explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Category talk:How to annoy

2024-10-28T09:36:12Z

ChronoGames: Reverted vandalism

"How to annoy" is also a recurring theme on [http://www.zhihu.com/topic/20775382 other websites]. [[User:ConscriptGlossary|ConscriptGlossary]] ([[User talk:ConscriptGlossary|talk]]) 01:33, 28 October 2024 (UTC)

859: (

2024-10-26T04:42:11Z

ChronoGames:

{{comic
| number = 859
| date = February 11, 2011
| title = (
| image = (.png
| titletext = Brains aside, I wonder how many poorly-written xkcd.com-parsing scripts will break on this title (or ;;"'<nowiki/>'{<<[' this mouseover text."
}}

== Explanation ==

)))))). Okay, with that out of the way, let the explanation begin.

In programming, punctuation is often used to mark sections of code. Paired punctuation marks must always be matched up with a corresponding closing mark, otherwise a so-called {{w|syntax error}} occurs. The programming language {{w|Lisp_(programming_language)|Lisp}} (also featured in [[224: Lisp]] is known for large numbers of nested/paired parentheses. Even in literary works intended only for human consumption, the absence of a matching closing parenthesis as appears in this sentence or other "balanced" punctuation sets creates a mental expectation of eventual closure and completion that remains unfulfilled even long after the unmatched mark is encountered.

There is also a reference to [[312: With Apologies to Robert Frost]] which could contain the missing parentheses.

It can also be interpreted as a {{w|metaphor}}, which compares the reader with a Lisp {{w|Interpreter (Computing)|interpreter}}. The interpreter looks for the parenthesis until the end of the file, where it eventually halts, and prints out the error. The comic claims that if you read an unmatched parenthesis, you will look for it for the rest of the day too.

It also refers to an awkward feeling when you see something out of place in a piece of literary text (like unmatched parentheses, spellying error or a randomly-plac,ed comma..

Also, it may refer to {{w|OCD}}.

Finally, some countries (Russia in particular) use just parentheses instead of text smileys so that <code>:(</code> becomes <code>(</code> and <code>:)</code> turns into <code>)</code>. Hence those readers can magically resist the unresolved tension of the comic but may feel a bit sad instead as a side effect.

The title text refers to the same issue as already highlighted in [[327: Exploits of a Mom]]: if your scripts trust external input, you sometimes will be surprised. At the time of this comic, there were quite a few websites that would grab the xkcd comic three times a week and publish them on their own site. This comic likely broke at least some of the websites because of either the unmatched paren or the extra unmatched markup that is in the title text.

==Transcript==
:[Caption inside an oblong panel:]
:(An unmatched left parenthesis creates an unresolved tension that will stay with you all day.

==Trivia==

* There are other comics with unpaired parentheses (not counting emoticons): [[19]], [[850]], [[1052]], [[1079|1079 (in "Colorado")]], [[1960]] This list is incomplete. Please expand it.
** Comic [[541]] discusses the relationship between emoticons and unpaired parentheses.
** By contrast, [[312]] has an unpaired close parenthesis.
* The well-known "helper website" [http://gChq.github.io/CyberChef/# CyberChef] has a text on its loading page that is a reference to this comic, probably as a joke.
* In Chinese Internet Slang, some people, especially [[:Category:Rhythm_games|rhythm game]] enthusiasts, may place an unpaired open parenthesis at the end of a sentence to create a humorous effect. (citation needed)

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

User:ColorfulGalaxy

2023-03-14T07:04:44Z

ChronoGames:

