explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1674: Adult

2016-04-30T10:45:18Z

141.101.104.27:

I included an alternate explanation that approached the joke from a different perspective. The first explanation agreed that certain tasks identify one as an adult while I saw the joke to mean that we bestow adult-like properties onto certain tasks in order to convince ourselves we must be an adult when those tasks do nothing to mature us or bestow maturity.[[User:R0hrshach|R0hrshach]] ([[User talk:R0hrshach|talk]]) 15:39, 29 April 2016 (UTC)

I understood the joke to be that a large number of people, if not everybody, behaves like cueball when they become adults. They perform adult tasks out of necessity. They are surprised that they are doing such adult things because they have not felt any discernible change in themselves as they transition into adulthood and therefore assume that they lack the maturity necessary to be an adult. However, the irony is that doing such tasks is what makes others perceive them as adults. Their peers have no transparency into their inner thought process and simply assume those performing adult tasks are mature and have something they themselves don't, when in reality this is far from the case. The joke is then that Cueball takes it to the extreme and even verbalizes it in his will, which is an extremely serious document and in which such a joking remark is unexpected.
[[User:Alephprime|Alephprime]] ([[User talk:Alephprime|talk]]) 15:54, 29 April 2016 (UTC)
:This is well written. Especially the last about the will should maybe be included in the explanation. I'm a little worried given that I will turn 41 in less than a week ;-) However, we do not have AirHeads here, and I have never tried them to that appeases me a bit :-p [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 19:32, 29 April 2016 (UTC)

The explanation says that Cueball is engaging in "mundane" adult tasks. I'm not convinced that they are all so mundane, especially if we think of Cueball doing each of them for the first time. Taking out a mortgage, certainly, involves taking on long-term responsibilities. Buying a sofa implies deciding how to furnish one's home, and committing a substantial sum of money to this. Even with grocery shopping ... I remember, as a young adult, the shock of realising that for the first time I would get to choose what I would buy and eat! (And no, I didn't buy nothing but Airheads....)

==Additional meaning==

Isn't this also a kind of concealed critique of the AirHeads company? Randall clearly has some grudge against them if he included a comment on company issuing an official statement about Cueball's cause of death. Either Cueball was going to far with the condiments use or there's something more about candies' effect on health. Or both - he is worried that comic's story could become a reality because of the too much sugar he is eating? :) [[user:PIPIVOJ]] [[Special:Contributions/162.158.83.102|162.158.83.102]] 08:41, 30 April 2016 (UTC)

1647: Diacritics

2016-02-25T12:02:13Z

141.101.104.27: As pointed out by 162.158.114.147 in the comments, there was one acute accent too much on the e; fixed

{{comic
| number = 1647
| date = February 24, 2016
| title = Diacritics
| image = diacritics.png
| titletext = Using diacritics correctly is not my forté.
}}

==Explanation==
A {{w|diacritic}} (or a diacritical mark) is a {{w|glyph}} added to a letter. The main use of diacritical marks in the {{w|latin script}} is to change the sound-values of the letters to which they are added, typically vowels.

[[Cueball]] is writing an e-mail (maybe for a job application) and notes in the mail that he attaches his {{w|résumé}}. The word ''résumé'' uses two e's with an {{w|acute accent}} so they look like this: é.

While diacritics can be common in several languages, English is an example of a language that rarely ever has any at all. This occurs to such an extent that words and expressions borrowed from other languages (such as "résumé" or "déjà vu") are frequently written in English with the diacritics omitted, as in "resume" or "deja vu" (though grammatically the diacritics are needed to be technically correct).

As Cueball/[[Randall]] is an English-speaker, he naturally usually forgets (or just doesn't bother) to add these '''diacritics''' (hence the title of the comic). So when he occasionally remembers them, for instance when he types a word where he knows they should be included, then he makes up for all those he must have forgotten until now, and adds a whole bunch at once. This reason is somewhat nonsensical.

The first diacritic he uses is the normal acute accent for the e to make it an é which does belong in ''résumé''. But the second diacritic he uses is a {{w|Diaeresis (diacritic)|diaeresis}} (or umlaut) on the u making it into ü, which is not part of the word. (Although in French the ''u'' is pronounced like a {{w|Close_front_rounded_vowel|[y]}}, which is also the sound of a German or Turkish ''ü'', and in German the word is spelt using this as ''Resümee'', but then the meaning is not the same but rather conclusions or abstracts).

