276: Fixed Width

2013-08-03T18:13:35Z

Locutis: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 276
| date = June 13, 2007
| title = Fixed Width
| image = fixed_width.png
| titletext = I wish I knew how to quit this so I wouldn't have to quit you.
| imagesize =
}}

==Explanation==
The title is a double reference. Firstly, the lines in [[Rob]] and Emily's {{w|Instant messaging|IM}} conversation for a while have exactly the same length. Secondly, they use a fixed-width, or {{w|monospaced}}, font. (It could be {{w|Courier (typeface)|Courier}}.)

That Rob feels forced to change what he wants to type to continue the pattern could be a symptom of {{w|obsessive–compulsive disorder}}.

Because of the monospaced font, any reply with 19 characters (including space) would have continued the pattern.

The title text is a reference to the line "I wish I knew how to quit you" from the movie {{w|Brokeback Mountain}}.

==Transcript==
:[A man, Rob, is sitting at a computer. The text is an IRC-style transcript of a conversation, in a fixed-width font. He is text-messaging a girl he slept with named Emily; their messages read as follows:]
<pre>
<rob> hi
<emily> hey you
<rob> last night was nice
<emily> the best i've had
<rob> yeah it was AMAZING
<emily> ok, i have to ask
<emily> is this for real?
<emily> or is it just sex
<rob> definitely just sex
<emily> holy shit
<emily> are you serious?
<emily> you don't know how much that made
my stomach hurt
<emily> i want to cry
<rob> i'm sorry
<rob> i wanted to type 'i love you'
<rob> but our line lengths were syncing up
<emily> ...
<rob> and it would have broken the pattern
* emily has disconnected
</pre>

{{Comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Rob]]
[[Category:Romance]]

explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

276: Fixed Width