<table class="infobox vcard">
<tr><th colspan=2 class="fn" style="text-align:center; font-size:125%; font-weight:bold; background-color:#BCD4E6;">ColorfulGalaxy</th></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" class="{{{class|}}}" style="text-align:center; {{{headerstyle|}}}">[[File:ColorfulGalaxy.png|150px|alt=text]]
<div><center><i>ColorfulGalaxy</i></center></div></td></tr>
<tr class="{{{rowclass|}}}">
<th scope="row" style="text-align:left; line-height: 1.3em;">Born</th>
<td class="{{{class|}}}" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Unknown</td></tr>
<tr class="{{{rowclass|}}}">
<th scope="row" style="text-align:left; line-height: 1.3em;">Residence</th>
<td class="{{{class|}}}" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Unknown</td></tr>
<tr class="{{{rowclass|}}}">
<th scope="row" style="text-align:left; line-height: 1.3em;">Nationality</th>
<td class="{{{class|}}}" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Unknown</td></tr>
<tr class="{{{rowclass|}}}">
<th scope="row" style="text-align:left; line-height: 1.3em;">Language</th>
<td class="{{{class|}}}" style="line-height: 1.3em;">English and some<br/>other languages<sup><i>[<span>[[285|citation needed]]</span>]</i></sup></td></tr>
<tr class="{{{rowclass|}}}">
<th scope="row" style="text-align:left; line-height: 1.3em;">Institutions</th>
<td class="{{{class|}}}" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Unknown</td></tr>
<tr class="{{{rowclass|}}}">
<th scope="row" style="text-align:left; line-height: 1.3em;">Alma mater</th>
<td class="{{{class|}}}" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Unknown</td></tr></table>

'''ColorfulGalaxy''' is a user on the wiki.

{{notice|'''This explanation may be incomplete or incorrect:''' ''The infobox is broken''<br>If you can address this issue, please '''[{{fullurl:{{{target|{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}}|action=edit}} edit the page]!''' Thanks.
}}

==Contact him==
If you have suggestions on his articles or spot a mistake, you may [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/ucp.php?i=pm&mode=compose&u=2640 contact him] at the LifeWiki forums or comment at [[User_talk:ColorfulGalaxy|his talk]] page.

==See also==

; List of Gallifreyan Alternative Alphabets

* [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Gallifreyan/SCG|Sherman's]]
* [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Gallifreyan/DCG|Doctor's Cot]]
* [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Gallifreyan/RSG|Rasilonian]]
* [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Gallifreyan/TCG|TARDIS Console]]
* [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Gallifreyan/Flux|Flux]]
* [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Gallifreyan/CWG|Clockwork]]
* [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Gallifreyan/GCG|GC Gallifreyan]]
* [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Gallifreyan/CBG|cBettenbender's]]
* [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Gallifreyan/CCG|CC Gallifreyan]]
* [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Gallifreyan/TKG|Timekeepers]]

; Neography pages

* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Aziana|Aziana]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Baal|Baal]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Block_Script|Block Script]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Brittish|Brittish]] ([http://conwaylife.com/wiki/user:ColorfulGalaxy/Brittish LifeViewer version])
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Chartograph|Chartograph]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/CPG|Chromaphonoglyphics]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Claviograms|Claviograms]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/colorAlphabet|ColorAlphabet]] ([http://conwaylife.com/wiki/user:ColorfulGalaxy/colorAlphabet LifeViewer version])
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Colorbet|Colorbet]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/ColorHoney]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/KFG|Compact Phonetic]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Elian_Script|Elian]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Embet|Embet]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Exprish|Exprish]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Fakoo|Fakoo]]
* First Ones Writing
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Gernreich|Gernreich]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Graph_Script|Graph Script]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Gridika|Gridika]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Hangulized_English|Hangulized English]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Ineon|Ineon]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Knot|Knot Alphabet]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/MSA|Minimal Stacking]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Nail_Script|Nail Script]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Ogham_for_English|Ogham]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Pattern_Script|Pattern Script]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Periotun|Periotun]] ([http://esolangs.org/wiki/user:periotun/Encoder Encoder]|[http://esolangs.org/wiki/user:periotun/Decoder Decoder])
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Quadoo|Quadoo]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Reality|Reality]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Siekoo|Siekoo]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Spintype|Spintype]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Spiraling_Syllabics|Spiraling Syllabics]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Timescript|Timescript]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Uriovakiro|Uriovakiro]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/Xelbet|Xelbet]]
* [[User:ConscriptGuide/YYAl|Yin]]

; Symbolic Ciphers

* [[User:CipherGuide/Antiker|Antiker]]
* [[User:CipherGuide/Ballet|Ballet]]
* [[User:CipherGuide/Bokscript|Boksript]]
* [[User:CipherGuide/Code_Script|Code Script]]
* [[User:CipherGuide/Dotsies|Dotsies]] ([http://conwaylife.com/wiki/user:ColorfulGalaxy/Dotsies LifeViewer version])
* [[User:CipherGuide/Phono_Braille|Phono Braille]] ([http://conwaylife.com/wiki/user:ColorfulGalaxy/Phono_Braille LifeViewer version])
* [[User:CipherGuide/Tano|Tano]]
* [[User:CipherGuide/YDADY_code|YDADY Code]]

