explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1928: Seven Years

2017-12-15T07:01:28Z

108.162.221.136: don't need to hedge by saying "most likely"; it's absolutely a reference to that

{{comic
| number = 1928
| date = December 13, 2017
| title = Seven Years
| image = seven_years.png
| titletext = [hair in face] "SEVVVENNN YEEEARRRSSS"
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|May require explaining the activities shown, as in the explanation for [[1141: Two Years]].}}
[[Randall]]'s wife was diagnosed with cancer in late 2010, a matter he has discussed in the comic [[:Category:Cancer|multiple times before]]. Here, motivated by the seven-year period between the American solar eclipses of {{w|Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017|2017}} and {{w|Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024|2024}}, we see them reminiscing the seven years prior to the first eclipse, leaving an open question to what the next seven years will bring.

This comic is a continuation of [[1141: Two Years]], which is shown as the first eight panels, slightly grayed out.

Some explanations:

*Panels 1–8: See [[1141: Two Years]]
*Panel 9: Randall and Randall's wife (with her hair noticeably longer than it was at the end of 1141) are walking through a forest.
*Panel 10: Randall's wife is sitting down, not in the forest anymore. She is concerned because she has pain in her toe and worries that this is an early sign of her cancer spreading again. Randall points out the simpler explanation- that she stubbed her toe the previous day, and the pain is likely a result of that. This panel shows the paranoia that comes from cancer remission, as earlier explained in [[931: Lanes]].
*Panel 11: Randall and his wife are going spelunking. The guide is gesturing deeper into the cave while Randall and his wife are climbing down.
*Panel 12: Randall's wife stands on a rock above an alligator in a swamp, photographing the alligator. Randall, on a balcony behind safety railings, observes that medical predictions about the odds of someone surviving cancer generally assume that the cancer patient doesn't risk something ''else'' killing them first.
*Panel 13: Randall's wife sits on an examination bed, listening to a doctor holding a clipboard. The doctor talks about an issue which is "probably nothing" but ''might'' be the cancer -- again showing the paranoia that comes with cancer.
*Panel 14: Randall and his wife stand above a deep pond full of fish and other objects. Randall's wife is piloting a wired underwater camera with lights. Randall shared pictures of his [https://blog.xkcd.com/2010/11/05/submarines/ underwater ROV] before.
*Panel 15: Randall and his wife are standing next to each other. Randall's wife has shoulder-length hair covering most of her face, and observes that, despite the chemotherapy robbing her of most of her hair six years ago, it is now growing enough to obscure her face. "The little girl from ''The Ring''" refers to {{w|Sadako Yamamura}}, the antagonist of the {{w|Ring (novel series)|''Ring'' series}} by {{w|Koji Suzuki}}, and popularized in a {{w|The Ring (2002 film)|2002 movie}}.
*Panel 16: A line of six people, including Randall and his wife, stand and watch the total solar eclipse of 2017, of which there have been [[:Category:Total Solar Eclipse 2017|several comics already]].
*Panel 17: The sky has been brightened, and the eclipse is over. As the eclipse is [[1880: Eclipse Review|cool to see in person]], the onlookers are left with little more than exclamations of amazement.
*Panel 18: Randall and his wife are walking together and holding hands. When his wife inquires about the next total eclipse, Randall replies that the next one is in seven years, and asks whether they should go to see it.
*Panel 19: Still walking, Randall and his wife think together about a timeline. Seven years have passed since 2010, represented with a solid line from the past to 2017; seven years in the future will be 2024, represented with a dotted line into the future and surrounded by three question marks. This is reflective of Panel 6, where "next year" is not guaranteed to be a thing.
*Panel 20: The pair keeps walking, optimistically agreeing to make their every effort to see the next eclipse.

The title text is a continuation to panel 15 concerning the horror movie ''The Ring''. Specifically, watching the videotape in ''The Ring'' is supposed to kill a person in seven days, but the title text instead says "seven years".

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[The first eight panels, used earlier in the comic 1141: Two Years, are in gray color.]

:[Randall and Randall's fiancée sit on a bed, Randall's fiancée is talking on the phone. The person she is talking to, a doctor holding a clipboard, is shown inset.]
:Randall's fiancée: Oh god.

:[Randall and Randall's fiancée sit together while Randall's fiancée, now bald, is receiving chemotherapy. They are both on their laptops.]
:IV pump: ... Beeep ... Beeep ... Beeep ...

:[Randall and Randall's fiancée (who is wearing a knit cap) are paddling a kayak against a scenic mountain backdrop.]

:[Randall and Randall's fiancée sit at a table, staring at a cell phone. There is a clock on the wall. Her head is stubbly.]
:Randall's fiancée: How long can it take to read a scan!?

:[Randall and Randall's fiancée are back at the hospital again, Randall's fiancée receiving chemo. They are playing Scrabble.]
:Randall: "Zarg" isn't a word.
:Randall's fiancée: But ''caaaancer.''
:Randall: ...Ok, fine.

:[Randall and Randall's fiancée (wearing a knit cap) are listening to a Cueball-like friend. A large thought bubble is above their heads and it obscures the friends talk. The text below, split in three is the only part there can be no doubt about:]
:Friend: So next year you should come visit us up in the mounta
::a
::and
:Randall and Randall's fiancée (thinking): '''"Next year"'''

:[Randall and Randall's fiancée are getting married, with a heart above their heads. Randall's wife's hair is growing back.]

:[Randall and Randall's wife (wearing a knit cap) stand on a beach, watching a whale jump out of water. This is the last gray panel, with an additional label in normal black color.]
:''Fwoosh''
:Label: Two years

:[Randall and Randall's wife (with her hair noticably longer) are walking through a forest.]

