explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1912: Thermostat

2025-06-30T20:45:44Z

2600:387:4:803:0:0:0:B2: /* Explanation */ Related - IOT, 3109: Dehumidifier etc

{{comic
| number = 1912
| date = November 6, 2017
| title = Thermostat
| image = thermostat.png
| titletext = Your problem is so terrible, I worry that, if I help you, I risk drawing the attention of whatever god of technology inflicted it on you.
}}

==Explanation==

[[Hairy]] is working at a tech support office, and receives a call from [[Cueball]]. After the scripted greeting, Cueball, who [[:Category:Cueball Computer Problems|has the most bizarre tech issues]], tells Hairy that his thermostat – a single-purpose device used to control indoor heating and air conditioning – is showing an error screen from the {{w|Android operating system}}, and asking if he wants to partition the volume. To partition a volume generally refers to an action where a hard drive's physical storage space (sometimes considered a {{w|Volume (computing)|volume}}) is assigned/''re''assigned as one or more logical divisions ({{w|Disk partitioning|partitions}}) for logistic reasons. The act of partitioning is traditionally only done when setting up entirely new hardware, or reinstalling ''everything'' from scratch, something that very few non-technical users will ever have to worry about (and, if they do, might be accomplished by letting happen the default options given to them on the first use of a device). Android is a fairly common operating system for small smart devices including thermostats, but the error implies that it is trying to mount a file with {{w|.doc}} extension (likely a [[1459|Microsoft Word document]]) as the {{w|Boot_device|boot device}}. An added twist is the "(1)" in the filename, which is commonly appended when a user attempts to copy a file into a directory that already has a file with the same name. Furthermore, the extension {{w|.docx}} has been the default option from Microsoft Office 2007 onwards rather than the earlier .doc extension used in the comic, implying that the file is likely a rather old one.

The error message suggests a system problem at a low level of the device. Not only is the operating system missing, but the device is trying to locate the operating system inside a Microsoft Word document, something that has little to do with regulation of temperature and probably has no way of getting onto the device in the first place, let alone being considered as a bootable file.

This is so abnormal that Hairy is briefly struck silent and, upon recovering, he suggests Cueball {{tvtropes|SuicideBySea|walk into the sea}}, rather than try to solve the issue.

The title text elaborates that the situation is so absurd that it must be divine punishment, so Hairy does not want to try and help him for fear of invoking the wrath of whatever deity is issuing it.

Part of the humor is in the problem being only a slight exaggeration of real software issues. The symptoms are unlikely, yet possible (a thermostat could be running Android and could generate a report as a .doc file; given some data corruption, the name of the .doc file could get into the boot script and a volume could appear unpartitioned). It would take an expert Android or Unix engineer to fix, particularly on an embedded device with no obvious way to connect remotely or attach a keyboard. In real life, it would probably be easier to just replace an embedded device whose software was this broken.

This is explored further in [[2083: Laptop Issues]] where throwing Cueball into the ocean is mentioned. Both comics could explain the original "computer problem link to oceans" comic [[349: Success]].
[[1084: Server Problem]] shows a similarly absurd error message, hinting at some incomprehensibly broken system. Other comics dealing with internet of things include [[463: Voting Machines]], [[1966: Smart Home Security]] and [[3109: Dehumidifier]].

==Transcript==
:[Hairy, with a headset on, is sitting in an office chair at a desk with his hands ready on the keyboard of his computer.]
:Hairy: Tech support, how can I help you?

:[Cueball is on his smartphone while looking at a small blinking panel on the wall in front of him.]
:Cueball: The little LCD on my thermostat says <span style="font-size:90%">''Error: Android system recovery: Unrecognized boot volume "/MONTHLY ENERGY REPORT (1).DOC"</span>

:[In a frame-less beat panel Hairy just stares at his screen with his hands on his lap.]

:[Back to Cueball, now with Hairy's reply coming from the smartphone in a box with a jagged arrow pointing to the smartphone.]
:Cueball: It's asking if I want to partition the volume. What should I do?
:Hairy (on the phone): Have you tried walking into the sea.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Cueball Computer Problems]]

