explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

810: Constructive

2021-01-15T21:01:57Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 810
| date = October 25, 2010
| title = Constructive
| image = constructive.png
| titletext = And what about all the people who won't be able to join the community because they're terrible at making helpful and constructive co-- ...oh.
}}

==Explanation==
Most online communities, including explainxkcd, face the problem of dissuading {{w|Spamming|spammers}} from joining and participating. A common solution to this problem is the use of various systems to prevent automated bots' use of the community, while still allowing legitimate users to join. This has resulted in an arms race of sorts between spammers and communities, in which the spammers try to bypass increasingly difficult spam-prevention methods.

This captcha and spamming prevention also has a downside, in that the time it takes to "prove you're human" is sometimes so long as to drive users away because their time is being wasted.

This comic explores the culmination of that arms race, in which an advanced spam-prevention system, built by Cueball, is able to defeat the concept of spamming itself by forcing spammers to contribute constructively to a community.

{{w|Captcha}} is one of the methods used to prevent lots of automated registering of fake user names used by bots and spammers. It consists of asking a person to prove that they are human before registering them as user and allowing them to post on sites or forum topics. That is done by using pictures of words and letters that humans may recognize, but bots and OCR software have trouble with.

Now, artificial intelligence (AI) of bots have advanced so far, that [[Cueball]] has invented a new system. It asks the users to rate a slate of comments as constructive or not, then asks them to reply with comments of their own. [[Megan]] asks what will happen when spammers find a way around his system, such as making bots that make constructive and helpful comments? Well, it turns out that is what he is trying to accomplish in first place, a thriving community of bots and humans helping its members with constructive and helpful comments, as well as coming one step closer to the {{w|technological singularity|singularity}}.

The title text investigates the consequences of such system further by thinking of people unable to give constructive and helpful comments, which are a sort of people you don't want in your online community anyway. Or it could mean that in order to join said community, they would have to learn to post helpful and constructive comments, and would then be eligible to join, thus accomplishing Cueball's goal.

CAPTCHAs are a [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Category:CAPTCHA recurring theme] on xkcd.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is talking to Megan.]
:Cueball: Spammers are breaking traditional Captchas with AI, so I've built a new system. It asks users to rate a slate of comments as "Constructive" or "Not constructive."

:[Close up of Cueball.]
:Cueball: Then it has them reply with comments of their own, which are later rated by other users.

:[Megan standing next to Cueball again.]
:Megan: But what will you do when spammers train their bots to make automated constructive and helpful comments?

:[Close up of Cueball again.]
:Cueball: ''Mission''. ''Fucking''. ''Accomplished''.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:CAPTCHA]]

User talk:Donthaveusername

2021-01-15T20:59:31Z

Donthaveusername:

<div style="background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(right,#eeeeee,#fefefe,#ffffff); border-radius: 10px;">
<div style="margin: 10px;">
[http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:Donthaveusername&action=edit&section=new + New Topic]
== Title Text in Transcript ==

Hi, not sure if the policy's been changed, but I'm pretty sure that the title text isn't usually included in the transcript. I'm removing them now but I'll revert if I'm wrong. Thanks. [[User:Opalmagpie|Opalmagpie]] ([[User talk:Opalmagpie|talk]]) 23:45, 22 September 2020 (UTC)

:Oh ok, Im sorry. I did not know. Thank you for telling me that.-[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]
::No problem dude [[User:Opalmagpie|Opalmagpie]] ([[User talk:Opalmagpie|talk]]) 21:15, 23 September 2020 (UTC)

:::Also, curious, how can you tell who made what edits? -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]

::::It's up near the top by the search bar in "View History" [[User:Opalmagpie|Opalmagpie]] ([[User talk:Opalmagpie|talk]]) 00:54, 25 September 2020 (UTC)
 

== Please do not delete ==

Please stop messing up the "Please do not delete this tag too soon" message. What you've been doing is a form of vandalism. [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 15:21, 17 October 2020 (UTC)
:k sorry -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]
</div>
</div>

== Welcome template! ==

{{Welcome|Donthaveausername}} — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 03:19, 14 December 2020 (UTC)
:Uhhhhhm thank you?
::You can now spam the recent changes by adding these to new comer’s user talk pages! — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 04:24, 12 January 2021 (UTC)
::: but thats vAnDaLiSm - Donthaveusername

User talk:Donthaveusername

2021-01-15T20:58:44Z

Donthaveusername: /* Welcome template! */

<div style="background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(right,#eeeeee,#fefefe,#ffffff); border-radius: 10px;">
<div style="margin: 10px;">
[http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:Donthaveusername&action=edit&section=new + New Topic]
== Title Text in Transcript ==

Hi, not sure if the policy's been changed, but I'm pretty sure that the title text isn't usually included in the transcript. I'm removing them now but I'll revert if I'm wrong. Thanks. [[User:Opalmagpie|Opalmagpie]] ([[User talk:Opalmagpie|talk]]) 23:45, 22 September 2020 (UTC)

:Oh ok, Im sorry. I did not know. Thank you for telling me that.-[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]
::No problem dude [[User:Opalmagpie|Opalmagpie]] ([[User talk:Opalmagpie|talk]]) 21:15, 23 September 2020 (UTC)

:::Also, curious, how can you tell who made what edits? -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]

::::It's up near the top by the search bar in "View History" [[User:Opalmagpie|Opalmagpie]] ([[User talk:Opalmagpie|talk]]) 00:54, 25 September 2020 (UTC)
 

== Please do not delete ==

Please stop messing up the "Please do not delete this tag too soon" message. What you've been doing is a form of vandalism. [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 15:21, 17 October 2020 (UTC)
:k sorry -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]
</div>
</div>

== Welcome template! ==

{{Welcome|Donthaveausername}} — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 03:19, 14 December 2020 (UTC)
:Uhhhhhm thank you?
::You can now spam the recent changes by adding these to new comer’s user talk pages! — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 04:24, 12 January 2021 (UTC)
::: but thats vAnDaLiSm - Donthaveusername

User talk:Donthaveusername

2021-01-15T20:57:23Z

Donthaveusername: /* Welcome template! */

Talk:2412: 1/100,000th Scale World

2021-01-15T20:56:29Z

Donthaveusername:

Sprites?

[[Special:Contributions/172.68.174.44|172.68.174.44]] 17:01, 15 January 2021 (UTC)

Looks like there is a form of electrical discharge that can occur above thunderstorms called a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprite_(lightning) Sprite]

It actually took me a second to realise this was a new comic, I thought Randal just added different jokes to Wednesday's for some reason. Given the title text, I wonder what projection Randall would use for this scale model... I imagine a projection similar to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Build_the_Earth#Map_projection Build the Earth's modified Airocean] would work for something like this.--[[Special:Contributions/172.69.35.85|172.69.35.85]] 17:12, 15 January 2021 (UTC)

Just for reference and to be checked, I paste here the maths to compute that the panel spans 9 degrees of a great circle:
<pre>
> 10/1e3*1e5/6371*180/pi
[1] 8.993216
</pre>
--[[User:Pere prlpz|Pere prlpz]] ([[User talk:Pere prlpz|talk]]) 19:21, 15 January 2021 (UTC)

The ISS game seems very contradictory to the other rules in this and the previous comic. Given that the ISS would be only about 1 mm wide, hitting it with a nerf dart would almost certainly destroy it. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 19:59, 15 January 2021 (UTC)
:The world is at scale, but people and the artifacts they create don't seem to be. In particular, the wine glasses are normal size relative to the people. So the ISS may be life size, and hitting it with a dart should be trivial.

Is this a duplicate? Looks the same as [[2411: 1/10,000th Scale World]]. [[User:PvOberstein|PvOberstein]] ([[User talk:PvOberstein|talk]]) 20:24, 15 January 2021 (UTC)
:Look better, the scale is different. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.245.47|172.68.245.47]] 20:40, 15 January 2021 (UTC)

Correct me if im wrong but if you ran fast enough, could you go into orbit around earth? [[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]] ([[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]) 20:56, 15 January 2021 (UTC)

User talk:Danish

2020-12-24T16:08:04Z

Donthaveusername:

{{Welcome}}

== Nerd Sniping ==

Why. Why did I fall for that. I did see your little comment at the end tho. it hurts me on a personal level - [[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]]

User talk:Danish

2020-12-24T16:05:04Z

Donthaveusername: /* Nerd Sniping */ new section

{{Welcome}}

== Nerd Sniping ==

Why. Why did I fall for that. I did see your little comment at the end tho. it hurts me on a personal level - [[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]]

User:Donthaveusername

2020-12-20T16:24:48Z

Donthaveusername:

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| label2 = Known appearances
| data2 = '''[[User:Donthaveusername|eπi]]'''

| label3 = Contribution score
| data3 = [[Special:ContributionScores|{{#cscore:Donthaveusername|score}}]]

| label4 = Pages edited
| data4 = [[Special:ContributionScores|{{#cscore:Donthaveusername|pages}}]]

| label5 = Changes made
| data5 = [[Special:ContributionScores|{{#cscore:Donthaveusername|changes}}]]

| label6 = Time On Wiki
| data6 = Im not sure Days

| label7 = Status

| data7 = ''(Probably)'' Offline}}

<div style="margin: 10px;">

==Inactive==

<div style="background-color: #fafafa; font-size: 100%; border-radius: 15px; padding: 7px;">
Alert! This user is inactive on explainxkcd. They still exist, and still will sometimes make changes, but only check once a month or so
</div>

===About Me===

I like xkcd{{Citation needed}}
 
Im decent at css(opinion)(but not good at designing obviously because I still like comic sans)
 
Dont let me near your computer; I have '''''worse''''' computer problems than [[Randall]]

I will format your page for you (because I have nothing better to do)
just ask
 
I do front end web development
 
ab

===My favorite comics===

====The stargazing series====
*[[Stargazing]]
*[[Stargazing_2]]
*[[Stargazing_3]]

====1337 Series====
*[[341: 1337: Part 1]]
*[[342: 1337: Part 2]]
*[[343: 1337: Part 3]]
*[[344: 1337: Part 4]]
*[[345: 1337: Part 5]]

====The Secretary Series====
*[[494: Secretary: Part 1]]
*[[495: Secretary: Part 2]]
*[[496: Secretary: Part 3]]
*[[497: Secretary: Part 4]]
*[[498: Secretary: Part 5]]

====The Journal Series====

*[[374: Journal]]
*[[377: Journal 2]]
*[[405: Journal 3]]
*[[432: Journal 4]]
*[[433: Journal 5]]
wow i guess i rly like series

====Comics not in series====
*[[e_to_the_pi_times_i|e to the pi times i (eπi)]]
*[[1803:_Location_Reviews|Location Reviews]]

===What I help with/What I have helped with===

*I fix grammar problems
*I help with transcript
*Adding Content To Red links (Sometimes)
*I open 6 wikipedia pages to add one line in the explanation

<hr>
====Templates That Relate To Xkcd Comics:====

*Template: Turtle

{{Turtle}}

*Template: Dyslexics

{{Dyslexics}}

===My Current Signature===

-[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]
 
</div>

</div>

User:Donthaveusername

2020-12-20T16:24:07Z

Donthaveusername:

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| image = [[File:BlackHat_head.png]]
| caption = {{{caption|}}}

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| data1 = [[Main Page|Long Long Ago]]

| label2 = Known appearances
| data2 = '''[[User:Donthaveusername|eπi]]'''

| label3 = Contribution score
| data3 = [[Special:ContributionScores|{{#cscore:Donthaveusername|score}}]]

| label4 = Pages edited
| data4 = [[Special:ContributionScores|{{#cscore:Donthaveusername|pages}}]]

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| data5 = [[Special:ContributionScores|{{#cscore:Donthaveusername|changes}}]]

| label6 = Time On Wiki
| data6 = Im not sure Days

| label7 = Status

| data7 = ''(Probably)'' Offline}}

<div style="margin: 10px;">

==Inactive==

<div style="background-color: #fafafa; font-size: 120%; border-radius: 15px; padding: 10px;">
Alert! This user is inactive on explainxkcd. They still exist, and still will sometimes make changes, but only check once a month or so
</div>

===About Me===

I like xkcd{{Citation needed}}
 
Im decent at css(opinion)(but not good at designing obviously because I still like comic sans)
 
Dont let me near your computer; I have '''''worse''''' computer problems than [[Randall]]

I will format your page for you (because I have nothing better to do)
just ask
 
I do front end web development
 
ab

===My favorite comics===

====The stargazing series====
*[[Stargazing]]
*[[Stargazing_2]]
*[[Stargazing_3]]

====1337 Series====
*[[341: 1337: Part 1]]
*[[342: 1337: Part 2]]
*[[343: 1337: Part 3]]
*[[344: 1337: Part 4]]
*[[345: 1337: Part 5]]

====The Secretary Series====
*[[494: Secretary: Part 1]]
*[[495: Secretary: Part 2]]
*[[496: Secretary: Part 3]]
*[[497: Secretary: Part 4]]
*[[498: Secretary: Part 5]]

====The Journal Series====

*[[374: Journal]]
*[[377: Journal 2]]
*[[405: Journal 3]]
*[[432: Journal 4]]
*[[433: Journal 5]]
wow i guess i rly like series

====Comics not in series====
*[[e_to_the_pi_times_i|e to the pi times i (eπi)]]
*[[1803:_Location_Reviews|Location Reviews]]

===What I help with/What I have helped with===

*I fix grammar problems
*I help with transcript
*Adding Content To Red links (Sometimes)
*I open 6 wikipedia pages to add one line in the explanation

<hr>
====Templates That Relate To Xkcd Comics:====

*Template: Turtle

{{Turtle}}

*Template: Dyslexics

{{Dyslexics}}

===My Current Signature===

-[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]
 
</div>

</div>

User:Donthaveusername

2020-12-20T16:23:39Z

Donthaveusername:

<div style="background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(grey, white); font-family: sans-serif; border-radius: 12px; color: #101010;">
 
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| aboveclass = fn
| above = {{{name|{{PAGENAME}}}}}

| labelstyle = line-height: 1.3em
| datastyle = line-height: 1.3em

| image = [[File:BlackHat_head.png]]
| caption = {{{caption|}}}

| label1 = First appearance
| data1 = [[Main Page|Long Long Ago]]

| label2 = Known appearances
| data2 = '''[[User:Donthaveusername|eπi]]'''

| label3 = Contribution score
| data3 = [[Special:ContributionScores|{{#cscore:Donthaveusername|score}}]]

| label4 = Pages edited
| data4 = [[Special:ContributionScores|{{#cscore:Donthaveusername|pages}}]]

| label5 = Changes made
| data5 = [[Special:ContributionScores|{{#cscore:Donthaveusername|changes}}]]

| label6 = Time On Wiki
| data6 = Im not sure Days

| label7 = Status

| data7 = ''(Probably)'' Offline}}

<div style="margin: 10px;">

<div style="background-color: #fafafa; font-size: 120%; border-radius: 15px; padding: 10px;">
Alert! This user is inactive on explainxkcd. They still exist, and still will sometimes make changes, but only check once a month or so
</div>

===About Me===

I like xkcd{{Citation needed}}
 
Im decent at css(opinion)(but not good at designing obviously because I still like comic sans)
 
Dont let me near your computer; I have '''''worse''''' computer problems than [[Randall]]

I will format your page for you (because I have nothing better to do)
just ask
 
I do front end web development
 
ab

===My favorite comics===

====The stargazing series====
*[[Stargazing]]
*[[Stargazing_2]]
*[[Stargazing_3]]

====1337 Series====
*[[341: 1337: Part 1]]
*[[342: 1337: Part 2]]
*[[343: 1337: Part 3]]
*[[344: 1337: Part 4]]
*[[345: 1337: Part 5]]

====The Secretary Series====
*[[494: Secretary: Part 1]]
*[[495: Secretary: Part 2]]
*[[496: Secretary: Part 3]]
*[[497: Secretary: Part 4]]
*[[498: Secretary: Part 5]]

====The Journal Series====

*[[374: Journal]]
*[[377: Journal 2]]
*[[405: Journal 3]]
*[[432: Journal 4]]
*[[433: Journal 5]]
wow i guess i rly like series

====Comics not in series====
*[[e_to_the_pi_times_i|e to the pi times i (eπi)]]
*[[1803:_Location_Reviews|Location Reviews]]

===What I help with/What I have helped with===

*I fix grammar problems
*I help with transcript
*Adding Content To Red links (Sometimes)
*I open 6 wikipedia pages to add one line in the explanation

<hr>
====Templates That Relate To Xkcd Comics:====

*Template: Turtle

{{Turtle}}

*Template: Dyslexics

{{Dyslexics}}

===My Current Signature===

-[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]
 
</div>

</div>

User talk:Donthaveusername

2020-12-20T16:20:23Z

Donthaveusername: /* Welcome template! */

User talk:Donthaveusername

2020-12-20T16:19:42Z

Donthaveusername: /* Welcome template! */

2392: Cyber Cafe

2020-11-30T21:18:11Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2392
| date = November 30, 2020
| title = Cyber Cafe
| image = cyber_cafe.png
| titletext = Since we haven't really settled on a name for those online hangout/work spaces that try to recreate the experience of cafes, and I love confusion, I'm going to start calling them 'cyber cafes' or 'internet cafes.'
}}

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

A {{w|Internet cafe|cybercafe, or Internet cafe}}, is a cafe or other restaurant with good internet access. Prior to widespread ownership of personal computers and cell phones, such cafes would host computers that clients could use, and nowadays, many fast-food restaurants and cafes provide free Wi-Fi to their customers, so that people can use their computers while at the cafe. "Cyber" is a prefix meaning something relating to computers, but this comic suggests that it sounds dated. However, in 2020, he jokes that "cafe" actually sounds more dated. This is a result of lockdowns related to the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}} preventing people from going to cafes.

In the title text, Randall indulges his love of ambiguity by proposing that the term "cyber cafe" be re-used to refer to online hangout spaces that try to feel like cafes. This would change the meaning from "a cafe where computers are available for use by patrons" to "a setting or activity in cyberspace that feels like a cafe" (which would at least be inline with similar terms, like {{w|cyberbullying}}, {{w|cybersex}}, etc.).

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

Which word in the name "cyber cafe" sounds more dated?
----
2015 - Cyber

2016 - Cyber

2017 - Cyber

2018 - Cyber

2019 - Cyber

2020 - Cafe

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:COVID-19]]

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-19T20:45:17Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)

:Welcome to the internet! -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]] 18:22, 18 November 2020 (UTC)

:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

Correct me im wrong but i feel like the 4 people who went to this talk page, Me, BlackHat, Lettherebedarklight and Sqrt1 all like dark humor -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-19T20:44:51Z

Donthaveusername:

1077: Home Organization

2020-11-19T19:06:48Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1077
| date = July 4, 2012
| title = Home Organization
| image = home_organization.png
| titletext = Lifehacking!
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a take on the typical "how to" which details "how to" organize your home. In many cases, finding the best organization can be difficult and/or can take a long time. To skip this problem, Cueball "Just Gives Up" and puts all his items and furniture into a box labeled "Misc" for miscellaneous, with the exception of his laptop, cable modem and router.

The title text is a take on the popular website Lifehacker which includes all sorts of posts on how to "hack" your life and improve it. Life hacking appears to be a common theme in xkcd, such as in [[2024: Light Hacks]].

==Transcript==
:[One big plain room with a person sitting on the floor with a laptop on one side, a modem and wireless router on the other, and a big box full of the usual accoutrements of living in the middle, with "MISC" written on the side.]

:Home Organization Tip: Just Give Up.

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

1077: Home Organization

2020-11-19T19:06:36Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1077
| date = July 4, 2012
| title = Home Organization
| image = home_organization.png
| titletext = Lifehacking!
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a take on the typical "how to" which details "how to" organize your home. In many cases, finding the best organization can be difficult and/or can take a long time. To skip this problem, Cueball "Just Gives Up" and puts all his items and furniture into a box labeled "Misc" for miscellaneous, with the exception of his laptop, cable modem and router.

The title text is a take on the popular website Lifehacker which includes all sorts of posts on how to "hack" your life and improve it. Life hacking appears to be a common theme in xkcd, such as in [[2024: Light Hacks]]

==Transcript==
:[One big plain room with a person sitting on the floor with a laptop on one side, a modem and wireless router on the other, and a big box full of the usual accoutrements of living in the middle, with "MISC" written on the side.]

:Home Organization Tip: Just Give Up.

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

1074: Moon Landing

2020-11-19T19:03:43Z

Donthaveusername: /* Transcript */

{{Comic
| number = 1074
| date = June 27, 2012
| title = Moon Landing
| image = moon_landing.png
| titletext = Ok, so Spirit and Opportunity are pretty awesome. And Kepler. And New Horizons, Cassini, Curiosity, TiME, and Project M. But c'mon, if the Earth were a basketball, in 40 years no human's been more than half an inch from the surface.
}}

==Explanation==
The comment to which [[Cueball]] is referring is [https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/73388356461019136 a tweet] by {{w|Neil deGrasse Tyson}}, an American astrophysicist and science communicator. He has appeared on many different shows, ranging from The Discovery Channel to The Big Bang Theory.

There are a number of {{w|moon landing conspiracy theories|conspiracy theories}} claiming that the moon landing was a hoax. Tyson offers a pretty compelling argument against them, but [[Megan]] presents an even more convincing refutation, snarkily implying that NASA really hasn't done anything spectacular since 1969.

And Cueball responds with a pun on the word "burn". Burn can mean a particularly effective insult, or it can mean the consumption of fuel for propulsion. In this case, the "burn" was so effective it pushed the spaceship out of orbit (which usually takes a very large amount of burning, depending on the gravity of the planet or moon).