:[Randall's wife is sitting down, not in the forest anymore.]
:Randall's wife: My toe hurts and I found a report of a case in which toe pain was an early sign of cancer spreading.
:Randall: Wait—didn’t you stub your toe yesterday?
:Randall's wife: Yes, but what if this is unrelated?

:[Randall and his wife are going spelunking. The guide is gesturing deeper into the cave while Randall and his wife are climbing down.]

:[Randall's wife stands on a rock above an alligator in a swamp, photographing the alligator. Randall is on a balcony behind safety railings.]
:Randall: When they estimated your survival odds, I think they made some optimistic assumptions about your hobbies.

:[Randall's wife sits on an examination bed, listening to a doctor holding a clipboard.]
:Doctor: This is probably nothing.
:Doctor: But given your history, we should do a full scan.
:Doctor: We'll call with the results in a few days. Try not to worry about it until then!

:[Randall and his wife stand above a deep pond full of fish and other objects. Randall's wife is piloting a wired underwater camera with lights.]

:[Randall and his wife are standing next to each other. Randall's wife has shoulder-length hair covering most of her face.]
:Randall's wife: Hard to believe—six years ago, I was bald. But today, after a long struggle, I finally look like the little girl from ''The Ring''.
:Randall: That's, uhh... good?
:Randall's wife: ''Hissssss''

:[A line of six people, including Randall and his wife, stand and watch the solar eclipse.]

:[The sky has been brightened.]
:Figure with blonde hair: ''Wow.''
:Randall's wife: Yeah.

:[Randall and his wife are walking together and holding hands.]
:Randall's wife: That was incredible.
:Randall's wife: When's the next one?
:Randall: In seven years.
:Randall: Wanna go see it?

:[Still walking, Randall and his wife think together about a timeline. Seven years have passed since 2010, represented with a solid line from the past to 2017; seven years in the future will be 2024, represented with a dotted line into the future and surrounded by three question marks.]

:[The pair keeps walking.]
:Randall's wife: Yeah.
:Randall's wife: I'll do my best.
:Randall: It's a date!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Randall Munroe]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Cancer]]
[[Category:Romance]]
[[Category:Total Solar Eclipse 2017]]

Talk:1922: Interferometry

2017-11-30T14:53:51Z

108.162.221.136:

Newbie here just added the explanition and transcript, so will need editing.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.106|172.68.34.106]] 16:25, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:I think we both added it at the same time; when I submitted mine it showed normally in the edit box with the captcha, but when I pressed save it spliced your explanation and mine together. Think yours is probably better researched (I was typing off the top of my head), so I reverted it again. -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.25|162.158.89.25]] 16:43, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
Why is there a period after Interferometry in the first panel?[[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.106|172.68.34.106]] 19:04, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:It has to be a mistake. Otherwise, Beret Guy sounds like he has a weird speech cadence. [[User:Dogman15|Dogman15]] ([[User talk:Dogman15|talk]]) 10:17, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

I really like the [citation needed] on whether dogs can interfere with each other. I want it to stay! --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.61|162.158.89.61]] 20:05, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:Dogs certainly can interfere with each other - in fact, they often have to be restrained from doing so...[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 09:37, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

Beret guy is back ! I like it... [[Special:Contributions/172.69.23.51|172.69.23.51]] 00:05, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

I feel it should be noted that these are good dogs, Brent. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.17|108.162.246.17]] 04:49, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

I think the good dog part in the title text is related to the [https://topatoco.com/collections/jeph-jacques/products/dogs-are-good-shirt new t-shirt from Questionable Content]. I think there has been guest comics one way or the other before. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.134.220|162.158.134.220]] 06:25, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

It's different and probably unrelated, but the comic made me think of the science fiction classic _A Fire Upon The Deep_ in which there are intelligent hive mind dog packs. One dog isn't intelligent, but put 4-6 together and the pack forms a single person with human-level intelligence. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.155|141.101.104.155]] 07:52, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

: The latest research shows you'd need about 30 dogs to equate to one human in terms of neuron quantity (https://newatlas.com/dogs-smarter-cats-neuron-density-study/52416/), but I wouldn't expect human-level intelligence with just 30 dogs because that ignores the amount of overhead needed to control the 30 dog bodies. [[Special:Contributions/198.41.238.40|198.41.238.40]] 11:20, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

A large bark does not prove a large dog - dog size and bark size are not proportionately related. The fact that the bark is apparently emanating from mid-air would be more of an indication (though this could be an auditory illusion caused by the combination of barks from the two dogs).[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 09:37, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

While I get the gist of the comic, my borderline completionism won't let me completely enjoy it unless I can understand the logical connection between astronomy and dogs. How are dogs and telescopes isomorphic in the realm of interferometry? Just another random brilliant leap that only makes sense to Beret Guy (i.e., not logical to any other being on Earth)? --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.136|108.162.221.136]] 14:53, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

1540: Hemingway

2015-06-19T14:33:07Z

108.162.221.136:

{{Incomplete|New Page}}
{{comic
| number = 1540
| date = June 19, 2015
| title = Hemingway
| image = 1540.jpg
| titletext = Instead of bobcat, package contained chair.
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|This seems to be a pretty deepgoing one. Mention what language <blink> etc. is and include something about Amazon Prime}}

This comic is a reference to the six-word short story {{w|For sale: baby shoes, never worn}}, which has been attributed to famous author {{w|Ernest Hemingway}}, however, [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] explicitly states that this might not be the case at all. The comic plays on the fact that the original story takes the form of a short advertisement that might have been seen in a newspaper, and puts it in a more modern form as titles of products from websites like Amazon and Craigslist.

