explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1926: Bad Code

2017-12-08T17:26:00Z

172.68.47.78: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1926
| date = December 8, 2017
| title = Bad Code
| image = bad_code.png
| titletext = "Oh my God, why did you scotch-tape a bunch of hammers together?" "It's ok! Nothing depends on this wall being destroyed efficiently."
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a bad coder, very incomplete - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

[[Ponytail]] has caught [[Cueball]] in the act of writing some messy code - code in the form of a spreadsheet formula, which in turn produces another program in a language called Haskell.
It is explained that ''this'' code will in turn interpret ''more'' source code, specifically markup in HTML.
After Cueball excuses his bad code by stating that "nothing depends on this" (meaning that no other projects rely on this code being good to operate properly), Ponytail uses the analogy of
breaking a non-load-bearing wall to ridicule Cueball's excuse.

Immediately after, Ponytail appears to have realized that she's only ''inspired'' Cueball to go ahead and break the wall, instead of swaying him away from writing bad code.

These may be the same Ponytail and Cueball from the [[:Category:Code Quality|Code Quality]] series.

The title text suggests that Cueball's approach to breaking the wall, scotch-taping a bunch of hammers together, is as good as his code. And his excuse is similar.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

[Cueball is at his desk in a swivel chair, writing more code. Ponytail is with him.]

Ponytail: That's the ugliest mess of code i've ever seen! What on earth are you working on?

[Cueball swivels his chair to face Ponytail]

Cueball: It's nothing weird this time, I swear. It just looks bad because it's a spreadsheet formula.

[Cueball is facing his computer again.]

Cueball: ...which assembles a Haskell function.

Ponytail: Uhhh.

Cueball: ...for parsing HTML.

Ponytail: Oh my god.

[Ponytail is pointing away from the scene.]

Cueball: It's ok! Nothing depends on this.

Ponytail: That wall isn't load-bearing. Does that mean we can just throw hammers at it?

Cueball: ...I mean...

Ponytail: Wait. Crap.

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:1925: Self-Driving Car Milestones

2017-12-06T19:14:43Z

172.68.47.78:

This page is, without offense to the creator, a mess. We're gonna need a table for this. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.47.78|172.68.47.78]] 19:14, 6 December 2017 (UTC)

1924: Solar Panels

2017-12-04T16:24:18Z

172.68.47.78: /* Added title text explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1924
| date = December 4, 2017
| title = Solar Panels
| image = solar_panels.png
| titletext = This works for a surprising range of sunlit things, including rooftops (sure), highway surfaces (probably not), sailboats (maybe), and jets, cars, and wild deer (haha good luck).
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a SOLAR PANEL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This handy decision tree aims to help in finding out whether a given object should have solar panels installed on it.

The root question is whether the object of choice moves. If it doesn't and has no nearby empty space where there would be more practical for the solar panel installation, then yes, the object should be equipped with the solar panels. If the object is static, but you could install the panels somewhere else nearby, probably that's the best place.

If the object moves, the next question is whether its batteries can be recharged or swapped with ease, in which case batteries may be a better option than solar panels.

Finally, if the object moves and batteries are not an option, the last question is whether the object heats up during operation. If not, solar panels may be an option. If it gets hot, [[Randall]] doubts it mockingly.

The title text suggests that this flow chart is very broadly applicable to anything the Sun hits; however, the flow chart does not mention if the thing in question actually ''needs'' solar panels.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Flowcharts]]

186: Console Lines

2017-09-18T06:40:41Z

172.68.47.78:

{{comic
| number = 186
| date = November 20, 2006
| title = Console Lines
| image = console_lines.png
| titletext = If I get a Wii, it will be the first game console I've owned.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic relates to {{w|video game consoles}}. At the time this comic was published, there were three major products competing: the {{w|Playstation 3}} by {{w|Sony}}, the {{w|Xbox 360}} by {{w|Microsoft}}, and the {{w|Wii}} by {{w|Nintendo}}. When a game console gets released, fans are often seen queuing outside the stores or camping on the pavement in order to be among the first to get their hands on a console. The comic shows such a console camp and points out the differences between the fan communities. While the fans waiting in line for a Sony or Microsoft product are very rude, the Nintendo fans are apologetic and try to comfort (that is to say, ''console'' [Anonymous edit: Who fucking did this? Who thought of that stupid fucking pun? People like that are the reason we can't have nice things. That pun killed at least five cats. I don't care if I get IP-banned, something needed to be said.]) those who arrived too late to obtain a console. The cliché that Nintendo fans are nicer and more polite may be attributed to the fact that the Wii is targeted at children and families, while the PS3 and the Xbox are targeted at the "serious gamer" crowd.

The title text primarily expresses [[Randall|Randall's]] distance from the console wars (he has never owned a game console before), while also indicating an inclination towards the Nintendo Wii.

==Transcript==
:Fans turning away latecomers to all-night game console campouts:
:Sony/Microsoft:
:Cueball: The line is full, asshole! Fuck off!
:Nintendo:
:Cueball: I'm so sorry, all the consoles are spoken for.
:Cueball: Do... Do you want a hug?

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Video games]]