He then goes all in on the last e which, similar to the first e, is supposed to have an acute accent. This e has a {{w|cedilla}} (which normally looks like ȩ), a {{w|Ring (diacritic)|ring}} (as in e̊ ), three acute accents, and is topped off by a {{w|breve}} (which normally looks like ĕ). In total, six diacritics are used on this e alone. Some languages - notably Vietnamese - {{w|Vietnamese alphabet|can use more than one diacritic per letter}}, but usually only two ( for example ṏ). Using them in this fashion makes little sense though it is reminiscent of [http://stackoverflow.com/q/6579844/256431 Zalgo text].

To make sure everyone gets it, there are no less than three acute accents over the last full stop. This is not something that is ever used.

So for a word that is supposed to have two diacritics, Cueball uses eight, plus three for the full stop.

{{incomplete|Someone fix the last sentence. The funny marks don't display on all browsers, making it unreadable.}}
In the title text "not my forté" is supposed to mean that it is not one of Randall's strength or talent. However, to obtain this meaning [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/forte forte] should not have an acute diacritic over the e, thus proving Randall's point that it is not ''hís fṏrté to ûsë dïãcrítìcs''.

Comic [[1209: Encoding]] also references an absurd use of diacritics.

==Trivia==
* The title text may be a reference to the [[what if?]] released a week before this comic, {{what if|145|''Fire from moonlight''}}, in which note 9 reads "My résumé says étendue is my forté." (With the same error on "forte") It is possible that noticing his mistake was the inspiration for this comic. Also [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A9tendue étendue] can be written without the accent as [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/etendue#English etendue] and the meaning is only written on this page in the Wiktionary. It means property of the light in an optical system which makes sense in the context of the note. However, it means something different in French where it either refers to size or range as a noun or as a verb is an alternative form of [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A9tendre#French étendre] meaning stretch or spread. The most correct way of writing the sentence he tried to write would only have involved the accent on résumé: "My résumé says etendue is my forte." Thus again making it clear that Randall has it right when he writes: "Using diacritics correctly is not my forté."

==Transcript==
:[Cueball sitting in front of his lap top typing. The text above him is the one he is typing. The last word résumé has too many diacritics. The u has an umlaut (as in ü) and the last é has no less than six diacritics; a cedilla below (as in ȩ), a ring above (as in e̊ ), then three acute accents above the ring (as in é), and finally they are topped off by a breve (as in ĕ). Also the last full stop has three accents "´" above it:]
<br>
:Cueball (typing): Attached please find my résümȩ̊́́́̆.́́́

:[Caption below the frame:]
:I usually leave out diacritics when I type, so I make up for it by occasionally adding a whole bunch at once.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Language]]

1647: Diacritics

2016-02-24T09:53:40Z

141.101.104.27: An attempt to enter the diacritics. This uses the combining diacritical marks from Unicode U+30x to U+36x; it might be displayed incorrectly if your system and/or browser doesn't support this properly

{{comic
| number = 1647
| date = February 24, 2016
| title = Diacritics
| image = diacritics.png
| titletext = Using diacritics correctly is not my forté.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|First draft. Add more details on the use of diacritics.}}

A {{w|diacritic}} (or a diacritical mark) is a {{w|glyph}} added to a letter. The main use of diacritical marks in the {{w|latin script}} is to change the sound-values of the letters to which they are added, typically a vowel.

[[Cueball]] is writing an e-mail (maybe for a job application) and notes in the mail that he attaches his {{w|résumé}}. The word ''résumé'' uses two e's with an {{w|acute accent}} so they look like this: é.

Cueball/[[Randall]] usually forget to add these '''diacritics''' (hence the title of the comic). So when he occasionally remember them, for instance when he types a word where he knows they should be included, then he make up for all those he must have forgotten until now, and add a whole bunch at once.

The first diacritic he uses is the normal acute accent for the e to make it an é which does belong in ''résumé''. But the second diacritic he uses is a {{w|Diaeresis (diacritic)|diaeresis}} (or umlaut) on the u making it into ü, which is not part of the word. (Although in French the U is pronounced like a Y, which is also the sound of an Ü).