In the title text [[Randall]] mentions many successful {{w|NASA}} unmanned missions:
*The {{w|Mars Exploration Rover|Mars rovers}} Spirit and Opportunity, which landed in 2004. Spirit got stuck in 2009 and shut down for good in 2010 (see [[695: Spirit]]). Opportunity worked for over ten years on the surface of Mars before shutting down due to a loss of power in 2018 (see [[2111: Opportunity Rover]]).
*{{w|Kepler (spacecraft)|Kepler}} found many {{w|exoplanets}}.
*{{w|New Horizons}} is a mission to the dwarf planet {{w|Pluto}} and beyond. It did a flyby of Pluto in July 2015 and is on its way out of the solar system.
*{{w|Cassini–Huygens|Cassini}} was a probe orbiting {{w|Saturn}} from 2004 until {{w|Cassini_retirement|its controlled entry into Saturn}} in 2017.
*{{w|Curiosity (rover)|Curiosity}} is another, larger Mars rover, exploring the Martian surface since August 2012.
*{{w|Titan Mare Explorer|TiME}} is a proposed mission to explore the oceans of Saturn's moon Titan.
*{{w|Project M (NASA)|Project M}} is an idea to send human-like robots to the Moon.
The final sentence of title text notes that all manned missions since the Moon landings have taken place in low-earth orbit, which is barely far off of the Earth's surface. If the Earth were scaled to the size of a regulation basketball, approximately 24 cm (9¼ inches) in diameter, those manned missions would have all taken place within 1.25 cm (½ inch) of the ball's surface. At this scale the Moon would be at a distance of 7.7 m (25.3 ft). Unmanned missions, such as those named above or the {{w|Voyager program|Voyager}} and {{w|Mariner program|Mariner}} probes of the 1960s and 1970s, have travelled much further.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is sitting at a table with a laptop open. His hands are on the keys.]
:Cueball: Hah- Neil DeGrasse Tyson has a great reply to people who doubt astronauts went to the moon.
:Voice off-screen: Oh?
:Cueball: "Atop 3,000 tons of rocket fuel, where ''else'' do you think they were headed?"

:[The voice off screen turns out to be Megan. She is depicted, and now Cueball is off-screen.]
:Megan: Cute. But it overlooks an even simpler argument.
:Cueball: Which is?

:[Both Megan and Cueball are now visible. Cueball has turned his chair around to face her.]
:Megan: If NASA were willing to fake great accomplishments, they'd have a second one by now.
:Cueball: ''Ouch.''
:Megan: ...Too mean?
:Cueball: That burn was so harsh I think you deorbited.

==Trivia==
As of this comic, Tyson is the "Frederick P. Rose Director" (a special honorary title) of the {{w|Hayden Planetarium}}

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Puns]]
[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Basketball]]

1074: Moon Landing

2020-11-19T19:03:06Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{Comic
| number = 1074
| date = June 27, 2012
| title = Moon Landing
| image = moon_landing.png
| titletext = Ok, so Spirit and Opportunity are pretty awesome. And Kepler. And New Horizons, Cassini, Curiosity, TiME, and Project M. But c'mon, if the Earth were a basketball, in 40 years no human's been more than half an inch from the surface.
}}

==Explanation==
The comment to which [[Cueball]] is referring is [https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/73388356461019136 a tweet] by {{w|Neil deGrasse Tyson}}, an American astrophysicist and science communicator. He has appeared on many different shows, ranging from The Discovery Channel to The Big Bang Theory.

There are a number of {{w|moon landing conspiracy theories|conspiracy theories}} claiming that the moon landing was a hoax. Tyson offers a pretty compelling argument against them, but [[Megan]] presents an even more convincing refutation, snarkily implying that NASA really hasn't done anything spectacular since 1969.

And Cueball responds with a pun on the word "burn". Burn can mean a particularly effective insult, or it can mean the consumption of fuel for propulsion. In this case, the "burn" was so effective it pushed the spaceship out of orbit (which usually takes a very large amount of burning, depending on the gravity of the planet or moon).

In the title text [[Randall]] mentions many successful {{w|NASA}} unmanned missions:
*The {{w|Mars Exploration Rover|Mars rovers}} Spirit and Opportunity, which landed in 2004. Spirit got stuck in 2009 and shut down for good in 2010 (see [[695: Spirit]]). Opportunity worked for over ten years on the surface of Mars before shutting down due to a loss of power in 2018 (see [[2111: Opportunity Rover]]).
*{{w|Kepler (spacecraft)|Kepler}} found many {{w|exoplanets}}.
*{{w|New Horizons}} is a mission to the dwarf planet {{w|Pluto}} and beyond. It did a flyby of Pluto in July 2015 and is on its way out of the solar system.
*{{w|Cassini–Huygens|Cassini}} was a probe orbiting {{w|Saturn}} from 2004 until {{w|Cassini_retirement|its controlled entry into Saturn}} in 2017.
*{{w|Curiosity (rover)|Curiosity}} is another, larger Mars rover, exploring the Martian surface since August 2012.
*{{w|Titan Mare Explorer|TiME}} is a proposed mission to explore the oceans of Saturn's moon Titan.
*{{w|Project M (NASA)|Project M}} is an idea to send human-like robots to the Moon.
The final sentence of title text notes that all manned missions since the Moon landings have taken place in low-earth orbit, which is barely far off of the Earth's surface. If the Earth were scaled to the size of a regulation basketball, approximately 24 cm (9¼ inches) in diameter, those manned missions would have all taken place within 1.25 cm (½ inch) of the ball's surface. At this scale the Moon would be at a distance of 7.7 m (25.3 ft). Unmanned missions, such as those named above or the {{w|Voyager program|Voyager}} and {{w|Mariner program|Mariner}} probes of the 1960s and 1970s, have travelled much further.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is sitting at a table with a laptop open. His hands are on the keys.]
:Cueball: Hah- Neil DeGrasse Tyson has a great reply to people who doubt astronauts went to the moon.
:Voice off-screen: Oh?
:Cueball: "Atop 3,000 tons of rocket fuel, where ''else'' do you think they were headed?"

:[The voice off screen turns out to be Megan. She is depicted, and now Cueball is off-screen.]
:Megan: Cute. But it overlooks an even simpler argument.
:Cueball: Which is?

:[Both Megan and Cueball are now visible. Cueball has turned his chair around to face her.]
:Megan: If NASA were willing to fake great accomplishments, they'd have a second one by now.
:Cueball: ''Ouch.''
:Megan: ...Too mean?
:Cueball: That burn was so harsh I think you deorbited.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Puns]]
[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Basketball]]

222: Small Talk

2020-11-19T19:01:52Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 222
| date = February 12, 2007
| title = Small Talk
| image = small_talk.png
| titletext = But surely I owe you an accurate answer!
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] is approached by his friend who offers on of the standard {{w|greeting}}s of, "What's Up? How've you been?" In standard "small talk," an appropriate answer would be only one or two words (e.g. "Fine" or "Pretty good"). These are generally positive responses, with negative ones only offered in extreme circumstances. In this situation, Cueball forgets that this type of answer is what his friend is expecting. Instead, he contemplates thoroughly on his condition, wanting to provide accurate, detailed information to his friend. His response sheds light on the many layers of meaning a simple question such as "What's up?" can have. His friend, thrown off by the delayed response, snaps his fingers to regain Cueball's attention and reminds him that they are having a conversation, which is best facilitated by the standard short responses.

The title text shows that Cueball was more interested in accuracy than the ease of the conversation, simply out of respect for his friend.

This was one of the earliest examples of problems with social interactions for Cueball (or [[Randall]]). Since this comic it has been a [[:Category:Social interactions|recurring theme]] on xkcd. It is especially similar to the much later [[1961: Interaction]].

==Transcript==
:[Two Cueballs standing next to each other]:
:[Header box on top of the panel:]
:Sometimes I forget how to do small talk.

:Friend: Hey!
:Cueball: Hey, man!
:Friend: What's up? How've you been?
:Cueball: Well...

:[Three overlapping identical frames of the two Cueballs standing next to each other indicate the passage of time.]

:[The Cueball on the left snaps his fingers at the Cueball on the right.]
:Friend: Uh, you ok?
:Cueball: Yeah! It's just an interesting question. I'm trying to decide what best sums up my--
:Friend: Hey. Conversation.
:Cueball: Oh, right. I'm fine. You?
:''Snap''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Social interactions]]

1401: New

2020-11-19T19:01:25Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1401
| date = July 30, 2014
| title = New
| image = new.png
| titletext = The nice thing about headcannnons is that it's really easy to get other people to believe in them.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic strip uses a play on the {{w|homophone|homophonic}} relationship between "{{w|Canon_(fiction)|canon}}", the literary term, and "{{w|cannon}}", a projectile weapon. The word headcannon is a compound of "head" and "cannon".

In this strip, [[Black Hat]] tells [[Cueball]] that he has a "new headcannon". [[Cueball]], thinking Black Hat means "headcanon" (an unjustified belief or theory about a fictional universe), inquires what Black Hat's new idea is. Instead of the expected idea or theory, Black Hat removes his hat to reveal a tiny cannon on his head which blows away Cueball and his computer desk.

While headcanon may often be ignored or dismissed as a personal theory, a headcannon would be far harder to ignore, as it is a physical object which has a notable (and in this case violent) impact on the real world.

In the title text Randall makes the spellings of these two words indistinguishable by using three consecutive "n"s to spell "headcannnon". Therefore, the title text is deliberately vague. It could be interpreted that it is easy to convince people that you have a cannon on your head, that it is easy to make people believe in a self invented headcanons, or both. Since you are choosing your own interpretation of this title text, the joke is that you are creating your own headcanon.

This comic also shows Cueball being once again distracted from his work in a manner similar to [[1388: Subduction License]].

===Canon===
In terms of a given literary series, "''{{w|Canon_(fiction)|canon}}''" describes a set of works that are collectively recognized by the community as having authenticity. Generally, works created or endorsed by the original author(s) are considered canonical. Not all original content is considered canon and not all canon is original content. Sometimes creators will rewrite the canon (called a {{w|retcon}}) and make things that were previously canonical non-canonical. For example, the origins of a character may be rewritten, thus invalidating the portions of the works that speak to the old origins. Other times creators will incorporate non-original content and therefore incorporate the canon of these borrowed works.

===Headcanon===
A ''headcanon'' as the name implies is a form of canon that only exists in one's mind. More specifically, a headcanon is created when a consumer watching or reading the material develops their own ideas about a fictional universe that are not actually part of the canon, perhaps developing their own backstories or experiences for characters. Some frequent examples of headcanon include relationships between characters, abilities, events following the conclusion of the work, etc. which the author or creator has not explained or included. For example, a consumer may "read between the lines" and assume that there was a previous romantic relationship between two characters where no conclusive evidence actually exists of one. Some fans who come up with particularly interesting or convincing headcanons may decide to share them with others in hopes that their idea spreads.

==Transcript==
:[Black Hat walks in.]
:Black Hat: New headcannon:

:[Cueball is sitting at his desk, using his computer.]
:Cueball: Yeah?

:[Black Hat lifts his hat, revealing his "headcannon": a tiny cannon on the top of his head. The headcannon fires and blows up Cueball's desk, the explosion throwing Cueball backwards.]
:Headcannon: '''BOOM'''
:Cueball: Augh!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Portmanteau]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Puns]]

1580: Travel Ghost

2020-11-19T18:58:30Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1580
| date = September 21, 2015
| title = Travel Ghost
| image = travel_ghosts.png
| titletext = And a different ghost has replaced me in the bedroom.
}}

==Explanation==
In {{w|Racing video game|racing game}}, a "{{w|Time attack#Video games|ghost}}" is a common term for the recording of a player's best actions. The recording is used to create a virtual racer that another player can compete against. The previous player is shown as ghostly and transparent, because it is only a recording of a previous game and it does not interact in any way with the game currently being played. Certain models of cycling also use this concept to motivate athletes while training.

