explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2620: Health Data

2022-05-17T17:40:32Z

Comet: Death is a heritable mortal disorder.

Did a basefor the setup[[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.34|108.162.246.34]] 23:51, 16 May 2022 (UTC)a

"Cure for Causality" sounds like a pretty good band name. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.4|141.101.104.4]] 07:13, 17 May 2022 (UTC)

Panel 1 reminds me of a conversation I had with one of my docs. I'd had some blood work done and the doc said, "The numbers look good. For a man your age." I mean, really; for a man my age? I didn't think we'd been talking about some teenager . . . . [[Special:Contributions/172.70.130.161|172.70.130.161]] 08:40, 17 May 2022 (UTC)
:Yeah, but it's possibly even worse when a gynacologist says those exact words... ;) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.77|172.70.162.77]] 11:23, 17 May 2022 (UTC)

Is poisoning other than drug overdoses that rare? The linked source states:
"1. Poisoning
Due in large part to the opioid epidemic, poisoning has overtaken car crashes as the country’s leading cause of accidental death, with 64,795 poisoning deaths in 2017, 22,000 of them from opioid painkillers. Additionally, people can be poisoned by common household substances, including:

Carbon monoxide
Pesticides and cleaning products
Lead"

even without the 22,000 opoid painkiller deaths posioning would still be number 1.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.50.68|162.158.50.68]] 09:25, 17 May 2022 (UTC)

Should we also link 1471 Gut Fauna wich shows another ewemple of Dr Ponytail practicing a weird form of medicine ?[[Special:Contributions/162.158.50.68|162.158.50.68]] 09:25, 17 May 2022 (UTC)

It is meant as a joke here, but ultimately life might just achieve this one day, uncoupling action from harm.

'Vagueness' is really an insufficient description for the absolute insanity that is blaming the passage of time for your problems. Almost to the point of being humorous in its own right. --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.199|172.69.33.199]] 10:13, 17 May 2022 (UTC)
: My nice little homo sapiens is turning into robots and they haven't even solved war. Curse evolution! I should have given them long distance communication thousands of years ago! [[Special:Contributions/172.70.230.143|172.70.230.143]] 15:35, 17 May 2022 (UTC)

Can it be also a pun: 'causality' vs 'casualty'? [[User:Tkopec|Tkopec]] ([[User talk:Tkopec|talk]]) 10:32, 17 May 2022 (UTC)

I think I might be covering up existing advantages with my description of a cold war from my dynamic ip. Be great if somebody could add cited material around that, but of course it's very hard to relate around norms of suppressed discussion. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.65|172.70.110.65]] 16:21, 17 May 2022 (UTC)

Check your family tree for any incidence of death. If all your forbears at any past generation are mortal, then science shows that with a high level of confidence that you are mortal.

The Inheritance Pattern of Death by Joseph Eastern, M.D., Carol Drucker, M.D. and John E. Wolf, Jr., M.D., 1982, J.I.R. Volume 28, Issue 22
[[http://www.linkedin.com/in/Comet Comet]] 17:40, 17 May 2022 (UTC)

2206: Mavis Beacon

2019-12-01T11:45:08Z

Comet:

{{comic
| number = 2206
| date = September 23, 2019
| title = Mavis Beacon
| image = mavis_beacon.png
| titletext = There are actually lowercase-like 'oldstyle' forms of normal numbers with more pronounced ascenders and descenders, which is why some numbers like '5' in books sometimes dangle below the line. But the true capital numbers remain the domain of number maven Mavis Beacon.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] is being congratulated by the game he plays, ''Mavis Beacon'', on his computer, because he has beaten the end boss and unlocked a new ability - the ability to type capital numbers...

''{{w|Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing}}'' is a computer game first released in 1987, with the goal of teaching touch-typing and improving typing speed on a computer keyboard. Unlike many video games, ''Mavis Beacon'' contains no combat and therefore does not feature any "{{w|Boss_(video_gaming)#Final_boss|end boss}}" (a very powerful enemy encountered as the final challenge of the game). In many video games, defeating major opponents "unlocks" special features, such as improved weapons. Also, playing ''Mavis Beacon'', although it may improve typing skill, has no effect on how typing works on one's computer.

In the caption, however, [[Randall]] asserts that after 30 years of playing ''Mavis Beacon'', he encountered and defeated such a boss. Playing the same game for 30 years is rare. Regardless, Randall claims that defeating this "end boss" unlocked an ability to type esoteric "capital numbers," which Randall depicts as more extravagant versions of the familiar numerals. Although modern {{w|Latin letters}} have different {{w|letter case}} (i.e. capital or upper case and small or lower-case), {{w|Arabic numerals}} - the conventional numerals 0-9 used in the Western world - do not.

Stating that the game is old enough that it could have been played for 30 years, could be another attempt at making people, who actually did play the game in the early days, [[:Category:Comics to make one feel old|feel old]]. But this doesn't seem to be the main point of the comic.

Typing such numerals is said to require pressing the Alt, tilde (~), Scroll Lock, and numeral keys at the same time. Some keyboard layouts do not have a scroll lock key or a separate tilde key (such that pressing ~ actually requires pressing a shift/{{w|Modifier key|modifier}} key along with the ~ key), and in any event pressing four or five keys at once would be quite difficult. Needless to say, pressing all those keys simultaneously does not, in fact, do anything like what the comics describes in any known computer system, though some smaller subset of those keys together (i.e. "Alt ~" or "Alt numeral-key") might activate other operating system or user-defined shortcuts.

Keyboards vary in how many simultaneous key presses they can process ({{w|Rollover (key)|rollover}}). Computer keyboards for English may be limited to as few as 3 simultaneous keys, whereas other languages or higher quality keyboards may be able to handle an unlimited number of keys at once. (A musical keyboard might need to handle 10 or more simultaneous keys, likewise gaming or braille keyboards may need to handle many simultaneous keys.)

In the title text, Randall notes that [https://www.bamagazine.com/Text-type-typeface-s/105.htm certain typefaces] feature {{w|text figures}}, numerals that have ascenders and descenders, much as lower-case letters do, rather than all standing at the full X-height like capital letters. He then goes on to joke that, conversely, there are true "capital numerals," but they are a guarded secret of Mavis Beacon. {{w|Mavis Beacon (character)|Mavis Beacon}} was the character created as the typing instructor for the ''Mavis Beacon'' game, and is fictional, not a real person. Additionally, as a typing instructor, this person (even if she actually existed) would not be able to change typographical standards. Randall's description of Mavis Beacon as a "number {{w|maven}}" (that is, expert or connoisseur) contrasts with her supposed field of expertise in typing, which involves letters and punctuation more than numbers.

The comic itself hotlinks to this article: [https://www.fonts.com/content/learning/fontology/level-3/numbers/oldstyle-figures Oldstyle Figures]. It is about typographic oldstyle digits.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is sitting in an office chair at his desk in front of his computer reading a message that is shown coming from the screen with a zigzag line, going to the text above him. The two upper lines (of five) are separated from the lines below, but connected with a small zigzag line. The computer short cut is written in three boxes. The last line is the numbers from 1 to 9 and 0, in a highly stylized format but recognizable in this context. The digits are shown below in their standard appearance since the stylized versions cannot be reproduced in this transcript.]
:Congratulations.
:Use this power wisely.

:Key Code (secret!!):
:<kbd>Alt</kbd> + <kbd>Tilde</kbd> + <kbd>Scroll Lock</kbd> + Number
:1234567890

:[Caption below the panel:]
:After 30 years, I finally beat the end boss of ''Mavis Beacon'' and unlocked the ability to type capital numbers.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Computers]]

2235: Group Chat Rules

2019-12-01T11:20:45Z

Comet:

{{comic
| number = 2235
| date = November 29, 2019
| title = Group Chat Rules
| image = group_chat_rules.png
| titletext = There's no group chat member more enigmatic than the cool person who you all assume has the chat on mute, but who then instantly chimes in with no delay the moment something relevant to them is mentioned.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Item 4 is kind of a head-scratcher on this one, possibly related to an obscure group chat in which Randall participates. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
In this comic Randall is outlining the rules of a group chat, such as {{w|Internet Relay Chat}} (IRC), {{w|Slack (software)|Slack}}, {{w|Discord (software)|Discord}}, {{w|WeChat}}, {{w|Discourse (software)|Discourse}}, and the like.

1. '''Once you've sent a typing notification, you have to say ''something,'' c'mon.'''

Typing notification, often called a "typing awareness indicator," is a feature of some instant messaging systems, showing a message such as "Typing..." with the typer's name to the other participants, causing them in many cases to wait to receive the message before typing something of their own. When the typer stops without sending anything, this can seem anticlimactic and potentially disruptive if it recurs. Randall's rule is that you must say something once you've started typing, to avoid the awkwardness of awaiting a person's reply. See also [[1886: Typing Notifications]].

2. '''Show you care by trimming the tracking junk off links you paste.'''

Some URL links may have tracking information attached to the end of them, to show the origin of the URL and other information. {{w|UTM parameters}} are an example of URL parameters (the part of a URL starting with a question mark) which are used to track utilization of the URL from one user to another. Many news and marketing-related websites include such tracking codes with any visit to one of their web pages in an attempt to see the source of the URL for subsequent visits. Many people consider this a violation of privacy as well as a source of clutter, and make an effort to remove the parameters from URLs when they are not necessary for obtaining the requested content. For example, [https://www.dyson.com/sticks/dyson-v8-absolute-nickel-iron.html?ranMID=36310&ranEAID=lw9MynSeamY&ranSiteID=lw9MynSeamY-w42lWd1QYp3RrUefCg_osA&siteID=lw9MynSeamY-w42lWd1QYp3RrUefCg_osA&utm_source=Slickdeals+LLC&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=us_en__na__na__na__purchase&utm_term=&utm_content=rakuten_1&dclid=CjkKEQiAt_PuBRC2vOSG5pnYqN0BEiQATx34W-U3rsbKLg-BO9ep4IJKz6JxmZrHTqS7JKmZqSrWmKLw_wcB&ranMID=36310&ranEAID=lw9MynSeamY&ranSiteID=lw9MynSeamY-z5miuzSsmyWevVXB._R14g&siteID=lw9MynSeamY-z5miuzSsmyWevVXB._R14g&utm_source=Slickdeals+LLC&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=us_en__na__na__na__purchase&utm_term=&utm_content=rakuten_1 this url] has a lot of tracking information to show that it was originally accessed from Slickdeals, which can be removed to produce [https://www.dyson.com/sticks/dyson-v8-absolute-nickel-iron.html a much shorter URL] for the same web page. Randall asks the users of group chat to politely remove the tracking codes.

3. '''Do not talk about ''Fight Club'' (1999).'''

This is a reference to the 1999 film ''{{w|Fight Club}}'', where the main character forms an eponymous "Fight Club," an underground club for men to fight recreationally. In [http://www.diggingforfire.net/FightClub/ the rules for Fight Club] the first "rule" is "You do not talk about FIGHT CLUB.", which Randall parodies in this comic, by making a rule to not talk about the film ''Fight Club''. The second rule of Fight Club is the same as the first, which could be why it is the third here. See also [[922: Fight Club]] and [[109: Spoiler Alert]].

4. '''There are two types of chats: those with a relevant group name, and those where the name is random nonsense that changes regularly. Only the second kind are good.'''

Some group chats frequently change the name of their title or the names of their channels, for example to reference upcoming events or inside jokes. Randall claims that those are the only good kind, compared to those that never change group names, perhaps implying a singular focus is less interesting than a dynamic chat that often changes names.

5. '''When mentioning it elsewhere, always just refer to it as "the group chat" to create an aura of exclusive mystery.'''

Many people have to deal with several kinds of group chat in the same organization, so referring to "the group chat" within such an organization may be confusingly ambiguous. Also, calling a chat "the group chat" can serve to exclude those who don't already know about it.

6. '''Robert's Rules of Order are optional but encouraged.'''

''{{w|Robert's Rules of Order}}'' are one of the authoritative codifications of {{w|parliamentary procedure}} used to formalize decision-making in organizations required to document their activities such as governments and sometimes civic organizations and corporations. While people required to use ''Robert's Rules'' might use group chat to plan their {{w|Agenda (meeting)|agenda}} — even going so far as to prepare a {{w|pro forma}} script for a meeting in accordance with parliamentary procedure which represents their positions and deliberations in advance — and to compose, revise, and approve their {{w|minutes}}, it is unlikely that group chat participants would follow ''Robert's Rules'' prior to their formal meeting.

7. '''Periodically part of the group will split off to form a new chat with everyone minus one person. This is how group chats reproduce; don't draw attention to it.'''

Some people who use group chat too frequently or for unimportant messages or both will cause their colleagues to attempt to achieve greater productivity by excluding them from an alternate chat, from which notifications, for example, are less annoying and more useful. Alternatively, a person could be excluded from a chat to hide things from them, such as to plan a surprise for them.

8. '''Since there's no algorithmic feed, the responsibility for injecting lots of garbage no one asked for falls on you.'''

Tools such as {{w|IFTTT}} and {{w|IRC bot}}s (or "bots" in this context) are used to provide group chat channels with information automatically taken from external sources of various sorts, such as emails to a support address or commits to source code control systems. Randall suggests that when such algorithmically-provided information is not available, it is incumbent upon chat participants to provide sufficiently verbose replacements. The "algorithmic feed" may also refer to the newsfeed type of systems that Facebook or other social networking sites use, to order posts for a user to view.

9. '''The enumeration, in these rules, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.'''

This is a reference to the {{w|Ninth Amendment to the United States Constitution}}, which entitles people to rights not specifically mentioned in the Constitution. Per Wikipedia, this right was included because "future generations might argue that, because a certain right was not listed in the Bill of Rights, it did not exist." The Ninth Amendment was also referenced in [[1998: GDPR]], in a similar context of being inserted into a list of rules where it didn't really apply.

10. '''Sorry about all the notifications.'''

Here, Randall apologizes for all the notifications for the messages sent in group chat. Group chat features often result in more notifications than designers of notification systems anticipated or intended. If each of these ten rules were sent as a separate message in group chat, they might likely end with such an apology.

The title text is a reference to James "Kibo" Parry, who in the late 1980s to early 1990s responded on USEnet to any mention of his name. http://doctoraaron.tripod.com/orbitz/kibo.html

==Transcript==
:[Title at the top of the comic]:
: Rules for this group chat

:[A numbered list of 10 rules]:

# Once you've sent a typing notification, you have to say ''something,'' c'mon.
# Show you care by trimming the tracking junk off links you paste.
# Do not talk about ''Fight Club'' (1999).
# There are two types of chats: those with a relevant group name, and those where the name is random nonsense that changes regularly. Only the second kind are good.
# When mentioning it elsewhere, always just refer to it as "the group chat" to create an aura of exclusive mystery.
# Robert's Rules of Order are optional but encouraged.
# Periodically part of the group will split off to form a new chat with everyone minus one person. This is how group chats reproduce; don't draw attention to it.
# Since there's no algorithmic feed, the responsibility for injecting lots of garbage no one asked for falls on you.
# The enumeration, in these rules, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
# Sorry about all the notifications.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Social interactions]]
[[Category:Social networking]]

2229: Rey and Kylo

2019-11-17T11:22:08Z

Comet: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2229
| date = November 15, 2019
| title = Rey and Kylo
| image = rey_and_kylo.png
| titletext = We're like 10+ movies in and the focus has been almost entirely on the WARS half.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by R2D2. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
{{w|Rey (Star Wars)|Rey}} and {{w|Kylo Ren}}, from the {{w|Star Wars sequel trilogy|latest trilogy}} of the ''{{w|Star Wars}}'' series, are engaging in a {{w|lightsaber}} duel. Rey tells Kylo that they should not fight, but work together on {{w|cosmology}}, the study of the origins of the universe. Specifically she wants to study the expansion rate of the universe; scientists believe that the universe is expanding, and that the expansion rate is accelerating, but aren't sure of the exact rate, what the rate was in the past, or if it varies depending on location. Since the ''Star Wars'' movies take place "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away", if Rey and Kylo presented their findings in the movie, it would theoretically give scientists more data points, although it is unlikely that modern scientists would use data from a movie generally considered fictional{{Citation needed}}.

The caption, besides explaining the obvious nerd cred this turn of events would earn if it actually occurred in the movies, is also a play on the accusations of pandering to progressives that were made by some against ''{{w|Star Wars: The Force Awakens|The Force Awakens}}'', citing its racially diverse cast and powerful—arguably overpowered—female protagonist.

The title text is [[Randall]]'s complaint that the ''Star Wars'' movies have been more focused on the Wars aspect than the Star aspect. It seems he would want a film about stars. It's worth noting that, with a half-width space, "Star " and " Wars" are the same number of letters long, and are therefore perfect halves of the title.

[[:Category:Star Wars|Star Wars]] is a recurring topic on xkcd.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Rey, on the left, and Kylo Ren, on the right, from the ''Star Wars'' series, are facing one another and wielding lightsabers:]

:Rey: Kylo, we shouldn't fight! Let's set aside our differences and work ''together'' to measure the local properties of space, just in case someone in the far future is watching from another galaxy and wants our help to constrain the expansion rate!

:[Caption below the panel:]
:The new ''Star Wars'' totally panders to cosmologists.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category: Star Wars]]
[[Category: Astronomy]]

2196: Nice To E-Meet You

2019-09-01T22:01:37Z

Comet:

{{comic
| number = 2196
| date = 30 August, 2019
| title = Nice To E-Meet You
| image = nice_to_e-meet_you.png
| titletext = I'm inside your head and I hate it. Please let me out.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a 1995 CYBERPUNK NOVEL. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

In this comic, [[Cueball]] is considering how to greet new readees via electronic publishing.

At first, Cueball considers simply saying "Nice to meet you!", a typical greeting used when meeting someone in person. However, he notes that since the introduction is taking place electronically, saying that he is actually "meeting" them is inaccurate; he duly discards the greeting.

Next he considers replacing the word "meet" with "e-meet." The use of "{{w|Internet-related prefixes#"E-"|e-}}" as a prefix for anything related to electronics was a popular naming trend in the early 1990s, such as {{w|eWorld}}, {{w|eBay}}, and as a standardized shorthand for {{w|Email|electronic mail}}. Earlier cyberpunk novels, such as 1984's ''{{w|Neuromancer}}'', did not use the "e-" prefix, as they were written before that linguistic trend, while the prefix generally fell out of fashion by the 2000s. Cueball using the phrase "e-meet" thus sounds anachronistic to the 1990s, and he recognizes it, discarding his greeting again.

He then decides that he needs to throw off the shackles of normal conversation and simply "be normal." Being a geek, Cueball therefore writes up a long-winded exposition of how strange electronic publishing actually is in terms of the photons being projected by the computer screen, comparing it to his hands touching the receiver's eyes, then concludes the greeting with a simple "Anyway, hi." This might be off-putting to a friend that Cueball had just now met. This makes it funnier that Cueball believes he just "nailed" his greeting; he clearly has no idea what he is doing.

The title text continues the theme of "his hands touching the receiver's eyes"; [[Randall]] is talking about how as a construct that your mind makes, he is now "inside your head"-- and taking it that statement to its logical conclusion, he "wants to get out."

The comic discusses how adhering to conversational convention during social interactions can be quite difficult, especially with the advent of new technology. Social awkwardness is a [[:Category:Social interactions|recurring theme]] in xkcd.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is sitting at his desk on an office chair, while typing at his laptop. The line he is writing on the computer is shown with white text in a black box up at the top of the panel while his thoughts shown in a thought bubble with small bubbles going to it from his head.]
:Text: Nice to meet you!
:Cueball [thinking]: That sounds weird; we’re not actually meeting in person.
:Laptop: Type type
:Laptop: Delete delete

:[Same setting:]
:Text: Nice to e-meet you!
:Cueball [thinking]: What is this, a 1995 cyberpunk novel?
:Laptop: Type type
:Laptop: Delete

:[Cueball stops typing and leans back resting an arm on the back of the chair while looking at laptop, no black box shown.]
:Cueball [thinking]: OK.
:Cueball [thinking]: Chill.
:Cueball [thinking]: Just be normal.

:[Cueball resumes typing a much longer text in two black boxes, one large with five lines of text, and a small below with one line.]
:Text: It’s weird to think that the words I’m typing will be projected onto your retinas. It’s like my hands are touching your eyes.
:Text: Anyway, hi.
:Cueball [thinking]: Nailed it.
:Laptop: Type type

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category: Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Social interactions]]

435: Purity

2019-08-20T23:59:37Z

Comet: Added reference to purity test, removed conjecture about Randall taking sides.

{{comic
| number = 435
| date = June 11, 2008
| title = Purity
| image = purity.png
| titletext = On the other hand, physicists like to say physics is to math as sex is to masturbation.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Mathematics}} is the abstract study of topics encompassing quantity, structure, space, change, and others. {{w|Physics}} is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through space and time, along with related concepts such as energy and force. They do this using mathematics. {{w|Chemistry}} is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. That is, they study a subset of physics, using a subset of physics. {{w|Biology}} is the subset of chemistry that is concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. {{w|Psychology}} is the study of mental functions and behaviors, why living things do what they do individually, which makes it a subset of Biology. {{w|Sociology}} is the study of society, or, the study of groups of people and their interactions, which sounds an awful lot like taking the skills of psychology and applying them to a large group of people.

Now, mathematics has the classifications {{w|Pure mathematics}} (the maths you learned in school, and the subject of the field of maths,) and {{w|Applied mathematics}} (physics, chem, and so on.) Taking this to its logical extreme, the comic arranges the six scientific fields according to the {{w|Hierarchy of science}}, represented by a person on a chart of purity, saying that a field is 'more pure', than the fields depending on it. This is a topic often used in jokes between scientists of various fields as to who is more important. The physicist, [[Cueball]], of which everyone else's work is based upon, feels that he is at the top... but is ultimately upstaged by the mathematician, [[Blondie]], whose field is so pure that ultimately everything else could be seen as derived from it. After all, physics could not exist without math, thus ultimately everything can be expressed using mathematical equations. Thus, the mathematician snobbishly says that she didn't even see any of the other fields standing so far over to the left on the graph. Alternatively she is not snobby - she is just so far detached from the real world - that she doesn't even understand that there could be a comparison between her field and other fields. That is if she even knows about these other fields (''what are you doing over there''...)

The title text indicates physicists like to repeat the following quote attributed to Richard Feynman: “Physics is to math what sex is to masturbation.”

This ties the title of the comic, "Purity", to tie between various fields, to the topic of sex, as measured by the {{w|Purity Test}}."

