explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:727: Trade Expert

2016-07-09T19:46:27Z

Halfyou:

Most modern browsers will convert backslashes in a URL into forward-slashes on submit anyway. And typing a file path into Windows Explorer's address bar using forward-slashes will usually work as well. Not to say that I also despise people incorrectly referring to web addresses as much as the next programmer (probably more), mixing slashes doesn't really break anything. [[User:bungeshea|bungeshea]] ([[User talk:bungeshea|talk]]) 10:25, 4 March 2013 (UTC)

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that the explanation is incorrect, and should rather say something like:
The forward slash (/) is the correct way to separate distinct parts of a web address (for example, the web address 'en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slash_(punctuation)'). However, Dr. Steven Berlee has apparently heard newscasters say 'backslash' instead of 'slash' or 'forward slash'. Therefore, this annoys him.
As referenced in the title text, the backslash serves as a separator in file paths on the Windows operating system. Thus a Windows file path embedded in a URI would contain the backslash character. However, Dr. Steven Berlee thinks that if you embed a Windows file path in a lecture, then 'in that case you need more than just a short lecture' because this is not a good practice.
01:48, 22 May 2013 (UTC)

I can't believe nobody has pointed this out: Steven Berlee? Steven (Crocker|Wolff) and Tim Berners-Lee... Steven Berlee! Founders of the internet (ARPANET and whatnot). [[Special:Contributions/141.101.81.216|141.101.81.216]] 13:36, 21 February 2014 (UTC)
:What I cannot believe is why you did not add it to the explanation your self this being a wiki ;-) But at last after more than two years I got around to doing it for you. But great catch, and true that it would have been a shame not to have that in the explanation so thanks for sharing :-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:45, 29 June 2016 (UTC)

This issue doesn't seem to crop up as much now--it's easier to irritate programmers by calling the # symbol (by itself) a "hashtag."
<br />Note for those who may not know: Acceptable names for # include hash, mesh, number sign, pound sign, octothorpe, grid, crosshatch, hex, sharp, or even "tictactoe" or "waffle iron" if you're feeling silly. "Hashtag" refers to a post tag which uses the octothorpe as a delimiter. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.209|108.162.216.209]] 03:24, 2 March 2015 (UTC)

I don't really think that this explain is incomplete; yes, it IS called "Trade Expert" because the 'trade expert' was mentioned in the first panel. I didn't remove it cuz i'm very new and not sure if I'm correct in doing so.. :p
halfyou 19:46, 9 July 2016 (UTC)

296: Tony Hawk

2016-07-09T19:40:49Z

Halfyou: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 296
| date = July 30, 2007
| title = Tony Hawk
| image = tony_hawk.png
| titletext = Bad idea #271: Dropping into the half-pipe on a Segway.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] is seen using a {{w|PlayStation_Portable|PSP}}, a hand-held game system, while on a skateboard. He is playing one of the many {{w|Tony Hawk's (series)|Tony Hawk}} titles in which you control a skater and perform tricks to gain points and achievements. While playing the game on his PSP, he wants to simultaneously perform the trick in real life both because it is exceptionally difficult to do both and because the game will give him praise when he does a trick successfully.

In the title text Randall describes his Bad idea Number 271: Dropping into the {{W|half-pipe}} on a {{w|Segway PT|Segway}}.
One imagines this would result in the Segway becoming unstable and going completely crazy, hence one would classify it as a "bad idea".
Which is surprisingly not the case, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmvyHs4VmHs it even looks quite fun] .
The Segway engineers obviously foresaw this situation and implemented the Segway controller with it's tilt sensors accordingly.

==Transcript==
:My Hobby:
:Doing skateboard tricks in ''Tony Hawk'' while also doing them in real life.
:[Cueball moves towards a quarter pipe on his skateboard while manipulating his PSP.]
:''Beep''
:''Click''
:''Beep''

:[Cueball is in mid air having performed a Frontside 360°, both literally and on the PSP.]
:''♪ Frontside 360°! ♫''
:''Frontside 360°!''

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Video games]]
[[Category:My Hobby]]

Talk:296: Tony Hawk

2016-07-09T19:40:03Z

Halfyou:

Although it probably is, in my opinion it is nowhere implied that this would be bad idea #270 [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.49|141.101.104.49]] 18:32, 3 April 2015 (UTC)

Fact: In at least one Tony Hawk game, you can actually ride a supercharged segway. Dropping into a halfpipe ends much less messily because on the segway there is literally no way to crash. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.2.222|162.158.2.222]] 09:44, 17 January 2016 (UTC)

Mentioning this in the comments to let someone knowledgeable make an edit and confirm my understanding of segways, but I believe the explanation of the title text is incorrect. I see three logical possibilities, none being the one mentioned in the explanation. The first two possibilities are related: either directly after dropping in, or at a point presumably closer to the bottom of the ramp, the segway isn't able to accelerate fast enough to keep up with its acceleration due to gravity, causing it to fall forward and crash. The third possibility, assuming neither of the more likely scenarios occurred, is that while traveling up the other side of the half pipe, the segway leans back too far and slows the wheels, slamming the rider into the wall in front of him/her. While I am by no means a segway expert, these explanations on why dropping a segway into a half-pipe are more in line with how a segway is expected to function than the current explanation. Added the incomplete tag to the page to promote discussion. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.166|108.162.237.166]] 13:47, 14 April 2016 (UTC)

Hello! This is my first edit on explain xkcd. I don't believe the title text explanation requires changing so I'm removing the incomplete tag (feel free to add it back if you don't agree)
halfyou 19:40, 9 July 2016 (UTC)

296: Tony Hawk

2016-07-09T19:38:31Z

Halfyou: I edited the title text explanation a bit to hopefully remove the incomplete tag.

{{comic
| number = 296
| date = July 30, 2007
| title = Tony Hawk
| image = tony_hawk.png
| titletext = Bad idea #271: Dropping into the half-pipe on a Segway.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|title text explanation needs reviewed.}}
[[Cueball]] is seen using a {{w|PlayStation_Portable|PSP}}, a hand-held game system, while on a skateboard. He is playing one of the many {{w|Tony Hawk's (series)|Tony Hawk}} titles in which you control a skater and perform tricks to gain points and achievements. While playing the game on his PSP, he wants to simultaneously perform the trick in real life both because it is exceptionally difficult to do both and because the game will give him praise when he does a trick successfully.

In the title text Randall describes his Bad idea Number 271: Dropping into the {{W|half-pipe}} on a {{w|Segway PT|Segway}}.
One imagines this would result in the Segway becoming unstable and going completely crazy, hence one would classify it as a "bad idea".
Which is surprisingly not the case, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmvyHs4VmHs it even looks quite fun] .
The Segway engineers obviously foresaw this situation and implemented the Segway controller with it's tilt sensors accordingly.

==Transcript==
:My Hobby:
:Doing skateboard tricks in ''Tony Hawk'' while also doing them in real life.
:[Cueball moves towards a quarter pipe on his skateboard while manipulating his PSP.]
:''Beep''
:''Click''
:''Beep''

:[Cueball is in mid air having performed a Frontside 360°, both literally and on the PSP.]
:''♪ Frontside 360°! ♫''
:''Frontside 360°!''

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Video games]]
[[Category:My Hobby]]