A mapping app, such as {{w|Google Maps (mobile application)|Google Maps}}, attempts to plot the fastest route from one place to another, but there's no way to tell which route is really the fastest without testing it. So, [[Cueball]] has created an app that will simulate a number of different routes and produce "ghosts" from them. He hopes to use this app to discover the fastest route by competing against his ghosts like a racing game. He brags about this app to his friend [[White Hat]].

However, the comic takes a turn for the absurd when it depicts ''actual'' ghosts competing with him, instead of simulations on his phone. Soon enough, he is fired from work because one of his "ghosts" is more punctual than he is. And even worse his children apparently comes to prefer the more punctual "ghosts" over him as this version of daddy never misses their games. (The girls could be the same as those in the [[1659: Tire Swing]]).

In the title text this is even taken into the bedroom, although it is a different ghost than the one preferred by the children. This is likely a subtle reference to euphemisms for sexual climax, such as "arrival", with delayed ejaculation generally preferred.

It should be noted that this app would not guarantee the minimum travel time. The user doesn't find out which route was fastest until after the first ghost has arrived. But as the current traffic situation will have changed by then, that route will not necessarily still be the fastest.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball, holding a smartphone, is talking to White Hat.]
:Cueball: Lots of apps let you plan your trips using real-time bus, train, and traffic data. They try to predict which route will be faster, but aren't always right.

:[Cueball continues to talk off-panel. The text is above a map showing three possible routes with an overlaid Cueball on each; the top and the bottom route and Cueball are faded and the middle is black up until the black Cueball. After that this route is also faded. A black point on the right indicates the destination.]
:Cueball (off-panel): Instead of just '''''planning''''', my new app lets you send "ghost" versions of you along different routes, simulating their travel using the real-time data

:[Cueball, again talking to White Hat, holding the smartphone down.]
:Cueball: That way, you can see which route turned out to be faster in practice,
:Cueball: You can also race your past selves.

:[Cueball is getting out of his car holding his smartphone in one hand and a briefcase in the other; A faded out Cueball bicyclist is in front of him to the right. At the top there is a caption in a frame:
:Soon...
:Cueball: Ugh, lost to the bike ghost ''again.''

:[Cueball with his briefcase is outside a door, holding a key card up to a key reader. On the inside of the door Ponytail is facing the door and points toward the faded version of Cueball also holding a briefcase.]
:Cueball: Hey, my key won't work
:Ponytail: I'm sorry, but we've decided to replace you. This floaty guy is much more punctual.
:Cueball: But...

:[Science Girl and another girl with wavy long hair, is holding faded out Cueball's hands. The real Cueball is standing to the right, next to his briefcase on the ground. He is holding his hands out towards his kids.]
:Science Girl: Our ''new'' dad never misses our games!
:Cueball: ''Nooo!''

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Science Girl]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Smartphones]]

185: Wikifriends

2020-11-19T18:12:58Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 185
| date = November 17, 2006
| title = Wikifriends
| image = wikifriends.png
| titletext = It's crazy how much my gut opinion of a movie/song is swayed by what other people say, regardless of how I felt coming out of the theater.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic's title refers to {{w|Wiki}}s, which are collaboratively edited websites (such as this one). The first such site was {{w|WikiWikiWeb}}, but {{w|Wikipedia}} (an online encyclopedia) has become the most well-known example, and may have been specifically what [[Randall]] had in mind while drawing this comic, as other comics also reference Wikipedia.

The influence of social environment is called {{w|peer pressure}}, often with a negative connotation. The term "Wikifriends" is coined in the comic as a label for people who adjust their views in order to incorporate into a group. That is to say that, in the same way a Wiki page can be edited by people other than the original author, a "Wikifriend" allows their opinions to be "edited" by someone else. As an example, the comic shows a discussion about a movie in which one contributor changes his opinion entirely when he hears what his friend thinks.

The title text suggests that Randall also sees himself as being frequently influenced by others.

==Transcript==
:WikiFriends:
:[Two people are talking to each other.]
:Cueball: I really liked that movie.
:Friend: I hated that movie.
:Cueball: Me too.

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

1367: Installing

2020-11-19T18:12:08Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1367
| date = May 12, 2014
| title = Installing
| image = installing.png
| titletext = But still, my scheme for creating and saving user config files and data locally to preserve them across reinstalls might be useful for--wait, that's cookies.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic refers to the kind of "inventions" which seem new from the point of view of a {{w|smartphone}} (handheld {{w|computer}}) user, but have already been around for a long time on desktop or {{w|laptop}}/notebook computers.

[[Cueball]] has a clever idea to skip the installing of applications on mobile phones: he would host the applications online instead, and provide links to the servers. The apps wouldn't stay on the phone all the time; instead the phone would download each app again every time the user wanted to run it.

However, web pages and {{w|web application}}s already work like this. Clicking a link will make the browser download a web page and render {{w|HTML|HTML code}} and {{w|JavaScript}} that it links to.

The page usually isn't saved long-term on the user's computer; instead the browser downloads it again when needed. {{w|HTML5}} does however offer the option of {{w|Cache_manifest_in_HTML5|caching web application files locally}} so it can remain operational when there is no network connection.

In the title text, Cueball's idea for local application storage already exists in the HTTP protocol as {{w|HTTP cookie|cookies}}. The more flexible {{w|Web storage|web storage}} was originally part of the HTML5 specification, but it's now in a separate specification.

Native phone applications and web applications are not completely interchangeable. Web applications may not allow access to more advanced or platform-specific resources. Projects like {{w|Apache Cordova}} make these resources available to web applications by creating a native application wrapper for the web application.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Megan are standing next to each other.]
:Cueball: Installing things has gotten so fast and painless.
:Cueball: Why not skip it entirely, and make a phone that has every app "installed" already and just downloads and runs them on the fly?

:[Caption below the panel:]
:I felt pretty clever until I realized I'd invented webpages.

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

1211: Birds and Dinosaurs

2020-11-19T18:11:31Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1211
| date = May 13, 2013
| title = Birds and Dinosaurs
| image = birds and dinosaurs.png
| titletext = Sure, T. rex is closer in height to Stegosaurus than a sparrow. But that doesn't tell you much; 'Dinosaur Comics' author Ryan North is closer in height to certain dinosaurs than to the average human.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Bird}}s are commonly considered to be a separate {{w|class (biology)|class}} of {{w|tetrapods}}. However, this classification is false according to {{w|phylogenetic taxonomy}}. Taking into account that birds developed around {{w|Late Jurassic|150 million years ago}} out of small {{w|theropod}} dinosaurs, birds along with crocodiles are indeed the remaining representatives of the {{w|Archosaur|archosaur clade}}. This premise appeared also in comic [[867: Herpetology]].

This relation between birds and dinosaurs is depicted in the comic in a {{w|cladogram}} which shows that ''{{w|Tyrannosaurus rex}}'' is more closely related to the common {{w|sparrow}} than to ''{{w|Stegosaurus}}''. Not only do the former share a phylogenetic branch, but ''T. rex'' also lived around 80 million years ''after'' ''Stegosaurus''. The concurrence of both species in popular culture is a widespread error. ''T. rex'' is also much more alike to modern birds than to other dinosaurs in terms of anatomy. This relationship was pointed out on the [http://www.sciencemag.org/content/340/6133/690 Science] journal the week of the comic.

The comic draws the conclusion that if birds must in fact be considered modern dinosaurs, the hunting practice of birds of prey (specifically, the {{w|Peregrine Falcon}}) is consequently a dinosaur fight. For an inveterate dinosaur aficionado like [[Randall]], this fact must make the modern world much more attractive.

The line "This is a good world." could also possibly refer to a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znxFrgql5dc famous scene] from the {{w|Serenity (Firefly episode)|pilot episode}} of the television series ''{{w|Firefly (TV series)|Firefly}}'' featuring two plastic dinosaurs in a somewhat philosophic dialogue. Randall is known to be a {{w|Browncoat|fan of the series}}.

The title text is a sidesweep to the webcomic ''[http://www.qwantz.com Dinosaur Comics]'' drawn by {{w|Ryan North}}, who stands 6'6.5" (199 cm) tall. At that page the title text of the comic [http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=2420 strip] from the same day refers to Randall and ''[[xkcd]]''.

The conclusion of this comic is referenced in the title text of the last image in the [http://what-if.xkcd.com/101/ Plastic Dinosaurs] What if?

==Transcript==
:By any reasonable definition, ''T. rex'' is more closely related to sparrows than to ''Stegosaurus''.
:[Diagram showing that ''Stegosaurus'' came earlier than ''T. rex'', along with it showing that ''T. rex'' came closer in time to sparrows. Evaluation criteria "separation by time", "phylogenetic distance" and "physical similarity" are highlighted in red.]
:Birds aren't ''descended'' from dinosaurs, they ''are'' dinosaurs.
:Which means that the fastest animal alive today is a small carnivorous dinosaur, ''Falco peregrinus''.
:[A picture of two birds is shown.]
:It preys mainly on other dinosaurs, which it strikes and kills in midair with its claws.
:[In red:] This is a good world.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Firefly]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs]]
[[Category:Biology]]

1211: Birds and Dinosaurs

2020-11-19T18:11:20Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1211
| date = May 13, 2013
| title = Birds and Dinosaurs
| image = birds and dinosaurs.png
| titletext = Sure, T. rex is closer in height to Stegosaurus than a sparrow. But that doesn't tell you much; 'Dinosaur Comics' author Ryan North is closer in height to certain dinosaurs than to the average human.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Bird}}s are commonly considered to be a separate {{w|class (biology)|class}} of {{w|tetrapods}}. However, this classification is false according to {{w|phylogenetic taxonomy}}. Taking into account that birds developed around {{w|Late Jurassic|150 million years ago}} out of small {{w|theropod}} dinosaurs, birds along with crocodiles are indeed the remaining representatives of the {{w|Archosaur|archosaur clade}}. This premise appeared also in comic [[867: Herpetology]].

This relation between birds and dinosaurs is depicted in the comic in a {{w|cladogram}} which shows that ''{{w|Tyrannosaurus rex}}'' is more closely related to the comm on {{w|sparrow}} than to ''{{w|Stegosaurus}}''. Not only do the former share a phylogenetic branch, but ''T. rex'' also lived around 80 million years ''after'' ''Stegosaurus''. The concurrence of both species in popular culture is a widespread error. ''T. rex'' is also much more alike to modern birds than to other dinosaurs in terms of anatomy. This relationship was pointed out on the [http://www.sciencemag.org/content/340/6133/690 Science] journal the week of the comic.

The comic draws the conclusion that if birds must in fact be considered modern dinosaurs, the hunting practice of birds of prey (specifically, the {{w|Peregrine Falcon}}) is consequently a dinosaur fight. For an inveterate dinosaur aficionado like [[Randall]], this fact must make the modern world much more attractive.