; Neography Showcasing pages

* [[User:ConscriptGallery/tagline|XKCD Logo and Tagline in various neography scripts]]
* [[User:ConscriptGallery/Google|Google logo in various scripts]]
* [[User:ConscriptGallery/Usernames|Usernames]]

; Miscellaneous pages

* [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Computer_Dialect_Quiz|Computer-related Dialect Quiz]]
* [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Cryptic|Cryptic]]
* [http://esolangs.org/wiki/User:ColorfulGalaxy/Friendly Friendly numbers]
* [[User:ColorfulGalaxy/Trochaic_tetrameter|List of examples of trochaic tetrameter]]
* [http://esolangs.org/wiki/User:XKCD_Random_Number Print "4"]
* [http://esolangs.org/wiki/User:XKCD_Wrong_Times_Table Wrong Times Table]

==External Links==
* [http://conwaylife.com/wiki/User:ColorfulGalaxy ColorfulGalaxy] at the LifeWiki
* [http://www.conwaylife.com/forums/ucp.php?i=pm&mode=compose&u=2640 Contact this user] at the LifeWiki forums

User talk:ColorfulGalaxy

2023-03-14T06:58:06Z

ChronoGames:

==12==
Hi, what happens in [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User:ColorfulGalaxy&curid=25508&diff=301086&oldid=292141 12 edits]? Have a life-changing day in a good way! —[[User:While False|While False]] ([[User:While False/explain xkcd museum|'''museum''']] | [[User talk:While False|talk]] | [[special:Contributions/While_False|contributions]] | [[special:Log/While_False|logs]] | [[Special:UserRights/While_False|rights]] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User:While_False&printable=yes printable version] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User:While_False&action=info page information] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere/User:While_False what links there] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:RecentChangesLinked&days=30&from=&target=User%3AWhile_False related changes] | [https://www.google.com Google search] | current time: {{CURRENTTIME}}) 21:56, 11 December 2022 (UTC)

: I meant that I need 12 more edits to get [[explain_xkcd:Autoconfirmed_users|autoconfirmed]] so I can create more pages in my user page. The computer that I'm using runs awfully slow. My other computer blocks CAPTCHA automatically. [[User:ColorfulGalaxy|ColorfulGalaxy]] ([[User talk:ColorfulGalaxy|talk]]) 07:51, 13 December 2022 (UTC)

::Cool —[[User:While False|While False]] ([[User:While False/explain xkcd museum|'''museum''']] | [[User talk:While False|talk]] | [[special:Contributions/While_False|contributions]] | [[special:Log/While_False|logs]] | [[Special:UserRights/While_False|rights]] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User:While_False&printable=yes printable version] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User:While_False&action=info page information] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere/User:While_False what links there] | [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:RecentChangesLinked&days=30&from=&target=User%3AWhile_False related changes] | [https://www.google.com Google search] | current time: {{CURRENTTIME}}) 07:58, 13 December 2022 (UTC)

::: I just made it! Thanks for confirming my account! Now I can stop using that slow computer. --[[User:ColorfulGalaxy|ColorfulGalaxy]] ([[User talk:ColorfulGalaxy|talk]]) 09:08, 13 December 2022 (UTC)

== Google search link ==

A couple of times, recently, you provided a Google search link to something. I don't like following those (with their "q=..." stuff and hangover metadata in other POST data) when you could perhaps give the direct link you intend instead?

i.e. right-clicking on the Google page's item and copying that link is wasteful (and not ''always'' correct), you should instead follow the link you intend and then copy the true address (if proven to be what you wish) from the address-bar. And, even then, best to cut away any "&referer=..." type stuff (and retest the cut down link!) so that everyone who follows you has a bare-bones link that works without having to mess with reconstructing the metadata that means "<nowiki>http://whatever.com/foo/bar/baz.html#indexpoint</nowiki>", or howsoever it should resolve.