==Transcript==

:[Six characters are standing on a line with small ticks under each person. Above the two persons most central in the comic is an arrow pointing right. There are labels both above and below the arrow. Beneath each tick is a label. All the labels are listed here in order]
:<big>Fields</big> arranged by <big>purity</big>
:::More pure

:Sociologists
:Psychologists
:Biologists
:Chemists
:Physicists
:Mathematicians

:[Above each of the six tick there is a person. The last person to the right is the mathematician, she stands at the far right edge of the comic, with much further distance between her and the second last person going right. The first four spaces between the first five persons are of equal distance. Except for the least pure sociologist they all say something addressed to the less pure person(s) on their left. The first mute person above the Sociologists tick is Megan. The second person above the Psychologists tick is a bald man with glasses and goatee beard holding a book under one arm. The third person above the Biologists tick is a Cueball-like guy with a squirming octopus in his hand. The fourth person above the Chemists tick is Ponytail holding up a test tube with bubbles coming out of the top. The fifth person above the Physicists tick is Cueball standing with his hands in his sides. Farthest out the final and sixth person above the Mathematicians tick is Blondie. She waves to the other five.]

:Psychologist: Sociology is just applied psychology.

:Biologist: Psychology is just applied biology.

:Chemist: Biology is just applied chemistry

:Physicist: Which is just applied physics. It's nice to be on top.

:Mathematician: Oh, hey, I didn't see you guys all the way over there.

==Trivia==
*Blondie appearing as the mathematician could mean she is supposed to represent [[Miss Lenhart]], but since Lenhart is defined as a teacher, which she can not clearly be said to be here, it is uncertain.
*Later a similar setup was used in [[2057: Internal Monologues]], although here the different science fields are not ranked against each other, and only the physicist is represented in both comics (although as Cueball in both).

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Blondie]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:Psychology]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Chemistry]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Math]]
[[Category:Sex]]
[[Category:Rankings]]
[[Category:Animals]]

2168: Reading in the Original

2019-06-27T23:40:22Z

Comet: /* Explanation */ Correction of typo: dorm->form

{{comic
| number = 2168
| date = June 26, 2019
| title = Reading in the Original
| image = reading_in_the_original.png
| titletext = The articles are much shorter, but I assume that's because this version predates the merger with the Hawaiian text that created the modern Hawaiian-Greek hybrid wiki-pedia.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a HAWAIIAN-GREEK HYBRID. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

The title text is an etymology joke, since "Wikipedia" was coined from two parts, "[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wiki#English wiki]", from Hawaiian, and "[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-pedia pedia]", from Greek. However, words having roots in different languages is common and does not signify any link between the separate languages; for example, while the word "Wikipedia" does have etymological roots in Hawaiian and Greek, it is not true that the site was originally composed of texts written in Hawaiian and Greek.

Many academics and aficionados argue that studying texts in the original language is more valuable than reading translations. The argument is that translations are rarely able to fully capture all of the nuances, linguistic subtleties and intent of the original author, and may even alter the meaning in some way due to the translator's interpretation and word choices.

The drawback to this is that it requires the reader to be sufficiently fluent in whatever language the text is written.

Cueball's commenting that he read works "in the original Greek" implies a high-level of literary scholarship, as this phrase is associated with scholars studying ancient Greek texts, which form a significant part of Western literature.

The joke in this comic is that Cueball has apparently taken the time to learn Greek, so that he can read Wikipedia in that language. However, he is not reading the "original" version of Wikipedia articles, but their equivalent in the [https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%A0%CF%8D%CE%BB%CE%B7:%CE%9A%CF%8D%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B1 modern Greek language edition of Wikipedia]. (An [https://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wp/grc Ancient Greek Wikipedia test project] also exists, but is not nearly as large as the modern Greek one.) Wikipedia has editions in about 300 languages; many articles link to equivalent articles in other languages, but they are not usually translations of each other, having been written separately by speakers of the different languages. The dedication to appearing to be a committed scholar is contrasted with the ignorance of not understanding that Greek is not the original language of every text.

A similar thing happens with dubbed movies or TV series/anime, with people smugly remarking that they instead prefer to watch the original version, instead of the dubbed version.

The movie ''Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'' has a joke concerning someone speaking of a foreign "original" language of something that actually was originally written in English: Chancellor Gorkon says, "You have not experienced Shakespeare until you've read it in the original Klingon." (In reality, Shakespeare lived in England, and wrote in English, not Klingon.)

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is addressing Megan. He is holding a hand with a thumb up out toward her. Megan is spreading her arms out as she replies.]
:Cueball: It's in the "Languages" box in the lower left. It took a while to learn, but I find I get so much more out of it by reading it as it was '''''intended'''''.
:Megan: That's not how that works!

:[Caption below the panel:]
:People get mad when I tell them I only read Wikipedia in the original Greek.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Wikipedia]]

2168: Reading in the Original

2019-06-27T23:38:06Z

Comet: /* Explanation */ Cueball implies Greek was the original source language of Wikipedia, not specifically ancient Greek. (Even koine Greek predates modern written Hawaiian.)

{{comic
| number = 2168
| date = June 26, 2019
| title = Reading in the Original
| image = reading_in_the_original.png
| titletext = The articles are much shorter, but I assume that's because this version predates the merger with the Hawaiian text that created the modern Hawaiian-Greek hybrid wiki-pedia.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a HAWAIIAN-GREEK HYBRID. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

The title text is an etymology joke, since "Wikipedia" was coined from two parts, "[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wiki#English wiki]", from Hawaiian, and "[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-pedia pedia]", from Greek. However, words having roots in different languages is common and does not signify any link between the separate languages; for example, while the word "Wikipedia" does have etymological roots in Hawaiian and Greek, it is not true that the site was originally composed of texts written in Hawaiian and Greek.

Many academics and aficionados argue that studying texts in the original language is more valuable than reading translations. The argument is that translations are rarely able to fully capture all of the nuances, linguistic subtleties and intent of the original author, and may even alter the meaning in some way due to the translator's interpretation and word choices.

The drawback to this is that it requires the reader to be sufficiently fluent in whatever language the text is written.

Cueball's commenting that he read works "in the original Greek" implies a high-level of literary scholarship, as this phrase is associated with scholars studying ancient Greek texts, which dorm a significant part of Western literature.

The joke in this comic is that Cueball has apparently taken the time to learn Greek, so that he can read Wikipedia in that language. However, he is not reading the "original" version of Wikipedia articles, but their equivalent in the [https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%A0%CF%8D%CE%BB%CE%B7:%CE%9A%CF%8D%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B1 modern Greek language edition of Wikipedia]. (An [https://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wp/grc Ancient Greek Wikipedia test project] also exists, but is not nearly as large as the modern Greek one.) Wikipedia has editions in about 300 languages; many articles link to equivalent articles in other languages, but they are not usually translations of each other, having been written separately by speakers of the different languages. The dedication to appearing to be a committed scholar is contrasted with the ignorance of not understanding that Greek is not the original language of every text.

A similar thing happens with dubbed movies or TV series/anime, with people smugly remarking that they instead prefer to watch the original version, instead of the dubbed version.

The movie ''Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'' has a joke concerning someone speaking of a foreign "original" language of something that actually was originally written in English: Chancellor Gorkon says, "You have not experienced Shakespeare until you've read it in the original Klingon." (In reality, Shakespeare lived in England, and wrote in English, not Klingon.)

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is addressing Megan. He is holding a hand with a thumb up out toward her. Megan is spreading her arms out as she replies.]
:Cueball: It's in the "Languages" box in the lower left. It took a while to learn, but I find I get so much more out of it by reading it as it was '''''intended'''''.
:Megan: That's not how that works!

:[Caption below the panel:]
:People get mad when I tell them I only read Wikipedia in the original Greek.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Wikipedia]]

2168: Reading in the Original

2019-06-27T23:31:15Z

Comet: Comic indicates Wiki-Pedia comes from Hawaiian-Greek source texts, per etymology.

{{comic
| number = 2168
| date = June 26, 2019
| title = Reading in the Original
| image = reading_in_the_original.png
| titletext = The articles are much shorter, but I assume that's because this version predates the merger with the Hawaiian text that created the modern Hawaiian-Greek hybrid wiki-pedia.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a HAWAIIAN-GREEK HYBRID. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

The title text is an etymology joke, since "Wikipedia" was coined from two parts, "[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wiki#English wiki]", from Hawaiian, and "[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-pedia pedia]", from Greek. However, words having roots in different languages is common and does not signify any link between the separate languages; for example, while the word "Wikipedia" does have etymological roots in Hawaiian and Greek, it is not true that the site was originally composed of texts written in Hawaiian and Greek.

Many academics and aficionados argue that studying texts in the original language is more valuable than reading translations. The argument is that translations are rarely able to fully capture all of the nuances, linguistic subtleties and intent of the original author, and may even alter the meaning in some way due to the translator's interpretation and word choices.

The drawback to this is that it requires the reader to be sufficiently fluent in whatever language the text is written.

As Cueball believes Wikipedia was originally written in Greek, commenting that he read works "in the original Greek" indicates a high-level of literary scholarship.

The joke in this comic is that Cueball has apparently taken the time to learn Greek, so that he can read Wikipedia in that language. However, he is not reading the "original" version of Wikipedia articles, but their equivalent in the [https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%A0%CF%8D%CE%BB%CE%B7:%CE%9A%CF%8D%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B1 modern Greek language edition of Wikipedia]. (An [https://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wp/grc Ancient Greek Wikipedia test project] also exists, but is not nearly as large as the modern Greek one.) Wikipedia has editions in about 300 languages; many articles link to equivalent articles in other languages, but they are not usually translations of each other, having been written separately by speakers of the different languages. The dedication to appearing to be a committed scholar is contrasted with the ignorance of not understanding that Greek is not the original language of every text.

A similar thing happens with dubbed movies or TV series/anime, with people smugly remarking that they instead prefer to watch the original version, instead of the dubbed version.

The movie ''Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'' has a joke concerning someone speaking of a foreign "original" language of something that actually was originally written in English: Chancellor Gorkon says, "You have not experienced Shakespeare until you've read it in the original Klingon." (In reality, Shakespeare lived in England, and wrote in English, not Klingon.)

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is addressing Megan. He is holding a hand with a thumb up out toward her. Megan is spreading her arms out as she replies.]
:Cueball: It's in the "Languages" box in the lower left. It took a while to learn, but I find I get so much more out of it by reading it as it was '''''intended'''''.
:Megan: That's not how that works!

:[Caption below the panel:]
:People get mad when I tell them I only read Wikipedia in the original Greek.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Wikipedia]]

Talk:2162: Literary Opinions

2019-06-15T07:14:51Z

Comet:

let's see WS Burroughs = Tarzan, E.R. Burroughs = Naked Lunch.
CS Lewis Carol
Bruce Stirlling / SM Stirling

Is it just me, or was this comic released earlier than usual? Released just after midnight, EDT. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 08:30, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

:It's just you.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.100|162.158.214.100]] 10:33, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

::Yes, it's unusally early. It happened before, but most of the time the new comics arrived in the late afternoon (central european time). This one was already up when I turned on my computer ~8am. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 11:54, 12 June 2019 (UTC)
::: As a night-owl in Randall's own time zone, who used to often catch up on Tuesday and Thursday nights (i.e. Before Wednesday and Friday comics, respectively), I can tell you that yes, the comic is released at midnight EST/EDT sometimes. Not that rarely, but not that commonly either. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 03:50, 15 June 2019 (UTC)

Is there any value in adding info about the authors mentioned? [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 13:17, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

: I wanted to add "Elements of Style" to show T.H., er, E.B. (whichever ;-) was more than just a "children's book author". Probably not worth it.[[User:Afbach|Afbach]] ([[User talk:Afbach|talk]])

I don't think this relates to the "Fregoli Delusion"(sp) - they think the same person is using more than one name. [[User:Afbach|Afbach]] ([[User talk:Afbach|talk]])
: Yeah, this feels more like pseudonyms than Frengoli to me.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.206.22|172.68.206.22]] 18:42, 12 June 2019 (UTC)
:: IDK, is it different, really? Even if you accept a writing pseudonym as being different than actually using different names, this could be seen as their writer side is using multiple names. :) [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 03:50, 15 June 2019 (UTC)

Shouldn't we discuss authors with multiple pseudonyms? Like JK Rowling and Robert Galbraith, or Nora Roberts and JD Robb, etc... [[Special:Contributions/172.68.143.144|172.68.143.144]] 16:44, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

Glad I'm not the only one who confuses former US vice president Gore Vidal with Vidal Sassoon the war poet. [[User:ColinHogben|ColinHogben]] ([[User talk:ColinHogben|talk]]) 16:49, 12 June 2019 (UTC)
: That's where I heard that name before! [[User:Afbach|Afbach]] ([[User talk:Afbach|talk]])

Why would Megan pick those 4 authors to be the same person? What do they or their works have in common? It would be nice to cover that. (Not knowing anything about any of them, any theory I might advance would be about as valid as one of Megan's.)
Bit of a long-shot, but I wonder if the link has anything to do with Randall's book tour competition. (He invites people to Write the best story using nothing but book covers.)[https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/] Any good story/sentence made up with works by those 4 authors? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.107.55|162.158.107.55]] 22:13, 12 June 2019 (UTC)
: Did a search on all those author names together. Seems Wallace, Thompson, and Burroughs wrote books that have been tagged as dealing with drugs. (Hardly a unique characteristic, but might suggest some common thead.)
: Literature map - searching for Hunter S Thompson, lists the other 3 in fairly close proximity. (i.e., people who indicated reading one of these are likely to have read works by others of these authors. For whatever reason.)
: Anybody writing here actually read these authors? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.144|162.158.106.144]] 18:01, 13 June 2019 (UTC)

How about the theory that Mary Pearson, Andre Norton, Andrew North, Allen Weston, and M. D. Herter are the same person. ;-) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.144|162.158.106.144]] 22:31, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

Should trivia link it to [[923: Strunk and White]] which also mentions E.B. white.? --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 08:32, 13 June 2019 (UTC)
: Done! [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 11:54, 13 June 2019 (UTC)
::Thanks :) I had to note this down somewhere to not forget it, when the though struck me, but didn't have time for a proper edit... --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 12:17, 13 June 2019 (UTC)
:::I got your back, Jack...er, Lupo! ;-) [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 12:42, 13 June 2019 (UTC)
:::I also back-linked from that comic to this one in a Trivia entry as well. [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 12:43, 13 June 2019 (UTC)

I think this has to be viewed from one step back, i.e., it is not necessarily about books or writers, but rather a take on people who form and voice opinions without proper knowledge of the facts, even if the facts are very easily researchable.
This happens A LOT in forum postings, e.g., when there is an article about some scientific dicovery on a popular news site, and then people start discussing (and fighting) about that discovery in the forums for this article. These discussions are more often than not based purely on speculation, without anyone bothering to check the original publication on which the article was based, or even without any specialist knowledge about the subject matter at hand. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.19|162.158.89.19]] 09:54, 13 June 2019 (UTC)

E.B. and T.H. are distinguishable as one wrote a children's book ("Chitty Chitty Bang Bang") and the other wrote James Bond novels. Oh wait, that was Ian Fleming. James Bond was the author of "Birds of the West Indies." I think the explanation of various audiences and subject matter does not disambiguate authors. See "Ambrose, Gardner and Doyle" by Raymond Smullyan.
[[http://www.linkedin.com/in/Comet Comet]] 06:00, 15 June 2019 (UTC)

Talk:2162: Literary Opinions

2019-06-15T06:00:02Z

Comet: You cannot tell an author by differing subject matter of noted books.

let's see WS Burroughs = Tarzan, E.R. Burroughs = Naked Lunch.
CS Lewis Carol
Bruce Stirlling / SM Stirling

Is it just me, or was this comic released earlier than usual? Released just after midnight, EDT. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 08:30, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

:It's just you.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.100|162.158.214.100]] 10:33, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

::Yes, it's unusally early. It happened before, but most of the time the new comics arrived in the late afternoon (central european time). This one was already up when I turned on my computer ~8am. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 11:54, 12 June 2019 (UTC)
::: As a night-owl in Randall's own time zone, who used to often catch up on Tuesday and Thursday nights (i.e. Before Wednesday and Friday comics, respectively), I can tell you that yes, the comic is released at midnight EST/EDT sometimes. Not that rarely, but not that commonly either. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 03:50, 15 June 2019 (UTC)

Is there any value in adding info about the authors mentioned? [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 13:17, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

: I wanted to add "Elements of Style" to show T.H., er, E.B. (whichever ;-) was more than just a "children's book author". Probably not worth it.[[User:Afbach|Afbach]] ([[User talk:Afbach|talk]])

I don't think this relates to the "Fregoli Delusion"(sp) - they think the same person is using more than one name. [[User:Afbach|Afbach]] ([[User talk:Afbach|talk]])
: Yeah, this feels more like pseudonyms than Frengoli to me.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.206.22|172.68.206.22]] 18:42, 12 June 2019 (UTC)
:: IDK, is it different, really? Even if you accept a writing pseudonym as being different than actually using different names, this could be seen as their writer side is using multiple names. :) [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 03:50, 15 June 2019 (UTC)

Shouldn't we discuss authors with multiple pseudonyms? Like JK Rowling and Robert Galbraith, or Nora Roberts and JD Robb, etc... [[Special:Contributions/172.68.143.144|172.68.143.144]] 16:44, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

Glad I'm not the only one who confuses former US vice president Gore Vidal with Vidal Sassoon the war poet. [[User:ColinHogben|ColinHogben]] ([[User talk:ColinHogben|talk]]) 16:49, 12 June 2019 (UTC)
: That's where I heard that name before! [[User:Afbach|Afbach]] ([[User talk:Afbach|talk]])

Why would Megan pick those 4 authors to be the same person? What do they or their works have in common? It would be nice to cover that. (Not knowing anything about any of them, any theory I might advance would be about as valid as one of Megan's.)
Bit of a long-shot, but I wonder if the link has anything to do with Randall's book tour competition. (He invites people to Write the best story using nothing but book covers.)[https://blog.xkcd.com/2019/06/10/book-tour-announcement/] Any good story/sentence made up with works by those 4 authors? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.107.55|162.158.107.55]] 22:13, 12 June 2019 (UTC)
: Did a search on all those author names together. Seems Wallace, Thompson, and Burroughs wrote books that have been tagged as dealing with drugs. (Hardly a unique characteristic, but might suggest some common thead.)
: Literature map - searching for Hunter S Thompson, lists the other 3 in fairly close proximity. (i.e., people who indicated reading one of these are likely to have read works by others of these authors. For whatever reason.)
: Anybody writing here actually read these authors? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.144|162.158.106.144]] 18:01, 13 June 2019 (UTC)

How about the theory that Mary Pearson, Andre Norton, Andrew North, Allen Weston, and M. D. Herter are the same person. ;-) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.144|162.158.106.144]] 22:31, 12 June 2019 (UTC)

Should trivia link it to [[923: Strunk and White]] which also mentions E.B. white.? --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 08:32, 13 June 2019 (UTC)
: Done! [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 11:54, 13 June 2019 (UTC)
::Thanks :) I had to note this down somewhere to not forget it, when the though struck me, but didn't have time for a proper edit... --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 12:17, 13 June 2019 (UTC)
:::I got your back, Jack...er, Lupo! ;-) [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 12:42, 13 June 2019 (UTC)
:::I also back-linked from that comic to this one in a Trivia entry as well. [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 12:43, 13 June 2019 (UTC)

I think this has to be viewed from one step back, i.e., it is not necessarily about books or writers, but rather a take on people who form and voice opinions without proper knowledge of the facts, even if the facts are very easily researchable.
This happens A LOT in forum postings, e.g., when there is an article about some scientific dicovery on a popular news site, and then people start discussing (and fighting) about that discovery in the forums for this article. These discussions are more often than not based purely on speculation, without anyone bothering to check the original publication on which the article was based, or even without any specialist knowledge about the subject matter at hand. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.19|162.158.89.19]] 09:54, 13 June 2019 (UTC)

E.B. and T.H. are distinguishable as one wrote a children's book ("Chitty Chitty Bang Bang") and the other wrote James Bond novels. Oh wait, that was Ian Fleming. James Bond was the author of "Birds of the West Indies." I think the explanation of various audiences and subject matter does not disambiguate authors.
[[http://www.linkedin.com/in/Comet Comet]] 06:00, 15 June 2019 (UTC)

Talk:2151: A/B

2019-05-23T20:15:38Z

Comet:

Came straight to this site after trying to read today's comic[[Special:Contributions/172.68.230.22|172.68.230.22]] 16:33, 17 May 2019 (UTC)
: Yeah, no kidding! Usually I get the majority of the comic and I come here for the finer points and title text (I browse these sites on my iPad, no mouse with which to see the "MouseOver text"). But this one, *whiff!*, right over my head! LOL! [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:09, 18 May 2019 (UTC)
:: @NiceGuy: You can touch and hold on the image to see the mouseOver text. --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.182.136|172.68.182.136]] 06:47, 18 May 2019 (UTC)

The title text refers to "Java script", which probably is meant to reference both the programming language Java and the completely different programming language JavaScript. While the former is almost never referenced with the word script afterwards, the latter is also never referenced with a space in the middle of the word. Hence, it seems meant to further confuse which language is actually being referenced. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.132.77|172.68.132.77]] 16:39, 17 May 2019 (UTC)

The title text is a pun. "Java script" means the writing system used on the island of Java, while "JavaScript" is a programming language used mainly in browsers.
[[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 16:51, 17 May 2019 (UTC)

I'm not seeing any relevance to "It's Greek to me." I think that's just a coincidence [[User:HisHighestMinion|HisHighestMinion]] ([[User talk:HisHighestMinion|talk]]) 17:58, 18 May 2019 (UTC)

Is this actually an example of A/B testing? It seems like Cueball is in both the A and B groups (ie. he got to see both Linear A and Linear B, and compared the two). That doesn't seem to fit the definition of A/B testing which is about showing each of two random groups a different thing. [[User:Hawthorn|Hawthorn]] ([[User talk:Hawthorn|talk]]) 19:55, 18 May 2019 (UTC)

"Linear A, on the other hand, . . . ." doesn't make much sense as the first item of a list. I would expect "Linear A, blah, blah blah . . . . Linear B, on the other hand, blah, blah, blah . . . ." [[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.34|162.158.214.34]] 23:34, 18 May 2019 (UTC)

:I edited the explanation to try to address these last two comments from other readers. I also reworded/reordered the title text explanation to highlight the "Java script" pun a bit, as well as explain how performance testing determined that Linear A script rendered faster than Aksara Kawi script. [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 00:11, 19 May 2019 (UTC)

I wonder if it's worth mentioning that per the title text the site is written in Linear A despite the fact that Cueball described it as gibberish in the main comic panel. This may be a reference to how programming languages usually appear as gibberish to normal users (i.e. non-programmers). [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 00:15, 19 May 2019 (UTC)

https://web.archive.org/web/20190516074849/https:/phys.org/news/2019-05-bristol-academic-voynich-code-century-old.html [[http://www.linkedin.com/in/Comet Comet]] 20:15, 23 May 2019 (UTC)

== Request ==

Can someone please make a re-mix of [https://xkcd.com/435/ xkcd #435] with this #2151 embedded inside it, ''two'' spaces over on the left (like math is one space over on the right of the scale) with the caption "Linguistics" under it? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.142.197|172.68.142.197]] 18:48, 19 May 2019 (UTC)

2151: A/B

2019-05-23T20:11:40Z

Comet:

{{comic
| number = 2151
| date = May 17, 2019
| title = A/B
| image = a_b.png
| titletext = We wrote our site in Linear A rather than Aksara Kawi because browser testing showed that Crete script rendered faster than Java script.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. On 15 May 2019, the Voynich manuscript was publicized as having been decoded by a stochastic technique ("looks good to me!") analogous to how this comic decides which ancient language is right for their document [[http://www.linkedin.com/in/Comet Comet]] 20:11, 23 May 2019 (UTC). Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
{{w|A/B testing}} is a form of {{w|Scientific control|controlled experiment}} in which test subjects are randomly split into two groups, A and B, and each group is shown a slightly different version of the same thing. This is most often used for market research, as it allows researchers to discover which of two options are received more favorably by consumers. For example, a website might employ A/B testing by randomly showing 50% of visitors a version with a different font. By checking their site traffic analytics afterward, the site operators can see which version of the site received the most user engagement, which might tell them that the alternate font is a better choice.