*For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes
*Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner
*<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike>
*Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby
*For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes
*For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo]
*<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike>
*This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet!
:For another weird trick see [[1426: Reduce Your Payments]]
*For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched
*Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping)
*Complete this survey for free shoes!
*''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway [citation needed]
:This imitates Wikipedia labeling of dubious claims.
*This is my greatest short story.
*For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed]
*<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink>
:<blink> is an HTML tag that makes text blink. <marquee> is an HTML tag that makes text move from left to right.
*For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat
*Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam

The title text makes a reference to the third pane of [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]] in which [[Cueball]] says: 'Instead of office chair, package contained bobcat'

==Transcript==
[Caption above comic:] 
Hemingway's Rough Drafts 
[A list of rough draft titles] 
For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes 
Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner 
<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike> 
Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby 
For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes 
For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo] 
<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike> 
This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet! 
For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched 
Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping) 
Complete this survey for free shoes! 
''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway (citation needed) 
This is my greatest short story. 
For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed] 
<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink> 
For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat 
Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam 
{{comic discussion}}

371: Compiler Complaint

2015-04-25T03:25:57Z

108.162.221.136: /* Added some extra explanation about what "checking build environment" does, sourced from here: http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/197766/configure-what-is-an-insane-build-environment */

{{comic
| number = 371
| date = January 16, 2008
| title = Compiler Complaint
| image = compiler_complaint.png‎
| titletext = Checking whether build environment is sane... build environment is grinning and holding a spatula. Guess not.
}}

==Explanation==
A {{w|Compiler|compiler}} is a program that converts code into machine instructions that a computer can run. A {{w|Pointer (computer programming)|Pointer}} is a {{w|Variable (computer science)|variable}} within a computer program that is used to reference a memory location. A {{w|Segmentation Fault|Segmentation Fault (segfault)}} is an error that occurs when a program attempts to access an invalid section of memory. Segfaults usually cause a program to crash in an ungraceful fashion and fixing them can be difficult.

In the comic, the computer starts talking to [[Cueball]] and compares a segfault with the unpleasant feeling one gets when they experience a {{w|Hypnic jerk|hypnic jerk}}. The computer then tells the programmer to "double-check your damn pointers," as segfaults usually arise from a program attempting to access memory that is referenced by an invalid pointer.

The title-text references GNU-style {{w|autoconf}} configuration scripts. These scripts check certain features of the system they're running on in order to build a program correctly; for example, certain systems expect system calls to occur in a specific way, and the autoconf script will detect this and alter the program to match the expectation. Invariably (and memetically), these scripts include a check to determine "whether the build environment is sane." This actually checks whether the path to the current folder has "unsafe" characters, and whether a newly created file is older than the script itself, which could indicate a very esoteric filesystem, a corrupted source archive, or just a system clock that's set incorrectly; however, since these file modification dates are an important part of how the autoconf script does its work, it can't go any further in an "insane" environment. In any case, the joke is that an insane build environment is nothing like an insane person, yet Randall is equating the two.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball sits at a computer, hand over the keyboard.]
:Computer: Okay, human.
:Cueball: Huh?
:Computer: Before you hit "compile," listen up.

:Computer: You know when you're falling asleep, and you imagine yourself walking or something, and suddenly you misstep, stumble, and jolt awake?
:Cueball: Yeah!

:Computer: Well, that's what a segfault feels like.
:Computer: Double-check your damn pointers, okay?

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Programming]]
[[Category:Computers]]

Talk:1406: Universal Converter Box

2014-12-26T06:35:00Z

108.162.221.136:

Would like to see what a gender changer for the petrol pump looks like... [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.219|108.162.250.219]] 04:37, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

: It’s a funnel. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.129|108.162.216.129]] 04:45, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:: Or maybe some sort of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siphon#Practical_requirements straw] [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.203|108.162.249.203]] 10:27, 25 August 2014 (UTC)

:: Im more intereted in understanding how the conversion between 87, 91 and 93 octane and Diesel is taking place -- some mini refinery most be included [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 07:34, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

::: No need for a mini refinery if you simply have 4 feed lines multiplexed through a valve.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 18:57, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

::::You only need three behind the valve: 87, 93, and K-2 Kerosene. Kerosene is run straight-through, 87 and 93 are connected to the valve, then there are three lines in front of the valve: 87 and 93 are blended to produce 91 AKI. (in TX, we have fuel oil #2)

: I guess those folks still using their ADB keyboards are out of luck.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.129|108.162.216.129]] 04:45, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:: Not true. ADB uses the same connector as S-Video, so they would be covered. [[User:Sayno2quat|Sayno2quat]] ([[User talk:Sayno2quat|talk]]) 13:39, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

Oh god... there are quite a few blank spots on that gas pump, and we all know what Randall likes to do with [http://what-if.xkcd.com/35/ tape]. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.56.211|173.245.56.211]] 04:55, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
::If true, one of these (88 AKI) dispenses a light red/pink fuel--it's leaded gasoline! \

Where's the old Mac DIN based serial port? I've got a Color Classic I'd like to resurrect! (No, seriously. It's got a math program on it that I paid about one fifteenth of what they're going for today!) [[User:ExternalMonolog|ExternalMonolog]] ([[User talk:ExternalMonolog|talk]]) 05:21, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

Probably related: [http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/21b3ob/walking_through_my_local_electronic_store_i_found/ HDMI — garden hose adapter] for pouring sh*t from the TV directly on your lawn. {{unsigned ip|141.101.75.19}}

The above garden hose comment reminds me of the classic Three Stooges film in which they are bungling plumbers who get confused and connect the electric wires to the pipes with impossible but hilarious results -- for instance a TV shows Niagara Falls then suddenly water comes gushing out of it.