The line "This is a good world." could also possibly refer to a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znxFrgql5dc famous scene] from the {{w|Serenity (Firefly episode)|pilot episode}} of the television series ''{{w|Firefly (TV series)|Firefly}}'' featuring two plastic dinosaurs in a somewhat philosophic dialogue. Randall is known to be a {{w|Browncoat|fan of the series}}.

The title text is a sidesweep to the webcomic ''[http://www.qwantz.com Dinosaur Comics]'' drawn by {{w|Ryan North}}, who stands 6'6.5" (199 cm) tall. At that page the title text of the comic [http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=2420 strip] from the same day refers to Randall and ''[[xkcd]]''.

The conclusion of this comic is referenced in the title text of the last image in the [http://what-if.xkcd.com/101/ Plastic Dinosaurs] What if?

==Transcript==
:By any reasonable definition, ''T. rex'' is more closely related to sparrows than to ''Stegosaurus''.
:[Diagram showing that ''Stegosaurus'' came earlier than ''T. rex'', along with it showing that ''T. rex'' came closer in time to sparrows. Evaluation criteria "separation by time", "phylogenetic distance" and "physical similarity" are highlighted in red.]
:Birds aren't ''descended'' from dinosaurs, they ''are'' dinosaurs.
:Which means that the fastest animal alive today is a small carnivorous dinosaur, ''Falco peregrinus''.
:[A picture of two birds is shown.]
:It preys mainly on other dinosaurs, which it strikes and kills in midair with its claws.
:[In red:] This is a good world.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Firefly]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs]]
[[Category:Biology]]

1790: Sad

2020-11-19T18:10:44Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1790
| date = January 25, 2017
| title = Sad
| image = sad.png
| titletext = With the right 90-degree rotation, any effect is a side effect.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic is about [[Cueball]] confronting [[Ponytail]] over her recent behavior and poor emotional state over the past few months. While Ponytail doesn't give any details on what's causing it, it can be inferred that she is referring to the {{w|United States presidential election, 2016|recent election of Donald Trump as President of the United States}}, which happened about 2 months prior to the publication of this comic. This is a common reaction in the United States whenever a new president is elected, as the voters who did not vote for the new/upcoming President will be feeling unpleasant emotions that their chosen candidate did not win, and will want to express these emotions to the wider world. With the advent of the internet, and more recently social media, the expressions of these emotions have grown more common and often more hyperbolic, regardless of the quality of the candidate.

Ponytail has retreated to video games for solace to the point that her real life projects are suffering.
''{{w|Stardew Valley}}'' is a video game in which a player creates and manages a virtual farm. And when Cueball mentions that her projects have stagnated, she retorts that her farm in the game is doing great. A comic with the name of that game was releases only two weeks later, [[1797: Stardew Valley]], indicating that it is indeed Randall who has played this game excessively.

Cueball's statement about not being able to hide from everything is a common one to give to insecure people or to those trying to run away from their problems. Ponytail's reply is in the form of a {{w|PolitiFact.com|PolitiFact}} reply, claiming (possibly quite truly) that such assertions are ''mostly false'', one of the six options, but it is far from being the worst, thus acknowledging that you can't hide from everything, just mostly. Politifact.com was also the subject of an earlier comic, [[1712: Politifact]].

In computer programming, ''{{w|Comment (computer programming)|comments}}'' are pieces of non-functional, descriptive text that programmers include in their code. Typically, they are used as a form of documentation, to make the code easier for other developers to understand. This is why Cueball is glad that Ponytail is at least writing more comments; documentation is something that's often neglected by developers, despite its usefulness. Unfortunately, the comments that Ponytail is puitting in her code are not actually about the code at all; she is, presumably, commenting more generally on whatever is troubling her as a way of venting her issues.

Ponytail's reply to "write what you know" is a common piece of advice given to amateur fiction writers - it means that writers tend to write best when they are writing about something they personally know well, since they will have plenty of interesting and useful experience to draw from. However, since Ponytail's comments are full of obscenities, she is sarcastically suggesting that obscenity is all she currently knows.

''{{w|Subroutine|functions}}'' are reusable pieces of code which developers create to avoid repetition and make the code more organized. For example, if the code often has to calculate the distance between two points, it makes sense to place that calculation logic into a "calculateDistance" function, which can then just be called whenever it is needed. More generally, a function accepts inputs (eg. the coordinates of two points) and may ''return'' an output (eg. the distance between the two points).

Cueball notes, however, that all of the functions Ponytail has written are not actually doing anything with their inputs; they are just returning them straight back again and demanding that the calling code should deal with the problem itself. This makes the functions practically useless. Ponytail sardonically tries to justify this as a functional programming technique by saying that she is "avoiding side effects". A {{w|Side effect (computer science)|side effect}} is a situation in programming in which an isolated piece of code changes something about the global state of the program - this can be problematic, as there could be other parts of the code that were not expecting the change, and might behave differently as a result. Their different behavior is a ''side effect''. Sometimes side effects are intentional, but when they are not, they can be tricky to debug and fix.

{{w|Functional programming}} is a programming paradigm in which most or all computation is performed within the scope of self-contained functions, thus avoiding stateful behavior entirely. This removes the possibility of any side effects, since each function only knows what it is told via its inputs, and does not need to be concerned with anything happening outside of itself. Technically, Ponytail ''is'' adhering to this paradigm, but only in the sense that her functions are not doing anything ''at all'', and so cannot have side effects.

Cueball fairly makes this point by noting she is avoiding ''all'' effects, to which Ponytail [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090605/quotes?item=qt2959706 quotes] part of a famous quote from {{w|Ellen Ripley|Ripley}} in {{w|Aliens (film)|Aliens}}: ''I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the '''only way to be sure'''.'' By replying that it's the "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCbfMkh940Q only way to be sure]" she is thus indirectly saying better safe than sorry, but in reality she just doesn't care about her programming anymore because of her sad state of mind.

The title text is a pun, interpreting the phrase "side effect" literally. If you turn an object 90 degrees along the right axis you will place it on its side, so thus making it a effect of putting something on its side, or a "side effect." You can also turn 90 degrees (along another axis), facing what was previously your side.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is walking up to Ponytail who sits at her desk in an office chair typing on her computer.]
:Cueball: How are you doing?
:Ponytail: Hah.
:Cueball: You seem distant lately. For the past few months.
:Ponytail: Can't '''''imagine''''' why.

:[Cueball talks to Ponytail at her desk from off-panel.]
:Cueball (off-panel): Your projects have stagnated.
:Ponytail: But my Stardew Valley farm is doing '''''great'''''.
:Cueball (off-panel): You can't just hide from everything.
:Ponytail: '''''Fact check''''': Mostly false.

:[In a frame-less panel Cueball is seen standing behind Ponytail at her desk.]
:Cueball: I'm glad you're including more comments in your code, but it would be nice if they were comments '''''about''''' your code.
:Cueball: Or at least a bit less obscenity-filled.
:Ponytail: Look, they say to write what you know.

:[Cueball leans forward towards Ponytail at her desk (who has looked on the screen in the same position through the entire comic).]
:Cueball: All the functions you've written take everything passed to them and return it unchanged with the comment "No, '''''you''''' deal with this."
:Ponytail: It's a functional programming thing. Avoiding side effects.
:Cueball: You avoid '''''all''''' effects.
:Ponytail: Only way to be sure.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Programming]]
[[Category:Video games]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Sarcasm]]

992: Mnemonics

2020-11-19T18:05:58Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 992
| date = December 19, 2011
| title = Mnemonics
| image = mnemonics.png
| titletext = 'Sailor Moon's head exploded once' and 'Some men have explosive orgasms' both work for the Great Lakes from west to east (Paddle-to-the-Sea order).
}}

==Explanation==
A {{w|mnemonic}} is a trick that makes {{w|memory|memorization}} easier. To memorize a sequence of names, a common type of mnemonic uses the beginning letters of the names in the sequence and invents another phrase using different words that start with the same letters. For example, the order of operations goes '''P'''arentheses, '''E'''xponentiation, '''M'''ultiplication and '''D'''ivision, '''A'''ddition and '''S'''ubtraction, and the traditional mnemonic goes '''P'''lease '''E'''xcuse '''M'''y '''D'''ear '''A'''unt '''S'''ally. To make them more memorable, mnemonics are usually quite silly and often vulgar. In this comic, Randall invents various scientific mnemonics, some of them as suggested replacements for traditional ones.

The category is listed at the top of the box, the members are listed below that. Then there is the traditional mnemonic that children are usually taught in school to help them remember. Below the comic is one or two options for new mnemonics suggested by Randall. The top one is illustrated in the frame.

*{{w|SI}} Prefixes are the prefixes for the systems of units from large to small and since there are so many, the mnemonic needs two lines.
**{{w|Karl Marx}}, as visible in the comic, was a German philosopher and economist who, among other things, popularized the ideas of socialism and communism. Central to his ideas was the {{w|dictatorship of the proletariat}}, or the working class achieved by an uprising of the lower class, which taken literally could be done using zeppelins.
**{{w|Microsoft}}'s {{w|Zune}} was a failed mp3 player that Microsoft brought to market. It never caught on.

*{{w|Taxonomy}} is the science of identifying and naming species. {{w|Katy Perry}}, portrayed in the panel, is an {{w|United States|American}} {{w|pop music}} singer, whose popular songs are ones like "Fireworks" or "I Kissed A Girl".

*In the geologic periods frame, the illustration is of a month's worth of "the pill", a common contraceptive. The affliction Polycystic Ovarian Cyndrome, causes women to have an irregular menstrual period. This can be treated with a low powered version of the contraceptive pill.

*{{w|Resistor}} Color Codes represent the values 0 through 9 and are used to indicate the resistance value of discrete cylindrical resistors, with 2 or 3 color bands around the resistor body for the significant digits of the value and another color band for a power of ten multiplier. A resistor with Yellow-Violet-Red bands would be 47 x 10^2 or 4700 ohms. {{w|Glenn Beck}} is shown in this panel, a far-right conservative commentator in the US who used to have a show on the {{w|Fox News}} Network.
**The prevailing mnemonic for resistor color codes is rather vulgar (and memorable), hence Randall's comment "none I care for". It involved Bad Boys and Young Girls, as well as a specific girl named Violet.
**{{w|WP:BOLD|Be Bold}} is a {{w|Wikipedia}} credo. Respect Others may be a reference to {{w|WP:AGF|Assume Good Faith}}, another Wikipedia philosophy.

*In the Planets frame, the illustration is of Mary and Joseph, who in the story of the Birth of Jesus in the Bible, were mother and father to Jesus. However, Mary's conception of Jesus was from God and Mary was still considered a virgin. This mnemonic shows Joseph not really believing that story. Ironically the upstairs neighbour could have multiple meanings as you can't get more upstairs than heaven and thus God. Given the snarky tone of most xkcd comics take, it is likely a corporeal neighbor that is being suspected, but it is curious that a neighbor of the upstairs variety is specifically referenced especially given the lack of urban density in the time of Christ.
**Earlier traditional Planets mnemonics included Pluto, which was "officially" considered a planet before 2006. The traditional mnemonic at that time was '''M'''y '''V'''ery '''E'''xcellent '''M'''other '''J'''ust '''S'''erved '''U'''s '''N'''ine '''P'''izzas, instead of just nachos.