{{w|Linear A}} is an as-of-yet undeciphered writing system of the ancient {{w|Minoan civilization}} (a civilization based on the island of {{w|Crete}}). It appears similar to the deciphered Linear B writing system, but if the pronunciation rules of Linear B are applied to Linear A, it produces a language unrelated to any known language.

{{w|Linear B}}, on the other hand, has been deciphered. It is a syllabic script that was used for writing {{w|Mycenaean Greek}}, the earliest form of Greek for which we have evidence. It predates the {{w|Greek alphabet}} by several centuries and likely evolved out of the earlier Linear A writing system.

While not completely consistent with the definition of A/B testing presented above, the comic jokingly suggests that the choice of writing system could be decided through A/B testing, with the "A" and "B" literally being Linear A and Linear B. The test subject apparently can read Linear B (which encodes Mycenaean Greek), but not Linear A (which produces what's seemingly gibberish when read through the rules of Linear B). It is also a pun on the common phrase "[it's] {{w|Greek to me}}", which people use to refer to something as gibberish, but here, it is the Greek text which is comprehensible to [[Cueball]], while instead the other one isn't.

The title text explains the selection of {{w|Scripting language|script code}} (i.e. {{w|programming language}}) used to create the web site. {{w|Kawi script|Aksara Kawi}} is a {{w|writing system|script}} (i.e. a writing system) that was used on the island of {{w|Java}} (today part of Indonesia) from the 8th century until 1500 AD. Referring to it as "Java script" is a pun on {{w|JavaScript}}, which is a browser scripting language for creating web pages. Here, Linear A ("Crete script") is selected as the "script" language over Aksara Kawi because it rendered faster in testing.

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

:[Cueball is sitting behind a computer desk, facing to the right, gesturing at the screen. Ponytail stands behind him and Hairy stands in front of him, both taking notes in a pad.]
:Cueball: I like this one more because it encodes Mycenaean Greek. The other one just looks like gibberish.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Linear A/B testing

==Trivia==
Versions of the script engine used in early versions of the Opera web browser were named after ancient writing scripts: Linear A, Linear B, {{w|Elder Futhark|Futhark}} (the oldest form of the runic alphabets used by Germanic tribes), and Carakan ({{w|Javanese script}} known as Aksara Jawa, a modern variant of Aksara Kawi).

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Programming]]

2151: A/B

2019-05-23T20:11:00Z

Comet:

{{comic
| number = 2151
| date = May 17, 2019
| title = A/B
| image = a_b.png
| titletext = We wrote our site in Linear A rather than Aksara Kawi because browser testing showed that Crete script rendered faster than Java script.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. On 15 May 2019, the Voynich manuscript was publicized as having been decoded by a stochastic technique ("looks good to me!" analogous to how this comic decides which ancient language is right for their document [[http://www.linkedin.com/in/Comet Comet]] 20:11, 23 May 2019 (UTC). Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
{{w|A/B testing}} is a form of {{w|Scientific control|controlled experiment}} in which test subjects are randomly split into two groups, A and B, and each group is shown a slightly different version of the same thing. This is most often used for market research, as it allows researchers to discover which of two options are received more favorably by consumers. For example, a website might employ A/B testing by randomly showing 50% of visitors a version with a different font. By checking their site traffic analytics afterward, the site operators can see which version of the site received the most user engagement, which might tell them that the alternate font is a better choice.

{{w|Linear A}} is an as-of-yet undeciphered writing system of the ancient {{w|Minoan civilization}} (a civilization based on the island of {{w|Crete}}). It appears similar to the deciphered Linear B writing system, but if the pronunciation rules of Linear B are applied to Linear A, it produces a language unrelated to any known language.

{{w|Linear B}}, on the other hand, has been deciphered. It is a syllabic script that was used for writing {{w|Mycenaean Greek}}, the earliest form of Greek for which we have evidence. It predates the {{w|Greek alphabet}} by several centuries and likely evolved out of the earlier Linear A writing system.

While not completely consistent with the definition of A/B testing presented above, the comic jokingly suggests that the choice of writing system could be decided through A/B testing, with the "A" and "B" literally being Linear A and Linear B. The test subject apparently can read Linear B (which encodes Mycenaean Greek), but not Linear A (which produces what's seemingly gibberish when read through the rules of Linear B). It is also a pun on the common phrase "[it's] {{w|Greek to me}}", which people use to refer to something as gibberish, but here, it is the Greek text which is comprehensible to [[Cueball]], while instead the other one isn't.

The title text explains the selection of {{w|Scripting language|script code}} (i.e. {{w|programming language}}) used to create the web site. {{w|Kawi script|Aksara Kawi}} is a {{w|writing system|script}} (i.e. a writing system) that was used on the island of {{w|Java}} (today part of Indonesia) from the 8th century until 1500 AD. Referring to it as "Java script" is a pun on {{w|JavaScript}}, which is a browser scripting language for creating web pages. Here, Linear A ("Crete script") is selected as the "script" language over Aksara Kawi because it rendered faster in testing.

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

:[Cueball is sitting behind a computer desk, facing to the right, gesturing at the screen. Ponytail stands behind him and Hairy stands in front of him, both taking notes in a pad.]
:Cueball: I like this one more because it encodes Mycenaean Greek. The other one just looks like gibberish.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Linear A/B testing

==Trivia==
Versions of the script engine used in early versions of the Opera web browser were named after ancient writing scripts: Linear A, Linear B, {{w|Elder Futhark|Futhark}} (the oldest form of the runic alphabets used by Germanic tribes), and Carakan ({{w|Javanese script}} known as Aksara Jawa, a modern variant of Aksara Kawi).

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Programming]]

Talk:2121: Light Pollution

2019-05-23T20:01:09Z

Comet:

Small error in this comic. It's not possible to tile a sphere with just hexagons. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/749264/covering-earth-with-hexagonal-map-tiles
[[User:AlanKilian|AlanKilian]] ([[User talk:AlanKilian|talk]]) 16:03, 8 March 2019 (UTC)
:Six triangles form a hexagon - just an explanation for people with less mathematical or geometric knowledge. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 16:17, 8 March 2019 (UTC)
::but a indefinite large group of triangles doesn't automatically transform to hexagons, since it could be overlapping hexagons, or hexagons with their interim spaces filled up by triangles?--[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 16:29, 8 March 2019 (UTC)
:::Look at that hexagons (consisting of six triangles), each fitting to the next, and you will understand that this is only possible in a plane but not in a sphere. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 16:37, 8 March 2019 (UTC)
::::Yes, but if the triangles are not actually equilateral then they could form a sphere. And if the sphere is big enough (I think solar-system-surrouding or bigger counts) then you probably wouldn't be able to see it with the naked eye. [[User:Shamino|Shamino]] ([[User talk:Shamino|talk]]) 17:08, 8 March 2019 (UTC)
:::::But can it form a [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/1365:_Inflation basketball?] [[User:Netherin5|Netherin5]] ([[User talk:Netherin5|talk]]) 17:24, 8 March 2019 (UTC)
:Your eyes are making the hexagons up. Some triangles would be left over if you tried to make every group of 6 triangles a hexagon. Triangle arrays like this are commonly used in computer graphics, as they are the closest approximation to a sphere: https://mft-dev.dk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/icosahedron_frame_sub3.gif [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.185|162.158.79.185]] 17:25, 8 March 2019 (UTC)
::Not really. On a plane, there are only three {{W|tesselation|tesselations}} made only of identical regular polygons: {{W|triangular tiling}}, {{W|square tiling}} or {{W|hexagonal tiling}}. But since a regular hexagon can be divided into six equilateral triangles, the tiling in the picture can be seen as both triangular and hexagonal. The leaving out you write about may have come from another tesselation which uses hexagons and triangles, the {{W|trihexagonal tiling}}. On a sphere, there's a completely different discussion as there's no tesselations, only approximations of them. {{unsigned|Malgond}}
:Rather than a tessellation of hexagons, I see a {{W|The Tholian Web|web of triangles}}. [[User:Mirror Spock|Mirror Spock]] ([[User talk:Mirror Spock|talk]]) 02:32, 13 March 2019 (UTC)
There is no way to know that the triangles shown are equilateral (in fact, as drawn here they're quite ''un''even). All 3D renderings are in fact assembled from uneven-sided triangles, including renderings attempting to approximate rounded surfaces. And yes, you can buy a ball tiled only with triangles; they're not even-sided, but you can't tell with the naked eye. Also, there ''is'' one roughly spherical shape tiled only with equilateral triangles: It's the shape found on a 20-sided die. Skyboxes intended to minimize viewing angle distortions use triangles that are very nearly, but not quite equilateral. In fact, ''all shapes'' that use flat planes to tile a sphere can be broken down into triangles of one degree of asymmetry or another. Your argument is invalid.
[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 22:51, 8 March 2019 (UTC)
:Y'all need to stop arguing about the geometry and look at this picture of a (approximation of a) sphere made out of triangular pyramids: http://blog.zacharyabel.com/tag/spheres/&psig=AOvVaw2-zrroG1RBFI-t2GHyHt-9&ust=1552193238617042 [[User:Tplaza64|Tplaza64]] ([[User talk:Tplaza64|talk]]) 04:50, 9 March 2019 (UTC)

::Also note that we see just small part of sky there, so it's fully possible the few deformed/missing triangles are outside of what we see. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:49, 8 March 2019 (UTC)

: An interactive sphere divided into hexagonals - where is the trick? [http://pub.ist.ac.at/~edels/hexasphere/ Hexagonal tiling of the two-dimensional sphere] Sebastian --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.110.64|172.68.110.64]] 16:11, 12 March 2019 (UTC)
::The "trick" is that you are making the unwarranted assumption that every hexagon in the matrix is composed from six identical equilateral triangles. Which can't possible be the case for it to form a non-flat surface. A hexagon composed of six equilateral triangles will have each vertex at exactly 120 degrees. Three of them joined at a corner ''must'' add up to 360 degrees and therefore must lie flat and therefore can't curve into 3-space. The fact that the surface does curve means that the sum of the angles at those vertices adds up to something less than 360 degrees, which means at least some of the hexagons have vertices that are less than 120 degrees (and they are therefore not composed of equilateral triangles, but isosceles triangles instead, since the hexagons appear to be uniform). Once you realize that the angles on the hexagons' vertices are less than 120 degrees, the solution to the problem is figuring out exactly what angles are needed to form a sphere of a given size. This may be a hard problem to solve, but definitely not impossible. [[User:Shamino|Shamino]] ([[User talk:Shamino|talk]]) 16:37, 12 March 2019 (UTC)

Oh man where are the conspiracy nuts from a few weeks ago ;-) [[User:Cgrimes85|Cgrimes85]] ([[User talk:Cgrimes85|talk]]) 17:03, 8 March 2019 (UTC)
:Hey, I think this works like Beetlejuice. Shush. Don’t jinx it. [[User:Netherin5|Netherin5]] ([[User talk:Netherin5|talk]]) 17:24, 8 March 2019 (UTC)

Ok, I know most of the discussion is focused on the lattice, but are the ships a reference to something? LOTR maybe? Also there’s nothing about the title text at all, and the (more probable than LOTR) Lovecraft reference, considering the mentions of insanity, cosmic horror, and color. (I believe the book was Cool Air?) [[User:Netherin5|Netherin5]] ([[User talk:Netherin5|talk]]) 17:24, 8 March 2019 (UTC)

I think it's notable that the world actually works this way. The sky is full of drones, satellites, {{w|Mesosphere#Exploration_and_uses|nearcraft}}, and we basically can't see them, but they can freely observe us, transmit things to us, and drop things on us. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.185|162.158.79.185]] 17:34, 8 March 2019 (UTC)
:While there are drones, satellites and various tools astronauts dropped all around the sky, the reason we can't see them is simply size (they are too small), not light pollution. The features mentioned in strip are gigantic. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:49, 8 March 2019 (UTC)

I may be too nerdy, but my mind went to Spelljammer on this. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.62.160|172.69.62.160]] 18:44, 8 March 2019 (UTC)

:My thoughts exactly! it perfectly fits Spelljammer crystal spheres. I think it should be included in the explanation (and if not, then at least the source of the whole concept- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crystal_Spheres) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.92.34|162.158.92.34]] 00:13, 9 March 2019 (UTC)

I went to the sky at the end of [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0139809/ Thirteenth Floor]. But the one image I can find suggests that was rectangular. [[User:Jordan Brown|Jordan Brown]] ([[User talk:Jordan Brown|talk]]) 21:47, 8 March 2019 (UTC)

Anybody understands relationship between singular lattice and plural spheres? Is there any lattice that holds the spheres in ancient astronomy?
: Suddenly penny dropped: it is crystal lattice!!!!!11

By the way, the way the lattice really works is that it's a geodesic sphere - sometimes, five triangles meet in a vertex to ensure that the surface closes on itself to form a sphere. It's actually impossible to get a sphere with only 6 triangles in a vertex, aka a "hexagonal tiling": http://www.alaricstephen.com/main-featured/2016/8/15/eulers-gem-applied-to-geodesic-domes.
[[Special:Contributions/173.245.48.63|173.245.48.63]] 21:28, 10 March 2019 (UTC)
: Only if you restrict yourself to using equilateral triangles. If you're allowed to vary the lengths of the edges, then the sum of angles at the center of each "hexagon" will be less than 360 degrees, causing the "hexagon" to flex into a non-planar shape. If you're using these to construct cosmic structures, the difference needed would be minuscule and undetectable to the naked eye. [[User:Shamino|Shamino]] ([[User talk:Shamino|talk]]) 13:03, 12 March 2019 (UTC)

Note that you *would* see regular patterns in the cosmic Big Bang remnant radiation in some cosmological models (think of Arcade scrollers, just in 3D). Citation needed no longer: https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0310253 [[Special:Contributions/198.41.242.46|198.41.242.46]] 10:29, 11 March 2019 (UTC)

'''Earth Temperature Timeline in the foot of the page'''

Has anyone noticed that the Earth Temperature Timeline is in the list of the classic comics at the bottom? I looked on the wayback machine and it looks like it appeared on March 1, but i didnt see anybody mention it on the other talk pages since. Maybe I just missed it though. [[User:Choochoobob123|Choochoobob123]] ([[User talk:Choochoobob123|talk]]) 13:59, 11 March 2019 (UTC)

'''Misleading illustrations'''

Anyone else feel the illustrations (aside from the first and last one) are misleading?
I rarely see the Milky Way in the suburbs, or even in the country. When I've been to very remote places where you can easily see the Milky Way, it looks about like the second illustration. I have never seen the Milky Way as depicted in the third illustration, especially the red coloration. I've been to remote north-eastern PA circa 1986, the desert in Canyon Lands, Utah circa 1990, Jericoacoara in Brazil, circa 2006, and Sifnos island circa 2012. Even if you argue those places aren't the most remote, my point still stands that it was in those places that the sky looked like illustration number two, "Suburbs", and those are not suburbs! And in actual suburbs, the sky does not look like that! (Has anyone ever really seen the sky look like illustration number three from the Earth?) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.244|162.158.63.244]] 23:59, 14 March 2019 (UTC)larK
:Kinda.... in a ski resort in the alps... But I guess which image looks which way then also is dependent on you screen brightness. On my laptop (right now) I do not notice a lot of red coloring on picture 3, and hardly see the milky way in picture 2. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 14:22, 15 March 2019 (UTC)

: I once spent the night alongside a country road in central Pennsylvania USA (Numidia). The sky looked much closer to picture 3 than picture 2. As a lifetime city-boy, I'm still awestruck by the memory. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 05:13, 23 March 2019 (UTC)

I see the sky as #3 from atop Mauna Kea, and during a rare clear night on Adak, Alaska. Also, you can tile nonEuclidean 3D spheres with regular hexagons. [[http://www.linkedin.com/in/Comet Comet]] 20:01, 23 May 2019 (UTC)

Talk:2121: Light Pollution

2019-05-23T01:47:40Z

Comet: Google-tracking URL and subscription-required URL canonicalized to remove tracking and allow non-subscriber access.

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T21:24:09Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */

Seems Randall has a cold again, like two years ago... :D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:03, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Why would taking a medication without binding agents be dangerous? Also, would something like a gelcap count as an inactive ingredient? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.153|162.158.62.153]] 13:28, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Yes. If an ingredient is not intended to produce a therapeutic effect on the body, then it is inactive: "Inactive ingredients are components of a drug product that do not increase or affect the therapeutic action of the active ingredient" https://www.google.com/search?q=inactive+ingredient -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:08, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Binders hold the tablet together, so that instead of taking a powder and possibly missing some grains that fall away or stick to something (which would be dangerous if you need all the medicine for some life threatening condition) you can take the whole tab and get exactly the intended amount of active ingredient. They are also used to make tabs with minuscule quantities of active ingredient larger so that instead of fumbling with an incredibly tiny tablet it is large enough to be easily held and seen, and since the explanation just says "serious problem" not necessarily "dangerous" I could see having to take a single grain of sand sized medicine as being problematic.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.100|108.162.237.100]] 14:45, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Could this comic be a reference to this image? [[https://i.redd.it/q7jcyf21c8ty.jpg]] It was the first thing I thought about when I saw it.

I don't think the "Opening the box would reveal a mix of various colored powders and no way to ensure you are correctly taking the right dose." part is right- it doesn't say no separation in packaging, just that the medicine itself has no binding ingredients, it's just once you open any particular section it would not encourage anything inside of it to stay together. And an additional thought- powders? Some active ingredients may have forms more inconvenient than powders, I'd expect some would form a film on the packaging or other inconvenient behavior, though someone would more knowledge on medicine could correct me on just what raw active ingredients really would be like.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]] 04:18, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Isn't this just BC headache powder but for colds? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.167|162.158.79.167]] 04:57, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Since a cold takes 7 days or a week, depending on treatment, one could make, market and sell such a thing by just selling empty boxes with this "active ingredients only" label. Seems like a good idea for a joint blackhat/beret guy company... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.133|162.158.111.133]] 07:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)
: Black Beret®? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.107|172.68.58.107]] 13:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

I would believe that in medicines, binders are only used with loose dry ingredients to create a solid tablet form. Otherwise, loose dry ingredients can be dispensed in packets; and both dry and liquid ingredients are commonly enclosed in dissolvable capsules, all without the need for added binders. "No binders" seems like simple advertising hyperbole, similar to putting a "Not Enclosed In Solid Stainless Steel" label on a loose apple. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:57, 1 October 2017 (UTC)

There was a time when medicines were not mass manufactured and you would go to your local apothecary (pharmacist) and the medicine would be formulated on the spot and handed to you as powders wrapped in paper. Such powders while not having any mixers would have questionable purity. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:48, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

An [http://en.wikipedia.org/Ampoule ampoule] could contain medicine with only active ingredients. But, very likely, the dose would be very small and getting it out of the ampoule would result in a very imprecise dosage. In real life, medicine in ampoules tends to be very diluted.

== Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? ==

Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, maltose, dextrose
The first four covers all "competing" code medicines for generalized aches and pains, facial pain, fever, and headache. For this mixture, I would reduce the amounts of ibuprofen and naproxen from commonly seen amounts, as they affecting the same pathways, of course!
The last two items on my list are placeholder placebos, to cover any of the other listed ailments which may not be affected by the first four, but perhaps somebody can improve on my list to add some chemicals that don't have bad interactions with the first four. Perhaps Doxylamine and Diphenhydramine, each at dosages reduced from common amounts, to relieve watery eyes, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, and difficult in getting to sleep. If these last two were added, then the medicine would be recommended to be taken a certain time before going to bed, and a warning against driving or operating heavy machinery would appear on the part of the package not shown in the comic.

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T21:22:42Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T21:08:21Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T21:06:30Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */

Seems Randall has a cold again, like two years ago... :D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:03, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Why would taking a medication without binding agents be dangerous? Also, would something like a gelcap count as an inactive ingredient? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.153|162.158.62.153]] 13:28, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Yes. If an ingredient is not intended to produce a therapeutic effect on the body, then it is inactive: "Inactive ingredients are components of a drug product that do not increase or affect the therapeutic action of the active ingredient" https://www.google.com/search?q=inactive+ingredient -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:08, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Binders hold the tablet together, so that instead of taking a powder and possibly missing some grains that fall away or stick to something (which would be dangerous if you need all the medicine for some life threatening condition) you can take the whole tab and get exactly the intended amount of active ingredient. They are also used to make tabs with minuscule quantities of active ingredient larger so that instead of fumbling with an incredibly tiny tablet it is large enough to be easily held and seen, and since the explanation just says "serious problem" not necessarily "dangerous" I could see having to take a single grain of sand sized medicine as being problematic.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.100|108.162.237.100]] 14:45, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Could this comic be a reference to this image? [[https://i.redd.it/q7jcyf21c8ty.jpg]] It was the first thing I thought about when I saw it.