[[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.99|173.245.52.99]] 03:12, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

:: The original Ethernet used a fat coaxial cable known as "Garden Hose". There were no hubs or switches, each station had a 'stinger' tap clamped to the coax. I used such a setup in the 1970s. [[User:Jim E|Jim E]] ([[User talk:Jim E|talk]]) 15:54, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
::: And did I miss BNC connectors? BNC (co-ax, resistance-terminated, or sometimes looped integrated either by a stinger-clamp of some kind or (on balance, better) T-adapters between any number of shorter-length cables) was what I grew up with, with all its attendent foibles and influence on the distribution diagram (usually an ring-with-gap around the office, rather than a star topology, IME). [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.13|141.101.98.13]] 22:17, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

I hate the fact that I can think of multiple standards that are not covered here. A gazillion DIN connectors, mini HDMI, RS232, Canon/XLR,... All the AC power adapters just on their own will weigh more than 22.7 kilograms. And seriously, how are we meant to connect our coaxial network cable to an iPhone2 with this? --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 06:04, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

:: +1 [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 07:30, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

I'm just a little pissed that all those plugs and it still doesn't include an Australian 240v power plug... sigh. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.219|108.162.250.219]] 06:09, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

:: There are no power adapters in this afaik -- the title text talks about DC adapters, but they come in a separate bag [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 07:30, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

::: I can see just one. I think it's the American plug, but I'm not sure (not familiar with what it looks like). It's got a removable ground pin. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.217|108.162.249.217]] 14:01, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

:::: Absolutely right, not sure how I missed that [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 15:14, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

While we're mentioning things Randall forgot, we have eSATA, 9-pin serial, there are at least three types of firewire, Multiple SCSI interface sizes, TRRS audio/mic connectors, 1/4" inch audio connectors, XLR, varous RF connectors, and a ton of power connectors. {{unsigned ip|173.245.56.210}}

:: The STA and SCSI are mostly internal connections which users rarely had to worry about [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 07:30, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

:::But there is external SCSI as well. Which sometimes needed to be manually numbered using DIP switches and properly terminated. --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 00:12, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the magsafe 4 connector was the 'hair connector' from the avatar movie. That would really be the ultimate self-connecting magsafe successor. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.78|141.101.104.78]] 08:05, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

Many of the video cables in this comic actually are compatible: DVI is backwards-compatible with VGA, HDMI is (mostly) compatible with DVI, S-video is compatible with composite RCA, and SCART is compatible with VGA in addition to supporting both types of composite. Might want to note that somewhere in the article. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.195|108.162.219.195]] 08:20, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
: Display Port? --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 00:12, 12 August 2014 (UTC)
:: I noticed too that it was missing. Not a bargain then, what a ripoff! :-) [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.151|199.27.128.151]] 17:34, 12 August 2014 (UTC)
:::It's covered by Thunderbolt, which is backwards-compatible with DP. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.92.214|141.101.92.214]] 03:42, 16 August 2014 (UTC)

The male/female adapters has me wondering slightly... Does the kit come with adapters for the fuel and the power plug? Might make for a light generator. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.75|108.162.215.75]] 08:26, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

I was mildly sad to see that the token ring was not accompanied by a Tolkien ring. —[[User:TobyBartels|TobyBartels]] ([[User talk:TobyBartels|talk]]) 08:58, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:+1 --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 00:12, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

'''Some more "missing" items, and I'm wondering if we need to add all our suggestions in a single list to the main article.''' -- BigMal // [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.209|108.162.216.209]] 12:08, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:IBM PC keyboard DIN
:IBM PC joystick
:Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)
:GPIB/HPIB (RS-485?) -- for electronics lab equipment (power supplies, desktop DMM, oscilloscope -- before USB and Ethernet)
:BNC (compostie video or analog signals)
:12V DC automotive power (old "cigarette lighter" port)
:Off-Board Diagnostic Connector (ODBC II -- automotive per SAE).
:Deutsch triangular SAE J1939/CAN connectors and "H1939" circular 9-pin Service Tool connector
:Other kinds of plumbing, inspired by the fuel pump -- US garden hose, various sizes of US NPT (National Pipe Thread?), various sizes of US "compression" thread
:and Pneumatic too -- all four of the most common pneumatic tool quick disconnects plus Schrader valve fitting (US standard for pneumatic tires) {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.209}}

According to Wikipedia, the 1st and 2nd gen MagSafe connectors in this image are swapped: What Randall labeled as MagSafe 1 is actually MagSafe 2 and vice-versa. [[User:Mezgrman|Mezgrman]] ([[User talk:Mezgrman|talk]]) 10:31, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:No, this isn't talking about generations, it's talking about actual connections. The ''MagSafe'' adapter was first developed with what Apple calls the "T" style form factor, then was aesthetically updated to the "L" style, which is labeled as "MagSafe" in the comic. The two form factors were interchangeable due to the actual connection and power flow being identical. ''MagSafe 2'' has returned to the "T" style, and was introduced with the Retina Display and newer MacBook Air models, and has a longer, thinner profile that is NOT interchangeable with regular MagSafe adapters, though a small adapter is available. [http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1713 MagSafe Troubleshooting] [http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2346 Identifying Power Adapters] --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.57|108.162.245.57]] 00:22, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

