explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

120: Dating Service

2013-01-16T21:33:02Z

Linus: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 120
| date = 6/26/2006
| title = Dating Service
| image = dating_service.png
| titletext = I don't understand why people are so disingenuous! I just want someone to walk with!
}}

==Explanation==
Randall, in a rare self-referencing comic, explains his frustration with the typical dating meme, "I like long walks on the beach." Randall expresses this frustration both in the comic as well as the title-text.

==Transcript==
:[A computer monitor displays the profile of a man named Randall on an online dating site. His profile contains a picture of a spiky-haired man and some text, which is rendered as dialogue in the panels.]
:Randall: Hi, my name is Randall. I like candlelight dinners and long walks on the beach. Randall: When I say long walks on the beach, I mean LONG walks on the beach. I've met people through these services who CLAIM to like long walks on the beach. But we'll be out there barely an hour before they start in with "I'm tired" and "Don't you think it's time we head back?" BRING A TENT.

{{comic discussion}}

120: Dating Service

2013-01-16T21:32:38Z

Linus: Created page with "{{comic | number = 120 | date = 6/26/2006 | title = Dating Service | image = dating_service.png | titletext = I don't understand why people are so disingenuous..."

{{comic
| number = 120
| date = 6/26/2006
| title = Dating Service
| image = dating_service.png
| titletext = I don't understand why people are so disingenuous! I just want someone to walk with!
}}

==Explanation==
Randall, in a rare self-referencing comic, explains his frustration with the typical dating meme, "I like long walks on the beach." Randall expresses this frustration both in the comic as well as the title-text.

==Transcript==
[A computer monitor displays the profile of a man named Randall on an online dating site. His profile contains a picture of a spiky-haired man and some text, which is rendered as dialogue in the panels.] Randall: Hi, my name is Randall. I like candlelight dinners and long walks on the beach. Randall: When I say long walks on the beach, I mean LONG walks on the beach. I've met people through these services who CLAIM to like long walks on the beach. But we'll be out there barely an hour before they start in with "I'm tired" and "Don't you think it's time we head back?" BRING A TENT.

{{comic discussion}}

1157: Sick Day

2013-01-07T13:16:20Z

Linus: /* Transcript */ more in-depth description

{{comic
| number = 1157
| date = January 7, 2013
| title = Sick Day
| image = sick day.png
| titletext = Wikipeida path: Virus -> Immune system -> Innate immune system -> Parasites -> List of parasites of humans -> Naegleria fowleri -> Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis -> Deciding I DEFINITELY shouldn't connect an aquarium pump to my sinuses
}}

==Explanation==
===Title text===
[[Randall]]'s Wikipeida path: {{w|Virus}} -> {{w|Immune system}} -> {{w|Innate immune system}} -> {{w|Parasites}} -> {{w|List of parasites of humans}} -> {{w|Naegleria fowleri}} -> {{w|Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis}}.

Naegleria fowleri is supposedly also known as the brain-eating amoeba. It is found in warm bodies of stagnant {{w|fresh water}} (like in an aquarium?) and causes the diseese primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare but highly lethal condition. (Randall also seems to be too sick to spell {{w|Wikipedia}}.)

==Transcript==
:A pie chart showing with the following categories and approximate areas of coverage (Starting from the top, clockwise):
:* 52% - Shifting around in bed feeling my skin crawl
:* 24% - Wiping various face holes
:* 5% - Staring at a news site but not reading it
:* 15% - Thinking about how cool it is that I'm partly made of an army of critters that patrol my body ruthlessly dispatching anything they find trying to prey on me
:* 4% - Pondering hooking an aquarium pump up to my to my sinuses

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Biology]]

1149: Broomstick

2012-12-19T15:44:45Z

Linus: corrected template

{{comic
| number = 1149
| date = December 19, 2012
| title = Broomstick
| image = broomstick.png
| titletext = 'Broom first, then slippers.' 'How do I know you'll return the broom once you've secured your ticket?' 'I'll leave my little dog as collateral.' 'Great. Pleasure doing business!'
}}