Just a tip. To streamline and not unneccessarily obfuscate the use of your contributions... [[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.77|172.70.91.77]] 15:15, 15 December 2022 (UTC)

== This is probably the first numbered comic whose title... ==

''Probably'' you could just confirm these claims, ''before'' making them? It seems easy enough to do, and you seem to have the time to do it. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.141|172.71.242.141]] 23:25, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

==Help==
I need your help creating these pages and uploading the pictures I needed. Please, please, you know that we are close friends IRL. --[[User:ChristmasGospel|ChristmasGospel]] ([[User talk:ChristmasGospel|talk]]) 20:34, 20 January 2023 (UTC)
:Look, [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:ColorfulGalaxy&curid=25878&diff=305104&oldid=305057 this is clearly a stupid move] to try to look legitimate. If you're truly IRL friends then it could have waited for an IRL meeting (or whatever other social media blinks you have), at which point your 'friend' could have provided a lot more practical help without waiting for such silly messages. Laughable, really. But do as you're going to do, I'm sure I can't stop you from going through with this clear pretence to whatever end you're leading up to. And no apologies if I'm wrong, just pity. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.34.230|162.158.34.230]] 19:19, 21 January 2023 (UTC)

== So many broken links on your User page. ==

I presume you are fully aware that pretty much everything you're linking to on your User page is a dead link. Both internal and external ones (even inter-wiki). I presume you are also aware that your quite obvious use of multiple alts and logins is very visible. Either that, or you are remarkably unaware of third parties (with bad MOs) making so many terrible edits in some quite definitely targetted way.

Either way, you might want to just get things working how you want to get things working, and bring it all to fruition, and not leave us all hanging... [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.57|172.70.85.57]] 13:39, 4 March 2023 (UTC)

== Who are the other CGs? ==

Do you know [[User:ConscriptGuide]], [[User:CarcassonneGuide]], [[User:ConceptisGallery]], [[User:ConscriptGallery]] and [[User:ChristmasGospel]]? [[User:AndroidTheLucario|AndroidTheLucario]] ([[User talk:AndroidTheLucario|talk]]) 05:54, 11 March 2023 (UTC)
:So it would seem that [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2293:_RIP_John_Conway&diff=308507&oldid=308506 this is you], as well, CG. The question we must all be wondering is why? Quite an army of alt-logins you seem to be building up, and the actions of the less nicely behaving ones (you know which I mean) don't exactly make me feel unconcerned about it.
:It wouldn't be so bad if you were doing useful edits or actually made your Conlang links into a working (and ideally relevant) reference system that we could all enjoy. But you seem to have no intent to do that. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.224|172.70.85.224]] 06:38, 14 March 2023 (UTC)
::The neography reproducing project involves uploading a lot of images, mostly vector images. If you would mind my uploading (Sorry I can't upload currently), then please consider opening a neography wiki on the fandom.com website. My account is used for introducing the [[:Category:Rhythm_games|rhythm games]]. [[User:ChronoGames|ChronoGames]] ([[User talk:ChronoGames|talk]]) 06:58, 14 March 2023 (UTC)

1913: A ?

2023-03-14T06:50:19Z

ChronoGames: Explained title bug

<noinclude>:<small>''The correct title of this page is '''1913: A �'''. It appears incorrectly here because of {{w|mw:Manual:Page title|technical restrictions}}.''</small>{{DISPLAYTITLE:1913: A <span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:#000000">?</span>}}</noinclude>
{{comic
| number = 1913
| date = November 8, 2017
| title = A �
| image = i.png
| titletext = If you want in on the fun, map a key on your keyboard to the sequence U+0041 U+0020 U+FFFD (or U+0021 U+0020 U+FFFD for the exclamation point version), and then no update can never take this away from you.
}}

==Explanation==

After the update to {{w|Apple Inc.|Apple's}} {{w|IOS_11#11.1|iOS 11.1}}, many (though not all) {{w|iPhone}} users suffered from a strange bug, where the {{w|autocorrection}} changed any input of the single lowercase letter "i" to either "A" or "!", followed by a space and a Unicode {{w|Variation Selectors (Unicode block)|variation selector 16}} (U+FE0F, on iOS displayed as a question mark in a square).<ref>http://www.loopinsight.com/2017/11/06/ios-bug-autocorrects-letter-i-to-a-plus-unicode-symbol-heres-a-workaround-and-a-clue-to-the-cause/</ref> The expected behavior is replacing "i" with a capital "I".{{Citation needed}} Using a {{w|Specials_(Unicode_block)#Replacement_character|replacement character}} (U+FFFD) to approximate this display, the result of typing "i took" might be "A � took" or "! � took". In a handwritten text, the "�" symbol could then be mistaken for a censored word, signifying indignation against the person taking out the trash. This problem previously manifested as an "I" followed directly by the VS-16 "emojify character", turning them into an " �" without the "A".<ref>https://twitter.com/willkirkby/status/925865928193134593</ref>

The note in this comic is the equivalent of starting a text message with "i took out..." and triggering the iOS bug. The joke revolves around acceptance of the bug through repetition has influenced the writer's hand written style.