*The {{w|Great Lakes}} mentioned by the title text are Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario
**''{{w|Sailor Moon}}'' is an anime and manga series. The eponymous {{w|Sailor Moon (character)|Sailor Moon}} (Usagi Tsukino), has never had her head exploded, however.
**''{{w|Paddle-to-the-Sea}}'' is an illustrated children's book by {{w|Holling C. Holling}} about a toy boat's journey through the Great Lakes.

==Transcript==
:XKCD Presents:
:'''Some New Science Mnemonics'''

:''(Pattern goes:''
:''Subject''
:''Elements''
:''Traditional mnemonic''
:''Contents of frame''
:''New mnemonics)''

:'''Order of Operations'''
:Parentheses, Exponents, Division & Multiplication, Addition & Subtraction
:Traditional: Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally
:[Person having a shark delivered to his laptop.]
:Please Email My Dad A Shark
:or
:People Expect More Drugs And Sex

:'''SI Prefixes'''
:Big: Kilo, Mega, Giga, Tera, Peta, Exa, Zetta, (Yotta)
:Milli, Micro, Nano, Pico, Femto, Atto, Zepto, (Yocto)
:Traditional: [I never learned one.]
:[Graph of the declining profits of the Zune.]
:[Karl Marx delivering a number of zeppelins to a bunch of confused proletariats.]
:Big: Karl Marx Gave The Proletariat Eleven Zeppelins(, Yo)
:Small: Microsoft Made No Profit From Anyone's Zunes(, Yo)

:'''Taxonomy'''
:Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
:Traditional: King Philip Came Over For Good Sex
:Katy Perry: I'm not sure who doubts this, really.
:Katy Perry Claims Orgasms Feel Good Sometimes
:or
:Kernel Panics Crash Our Family Game System.

:'''Geologic Periods'''
:(Precambrian), Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Paleogene, Neogene
:Traditional: [I never learned one.]
:[A month's set of birth control pills.]
:PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome Does Cause Problems That Judicious Contraceptves [sic] Partially Negate

:'''Resistor Color Codes'''
:Black Brown, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Gray, White
:Traditional: [none I care for]
:[Glenn Beck holding the traditional "Nanobot Vaccine Chemtrail 9/11" sign.]
:"Big Brother Reptilian Overlords", yelled Glenn, "Brainwashing Via Ground water!!";
:or
:Be Bold, Respect Others; You'll Gradually Become Versatile, Great Wikipedians!

:'''Planets'''
:Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
:Traditional: My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nachos
:[A pregnant Mary attempting to explain things to an incredulous Joseph with black hair and full beard]
:Mary's "Virgin" Explanation Made Joseph Suspect Upstairs Neighbor.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Math]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Airships]]
[[Category:Sharks]]
[[Category:Wikipedia]]

2387: Blair Witch

2020-11-19T18:05:20Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2387
| date = November 18, 2020
| title = Blair Witch
| image = blair_witch.png
| titletext = "Are you concerned the witches won't breed in captivity?" "Honestly, we're more concerned that they WILL. We don't know what it involves, but our biologists theorize that it's 'harrowing.'"
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an INFANT BLAIR WITCH. Needs general cleanup/expansion..? Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

''{{w|The Blair Witch Project}}'' is a {{w|found footage}} horror film released in 1999. For the marketing campaign of the film, the producers created the legend of the Blair Witch, a supernatural being whose legend originates in {{w|Burkittsville}}, MD. As was common in Protestant societies at the time, a woman was ostracized from the community on account of {{w|witchcraft}}. This woman, who tends to conflict in name with various versions of the lore, would supposedly attempt to inflict revenge upon the community that exiled her, and these fearful people fled from the town.

The comic takes a humorous turn on the legend, suggesting that, while the film was confirmed as 'faked/misrepresented footage', the Blair Witch is instead a separate species that is being tracked by the {{w|IUCN Red List}}. With the rise of camera-phones in the modern age, sightings of {{w|List of cryptids|beings that are most likely fictitious}} (such as Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster) are becoming rarer over time, due to [[1235: Settled|lack of credibility of a reported sighting without visual evidence]]. A species which has not been notably documented for a long time would indeed be moved to the "possibly {{w|extinct in the wild}}" category, as [[Megan]] notes.

In attempting to understand this in a way that does not involve refuting the existence of the Blair Witch, Megan cites {{w|habitat loss}} as the reason why encountering a Blair Witch might be more difficult. Habitat loss is in fact one of the most prominent and concerning reasons for extinction in recent years. Megan claims that suburban projects have fragmented the witch's "spooky forest" ecosystem, a reference to the many species that are dying off due to encroachment, logging, and similar human activities. Migration due to {{w|climate change}} is also an observable phenomenon in animal populations (and some plant populations, depending on their mode of travel while in seeds; those that rely on animals to germinate will migrate as well).

Megan then proposes a plan to catch and breed Blair Witches in an attempt to resurrect the species. This final panel is more obviously humorous, as even if the Blair Witch ''did'' exist separate from humans, there is only one, and thus any attempt to breed and repopulate would be futile. It may be possible that {{w|Parthenogenesis|this is not a problem}}, but if it is, it could also raise the objection that any pair of Blair Witch may both be female, and thus unable to reproduce. This could be resolved by (a) assuming that Witches can ({{w|Sequential hermaphroditism|sometimes?}}) be male as well, or (b) assuming that, much like Tremblay's salamander, where females can reproduce with a male of a related species (most likely human, in which case this project would definitely '''not''' meet APA standards of ethicality!). The phrase "Blair Witch Reintroduction Project" is a reference to ''The Blair Witch Project''.

The title-text suggests that the comic is a lecture, as Megan's whiteboard and baton/pointer/whatever would suggest. A (presumed) student asks whether Megan is concerned that witches won't breed in captivity (a serious real-world concern to the IUCN). If this is a press conference, the question would be asked by a reporter instead. Megan replies that they are worried that there ''will'' be breeding, but biologists are unsure how the breeding occurs, calling it "harrowing" (presumably because they have captured the Blair Witch and it has set a curse on their laboratory as she supposedly did in Burkittsville).

==Transcript==
:[Megan is standing in front of a screen looking away from it at an audience off-panel. She is holding a stick, pointed at the chart behind her. The chart shows the stick figure from ''The Blair Witch Project''. Above is an unreadable line of text, and below are two smaller rectangles a smaller one above the other, the small seems to be empty, but there seems to be some kind of graph in the bottom one.]
:Megan: Other than the fake 1999 video, there have been no Blair Witch sightings in 30+ years.
:Megan: The IUCN redlist says the witch is "possibly extinct in the wild."

:[A close-up of Megan's face. The screen now shows a habitat map, with four separate shaded areas enclosed in a dotted line. The dotted line and one of the areas goes to the upper edge op the screen indicating they continue beyond the shown area. Beneath the dotted line and to the right there are three small squares, one of them clearly shaded the same way as the areas above. Next to each there is an unreadable label.]
:Megan: Development in the Maryland suburbs has fragmented the spooky forest habitat.
:Megan: Climate change will push any remnant populations north.

:[Back to the original setting, Megan is standing with the stick pointing downwards, and the chart is out of frame.]
:Megan: That's why we plan to capture any surviving witches and establish a breeding population.
:Megan: Then, in time, the Blair Witch Reintroduction Project can begin.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Fiction]]
[[Category:Biology]]

User:Donthaveusername

2020-11-18T23:53:05Z

Donthaveusername:

<div style="background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(grey, white); font-family: sans-serif; border-radius: 12px; color: #101010;">
 
{{infobox
| bodyclass = vcard

| abovestyle = background-color:{{{bgcolour|#BCD4E6}}};
| aboveclass = fn
| above = {{{name|{{PAGENAME}}}}}

| labelstyle = line-height: 1.3em
| datastyle = line-height: 1.3em

| image = [[File:BlackHat_head.png]]
| caption = {{{caption|}}}

| label1 = First appearance
| data1 = [[Main Page|Long Long Ago]]

| label2 = Known appearances
| data2 = '''[[User:Donthaveusername|eπi]]'''

| label3 = Contribution score
| data3 = [[Special:ContributionScores|{{#cscore:Donthaveusername|score}}]]

| label4 = Pages edited
| data4 = [[Special:ContributionScores|{{#cscore:Donthaveusername|pages}}]]

| label5 = Changes made
| data5 = [[Special:ContributionScores|{{#cscore:Donthaveusername|changes}}]]

| label6 = Time On Wiki
| data6 = Im not sure Days

| label7 = Status

| data7 = ''(Probably)'' Offline}}

<div style="margin: 10px;">
===About Me===

I like xkcd{{Citation needed}}
 
Im decent at css(opinion)(but not good at designing obviously because I still like comic sans)
 
Dont let me near your computer; I have '''''worse''''' computer problems than [[Randall]]

I will format your page for you (because I have nothing better to do)
just ask
 
I do front end web development
 
ab

===My favorite comics===

====The stargazing series====
*[[Stargazing]]
*[[Stargazing_2]]
*[[Stargazing_3]]

====1337 Series====
*[[341: 1337: Part 1]]
*[[342: 1337: Part 2]]
*[[343: 1337: Part 3]]
*[[344: 1337: Part 4]]
*[[345: 1337: Part 5]]

====The Secretary Series====
*[[494: Secretary: Part 1]]
*[[495: Secretary: Part 2]]
*[[496: Secretary: Part 3]]
*[[497: Secretary: Part 4]]
*[[498: Secretary: Part 5]]

====The Journal Series====

*[[374: Journal]]
*[[377: Journal 2]]
*[[405: Journal 3]]
*[[432: Journal 4]]
*[[433: Journal 5]]
wow i guess i rly like series

====Comics not in series====
*[[e_to_the_pi_times_i|e to the pi times i (eπi)]]
*[[1803:_Location_Reviews|Location Reviews]]

===What I help with/What I have helped with===

*I fix grammar problems
*I help with transcript
*Adding Content To Red links (Sometimes)
*I open 6 wikipedia pages to add one line in the explanation

<hr>
====Templates That Relate To Xkcd Comics:====

*Template: Turtle

{{Turtle}}

*Template: Dyslexics

{{Dyslexics}}

===My Current Signature===

-[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]
 
</div>

</div>

1023: Late-Night PBS

2020-11-18T23:52:26Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1023
| date = February 29, 2012
| title = Late-Night PBS
| image = late night pbs.png
| titletext = Then it switched to these old black-and-white tapes of Bob Ross slumped against the wall of an empty room, painting the least happy trees you've ever seen. Either PBS needs to beef up studio security or I need to stop using Ambien to sleep.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic examines the way the world seems different for adults today compared with how we remember it as a child, due to complex subtext or naïvety, to a humorous extreme, and with a specific reference to {{television}} programs for children.