==Explanation==
In this comic, [[Megan]] plays the part of {{w|Dorothy Gale|Dorothy}}, the {{w|protagonist}} of ''{{w|The Wizard of Oz}}''. Dorothy has been trapped in the {{w|Land of Oz}} due to {{w|Tornado|extreme weather}} and must obtain transportation home. An off-screen character, presumably the {{w|Wizard of Oz (character)|Wizard of Oz}} himself, offers her a ride if she obtains the {{w|The Wicked Witch of the West}}'s magic broom. Megan wears {{w|Ruby Slippers}} and uses them as a bargaining chip to obtain the Witch's broom.

The "little dog" offered in the title text is Dorothy's faithful companion {{w|Toto (Oz)|Toto}}.

{{w|The Wicked Witch of the West}} is a fictional character and the most significant antagonist in L. Frank Baum's children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In Baum's subsequent Oz books, it is the Nome King who is the principal villain; the Wicked Witch of the West is rarely even referred to again after her death in the first book. In the 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch flies on her broom over the Emerald City demanding Dorothy's surrender, and the Wizard demands the destruction of the Witch with her broom as proof, in exchange for granting the wishes of Dorothy and her companions.

==Transcript==
:[Megan wearing red shoes talking to somebody off-screen]
:[Off-screen]: ''Bring me the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West and I’ll take you home.''
:Megan: Got it.

:[Megan wearing red shoes standing before steps]
:Megan: You can have the slippers if you let me borrow your broom.
:[Off-screen]: Deal.

:[Megan carrying a broom and singing]

:[Megan flying in a balloon over three ''Wizard of Oz'' characters]
:Megan: That was easy.
{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

106: Wright Brothers

2012-08-20T13:10:26Z

Linus: fixed image

{{ComicHeader|106|May 24, 2006}}

[[File:Wright Brothers.png]]

== Image Text ==
I'm not sure if this is actually true.

==Explanation==
Okaaay. First off. If [[Randall]] isn't sure anything is true, it needs verification. You can give that by supporting the theorem stated (Wright Brothers periodically switching sides).

Onward to the comic. [[Cueball]] states by switching sides during a debate (which, maybe, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_Brothers Wright Brothers] did) you can reach a more balanced decision. [[Megan]] argues that this can be true for business decisions, but not for relational decisions. I tend to believe Megan, because women have entirely different aspects about these kinds of decisions from men. But, quoting frame 4, she is willing to give it a try. Then, Cueball denies his own case and thus disproving his own statement by locking the possibility. Which is superior in his man-being, but bad for the whole relationship.

{{Comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics|0106]]

713: GeoIP

2012-08-20T13:01:43Z

Linus: initial

{{comic
| number = 713
| date = March 12, 2010
| title = GeoIP
| image = geoip.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = 'Meet hot young singles in your mom's basement today'? Man, screw you, GeoIP.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Geolocation|GeoIP}} is a service that converts IP addresses to their respective location on the earth. This is done by looking up the IP address in a database maintained by various Internet Service providers. Advertisers often take advantage of the {{w|Keeping up with the Joneses|Joneses effect}} by creating localized ads based on your location. These ads are often highly misleading since the images are often stock photographs with the nearest town superimposed on it.

This is the case with the comic. The {{w|International Space Station}} presumably has a public-facing IP address, which is geolocated to "Low Earth Orbit". [[Cueball]] trolls the advertisers by saying that there are "local girls" in the IIS. Since all members of the ISS know each other, Cueball underlines the flaw in GeoIP-based advertising.

The title text refers to how specific GeoIP can get. However, knowing that someone is in their mom's basement is hyperbole.

