clarify that they’ll be eating food, as opposed to any other orally consumable items, indicates his lack of confidence to clearly communicate his intentions.

Before Hairy can even respond, Cueball then says that they could instead “sit together and talk without eating.” Although this is indeed another common way to make friends, it’s kind of an odd way to phrase it, especially since he didn’t even give Hairy a chance to reply to his initial suggestion. Cueball then says he doesn’t need to eat (meaning not ''right now'', especially as a prerequisite to talking), but he immediately feels compelled to clarify that he ''does'' need to eat (meaning ''in general''), and again it’s weird that he clarified, as his original wording probably would have been understood. He then awkwardly remarks about how he can eat later if Hairy would rather just talk. The overall implication is that Cueball’s awkwardness and over-explanation would be off-putting to a typical person.

This is apparently a situation that Randall has encountered before, and he apologizes for trying to offer advice.

The title text says Cueball wants to be friends ''at'' Hairy, rather than ''with'' him, which isn’t how friendship usually works. “At” implies that Cueball considers being friends to be a unilateral action that he needs to direct towards Hairy, like “smiling at” or “pointing at”, and does not understand that it is typically a mutual activity of building a relationship, which would be indicated by being friends ''with'' him. “At” can even carry a degree of animosity (compare: “he just phoned up to wash his head at us” in H2G2).

==Transcript==

:[First panel with words:]
:''Presenting:''

:How to make friends

:[Second panel with Cueball and Hairy facing each other:]
:Cueball: Want to go eat food together?
:Cueball: We could also sit together and talk without eating. I don't need to eat. I mean, I do need to eat. But if you don't want to eat then we can just talk. I can eat later.

:[Third panel with words:]
:''Okay''

:It turns out I still haven't figured out how to do this.

:''Sorry''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]

1917: How to Make Friends

2017-11-19T11:22:44Z

00N8: /* Explanation I like it this way, feel free to improve */

{{comic
| number = 1917
| date = November 17, 2017
| title = How to Make Friends
| image = how_to_make_friends.png
| titletext = No, wait, come back! I want to be friends at you!
}}

==Explanation==
This comic follows an example interaction, purportedly showing how to make friends. We see [[Cueball]]'s strategy for making friends. It does incorporate various points of advice for building friendships, which are completely sound in the abstract. But it's clearly not helping him -- he's missing the social context & making bigger social gaffes in the course of following the abstract advice. Escalating social awkwardness ensues.

It starts out with a common way of making friends or interacting with friends, hanging out over a meal. However, Cueball suggests doing so with awkwardly literal phrasing; whereas most people use expressions such as “have lunch” or “grab a bite to eat”, Cueball explicitly invites Hairy to “eat food”. The fact that he feels the need to clarify that they’ll be eating food, as opposed to any other orally consumable items, indicates his lack of confidence to clearly communicate his intentions.

Before Hairy can even respond, Cueball then says that they could instead “sit together and talk without eating.” Although this is indeed another common way to make friends, it’s kind of an odd way to phrase it, especially since he didn’t even give Hairy a chance to reply to his initial suggestion. Cueball then says he doesn’t need to eat (meaning not ''right now'', especially as a prerequisite to talking), but he immediately feels compelled to clarify that he ''does'' need to eat (meaning ''in general''), and again it’s weird that he clarified, as his original wording probably would have been understood. He then awkwardly remarks about how he can eat later if Hairy would rather just talk. The overall implication is that Cueball’s awkwardness and over-explanation would be off-putting to a typical person.

This is apparently a situation that Randall has encountered before, and he apologizes for trying to offer advice.

The title text says Cueball wants to be friends ''at'' Hairy, rather than ''with'' him, which isn’t how friendship usually works. “At” implies that Cueball considers being friends to be a unilateral action that he needs to direct towards Hairy, like “smiling at” or “pointing at”, and does not understand that it is typically a mutual activity of building a relationship, which would be indicated by being friends ''with'' him.

==Transcript==

:[First panel with words:]
:''Presenting:''

:How to make friends

:[Second panel with Cueball and Hairy facing each other:]
:Cueball: Want to go eat food together?
:Cueball: We could also sit together and talk without eating. I don't need to eat. I mean, I do need to eat. But if you don't want to eat then we can just talk. I can eat later.

:[Third panel with words:]
:''Okay''

:It turns out I still haven't figured how to do this.

:''Sorry''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]