Talk:3109: Dehumidifier

2025-06-30T20:42:16Z

2600:387:4:803:0:0:0:B2: Ices

Having network access can have some use for a dehumidifier, e.g. to remotely set the target humidity level, or get notifications when the water tank needs to get emptied. But having devices that depend on a specific app or a vendor-provided remote service risks having a useless device after a while ... --[[Special:Contributions/134.102.219.31|134.102.219.31]] 13:19, 30 June 2025 (UTC)
:Humidifiers typically have a physical control to set a target humidity level, and even the most basic models turn off when the water tank gets full. Since humans can't really tell the difference between 40-60%, which is the range of most humidifiers, there is no need for a remote control to change the humidity levels on a machine. As for the water tank, regular use of the humidifier will teach the user about how long it can run before turning off and needing to be emptied. {{unsigned ip|136.62.110.93|13:58, 30 June 2025 (UTC)}}
::Though there might be a device that attempts to do [[2753: Air Handler|both jobs]], note that this is a {{w|dehumidifier}} (as you functionally refer to) and not ''necessarily'' also a capable {{w|humidifier}} (as you namechecked it). [[Special:Contributions/92.23.2.228|92.23.2.228]] 17:53, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

"if they discover a new kind of water" - There are several varieties of heavy water (common Hydrogen deuterium, tritium; common oxygen, various other isotopes), not to mention several [wiki:Phases of ice|phases of ice]. [[Special:Contributions/64.201.132.210|64.201.132.210]] 20:31, 30 June 2025 (UTC)
:I restored the part about phases of ice, because dehumidifiers do deal with ice (when icing up, and if the ambient temperature gets low). Mostly put it back because I thought a mention of {{w|ice-nine}} would be fun. [[Special:Contributions/2600:387:4:803:0:0:0:B2|2600:387:4:803:0:0:0:B2]] 20:42, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

3109: Dehumidifier

2025-06-30T20:39:07Z

2600:387:4:803:0:0:0:B2: /* Explanation */ 1912: Thermostat

{{comic
| number = 3109
| date = June 30, 2025
| title = Dehumidifier
| image = dehumidifier_2x.png
| imagesize = 295x327px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = It's important for devices to have internet connectivity so the manufacturer can patch remote exploits.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created WITHOUT INTERNET ACCESS. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

In this comic, [[Randall]] mocks the recent trend of various appliances, such as stoves and juicers, being connected to the internet even though they don't require an internet connection to function. A {{w|dehumidifier}} removes moisture from the air. There are no obvious ways to improve dehumidifier operation without changes to its hardware, so it's unclear what benefit being able to receive updates via the internet would confer. [[Cueball]]'s sarcastic reply underlines the unlikeliness of a situation occurring where an update would be necessary. The implication is that many of these internet-connected devices are examples of over-engineering a solution to do things 'because we can' or because it makes it sound advanced and therefore more desirable to the customer, rather than because it offers any real added value.

Dehumidifiers can provide information which would be useful to access remotely. For instance, in might be helpful to know the level of water in the storage tank (which must be emptied when full), the percent of time the humidifier is paused for deicing, a log of the humidity level over time, and whether the humidity exceeds a certain limit (which could indicate dehumidifier malfunction, or that the dehumidifier is inadequate to the conditions). A local wireless network connected via WiFi is a reasonable way to send this information to a user or to other local devices.

However, many devices like this now offer, or even require, connections to a special app or to the internet. They typically connect to servers run by the device's manufacturer. When that server goes away, the devices may stop working.

The title text says that authorized internet access is required to patch remote exploits (i.e., harmful unauthorized access from the internet). If this is the only use case that requires internet access, it would be much simpler to remove the attack vector for remote exploits by not having it connected to the internet in the first place. The most likely source of remote access, even given a different case for internet access, would probably be the remote updater itself.

A related device was previously referred to in [[3044: Humidifier Review]], and the issue of possibly considering online protection of devices that (arguably) should not be so easily exploitable was looked at in [[463: Voting Machines]] and [[1966: Smart Home Security]]. [[1912: Thermostat]] also deals with risks of adding computers to appliances.

==Transcript==
: [A store salesman, [[Hairy]], is showing [[Cueball]] a dehumidifier, with a "SALE" label on it. Several other unidentified devices, possibly other dehumidifier models, are shown in the store as well.]

: Salesman: This dehumidifier model features built-in WiFi for remote updates.
: Cueball: Great! That will be really useful if they discover a new kind of water.