I don't think the "Opening the box would reveal a mix of various colored powders and no way to ensure you are correctly taking the right dose." part is right- it doesn't say no separation in packaging, just that the medicine itself has no binding ingredients, it's just once you open any particular section it would not encourage anything inside of it to stay together. And an additional thought- powders? Some active ingredients may have forms more inconvenient than powders, I'd expect some would form a film on the packaging or other inconvenient behavior, though someone would more knowledge on medicine could correct me on just what raw active ingredients really would be like.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]] 04:18, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Isn't this just BC headache powder but for colds? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.167|162.158.79.167]] 04:57, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Since a cold takes 7 days or a week, depending on treatment, one could make, market and sell such a thing by just selling empty boxes with this "active ingredients only" label. Seems like a good idea for a joint blackhat/beret guy company... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.133|162.158.111.133]] 07:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)
: Black Beret®? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.107|172.68.58.107]] 13:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

I would believe that in medicines, binders are only used with loose dry ingredients to create a solid tablet form. Otherwise, loose dry ingredients can be dispensed in packets; and both dry and liquid ingredients are commonly enclosed in dissolvable capsules, all without the need for added binders. "No binders" seems like simple advertising hyperbole, similar to putting a "Not Enclosed In Solid Stainless Steel" label on a loose apple. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:57, 1 October 2017 (UTC)

There was a time when medicines were not mass manufactured and you would go to your local apothecary (pharmacist) and the medicine would be formulated on the spot and handed to you as powders wrapped in paper. Such powders while not having any mixers would have questionable purity. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:48, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

An [http://en.wikipedia.org/Ampoule ampoule] could contain medicine with only active ingredients. But, very likely, the dose would be very small and getting it out of the ampoule would result in a very imprecise dosage. In real life, medicine in ampoules tends to be very diluted.

== Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? ==

Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, maltose, dextrose
The first four covers all "competing" code medicines for generalized aches and pains, facial pain, fever, and headache. For this mixture, I would reduce the amounts of ibuprofen and naproxen from commonly seen amounts, as they affecting the same pathways, of course!
The last two items on my list are placeholder placebos, to cover any of the other listed ailments which may not be affected by the first four, but perhaps somebody can improve on my list to add some chemicals that don't have bad interactions with the first four. Maybe Diphenhydramine and Doxylamine, which are antihistamines and sleep aids; they would cover all "competing" cold medicines for this aspect.

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T21:05:47Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */

Seems Randall has a cold again, like two years ago... :D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:03, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Why would taking a medication without binding agents be dangerous? Also, would something like a gelcap count as an inactive ingredient? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.153|162.158.62.153]] 13:28, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Yes. If an ingredient is not intended to produce a therapeutic effect on the body, then it is inactive: "Inactive ingredients are components of a drug product that do not increase or affect the therapeutic action of the active ingredient" https://www.google.com/search?q=inactive+ingredient -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:08, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Binders hold the tablet together, so that instead of taking a powder and possibly missing some grains that fall away or stick to something (which would be dangerous if you need all the medicine for some life threatening condition) you can take the whole tab and get exactly the intended amount of active ingredient. They are also used to make tabs with minuscule quantities of active ingredient larger so that instead of fumbling with an incredibly tiny tablet it is large enough to be easily held and seen, and since the explanation just says "serious problem" not necessarily "dangerous" I could see having to take a single grain of sand sized medicine as being problematic.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.100|108.162.237.100]] 14:45, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Could this comic be a reference to this image? [[https://i.redd.it/q7jcyf21c8ty.jpg]] It was the first thing I thought about when I saw it.

I don't think the "Opening the box would reveal a mix of various colored powders and no way to ensure you are correctly taking the right dose." part is right- it doesn't say no separation in packaging, just that the medicine itself has no binding ingredients, it's just once you open any particular section it would not encourage anything inside of it to stay together. And an additional thought- powders? Some active ingredients may have forms more inconvenient than powders, I'd expect some would form a film on the packaging or other inconvenient behavior, though someone would more knowledge on medicine could correct me on just what raw active ingredients really would be like.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]] 04:18, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Isn't this just BC headache powder but for colds? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.167|162.158.79.167]] 04:57, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Since a cold takes 7 days or a week, depending on treatment, one could make, market and sell such a thing by just selling empty boxes with this "active ingredients only" label. Seems like a good idea for a joint blackhat/beret guy company... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.133|162.158.111.133]] 07:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)
: Black Beret®? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.107|172.68.58.107]] 13:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

I would believe that in medicines, binders are only used with loose dry ingredients to create a solid tablet form. Otherwise, loose dry ingredients can be dispensed in packets; and both dry and liquid ingredients are commonly enclosed in dissolvable capsules, all without the need for added binders. "No binders" seems like simple advertising hyperbole, similar to putting a "Not Enclosed In Solid Stainless Steel" label on a loose apple. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:57, 1 October 2017 (UTC)

There was a time when medicines were not mass manufactured and you would go to your local apothecary (pharmacist) and the medicine would be formulated on the spot and handed to you as powders wrapped in paper. Such powders while not having any mixers would have questionable purity. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:48, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

An [http://en.wikipedia.org/Ampoule ampoule] could contain medicine with only active ingredients. But, very likely, the dose would be very small and getting it out of the ampoule would result in a very imprecise dosage. In real life, medicine in ampoules tends to be very diluted.

== Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? ==

Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, maltose, dextrose
The first four covers all "competing" code medicines for generalized aches and pains, facial pain, fever, and headache. For this mixture, I would reduce the amounts of ibuprofen and naproxen from commonly seen amounts, as they affecting the same pathways, of course!
The last two items on my list are placeholder placebos, to cover the other listed ailments, but perhaps somebody can improve on my list to add some chemicals that don't have bad interactions with the first four. Maybe Diphenhydramine and Doxylamine, which are antihistamines and sleep aids; they would cover all "competing" cold medicines for this aspect.

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T21:02:06Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */

Seems Randall has a cold again, like two years ago... :D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:03, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Why would taking a medication without binding agents be dangerous? Also, would something like a gelcap count as an inactive ingredient? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.153|162.158.62.153]] 13:28, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Yes. If an ingredient is not intended to produce a therapeutic effect on the body, then it is inactive: "Inactive ingredients are components of a drug product that do not increase or affect the therapeutic action of the active ingredient" https://www.google.com/search?q=inactive+ingredient -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:08, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Binders hold the tablet together, so that instead of taking a powder and possibly missing some grains that fall away or stick to something (which would be dangerous if you need all the medicine for some life threatening condition) you can take the whole tab and get exactly the intended amount of active ingredient. They are also used to make tabs with minuscule quantities of active ingredient larger so that instead of fumbling with an incredibly tiny tablet it is large enough to be easily held and seen, and since the explanation just says "serious problem" not necessarily "dangerous" I could see having to take a single grain of sand sized medicine as being problematic.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.100|108.162.237.100]] 14:45, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Could this comic be a reference to this image? [[https://i.redd.it/q7jcyf21c8ty.jpg]] It was the first thing I thought about when I saw it.

I don't think the "Opening the box would reveal a mix of various colored powders and no way to ensure you are correctly taking the right dose." part is right- it doesn't say no separation in packaging, just that the medicine itself has no binding ingredients, it's just once you open any particular section it would not encourage anything inside of it to stay together. And an additional thought- powders? Some active ingredients may have forms more inconvenient than powders, I'd expect some would form a film on the packaging or other inconvenient behavior, though someone would more knowledge on medicine could correct me on just what raw active ingredients really would be like.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]] 04:18, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Isn't this just BC headache powder but for colds? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.167|162.158.79.167]] 04:57, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Since a cold takes 7 days or a week, depending on treatment, one could make, market and sell such a thing by just selling empty boxes with this "active ingredients only" label. Seems like a good idea for a joint blackhat/beret guy company... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.133|162.158.111.133]] 07:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)
: Black Beret®? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.107|172.68.58.107]] 13:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

I would believe that in medicines, binders are only used with loose dry ingredients to create a solid tablet form. Otherwise, loose dry ingredients can be dispensed in packets; and both dry and liquid ingredients are commonly enclosed in dissolvable capsules, all without the need for added binders. "No binders" seems like simple advertising hyperbole, similar to putting a "Not Enclosed In Solid Stainless Steel" label on a loose apple. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:57, 1 October 2017 (UTC)

There was a time when medicines were not mass manufactured and you would go to your local apothecary (pharmacist) and the medicine would be formulated on the spot and handed to you as powders wrapped in paper. Such powders while not having any mixers would have questionable purity. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:48, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

An [http://en.wikipedia.org/Ampoule ampoule] could contain medicine with only active ingredients. But, very likely, the dose would be very small and getting it out of the ampoule would result in a very imprecise dosage. In real life, medicine in ampoules tends to be very diluted.

== Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? ==

Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, maltose, dextrose
The first four covers all "competing" code medicines for generalized aches and pains, facial pain, fever, and headache. For this mixture, I would reduce the amounts of ibuprofen and naproxen from commonly seen amounts, as they affecting the same pathways, of course!
The last two items on my list are placeholder placebos, to cover the other listed ailments, but perhaps somebody can improve on my list to add some chemicals that don't have bad interactions with the first four.

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T21:01:31Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */

Seems Randall has a cold again, like two years ago... :D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:03, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Why would taking a medication without binding agents be dangerous? Also, would something like a gelcap count as an inactive ingredient? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.153|162.158.62.153]] 13:28, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Yes. If an ingredient is not intended to produce a therapeutic effect on the body, then it is inactive: "Inactive ingredients are components of a drug product that do not increase or affect the therapeutic action of the active ingredient" https://www.google.com/search?q=inactive+ingredient -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:08, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Binders hold the tablet together, so that instead of taking a powder and possibly missing some grains that fall away or stick to something (which would be dangerous if you need all the medicine for some life threatening condition) you can take the whole tab and get exactly the intended amount of active ingredient. They are also used to make tabs with minuscule quantities of active ingredient larger so that instead of fumbling with an incredibly tiny tablet it is large enough to be easily held and seen, and since the explanation just says "serious problem" not necessarily "dangerous" I could see having to take a single grain of sand sized medicine as being problematic.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.100|108.162.237.100]] 14:45, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Could this comic be a reference to this image? [[https://i.redd.it/q7jcyf21c8ty.jpg]] It was the first thing I thought about when I saw it.

I don't think the "Opening the box would reveal a mix of various colored powders and no way to ensure you are correctly taking the right dose." part is right- it doesn't say no separation in packaging, just that the medicine itself has no binding ingredients, it's just once you open any particular section it would not encourage anything inside of it to stay together. And an additional thought- powders? Some active ingredients may have forms more inconvenient than powders, I'd expect some would form a film on the packaging or other inconvenient behavior, though someone would more knowledge on medicine could correct me on just what raw active ingredients really would be like.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]] 04:18, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Isn't this just BC headache powder but for colds? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.167|162.158.79.167]] 04:57, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Since a cold takes 7 days or a week, depending on treatment, one could make, market and sell such a thing by just selling empty boxes with this "active ingredients only" label. Seems like a good idea for a joint blackhat/beret guy company... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.133|162.158.111.133]] 07:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)
: Black Beret®? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.107|172.68.58.107]] 13:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

I would believe that in medicines, binders are only used with loose dry ingredients to create a solid tablet form. Otherwise, loose dry ingredients can be dispensed in packets; and both dry and liquid ingredients are commonly enclosed in dissolvable capsules, all without the need for added binders. "No binders" seems like simple advertising hyperbole, similar to putting a "Not Enclosed In Solid Stainless Steel" label on a loose apple. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:57, 1 October 2017 (UTC)

There was a time when medicines were not mass manufactured and you would go to your local apothecary (pharmacist) and the medicine would be formulated on the spot and handed to you as powders wrapped in paper. Such powders while not having any mixers would have questionable purity. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:48, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

An [http://en.wikipedia.org/Ampoule ampoule] could contain medicine with only active ingredients. But, very likely, the dose would be very small and getting it out of the ampoule would result in a very imprecise dosage. In real life, medicine in ampoules tends to be very diluted.

== Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? ==

Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, maltose, dextrose
The first four covers all "competing" code medicines for generalized aches and pains, facial pain, fever, and headache. For this mixture, I would reduce the amounts of ibuprofen and naproxen from commonly seen amounts, as they affecting the same pathwas, of course!
The last two items on my list are placeholder placebos, to cover the other listed ailments, but perhaps somebody can improve on my list to add some chemicals that don't have bad interactions with the first four.

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T21:01:08Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */

Seems Randall has a cold again, like two years ago... :D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:03, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Why would taking a medication without binding agents be dangerous? Also, would something like a gelcap count as an inactive ingredient? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.153|162.158.62.153]] 13:28, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Yes. If an ingredient is not intended to produce a therapeutic effect on the body, then it is inactive: "Inactive ingredients are components of a drug product that do not increase or affect the therapeutic action of the active ingredient" https://www.google.com/search?q=inactive+ingredient -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:08, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Binders hold the tablet together, so that instead of taking a powder and possibly missing some grains that fall away or stick to something (which would be dangerous if you need all the medicine for some life threatening condition) you can take the whole tab and get exactly the intended amount of active ingredient. They are also used to make tabs with minuscule quantities of active ingredient larger so that instead of fumbling with an incredibly tiny tablet it is large enough to be easily held and seen, and since the explanation just says "serious problem" not necessarily "dangerous" I could see having to take a single grain of sand sized medicine as being problematic.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.100|108.162.237.100]] 14:45, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Could this comic be a reference to this image? [[https://i.redd.it/q7jcyf21c8ty.jpg]] It was the first thing I thought about when I saw it.

I don't think the "Opening the box would reveal a mix of various colored powders and no way to ensure you are correctly taking the right dose." part is right- it doesn't say no separation in packaging, just that the medicine itself has no binding ingredients, it's just once you open any particular section it would not encourage anything inside of it to stay together. And an additional thought- powders? Some active ingredients may have forms more inconvenient than powders, I'd expect some would form a film on the packaging or other inconvenient behavior, though someone would more knowledge on medicine could correct me on just what raw active ingredients really would be like.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]] 04:18, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Isn't this just BC headache powder but for colds? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.167|162.158.79.167]] 04:57, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Since a cold takes 7 days or a week, depending on treatment, one could make, market and sell such a thing by just selling empty boxes with this "active ingredients only" label. Seems like a good idea for a joint blackhat/beret guy company... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.133|162.158.111.133]] 07:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)
: Black Beret®? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.107|172.68.58.107]] 13:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

I would believe that in medicines, binders are only used with loose dry ingredients to create a solid tablet form. Otherwise, loose dry ingredients can be dispensed in packets; and both dry and liquid ingredients are commonly enclosed in dissolvable capsules, all without the need for added binders. "No binders" seems like simple advertising hyperbole, similar to putting a "Not Enclosed In Solid Stainless Steel" label on a loose apple. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:57, 1 October 2017 (UTC)

There was a time when medicines were not mass manufactured and you would go to your local apothecary (pharmacist) and the medicine would be formulated on the spot and handed to you as powders wrapped in paper. Such powders while not having any mixers would have questionable purity. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:48, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

An [http://en.wikipedia.org/Ampoule ampoule] could contain medicine with only active ingredients. But, very likely, the dose would be very small and getting it out of the ampoule would result in a very imprecise dosage. In real life, medicine in ampoules tends to be very diluted.

== Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? ==

Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, maltose, dextrose
The first four covers all "competing" code medicines for generalized aches and pains, facial pain, fever, and headache. For this mixture, I would reduce the amounts of ibuprofen and naproxen from commonly seen amounts, as they affecting the same pathwas, of course!
The last two drugs are placeholder placebos, to cover the other listed ailments, but perhaps somebody can improve on my list to add some chemicals that don't have bad interactions with the first four.

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T20:58:25Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */

Seems Randall has a cold again, like two years ago... :D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:03, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Why would taking a medication without binding agents be dangerous? Also, would something like a gelcap count as an inactive ingredient? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.153|162.158.62.153]] 13:28, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Yes. If an ingredient is not intended to produce a therapeutic effect on the body, then it is inactive: "Inactive ingredients are components of a drug product that do not increase or affect the therapeutic action of the active ingredient" https://www.google.com/search?q=inactive+ingredient -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:08, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Binders hold the tablet together, so that instead of taking a powder and possibly missing some grains that fall away or stick to something (which would be dangerous if you need all the medicine for some life threatening condition) you can take the whole tab and get exactly the intended amount of active ingredient. They are also used to make tabs with minuscule quantities of active ingredient larger so that instead of fumbling with an incredibly tiny tablet it is large enough to be easily held and seen, and since the explanation just says "serious problem" not necessarily "dangerous" I could see having to take a single grain of sand sized medicine as being problematic.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.100|108.162.237.100]] 14:45, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Could this comic be a reference to this image? [[https://i.redd.it/q7jcyf21c8ty.jpg]] It was the first thing I thought about when I saw it.

I don't think the "Opening the box would reveal a mix of various colored powders and no way to ensure you are correctly taking the right dose." part is right- it doesn't say no separation in packaging, just that the medicine itself has no binding ingredients, it's just once you open any particular section it would not encourage anything inside of it to stay together. And an additional thought- powders? Some active ingredients may have forms more inconvenient than powders, I'd expect some would form a film on the packaging or other inconvenient behavior, though someone would more knowledge on medicine could correct me on just what raw active ingredients really would be like.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]] 04:18, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Isn't this just BC headache powder but for colds? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.167|162.158.79.167]] 04:57, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Since a cold takes 7 days or a week, depending on treatment, one could make, market and sell such a thing by just selling empty boxes with this "active ingredients only" label. Seems like a good idea for a joint blackhat/beret guy company... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.133|162.158.111.133]] 07:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)
: Black Beret®? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.107|172.68.58.107]] 13:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

I would believe that in medicines, binders are only used with loose dry ingredients to create a solid tablet form. Otherwise, loose dry ingredients can be dispensed in packets; and both dry and liquid ingredients are commonly enclosed in dissolvable capsules, all without the need for added binders. "No binders" seems like simple advertising hyperbole, similar to putting a "Not Enclosed In Solid Stainless Steel" label on a loose apple. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:57, 1 October 2017 (UTC)

There was a time when medicines were not mass manufactured and you would go to your local apothecary (pharmacist) and the medicine would be formulated on the spot and handed to you as powders wrapped in paper. Such powders while not having any mixers would have questionable purity. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:48, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

An [http://en.wikipedia.org/Ampoule ampoule] could contain medicine with only active ingredients. But, very likely, the dose would be very small and getting it out of the ampoule would result in a very imprecise dosage. In real life, medicine in ampoules tends to be very diluted.

== Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? ==

Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, maltose, dextrose
The first four covers all "competing" code medicines for generalized aches and pains, facial pain, fever, and headache. For this mixture, I would reduce the amounts of those drugs affecting the same pathwas, of course!
The last two drugs are placeholder placebos, to cover the other listed ailments, but perhaps somebody can improve on my list to add some chemicals that don't have bad interactions with the first four.

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T20:57:51Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */

Seems Randall has a cold again, like two years ago... :D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:03, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Why would taking a medication without binding agents be dangerous? Also, would something like a gelcap count as an inactive ingredient? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.153|162.158.62.153]] 13:28, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Yes. If an ingredient is not intended to produce a therapeutic effect on the body, then it is inactive: "Inactive ingredients are components of a drug product that do not increase or affect the therapeutic action of the active ingredient" https://www.google.com/search?q=inactive+ingredient -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:08, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Binders hold the tablet together, so that instead of taking a powder and possibly missing some grains that fall away or stick to something (which would be dangerous if you need all the medicine for some life threatening condition) you can take the whole tab and get exactly the intended amount of active ingredient. They are also used to make tabs with minuscule quantities of active ingredient larger so that instead of fumbling with an incredibly tiny tablet it is large enough to be easily held and seen, and since the explanation just says "serious problem" not necessarily "dangerous" I could see having to take a single grain of sand sized medicine as being problematic.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.100|108.162.237.100]] 14:45, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Could this comic be a reference to this image? [[https://i.redd.it/q7jcyf21c8ty.jpg]] It was the first thing I thought about when I saw it.

I don't think the "Opening the box would reveal a mix of various colored powders and no way to ensure you are correctly taking the right dose." part is right- it doesn't say no separation in packaging, just that the medicine itself has no binding ingredients, it's just once you open any particular section it would not encourage anything inside of it to stay together. And an additional thought- powders? Some active ingredients may have forms more inconvenient than powders, I'd expect some would form a film on the packaging or other inconvenient behavior, though someone would more knowledge on medicine could correct me on just what raw active ingredients really would be like.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]] 04:18, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Isn't this just BC headache powder but for colds? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.167|162.158.79.167]] 04:57, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Since a cold takes 7 days or a week, depending on treatment, one could make, market and sell such a thing by just selling empty boxes with this "active ingredients only" label. Seems like a good idea for a joint blackhat/beret guy company... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.133|162.158.111.133]] 07:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)
: Black Beret®? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.107|172.68.58.107]] 13:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

I would believe that in medicines, binders are only used with loose dry ingredients to create a solid tablet form. Otherwise, loose dry ingredients can be dispensed in packets; and both dry and liquid ingredients are commonly enclosed in dissolvable capsules, all without the need for added binders. "No binders" seems like simple advertising hyperbole, similar to putting a "Not Enclosed In Solid Stainless Steel" label on a loose apple. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:57, 1 October 2017 (UTC)

There was a time when medicines were not mass manufactured and you would go to your local apothecary (pharmacist) and the medicine would be formulated on the spot and handed to you as powders wrapped in paper. Such powders while not having any mixers would have questionable purity. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:48, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

An [http://en.wikipedia.org/Ampoule ampoule] could contain medicine with only active ingredients. But, very likely, the dose would be very small and getting it out of the ampoule would result in a very imprecise dosage. In real life, medicine in ampoules tends to be very diluted.

== Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? ==

Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, maltose, dextrose
The first four covers all "competing" code medicines for generalized aches and pains, facial pain, fever, and headache. For this mixture, I would reduce the amounts of those drugs affecting the same pathwas, of course!
The last two drugs are placeholder placebos, but perhaps somebody can improve on my list to add some chemicals that don't have bad interactions with the first four.

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T20:50:31Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */

Seems Randall has a cold again, like two years ago... :D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:03, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Why would taking a medication without binding agents be dangerous? Also, would something like a gelcap count as an inactive ingredient? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.153|162.158.62.153]] 13:28, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Yes. If an ingredient is not intended to produce a therapeutic effect on the body, then it is inactive: "Inactive ingredients are components of a drug product that do not increase or affect the therapeutic action of the active ingredient" https://www.google.com/search?q=inactive+ingredient -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:08, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Binders hold the tablet together, so that instead of taking a powder and possibly missing some grains that fall away or stick to something (which would be dangerous if you need all the medicine for some life threatening condition) you can take the whole tab and get exactly the intended amount of active ingredient. They are also used to make tabs with minuscule quantities of active ingredient larger so that instead of fumbling with an incredibly tiny tablet it is large enough to be easily held and seen, and since the explanation just says "serious problem" not necessarily "dangerous" I could see having to take a single grain of sand sized medicine as being problematic.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.100|108.162.237.100]] 14:45, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Could this comic be a reference to this image? [[https://i.redd.it/q7jcyf21c8ty.jpg]] It was the first thing I thought about when I saw it.