{{w|PBS}} is a US television station known for high brow and educational programming, and shows a high proportion of {{w|BBC}} programming. The show "''{{w|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (game show)|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego}}''" was a light-hearted educational game show that ran from 1991 to 1995. In the show players followed geography-based clues to find out where a master criminal, Carmen Sandiego, was going, and catch her. After catching (or failing to catch) Carmen Sandiego, a character called The Chief would congratulate or encourage the players. Rockapella was an {{w|a cappella}} band featured on the show that gave clues, punctuated the show with humor, and closed the show.

[[Megan]] recounts her surprise as to the nature of programming on late night PBS to [[Cueball]]. She claims to have fallen asleep after watching ''{{w|Downton Abbey}}'' and woken up to see that ''Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego'' is still making new episodes, but is significantly darker than she remembers it. The host has aged poorly (the show would have been off the air for 20 years) and developed a drinking problem; the locations the child contestants visit are traumatizing; and the children are clearly freaked out. In the end they find Carmen Sandiego hiding behind a Dutch bookcase, an allusion to "{{w|The Diary of a Young Girl|The Diary of Anne Frank}}", thus implying that instead of aiding legitimate law enforcement in finding thieves they have been aiding the Nazis in their search for Jews (and others) to murder. The Chief admonishes the children for their actions and Rockapella glares at the children disapprovingly until the children break down in tears.

After Megan concludes her story, Cueball remarks that he did not remember the show being that dark. In response Megan replies that as kids, they may not have been able to understand the darker subtext of the show. It is true that some programs intended for children often have subtle themes for adults who may be watching the show with their children that the children do not usually remember or pick up on. The joke is that although young viewers may not be able to pick up on everything, they would certainly have noticed if the show was as dark as Megan described.

The title text describes the next program, an episode of {{w|The Joy of Painting}}, in which a depressingly weary painter paints unhappy trees. This contrasts with the usual mood of the show where {{w|Bob Ross}} was upbeat and the components of his paintings were described as "happy little" objects. Megan then postulates that either people are breaking into the television station to produce horrible programming, or she is experiencing hallucinations due to her sleep aid {{w|Ambien}}. This gives hallucination as an alternate explanation for the main comic.

===Locations visited===
{{w|Mogadishu}} is a battle-torn city in {{w|Somalia}}, where the "{{w|Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu}}" took place in 1993, which would coincide with the air dates of "Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego".

The {{w|Killing Fields}} are a number of sites in {{w|Cambodia}} where large numbers of people were killed and buried by the {{w|Khmer Rouge}} regime, during its rule of the country from 1975 to 1979, following the end of the {{w|Cambodian Civil War}} (1970-1975).

The reference to "A Bookshelf in a Dutch Apartment" is a reference to {{w|Anne Frank}}, a Jewish girl who hid from the {{w|Nazi}}s with her family in a secret annex hidden behind a bookshelf in an apartment in {{w|Amsterdam}}. Her diary recounting her experiences was later published as the {{w|The Diary of a Young Girl|Diary of Anne Frank}}.

===Carmen Sandiego===
"{{w|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego}}" was originally an educational {{w|Video game}} released in 1985. {{w|Carmen Sandiego}} was a mysterious character that the player tracked around the globe, attempting to find clues as to where she was heading to next. The game helped players learn geography and facts about the world while having fun. The video game inspired the TV show {{w|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (game show)|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?}}.

The show was split into three rounds. In the first round, there were three child contestants, called “gumshoes” on the show, who scored points for every question they answered correctly. The top two scoring gumshoes moved onto the next round, where they had to play a game based on the card game {{w|Concentration (game)|Concentration}}, in which they had to find the thief, warrant, and loot in the correct order. Whichever gumshoe did so captured the thief, saved the loot, and moved onto the next round, where they had a chance to catch Carmen Sandiego herself. Success was not always guaranteed in this round, as contestants had to plant flags correct on seven different countries in a continent within a very short time. If successful, they captured Carmen and won the grand prize (a trip to a place of their choosing in the continental US). If not, Carmen would escape and the contestant would win a lesser prize (such as a computer).

The role of The Chief was played by {{w|Lynne Thigpen}}. She explained the mission to the contestants, and gave some clues to the thief's last whereabouts. When the mission was over The Chief would appear and congratulate them if successful or console them if Carmen got away.

The host of the TV show was an actor named {{w|Greg Lee (actor)|Greg Lee}}. His role was to ask the contestants questions, provide clues, and tell them which flags to plant on the map in the final round, as well as engage with The Chief and Rockapella to keep the show moving.

{{w|Rockapella}} was an {{w|A cappella|a cappella}} group (a group that sings without any instruments), which sang the theme song to "Where in The World Is Carmen Sandiego." Rockapella also acted as a "house band", singing songs while the contestants transitioned between events, providing clues, and playing pranks on the host along with other gags. At the end of each show, the host and the episode's winning contestant would shout "Do it, Rockapella!" at which point the band would sing the show's theme song.

===Continuity Issues===
The locations the contestants visit in the episode depicted in this comic seem to require traveling backwards in time (1993 for the Battle of Mogadishu, 1975-1979 for the Cambodian killing fields, and 1944 for the arrest of Anne Frank). Episodes of Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego did not deal with this, but its successor, {{w|Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? (game show)|Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?}}, did.

==Transcript==
:[Megan with disheveled hair is rubbing sleep out of her eyes and talking to Cueball.]
:Megan: Have you ever watched PBS late at night?
:Megan: I fell asleep after ''Downton'' and woke up at like 3 AM.

:[The next panel is split in two. The upper portion, which is not in a frame, continues Megan's dialogue, while the lower part, in a frame, shows a drunk game-show host (indicated with two small bobbles and a third exploding next to his head). He has stubble and only little hair on his head. He is holding a bottle in one hand and the other hand is up over a TV monitor showing a black field filled with crosses, presumably graves, going out to the far off horizon. In front of him are three kids, who are contestants in the game. They stand behind three lecterns to the left. The first kid is a boy with thin black hair, who has turned away from the monitor. The middle kid is a girl with blonde hair in a ponytail who looks at the host, and the last kid looks like Cueball and he looks down at his lectern.]
:Megan (off-panel): ''Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego'' was back on, except the host hadn't aged well and he'd clearly been drinking.
:Megan (off-panel): Every question took them to some horrible place like Mogadishu or the Cambodian killing fields.

:[In a room with tiles on the floor, a bookshelf full of books has been moved away from the wall revealing that is was a door to be opened with a hidden room behind it. Megan continues to speak, her text is above the shelf but inside the frame this time.]
:Megan (off-panel): The kids were freaked out, but they kept playing. Eventually they were told they'd found Carmen Sandiego hiding behind a bookshelf in a Dutch apartment.

:[Megan has stopped rubbing her eyes but still talks to Cueball.]
:Megan: The Chief appeared and asked "Are you ''proud'' of what you've become?"
:Megan: Then Rockapella walked out and just glared at the kids until they started crying.
:Cueball: I, uh, don't remember the old show being that dark.
:Megan: Maybe we were too young to pick up on it.

==Trivia==
*This is the second comic posted on a Leap Day ({{w|February 29}}), it was a Wednesday in 2012.
**The previous leap day was the first after xkcd began, and that day fell on a Friday in 2008, and the first leap day comic [[390: Nightmares]] was released then.
**The leap day after this comic also fell on a Friday in 2016 and [[1649: Pipelines]] was released then.
**If the current M-W-F schedule continues, the next such comic will not happen before 2036 when the leap day again falls on a Friday.
**Interesting to note that the first three leap years after xkcd began (in just over 10 years) all fell on a release day, then followed by a break of 20 years. And three of these first four leap days all fell on a Friday.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]] 
[[Category:Dreams]] 
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]

530: I'm An Idiot

2020-11-18T23:49:07Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

:''Not to be confused with [[68: Five Thirty]]''
{{comic
| number = 530
| date = January 14, 2009
| title = I'm an Idiot
| image = im an idiot.png
| titletext = Sadly, this is a true story. At least I learned about the OS X 'say' command.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]], locked out of his {{w|dorm}}/{{w|apartment}}, is trying to get his roommate [[Megan|Megan's]] attention so that she'll unlock the door. He tries various increasingly obscure ways of contacting her: calling her cell phone, {{w|IRC}}, the window, and finally remotely logging into their Mac computer (via {{w|Secure Shell|SSH}}) to make it shout at her, which involves working out a way to turn up the computer's volume. [[Ponytail]] informs him of the most obvious solution—the doorbell—which prompts a moment of realization. The content of this realization—"I'm An Idiot"—is stated in the title of the comic. The humor of the comic derives from the rhythm of the panels: a long buildup followed by a short quip, then a sudden, silent pause for the implied realization moment.

Additionaly some readers will be familiar with the behavior shown in the comic, since most every person who likes solving problems has experienced a moment of realization similar to Cueball's at one point or another. They, like Cueball, get distracted by solving an interesting problem [[356: Nerd Sniping|''because solving problems is fun'']], and fail to notice that the problem has an easier solution that they haven't considered. This same issue of getting lost in a sub-problem [in this case, the-sub problem of how to remotely control text-to-speech in OS X] at the expense of overall problem-solving ability is further covered in [[761: DFS]].

The title text states that this is a true story, so Cueball must represent [[Randall]]. It also mentions that, although missing an obvious solution can be humiliating, one often learns a lot from trying new solutions, which would explain why the behavior persists.

This comic follows a similar storyline to [[349: Success]] and [[1518: Typical Morning Routine]], as Cueball and [[Hairy]] respectively in these comics, encounters an issue and attempts proceedingly more absurd solutions to the issue.

==Transcript==
:[Ponytail approaches Cueball, who is sitting on porch steps, laptop in lap and backpack open.]
:Ponytail: Should I ask?
:Cueball: I'm locked out, and I'm trying to get my roommate to let me in.

:[Unplugged cell phone on table.]
:Cueball: First I tried her cell phone, but it's off.

:[Cueball sitting on steps, laptop in lap and gesturing.]
:Cueball: Then I tried IRC, but she's not online.

:[Cueball standing in front of house and looking up at window.]
:Cueball: I couldn't find anything to throw at her window,

:[Living room with couch easy chair and computer set up.]
:Cueball: So I SSH'd into the Mac Mini in the living room and got the speech synth to yell at her for me.
:Computer: Hey I'm locked out downstairs

:[Megan sitting at table with laptop open.]
:Cueball: But I think I left the volume way down, so I'm reading the OS X docs to learn to set the volume via command line.

:[Ponytail facing Cueball, who is still sitting on the porch with his laptop.]
:Ponytail: Ah.
:Ponytail: I take it the doorbell doesn't work?

:[Beat panel.]

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

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:25:26Z

Donthaveusername:

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:25:13Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)

:Welcome to the internet! -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]] 18:22, 18 November 2020 (UTC)

:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:24:59Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)

:Welcome to the internet! -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]] 18:22, 18 November 2020 (UTC)

:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:22:41Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)

:Welcome to the internet! -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]] 18:22, 18 November 2020 (UTC)

:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:22:27Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)

:Welcome to the internet! -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]] [[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]] ([[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]) 18:22, 18 November 2020 (UTC)

:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:22:13Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)

:Welcome to the internet! -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]

:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:22:04Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)

:Welcome to the internet! -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]

:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

Did you block css on your page or something? [[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]] ([[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]) 18:18, 18 November 2020 (UTC)

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:18:58Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)

:Welcome to the internet! -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]

:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

Did you block css on your page or something? [[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]] ([[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]) 18:18, 18 November 2020 (UTC)

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:17:43Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)

:Welcome to the internet! -[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]][[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]]

:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:15:47Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)

:Welcome to the internet! <span style="color: inherit; text-decoration: none; cursor: not-allowed; background: -webkit-linear-gradient(red,blue,green); -webkit-background-clip: text; -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent; filter: blur(1px);" >Random Human on the Blagosphere[[User:Donthaveusername|...]]

:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:14:06Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)

:Welcome to the internet! <span style="color: inherit; text-decoration: none; cursor: not-allowed; background: -webkit-linear-gradient(red,blue,green); -webkit-background-clip: text; -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent; filter: blur(1px);" >Random Human on the Blagosphere[[User:Donthaveusername|...]]'

:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:13:46Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)

:Welcome to the internet! <span style="color: inherit; text-decoration: none; cursor: not-allowed; background: -webkit-linear-gradient(red,blue,green); -webkit-background-clip: text; -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent; filter: blur(1px);">Random Human on the Blagosphere[[User:Donthaveusername|...]]'

:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:12:36Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)

:Welcome to the internet! <span style="color: inherit; text-decoration: none; cursor: not-allowed; background: -webkit-linear-gradient(red,blue,green); -webkit-background-clip: text; -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent; filter: blur(1px);">Random Human on the Blagosphere[[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]]'

:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:11:30Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)
:Welcome to the internet! <span style="color: inherit; text-decoration: none; cursor: not-allowed; background: -webkit-linear-gradient(red,blue,green); -webkit-background-clip: text; -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent; filter: blur(1px);">[[User:Donthaveusername|Random Human on the internet]]
:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

User talk:Lettherebedarklight/archive 1

2020-11-18T18:10:13Z

Donthaveusername:

Hi! [[User:BlackHat|BlackHat]] ([[User talk:BlackHat|talk]]) 18:57, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrght]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 04:55, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

That is one of the most cursed usernames, cursed real name, cursed website and cursed signature if I had ever seen one... — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 15:48, 9 November 2020 (UTC)
:Welcome to the internet! [[User:Donthaveusername|Random Human on the internet]]
:Weird humor is my speciality. [[User:Lettherebedarklight|aoijgpisbHtejsykl7ekderhtsjk6r64os4kys\\\[]jsrtjgdrghtvgwrhtejyku5dli6;78t7l6rk5j4h|||||#Rty-----WWWWWWfflfllfllfllfeogk0q9wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww4-cv;c;;c;c[;]z\]d;v[\]????????OH GOD IT'S CRASIHNG MY PC��]] ([[User talk:Lettherebedarklight|talk]]) 01:23, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

508: Drapes

2020-11-18T18:05:39Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 508
| date = November 24, 2008
| title = Drapes
| image = drapes.png
| titletext = Wait, what?
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a play on the classic question guys ask women, where drapes=head hair and carpet=pubic hair. The assumption is that some people artificially dye their head hair, but typically would not dye other body hair. The question is essentially asking "Are you a 'natural' red-head/blonde/etc.?". The classic question doesn't mention upholstery, hence [[Cueball]]'s confusion. There is some speculation about other body/arm/leg/arm-pit hair interpretations for [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=upholstery upholstery].

This comic could also be a [[917|self-referential joke]] where the furniture is a double entendre to the art of the comic itself. The "carpet" is the white background of the comic, which matches the black "drapes" of Cueball, the woman, and the words. The "upholstery", in this case, is the woman's hair, which is colored and heavily bordered to create a 3D effect, which does not at all match the rest of this comic. The fact that Cueball seems confused (as per the last panel and title text) suggests the {{w|fourth wall}} may have been broken.

Alternatively, it could be that the woman is wearing a {{w|wig}} and the "upholstery" is her natural hair or something similar.

==Transcript==
:Cueball: So, does the carpet match the drapes?

:Woman: Yeah. But not the upholstery.

:[Woman walks away.]

:[Cueball scratches his head, confused.]

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Language]]

611: Disaster Voyeurism

2020-11-18T18:04:20Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 611
| date = July 17, 2009
| title = Disaster Voyeurism
| image = disaster voyeurism.png
| titletext = Hurricane forums are full of excited comments about central pressure and wind speed and comparisons to Camille and 1931 and 1938, with hastily-tacked-on notes about how it will be tragic if anyone dies and they hope it's a dud.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic is referring to a phenomenon known as gaping or {{w|rubbernecking}}. The terms are applied to people who stand around as spectators at the site of a disaster. Apparently, many people are attracted to terrible scenes out of a sort of morbid curiosity. While fascinated by the spectacle, most people also feel a sense of shame and guilt at the same time, unsure of whether it is morally wrong to be entertained by other's misfortunes.

This feeling of conscience is expressed in the comic by [[Megan]], who secretly cherishes hope that a hurricane might strike but feels guilt despite knowing she isn't the cause of any danger. [[Black Hat]] on the other hand regards these feelings as perfectly natural. In the comic, he gives three more examples of how he enjoys other people's misfortune, each more sinister than the last:
* Watching shuttle launches because you don't want to miss a disaster, referring to the Challenger shuttle explosion shortly after launch on January 28, 1986. This example is similar to Megan's scenario, where they're not doing anything illegal or not allowed.
* Dressing as an intern and sneaking into operating rooms to watch surgeries in case a patient dies, in hopes of watching organs be harvested. This is not allowed in operating rooms{{Citation needed}} and would be seen as socially unacceptable, but in this case he's not actually causing any harm. The organ harvesting could be a normal case of donating organs upon one's death, but could also be referring to illegal organ harvesting.
* Detour signs are usually used when there is construction down a main road; the signs direct drivers down a longer and more roundabout path. In this case, Black Hat uses stolen detour signs to direct cars down a much more dangerous path. His backwoods roads are strewn with caltrops, small weapons that have a spike pointed upward no matter how they are thrown. They were used in World War 2 to burst tires, and Black Hat plans to do the same thing to the unsuspecting drivers’ car tires. He plans to then shoot at their windows and hunt them down on horseback. In this example, Black Hat would actually be causing the danger, potentially injuring or killing passengers in the car, which would be a very mean thing to do. {{Citation needed}}

It becomes clear that he actually enjoys it when other people are hit by tragedies. He reveals that he even actively promotes or causes the tragic fates of others. Him being a {{w|sadism|sadist}} concurs with the characterization depicted in other comics. Megan understands that the two of them are in fact leading entirely different conversations, as Black Hat is not in the least able to comprehend her scruples.

The title text aims at hurricane enthusiasts in internet forums, who are distracted by their scientific curiosity from the danger a hurricane may present to humans.

==Transcript==
:[Megan is watching TV. Black Hat is leaning on the back of her chair.]
:Megan: I've realized that I always secretly root for hurricanes. I watch the news hoping that they'll get really big and hit a city. I know my hopes don't actually affect it, but I feel bad.

:Black Hat: Nah, that's just natural human attraction to spectacle. It's like watching the shuttle launch because you don't want to miss it if there's a disaster.
:Megan: ...I guess?

:Black Hat: Or dressing as an intern to sneak into operating rooms, in case a patient dies and you can watch them harvest organs.
:Megan: Wait, you ''do'' that?

:Black Hat: Or stealing detour signs to direct highway drivers down backwoods roads strewn with caltrops. After the tires burst, you start shooting out their windows.

:Black Hat: Then, when they flee the car in terror, you hunt them on horseback, like ''men'' once did.
:Megan: I realized a while back that we're having entirely different conversations.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]

611: Disaster Voyeurism

2020-11-18T18:04:04Z

Donthaveusername: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 611
| date = July 17, 2009
| title = Disaster Voyeurism
| image = disaster voyeurism.png
| titletext = Hurricane forums are full of excited comments about central pressure and wind speed and comparisons to Camille and 1931 and 1938, with hastily-tacked-on notes about how it will be tragic if anyone dies and they hope it's a dud.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic is referring to a phenomenon known as gaping or {{w|rubbernecking}}. The terms are applied to people who stand around as spectators at the site of a disaster. Apparently, many people are attracted to terrible scenes out of a sort of morbid curiosity. While fascinated by the spectacle, most people also feel a sense of shame and guilt at the same time, unsure of whether it is morally wrong to be entertained by other's misfortunes.

This feeling of conscience is expressed in the comic by [[Megan]], who secretly cherishes hope that a hurricane might strike but feels guilt despite knowing she isn't the cause of any danger. [[Black Hat]] on the other hand regards these feelings as perfectly natural. In the comic, he gives three more examples of how he enjoys other people's misfortune, each more sinister than the last:
* Watching shuttle launches because you don't want to miss a disaster, referring to the Challenger shuttle explosion shortly after launch on January 28, 1986. This example is similar to Megan's scenario, where they're not doing anything illegal or not allowed.
* Dressing as an intern and sneaking into operating rooms to watch surgeries in case a patient dies, in hopes of watching organs be harvested. This is not allowed in operating rooms{{Citation needed} and would be seen as socially unacceptable, but in this case he's not actually causing any harm. The organ harvesting could be a normal case of donating organs upon one's death, but could also be referring to illegal organ harvesting.
* Detour signs are usually used when there is construction down a main road; the signs direct drivers down a longer and more roundabout path. In this case, Black Hat uses stolen detour signs to direct cars down a much more dangerous path. His backwoods roads are strewn with caltrops, small weapons that have a spike pointed upward no matter how they are thrown. They were used in World War 2 to burst tires, and Black Hat plans to do the same thing to the unsuspecting drivers’ car tires. He plans to then shoot at their windows and hunt them down on horseback. In this example, Black Hat would actually be causing the danger, potentially injuring or killing passengers in the car, which would be a very mean thing to do. {{Citation needed}}

It becomes clear that he actually enjoys it when other people are hit by tragedies. He reveals that he even actively promotes or causes the tragic fates of others. Him being a {{w|sadism|sadist}} concurs with the characterization depicted in other comics. Megan understands that the two of them are in fact leading entirely different conversations, as Black Hat is not in the least able to comprehend her scruples.

The title text aims at hurricane enthusiasts in internet forums, who are distracted by their scientific curiosity from the danger a hurricane may present to humans.

==Transcript==
:[Megan is watching TV. Black Hat is leaning on the back of her chair.]
:Megan: I've realized that I always secretly root for hurricanes. I watch the news hoping that they'll get really big and hit a city. I know my hopes don't actually affect it, but I feel bad.

:Black Hat: Nah, that's just natural human attraction to spectacle. It's like watching the shuttle launch because you don't want to miss it if there's a disaster.
:Megan: ...I guess?

:Black Hat: Or dressing as an intern to sneak into operating rooms, in case a patient dies and you can watch them harvest organs.
:Megan: Wait, you ''do'' that?

:Black Hat: Or stealing detour signs to direct highway drivers down backwoods roads strewn with caltrops. After the tires burst, you start shooting out their windows.

:Black Hat: Then, when they flee the car in terror, you hunt them on horseback, like ''men'' once did.
:Megan: I realized a while back that we're having entirely different conversations.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]