==Trivia==

Technically there are many different kinds of liquid water, based on the possible isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen atoms that its molecules are composed of. There are 3 naturally-occurring {{w|isotopes of hydrogen}}, with 6 possible combinations for its two atoms in a water molecule, and 4 naturally-occurring {{w|isotopes of oxygen}}. This gives 6 × 4 = 24 kinds of naturally-occurring water molecules, which could be present in liquid water in any proportions, although 99.7% of all such molecules will be the 'normal' version of water. (The isotopic ratios in "natural" water are relatively stable, so there's very little variation in water found in nature.) There are also synthetic isotopes of each, all radioactive, most having short half-lives. How many of these could be used to constitute water would depend in part on one's definition of whether a molecule of water could be said to have been formed prior to the decay of its constituent atoms. Each isotopically-distinct version of water has very slightly different physical and chemical properties, though the differences are small and the versions hard to separate. The differences would not be at all important to a consumer-grade dehumidifier.{{cn}}

Likewise, when the dehumidifier ices up, there are also 26 known {{w|phases of ice}} (solid water), each of which could be made from any combination of the isotopically-distinct versions of water in any proportions. Only {{w|ice-nine}} would be likely to be significant to the user of a consumer-grade dehumidifier, requiring a special high-temperature defrost cycle.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3109: Dehumidifier

2025-06-30T20:37:23Z

2600:387:4:803:0:0:0:B2: /* Trivia */

{{comic
| number = 3109
| date = June 30, 2025
| title = Dehumidifier
| image = dehumidifier_2x.png
| imagesize = 295x327px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = It's important for devices to have internet connectivity so the manufacturer can patch remote exploits.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created WITHOUT INTERNET ACCESS. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

In this comic, [[Randall]] mocks the recent trend of various appliances, such as stoves and juicers, being connected to the internet even though they don't require an internet connection to function. A {{w|dehumidifier}} removes moisture from the air. There are no obvious ways to improve dehumidifier operation without changes to its hardware, so it's unclear what benefit being able to receive updates via the internet would confer. [[Cueball]]'s sarcastic reply underlines the unlikeliness of a situation occurring where an update would be necessary. The implication is that many of these internet-connected devices are examples of over-engineering a solution to do things 'because we can' or because it makes it sound advanced and therefore more desirable to the customer, rather than because it offers any real added value.

Dehumidifiers can provide information which would be useful to access remotely. For instance, in might be helpful to know the level of water in the storage tank (which must be emptied when full), the percent of time the humidifier is paused for deicing, a log of the humidity level over time, and whether the humidity exceeds a certain limit (which could indicate dehumidifier malfunction, or that the dehumidifier is inadequate to the conditions). A local wireless network connected via WiFi is a reasonable way to send this information to a user or to other local devices.

However, many devices like this now offer, or even require, connections to a special app or to the internet. They typically connect to servers run by the device's manufacturer. When that server goes away, the devices may stop working.

The title text says that authorized internet access is required to patch remote exploits (i.e., harmful unauthorized access from the internet). If this is the only use case that requires internet access, it would be much simpler to remove the attack vector for remote exploits by not having it connected to the internet in the first place. The most likely source of remote access, even given a different case for internet access, would probably be the remote updater itself.

A related device was previously referred to in [[3044: Humidifier Review]], and the issue of possibly considering online protection of devices that (arguably) should not be so easily exploitable was looked at in [[463: Voting Machines]] and [[1966: Smart Home Security]].

==Transcript==
: [A store salesman, [[Hairy]], is showing [[Cueball]] a dehumidifier, with a "SALE" label on it. Several other unidentified devices, possibly other dehumidifier models, are shown in the store as well.]

: Salesman: This dehumidifier model features built-in WiFi for remote updates.
: Cueball: Great! That will be really useful if they discover a new kind of water.

==Trivia==

Technically there are many different kinds of liquid water, based on the possible isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen atoms that its molecules are composed of. There are 3 naturally-occurring {{w|isotopes of hydrogen}}, with 6 possible combinations for its two atoms in a water molecule, and 4 naturally-occurring {{w|isotopes of oxygen}}. This gives 6 × 4 = 24 kinds of naturally-occurring water molecules, which could be present in liquid water in any proportions, although 99.7% of all such molecules will be the 'normal' version of water. (The isotopic ratios in "natural" water are relatively stable, so there's very little variation in water found in nature.) There are also synthetic isotopes of each, all radioactive, most having short half-lives. How many of these could be used to constitute water would depend in part on one's definition of whether a molecule of water could be said to have been formed prior to the decay of its constituent atoms. Each isotopically-distinct version of water has very slightly different physical and chemical properties, though the differences are small and the versions hard to separate. The differences would not be at all important to a consumer-grade dehumidifier.{{cn}}

Likewise, when the dehumidifier ices up, there are also 26 known {{w|phases of ice}} (solid water), each of which could be made from any combination of the isotopically-distinct versions of water in any proportions. Only {{w|ice-nine}} would be likely to be significant to the user of a consumer-grade dehumidifier, requiring a special high-temperature defrost cycle.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>