explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:823: Guest Week: David Troupes (Buttercup Festival)

2021-10-04T19:20:51Z

141.101.104.48:

Could the 'Woman' be Megan? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.190|173.245.54.190]] 16:20, 14 August 2014 (UTC)
:Maybe David Troupes wants to make the woman be Megan but can't because he doesn't know how to draw the typical Megan hair we use to identify her. [[Special:Contributions/103.22.200.215|103.22.200.215]] 02:25, 17 December 2014 (UTC)
Or she could just be a generic person. It seems like a better idea to presume that a character is a generic unless specifically indicated. -Pennpenn [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.205|108.162.249.205]] 02:21, 21 January 2015 (UTC)
:Any woman in xkcd with long black hair is Megan by definition. Megan is not the same person from comic to comic but the generic every woman to Cueballs everyman. Read on the pages for Megan and Cueball. As well as on Multiple Cueballs (see the categories) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:06, 21 April 2015 (UTC)
If someone threw a moon rock at me, I would pay them. [[User:HisHighestMinion|HisHighestMinion]] ([[User talk:HisHighestMinion|talk]]) 22:38, 22 April 2016 (UTC)

In Megan's first speech the "I ..." surely stands for "I'm over the Moon ."
Sorry. [[User:Winter06|Winter06]] ([[User talk:Winter06|talk]])

"Megan is perfectly happy sitting on the moon (which is impossible)" What exact part of it is impossible? Moon has a proper gravitational field and it's solid. Heck, people even walked on it! As for "happily" part, ''I'' would be perfectly happy to sit on the moon (for somewhat longer if provided with space suit, but happy in any case). [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.48|141.101.104.48]] 19:20, 4 October 2021 (UTC)

Talk:1076: Groundhog Day

2021-10-04T18:56:51Z

141.101.104.48:

If the world is stuck in an infinite loop on February 2nd, how can February 3rd happen? Ever? '''[[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 13:37, 8 January 2013 (UTC)
:I guess February 3rd happens on the omega'th day of that infinite loop? [[User:Alpha|Alpha]] ([[User talk:Alpha|talk]]) 05:25, 22 February 2013 (UTC)
It also happens that the date for the beginning of the world is Mole day... [[Special:Contributions/98.235.206.114|98.235.206.114]] 05:21, 26 October 2013 (UTC)

The name of the main character ist not the only thing Randall got wrong about the movie... In the Wikipedia article, it is specifically mentioned that Phil and Rita did not have sex that night. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.50.154|172.68.50.154]] 19:54, 31 July 2018 (UTC)

I disagree with the Trivia explanation. Around the time this movie came out Andie McDowell was a very famous actor and widely known, on a par with Bill Murray. No, the reason why she is only identified as her character here is the usual casual misogyny, where the woman isn't seen as a human being in her own right.

:Out of all people to do that, Randall sure is not a likely candidate (my personal explanation is that everyone trying to find ''any'' significant subtext here is overthinking it). Also, sign your comments. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.48|141.101.104.48]] 18:56, 4 October 2021 (UTC)

2503: Memo Spike Connector

2021-08-16T20:16:52Z

141.101.104.48: /* Explanation */ Either a typo or a 'european' decimal character (where swapped opposite with dots in a thousands-separating context).

{{comic
| number = 2503
| date = August 16, 2021
| title = Memo Spike Connector
| image = memo spike connector.png
| titletext = Backward-compatible with many existing cables, and can connect directly to phones or tablets if you press them down hard enough.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an IMPALED TABLET. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This is the 3rd entry in the [[:Category:Cursed Connectors|Cursed Connectors]] series.

The comic depicts a large metal spike with a wire coming from the base. The spike stabs through two other wires, thus creating an electrical connection between the three. As the name suggests, the spike resembles a {{w|Spindle_(stationery)|memo spike}}, formally known as a spindle.

Spindles are used to temporarily hold paper by "spindling" or impaling the paper onto the spike (as depicted in the comic). They're most known for their use in restaurants as a way to hold bills that have been paid.