I don't think the "Opening the box would reveal a mix of various colored powders and no way to ensure you are correctly taking the right dose." part is right- it doesn't say no separation in packaging, just that the medicine itself has no binding ingredients, it's just once you open any particular section it would not encourage anything inside of it to stay together. And an additional thought- powders? Some active ingredients may have forms more inconvenient than powders, I'd expect some would form a film on the packaging or other inconvenient behavior, though someone would more knowledge on medicine could correct me on just what raw active ingredients really would be like.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]] 04:18, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Isn't this just BC headache powder but for colds? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.167|162.158.79.167]] 04:57, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Since a cold takes 7 days or a week, depending on treatment, one could make, market and sell such a thing by just selling empty boxes with this "active ingredients only" label. Seems like a good idea for a joint blackhat/beret guy company... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.133|162.158.111.133]] 07:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)
: Black Beret®? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.107|172.68.58.107]] 13:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

I would believe that in medicines, binders are only used with loose dry ingredients to create a solid tablet form. Otherwise, loose dry ingredients can be dispensed in packets; and both dry and liquid ingredients are commonly enclosed in dissolvable capsules, all without the need for added binders. "No binders" seems like simple advertising hyperbole, similar to putting a "Not Enclosed In Solid Stainless Steel" label on a loose apple. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:57, 1 October 2017 (UTC)

There was a time when medicines were not mass manufactured and you would go to your local apothecary (pharmacist) and the medicine would be formulated on the spot and handed to you as powders wrapped in paper. Such powders while not having any mixers would have questionable purity. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:48, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

An [http://en.wikipedia.org/Ampoule ampoule] could contain medicine with only active ingredients. But, very likely, the dose would be very small and getting it out of the ampoule would result in a very imprecise dosage. In real life, medicine in ampoules tends to be very diluted.

== Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? ==

Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen sodium, maltose, dextrose
The first four are enough to cover all "competing" code medicines; the last two are to make it a tasty placebo.

1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T20:43:22Z

Comet: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1896
| date = September 29, 2017
| title = Active Ingredients Only
| image = active_ingredients_only.png
| titletext = Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a reference to how all medicine typically has one (or a few) "Active" ingredient and many "Inactive" ingredients. This is played against the current trend of advertising food as containing "no additives and no preservatives".

[https://www.walgreens.com/topic/faq/questionandanswer.jsp?questionTierId=700008&faqId=1200068]Compounding pharmacists ''mix drugs without certain inactive ingredients such as preservatives, dyes, or binders for a patient who is allergic to these components.''

[[Randall]] thus presents a pack of {{w|Common cold|cold}} medicine that has "Active Ingredients Only", which is the name of the brand as can be seen since it has "™" after the name (the unregistered {{w|trademark}} symbol). It has six active ingredients and no inactive ingredients.

Cold medicines are commonly paged in blister packs, with each dose contained separately, and vegans commonly open up gelatin capsules and discard the capsule, ingesting only the contents of the pill. By removing the inactive ingredients of the gelatin and the requirement to open it up, the slogan ''We're not here to waste your time'', the slogan is justified. This slogan is also trademarked.

The slogan is a registered trademark (®) while the product name is a common law trademark. This means that the slogan likely stays the same, while the product name changes from time to time.

TItle text: Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
This may be be a follow-up (or a wish from Randall) after [[1618: Cold Medicine]], where [[Cueball]] wishes to try all possible types of cold medicine at once.
This implies that the active ingredients have been found to have a beneficial effect on multiple conditions.

The main joke is that popular cold medicines contain no antiviral ingredients at all, and treat symptoms only, as well as rely on the placebo effect. Having a sugar pill would possibly heal your body of a cold just as well, which may be a follow-up to [[1526: Placebo Blocker]], where a sugar pill is offered to treat a headache.

A secondary joke is by claiming the active ingredients from all "competing" cold medicines, the company producing this "Active Ingredients Only" may choose whom they say they are competing against. Some cold medications treat only pain and fever, for example, and do nothing for cough, congestion, runny nose and sneezing. Doctors recommend medicines which aid for the particular symptoms of the cold one is experiencing.

[[http://www.linkedin.com/in/Comet Comet]] 20:43, 6 October 2017 (UTC)
Take two aspirin, and call me in the morning.

==Transcript==

:[A picture of a pack of cold medicine. At the top there is a large advert in three lines. In a black line, to the right of the advert, white text states what kind of medicine is in the pack. Below to the left is a square frame listing ingredients. Most of the text inside this frame is unreadable scribbles. To the right of the frame is another advert inside a black frame. On the side of the box are also unreadable scribbles, both at the top and down next to the ingredients list. At the bottom of the box it can be seen how the pack can open up.]
:<big>Active Ingredients</big>
:<big><big>'''Only'''</big></big>TM
:We're not here to waste your time®

:Cold Medicine

:Active ingredients
:[Six lines of scribbles, with first a name, then a statement in brackets and finally a column right of this with a short line of scribbles.]

:Inactive ingredients
:None

:<big>No binders!</big>

{{comic discussion}}

1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T20:41:40Z

Comet: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1896
| date = September 29, 2017
| title = Active Ingredients Only
| image = active_ingredients_only.png
| titletext = Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a reference to how all medicine typically has one (or a few) "Active" ingredient and many "Inactive" ingredients. This is played against the current trend of advertising food as containing "no additives and no preservatives".

[https://www.walgreens.com/topic/faq/questionandanswer.jsp?questionTierId=700008&faqId=1200068]Compounding pharmacists ''mix drugs without certain inactive ingredients such as preservatives, dyes, or binders for a patient who is allergic to these components.''

[[Randall]] thus presents a pack of {{w|Common cold|cold}} medicine that has "Active Ingredients Only", which is the name of the brand as can be seen since it has "™" after the name (the unregistered {{w|trademark}} symbol). It has six active ingredients and no inactive ingredients.

Cold medicines are commonly paged in blister packs, with each dose contained separately, and vegans commonly open up gelatin capsules and discard the capsule, ingesting only the contents of the pill. By removing the inactive ingredients of the gelatin and the requirement to open it up, the slogan ''We're not here to waste your time'', the slogan is justified. This slogan is also trademarked.

The slogan is a registered trademark (®) while the product name is a common law trademark. This means that the slogan likely stays the same, while the product name changes from time to time.

TItle text: Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
This may be be a follow-up (or a wish from Randall) after [[1618: Cold Medicine]], where [[Cueball]] wishes to try all possible types of cold medicine at once.
This implies that the active ingredients have been found to have a beneficial effect on multiple conditions.

The main joke is that popular cold medicines contain no antiviral ingredients at all, and treat symptoms only, as well as rely on the placebo effect. Having a sugar pill would possibly heal your body of a cold just as well, which may be a follow-up to [[1526: Placebo Blocker]], where a sugar pill is offered to treat a headache.

A secondary joke is by claiming the active ingredients from all "competing" cold medicines, the company producing this "Active Ingredients Only" may choose whom they say they are competing against. Some cold medications treat only pain and fever, for example, and do nothing for cough, congestion, runny nose and sneezing.

==Transcript==

:[A picture of a pack of cold medicine. At the top there is a large advert in three lines. In a black line, to the right of the advert, white text states what kind of medicine is in the pack. Below to the left is a square frame listing ingredients. Most of the text inside this frame is unreadable scribbles. To the right of the frame is another advert inside a black frame. On the side of the box are also unreadable scribbles, both at the top and down next to the ingredients list. At the bottom of the box it can be seen how the pack can open up.]
:<big>Active Ingredients</big>
:<big><big>'''Only'''</big></big>TM
:We're not here to waste your time®

:Cold Medicine

:Active ingredients
:[Six lines of scribbles, with first a name, then a statement in brackets and finally a column right of this with a short line of scribbles.]

:Inactive ingredients
:None

:<big>No binders!</big>

{{comic discussion}}

1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T20:40:55Z

Comet: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1896
| date = September 29, 2017
| title = Active Ingredients Only
| image = active_ingredients_only.png
| titletext = Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a reference to how all medicine typically has one (or a few) "Active" ingredient and many "Inactive" ingredients. This is played against the current trend of advertising food as containing "no additives and no preservatives".

[https://www.walgreens.com/topic/faq/questionandanswer.jsp?questionTierId=700008&faqId=1200068]Compounding pharmacists ''mix drugs without certain inactive ingredients such as preservatives, dyes, or binders for a patient who is allergic to these components.''

[[Randall]] thus presents a pack of {{w|Common cold|cold}} medicine that has "Active Ingredients Only", which is the name of the brand as can be seen since it has "™" after the name (the unregistered {{w|trademark}} symbol). It has six active ingredients and no inactive ingredients.

Cold medicines are commonly paged in blister packs, with each dose contained separately, and vegans commonly open up gelatin capsules and discard the capsule, ingesting only the contents of the pill. By removing the inactive ingredients of the gelatin and the requirement to open it up, the slogan ''We're not here to waste your time'', the slogan is justified. This slogan is also trademarked.

The slogan is a registered trademark (®) while the product name is a common law trademark. This means that the slogan likely stays the same, while the product name changes from time to time.

TItle text: Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
This may be be a follow-up (or a wish from Randall) after [[1618: Cold Medicine]], where [[Cueball]] wishes to try all possible types of cold medicine at once.
This implies that the active ingredients have been found to have a beneficial effect on multiple conditions.

The main joke is that popular cold medicines contain no antiviral ingredients at all, and treat symptoms only, as well as rely on the placebo effect. Having a sugar pill would possibly heal your body of a cold just as well, which may be a follow-up to [[1526: Placebo Blocker]], where a sugar pill is offered to treat a headache.

A secondary joke is by claiming the active ingredients from all "competing" cold medicines, the company producing this "Active Ingredients Only" may choose whom they say they are competing against. Some cold medications treat only pain and fever, for example.

==Transcript==

:[A picture of a pack of cold medicine. At the top there is a large advert in three lines. In a black line, to the right of the advert, white text states what kind of medicine is in the pack. Below to the left is a square frame listing ingredients. Most of the text inside this frame is unreadable scribbles. To the right of the frame is another advert inside a black frame. On the side of the box are also unreadable scribbles, both at the top and down next to the ingredients list. At the bottom of the box it can be seen how the pack can open up.]
:<big>Active Ingredients</big>
:<big><big>'''Only'''</big></big>TM
:We're not here to waste your time®

:Cold Medicine

:Active ingredients
:[Six lines of scribbles, with first a name, then a statement in brackets and finally a column right of this with a short line of scribbles.]

:Inactive ingredients
:None

:<big>No binders!</big>

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T20:39:25Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */

Seems Randall has a cold again, like two years ago... :D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:03, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Why would taking a medication without binding agents be dangerous? Also, would something like a gelcap count as an inactive ingredient? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.153|162.158.62.153]] 13:28, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Yes. If an ingredient is not intended to produce a therapeutic effect on the body, then it is inactive: "Inactive ingredients are components of a drug product that do not increase or affect the therapeutic action of the active ingredient" https://www.google.com/search?q=inactive+ingredient -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:08, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Binders hold the tablet together, so that instead of taking a powder and possibly missing some grains that fall away or stick to something (which would be dangerous if you need all the medicine for some life threatening condition) you can take the whole tab and get exactly the intended amount of active ingredient. They are also used to make tabs with minuscule quantities of active ingredient larger so that instead of fumbling with an incredibly tiny tablet it is large enough to be easily held and seen, and since the explanation just says "serious problem" not necessarily "dangerous" I could see having to take a single grain of sand sized medicine as being problematic.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.100|108.162.237.100]] 14:45, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Could this comic be a reference to this image? [[https://i.redd.it/q7jcyf21c8ty.jpg]] It was the first thing I thought about when I saw it.

I don't think the "Opening the box would reveal a mix of various colored powders and no way to ensure you are correctly taking the right dose." part is right- it doesn't say no separation in packaging, just that the medicine itself has no binding ingredients, it's just once you open any particular section it would not encourage anything inside of it to stay together. And an additional thought- powders? Some active ingredients may have forms more inconvenient than powders, I'd expect some would form a film on the packaging or other inconvenient behavior, though someone would more knowledge on medicine could correct me on just what raw active ingredients really would be like.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]] 04:18, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Isn't this just BC headache powder but for colds? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.167|162.158.79.167]] 04:57, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Since a cold takes 7 days or a week, depending on treatment, one could make, market and sell such a thing by just selling empty boxes with this "active ingredients only" label. Seems like a good idea for a joint blackhat/beret guy company... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.133|162.158.111.133]] 07:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)
: Black Beret®? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.107|172.68.58.107]] 13:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

I would believe that in medicines, binders are only used with loose dry ingredients to create a solid tablet form. Otherwise, loose dry ingredients can be dispensed in packets; and both dry and liquid ingredients are commonly enclosed in dissolvable capsules, all without the need for added binders. "No binders" seems like simple advertising hyperbole, similar to putting a "Not Enclosed In Solid Stainless Steel" label on a loose apple. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:57, 1 October 2017 (UTC)

There was a time when medicines were not mass manufactured and you would go to your local apothecary (pharmacist) and the medicine would be formulated on the spot and handed to you as powders wrapped in paper. Such powders while not having any mixers would have questionable purity. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:48, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

An [http://en.wikipedia.org/Ampoule ampoule] could contain medicine with only active ingredients. But, very likely, the dose would be very small and getting it out of the ampoule would result in a very imprecise dosage. In real life, medicine in ampoules tends to be very diluted.

== Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? ==

Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen sodium, guaifenesin, Dextromethorphan
The first four are enough to cover all "competing" code medicines; the last two could be substituted for sugar, in that although they could be useful, they aren't required to fulfil the claims.

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T20:38:43Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */

Seems Randall has a cold again, like two years ago... :D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:03, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Why would taking a medication without binding agents be dangerous? Also, would something like a gelcap count as an inactive ingredient? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.153|162.158.62.153]] 13:28, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Yes. If an ingredient is not intended to produce a therapeutic effect on the body, then it is inactive: "Inactive ingredients are components of a drug product that do not increase or affect the therapeutic action of the active ingredient" https://www.google.com/search?q=inactive+ingredient -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:08, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Binders hold the tablet together, so that instead of taking a powder and possibly missing some grains that fall away or stick to something (which would be dangerous if you need all the medicine for some life threatening condition) you can take the whole tab and get exactly the intended amount of active ingredient. They are also used to make tabs with minuscule quantities of active ingredient larger so that instead of fumbling with an incredibly tiny tablet it is large enough to be easily held and seen, and since the explanation just says "serious problem" not necessarily "dangerous" I could see having to take a single grain of sand sized medicine as being problematic.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.100|108.162.237.100]] 14:45, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Could this comic be a reference to this image? [[https://i.redd.it/q7jcyf21c8ty.jpg]] It was the first thing I thought about when I saw it.

I don't think the "Opening the box would reveal a mix of various colored powders and no way to ensure you are correctly taking the right dose." part is right- it doesn't say no separation in packaging, just that the medicine itself has no binding ingredients, it's just once you open any particular section it would not encourage anything inside of it to stay together. And an additional thought- powders? Some active ingredients may have forms more inconvenient than powders, I'd expect some would form a film on the packaging or other inconvenient behavior, though someone would more knowledge on medicine could correct me on just what raw active ingredients really would be like.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]] 04:18, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Isn't this just BC headache powder but for colds? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.167|162.158.79.167]] 04:57, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Since a cold takes 7 days or a week, depending on treatment, one could make, market and sell such a thing by just selling empty boxes with this "active ingredients only" label. Seems like a good idea for a joint blackhat/beret guy company... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.133|162.158.111.133]] 07:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)
: Black Beret®? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.107|172.68.58.107]] 13:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

I would believe that in medicines, binders are only used with loose dry ingredients to create a solid tablet form. Otherwise, loose dry ingredients can be dispensed in packets; and both dry and liquid ingredients are commonly enclosed in dissolvable capsules, all without the need for added binders. "No binders" seems like simple advertising hyperbole, similar to putting a "Not Enclosed In Solid Stainless Steel" label on a loose apple. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:57, 1 October 2017 (UTC)

There was a time when medicines were not mass manufactured and you would go to your local apothecary (pharmacist) and the medicine would be formulated on the spot and handed to you as powders wrapped in paper. Such powders while not having any mixers would have questionable purity. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:48, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

An [http://en.wikipedia.org/Ampoule ampoule] could contain medicine with only active ingredients. But, very likely, the dose would be very small and getting it out of the ampoule would result in a very imprecise dosage. In real life, medicine in ampoules tends to be very diluted.

== Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? ==

Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen sodium, guaifenesin, Dextromethorphan
The first four, I am pretty sure would be enough to cover all "competing" code medicines; the last two could be substituted for sugar, in that although they could be useful, they aren't required to fulfil the claims.

Talk:1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T20:36:29Z

Comet: /* Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? */ new section

Seems Randall has a cold again, like two years ago... :D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:03, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Why would taking a medication without binding agents be dangerous? Also, would something like a gelcap count as an inactive ingredient? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.153|162.158.62.153]] 13:28, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Yes. If an ingredient is not intended to produce a therapeutic effect on the body, then it is inactive: "Inactive ingredients are components of a drug product that do not increase or affect the therapeutic action of the active ingredient" https://www.google.com/search?q=inactive+ingredient -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:08, 29 September 2017 (UTC)
: Binders hold the tablet together, so that instead of taking a powder and possibly missing some grains that fall away or stick to something (which would be dangerous if you need all the medicine for some life threatening condition) you can take the whole tab and get exactly the intended amount of active ingredient. They are also used to make tabs with minuscule quantities of active ingredient larger so that instead of fumbling with an incredibly tiny tablet it is large enough to be easily held and seen, and since the explanation just says "serious problem" not necessarily "dangerous" I could see having to take a single grain of sand sized medicine as being problematic.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.100|108.162.237.100]] 14:45, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Could this comic be a reference to this image? [[https://i.redd.it/q7jcyf21c8ty.jpg]] It was the first thing I thought about when I saw it.

I don't think the "Opening the box would reveal a mix of various colored powders and no way to ensure you are correctly taking the right dose." part is right- it doesn't say no separation in packaging, just that the medicine itself has no binding ingredients, it's just once you open any particular section it would not encourage anything inside of it to stay together. And an additional thought- powders? Some active ingredients may have forms more inconvenient than powders, I'd expect some would form a film on the packaging or other inconvenient behavior, though someone would more knowledge on medicine could correct me on just what raw active ingredients really would be like.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]] 04:18, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Isn't this just BC headache powder but for colds? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.167|162.158.79.167]] 04:57, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Since a cold takes 7 days or a week, depending on treatment, one could make, market and sell such a thing by just selling empty boxes with this "active ingredients only" label. Seems like a good idea for a joint blackhat/beret guy company... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.133|162.158.111.133]] 07:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)
: Black Beret®? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.107|172.68.58.107]] 13:37, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

I would believe that in medicines, binders are only used with loose dry ingredients to create a solid tablet form. Otherwise, loose dry ingredients can be dispensed in packets; and both dry and liquid ingredients are commonly enclosed in dissolvable capsules, all without the need for added binders. "No binders" seems like simple advertising hyperbole, similar to putting a "Not Enclosed In Solid Stainless Steel" label on a loose apple. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:57, 1 October 2017 (UTC)

There was a time when medicines were not mass manufactured and you would go to your local apothecary (pharmacist) and the medicine would be formulated on the spot and handed to you as powders wrapped in paper. Such powders while not having any mixers would have questionable purity. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:48, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

An [http://en.wikipedia.org/Ampoule ampoule] could contain medicine with only active ingredients. But, very likely, the dose would be very small and getting it out of the ampoule would result in a very imprecise dosage. In real life, medicine in ampoules tends to be very diluted.

== Which six ingredients would you choose, to best fulfil the wording on the package? ==

Acetaminophen
Aspirin (NSAID)
Ibuprofen (NSAID)
Naproxen sodium (NSAID)
guaifenesin
Dextromethorphan

1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T20:29:13Z

Comet: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1896
| date = September 29, 2017
| title = Active Ingredients Only
| image = active_ingredients_only.png
| titletext = Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a reference to how all medicine typically has one (or a few) "Active" ingredient and many "Inactive" ingredients. This is played against the current trend of advertising food as containing "no additives and no preservatives".

[https://www.walgreens.com/topic/faq/questionandanswer.jsp?questionTierId=700008&faqId=1200068]Compounding pharmacists ''mix drugs without certain inactive ingredients such as preservatives, dyes, or binders for a patient who is allergic to these components.''

[[Randall]] thus presents a pack of {{w|Common cold|cold}} medicine that has "Active Ingredients Only", which is the name of the brand as can be seen since it has "™" after the name (the unregistered {{w|trademark}} symbol). It has six active ingredients and no inactive ingredients.

Cold medicines are commonly paged in blister packs, with each dose contained separately, and vegans commonly open up gelatin capsules and discard the capsule, ingesting only the contents of the pill. By removing the inactive ingredients of the gelatin and the requirement to open it up, the slogan ''We're not here to waste your time'', the slogan is justified. This slogan is also trademarked.

The slogan is a registered trademark (®) while the product name is a common law trademark. This means that the slogan likely stays the same, while the product name changes from time to time.

TItle text: Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
This may be be a follow-up (or a wish from Randall) after [[1618: Cold Medicine]], where [[Cueball]] wishes to try all possible types of cold medicine at once.
This implies that the active ingredients have been found to have a beneficial effect on multiple conditions.

The main joke is that popular cold medicines contain no antiviral ingredients at all, and treat symptoms only, as well as rely on the placebo effect. Having a sugar pill would possibly heal your body of a cold just as well, which may be a follow-up to [[1526: Placebo Blocker]], where a sugar pill is offered to treat a headache.

A secondary joke is by claiming the active ingredients from all "competing" cold medicines, the company producing this "Active Ingredients Only" may choose whom they say they are competing against.

==Transcript==

:[A picture of a pack of cold medicine. At the top there is a large advert in three lines. In a black line, to the right of the advert, white text states what kind of medicine is in the pack. Below to the left is a square frame listing ingredients. Most of the text inside this frame is unreadable scribbles. To the right of the frame is another advert inside a black frame. On the side of the box are also unreadable scribbles, both at the top and down next to the ingredients list. At the bottom of the box it can be seen how the pack can open up.]
:<big>Active Ingredients</big>
:<big><big>'''Only'''</big></big>TM
:We're not here to waste your time®

:Cold Medicine

:Active ingredients
:[Six lines of scribbles, with first a name, then a statement in brackets and finally a column right of this with a short line of scribbles.]

:Inactive ingredients
:None

:<big>No binders!</big>

{{comic discussion}}

1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T20:27:44Z

Comet: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1896
| date = September 29, 2017
| title = Active Ingredients Only
| image = active_ingredients_only.png
| titletext = Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a reference to how all medicine typically has one (or a few) "Active" ingredient and many "Inactive" ingredients. This is played against the current trend of advertising food as containing "no additives and no preservatives".