The codes in the title text refer to "A �" and "! �" respectively. The text provides a way to keep the "bug" active with the U+FFFD approximation, (which can be realized through the use of a {{w|Cydia}} tweak) even after it is patched. Although this would have no practical use, it is still a fun way{{Citation needed}} for iPhone users to keep the infamous bug fresh in everyone's mind, and to make sure that the Apple company never lives down the embarrassing incident.

The statement in the title text "no update can never take this away from you" is a {{w|Double negative|double negative}}, which is a considered non-standard grammatical use in modern English, although common in many dialects. Taking literally it could actually mean "any update can take this away from you". This may be a typo or a colloquial use, with the intended meaning to be "ever" instead of "never" with some exaggeration.

==Transcript==
:[A picture of a yellow post-it note with a handwritten message:]
:A ⍰ took out the trash but the dishwasher still needs to be run.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Apple can try to fix the autocorrect bug, but I've already incorporated it into my handwriting.

== References ==
<references />

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Unicode]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:iOS]]
[[Category:Comics with lowercase text]]

2293: RIP John Conway

2023-03-14T06:15:23Z

ChronoGames: Just as usual, my first edit must be to this page. And of course, I need to meet the team director as well.

{{comic
| number = 2293
| date = April 13, 2020
| title = RIP John Conway
| image = rip_john_conway.gif
| titletext = 1937-2020
}}

==Explanation==

{{w|John Horton Conway|John Conway}}, an English mathematician, passed away of [[:Category:COVID-19|COVID-19]] on April 11, 2020. Two days later, [[Randall]] created this [[:Category:Tribute|memorial comic]]. It is the 6th memorial comic, but it is the first released in almost 5 years, since [[1560: Bubblegum]].

One of Conway's most famous creations was the {{w|cellular automaton}} known as {{w|Conway's Game of Life}}. A cellular automaton is a machine composed of cells, each of which can be in a different state. Every generation, each cell in the automaton may transition to a new state depending on a set of rules. (Conway's work in mathematics was vast and various, but he is perhaps best known in the field for discovering the {{w|surreal numbers}}, which inspired Donald Knuth to write a novel which may have been referenced back in [[505: A Bunch of Rocks]].)

Conway's Game of Life was first popularized to the general public in the form of a game, Life Genesis, bundled into some distributions of Windows 3.1, an operating system from the early-90s that Randall most likely used in his preteen years.

Conway's Game of Life is a 2-state automaton (i.e., every cell can be "alive" or "dead") that is implemented on a two-dimensional grid of cells using the {{w|Moore neighborhood}} - this means that each cell can only be influenced by the eight cells directly surrounding it, both orthogonally and diagonally. The transition rules that Conway used are as follows:

* If an "alive" cell has no live neighbors, or only one live neighbor, it becomes "dead". (This simulates death by isolation).
* If an "alive" cell has four or more live neighbors, it becomes "dead". (This simulates death by overcrowding).
* If a "dead" cell has exactly three live neighbors, it becomes "alive". (This simulates birth).

Despite the simplicity of these three rules, Conway showed that patterns of amazing complexity can nonetheless develop out of simple cell arrangements. Some patterns do not evolve at all ("still lifes"), some enter a cyclic, repeating state ("oscillators"), and some reproduce their own pattern displaced by an offset, resulting in patterns that can move across the grid under their own power ("gliders" and "spaceships"). This last category is of particular interest, as it allows the Game of Life to transmit information from one location to another, allowing for rich, dynamic behavior and even for the creation of computational machines within the automaton itself.

