1678: Recent Searches

2016-05-10T08:14:25Z

Floriantfw: /* Explanation */ GIF->XLS

{{comic
| number = 1678
| date = May 9, 2016
| title = Recent Searches
| image = recent_searches.png
| titletext = autoexec code posted by verified twitter users
}}

==Explanation==
People often find answers to computer problems by searching on {{w|Google}}, which shows you recent search terms in a drop-down box when you go to search it. Here we see a list of search queries, each of which suggests the author is perversely misusing or overextending some computer technology. The overall impression is of someone technically sophisticated enough to shoot themselves in the foot, and who does not learn any larger lessons despite doing so repeatedly. The title text is another possible entry in this list.

The caption implies that from Randall's perspective, every computer he uses seems to be broken; he doesn't seem to realise this is because he's the one using them, not because the computers actually start off broken. (See also comics [[349]], [[1084]], [[1316]] and [[1586]] for similar themes.)

([[979|Dear people from the future]], if Google directed you here because it is the most popular result for a problem you are experiencing, this is not the page you were looking for).

{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="4" style="border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
! width=20% | Search
! Explanation
|-
| [https://www.google.com/search?q=Google+translate+syntax+highlighting Google translate syntax highlighting]
| {{w|Syntax highlighting}} can be used when editing {{w|source code}} to make the code more readable and easier to understand. It is not generally used for natural languages, but {{w|sentence diagram}}s of brief passages are used in language education. {{w|Google Translate}} is used to translate text from one {{w|natural language}} to another. It uses {{w|Javascript}} <tt>mouseover()</tt> to highlight words as an aid in matching phrases in the source with their translations, but does not apply different highlighting dependent on syntax.

Alternatively, this could imply that the user is attempting to translate code from one programming language to another using Google Translate. Success would be unlikely, since the service is not intended for this, {{Citation needed}} and syntactically valid output might further break the computer executing it.
|-
| Autodetect mixed bash zsh
| {{w|bash}} and {{w|Z_shell|zsh}} are two {{w|Command-line_interface|command line interfaces}} for {{w|Linux}}. The way to execute commands is almost identical, making detecting a script that contains a mixed syntax nearly impossible.
|-
| CPU temperature sensor limits
| The CPU's temperature sensors exist to tell you when your CPU is becoming dangerously overheated (normally because of a faulty fan or overclocking). Someone who searches for information about the limits of those sensors is presumably expecting to misuse their CPU. Probably also a reference to [[1172: Workflow]].
|-
| GIF to XLS
| .GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) is a file extension used to store images and sequences of images to be displayed as an animation. .XLS is the file extension for Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. The joke is that the complete difference between the two types of file makes any kind of conversion seemingly impossible. However, since a pixel graphic can be thought of as a rectangular array of numerical values, a conversion is technically possible. [http://www.think-maths.co.uk/spreadsheet Here] is a webpage with an online converter. (Although, in fact, the actual search turns up a number of results along the lines of OCR programs that can convert a table in a GIF image to spreadsheet format.)
|-
| Clock speed jumper sample rate
| Jumper wire is a short circuit used for switching a certain function on an electronic circuit. On a motherboard, jumpers can be used to alter the clock speeds of various motherboard functions (such as the CPU or the front side bus). These jumpers should be modified when the computer is off. However, this search is asking how often the motherboard checks the status of the clock speed jumpers, implying that they intend to change these jumpers while the computer is powered on.
|-
| [https://www.google.com/search?q=clean+reinstall+keybinding Clean reinstall keybinding]
| This refers to keybinding, the practice of mapping a certain key to a certain function (e.g., pressing PRTSC will take a screenshot). Creating a keybinding for a task usually implies that the task is repeated often. A "clean reinstall" (presumably of an operating system) is however not generally something that should be repeated often, implying that the user is regularly breaking the OS with their tinkering. Alternatively, the user may have modified their default keybindings to such an extent that their [[1031|leopard]] has become unusable (similar to [[1284: Improved Keyboard]]), necessitating a "clean reinstall" of the bindings.
|-
| Cron job to update crontab
| {{w|Cron}} is a utility that allows you to schedule commands or scripts to be run periodically. These scheduled jobs are read from a ''crontab'' file. A job that updates the crontab (therefore creating new jobs, removing old ones or editing existing ones) is paramount to a {{w|Job scheduler}}, and trying to use cron for such functionality will result in highly unstable functionality.
|-
| [https://www.google.com/search?q=fsck+chrome+extension fsck Chrome extension]
|
This is probably a search for an interface to the Unix '''f'''ile'''s'''ystem che'''ck'''er {{w|fsck}} via third-party software added to Chrome. Repairing a filesystem this way would be inadvisable. {{Citation needed}} This might indicate confusion about the meaning of the term "online filesystem repair", in which "online" means "while the filesystem is in use" rather than "over the internet". Alternatively, the user might want to repair an installation of the operating system Chromium, in a manner less drastic than the {{w|factory reset}} preferred by Google.
|-
| Recursive font
| An idiosyncratic mix of {{w|Recursion}} and the font style ''{{w|cursive}}'', referring especially to text handwritten in a flowing manner. {{w|PostScript}} (the language {{w|PostScript fonts|some fonts}} are written in) is capable of recursion and PostScript Type 3 fonts are able to use the full language. This could create effects like fonts with complicated fractal borders and fill patterns - but the increase in processing time would contribute to seeming brokenness of the computer (or printer) rendering the font.