Then he goes all in on the last e, which is also supposed to have an acute accent, but this e has no less than three of these on top of each other. But just on top of the e there is a {{w|Ring (diacritic)|ring}} as in e̊, and above the three accents there is a {{w|breve}} that would normally look like this ĕ. To bottom it all there is also a {{w|cedilla}} on the e, which normally looks like this ȩ. In total 6 diacritics are used on this e alone.

Using more than one diacritics on one letter can happen, but usually only two, like for instance this ṏ. Using them like here makes no sense.

To make sure everyone gets it, there are also no less than three acute accent on top of each other over the last full stop. This is not something that is ever used.

So for a word that is supposed to have two diacritics Cueball uses 8 plus 3 for the full stop.

In the title text, {{w|forte}} has a diacritic over the e, where it does not belong proving Randall's point that it is not ''hís forte to ûsë dïäcrítìcs''.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball sitting in front of his lap top tying. The text above him is the one he is typing. The last e in resume has five diacritics above it and one below. The last "." has to three "´" above it:]
:Cueball (typing): Attached please find my résümȩ̊́́́́̆.́́́

:[Caption below the frame:]
:I usually leave out diacritics when I type, so I make up for it by occasionally adding a whole bunch at once.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Language]]

221: Random Number

2015-12-25T11:02:46Z

141.101.104.27: Revert previous edit, I had not seen the previous post about "die" being singular of "dice"

{{comic
| number = 221
| date = February 9, 2007
| title = Random Number
| image = random_number.png
| titletext = <nowiki>RFC 1149.5</nowiki> specifies 4 as the standard IEEE-vetted random number.
}}
==Explanation==
The comic specifies a function (in a {{w|C (programming language)|C-like}} syntax), which judging by its name should be designed to return a random number. Most functions of this form are random number ''generators'', meaning that on subsequent calls they return ''different'' random numbers. But the programmer has instead implemented a function that just returns always the ''same'' random number; which, while it could indeed have been truly randomly chosen by rolling a die as the comment documented, is essentially worthless were it ever to be called more than once (with the expectation of different, i.e., random, results). In other words, the results over time would not be random at all, but completely predictable and deterministic.

The {{w|IEEE}} is the organization responsible for maintaining a number of computer standards. An RFC, or {{w|Request for Comments}}, is a formal document put out to computing experts by {{w|IETF}} in the hopes of becoming a future standard. However, RFC 1149 was an {{w|April Fools' Day Request for Comments|April Fools' joke}}, defining how carrier pigeons can be used to transmit Internet packets. "<nowiki>RFC 1149.5</nowiki>", meanwhile, simply does not exist.

==Transcript==
int getRandomNumber()
{
return 4; // chosen by fair dice roll.
// guaranteed to be random.
}

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Programming]]
[[Category:Computers]]

221: Random Number

2015-12-25T10:56:41Z

141.101.104.27: fix typo: die -> dice

{{comic
| number = 221
| date = February 9, 2007
| title = Random Number
| image = random_number.png
| titletext = <nowiki>RFC 1149.5</nowiki> specifies 4 as the standard IEEE-vetted random number.
}}
==Explanation==
The comic specifies a function (in a {{w|C (programming language)|C-like}} syntax), which judging by its name should be designed to return a random number. Most functions of this form are random number ''generators'', meaning that on subsequent calls they return ''different'' random numbers. But the programmer has instead implemented a function that just returns always the ''same'' random number; which, while it could indeed have been truly randomly chosen by rolling a dice as the comment documented, is essentially worthless were it ever to be called more than once (with the expectation of different, i.e., random, results). In other words, the results over time would not be random at all, but completely predictable and deterministic.

The {{w|IEEE}} is the organization responsible for maintaining a number of computer standards. An RFC, or {{w|Request for Comments}}, is a formal document put out to computing experts by {{w|IETF}} in the hopes of becoming a future standard. However, RFC 1149 was an {{w|April Fools' Day Request for Comments|April Fools' joke}}, defining how carrier pigeons can be used to transmit Internet packets. "<nowiki>RFC 1149.5</nowiki>", meanwhile, simply does not exist.

==Transcript==
int getRandomNumber()
{
return 4; // chosen by fair dice roll.
// guaranteed to be random.
}

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Programming]]
[[Category:Computers]]