This comic begins with the shape of a stick figure as the starting cell configuration of the Game of Life. The black cells are "alive" and the white cells are "dead". This configuration then evolves via Conway's rules, disintegrating into nothingness except for a five-cell pattern known as a "glider", which ascends up and to the right. This visually suggests an eternal "soul" breaking away as the corporeal body disintegrates. The glider is perhaps the most iconic pattern of the Game of Life, and is often used symbolically to represent the phenomenon of emergence.

Here the topology of the grid on which the cells evolve is not known, the cellular automaton can be run on many topologies, for example you can choose to make cells reappear from the opposite side once they reach an edge (similarly to the behaviour of the well known Pacman). Here once the glider reaches the top right, we know for sure that the actual grid is bigger (since the glider leaves the frame while continuing its pattern), and we are only seeing part of the full grid.

The initial state presented in the comic does actually evolve in that manner, as can be verified by entering the pattern into a cellular automaton simulator such as [http://golly.sourceforge.net/ Golly] or web services such as [https://bitstorm.org/gameoflife/ this one] or [http://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xkcd_48jsj8gzwe9e/b3s23 that one]. It seems that no one else have created this pattern before. At least, despite discussion in the comments, no one has found anything to show that this is not Randall's own discovery of this pattern.

The title text simply states Conway's birth and death year: 1937-2020.

Conway's Game of Life was previously mentioned in [[696: Strip Games]]. Cellular automata was also referenced in [[505: A Bunch of Rocks]].

This comic is the 18th comic in a row (not counting the [[2288: Collector's Edition|April Fools' comic]]) in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}}. Although this comic is, of course, mainly a tribute to John Conway, the fact that he died of COVID-19 in the middle of this long series of coronavirus-related comics by Randall is relevant.

==Table of generations==
{| class="wikitable"
!Generation
!Notes
|-
|[[File:Generation 0.jpg|thumb]]||Starting state (or "zeroth generation").
|-
|[[File:Generation 1.jpg|thumb]]||First generation. Note that this image is not aligned with the previous one: the position of all cells has shifted downward by one cell. All further generations are aligned the same as this one.
|-
|[[File:Generation 2.jpg|thumb]]||Second generation.
|-
|[[File:Generation 3.jpg|thumb]]||Third generation.
|-
|[[File:Generation 4.jpg|thumb]]||Fourth generation.
|-
|[[File:Generation 5.jpg|thumb]]||Fifth generation.
|-
|[[File:Generation 6.jpg|thumb]]||Sixth generation. The first appearance of the {{w|Glider (Conway's Life)|glider}}, a well-known formation in Conway's Game of Life.
|-
|[[File:Generation 7.jpg|thumb]]||Seventh generation. The glider takes on its other shape.
|-
|[[File:Generation 8.jpg|thumb]]||Eighth generation. The glider returns to its first shape, pointing right instead of up.
|-
|[[File:Generation 9.jpg|thumb]]||Ninth generation. The glider's second shape again, pointing right instead of up.
|-
|[[File:Generation 10.jpg|thumb]]||Tenth generation. The glider is now in its original form, but one cell higher and one cell to the right. It will continue to progress, cycling through these four states every four generations. The remains of the chaos down below will take two more generations to disappear completely.
|}

==Transcript==
:[A pixelated image of a stick figure using 21 pixels, could be a pixel Cueball, which waves with one hand up while holding the other hand down. The head consist of 7 pixels, the top row of three having two pixels beneath the two outer pixels, thus having two empty pixels beneath the central pixel. The neck and torso is a typical cross made from six pixels. The two legs are two pixels each shifted left and right of the cross. The arm to the left that waves is two pixels one down and the next back up to the level of the cross central beam. The arm to the right has the first pixel similarly but the second pixel continues one further step down. After less than one second it turns out that the image is animated, with the pixels changing according to the rules of Conway's Game of Life. The figure splits into three groups, two of which dissipates in a similar way at the bottom of the panel. The other becomes a 'glider' and moves off to the top-right corner of the image and out of the frame. The animation then repeats.]

==Trivia==

* "XKCD RIP John Conway" has been cited on [http://conwaylife.com/wiki/Pure_glider_generator LifeWiki]
* "XKCD RIP John Conway" is now available on [http://catagolue.hatsya.com/object/xkcd_48jsj8gzwe9e/b3s23 Catagolue]

==Issues with some clients==

Some clients of the site crashed on this xkcd, most notably the Samsung Smart TV client.

{{comic discussion}}

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