Do any of these connectors interface with the Raspberry Pi's GPIO? (Wow, it took me surprisingly long to find the name of that.) If not, can we add that to the list? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.41|108.162.216.41]] 13:57, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:The Floppy, IDE and SCSI IDC connectors will fit (but only using 2x13 pins of the 2x17/20/25 pins). So, no - none of these will interface directly with the Raspberry Pi. [[User:Condor70|Condor70]] ([[User talk:Condor70|talk]]) 15:53, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

The one gender changer that bag won't have is the one for Token Ring... of all the adapters this thing can handle, I believe the Token Ring one is the only one without a gender -- one Token Ring plug plugs into another, or into the wall socket, etc. without needing to worry about whether you have a male connector or a female one. Though I guess the Bluetooth Dongle and string also don't need adapters, pe se... [[User:N0lqu|-boB]] ([[User talk:N0lqu|talk]]) 14:28, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:One Token Ring to rule them all? --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 00:08, 12 August 2014 (UTC)
:Nah, it'd prolly come with a block with two token ring plugs. A genderless gender switcher. A wireless extension cable. [[User:BenAgain|BenAgain]] ([[User talk:BenAgain|talk]]) 12:49, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

;Is the Magsafe 4 a reference to the connectors for hands and things from the movie A.I.?

I think that the Magsafe 4 is supposed to look like those fancy auto-moving connectors from A.I. Artificial Intelligence.
[[Special:Contributions/199.27.133.142|199.27.133.142]] 15:50, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

The Magsafe 4 could also be a reference to the Na'vi tendril/braid from Avatar. {{unsigned ip|108.162.238.156}}

I wonder where the 30-pin and the Lightning plug that Apple loves so much is. I could see if the 30-pin is hiding int the Floppy or something, but nowhere is the Lightning plug. What gives? [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.71|199.27.128.71]] 19:47, 11 August 2014 (UTC

;Universal Business Adapter

There might be a hidden reference to a famous [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIOqOxI0K_I IBM TV Ad] from, dunno, late 90's or so, in this. I read somewhere that the joke was lost to some viewers and IBM actually put resources into developing an "universal adapter" for business clients due to the demand. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.80.203|141.101.80.203]] 19:15, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

; Diesel .v. petrol nozzles

"A standard diesel nozzle is a bit thicker than a standard petrol nozzle so you cannot tank diesel into a petrol car but if this nozzle has the petrol nozzle diameter you are still able to tank with it into a diesel car."

This statement may be true in some countries, but not here in the UK, for standard pumps for
use with normal cars, vans, etc. That said, we also have separate, high speed, pump nozzles for lorries (=trucks :-) ) which are quite a bit larger than the standard petrol/diesel nozzle. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.214|141.101.98.214]] 08:16, 12 August 2014 (UTC)
: It is true in UK as well, the sizes are the same all over the world as it is standardized by SAE. Although there are large nozzles for trucks (usually 1 1/3" or 1 1/2"; also they don't stop filling automatically), even the one for cars is a bit larger than the petrol one (diesel has 15/16" diameter, petrol 13/16"). If you have a petrol-running car, you can easily check this :-) Interestingly, there used to be 15/16" nozzle for petrol as well but that was used for leaded only. And yes, the smaller size was introduced to avoid tanking leaded petrol into an unleaded-only car (Patent US4034784), not to avoid tanking diesel. [[User:Sten|'''STEN''']] ([[User talk:Sten|talk]]) 23:15, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

Also, he's missing a lot of fiber/fibre connections (think FDDI, Fibre Channel, ST, LC, MT, SC, MIC, ESCON, TOSLINK, etc. :-)! He's missing whatever weird connectors were/are used for T-1 feeds. Also, is that parallel port DB-25 or Centronics 36? Note that SCSI has been seen to go over Centronics 36, DB-25, a 50-pin ribbon connector, 68 or 80 pin ribbon connectors that were shaped like a DB connector to key them, Fibre Channel (mentioned before), and SAS. Does the kit come with terminators? Better yet, for some SCSI drives, does it come with those little fiddly 8 or 9 pin terminating resistor packs that slid into plugs on the drive? Also, I wonder if you can run whatever weird protocol that 3270 terminals used over that F-connector and use this adapter like an IRMA board between an iPhone and a raw mainframe feed (no Microsoft SNA Server required). [[Special:Contributions/199.27.129.17|199.27.129.17]] 13:44, 12 August 2014 (UTC) Toby Ovod-Everett

:: Hoo boy, IRMA board, that takes me back. Plainly Randall felt the need to stop at some point. [[User:Jim E|Jim E]] ([[User talk:Jim E|talk]]) 15:51, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

Clearly it's missing the [http://xkcd.com/1293/ soup adapter]. {{unsigned ip|173.245.48.214}}

I've never seen the magsafe connectors but I thought the MAGSAFE 4 picture was a joke about a magnet so strong that the cord ripped off of the connector, leaving the connector on the still safe protected unit. [[User:ExternalMonolog|ExternalMonolog]] ([[User talk:ExternalMonolog|talk]]) 07:01, 13 August 2014 (UTC)

Missing all the electric car plugs including Tesla superchargers {{unsigned ip|141.101.64.101}}

""male" connector is plug, "female" connector is socket" is not quite correct. The gender of a connector is referring to the contacts, not the connector itself. For an example of a male socket look at the socket for the PSU on your PC (in fact, some power supplies have both a male and a female socket which allows you to power the PC and monitor using a single outlet). {{unsigned ip|108.162.250.222}}