A true recursive font would be a form of {{w|Fractals}}.
|-
| Regex matching valid EBNF
| EBNF refers to {{w|Extended Backus–Naur Form}}, which is used to define {{w|Formal Language|formal languages}}. EBNF specifies recursive patterns that are impossible for a {{w|Regular_Expression|regular expression}} to determine whether it is valid or not. There is some irony in using regex to test the validity of something which ''defines'' the validity of things like regex.
|-
| [https://www.google.com/search?q=Hardlinks+Turing+complete Hardlinks Turing complete]
| In some filesystems, for example {{w|ext4}} and {{w|NTFS}}, a single file may be referenced by different names anywhere in the filesystem. These filenames are termed "hard links" to the file because they are automatically resolved by the operating system to the file metadata. "Soft" or "symbolic" links are resolved indirectly via a filename, which may reside anywhere. A file is deleted when the last hard link to it is unlinked; a soft link exists independently of its target.

{{w|Turing completeness}} is the {{w|computational complexity}} required to simulate any other Turing complete system (given an infinite amount of memory). Recently there have been cases where [http://beza1e1.tuxen.de/articles/accidentally_turing_complete.html unexpected mechanisms] from card games to text parsers were proved to be Turing complete. Hardlinks being Turing complete would imply that creating and deleting hardlinks alone is enough to statisfy the requirements of Turing completeness.
|-
| Opposite of safe mode
| {{w|Safe mode}} is a diagnostic mode of an operating system or application which allows the user to troubleshoot problems by disabling unnecessary functionality. The "opposite of safe mode" implies a "dangerous" mode where the purpose is to allow uselessly dangerous action, and even encourages you do so.

Alternatively, the user have somehow been dropped into safemode and is searching for how to get back to normal operation, which in itself is ridiculous as safemode is intended for the user to resolve the problem, and the user clearly does not understand why the system have been put in the state it has.
|-
| Predictive touchpad
| {{w|Predictive text}} is a feature of many smartphone keyboards that predicts the most likely word the user wishes to type, and then gives the user the option to place the word in the sentence without typing the whole word. A {{w|touchpad}} is a computer pointing device, similar to a {{w|computer mouse}}. The idea of a "predictive touchpad" seems absurd because, as opposed to typed words, there are not a limited number of swipe combinations that are possible on a touchpad. A "predictive touchpad" implies that a computer could predict where the user was going to move the mouse or click, which is clearly unreasonable. {{Citation needed}} - Beside all this it's a simple word play on techonlogies/names used for touchpads. Resistive or capacitive touchpads are quite common, while inductive touchpads are only used with special pens for drawing.

Interestingly, a version of Linux {{Citation needed}} had a predictive cursor option, where the cursor jumped to the nearest button (like window close) when it got moved near but not quite reached that button.
|-
| Google docs from bootloader
| Google docs relies on programs and libraries much more complex than a {{w|bootloader}} (a very small program running immediately after boot, mainly for loading the OS) could run.
|-
| Hardware acceleration red channel only
| {{w|Hardware acceleration}} means that certain calculations are not performed by the computer's {{w|CPU}} but by a "specialized" processor, e.g. a {{w|GPU}} which is part of the graphics adapter. This speeds up output, especially if complex 3D calculations are required and reduces CPU load. To use this function only on a single color channel seems pretty useless, but one may want to troubleshoot a program that displays only red when hardware acceleration is enabled.
|-
| autoexec code posted by verified twitter users
| Automatically executing code from the internet is generally a terrible idea, because it could be written by someone with malicious intent and harm your computer. The joke here is that the code would only be executed if written by someone who has been "verified" on Twitter. Twitter's verification service only serves to show that a user is who they claim to be, not whether or not their code can be trusted, so this would provide little protection. Usually, twitter verification matters so that celebrities can identify themselves, so this line implies that Randall is only interested in running code posted by celebrities.
|-
|}

==Trivia==
* This is one of the comics with colours.

==Transcript==
:[Coloured and styled as the logo]
:Google

:[Google Search bar, with a drop down box with faded text, implying recent searches]
:Google translate syntax highlighting
:Autodetect mixed bash zsh
:CPU temperature sensor limits
:GIF to XLS
:Clock speed jumper sample rate
:Clean reinstall keybinding
:Cron job to update crontab
:fsck Chrome extension
:Recursive font
:Regex matching valid EBNF
:Hardlinks Turing complete
:Opposite of safe mode
:Predictive touchpad
:Google docs from bootloader
:Hardware acceleration red channel only

:[Bold, below page outline]
:I have no idea why my computers are always broken

{{comic discussion}}

explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1678: Recent Searches