[https://www.walgreens.com/topic/faq/questionandanswer.jsp?questionTierId=700008&faqId=1200068]Compounding pharmacists ''mix drugs without certain inactive ingredients such as preservatives, dyes, or binders for a patient who is allergic to these components.''

[[Randall]] thus presents a pack of {{w|Common cold|cold}} medicine that has "Active Ingredients Only", which is the name of the brand as can be seen since it has "™" after the name (the unregistered {{w|trademark}} symbol). It has six active ingredients and no inactive ingredients.

Cold medicines are commonly paged in blister packs, with each dose contained separately, and vegans commonly open up gelatin capsules and discard the capsule, ingesting only the contents of the pill. By removing the inactive ingredients of the gelatin and the requirement to open it up, the slogan ''We're not here to waste your time'', the slogan is justified. This slogan is also trademarked.

The slogan is a registered trademark (®) while the product name is a common law trademark. This means that the slogan likely stays the same, while the product name changes from time to time.

'''Mouseover popup text''': Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
This may be be a follow-up (or a wish from Randall) after [[1618: Cold Medicine]], where [[Cueball]] wishes to try all possible types of cold medicine at once.
This implies that the active ingredients have been found to have a beneficial effect on multiple conditions.

The main joke is that popular cold medicines contain no antiviral ingredients at all, and treat symptoms only, as well as rely on the placebo effect. Having a sugar pill would possibly heal your body of a cold just as well, which may be a follow-up to [[1526: Placebo Blocker]], where a sugar pill is offered to treat a headache.

A secondary joke is by claiming the active ingredients from all "competing" cold medicines, the company producing this "Active Ingredients Only" may choose whom they say they are competing against.

==Transcript==

:[A picture of a pack of cold medicine. At the top there is a large advert in three lines. In a black line, to the right of the advert, white text states what kind of medicine is in the pack. Below to the left is a square frame listing ingredients. Most of the text inside this frame is unreadable scribbles. To the right of the frame is another advert inside a black frame. On the side of the box are also unreadable scribbles, both at the top and down next to the ingredients list. At the bottom of the box it can be seen how the pack can open up.]
:<big>Active Ingredients</big>
:<big><big>'''Only'''</big></big>TM
:We're not here to waste your time®

:Cold Medicine

:Active ingredients
:[Six lines of scribbles, with first a name, then a statement in brackets and finally a column right of this with a short line of scribbles.]

:Inactive ingredients
:None

:<big>No binders!</big>

{{comic discussion}}

1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T20:26:10Z

Comet: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1896
| date = September 29, 2017
| title = Active Ingredients Only
| image = active_ingredients_only.png
| titletext = Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a reference to how all medicine typically has one (or a few) "Active" ingredient and many "Inactive" ingredients. This is played against the current trend of advertising food as containing "no additives and no preservatives".

[[Compounding pharmacists][https://www.walgreens.com/topic/faq/questionandanswer.jsp?questionTierId=700008&faqId=1200068]] m''ix drugs without certain inactive ingredients such as preservatives, dyes, or binders for a patient who is allergic to these components.''

[[Randall]] thus presents a pack of {{w|Common cold|cold}} medicine that has "Active Ingredients Only", which is the name of the brand as can be seen since it has "™" after the name (the unregistered {{w|trademark}} symbol). It has six active ingredients and no inactive ingredients.

Cold medicines are commonly paged in blister packs, with each dose contained separately, and vegans commonly open up gelatin capsules and discard the capsule, ingesting only the contents of the pill. By removing the inactive ingredients of the gelatin and the requirement to open it up, the slogan ''We're not here to waste your time'', the slogan is justified. This slogan is also trademarked.

The slogan is a registered trademark (®) while the product name is a common law trademark. This means that the slogan likely stays the same, while the product name changes from time to time.

'''Mouseover popup text''': Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
This may be be a follow-up (or a wish from Randall) after [[1618: Cold Medicine]], where [[Cueball]] wishes to try all possible types of cold medicine at once.
This implies that the active ingredients have been found to have a beneficial effect on multiple conditions.

The main joke is that popular cold medicines contain no antiviral ingredients at all, and treat symptoms only, as well as rely on the placebo effect. Having a sugar pill would possibly heal your body of a cold just as well, which may be a follow-up to [[1526: Placebo Blocker]], where a sugar pill is offered to treat a headache.

A secondary joke is by claiming the active ingredients from all "competing" cold medicines, the company producing this "Active Ingredients Only" may choose whom they say they are competing against.

==Transcript==

:[A picture of a pack of cold medicine. At the top there is a large advert in three lines. In a black line, to the right of the advert, white text states what kind of medicine is in the pack. Below to the left is a square frame listing ingredients. Most of the text inside this frame is unreadable scribbles. To the right of the frame is another advert inside a black frame. On the side of the box are also unreadable scribbles, both at the top and down next to the ingredients list. At the bottom of the box it can be seen how the pack can open up.]
:<big>Active Ingredients</big>
:<big><big>'''Only'''</big></big>TM
:We're not here to waste your time®

:Cold Medicine

:Active ingredients
:[Six lines of scribbles, with first a name, then a statement in brackets and finally a column right of this with a short line of scribbles.]

:Inactive ingredients
:None

:<big>No binders!</big>

{{comic discussion}}

1896: Active Ingredients Only

2017-10-06T20:25:26Z

Comet: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1896
| date = September 29, 2017
| title = Active Ingredients Only
| image = active_ingredients_only.png
| titletext = Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a reference to how all medicine typically has one (or a few) "Active" ingredient and many "Inactive" ingredients. This is played against the current trend of advertising food as containing "no additives and no preservatives".

[[Compounding pharmacists][https://www.walgreens.com/topic/faq/questionandanswer.jsp?questionTierId=700008&faqId=1200068]] m''ix drugs without certain inactive ingredients such as preservatives, dyes, or binders for a patient who is allergic to these components.''

[[Randall]] thus presents a pack of {{w|Common cold|cold}} medicine that has "Active Ingredients Only", which is the name of the brand as can be seen since it has "™" after the name (the unregistered {{w|trademark}} symbol). It has six active ingredients and no inactive ingredients.

Cold medicines are commonly paged in blister packs, with each dose contained separately, and vegans commonly open up gelatin capsules and discard the capsule, ingesting only the contents of the pill. By removing the inactive ingredients of the gelatin and the requirement to open it up, the slogan ''We're not here to waste your time'', the slogan is justified. This slogan is also trademarked.

The slogan is a registered trademark (®) while the product name is a common law trademark. This means that the slogan likely stays the same, while the product name changes from time to time.

'''Mouseover popup text''': Contains the active ingredients from all competing cold medicines, plus the medicines for headaches, arthritis, insomnia, indigestion, and more, because who wants THOSE things?
This may be be a follow-up (or a wish from Randall) after [[1618: Cold Medicine]], where [[Cueball]] wishes to try all possible types of cold medicine at once. This implies that the active ingredients have been found to have a
beneficial effect on multiple conditions.

The main joke is that popular cold medicines contain no antiviral ingredients at all, and treat symptoms only, as well as rely on the placebo effect. Having a sugar pill would possibly heal your body of a cold just as well, which may be a follow-up to [[1526: Placebo Blocker]], where a sugar pill is offered to treat a headache.

A secondary joke is by claiming the active ingredients from all "competing" cold medicines, the company producing this "Active Ingredients Only" may choose whom they say they are competing against.

==Transcript==

:[A picture of a pack of cold medicine. At the top there is a large advert in three lines. In a black line, to the right of the advert, white text states what kind of medicine is in the pack. Below to the left is a square frame listing ingredients. Most of the text inside this frame is unreadable scribbles. To the right of the frame is another advert inside a black frame. On the side of the box are also unreadable scribbles, both at the top and down next to the ingredients list. At the bottom of the box it can be seen how the pack can open up.]
:<big>Active Ingredients</big>
:<big><big>'''Only'''</big></big>TM
:We're not here to waste your time®

:Cold Medicine

:Active ingredients
:[Six lines of scribbles, with first a name, then a statement in brackets and finally a column right of this with a short line of scribbles.]

:Inactive ingredients
:None

:<big>No binders!</big>

{{comic discussion}}

1888: Still in Use

2017-09-18T07:09:04Z

Comet: /* Solutions */

{{comic
| number = 1888
| date = September 11, 2017
| title = Still in Use
| image = still_in_use.png
| titletext = 'Which one?' 'I dunno, it's your house. Just check each object.' 'Check it for *what*?' 'Whether it looks like it might have touched a paper towel at some point and then forgotten to let go.' '...' 'You can also Google to learn how to check which things are using which resources.' 'You know, I'll just leave the towel there and try again tomorrow.'
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] is trying to remove the trash bag from his garbage can. However, the can refuses to let him do so, citing that a paper towel in the trash is being used by some object in his home.

This comic draws parallels between the act of emptying a physical rubbish bin and emptying the {{w|Trash (computing)|recycle bin}} integrated into a desktop computing environment like Windows, macOS, most Linux derivatives, and others. It originated with the {{w|Xerox Alto}}, but was first commercially introduced on {{w|Apple Lisa}} in 1982 called ''Wastebasket'' and, while it was adopted by most other desktop environment operating system, using slightly different names, the main purpose still remains: A user can restore a file after they have deleted it -- hence the most common name ''recycle bin'', you still can get your ''paper towel'' and use it again. In many (earlier) command line based systems like DOS or UNIX/Linux (besides the desktop interfaces) a removed file was gone. Some ''undelete'' commands exist, but there are hard restrictions because the then free space on the hard drive must not have been used again and often file names aren't fully recoverable.

But sometimes when attempting to delete files, a running program may still have the file marked as in use. The operating system will therefore prevent the file's deletion, but some do not tell the user which program is using the file.

Preventing the file from being deleted from the file system in this case may be a correct behavior, because the document is still being worked on. But sometimes it may happen erroneously, perhaps because of a program not closing the file properly, a glitch in the operating system, or user error. The user then is required to find the cause of the problem and rectify it before the file can be deleted. This may be difficult because error messages may not reveal the affected file or the program blocking its removal. Similar problems may occur when unmounting (or "safely removing") a removable storage device.

The title text may refer to a simple solution to these sorts of problems: Wait a while, perhaps overnight, and see if the (unknown) application(s) have closed the open file(s). Alternatively, the user can shut down the system to make absolutely sure that nothing is using anything. But this latter solution is really not a convenient one because all applications are closed.

== Solutions ==
Advanced users may be inconvenienced by unhelpful error messages but at least are likely to know the tools available to solve the problem. However, a less experienced user just trying to free some space is not only annoyed, their only solution is to reboot or shut down the computer.

Some tools:
* On Windows, the [https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/handle "handle"] command line tool allows listing, searching, and closing file handles, showing the associated process.
* On Linux and OS X there is a command line tool {{w|lsof}} (list open files) which also lists open sockets and more. If the filename or program name is known, the usefulness of this tool is vastly enhanced by combining it with {{w|grep}}.
* Unix systems derived from SVR4 have the {{w|fuser (Unix)|fuser(1)}} command (fstat(1) on BSD) that lists and optionally kills the process keeping a file open. It's useful on shutdowns because open files can prevent unmounting filesystems, potentially leaving them a mess.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is trying to take out a trash bag from his garbage can.]
:Trash: Sorry, you can't empty the garbage yet. A paper towel in here is currently in use by some object in your house.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Computers]]

Talk:1888: Still in Use

2017-09-11T23:09:42Z

Comet:

<s>Just for all writers: The {{w|Garbage collection (computer science)|Garbage collection}} prominently belongs to {{w|Java (programming language)|Java}}. Microsoft had adopted this only in C# and it's NOT used in file systems.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:47, 11 September 2017 (UTC)</s> EDIT by --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:47, 11 September 2017 (UTC)
:Note: Java adopted garbage collection over 30 years after it had been used in Lisp. I would question the use of 'prominently belongs'. Any user of Gnu Emacs will be aware of what happens when garbage collection hits unexpectedly... [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.112|141.101.98.112]] 16:13, 11 September 2017 (UTC)
::I have to admit that my first comment doesn't belong to the content of this comic. But, even when you are right (Garbage collection was invented by John McCarthy around 1959 to simplify manual memory management in Lisp.), who really uses Lisp compared to Java? So when trying to explain the GC I would use the most common language using this feature and compare it to the vast majority of other common languages like C, Delphi/Pascal, or scripting languages like Perl or PHP. And we can lisp, sorry list, many more languages in this latter context. In the middle there are object-oriented programming languages without GC like C++, a destructor must be explicitly called which than removes everything belonging to a particular instance on an object. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:47, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

Seams like a pretty clear reference to not being able to empty the computers Trash because files are in use. Normally files in the Trash can't be opened, and files can't be moved to the Trash if opened but weird things can happen. The real rub here is that the computer does know '''exactly''' what process has each file open and is intentionally designed and told not to tell you the user the remedy that it already knows nor to show an option to remedy the problem itself leaving you in the lurch. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.206.58|172.68.206.58]] 15:37, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

It could be that another user is the one that used the paper towel last. I was actually running into an issue where I couldn't delete a file from a network share that I had used last. The dialog would tell me what program was still using it (Source Tree, which had unceremoniously crashed and didn't close out properly) but my coworker simply got the "Is in use by another program" message. [[User:Bpendragon|Bpendragon]] ([[User talk:Bpendragon|talk]]) 15:43, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

I've also come across the issue where the process using the file is the file manager utility itself; I opened the trash to see what was in there, it started trying to make preview images of all the items, and of course when you close the window it doesn't release whatever filehandle it was currently trying to make a preview for. -- [[User:Angel|Angel]] ([[User talk:Angel|talk]]) 16:12, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

You could always power the house down and restart it! [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.28|162.158.78.28]] 16:37, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

Part of the joke is how unhelpful windows tend(ed/s) to be in helping you identify the application that is still hanging onto the file.--[[User:Henke37|Henke37]] ([[User talk:Henke37|talk]]) 17:08, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

This is problem only on MS Windows, where most file-access is '''blocking'''; Linux allows deleting file even if some process is accessing it - said process would see old version of the file, while all other would see it deleted. This has its own problems (you delete files, but you don't recover free space), but I think it is less annoying. --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 18:03, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

*More specific, Windows tracks open files through their pathname, linux tracks open files through their numeric ID. This means that you could create file A, open it, delete the file, create another file B with the same filename, open it, delete the file, create another file C with the same filename, open it, delete the file. Those three files would still be present on the disk, each of the apps that has the file open would see different contents (which they could write to and change), but you would never see any of the files through a directory listing (but it would take up disk space until the files were closed). I believe linux viruses delete themselves to make them more difficult to discover, this also explains why linux system updates don't require rebooting the computer afterwards (although if you just changed the system kernel it's likely recommended)[[User:Odysseus654|Odysseus654]] ([[User talk:Odysseus654|talk]]) 18:26, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

No one though about Docker? That was lit(t)erally my first thought: He must be talking about Docker. --[[User:AndreKR|AndreKR]] ([[User talk:AndreKR|talk]]) 18:30, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

I figured this was about program removal (i.e. "uninstall"). Sometimes one file is still in use (sometimes the program's folder instead of a file), but the rest are deleted as expected. -- '''BigMal''' // [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.166|108.162.216.166]] 18:58, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

"...However, the operating system gives no indication of which application(s) have open file(s)..." Which operating systems do this? (Xubuntu tells you which application(s) are the culprit(s). I gather Windows doesn't. OS/X? Other Linuxes? Maybe just say "some operating systems give"? [[User:Bill Gray1|Bill Gray1]] ([[User talk:Bill Gray1|talk]]) 19:41, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

This is one of the most annoying things windows does, and a huge contribution to why I use macOS and hate Windows! It seems that just about every time I try to do anything significant on windows, I run into this or a similarly frustrating inane problem I never have with a Mac! The one I hate most is when I can't delete an empty folder because either it or a hidden thumbs.db in it is "in use" by the exact same app (windows explorer) as I'm trying to use to delete it! That this is still a problem with a commercially successful OS made in the 21st century is unbelievable to me! [[User:PotatoGod|PotatoGod]] ([[User talk:PotatoGod|talk]]) 22:09, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

I removed the irrelevant commentary that Windows doesn't use the Unix inode data structures, as the object manager provides the functionality allowing file locks to be made, queried, and released. http://m.windowsitpro.com/systems-management/inside-nts-object-manager

Windows also support asynchronous deletion or moving of in-use files.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/movefile

[[http://www.linkedin.com/in/Comet Comet]] 23:01, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

Talk:1888: Still in Use

2017-09-11T23:01:56Z

Comet:

<s>Just for all writers: The {{w|Garbage collection (computer science)|Garbage collection}} prominently belongs to {{w|Java (programming language)|Java}}. Microsoft had adopted this only in C# and it's NOT used in file systems.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:47, 11 September 2017 (UTC)</s> EDIT by --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:47, 11 September 2017 (UTC)
:Note: Java adopted garbage collection over 30 years after it had been used in Lisp. I would question the use of 'prominently belongs'. Any user of Gnu Emacs will be aware of what happens when garbage collection hits unexpectedly... [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.112|141.101.98.112]] 16:13, 11 September 2017 (UTC)
::I have to admit that my first comment doesn't belong to the content of this comic. But, even when you are right (Garbage collection was invented by John McCarthy around 1959 to simplify manual memory management in Lisp.), who really uses Lisp compared to Java? So when trying to explain the GC I would use the most common language using this feature and compare it to the vast majority of other common languages like C, Delphi/Pascal, or scripting languages like Perl or PHP. And we can lisp, sorry list, many more languages in this latter context. In the middle there are object-oriented programming languages without GC like C++, a destructor must be explicitly called which than removes everything belonging to a particular instance on an object. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:47, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

Seams like a pretty clear reference to not being able to empty the computers Trash because files are in use. Normally files in the Trash can't be opened, and files can't be moved to the Trash if opened but weird things can happen. The real rub here is that the computer does know '''exactly''' what process has each file open and is intentionally designed and told not to tell you the user the remedy that it already knows nor to show an option to remedy the problem itself leaving you in the lurch. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.206.58|172.68.206.58]] 15:37, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

It could be that another user is the one that used the paper towel last. I was actually running into an issue where I couldn't delete a file from a network share that I had used last. The dialog would tell me what program was still using it (Source Tree, which had unceremoniously crashed and didn't close out properly) but my coworker simply got the "Is in use by another program" message. [[User:Bpendragon|Bpendragon]] ([[User talk:Bpendragon|talk]]) 15:43, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

I've also come across the issue where the process using the file is the file manager utility itself; I opened the trash to see what was in there, it started trying to make preview images of all the items, and of course when you close the window it doesn't release whatever filehandle it was currently trying to make a preview for. -- [[User:Angel|Angel]] ([[User talk:Angel|talk]]) 16:12, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

You could always power the house down and restart it! [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.28|162.158.78.28]] 16:37, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

Part of the joke is how unhelpful windows tend(ed/s) to be in helping you identify the application that is still hanging onto the file.--[[User:Henke37|Henke37]] ([[User talk:Henke37|talk]]) 17:08, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

This is problem only on MS Windows, where most file-access is '''blocking'''; Linux allows deleting file even if some process is accessing it - said process would see old version of the file, while all other would see it deleted. This has its own problems (you delete files, but you don't recover free space), but I think it is less annoying. --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 18:03, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

*More specific, Windows tracks open files through their pathname, linux tracks open files through their numeric ID. This means that you could create file A, open it, delete the file, create another file B with the same filename, open it, delete the file, create another file C with the same filename, open it, delete the file. Those three files would still be present on the disk, each of the apps that has the file open would see different contents (which they could write to and change), but you would never see any of the files through a directory listing (but it would take up disk space until the files were closed). I believe linux viruses delete themselves to make them more difficult to discover, this also explains why linux system updates don't require rebooting the computer afterwards (although if you just changed the system kernel it's likely recommended)[[User:Odysseus654|Odysseus654]] ([[User talk:Odysseus654|talk]]) 18:26, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

No one though about Docker? That was lit(t)erally my first thought: He must be talking about Docker. --[[User:AndreKR|AndreKR]] ([[User talk:AndreKR|talk]]) 18:30, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

I figured this was about program removal (i.e. "uninstall"). Sometimes one file is still in use (sometimes the program's folder instead of a file), but the rest are deleted as expected. -- '''BigMal''' // [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.166|108.162.216.166]] 18:58, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

"...However, the operating system gives no indication of which application(s) have open file(s)..." Which operating systems do this? (Xubuntu tells you which application(s) are the culprit(s). I gather Windows doesn't. OS/X? Other Linuxes? Maybe just say "some operating systems give"? [[User:Bill Gray1|Bill Gray1]] ([[User talk:Bill Gray1|talk]]) 19:41, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

This is one of the most annoying things windows does, and a huge contribution to why I use macOS and hate Windows! It seems that just about every time I try to do anything significant on windows, I run into this or a similarly frustrating inane problem I never have with a Mac! The one I hate most is when I can't delete an empty folder because either it or a hidden thumbs.db in it is "in use" by the exact same app (windows explorer) as I'm trying to use to delete it! That this is still a problem with a commercially successful OS made in the 21st century is unbelievable to me! [[User:PotatoGod|PotatoGod]] ([[User talk:PotatoGod|talk]]) 22:09, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

I removed the irrelevant commentary that Windows doesn't use the Unix inode data structures, as the object manager provides the functionality allowing file locks to be made, queried, and released. http://m.windowsitpro.com/systems-management/inside-nts-object-manager
[[http://www.linkedin.com/in/Comet Comet]] 23:01, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

1888: Still in Use

2017-09-11T22:51:35Z

Comet:

{{comic
| number = 1888
| date = September 11, 2017
| title = Still in Use
| image = still_in_use.png
| titletext = 'Which one?' 'I dunno, it's your house. Just check each object.' 'Check it for *what*?' 'Whether it looks like it might have touched a paper towel at some point and then forgotten to let go.' '...' 'You can also Google to learn how to check which things are using which resources.' 'You know, I'll just leave the towel there and try again tomorrow.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Rough draft, can still use elaboration. Seems like there are two paragraphs more or less stating the same...? Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Cueball is trying to remove the trash bag from his garbage can. However, the trash refuses to let him do so, citing that a paper towel in the trash is being used by some object in his home.

By itself, the comic is patently ridiculous; it is meant as a reflection of a common problem in computer use, specifically that of deleting currently-open files. One cannot delete a file in Windows while it's being used by a program, and Windows will also not tell the user which program it is. There exists programs for Windows, such as Microsoft Sysinternals freeware, which identify which process(es) have a handle open to the file, and even allow force-closing the file, but as this is not shipped as a simple Windows command, most home users are unaware that Windows supports this functionality. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/handle

The title text may be a reference to a simple solution to these sorts of problems: Wait a while, perhaps overnight, and see if the (unknown) application(s) close the open file(s). Alternatively, the user can shut down the system to make absolutely sure that nothing is using anything, and then remove the storage device. In some situations, this is the ''only'' way (at least in Windows) to safely remove an external hard drive from a computer.