I figured it out: the string is to distract the bobcat that might have inadvertently been included. [[User:Dr Pepper|Dr Pepper]] ([[User talk:Dr Pepper|talk]]) Dr Pepper

Did anyone point out that internal floppy/IDE/SCSII are a different pitch than 2.5 IDE so a compound connector would be unpossible. I wanna say 0.1" vs 0.15" off the top of my head. BTW there's an awesome pic out there somewhere with just about every connector you're likely to see on it. Huge though. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.242.7|108.162.242.7]] 19:11, 7 November 2014 (UTC)
:This comic is a joke and not really correct on all the connectors. Explaining all of them is just unimpossible (G.DubbleYou. Bush). Just keep smiling... --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 23:04, 7 November 2014 (UTC)

Anyone notice how the round MagSafe 3 connector is eerily similar to the Apple Watch's charger? 26 November 2014[[Special:Contributions/173.245.62.87|173.245.62.87]] 06:18, 26 November 2014 (UTC)

Did anyone notice that RS-232 serial port is missing? FAIL! {{unsigned ip|141.101.103.218}}

Talk:1406: Universal Converter Box

2014-12-26T06:32:07Z

108.162.221.136:

Would like to see what a gender changer for the petrol pump looks like... [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.219|108.162.250.219]] 04:37, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

: It’s a funnel. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.129|108.162.216.129]] 04:45, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:: Or maybe some sort of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siphon#Practical_requirements straw] [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.203|108.162.249.203]] 10:27, 25 August 2014 (UTC)

:: Im more intereted in understanding how the conversion between 87, 91 and 93 octane and Diesel is taking place -- some mini refinery most be included [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 07:34, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

::: No need for a mini refinery if you simply have 4 feed lines multiplexed through a valve.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 18:57, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

::::You only need three behind the valve: 87, 93, and K-2 Kerosene. Kerosene is run straight-through, 87 and 93 are connected to the valve, then there are three lines in front of the valve: 87 and 93 are blended to produce 91 AKI. (in TX, we have fuel oil #2)

: I guess those folks still using their ADB keyboards are out of luck.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.129|108.162.216.129]] 04:45, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:: Not true. ADB uses the same connector as S-Video, so they would be covered. [[User:Sayno2quat|Sayno2quat]] ([[User talk:Sayno2quat|talk]]) 13:39, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

Oh god... there are quite a few blank spots on that gas pump, and we all know what Randall likes to do with [http://what-if.xkcd.com/35/ tape]. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.56.211|173.245.56.211]] 04:55, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

Where's the old Mac DIN based serial port? I've got a Color Classic I'd like to resurrect! (No, seriously. It's got a math program on it that I paid about one fifteenth of what they're going for today!) [[User:ExternalMonolog|ExternalMonolog]] ([[User talk:ExternalMonolog|talk]]) 05:21, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

Probably related: [http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/21b3ob/walking_through_my_local_electronic_store_i_found/ HDMI — garden hose adapter] for pouring sh*t from the TV directly on your lawn. {{unsigned ip|141.101.75.19}}

The above garden hose comment reminds me of the classic Three Stooges film in which they are bungling plumbers who get confused and connect the electric wires to the pipes with impossible but hilarious results -- for instance a TV shows Niagara Falls then suddenly water comes gushing out of it.

[[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.99|173.245.52.99]] 03:12, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

:: The original Ethernet used a fat coaxial cable known as "Garden Hose". There were no hubs or switches, each station had a 'stinger' tap clamped to the coax. I used such a setup in the 1970s. [[User:Jim E|Jim E]] ([[User talk:Jim E|talk]]) 15:54, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
::: And did I miss BNC connectors? BNC (co-ax, resistance-terminated, or sometimes looped integrated either by a stinger-clamp of some kind or (on balance, better) T-adapters between any number of shorter-length cables) was what I grew up with, with all its attendent foibles and influence on the distribution diagram (usually an ring-with-gap around the office, rather than a star topology, IME). [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.13|141.101.98.13]] 22:17, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

I hate the fact that I can think of multiple standards that are not covered here. A gazillion DIN connectors, mini HDMI, RS232, Canon/XLR,... All the AC power adapters just on their own will weigh more than 22.7 kilograms. And seriously, how are we meant to connect our coaxial network cable to an iPhone2 with this? --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 06:04, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

:: +1 [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 07:30, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

I'm just a little pissed that all those plugs and it still doesn't include an Australian 240v power plug... sigh. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.219|108.162.250.219]] 06:09, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

:: There are no power adapters in this afaik -- the title text talks about DC adapters, but they come in a separate bag [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 07:30, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

::: I can see just one. I think it's the American plug, but I'm not sure (not familiar with what it looks like). It's got a removable ground pin. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.217|108.162.249.217]] 14:01, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

:::: Absolutely right, not sure how I missed that [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 15:14, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

While we're mentioning things Randall forgot, we have eSATA, 9-pin serial, there are at least three types of firewire, Multiple SCSI interface sizes, TRRS audio/mic connectors, 1/4" inch audio connectors, XLR, varous RF connectors, and a ton of power connectors. {{unsigned ip|173.245.56.210}}

:: The STA and SCSI are mostly internal connections which users rarely had to worry about [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 07:30, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

:::But there is external SCSI as well. Which sometimes needed to be manually numbered using DIP switches and properly terminated. --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 00:12, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the magsafe 4 connector was the 'hair connector' from the avatar movie. That would really be the ultimate self-connecting magsafe successor. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.78|141.101.104.78]] 08:05, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