327: Exploits of a Mom

2012-08-17T17:59:49Z

Linus: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 327
| date = October 10, 2007
| title = Exploits of a Mom
| image = exploits_of_a_mom.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = Her daughter is named Help I'm trapped in a driver's license factory.
}}

== Explanation ==
A mom receives a call from her son's school. The caller asked if the mom has really named her son as "Robert'); DROP TABLE students;--" (double quotes exclusive) and the mom claimed that it is the nickname they used to call their son. As this name is read into the database without "{{w|Data sanitization#SQL injection|sanitization}}", the drop table sql command is being injected and executed which in turn dropped the students table (the mom assumes that the school database would name the students table as "students") and committed it, making the deletion irreversible. At the end, the school informs the mom that her exploit was successful and the mom reminds the school to make sure they have added data filtering code to prevent code injection exploits in the future.

== Transcript ==
: Screen 1:
: A mom receives a call from her son's school.
: The caller: Hi, This is your son's school. We're having some computer trouble.
: Screen 2:
: Mom: Oh, dear - did he break something?
: The caller: In a way -
: Screen 3:
: The caller: Did you really name your son Robert'); DROP TABLE students;-- ?
: Mom: Oh, yes. Little Bobby Tables, we call him.
: Screen 4:
: The caller: Well, we've lost this year's student records. I hope you're happy.
: Mom: And I hope you've learned to sanitize your database inputs.

== See also ==
[[10: Pi Equals]]'s setting is similar to the title text of this comic.

{{Comic discussion}}

548

2012-08-10T12:22:26Z

Linus: Redirected page to 548: Kindle

#REDIRECT [[548: Kindle]]

548

2012-08-10T12:22:13Z

Linus: Redirected page to 549: Kindle

#REDIRECT [[549: Kindle]]

548: Kindle

2012-08-10T12:18:16Z

Linus: initial

{{comic
| number = 0548
| date = February 25, 2009
| title = Kindle
| image = kindle.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = I'm happy with my Kindle 2 so far, but if they cut off the free Wikipedia browsing, I plan to show up drunk on Jeff Bezos's lawn and refuse to leave.
}}

==Explanation==

The {{w|Amazon Kindle}} is a device that allows people to read books via ebook format. The comic was release three weeks after Amazon released the Kindle 2, which included the ability to read {{w|Wikipedia}} articles via the 3G connection that was included with the device.

[[Cueball]] remarks that "ebooks are for chumps", but goes on to explain the real reason for purchasing a Kindle. Since it has free cellular web access, he could navigate through any city (presumably with 3G access), assisted by Wikipedia and Wikitravel.

[[Megan]] scratches off the Amazon Kindle logo to reveal that the device is actually ''{{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}}''. The book recounts the tale of a traveler who owns a book, proving tips in the galaxy, specifically Earth.

The title-text refers to the great utility of having the ability to access Wikipedia for free on a easy-to-carry device. The speaker states that should this utility ever become disabled, he would stage a drunk protest on the lawn of {{w|Jeff Bezos}}, the CEO of Amazon.com.

{{Comic discussion}}

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

1086: Eyelash Wish Log

2012-08-09T17:04:38Z

Linus: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1086
| date = July 25, 2012
| title = Eyelash Wish Log
| image = Eyelash_wish_log.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = Ooh, another one. Uh ... the ability to alter any coefficients of friction at will during sporting events.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is based on the situation that when someone's eyelash falls out, that person can make a wish on it. This comic appears to be a page from the fictitious Wish Bureau in charge of granting said wishes. And of course the Wisher is [[Black Hat]] and he has quite a few wishes, most of them based on the previous wish.

February 12's wish seems to be a reference to the unlimited {{w|breadsticks}} offered at {{w|Olive Garden}}.

March 7's wish is a reference to {{w|Nate Silver}}, who is a former writer for {{w|Baseball Prospectus}} working on predicting baseball players' stats and now writes for {{w|Five Thirty Eight}} in which he predicts the outcome of elections based on polling data.

And April 22's wish is a reference to the cartoon and video game, {{w|Pokemon}}. In universe, once Pokemon have been captured, they cannot be stolen. Attempting to capture a Pokemon owned by another person results in failure. This wish is to have the ability to steal Pokemon that does not belong to Black Hat.

{{Comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]