The joke of the comic is while any number of non-destructive connection standards exist, a large spike can provide much of the same results: a conductive object that retains a connection of multiple wires in a way that allows electricity to pass through. Indeed, in the early days of Ethernet, {{w|Vampire tap|vampire taps}} were used, essentially spikes that bit into a cable to establish a new branch in the network.

Depending on the type of cable it is also likely to create a short circuit, e.g. by connecting both strands of a twisted pair of strands in a typical ethernet cable, or the central wire and the sheath of a coaxial cable. In an enterprise environment, this could even happen on a {{w|Power_over_Ethernet|PoE-Connection}}, which actually carry more noticeable amounts of power (up to 25.5W)

The title text takes this a bit further, saying that phones and other devices can also be connected using this method if you press hard enough to penetrate the device's coverings to reach the electrical parts. This is dangerous and could destroy the device{{Citation needed}}.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
''[A memo spike—a long spike that is often used to hold pieces of paper in place—is shown. There is a wire coming out of the base of the memo spike, and two wires are impaled upon it. Above is a title and below is a label.]''

Cursed Connectors #102

The Memo Spike

==Trivia==
The {{W|Vampire tap}} is an actual connector that pierces into a coaxial cable to create an 10BASE5 Ethernet connection.

{{comic discussion}}


[[Category:Cursed Connectors]]

2499: Abandonment Function

2021-08-09T11:25:04Z

141.101.104.48: /* Explanation */ It doesn't actually say that the controller activates the feature. {Strapping controllers to the thing thing they control is often just a useful everyday workaround to not end up with orphaned/widowed/whatevered equipment.)

{{comic
| number = 2499
| date = August 6, 2021
| title = Abandonment Function
| image = abandonment function.png
| titletext = Remember to only adopt domesticated drones that specifically request it. It's illegal to collect wild ones under the Migratory Drone Treaty Act.
| imagesize =
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an ABANDONED DRONE. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{W|abandoned_pets|Pet abandonment}} is a situation of concern among biological pets, and is part of the reason there are animal rescue organisations providing for adoption in most regions. Since drones are automated, they can be programmed to have an automatic abandonment function.

In reality, this "abandonment function" is the norm that things left outside homes are {{w|free box|often considered gifts}} for any passersby who would like them. Hence, following the instructions in the webcomic may result in one's drone disappearing for a new owner, but not for the reason depicted.

With the drone responsible for flying to find its own new owner, one can possibly imagine it becoming more and more "fervent" as its charge runs down, to prevent the accumulation of derelict drones in the streets.

Triggering abandonment based on extended close proximity to the device's own controller could produce issues such as accidental activation, or malicious activation by a party who could send the proximity signal from a great distance, possibly to many drones at once, via {{W|software defined radio}}. It is, however, more likely that being left consciously uncontrolled for an extended period is the actual trigger, with the attachment of the controller being more a direct courtesy to the next adoptive-owner, and/or preventing the loss of carrier signal that would instead activate whatever auto-homing (i.e. return-to-launch-point) behaviour the more sophisticated drones may use if ever beyond their pre-programmed flight parameters.

The concept of there being "wild" vs "domesticated" drones rings again both of wildlife and pets, and of new intelligent software providing for drones acting on their own. In the latter case, protection for "wild" drones could imply many things about the role of artificial intelligence in society. Did we organise the wild drones to obey our laws, or are we protecting them in fear of being punished by their superior power? A foreign military drone could also be considered a wild drone.

But more likely Randall is imagining flocks of abandoned drones, fending for themselves, traveling distances as they survive off of seasonally-dependent charging resources. This is similar to the behavior of birds, which are protected (in the U.S.) by the real-world {{W|Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918}}.

This idea of protecting drones is analogous to the anomaly that misbehaving drones have not been well tracked by law enforcement: https://observer.com/2020/01/drone-flock-mystery-baffling-authorities/ . If computer viruses continue to evolve, wild drones could indeed evolve too, as they are directed by software, but usually a human being or organization is considered to be somewhere at the helm of a computer virus.