Many of the video cables in this comic actually are compatible: DVI is backwards-compatible with VGA, HDMI is (mostly) compatible with DVI, S-video is compatible with composite RCA, and SCART is compatible with VGA in addition to supporting both types of composite. Might want to note that somewhere in the article. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.195|108.162.219.195]] 08:20, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
: Display Port? --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 00:12, 12 August 2014 (UTC)
:: I noticed too that it was missing. Not a bargain then, what a ripoff! :-) [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.151|199.27.128.151]] 17:34, 12 August 2014 (UTC)
:::It's covered by Thunderbolt, which is backwards-compatible with DP. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.92.214|141.101.92.214]] 03:42, 16 August 2014 (UTC)

The male/female adapters has me wondering slightly... Does the kit come with adapters for the fuel and the power plug? Might make for a light generator. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.75|108.162.215.75]] 08:26, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

I was mildly sad to see that the token ring was not accompanied by a Tolkien ring. —[[User:TobyBartels|TobyBartels]] ([[User talk:TobyBartels|talk]]) 08:58, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:+1 --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 00:12, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

'''Some more "missing" items, and I'm wondering if we need to add all our suggestions in a single list to the main article.''' -- BigMal // [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.209|108.162.216.209]] 12:08, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:IBM PC keyboard DIN
:IBM PC joystick
:Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)
:GPIB/HPIB (RS-485?) -- for electronics lab equipment (power supplies, desktop DMM, oscilloscope -- before USB and Ethernet)
:BNC (compostie video or analog signals)
:12V DC automotive power (old "cigarette lighter" port)
:Off-Board Diagnostic Connector (ODBC II -- automotive per SAE).
:Deutsch triangular SAE J1939/CAN connectors and "H1939" circular 9-pin Service Tool connector
:Other kinds of plumbing, inspired by the fuel pump -- US garden hose, various sizes of US NPT (National Pipe Thread?), various sizes of US "compression" thread
:and Pneumatic too -- all four of the most common pneumatic tool quick disconnects plus Schrader valve fitting (US standard for pneumatic tires) {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.209}}

According to Wikipedia, the 1st and 2nd gen MagSafe connectors in this image are swapped: What Randall labeled as MagSafe 1 is actually MagSafe 2 and vice-versa. [[User:Mezgrman|Mezgrman]] ([[User talk:Mezgrman|talk]]) 10:31, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:No, this isn't talking about generations, it's talking about actual connections. The ''MagSafe'' adapter was first developed with what Apple calls the "T" style form factor, then was aesthetically updated to the "L" style, which is labeled as "MagSafe" in the comic. The two form factors were interchangeable due to the actual connection and power flow being identical. ''MagSafe 2'' has returned to the "T" style, and was introduced with the Retina Display and newer MacBook Air models, and has a longer, thinner profile that is NOT interchangeable with regular MagSafe adapters, though a small adapter is available. [http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1713 MagSafe Troubleshooting] [http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2346 Identifying Power Adapters] --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.57|108.162.245.57]] 00:22, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

Do any of these connectors interface with the Raspberry Pi's GPIO? (Wow, it took me surprisingly long to find the name of that.) If not, can we add that to the list? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.41|108.162.216.41]] 13:57, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:The Floppy, IDE and SCSI IDC connectors will fit (but only using 2x13 pins of the 2x17/20/25 pins). So, no - none of these will interface directly with the Raspberry Pi. [[User:Condor70|Condor70]] ([[User talk:Condor70|talk]]) 15:53, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

The one gender changer that bag won't have is the one for Token Ring... of all the adapters this thing can handle, I believe the Token Ring one is the only one without a gender -- one Token Ring plug plugs into another, or into the wall socket, etc. without needing to worry about whether you have a male connector or a female one. Though I guess the Bluetooth Dongle and string also don't need adapters, pe se... [[User:N0lqu|-boB]] ([[User talk:N0lqu|talk]]) 14:28, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:One Token Ring to rule them all? --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 00:08, 12 August 2014 (UTC)
:Nah, it'd prolly come with a block with two token ring plugs. A genderless gender switcher. A wireless extension cable. [[User:BenAgain|BenAgain]] ([[User talk:BenAgain|talk]]) 12:49, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

;Is the Magsafe 4 a reference to the connectors for hands and things from the movie A.I.?

I think that the Magsafe 4 is supposed to look like those fancy auto-moving connectors from A.I. Artificial Intelligence.
[[Special:Contributions/199.27.133.142|199.27.133.142]] 15:50, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

The Magsafe 4 could also be a reference to the Na'vi tendril/braid from Avatar. {{unsigned ip|108.162.238.156}}

I wonder where the 30-pin and the Lightning plug that Apple loves so much is. I could see if the 30-pin is hiding int the Floppy or something, but nowhere is the Lightning plug. What gives? [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.71|199.27.128.71]] 19:47, 11 August 2014 (UTC

;Universal Business Adapter

There might be a hidden reference to a famous [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIOqOxI0K_I IBM TV Ad] from, dunno, late 90's or so, in this. I read somewhere that the joke was lost to some viewers and IBM actually put resources into developing an "universal adapter" for business clients due to the demand. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.80.203|141.101.80.203]] 19:15, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

; Diesel .v. petrol nozzles

"A standard diesel nozzle is a bit thicker than a standard petrol nozzle so you cannot tank diesel into a petrol car but if this nozzle has the petrol nozzle diameter you are still able to tank with it into a diesel car."