Also, the title text may refer to the typical "solution" to the file deletion issue: waiting it out. Sometimes, while trying to delete the file, it could get so frustrating that many give up until the next day, hoping it'll fix itself.

This comic draws parallels between the act of emptying a physical rubbish bin and performing garbage collection on a filesystem, iconically represented by Microsoft as the emptying of a virtual wastebin on the desktop. It also may refer the growing trend of Internet of things, which is a concept that enables everyday objects to collect and exchange data. Sometimes when attempting to delete files the software may still have the file marked as in use, because the file is still marked as open by at least one process. The software will therefore prevent its deletion. This may be correct behaviour, as in when a document is still being worked on in a program, or it may happen erroneously, perhaps because the program has not closed the file properly, maybe because of incorrect behaviour. The user is then required to find the cause of the problem and rectify it before the file can be deleted. This may be difficult if the user is not familiar with the file in question, or the program that would have used it.

In the case of the physical bin, the absurdity of this is highlighted by imagining that a paper towel is still locked as "in use" and that the rubbish bin won't allow it to be taken out for final disposal until the household object that was "using" the towel has been identified.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is trying to take out the trash]
:Trash: Sorry, you can't empty the garbage yet. A paper towel in here is currently in use by some object in your house.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Programming]]

1888: Still in Use

2017-09-11T22:40:38Z

Comet: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1888
| date = September 11, 2017
| title = Still in Use
| image = still_in_use.png
| titletext = 'Which one?' 'I dunno, it's your house. Just check each object.' 'Check it for *what*?' 'Whether it looks like it might have touched a paper towel at some point and then forgotten to let go.' '...' 'You can also Google to learn how to check which things are using which resources.' 'You know, I'll just leave the towel there and try again tomorrow.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Rough draft, can still use elaboration. Seems like there are two paragraphs more or less stating the same...? Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Cueball is trying to remove the trash bag from his garbage can. However, the trash refuses to let him do so, citing that a paper towel in the trash is being used by some object in his home.

By itself, the comic is patently ridiculous; it is meant as a reflection of a common problem in computer use, specifically that of deleting currently-open files. One cannot delete a file in Windows while it's being used by a program, and Windows will also not tell the user which program it is. There exists programs for Windows, such as Microsoft Sysinternals freeware, which identify which process(es) have a handle open to the file, and even allow force-closing the file, but as this is not shipped as a simple Windows command, most home users are unaware that Windows supports this functionality.

The title text may be a reference to a simple solution to these sorts of problems: Wait a while, perhaps overnight, and see if the (unknown) application(s) close the open file(s). Alternatively, the user can shut down the system to make absolutely sure that nothing is using anything, and then remove the storage device. In some situations, this is the ''only'' way (at least in Windows) to safely remove an external hard drive from a computer.

Also, the title text may refer to the typical "solution" to the file deletion issue: waiting it out. Sometimes, while trying to delete the file, it could get so frustrating that many give up until the next day, hoping it'll fix itself.

This comic draws parallels between the act of emptying a physical rubbish bin and performing garbage collection on a filesystem, iconically represented by Microsoft as the emptying of a virtual wastebin on the desktop. It also may refer the growing trend of Internet of things, which is a concept that enables everyday objects to collect and exchange data. Sometimes when attempting to delete files the software may still have the file marked as in use, because the file is still marked as open by at least one process. The software will therefore prevent its deletion. This may be correct behaviour, as in when a document is still being worked on in a program, or it may happen erroneously, perhaps because the program has not closed the file properly, maybe because of incorrect behaviour. The user is then required to find the cause of the problem and rectify it before the file can be deleted. This may be difficult if the user is not familiar with the file in question, or the program that would have used it.

In the case of the physical bin, the absurdity of this is highlighted by imagining that a paper towel is still locked as "in use" and that the rubbish bin won't allow it to be taken out for final disposal until the household object that was "using" the towel has been identified.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is trying to take out the trash]
:Trash: Sorry, you can't empty the garbage yet. A paper towel in here is currently in use by some object in your house.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Programming]]

Talk:1875: Computers vs Humans

2017-08-18T07:52:29Z

Comet:

Definitely related to https://xkcd.com/1263/ and https://xkcd.com/1002/ to a lesser extent. [[User:MrNinja|MrNinja]] ([[User talk:MrNinja|talk]]) 16:03, 11 August 2017 (UTC)
:Agreed and have added both to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:00, 13 August 2017 (UTC)

I think the bot's version of the <code><nowiki>{{incomplete}}</nowiki></code> template param was better… [[User talk:AgentMuffin|~AgentMuffin]]

Wake me up when computers can beat humans in Football (soccer), Football (gridiron), Basketball, Baseball, etc. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 02:51, 14 August 2017 (UTC)

So far, these kind of contests always work like this: human will pick a goal and formulate rules, then groups of humans spend lot of time programming computer specifically for that goal and then the computer competes against some human. I'm waiting for contest where the human picking a goal would explain the rules to computer the same way he did to human, and no humans would be helping the computer to understand. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 00:47, 17 August 2017 (UTC)

Making a computer "not care" for something is impossible, first you need to program the code for the thing and then program the code for the computer to disregard that thing. The computer must care for the thing before trying no to care about it.
----

On the contrary, I would say making a computer system "care" is harder than making it not care. My computer system does "not care" about ANYTHING, and has never cared, even before I turned it on. When I write any program, the system will blithely execute it, whether it's to perform an infinite loop or divide by zero or do a machine-learning task. The machine acts in as deterministic and uncaring fashion as a water pistol or rock. I throw a rock, and it skips over the surface of a lake, and then sinks.

I will agree that programmers generally care about the output of their program's response to input data (e.g. giving winning moves in Go), but whether the computer succeeds or not, it does not care. The goal is not one adopted by the computer--the goal is given to the programmers who generate computer code to attempt to achieve that goal. The computer follows the algorithm and all the results follow from this and the input data.

[[http://www.linkedin.com/in/Comet Comet]] 07:35, 18 August 2017 (UTC)

Talk:1875: Computers vs Humans

2017-08-18T07:37:41Z

Comet: Added separation between my addition and preceding comment.

Definitely related to https://xkcd.com/1263/ and https://xkcd.com/1002/ to a lesser extent. [[User:MrNinja|MrNinja]] ([[User talk:MrNinja|talk]]) 16:03, 11 August 2017 (UTC)
:Agreed and have added both to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:00, 13 August 2017 (UTC)

I think the bot's version of the <code><nowiki>{{incomplete}}</nowiki></code> template param was better… [[User talk:AgentMuffin|~AgentMuffin]]

Wake me up when computers can beat humans in Football (soccer), Football (gridiron), Basketball, Baseball, etc. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 02:51, 14 August 2017 (UTC)

So far, these kind of contests always work like this: human will pick a goal and formulate rules, then groups of humans spend lot of time programming computer specifically for that goal and then the computer competes against some human. I'm waiting for contest where the human picking a goal would explain the rules to computer the same way he did to human, and no humans would be helping the computer to understand. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 00:47, 17 August 2017 (UTC)

Making a computer "not care" for something is impossible, first you need to program the code for the thing and then program the code for the computer to disregard that thing. The computer must care for the thing before trying no to care about it.
----

I disagree with the explanation. On the contrary, I would say making a computer system "care" is harder than making it not care. My computer system does "not care" about ANYTHING, and has never cared, even before I turned it on. When I write any program, the system will blithely execute it, whether it's to perform an infinite loop or divide by zero or do a machine-learning task. The machine acts in as deterministic and uncaring fashion as a water pistol or rock. I throw a rock, and it skips over the surface of a lake, and then sinks.
[[http://www.linkedin.com/in/Comet Comet]] 07:35, 18 August 2017 (UTC)

Talk:1875: Computers vs Humans

2017-08-18T07:35:30Z

Comet: Most computers do not care.

Definitely related to https://xkcd.com/1263/ and https://xkcd.com/1002/ to a lesser extent. [[User:MrNinja|MrNinja]] ([[User talk:MrNinja|talk]]) 16:03, 11 August 2017 (UTC)
:Agreed and have added both to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:00, 13 August 2017 (UTC)

I think the bot's version of the <code><nowiki>{{incomplete}}</nowiki></code> template param was better… [[User talk:AgentMuffin|~AgentMuffin]]

Wake me up when computers can beat humans in Football (soccer), Football (gridiron), Basketball, Baseball, etc. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 02:51, 14 August 2017 (UTC)

So far, these kind of contests always work like this: human will pick a goal and formulate rules, then groups of humans spend lot of time programming computer specifically for that goal and then the computer competes against some human. I'm waiting for contest where the human picking a goal would explain the rules to computer the same way he did to human, and no humans would be helping the computer to understand. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 00:47, 17 August 2017 (UTC)

Making a computer "not care" for something is impossible, first you need to program the code for the thing and then program the code for the computer to disregard that thing. The computer must care for the thing before trying no to care about it.

I disagree with the explanation. On the contrary, I would say making a computer system "care" is harder than making it not care. My computer system does "not care" about ANYTHING, and has never cared, even before I turned it on. When I write any program, the system will blithely execute it, whether it's to perform an infinite loop or divide by zero or do a machine-learning task. The machine acts in as deterministic and uncaring fashion as a water pistol or rock. I throw a rock, and it skips over the surface of a lake, and then sinks.
[[http://www.linkedin.com/in/Comet Comet]] 07:35, 18 August 2017 (UTC)

1825: 7 Eleven

2017-04-25T04:45:40Z

Comet: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1825
| date = April 17, 2017
| title = 7 Eleven
| image = 7_eleven.png
| titletext = Really, the only honest 24-hour stores are the ones in places like Arizona and Hawaii, and many of them are still wrong in certain years.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic pokes fun at the idiosyncrasies of time keeping. Since units of time are intimately tied to a planet's rotation, and planets rotate at different rates, time keeping doesn't always follow a simple pattern.

Many stores advertise being open 24/7, which means that they're open all day, every day. Many locations of the convenience store chain {{w|7-Eleven}} are now "open 24 hours", again meaning they are always open (despite historically being open only from 7 AM to 11 PM local time, hence its name).

The main joke in the comic refers to the fact that a {{w|Timekeeping_on_Mars#Time_of_day|day on Mars}} (the time it takes for Mars to make a full rotation on its own axis) is about 24 hours and 37 minutes. If a 7-11 store is open for literally 24 hours per Mars day, then it would actually be closed for around 37 minutes each day. NASA, for its Mars missions, uses a "Mars-hour" that is one twenty-fourth of a Martian day; had the sign implicitly referred to 24 Mars-hours then the store would be open for the entire Mars day.

The duration for the Martian day used by [[Randall]] is the Martian {{w|sidereal day}} (how long it takes the non-Sun stars to get to the same position in the sky) of 24 hours, 37 minutes, and 22.663 seconds. However, Mars exploration missions use the Martian {{w|solar day}} (how long it takes the Sun to get to the same position in the sky) or {{w|Timekeeping_on_Mars#Sols|''sol''}} of 24 hours, 39 minutes, and 35.244 seconds. Thus in practice, the 7-11 store would be closed for 39 minutes daily instead of 37 minutes. Likewise, Earth time usually refers to solar days; a typical (mean) sidereal Earth day is 23 hours, 56 minutes, 4.0916 seconds long.

The first part of the title text refers to {{w|Daylight_saving_time|daylight saving time}} (DST), where clocks are changed on predefined days of the year in order to maximize use of available sunlight. In the United States, most places set clocks forward by one hour on the second Sunday of March, resulting in a 23-hour day, and back again on the first Sunday of November, resulting in a 25-hour day. Thus technically, even a 7-11 in the US would not truly be open "24 hours" every day. Arizona and Hawaii are called out as exceptions because they do not observe daylight saving time (except on the Navajo reservation in Arizona). Randall has made fun of DST [[:Category:Daylight saving time|several times before]], and once again he shows his disdain for DST by saying that in the U.S., only 24-hour stores within the two states not using DST are honest. This comic came out over a month after DST began in the US.

The second part of the title text refers to {{w|leap seconds}}, which may be added or subtracted to the end of June or December in order to synchronize time with Earth's actual rotation. Months with a leap second will see its last day being one second longer than 24 hours. Since leap seconds apply to all Earth-based clocks, any store on Earth would not technically be open for exactly 24 hours on such days. Leap seconds have been referred to before in the title text of [[1514: PermaCal]].

==Transcript==
:[A person in a spacesuit is trying in vain to open the door to a convenience store, rattling the handle. Behind him stands a tall post with a big 7-eleven logo at the top and the opening hours on a bar below the logo.]
:Sign: 7-Eleven
:Bar: Open 24 hours
:Door: ''Rattle rattle''

:[Caption below the panel:]
:I'm glad they finally opened a 7-Eleven here on Mars, but it's annoying how it closes for 37 minutes every day.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Daylight saving time]]

1825: 7 Eleven

2017-04-25T04:30:08Z

Comet: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1825
| date = April 17, 2017
| title = 7 Eleven
| image = 7_eleven.png
| titletext = Really, the only honest 24-hour stores are the ones in places like Arizona and Hawaii, and many of them are still wrong in certain years.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic pokes fun at the idiosyncrasies of time keeping. Since units of time are intimately tied to a planet's rotation, and planets rotate at different rates, time keeping doesn't always follow a simple pattern.

Many stores advertise being open 24/7, which means that they're open all day, every day. Many locations of the convenience store chain {{w|7-Eleven}} are now "open 24 hours", again meaning they are always open (despite historically being open only from 7 AM to 11 PM local time, hence its name).

The main joke in the comic refers to the fact that a {{w|Timekeeping_on_Mars#Time_of_day|day on Mars}} (the time it takes for Mars to make a full rotation on its own axis) is about 24 hours and 37 minutes. If a 7-11 store is open for literally 24 hours per Mars day, then it would actually be closed for around 37 minutes each day. NASA, for its Mars missions, uses a "Mars-hour" that is one twenty-fourth of a Martian day; had the sign implicitly referred to 24 Mars-hours then the store would be open for the entire Mars day.

The duration for the Martian day used by [[Randall]] is the Martian {{w|sidereal day}} (how long it takes the non-Sun stars to get to the same position in the sky) of 24 hours, 37 minutes, and 22.663 seconds. However, Mars exploration missions use the Martian {{w|solar day}} (how long it takes the Sun to get to the same position in the sky) or {{w|Timekeeping_on_Mars#Sols|''sol''}} of 24 hours, 39 minutes, and 35.244 seconds. Thus in practice, the 7-11 store would be closed for 39 minutes daily instead of 37 minutes. Likewise, Earth time usually refers to solar days; a typical (mean) sidereal Earth day is 23 hours, 56 minutes, 4.0916 seconds long.

The first part of the title text refers to {{w|Daylight_saving_time|daylight saving time}} (DST), where clocks are changed on predefined days of the year in order to maximize use of available sunlight. In the United States, most places set clocks forward by one hour on the second Sunday of March, resulting in a 23-hour day, and back again on the first Sunday of November, resulting in a 25-hour day. Thus technically, even a 7-11 in the US would not truly be open "24 hours" every day. Arizona and Hawaii are called out as exceptions because they do not observe daylight saving time (except on the Navajo reservation in Arizona). Randall has made fun of DST [[:Category:Daylight saving time|several times before]], and once again he shows his disdain for DST by saying that in the U.S., only 24-hour stores within the two states not using DST are honest. This comic came out over a month after DST began in the US.

The second part of the title text refers to {{w|leap seconds}}, which are sometimes added to the end of a month in order to synchronize time with Earth's actual rotation. Months with a leap second will see its last day being one second longer than 24 hours. Since leap seconds apply to all Earth-based clocks, any store on Earth would not technically be open for exactly 24 hours on such days. Leap seconds have been referred to before in the title text of [[1514: PermaCal]].

==Transcript==
:[A person in a spacesuit is trying in vain to open the door to a convenience store, rattling the handle. Behind him stands a tall post with a big 7-eleven logo at the top and the opening hours on a bar below the logo.]
:Sign: 7-Eleven
:Bar: Open 24 hours
:Door: ''Rattle rattle''

:[Caption below the panel:]
:I'm glad they finally opened a 7-Eleven here on Mars, but it's annoying how it closes for 37 minutes every day.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Daylight saving time]]

1620: Christmas Settings

2015-12-24T21:25:00Z

Comet: /* Physical constants control panel */

{{comic
| number = 1620
| date = December 23, 2015
| title = Christmas Settings
| image = christmas_settings.png
| titletext = SOUND DOGS MAKE: [BARKING] [HISSING] [LIGHTSABER NOISES] [FLUENT ENGLISH] [SWEARING]
}}

==Explanation==
[[Ponytail]] is showing [[Megan]] around in her facility, and as the comic begins they enter a new room (''over here we have'') where she has the ''Universe Control Panel''.

A "Universe Control Panel" would be a set of dials to control the universe, and anyone having access to a room with these controls would from our point of view be in a God like position. If such a room did exist it would most likely be situated outside our universe (a dimension outside, and not necessarily in another universe). Since this comic was released just before {{w|Christmas}}, looking at it from a {{w|Christian}} point of view, this would be {{w|God|God's}} domicile and his control room for the universe would probably be located in {{w|Heaven}}.

Seen from a physicist's point of view, the typical panels for such a control room would be with dials to control the specific size of {{w|Physical constant|fundamental constants}} of the universe such as the {{w|speed of light in vacuum}}, {{w|Planck constant}} and the {{w|fine-structure constant}} to mention a few - see more under the trivia section [[#Physical constants control panel|Physical constants control panel]].

But the first control panel they reach includes the dials that control {{w|Christmas}}. So these control panels are either much more detailed than just physics constants (or do not consider these underlying constants at all). That we see this option as the first is, of course, because this is a [[:Category:Christmas|Christmas comic]] released on the 23rd of December.

From Ponytail's comment it is clear that the panel has dials for controlling several different things, and there is more than one dial for Christmas. We only see one of these up close (to get an idea of how they work, and for the sake of the joke).

In the second panel, Megan and Ponytail have not reached the control panel yet, so it is the reader, and not them, who sees the dial, which controls how {{w|Santa Claus}} enters people’s houses: The ''Santa enters houses through''-dial, has [[#Options for Santa|ten different possible settings]]. The one it's set to at this point of the comic is the traditional ''chimney''. Among the other nine there is the more logical option ''open window'', but surprisingly there is no option called ''the door''. But the other eight are increasingly weird or even impossible (though of course not for Santa, who can deliver a billion packets in one night and fly in a sleigh drawn by flying reindeer…). These options ranging from the ”feasible” like ''mail slot'', ''heating vents'' or ''cat flap'' to the impossible/ridiculous (some even disgusting) as ''kitchen faucet'', ''shower drain'' or ''toilet'' over the truly magical ''bathroom mirror '' and to the downright unpleasant - ''pores of your skin''. (See [[555: Two Mirrors]] regarding the mirror version).

As Megan and Ponytail are on their way to the next stop on the tour of these facilities Megan trips and catches herself on the Santa dial, messing it up by clicking it twice. Ponytail is disturbed by this and holds up her hand to her mouth. The reason for this is obvious when Megan asks what it was set to before so as to undo the mishap, because Ponytail tells that she has forgotten. So they cannot put it back right. This kind of proves that Ponytail is just a guide, and not the creator of the control panels.

As so often seen with human behaviors (if they are indeed human beings at all?), Megan says she will simply take a wild guess and hope she get it right. As the only thing she really knows is that it is not on the right setting now, there is only 1/9 that she will get it right assuming she will at least change it away from the setting she ended up on.

As we can see in the comic the dial clicks twice, implying it has moved two positions; Megan has thus most likely changed the dial to either "kitchen faucet" or "mail slot". Or the dial was moved one click away and one click back to the original position. As we do not know which of these she will now change away from, It is impossible to guess from the comic where she end up putting it, all ten options are possible. 
Since this comic was released on the 23rd of December, we are likely to find out in less than two days, if Santa comes out of the pores on our skin, or just through the mail slot... Only the first of these options will for certain be detected by someone…

As it is Ponytail who are showing Megan around, it is thus the first time Megan even hears about these dials, and she has no idea about where the Santa dial was pointing before. The reason why Ponytail cannot remember to which option the dial was set before is most likely because she is not part of our universe, and also not the creator of the control panel. If this is a control room outside of our universe these settings will not affect the two girls but they also have no need to know about Christmas on Earth. Anyone with access to these control room, might not particularly care for what happens on Earth, which is just one of a multitude of planet and stars that needs to be controlled from this control room.

An alternative explanation for the reason why Ponytail has forgotten, is that the universe immediately updated its settings to the latest selection, once Megan released the dial, changing all previously existing folklore and memories in existence to match (this will only make sense if the two girls are part of the universe that they are in control of). Where previously it was widely known that Santa Claus entered through the chimney, it is now widely known that he enters through kitchen faucets or mail slots (depending on Megan's selection). This makes it impossible to remember what the original setting was. Considering that Megan asks what the original setting was, we can reasonably assume that she remembers the action of changing the dial and thus knows that the lore she currently considers to be correct, is not the original setting.

The title text continues this by showing another ad-lib dial: ''[[#Options for dogs|Sound dogs make]]'' ranging from the norm (barking) to cat sounds (hissing), very embarrassing for a dog) over "lightsaber noises" and speech to swearing. This is a dial, most likely on another control panel for animal sounds (but it could of course specifically be the sound a dog would make in response to Santa's entry, by whatever method?)- It would thus give the same option of changing the expected vocal response of the dog away from (our norm of) barking, as the other dial with the way Santa enters the house. In popular culture, talking dogs are a commonly used trope; in contrast, swearing "dogs" are few, the most famous being {{w|Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog}}, a puppet created by {{w|Conan O'Brien}} and {{w|Robert Smigel}} and performed by the latter.

The comic might also be a joke on real-life controls often having no clear "default" value - which, by the way, is sometimes the case for virtual controls as well.