The idea that a drone may choose of its own volition whether to find a new owner or join a wild flock is a little similar to the situation for abandoned pets.

==Transcript==
:[Multi-Rotor drone is flying though the air. Tied to the drone is the drone's remote controller. Movement lines behind drone indicate a wavery flight path.]
:Drone: Hi, I'm yours now! Please charge me!
:Drone: Hi, I'm yours now! Please charge me!

:[Caption below the frame:]
:Tech Tip: If you ever get tired of a toy drone, tie the controller to it and set it outside. Its abandonment function will activate and it will find a new home.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Drones]]
[[Category:Tips]]

413: New Pet

2015-07-31T17:25:50Z

141.101.104.48:

{{comic
| number = 413
| date = April 21, 2008
| title = New Pet
| image = new pet.png
| titletext = ONE LAPTOP PER HAMSTER!
}}

==Explanation==
[[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] create a new pet by putting an {{w|EEE PC}} into a {{w|hamster ball}}, allowing it to roll around.

The {{w|Asus Eee PC}} was one of the first subnotebook computers available on the American market, noted for its small size and coming pre-installed with Linux. With a diagonal size of 11 inches, it would take a big hamster wheel to carry it like this.

{{w|Omniwheel}}s are wheels with rollers mounted on the edge to allow the wheel to slide sideways. The wheels in the drawing look more like {{w|Mecanum wheel}}s, which have rollers mounted at an angle to the edge. Both Omniwheels and Mecanum wheels are used in omni-directional drive systems, like you would use to drive a hamster ball from the inside. A {{w|webcam}} is connected magnetically to the top of the hamster ball, which connects to an rf link to transmit wirelessly to the computer.

TCO is {{w|total cost of ownership}}, which is exactly what it sounds like: the purchase price of something, plus all costs of keeping, operating, and/or maintaining that something. It's used in accounting to determine something's true cost-to-value evaluation. In the case of a cat, TCO would primarily consist of food and veterinary care, with possible additions for catsitting services, damage caused by feline misbehavior, etc. For the device in the comic, there would be a small ongoing cost (occasional recharges for the batteries) after the initial investment.

A {{w|Roomba}} is a self-directed robotic vacuum cleaner made by iRobot.

{{w|Python (programming language)|Python}} is a programming language popular among geeks running Linux. Among other features, it has a large number of easily installed 3rd-party libraries which make it easy to add features to programs. In this case, [[Cueball]] is importing the "soul" library to give the new pet a soul – <strike>obviously</strike> something that a programming language cannot actually do.{{Citation needed}} This is a reference to [[353: Python]].

The title text refers to the {{w|One Laptop per Child}} project spearheaded by Nicholas Negroponte around 2005, with the goal of building an inexpensive, durable sublaptop that could be distributed to children in developing countries to give them an educational edge.

==Transcript==
:[Megan is placing EEE PC inside hamster ball. Cueball scratches head.]
:Cueball: What are you doing?
:Megan: Mounting your EEE PC in a hamster ball.

:Megan: Well, the TCO of a cat is like $1000/year, so we're saving money.

:[Cueball is typing.]
:Megan: Microcontrollers are all wired up. How's the brain coming?
:Cueball: I've taught it obstacle avoidance and blogging.

:Cueball: Aww, look, it's making friends with the Roomba.
:EEE PC: ''RRRRR''
:Roomba: ''Beep!''

:Diagram: Webcam, RF links, bearings, omni wheels, magnets, EEE PC, omni wheels, battery

:[Hamster ball bounces down flight of stairs.]
:Hamster ball: ''Bonk, bonk''
:Off-panel: Man, I hope it's OK that we're laughing at this.

:[Megan picks up ball.]
:Megan: I think my mothering instinct took a wrong turn somewhere.
:Cueball: You mean an awesome turn.

:[Cueball is typing.]
:Megan: Too bad we can't give it a soul.
:Cueball: Sure we can.
:Cueball types: import soul
:Megan: Oh, right. Python.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with inverted brightness]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Hamster Ball]]
[[Category:Programming]]
[[Category:Robots]]