Talk:2153: Effects of High Altitude

2019-05-22T18:17:57Z

172.68.51.106:

I don’t even know where to begin. [[User:Netherin5|“That Guy from the Netherlands”]] ([[User talk:Netherin5|talk]]) 18:00, 22 May 2019 (UTC)

Can anyone verify if the baseballs and golf balls actually fly further? I'd assume it's due to lower air density and therefore resistance, not weaker gravity as someone else had written. [[User:Cgrimes85|Cgrimes85]] ([[User talk:Cgrimes85|talk]]) 18:13, 22 May 2019 (UTC)
:Both parts (air resitance and gravity) play a role here. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.51.106|172.68.51.106]] 18:17, 22 May 2019 (UTC)
I'd say the last frame is a reference to 5 o'clock time for drinks. On urban dictionary there's a reference to 4:20 being the time to 'smoke the reefer' [[User:Palmpje|Palmpje]] ([[User talk:Palmpje|talk]]) 18:17, 22 May 2019 (UTC)

2153: Effects of High Altitude

2019-05-22T18:16:14Z

172.68.51.106: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2153
| date = May 22, 2019
| title = Effects of High Altitude
| image = effects_of_high_altitude.png
| titletext = If she'd lived in Flagstaff (elevation 6,903 feet), Cruella de Vil would only have needed 89 dalmatians for her coat.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a HIGH BOT. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic starts out with a couple facts about high altitude:
* Water boils at 202 degrees F (94 degrees C), slightly lower than the baseline 212 degrees F (100 degrees C) it takes at sea level, due to the lower air pressure.
* Baseballs and golf balls fly slightly farther due to the lower air resistance and gravity.
* Sunburn develops faster due to the decreased atmosphere filtering out harmful rays.

It quickly degenerates into the comical and absurd applying this "slightly less" rule to everything
* It takes "99 Luftballons" (English title has Red balloons) according to the German band Nena's hit song to start global nuclear war.
* Marijuana jokes are made earlier. 4:20 is associated with Cannabis culture as a time that everyone smokes in the afternoon. This joke is probably related to the legalization of recreational marijuana use in Colorado.

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

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:1966: Smart Home Security

2018-03-13T08:35:48Z

172.68.51.106:

When I went to explainxkcd right after the comic posted, I saw this in the incomplete tag: "Created by ORGANIZED CRIME". Today is the day this website has officially swallowed its own tail. [[User:Djbrasier|Djbrasier]] ([[User talk:Djbrasier|talk]]) 15:50, 12 March 2018 (UTC)
:Oh no! We must eradicate this enemy- We must start violent purging- No one can be trusted! [[User:Linker|Linker]] ([[User talk:Linker|talk]]) 16:46, 12 March 2018 (UTC)
::(We are talking about McCarthyism right now in class while I write this... heh.) [[User:Linker|Linker]] ([[User talk:Linker|talk]]) 16:46, 12 March 2018 (UTC)

Hmm. Isn't the concern for smart appliances usually that since they're internet-connected, they can be used to for DDoS and other nefarious purposes? I mean, a smart thermostat doesn't really have the capability to spy on its owners, right?
:They can spy on your temperature preferences! (Dun dun dah!). You do have a point though. I originally was thinking more like smart home assistants, as that seems to be the craze now. That is ignoring the majority smart devices in the market though. You could get some information from most though, even it is minimal. You could get a rough floorplan from a roomba, you could get an idea what kind of products people buy with smart fridges... etc. We may never know what Randall's original intention was though. I wonder if he reads this wiki... Does he ever edit it?
:A smart thermostat often knows when you are home and not. It could easily be used to develop a pattern of behavior to determine when would be the best time to rob your house. Then there's smart door locks, with the obvious consequences of hacking. But yes, botnets are one of the biggest problems. Note that the graph (accurately!) shows a not-so-great best case on day 1, as most IoT security is awful.[[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.67|173.245.52.67]] 17:18, 12 March 2018 (UTC)
:Agreed. A much more likely scenario is that your device is being used for a botnet. Smart appliances aren't updated as reliably as personal computers (since they're "set and forget" devices), and the owner is less likely to notice if they've been hacked (because you won't notice if your thermostat is running a little slow), so they're a prime target for hackers. That's also why the graph shows the risk increases as time goes by - the manufacturer stops patching the device, but the hacker will keep trying to get in. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.89|162.158.79.89]] 17:24, 12 March 2018 (UTC)

I’m going to give them an update they can’t refuse

Is it just me or is it strange that the older the device is the better the case? I just do not understand the graph and the explanation as it is now, does not make sense to me. In case it is just me that fails to understand it, then the explanation is still not good enough... Because: "Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb." :D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 19:26, 12 March 2018 (UTC)
:It seems to me that you need to look at the area on either side of the curve. So, if a device is 10 years old, the section on the "worst case" side of the curve is larger. Therefore, it is more likely that your device is to be compromised. --[[User:Detroitwilly|Detroitwilly]] ([[User talk:Detroitwilly|talk]]) 19:38, 12 March 2018 (UTC)
::I somewhat disagree. I don't think that it's a discrete best-case, worst-case only problem that's divided by the line, rather that it becomes so unlikely that there will be people protecting you, the best case scenario would be having your thing part of an organized crime. It's simple so unlikely that you're being protected, that having a hacked device is the best scenario. Perhaps there is some worse, unseen scenario that is so bad that having a hacked device is better in comparison. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.211.244|172.68.211.244]] 20:12, 12 March 2018 (UTC)
:::It's referring to how, the older the device gets, the less likely it is the manufacturer is still maintaining it and keeping it working.
:::In that scenario, having your device be part of a botnet eventually becomes the best-case scenario, as the hackers would be providing the "support" and updates you need to keep the device working, as per the title text.
:::The curve indicates that the older the device gets, the more likely it is it would be considered a best-case scenario for the device to be part of a botnet, for the aforementioned reasons. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.126.76|162.158.126.76]] 06:46, 13 March 2018 (UTC)

In all honesty, being added to a botnet is not really a disadvantage for the average joe. 99.99% of all "undocumented administrators" have no interest in the user, only in the power and network speed of their device. So who cares if your "smart lightbulb" is mining bitcoins for the russian mafia? Average Joe certainly doesn't
[[Special:Contributions/172.68.51.106|172.68.51.106]] 08:35, 13 March 2018 (UTC)

explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2153: Effects of High Altitude

2153: Effects of High Altitude

Talk:1966: Smart Home Security