==Options for Santa==
*Below is a table with the ten possible settings for ''Santa enters houses through...''; starting with the originally chosen standard option and going clockwise through the rest:
{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5
|'''Option''' || '''Normal Entry/Exit for...'''
|-
|{{w|Chimney}} || {{W|Santa Claus}} typically comes in this way (see him here in a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I-b_GJ4ltk victorian roof-top song and dance number]. Also {{w|The_Three_Little_Pigs|big bad wolves}} uses this entrance in Disney’s cartoon.
|-
|{{w|Shower#Drainage|Shower drain}} || Dirty shower water.
|-
|{{w|Mail slot}} || Letters, post cards and small presents delivers by the mailman.
|-
|{{w|Duct (flow)|Heating vents}} || Hot air used for {{w|central heating}}.
|-
|{{w|Bathroom}} {{w|mirror}} || See {{w|Candyman (film)|Candyman}}, or {{w|Bloody Mary (folklore)|Bloody Mary}} (the latter has been used in [[555: Two Mirrors]]).
|-
|{{w|Skin pore|Pores of your skin}} || {{w|Sweat}} leaving the body.
|-
|{{w|Toilet}} || {{w|Human waste}} and {{w|The_Shawshank_Redemption|life-term prisoners}} (at least through the sewer).
|-
|{{w|Cat flap}} || Domesticated cats and dogs.
|-
|{{w|Sink|Kitchen faucet}} || Water.
|-
|{{w|Window|Open window}} || {{w|Burglars}} and other criminals. Also often used as an exit by teenagers in movies and other film media, or by people who have locked themselves out of their own house.
|}

==Options for dogs==
*Below is a table with the five possible settings for ''Sound dogs make''; starting with the current and continuing with the order in the title text:
{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5
|'''Option''' || '''Normal sound for...'''
|-
|{{w|Bark (sound)|Barking}} || {{w|Dogs}} current standard sound in our universe...
|-
|[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hissing Hissing] || Typically a {{w|List of animal sounds|sound contributed}} to {{w|snakes}}, but also something {{w|cats}} are [http://www.animalplanet.com/pets/why-do-cats-hiss/ said to hiss], for instance as a reaction against a barking dog. It would thus be very frustrating for dogs if their noise was changed into that or their arch enemies.
|-
|{{w|Lightsaber|Lightsaber noises}} || A lightsaber makes a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kpHK4YIwY4 very unique sound], and as they are one of the most known props from the {{w|Star Wars}} universe, it is very relevant as the newest Star Wars movie {{w|Star Wars: The Force Awakens}} was released a week before this comic. Star Wars was also the main theme a month ago in the comic [[1608: Hoverboard]], the coin collecting game that celebrated [[Randall|Randall's]] new book.
|-
|{{w|Fluency#Speech|Fluent}} {{w|English language|English}} || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRcUcxtaX-Q Speaking dogs] are a common trope as are {{w|talking animals}} in general. A person who is native to a country where they speak English will usually be fluent in speaking English. But a person may not usually be described as being fluent in their {{w|Native tongue}}. But a person from a country who does not speak English as their first language, but who speaks it very well would speak fluent English.
|-
|{{w|Profanity|Swearing}} || It would be unpleasant for people who dislike swearing, and a big problems for movies such as {{w|Lassie}} where most of the soundtrack would have to be replaced by {{w|Bleep censor|bleeps}}. Swearing "dogs" are few, the most famous being {{w|Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog}}, a puppet created by {{w|Conan O'Brien}} and {{w|Robert Smigel}} and performed by the latter.
|}

==Transcript==
:[Megan and Ponytail are walking over to a console, Ponytail points towards it. They are drawn in a panel that is only half the width of the next panel below]
:Ponytail: Over here we have the universe control panel.
:Ponytail: These dials, for example, control Christmas.

:[A dial is shown. There is a label at the top and then there are ten settings, five symmetrically on the left and right side, but no setting straight up or down. It looks allot like the dial on a washing machine with different programs. The dial points towards the top left setting. All settings are labeled and there is a small line going to the point on the dial connected with each setting. The line at 3 and 9 o'clock are straight the other 8 are divided in two, where the first part goes horizontally and then bends either up or down, to end in the right position. Here the labele at the top and then the setting labels clockwise from top right, thus ending with the one the dial is set to:]
:'''Santa enters houses through...'''
:Shower Drain
:Mail Slot
:Heating Vents
:Bathroom Mirror
:Pores of Your Skin
:Toilet
:Cat Flap
:Kitchen Faucet
:Open Window
:Chimney

:[Ponytail is passing by this control panel looking back at Megan who trips and falls towards the console.]
:Megan: Whoops!
:Megans legs: Trip

:[Megan catches herself on the dial of the control panel and accidentally turns the dial. Ponytail has taken her hands to her mouth.]
:Dial: Click Click

:[Megan is standing in front of the console looking at the dial, Ponytail is standing behind it.]
:Megan: What was the Santa dial set to before?
:Ponytail: I forget.
:Megan: I'll just guess

==Trivia==
*In the [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/archive/7/73/20151223160450!christmas_settings.png original version] of the comic Ponytail erroneously said: ''These dials, for example, '''controls''' Christmas.''
**This was soon changed to the current (and grammatically correct) version with out the "s" at the end of controls ''These dials, for example, control Christmas.''
**Thus proving that it was intended that there were more than one dial, we just see the one that Megan later changed by mistake for the sake of the joke of the comic.

===Physical constants control panel===
*Below is a table with ten of the most likely dials to find on a Universe Control Panel for {{w|Physical constant|physical constants}}.
**(Please feel free to reorder or change out constants, if there are some “more important” constants left out, or reorder the list if that would feel more appropriate), and add more explanation.
**If just one of these constant had a slightly different value, life as we know it (or even star formation) might not have been possible, (see the {{w|anthropic principle}}). So it was good that it was only the Santa setting Megan screwed-on (up).
{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5
|'''Dial label''' || '''Value''' || '''Constant governs…/what would happen if it changed etc.'''
|-
|{{w|Planck constant}} || h = 6.626 069 57 × 10−34 J·s ||
|-
|{{w|Speed of light}} || c = 299 792 458 m·s−1 || A low speed of light would delay the imagery one sees, as well as dramatically increase Redshift effect [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redshift] and potentially allow Faster-than-Light travel. Of course, FTL wouldn't be as beneficial if C was lessened.
''However'', it is likely that light (unfettered, i.e. in a vacuum) travels at the speed of light not because it is specifically the speed of light, but because it is the speed limit of all things. Changing 'c' would then no more allow FTL travel than raising it might make light outpace the likes of gravity wave effects.
|-
|{{w|Gravitational constant}} || G = 6.67384 × 10−11 m3·kg−1·s−2 || This setting would make things heavier or lighter, and cause orbits to change, potentially causing either collapse of orbital systems, or objects to escape.
|-
|{{w|Fine-structure constant}} || α = 1⁄137.036 || Someone must have turned the dial just a little away from 1/137…
|-
|{{w|Boltzmann constant}} || k = 1.380 6488 × 10−23 J·K−1 ||
|-
|{{w|Elementary charge}} || e = 1.602 176 565 × 10−19 C ||
|-
|{{w|Bohr radius}} || a0 = 5.291 772 1092 × 10−11 m ||
|-
|{{w|electron|Electron mass}} || me = 9.109 382 91 × 10−31 kg ||
|-
|{{w| proton|Proton mass }} || mp = 1.672 621 777 × 10−27 kg ||
|-
|{{w|Absolute zero|Temperature at absolute zero}} || T = 0 K = −273.15°C = −459.67°F ||
|-
|π || pi=ratio of circumference to diameter for any circle ≆ [[https://www.agecon.purdue.edu/crd/localgov/Second%20Level%20pages/indiana_pi_bill.htm][3.2]] || Noneuclidean planar geometry
|-
|}

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Christmas]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Animals]]

1620: Christmas Settings

2015-12-24T21:22:38Z

Comet: /* Physical constants control panel */

{{comic
| number = 1620
| date = December 23, 2015
| title = Christmas Settings
| image = christmas_settings.png
| titletext = SOUND DOGS MAKE: [BARKING] [HISSING] [LIGHTSABER NOISES] [FLUENT ENGLISH] [SWEARING]
}}

==Explanation==
[[Ponytail]] is showing [[Megan]] around in her facility, and as the comic begins they enter a new room (''over here we have'') where she has the ''Universe Control Panel''.

A "Universe Control Panel" would be a set of dials to control the universe, and anyone having access to a room with these controls would from our point of view be in a God like position. If such a room did exist it would most likely be situated outside our universe (a dimension outside, and not necessarily in another universe). Since this comic was released just before {{w|Christmas}}, looking at it from a {{w|Christian}} point of view, this would be {{w|God|God's}} domicile and his control room for the universe would probably be located in {{w|Heaven}}.

Seen from a physicist's point of view, the typical panels for such a control room would be with dials to control the specific size of {{w|Physical constant|fundamental constants}} of the universe such as the {{w|speed of light in vacuum}}, {{w|Planck constant}} and the {{w|fine-structure constant}} to mention a few - see more under the trivia section [[#Physical constants control panel|Physical constants control panel]].

But the first control panel they reach includes the dials that control {{w|Christmas}}. So these control panels are either much more detailed than just physics constants (or do not consider these underlying constants at all). That we see this option as the first is, of course, because this is a [[:Category:Christmas|Christmas comic]] released on the 23rd of December.

From Ponytail's comment it is clear that the panel has dials for controlling several different things, and there is more than one dial for Christmas. We only see one of these up close (to get an idea of how they work, and for the sake of the joke).

In the second panel, Megan and Ponytail have not reached the control panel yet, so it is the reader, and not them, who sees the dial, which controls how {{w|Santa Claus}} enters people’s houses: The ''Santa enters houses through''-dial, has [[#Options for Santa|ten different possible settings]]. The one it's set to at this point of the comic is the traditional ''chimney''. Among the other nine there is the more logical option ''open window'', but surprisingly there is no option called ''the door''. But the other eight are increasingly weird or even impossible (though of course not for Santa, who can deliver a billion packets in one night and fly in a sleigh drawn by flying reindeer…). These options ranging from the ”feasible” like ''mail slot'', ''heating vents'' or ''cat flap'' to the impossible/ridiculous (some even disgusting) as ''kitchen faucet'', ''shower drain'' or ''toilet'' over the truly magical ''bathroom mirror '' and to the downright unpleasant - ''pores of your skin''. (See [[555: Two Mirrors]] regarding the mirror version).

As Megan and Ponytail are on their way to the next stop on the tour of these facilities Megan trips and catches herself on the Santa dial, messing it up by clicking it twice. Ponytail is disturbed by this and holds up her hand to her mouth. The reason for this is obvious when Megan asks what it was set to before so as to undo the mishap, because Ponytail tells that she has forgotten. So they cannot put it back right. This kind of proves that Ponytail is just a guide, and not the creator of the control panels.

As so often seen with human behaviors (if they are indeed human beings at all?), Megan says she will simply take a wild guess and hope she get it right. As the only thing she really knows is that it is not on the right setting now, there is only 1/9 that she will get it right assuming she will at least change it away from the setting she ended up on.

As we can see in the comic the dial clicks twice, implying it has moved two positions; Megan has thus most likely changed the dial to either "kitchen faucet" or "mail slot". Or the dial was moved one click away and one click back to the original position. As we do not know which of these she will now change away from, It is impossible to guess from the comic where she end up putting it, all ten options are possible. 
Since this comic was released on the 23rd of December, we are likely to find out in less than two days, if Santa comes out of the pores on our skin, or just through the mail slot... Only the first of these options will for certain be detected by someone…

As it is Ponytail who are showing Megan around, it is thus the first time Megan even hears about these dials, and she has no idea about where the Santa dial was pointing before. The reason why Ponytail cannot remember to which option the dial was set before is most likely because she is not part of our universe, and also not the creator of the control panel. If this is a control room outside of our universe these settings will not affect the two girls but they also have no need to know about Christmas on Earth. Anyone with access to these control room, might not particularly care for what happens on Earth, which is just one of a multitude of planet and stars that needs to be controlled from this control room.

An alternative explanation for the reason why Ponytail has forgotten, is that the universe immediately updated its settings to the latest selection, once Megan released the dial, changing all previously existing folklore and memories in existence to match (this will only make sense if the two girls are part of the universe that they are in control of). Where previously it was widely known that Santa Claus entered through the chimney, it is now widely known that he enters through kitchen faucets or mail slots (depending on Megan's selection). This makes it impossible to remember what the original setting was. Considering that Megan asks what the original setting was, we can reasonably assume that she remembers the action of changing the dial and thus knows that the lore she currently considers to be correct, is not the original setting.

The title text continues this by showing another ad-lib dial: ''[[#Options for dogs|Sound dogs make]]'' ranging from the norm (barking) to cat sounds (hissing), very embarrassing for a dog) over "lightsaber noises" and speech to swearing. This is a dial, most likely on another control panel for animal sounds (but it could of course specifically be the sound a dog would make in response to Santa's entry, by whatever method?)- It would thus give the same option of changing the expected vocal response of the dog away from (our norm of) barking, as the other dial with the way Santa enters the house. In popular culture, talking dogs are a commonly used trope; in contrast, swearing "dogs" are few, the most famous being {{w|Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog}}, a puppet created by {{w|Conan O'Brien}} and {{w|Robert Smigel}} and performed by the latter.

The comic might also be a joke on real-life controls often having no clear "default" value - which, by the way, is sometimes the case for virtual controls as well.

==Options for Santa==
*Below is a table with the ten possible settings for ''Santa enters houses through...''; starting with the originally chosen standard option and going clockwise through the rest:
{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5
|'''Option''' || '''Normal Entry/Exit for...'''
|-
|{{w|Chimney}} || {{W|Santa Claus}} typically comes in this way (see him here in a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I-b_GJ4ltk victorian roof-top song and dance number]. Also {{w|The_Three_Little_Pigs|big bad wolves}} uses this entrance in Disney’s cartoon.
|-
|{{w|Shower#Drainage|Shower drain}} || Dirty shower water.
|-
|{{w|Mail slot}} || Letters, post cards and small presents delivers by the mailman.
|-
|{{w|Duct (flow)|Heating vents}} || Hot air used for {{w|central heating}}.
|-
|{{w|Bathroom}} {{w|mirror}} || See {{w|Candyman (film)|Candyman}}, or {{w|Bloody Mary (folklore)|Bloody Mary}} (the latter has been used in [[555: Two Mirrors]]).
|-
|{{w|Skin pore|Pores of your skin}} || {{w|Sweat}} leaving the body.
|-
|{{w|Toilet}} || {{w|Human waste}} and {{w|The_Shawshank_Redemption|life-term prisoners}} (at least through the sewer).
|-
|{{w|Cat flap}} || Domesticated cats and dogs.
|-
|{{w|Sink|Kitchen faucet}} || Water.
|-
|{{w|Window|Open window}} || {{w|Burglars}} and other criminals. Also often used as an exit by teenagers in movies and other film media, or by people who have locked themselves out of their own house.
|}

==Options for dogs==
*Below is a table with the five possible settings for ''Sound dogs make''; starting with the current and continuing with the order in the title text:
{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5
|'''Option''' || '''Normal sound for...'''
|-
|{{w|Bark (sound)|Barking}} || {{w|Dogs}} current standard sound in our universe...
|-
|[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hissing Hissing] || Typically a {{w|List of animal sounds|sound contributed}} to {{w|snakes}}, but also something {{w|cats}} are [http://www.animalplanet.com/pets/why-do-cats-hiss/ said to hiss], for instance as a reaction against a barking dog. It would thus be very frustrating for dogs if their noise was changed into that or their arch enemies.
|-
|{{w|Lightsaber|Lightsaber noises}} || A lightsaber makes a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kpHK4YIwY4 very unique sound], and as they are one of the most known props from the {{w|Star Wars}} universe, it is very relevant as the newest Star Wars movie {{w|Star Wars: The Force Awakens}} was released a week before this comic. Star Wars was also the main theme a month ago in the comic [[1608: Hoverboard]], the coin collecting game that celebrated [[Randall|Randall's]] new book.
|-
|{{w|Fluency#Speech|Fluent}} {{w|English language|English}} || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRcUcxtaX-Q Speaking dogs] are a common trope as are {{w|talking animals}} in general. A person who is native to a country where they speak English will usually be fluent in speaking English. But a person may not usually be described as being fluent in their {{w|Native tongue}}. But a person from a country who does not speak English as their first language, but who speaks it very well would speak fluent English.
|-
|{{w|Profanity|Swearing}} || It would be unpleasant for people who dislike swearing, and a big problems for movies such as {{w|Lassie}} where most of the soundtrack would have to be replaced by {{w|Bleep censor|bleeps}}. Swearing "dogs" are few, the most famous being {{w|Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog}}, a puppet created by {{w|Conan O'Brien}} and {{w|Robert Smigel}} and performed by the latter.
|}

==Transcript==
:[Megan and Ponytail are walking over to a console, Ponytail points towards it. They are drawn in a panel that is only half the width of the next panel below]
:Ponytail: Over here we have the universe control panel.
:Ponytail: These dials, for example, control Christmas.

:[A dial is shown. There is a label at the top and then there are ten settings, five symmetrically on the left and right side, but no setting straight up or down. It looks allot like the dial on a washing machine with different programs. The dial points towards the top left setting. All settings are labeled and there is a small line going to the point on the dial connected with each setting. The line at 3 and 9 o'clock are straight the other 8 are divided in two, where the first part goes horizontally and then bends either up or down, to end in the right position. Here the labele at the top and then the setting labels clockwise from top right, thus ending with the one the dial is set to:]
:'''Santa enters houses through...'''
:Shower Drain
:Mail Slot
:Heating Vents
:Bathroom Mirror
:Pores of Your Skin
:Toilet
:Cat Flap
:Kitchen Faucet
:Open Window
:Chimney

:[Ponytail is passing by this control panel looking back at Megan who trips and falls towards the console.]
:Megan: Whoops!
:Megans legs: Trip

:[Megan catches herself on the dial of the control panel and accidentally turns the dial. Ponytail has taken her hands to her mouth.]
:Dial: Click Click

:[Megan is standing in front of the console looking at the dial, Ponytail is standing behind it.]
:Megan: What was the Santa dial set to before?
:Ponytail: I forget.
:Megan: I'll just guess

==Trivia==
*In the [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/archive/7/73/20151223160450!christmas_settings.png original version] of the comic Ponytail erroneously said: ''These dials, for example, '''controls''' Christmas.''
**This was soon changed to the current (and grammatically correct) version with out the "s" at the end of controls ''These dials, for example, control Christmas.''
**Thus proving that it was intended that there were more than one dial, we just see the one that Megan later changed by mistake for the sake of the joke of the comic.

===Physical constants control panel===
*Below is a table with ten of the most likely dials to find on a Universe Control Panel for {{w|Physical constant|physical constants}}.
**(Please feel free to reorder or change out constants, if there are some “more important” constants left out, or reorder the list if that would feel more appropriate), and add more explanation.
**If just one of these constant had a slightly different value, life as we know it (or even star formation) might not have been possible, (see the {{w|anthropic principle}}). So it was good that it was only the Santa setting Megan screwed-on (up).
{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5
|'''Dial label''' || '''Value''' || '''Constant governs…/what would happen if it changed etc.'''
|-
|{{w|Planck constant}} || h = 6.626 069 57 × 10−34 J·s ||
|-
|{{w|Speed of light}} || c = 299 792 458 m·s−1 || A low speed of light would delay the imagery one sees, as well as dramatically increase Redshift effect [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redshift] and potentially allow Faster-than-Light travel. Of course, FTL wouldn't be as beneficial if C was lessened.
''However'', it is likely that light (unfettered, i.e. in a vacuum) travels at the speed of light not because it is specifically the speed of light, but because it is the speed limit of all things. Changing 'c' would then no more allow FTL travel than raising it might make light outpace the likes of gravity wave effects.
|-
|{{w|Gravitational constant}} || G = 6.67384 × 10−11 m3·kg−1·s−2 || This setting would make things heavier or lighter, and cause orbits to change, potentially causing either collapse of orbital systems, or objects to escape.
|-
|{{w|Fine-structure constant}} || α = 1⁄137.036 || Someone must have turned the dial just a little away from 1/137…
|-
|{{w|Boltzmann constant}} || k = 1.380 6488 × 10−23 J·K−1 ||
|-
|{{w|Elementary charge}} || e = 1.602 176 565 × 10−19 C ||
|-
|{{w|Bohr radius}} || a0 = 5.291 772 1092 × 10−11 m ||
|-
|{{w|electron|Electron mass}} || me = 9.109 382 91 × 10−31 kg ||
|-
|{{w| proton|Proton mass }} || mp = 1.672 621 777 × 10−27 kg ||
|-
|{{w|Absolute zero|Temperature at absolute zero}} || T = 0 K = −273.15°C = −459.67°F ||
|-
|π || pi=ratio of circumference to diameter for any circle ≆ [[https://www.agecon.purdue.edu/crd/localgov/Second%20Level%20pages/indiana_pi_bill.htm][3.2] ||
|-
|}

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Christmas]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Animals]]

1581: Birthday

2015-09-23T16:54:08Z

Comet: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 1581
| date = September 23, 2015
| title = Birthday
| image = birthday.png
| titletext = I guess I need to apologize to my parents, friends, and the staff at Chuck E. Cheese's for all the times I called the cops on them.
}}

==Explanation==
[[xkcd]] turns 10 years old on September 30, 2015 (a week after the release of this comic). In this comic [[Randall]] honors his webcomic by singing to it the classic "{{w|Happy Birthday to You}}" song.

The caption above the panel refers to a ruling, from the day before the release of this comic, by a California's federal judge ({{w|George H. King|George King}}) stating that {{w|Warner/Chappell Music}}, a music production company, does not hold the copyrights for the ''Happy Birthday to You'' song (see [http://www.law360.com/articles/706173 Warner's 'Happy Birthday' Copyright Not Valid, Judge Rules]). Such a ruling was given after the conflict that rose when Warner Music filed a lawsuit against singer {{w|Rupa Marya}} and filmmaker {{w|Robert D. Siegel|Robert Siegel}} to pay royalties for the use of the song in their productions. The counterargument was that the copyright applied to a particular arrangement of the music, and not to the song in general.

The title text is a joke that refers to Randall calling the police against {{w|Chuck E. Cheese's}} as well as his own friends and parents when they used the song "Happy Birthday" and did not pay royalties. It is very commonly used in entertainment restaurants, such as Chuck E. Cheese's and at both grown up's and children's birthdays. Now he has to apologize for that kind of behaviors. Some might claim that he should already have been sorry for such behavior, ruling or not...

==Transcript==
:[Caption above the frame:]
:xkcd turns 10 years old this month.
:In light of last night's court ruling in
:''Rupa Marya v. Warner/Chappell Music Inc.'',
:I would just like to say:

:[The song text is written, with nine musical notes, three groups on each side of the text, above a birthday cake with 10 lit candles. The cake has two distinct layers. On each layer there are drawn 6 xkcd stick figures with small black bullets between them. The center bullet in the bottom layer is shaped like a heart. The figures at the edges can be difficult to recognize. The figures in the upper layer and from the left are: A man with a hat (hard to see if it is one of the recognized characters), White Hat, Megan, Pony Tail, Hairy and Cueball (hard to see him properly). Similar in the lower layer: Black Hat, Danish, Beret Guy, Rob, Cutie, and a girl (hard to see, but looks like girls hair, not a hat).]
:Happy birthday to you
:Happy birthday to you
:Happy birthday, dear xkcd
:Happy birthday to you

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Danish]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]