explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2200: Unreachable State

2019-09-11T07:14:45Z

ElfQrin: /* "Can't happen" */ new section

When I tried to go here originally, it was unreachable. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.107.61|162.158.107.61]] 03:54, 11 September 2019 (UTC)

nothing about the comic suggests a website. it looks more like the error message of a program. also, i don't think CB is typing it, just reading. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.50.124|172.68.50.124]] 06:20, 11 September 2019 (UTC)

== "Can't happen" ==

This comic is not about "a problem that the programmers did not anticipate", but rather a situation that the programmer rules out as impossible, which is technically called "Can't happen" or "Impossible Error" in the hacker/programmer's jargon. See http://catb.org/jargon/html/C/can-t-happen.html

For example:
<source lang=php>
for ($i=1;$i<=5;++$i) {echo $i." - ";}
if ($i<10) {echo "Bye!";} else {echo "Can't happen!";}
</source>

[[User:ElfQrin|ElfQrin]] ([[User talk:ElfQrin|talk]]) 07:14, 11 September 2019 (UTC)

Talk:1783: Emails

2017-08-08T07:47:28Z

ElfQrin: Email bankruptcy

Added the starting point of the explanation. Please add onto my work. --[[User:JayRulesXKCD|'''JayRules''XKCD''' ]][[User talk:JayRulesXKCD|what's up?]] 12:14, 9 January 2017 (UTC)

(BTW, Rob, if the offer's still on the table, I'll go with you to WALL-E if Cueball's not around. 😉 ) --[[User:JayRulesXKCD|'''JayRules''XKCD''' ]][[User talk:JayRulesXKCD|what's up?]] 12:15, 21 June 2008 (UTC)

Dammit, another Time Ghost! [[Special:Contributions/162.158.222.10|162.158.222.10]] 13:41, 9 January 2017 (UTC)

Another thing to point out: for a long time (since [[276: Fixed Width]]) there has been a little side debate of "should a single cueball be referred to as Rob?" (and should a single ponytail be referred to as Joanne). The title text of [[1783: Emails]] I think officially confirms that we should not. [[User:Yosho27|Yosho27]] ([[User talk:Yosho27|talk]]) 14:00, 9 January 2017 (UTC)
:You mean [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Merge Cueball & Rob|this?]] [[User:Jacky720|That's right, Jacky720 just signed this]] ([[User talk:Jacky720|talk]] | [[Special:Contributions/Jacky720|contribs]]) 14:57, 9 January 2017 (UTC)
::Yes that discussion is also relevant but the Joanne part must have been discussed elsewhere... Completely agree though that there is no doubt that any generic character does not only go by one name. Only the three with hats are clearly meant to have specific traits. But even White Hat can appear very different from comic to comic. leaving only Black Hat and Beret Guy to (mainly) stay true to their general behavior. Randall uses names when he find that would be most useful in a given comic. Apart from Megan and Rob, he has hardly used any name more than a few times. And in this comic it is clear that Cueball is not Rob. On the other hand there is no reason to believe this Rob is the same as [[Rob]] from the early cartons. But still relevant that he used this name again after so long without it being used. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:12, 10 January 2017 (UTC)

this story is surely related to: https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/606:_Cutting_Edge [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.35|108.162.250.35]] 19:54, 10 January 2017 (UTC)

;Email bankruptcy
This is related to Email bankruptcy ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_bankruptcy ) --[[User:ElfQrin|ElfQrin]] ([[User talk:ElfQrin|talk]]) 07:47, 8 August 2017 (UTC)

Talk:1873: Email Reply

2017-08-08T07:45:11Z

ElfQrin: Email bankruptcy

This is me! :) Though I tend to alternate between overly apologetic replies to just deleting anything older than two years. [[User:RoyT|RoyT]] ([[User talk:RoyT|talk]]) 14:47, 7 August 2017 (UTC)

Probably doesn't belong in the comic explanation, but this from the "Reply All" podcast needs to be here: https://emaildebtforgiveness.me/[[User:DanB|DanB]] ([[User talk:DanB|talk]]) 15:07, 7 August 2017 (UTC)
:Thanks for that link! And great that I can put off all that stuff almost yet another 9 months! --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.88.206|162.158.88.206]] 07:18, 8 August 2017 (UTC)

Isn't this a reprise of an earlier comic? I know I've seen kxcd cover this topic before....[[Special:Contributions/172.68.150.70|172.68.150.70]] 18:21, 7 August 2017 (UTC)
: - Yes, I see it now, https://www.xkcd.com/1783/ 'Emails' {{unsigned ip|172.68.150.70}}

;Possible joke?
So, I don't know if Randall did this on purpose, or if it was just my computer, but I could not access the comic in the morning. Maybe he did this on purpose, since the comic is about being late to respond to emails?[[User:Dretler|Dretler]] ([[User talk:Dretler|talk]]) 19:04, 7 August 2017 (UTC)
:The comic was released between 14:30 and 14:32 UTC today. Unless you are living in Alaska this shouldn't be ''morning''. Most comics are released at these times; sometimes even later. Only a few comics were available a 00:00 Randall home time (04:00 UTC). --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:29, 7 August 2017 (UTC)
::Actually, I'm in the Eastern time zone, which I think is the same as Randall, and I often go out on Tuesday and Thursday nights, where I check xkcd, and I frequently see Wednesday and Friday night comics as of midnight. (I recently changed Tuesday night to Monday night, so I guess I'll only see comics early on Thursdays now). :) [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 06:52, 8 August 2017 (UTC)

;Possible joke?
In form the message bears a resemblance to Eminem's response to Stan in the song "Stan" - it could easily be coincidence, as it's also a fairly standard format for a late response. {{unsigned ip|141.101.107.174}}

;Play on comic id's?
As was mentioned earlier https://www.xkcd.com/1783/ also is about email so is it by design or coincidence that 1783 and 1873 are about emails? [[User:Roo|Roo]] ([[User talk:Roo|talk]])
:I feel no doubt that this is related to 1783. Whether it's on purpose because of the numbers - I can't remember if he's ever referenced the numbers before, except I think 1000 - I find possible, but debatable. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 06:52, 8 August 2017 (UTC)

;Typical LinkedIn Email:
<pre>
[LinkedIn Logo]

[Name] would like to connect on LinkedIn. How would you like to respond?

[Photo][Name]
[Job Title] at [Company]

Confirm you know [Name]

You received an invitation to connect. LinkedIn will use your email address to make suggestions to our members in features like People You May Know. Unsubscribe
This email was sent to [your email address].
If you need assistance or have questions, please contact LinkedIn Customer Service.

© 2017 LinkedIn Corporation, 1000 West Maude Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94085. LinkedIn and the LinkedIn logo are registered trademarks of LinkedIn.
</pre>
This email is repeated with reminders and is probably sent automatically by scanning email address books or even past emails.

Sebastian --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.110.100|172.68.110.100]] 00:17, 8 August 2017 (UTC)

I find this concept is still very "me", though I tend to be not THAT bad with real emails. However, I'm certain I have unread emails going back 8, 9, maybe 10 or more years. :) (though I almost never get real emails anymore, mostly just automated things. Not sure if this is a cause-and-effect vicious circle or that people don't email much anymore). :) [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 06:52, 8 August 2017 (UTC)

;Email bankruptcy
This is related to Email bankruptcy ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_bankruptcy ) --[[User:ElfQrin|ElfQrin]] ([[User talk:ElfQrin|talk]]) 07:45, 8 August 2017 (UTC)