This statement may be true in some countries, but not here in the UK, for standard pumps for
use with normal cars, vans, etc. That said, we also have separate, high speed, pump nozzles for lorries (=trucks :-) ) which are quite a bit larger than the standard petrol/diesel nozzle. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.214|141.101.98.214]] 08:16, 12 August 2014 (UTC)
: It is true in UK as well, the sizes are the same all over the world as it is standardized by SAE. Although there are large nozzles for trucks (usually 1 1/3" or 1 1/2"; also they don't stop filling automatically), even the one for cars is a bit larger than the petrol one (diesel has 15/16" diameter, petrol 13/16"). If you have a petrol-running car, you can easily check this :-) Interestingly, there used to be 15/16" nozzle for petrol as well but that was used for leaded only. And yes, the smaller size was introduced to avoid tanking leaded petrol into an unleaded-only car (Patent US4034784), not to avoid tanking diesel. [[User:Sten|'''STEN''']] ([[User talk:Sten|talk]]) 23:15, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

Also, he's missing a lot of fiber/fibre connections (think FDDI, Fibre Channel, ST, LC, MT, SC, MIC, ESCON, TOSLINK, etc. :-)! He's missing whatever weird connectors were/are used for T-1 feeds. Also, is that parallel port DB-25 or Centronics 36? Note that SCSI has been seen to go over Centronics 36, DB-25, a 50-pin ribbon connector, 68 or 80 pin ribbon connectors that were shaped like a DB connector to key them, Fibre Channel (mentioned before), and SAS. Does the kit come with terminators? Better yet, for some SCSI drives, does it come with those little fiddly 8 or 9 pin terminating resistor packs that slid into plugs on the drive? Also, I wonder if you can run whatever weird protocol that 3270 terminals used over that F-connector and use this adapter like an IRMA board between an iPhone and a raw mainframe feed (no Microsoft SNA Server required). [[Special:Contributions/199.27.129.17|199.27.129.17]] 13:44, 12 August 2014 (UTC) Toby Ovod-Everett

:: Hoo boy, IRMA board, that takes me back. Plainly Randall felt the need to stop at some point. [[User:Jim E|Jim E]] ([[User talk:Jim E|talk]]) 15:51, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

Clearly it's missing the [http://xkcd.com/1293/ soup adapter]. {{unsigned ip|173.245.48.214}}

I've never seen the magsafe connectors but I thought the MAGSAFE 4 picture was a joke about a magnet so strong that the cord ripped off of the connector, leaving the connector on the still safe protected unit. [[User:ExternalMonolog|ExternalMonolog]] ([[User talk:ExternalMonolog|talk]]) 07:01, 13 August 2014 (UTC)

Missing all the electric car plugs including Tesla superchargers {{unsigned ip|141.101.64.101}}

""male" connector is plug, "female" connector is socket" is not quite correct. The gender of a connector is referring to the contacts, not the connector itself. For an example of a male socket look at the socket for the PSU on your PC (in fact, some power supplies have both a male and a female socket which allows you to power the PC and monitor using a single outlet). {{unsigned ip|108.162.250.222}}

I figured it out: the string is to distract the bobcat that might have inadvertently been included. [[User:Dr Pepper|Dr Pepper]] ([[User talk:Dr Pepper|talk]]) Dr Pepper

Did anyone point out that internal floppy/IDE/SCSII are a different pitch than 2.5 IDE so a compound connector would be unpossible. I wanna say 0.1" vs 0.15" off the top of my head. BTW there's an awesome pic out there somewhere with just about every connector you're likely to see on it. Huge though. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.242.7|108.162.242.7]] 19:11, 7 November 2014 (UTC)
:This comic is a joke and not really correct on all the connectors. Explaining all of them is just unimpossible (G.DubbleYou. Bush). Just keep smiling... --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 23:04, 7 November 2014 (UTC)

Anyone notice how the round MagSafe 3 connector is eerily similar to the Apple Watch's charger? 26 November 2014[[Special:Contributions/173.245.62.87|173.245.62.87]] 06:18, 26 November 2014 (UTC)

Did anyone notice that RS-232 serial port is missing? FAIL! {{unsigned ip|141.101.103.218}}

1441: Turnabout

2014-10-31T06:29:17Z

108.162.221.136:

{{comic
| number = 1441
| date = October 31, 2014
| title = Turnabout
| image = turnabout.png
| titletext = Whenever I miss a shot with a sci-fi weapon, I say 'Apollo retroreflector' really fast, just in case.
}}

==Explanation==
In this comic "they" refer to [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/missions/apollo/apollo_11/experiments/lrr/]. A mirror that was placed on the moon by Apollo 11. A special kind of mirror that reflects the light back to where it came from. The mirror is used to measure the distance between earth and the moon.

In this comic "the one to the right" hopes for that the missed laser shot will hit the moon and the laser raging reflector on the moon and then hit his opponent in the back.

A retroreflector is a device or surface that reflects light back at its source. The Apollo 11, 14 and 15 moon missions placed several such devices on the surface of the Moon to help scientists on Earth measure the distance between the two bodies using laser ranging.

In the comic, two people are engaging in a battle with laser guns. One appears to gain the upper hand as he jumps on a desk, as the other's shot goes wide. He delivers the classic line "Any last words?" and is answered with the confusing phrase "Apollo retroreflectors". The earlier wild shot, reflected off the moon, promptly lances down from space and hits him in the back.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}

[Two people engage in battle using handheld laser guns.]

[Person 2's shot misses, Person 1 jumps on a desk.]

Person 1: Any last words?

Person 2: "Apollo retroreflectors"

Person 1: What?

[Person 1 is hit in the back by the reflected shot.]

{{comic discussion}}

1441: Turnabout

2014-10-31T06:25:01Z

108.162.221.136: