explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2946: 1.2 Kilofives

2024-06-15T07:40:06Z

Zeimusu:

Challenge: Come up with a way like this to say the comic number #2946. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 03:00, 15 June 2024 (UTC)
:How about 4.91 hectosixes? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.190|172.69.33.190]] 04:19, 15 June 2024 (UTC)
:A kibitwo, four decascore, four score and eighteen. Two octooctotwentythrees and two. A gross-score, three score and 6. [[User:Jordan Brown|Jordan Brown]] ([[User talk:Jordan Brown|talk]]) 05:00, 15 June 2024 (UTC)
Interestingly, four score and seven is exactly how you say 87 in French (quatre-vingt sept) and Basque (laurogeita zazpi). Both count on base 20. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.138|172.70.90.138]] 05:16, 15 June 2024 (UTC)

Fun fact: libqalculate and the "Qalculate"/"qalc" programs can just deal with the title text:
qalc "50milli score"
50 × (10^−3) × score = 1
But it fails on the main part, the best that works is:
qalc "1.2kilo 5"
1.2 × 10³ × 5 = 6000
"five" gets interpreted as Euler's number × imaginary unit × unknown "f" × unknown "v". On my old laptop, I must have some other configuration or maybe an old version, because there it gets interpreted as 0×i×e=0, so you can enter "five plus five" and get 0. Maybe another challenge would be to get arbitrary misleading results out from equations like this. [[User:Fabian42|Fabian42]] ([[User talk:Fabian42|talk]]) 05:59, 15 June 2024 (UTC)

Perhaps East Hills NY, but their "Welcome" boards don't mention population, https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@40.7805262,-73.632634,3a,15y,25.75h,92.88t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sf5guvv2tETuyn0f_lSFh7A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&coh=205409&entry=ttu so this might just be a random name that R. came up with[[User:Zeimusu|Zeimusu]] ([[User talk:Zeimusu|talk]]) 07:40, 15 June 2024 (UTC)

Talk:2940: Modes of Transportation

2024-06-01T21:13:23Z

Zeimusu:

I'd say a bicycle is way less dangerous than a car [[Special:Contributions/172.68.192.196|172.68.192.196]] 21:36, 31 May 2024 (UTC) (para 1/4)
:Considering only the two vehicles themselves, I would probably agree with you but this comic is about convenience and danger of various means of transport. Wouldn't you agree that using a bicycle for transport in crowded city traffic is rather more dangerous to the cyclist than using a car is to the driver? {{unsigned ip|172.69.60.138|21:46, 31 May 2024}}
:It depends on whether you're comparing worst case injuries versus injury rate. Since airliners are considered one of the safest, I think it's injury rate. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 22:07, 31 May 2024 (UTC)
:I'd say a bicycle is less dangerous than a unicycle, but apparently walking<unicycle<car<bicycle. No metric I can think of matches that order, neither danger in a vacuum, danger in a self-environment, danger in a car environment, or danger to others in any environment. I'm quite confused. --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.114.29|172.70.114.29]] 05:29, 1 June 2024 (UTC)
::On a per-passenger-mile basis, walking is over ten times more dangerous than driving, and trains are about four times as dangerous as planes. So this comic can't be about risk of death per mile. It must be something more like risk of death per hour, which is extremely low for unicycles since people don't usually ride them in life-threatening situations outside of circuses. Similarly, travelling to and from work on a pogo stick every day would be quite dangerous, but in practice, people hardly ever die on a pogo stick. So it depends how you measure it. [[User:EebstertheGreat|EebstertheGreat]] ([[User talk:EebstertheGreat|talk]]) 06:07, 1 June 2024 (UTC)
:I think there is a couple that are off on here since I think light aircraft and helicopters are also less dangerous than cars when looking at accident rates vs trips or vs miles traveled. Cars are quite dangerous. They sure are convenient though. [[Special:Contributions/172.64.238.87|172.64.238.87]] 09:57, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

Most deaths are either due to involved cars or people doing races or stunts. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.192.196|172.68.192.196]] 21:36, 31 May 2024 (UTC) (para 2/4)

I would not count "died because plane crashed onto road" into car dangers, as I would not count F1 driver death into the same bucket as car commuters. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.192.196|172.68.192.196]] 21:36, 31 May 2024 (UTC) (para 3/4)

So I would do the same for bikes. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.192.196|172.68.192.196]] 21:36, 31 May 2024 (UTC) (para 4/4)

It's not actually true that a hot air balloon has only one possible direction of travel. It seemed relevant so I added a couple of sentences to the explanation. I suspect Randall is aware of this of course, being a weather nerd. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.69|162.158.74.69]] 00:28, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

Meh... A hot air balloon is not a "mode of transportation", that is it's not a means to go from location A (on the ground) to location B (on the ground) A hot air balloon is means of going ''Up'', and staying ''up'' for an reasonable period of time. In most balloon rides, the "destination" is irrelevant, the purpose of the ride is to reach altitude, not travel horizontally. I feel Randall misses the point of balloons here. It shouldn't be only the graph, because it's not a "Mode of transport".
[[User:Zeimusu|Zeimusu]] ([[User talk:Zeimusu|talk]]) 21:13, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

So which modes of transports belong in the white band between the "Zone of specialty and recreational vehicles" and the Hot air balloons? I would suggest the Autogyro (see [[1972:_Autogyros|#1972]]) between the skis and the hot air balloon. Any other suggestions? [[User:Frog23|Frog23]] ([[User talk:Frog23|talk]]) 22:44, 31 May 2024 (UTC)

I came here to find out what a sign-error is, but the description assumes I already know. {{unsigned ip|162.158.74.69|22:58, 31 May 2024}}

Are American hot air balloonists commonly fond of taking sniper rifles up with them? [[User:Kev|Kev]] ([[User talk:Kev|talk]]) 23:11, 31 May 2024 (UTC)

Dangerous to whom is relevant. Yes, cars are less dangerous to the driver than bicycles and pedestrians, but that is because the main threat to bicyclists and pedestrians is cars. If you count victim deaths in addition to perpetrator deaths, then cars are the least safe vehicle. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.99.30|172.71.99.30]] 01:56, 1 June 2024 (UTC)Regret

Are scooters really more convenient than bikes or does Randall just think they are cooler? Please discuss. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.58.128|172.69.58.128]] 04:17, 1 June 2024 (UTC)
:The convenience of scooters probably includes their relative storability/carryability between uses, easier to hop on and off (also you might get away with scootering down long corridors where a bike would be (more) frowned upon) and takes less maintenance. (Electric ones do have the additional fuss of charging (and ICE ones needing fuel/being more disruptively noisy), but hard to tell whether Randall means shove-along or motorised in any way). Probably he doesn't mean mopeds (also known as 'scooters', in some contexts), but they also may be considered like bicycles but marginally more convenient (when fuelled/serviced) and commensurately a little bit more dangerous (though I'd argue further over to near full-on-motorbikes, myself). But it's a lot of speculation either way. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.28|172.71.242.28]] 11:32, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

I would expect that unicycles are more dangerous than bicycles. For that matter, bicycles are probably more dangerous than tricycles, and those would be slightly less safe than quadcycles. There we probably hit the optimal point, but I doubt anyone has done an in dept study into this matter. Just for starters: a double blind test would not be particularly safe for the riders. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.98.101|172.71.98.101]] 07:00, 1 June 2024 (UTC)
:When you have learnt how to ride a bike, a tricycle can actually be ''harder'' to ride, due to having to unlearn your existing bicycling instincts. To turn (or not to turn) on a bicycle involves at least 'microleaning', as well as steering, which can actually work against the steering geometry on a tricyle (perhaps a quadricycle is less effected, as one reverts to car-like behaviour/has to account for uneven road surfaces even more differently). Before you have the bike-riding skills (especially on front-wheel-pedal kids' trikes, which have yet more things going on than proper road-cycling tricycles) you generally don't get into the wrong mode of balance where you actually veer off exactly the opposite way to what you intend and maybe start to lift one of the rear wheels off the ground, or more.
:For similar reasons, it's much better to have a completely new passenger ('stoker') on a tandem who is not a cyclist than one who is (but it being their first time on a tandem). The 'steersman' does not need too much complication from their "luggage" instinctively leaning on their own (or unconsciously tugging left/right on their fixed-handlebars), at least until they've practiced their coordination so that there's just the right amount of weight redistribution at the right time to make the whole machine correctly metastable for the circumstances. A non-cyclist can generally be asked to "just sit there and pedal" and not, despite being told, throw themselves around in various ways not related to the (synchronised with the steersman) pedal-revs. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.28|172.71.242.28]] 11:32, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

There's a "jetpack" missing to the right of hot air ballons... [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.61|108.162.221.61]] 10:26, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

Hot air balloons can be particularly dangerous in large groups, each being approximately 1.11% of an extinction level event. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.246.143|172.69.246.143]] 15:53, 1 June 2024 (UTC)
:That's only asserted to be true for the red ones... [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.157|172.70.85.157]] 17:23, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

Talk:2928: Software Testing Day

2024-05-04T13:45:01Z

Zeimusu:

What holiday are they referring to? In the UK we will have a long weekend due to the Early May Bank Holiday. But May Day isn't a "thing" in the USA, is it? Or should we just assume this is set in Britain? [[User:Zeimusu|Zeimusu]] ([[User talk:Zeimusu|talk]]) 13:45, 4 May 2024 (UTC)

Talk:2916: Machine

2024-04-06T18:37:51Z

Zeimusu:

rather late for an april fools comic innit? also there doesn't seem to be anything exciting in this one lol, none of the usual cool exploration easter eggs, as far as i could tell at least [[Special:Contributions/172.71.178.76|172.71.178.76]] 16:41, 6 April 2024 (UTC)Erfaniom

Just popped over using Chrome on Android and all I see is four "missing picture" logos spinning around, plus another down the bottom right... [[Special:Contributions/141.101.68.193|141.101.68.193]] 18:13, 6 April 2024 (UTC)
:Okay, followup: it behaves quite differently on the non mobile site. You get two entry points with red balls and yellow balls and you need to place the various gizmos to direct the balls to the correct exit point. Once enough have correctly passed to turn the red X into a green tick, you have the option to submit. If you do, once you have named your design it will be added to the grid with other submissions all of which exist to push red and yellow balls around. (if you come across "Memories of Ragnarok", that's mine) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.134.207|172.71.134.207]] 18:27, 6 April 2024 (UTC)

On the "machine" section, you see lots of "under construction cells". Perhaps this will develop as more are submitted. I notice the "under construction tape" has "DJIA" and "31415", perhaps a reference to "dow jones industrial average" and the first five digits of pi. [[User:Zeimusu|Zeimusu]] ([[User talk:Zeimusu|talk]]) 18:37, 6 April 2024 (UTC)

2712: Gravity

2022-12-19T10:59:42Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */ The eating spiders thing is more likely to refer to https://xkcd.com/1268/

{{comic
| number = 2712
| date = December 16, 2022
| title = Gravity
| image = gravity_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x700px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = It's a long way down.
}}

*To experience the interactivity, visit the [http://xkcd.com/2712/ original comic].
==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by THE UNIVERSE FROM A PIECE OF FAIRY CAKE- Please continue expanding and describing the various bodies. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
In this interactive comic, the viewer pilots a small spaceship throughout a vast area in space. The viewer is capable of exploring various bodies and planets within the play area, many containing easter eggs alluding to the book What If? 2 and previous xkcd comics. The flight mechanics are largely, if not entirely, Newtonian, so the vessel is capable of using the gravity of planets to alter its trajectory or even enter orbit. The spaceship has indicator circles around it which appear when a gravitational body comes into range, showing the direction towards their center of gravity and the size of the body. A circle also appears around the spaceship whenever it collides with a gravitational body, acting as a shield. The shield remains until the player orients the spaceship upright so its landing gear can deploy.

'''Playing with a keyboard:''' The arrow keys rotate the spaceship and accelerate it forward and backward. You can also use the 'w', 'a', 's' and 'd' keys to control the spaceship. On mobile the comic will full screen, pressing either side of the center rotates the spaceship, and pressing in the center accelerates it forward. It is fairly easy to fly between planets as long as you pay attention to orbital mechanics; don't just floor the accelerator. The background stars show your velocity and orientation relative to the nearest gravity well. If you are having difficulties navigating space, point towards a gravity orb and accelerate for only a few seconds. Wait until the background stars spin wildly, and then reduce your velocity to 0 before gently accelerating towards to object.

'''Playing on mobile:''' Various additional glitches may occur. Having a starting position slightly below the take-off pad means you're already 'glitched' inside the planet from the off. Escaping the planet may need inverted 'accelerating' (turning perpendicular to the local vertical, and thrusting ''backwards'' until you can glitch back out into more open space. You may also be trapped within the cannonball 'orbit', with seemingly inconsistent collision-detection, such that you can be sat ''with landing gear extended'' upon features (projectile tracks, etc) that seem not to count as solid for most other purposes.

There is no "universal" point of view — the bottom of the window, "down", is oriented towards the object exerting the most gravity upon the player. Multiple things found in this comic draw attention to this, such as how on Earth Ponytail says to White Hat, "I checked downforeveryoneorjustme.com and it says just me", and he replies "Yeah, I guess down isn't down for everyone."

Throughout the play area are coins that change the spaceship into different rockets and non-space based vehicles, including humans.

The comic promotes Randall's new book [https://xkcd.com/what-if-2/ What If? 2], which was released in September and is available for purchase. Many of the planets contain references to various What If? articles.

The comic is similar to [[1608: Hoverboard]], which celebrated Thing Explainer instead.

===Celestial Bodies===

The following is an incomplete table of features:

{|class="wikitable sortable"
!
!
!
!
! colspan="4"|References
!
|-
! ID
! Description
! Transcript
! Tiles (X, Y)
! What If
! XKCD
! Movies
! Other
! Explanation
|-
|<code>origin</code>
|'''Starting planet'''
|
Cueball: "To celebrate the world of ''What If? 2'', here is your very own tiny planet to explore!

Megan: "Welcome!"

Ground caption: "Give someone the science question-and-answer book ''What If? 2'' for the Holidays: xkcd.com/whatif2"

Cueball feeding T-Rex: "Burger?"

Isaac Newton: "Robert Hooke must be down there ''somewhere!''"

Megan to Cueball: "If you ever get lost in space, just fly down. That's where the ground is."

Beret Guy to squirrel: "Hi!"
|(0, 0)
|
|
|
|
|The starting planet. The player begins on the launch pad in a landed position. Collecting the orbiting cannonball will transform you into a more advanced rocket.
|-
|<code>earth</code>
|'''Earth'''
|
|(27867,-35648)
|Y
|
|
|Y
|A planet with among other things:
* A crane dropping a comet onto a dinosaur,
* Unusually high speed squirrels (creating a sonic boom)
* Megan inviting Cueball into a pool
* A region where the frame rate is intentionally limited
* A flagpole
* A literal {{w|burrow|rabbithole}} referencing the figuratively speaking [[wikt:rabbit hole|rabbit hole]]
* Someone aiming at a satellite with an arrow
* A lake with an eel
* The [https://what-if.xkcd.com/157/ earth-moon firepole]
* A volcano
* Two figures being attacked by a third with a sword
* Two kids playing soccer (Catching the ball will turn the ship into a soccer ball)
* A farmer on a tractor being stuck in gooey candy
* A banana pile being consumed by "Bananas Georg" to make the per capita annual banana count round, referencing the "[https://reallyreallyreallytrying.tumblr.com/post/40033025233/average-person-eats-3-spiders-a-year-factoid Spiders Georg]" meme.
* Megan and Cueball digging a hole (in the center of this planet is the "earth's core", referenced below)
* The [https://what-if.xkcd.com/147/ Niagara Falls water being redirected into the LHC] (Large Hadron Collider)
* Japan(?) leaving earth
* A tube to the bottom of the ocean
* Ponytail and White Hat making a reference to [downforeveryoneorjustme.com]
|-
|
|Earth's core
|
|
|
|
|
|
|[[Cueball]] and [[Megan]] floating in a small space in the center of the planet in inverted rotations. Can be legally accessed using a high velocity collision onto the surface of the planet, although requires tapping the up arrow afterwards many, many times.
|-
|<code>europa</code>
|'''Europa'''
|
|(13180, -2540)
|Y
|
|
|Y
|Europa, one of Jupiter's many moons (in real life). A broken, icy crust has a single path into its core.
|-
|
|Europa's crust
|
"It's so unfair we don't get to compete in EuroVision."

"The region of the solar system where liquid water can exist on the surface is the habitable zone, and the region where it can exist beneath the surface of moons is the Eurozone."

"WHIRRRR"
|
|Y
|
|
|
|Europa's crust, with a single entrance into the core demarcated by an octopus leaving a hole.
Cueball states that Europa is in the Eurozone, a pun on the ''other'' Eurozone, with liquid underneath its surface.

A roomba whirs across the icy crust.

Cueball has a hairdryer and is melting the surface of the crust. A direct reference to [https://what-if.xkcd.com/35/ What If's Hairdryer].
|-
|
|Europa's core
|"We've always used neutrinos for astronomy, but if we place my 'optical telescope' in orbit above the kryosphere, we could potentially observe the universe using electromagnetic waves. Who knows what else there is out there besides stars! There could be other worlds!"

"Hi, I'm Annie. Welcome to the depths of Europa. There's some weird stuff down here."

"We were caught in a powerful November gale on the Great Lakes outside Whitefish Bay. Our ship foundered and sank here." "This is Jupiter's moon Europa." "It was a REALLY powerful gale."

"Does our book club really need this much secrecy?" "That sounds like a question a SPY would ask."
|
|
|
|
|
|A watery ocean with octopi looking out into the great unknown using telescopes. This is a reference to octopus's intelligence here on earth! There's also a secret path leading to a book club, through the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
|-
|<code>b612</code>
|'''B-612'''
|
Probe: "Asteroid deflection mission to earth. The package is delivered. Commencing planetary threat neutralization."

Sign: "Welcome to B-612"
|(2610,3700)
|y
|Y
|
|
|A reference to [[618: Asteroid|Asteroid]]. The little prince is having his asteroid blown up as it was heading towards Earth, apparently.
|-
|<code>dogplanet</code>
|'''Dog park planet'''
|
|(1240, 11230)
|y
|
|
|
|A planet with a dog park. Covered in dogs, along with dog walkers and some fences. There's a hole being dug by two dogs and a dog bone empty space in the center.
|-
| <code>goodhart</code>
|'''What If? 2 scenario planet'''
|
Cueball to White Hat: "The tower over there is the Vehicle Assembly Building, and then behind it is the Vehicle Disassembly Building."

Ponytail to Cueball: "You know how tires pollute the environment with rubber particles? Well, I've developed a solution."

"MMM SPIDERS HOMF HOMF"

Shooting star caption: "THE MORE YOU KNOW"
Sauropod: "Oh no!"

Person on uncontrolled helicopter: "AAAAAA"

Geyser: "Fwoosh!"
Cueball and Megan: "Oooh!"

Giant phone crushing city: "ALERT" "Giant phone crushing city" "Dismiss" "More"

Cueball with jetpack: "Wheeeee!"

Cueball to Megan: "Do you ever look up at the night sky and think, "Wow, I bet those little white dots taste ''delicious!''"

Neighbor: "Why is my house on fire ''again?!''
Cueball: "Dunno"
Laser captioned: "Laser"

Person with Washington Monument: "Okay, let it drop!"
|(-13300,-3260)
|y
|y
|
| Y
| Contains a reference to Kerbal Space Program, whimsically referring to the launchpad as the Vehicle Disassembly Building.

Contains a figure in a cave saying "MMM SPIDERS HOMF NOMF", which refers to [[1268: Alternate Universe|Alternate Universe] and may also be a reference to the [https://reallyreallyreallytrying.tumblr.com/post/40033025233/average-person-eats-3-spiders-a-year-factoid Spiders Georg] meme.
|-
|<code>sun</code>
|'''The Sun'''
| "The sun is governed by magnetohydrodynamics, or 'Magic' for short"

"My countertop!"

"This will make a good soup base"

"Can I touch it yet?" "No, be patient. It's still too hot. Give it another 20 or 30 billion years."

"It's okay. I'm wearing five layers of sunscreen."

TV Anchor: "The forecast for today is lots of sun"

"This should be enough sunscreen"
|(-14950, 12080)
|y
|
|
|
|Difficult to escape from if you hit the core.
|-
|
|Sun's core
| Cueball: "The core of the sun may seem hot, but it only produces about as much energy per volume as a lizard" Megan: "Wow. So how many lizards are there?" Cueball: "No-one knows."
|
|Y
|
|
|
|Difficult to escape from. Can be escaped by rotating around the sun until an escape-like velocity could be reached.
|-
|<code>soupiter</code>
|'''Soupiter'''
|"I think it's chicken noodle? Hard to tell."
|(-800, -9040)
|Y
|
|
|
|A planet made of soup, with a core. As commented by Cueball, noodle soup. Has several small versions of other planets floating around it.
|-
|<code>nojapan</code>
|'''Earth without Japan'''
|"Something is missing."
|(-7680, -5850)
|Y
|
|
|
|Earth, except it's missing japan.
|-
|<code>japanmoon</code>
|'''Just Japan'''
|
|(-5930, -5800)
|Y
|
|
|
|A moon with water surrounding... just Japan.
|-
|<code>pigeons</code>
|'''A blob labeled "Pigeons"'''
|
|(-9020, -2490)
|Y
|
|
|
|A reference to Chapter 6 of What If? 2, where it would take 1.6 x 10^25 pigeons to lift you and a chair up to the halfway point of Australia's Q1 skyscraper.
|-
|<code>enterprise</code>
|'''Starship Enterprise'''
|
|(2389, -60879)
|Y
|
|
|
|Star Trek reference: The Enterprise-C, yes 2344,commanded by Captain Garrett's. While defending a Klingon outpost, the weapons discharges resulted in the creation of a temporal rift, through which the badly damaged Enterprise drifted. In the comic, there is a large, invisible gravity distortion near the Enterprise-C
|-
|<code>qwantz</code>
|'''Dinosaur planet'''
|"Welcome... to Jurassic Park."
| (20403,-49559)
|
|
|Y
|
|An homage to [https://www.qwantz.com/ Dinosaur Comics], a webcomic Randall has mentioned several times before. All the dinosaurs on the planet are black-and-white versions of the clip art dinosaurs in that comic. Also references the Jurassic Park movies, with CEO John Hammond welcoming paleontologists Dr. Sattler and Dr. Grant to the planet. The long grass depicted is a plot point in later films.
|-
|
|'''What If? 1 scenario planet'''
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|<code>roads</code>
|'''Cat blocking traffic flowing through portals'''
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|<code>outside</code>
|'''Edge of the Universe'''
|
| ( 6081, 26138 )
|
|
|
|
|It looks like a planet labeled "edge of the universe". Outside the universe, so inside the "edge of the universe planet", is another universe, the bubble universe. Hidden entrance is between 10 and 11 'o clock.
|-
|<code>roads</code>
|'''A tree larger than the planet it's growing on'''
|
|
|
|Y
|
|
|May be a reference to [[2: Petit Trees (sketch)|Petit Trees]]. More probably, a reference to ''The Little Prince'', a French children's novel about a traveler from a distant asteroid. In the novel, baobab trees are a serious threat to the Prince's home asteroid, as they are so large that their roots would engulf the asteroid entirely. Randall has alluded to The Little Prince numerous times before, especially in what-if articles.
|-
|<code>outside</code>
|'''Milliways'''
|
| in code: <code>[0,-14500]</code> in game: <code>[0,29000]</code>
|
|
|Y
|Y
|A reference to Milliways, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe from ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. On one side of the planet, Ponytail, Cueball, Megan, and other characters gather on the patio of the Milliways restaurant; on the other side, the Sojourner rover examines a rock.
|-
|<code>greatattractor</code>
|'''The Great Attractor'''
|
|
|
|Y
|
|
|Beret Guy stands on the surface of a large ball labeled "The Great Attractor". Gravity is so strong that escaping is impossible. It's a reference to [[Great Attractor]], in which Beret Guy is gravitationally attracted to the Great Attractor more strongly than usual.
|-
|<code>present</code>
|'''Present'''
|
"I didn't do any of my Christmas shopping yet because I was too busy drawing tiny planets."

"I'm done with my shopping! I got everyone What if? 2"

"...You got me my own book?"

"Yeah! I figured that since you wrote it, it must be right up your alley."

"It does make a good gift, though. You can get it at xkcd.com/whatif2"

"I got you this present!"

"Is it an angry bobcat?"

"It might not be."
|in code: <code>[22820,-18920]</code> in game: <code>[45640,37840]</code>
|
|Y
|
|
|The XKCD cast react to giving each other What if 2? as a present. Gravity at the bottom of the missing quarter of the planet is inescapable. Black Hat gives Cueball a "gift" which he claims "might not be a bobcat", a reference to [[A-Minus-Minus]]
|-
|<code>maw1</code>, <code>maw2</code>, ... <code>maw14</code>
|'''Black hole cluster'''
|
|
|
|
|
|
|A cluster of black holes with extremely high gravitational strength, set to the maximum of 2048. Not particularly easy to land on with multiple conflicting gravitational fields, but once landed on, rather difficult to escape.
|-
|<code>remnant</code>
|'''Remnant'''
|"All right, that's close enough"
"Oh no"

{{w|Walkin' on the Sun|"So don't delay, act now, supplies are running out"}}

"In 5 billion years, the Sun will run out of fuel and suffer gigennial burnout."

"The immense gravity of the sun's remnant means that this is the tallest possible skyscraper."
|(19620, 3800)
|
|
|
|
|A stellar remnant, with high gravity (making it difficult to escape, although it's possible to achieve escape velocity by flying sideways). Has various small landmarks, including a "skyscraper" and suspension bridge. There are bombs being dropped from above the planet, with one that seems to be sledding on the planet.
|-
|<code>steerswoman</code>
|'''Steerswoman Planet'''
|"As a Steerswoman, I have to answer any question anyone asks me, or I'm expelled from the order."
"What's one question that you would be unwilling to answer?"
"Oh no."

"Handle this artifact with great care. It contains a magical wizard's potion which the ancients called 'trinitrotoluene'"
|(-35070,-2500)
|
|
|
|
|A reference to the Steerswoman series of books by Rosemary Kirstein. Includes a number of references to the series, including a group of people observing a small object orbiting the planet.

Trinitrotoluene is better known as {{w|TNT}}, a powerful explosive.
|-
|<code>peeler</code>
|'''Peeler'''
|
|(-9270, 620)
|
|
|
|
|A reference to the question posed by "What If 2: Lose Weight the Slow and Incredibly Difficult Way". A large potato peeler is seen removing the earth's crust.
|}

===Ships===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name
! Description
! Location
! Filename
! Image
|-
|Default
|The starting ship.
|It is possible to change back to this ship by collecting a dot located within the Black Hole cluster
|ship2
|
|-
| Tintin
|
| On the starting planet; can be obtained by collecting the cannonball in orbit
| ship-tintin
|
|-
| Figure
|Stick figure
|On Goodhart, atop the mountain up which Sisyphus is pushing his boulder.
|ship-figure
|
|-
| Soccer ball
| Soccer ball shaped ship
| On Earth, between two figures playing ball
|ship-soccer
|
|-
|Alternative Ship
|Slightly thicker version of default ship
|Only available by using console to change Comic.ship
|ship1
|}

==Data Dump==

View the data on [[2712: Gravity/Data|this page]].

==Hacks==
Various modes and hacks have been found or developed by the community, and can be activated by opening the Javascript Console (F12 [Or Command-Alt-I in most browsers under Mac OS X] to open Developer Tools, then Console tab) and writing corresponding commands. 
'''Click to expand:''' 

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed leftAlign" style="width:100%">
 
*'''Speedhack:''' <code>ship.engines = "warp"</code> - Speed hacking, sets speed to 1.4x. set to "standard" to reset to normal speed
*'''Teleport to planet:''' <code>[Comic.voyager.pos.x, Comic.voyager.pos.y] = Comic.planetRects.'''''origin'''''.slice(0,2)</code> - teleport near a planet, in this example near earth. You'll still have to fly a bit towards the nearest planet to reach it. Replace '''''origin''''' with the ID of the planet you want to go to, from the table above.
*'''Teleport to coordinate:''' <code>[Comic.voyager.pos.x, Comic.voyager.pos.y] = '''''[0, -2000]'''''</code> - teleport to an exact coordinate. <code>[0, -2000]</code> happens to take you to the starting area.
*'''Improved radar:''' <code>Comic.wayfinderRadius = Infinity</code> - make the direction of all objects visible. This can be hard to understand though.
*'''Chaos Mode:''' <code>ship.engines="infinite improbability drive"</code> - Seems to randomly teleports the ship. A reference to its namesake in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
*'''Insta Death:''' <code>ship.shields = false</code> - Kill the player if they land on a planet, the code never sets it to false, so it seems to be always true.
*'''No Clip:''' <code>noclip = true</code> - Enables noclip. Also disables gravity.
*'''Select ship:''' <code>Comic.ship = "ship-tintin"</code> - Select ship (use filename from list of ships)
*'''Autorotate:''' <code>Comic.cameraRotation = false</code> - View does not rotate with ship
*'''Goggles:''' <code>ze.goggles()</code> - returns a warning: "they do nothing!". This is a reference to Hoverboard, where ''ze.goggles()'' would give you the ability to see false walls. Which itself is most likely a reference to the Simpsons where Radioactive man complains that his safety goggles do nothing against a deluge of acid.
*'''Python:''' <code>python("import antigravity")</code> - reverses gravity, so the ship falls away from planets. A reference to [[353: Python|Python]].
</div>
 

===Trivia===
The objects in the mini-universe of this browser game are all at fixed positions and do not interact through gravity, however, the ship controlled by the player is affected by gravity. While this makes it technically a relatively easy integration problem (of the position of the player ship forward in time), the integrator used seems to be a relatively simple one - and certainly not a symplectic one, because it does not conserve angular momentum. This can be seen when one manages to get into orbit around some object, e.g. the core of the sun. The orbit slowly decays over time.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Welcome!

To celebrate the world of what if? 2, here is your very own planet to explore!

Give someone the science question-and-answer book what if? 2 for Christmas:
xkcd.com/whatif2

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Book promotion]]
[[Category:Interactive comics]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Bobcats]]

485: Depth

2022-09-02T21:52:52Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 485
| date = October 6, 2008
| before = [[#Explanation|↓ Skip to explanation ↓]]
| title = Depth
| image = depth.png
| titletext = The Planck length is another thousand or two pixels below the comic.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic is a companion piece to [[482: Height]], which explored a {{w|logarithmic scale}} from the edge of the observable universe down to the Earth's surface. ''Depth'' continues the process, viewing logarithmically smaller scales from Earth's atmosphere down to the interior of a single {{w|proton}}. This combination is reminiscent of Charles and Ray Eames' 1977 short film [http://youtu.be/0fKBhvDjuy0 Powers of Ten].

Here's a walk through the entire comic:

* At the top, we see a cutaway view of a story apartment complex. From left to right, different activities can be seen in the apartments; [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] playing in a ball pit, Megan {{w|exorcising}} {{w|Windows Vista}}, [[Ponytail]] and Megan playing ''{{w|Guitar Hero}}'' or a similar game, Cueball at a desk, and what appear to be some sexytimes.
* The view descends into Cueball's tower PC.
* Entering the computer's internals, we see a mouse plugged into the PS/2 (6-pin mini-DIN) connector. This is a visual pun, since the mouse is an actual rodent and not a handheld device.
* Next, we dive into the CPU. We see a multi-layered pun on the question "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" There may be a pun with a chip's connector pin, but the more obvious reference is Randall's answer of 32,767 = 215 - 1, the largest possible value of a signed 16-bit integer. Adding one rolls back over to -32,768, which is 32,768 devils or "negative angels." (See [[571: Can't Sleep]] for a similar joke and a more elaborate explanation.)
* A blood-sucking mosquito appears to be "leeching" a torrent.
* A {{w|segfault}} is a problem with memory access.
* {{w|Dust mite}}s are small arachnids that feed on house dust and are known to cause allergies. {{w|Rust mite}}s are very small mites that live on plants and cause discoloration of leaves and fruit, or small galls.
* We zoom in on a memory unit on the CPU. Cueball is being {{w|rickrolled}}, as indicated by the label "pixel on {{w|Rick Astley|Rick Astley's}} shoulder."
* A "fork();" command points at one of several unlabeled spermatazoa. Forking and sperm are capable of spawning "child processes."
* {{w|Peter Norton}} is the founder of {{w|Norton Antivirus}}. He is shown fighting a biological virus, rather than informatic malware.
* Showing the relative scale of {{w|carbon nanotubes}}, the suggestion is that these then lead on to a more megastructural {{w|Space Elevator}}, for which carbon nanotubes are often cited as a suitably strong component needed for the cable.
* We soon zoom in on a silicon atom in the CPU. In the {{w|electron cloud}}, the squiggles made out of arrows are {{w|Feynman diagram}}s. A Feynman diagram in the shape of a stick figure is saying "Sup?", a pun on the "Sup" particle (supersymmetric partner 'squark' to the Up quark) and an abbreviation of the greeting "What's up?"
* An 'iPod Femto' is shown, as a pun on the '{{w|iPod Nano}}' (both are {{w|SI prefixes}}), both of which refer to units far smaller than any iPod that has ever, or likely will ever, be created.
* {{w|Brian Greene}} is a theoretical physicist and {{w|Popular science|pop scientist}} who discusses the nature of the universe. The picture of him knitting is a pun on {{w|string theory}} and PBS miniseries, {{w|The Fabric of the Cosmos}}. The term 'knitting furiously' shows up in the 1857 Volume 14, page 46 of {{w|The Monthly Packet}}. Furthermore, Greene doing something furiously references "{{w|Colorless green ideas sleep furiously}}", a correctly-formulated sentence that nonetheless conveys no meaning or logic.
* The {{w|Planck length}} (<big>ℓ</big>P) is the smallest theoretically measurable distance, defined by three fundamental constants in physics: the {{w|speed of light}} in a vacuum (c), {{w|Planck constant|Planck's constant}} (h), and the {{w|gravitational constant}} (G). The Planck length is vastly smaller than any known particle that isn't a point mass, and modern physics is a long way from being able to investigate such a scale.

==Transcript==
:Sizes Accurate on a vertical log scale
:[Series of images of characters doing various things. The things they are doing are listed in left to right order.]
:Cueball and Megan playing in a ball pen
:Megan using witchcraft to ban vista "Out, Vista!"
:Ponytail and Megan play Rock Band
:A couple is having sex under the cover in bed.
:[Below this series of images, an image of a man on the computer.]
:Cueball is on a computer and the image expands as it goes down. Here are the labels from left to right, up to down:
:CD
:DVD
:Case
:North Bridge
:PS/2
:Mouse (rodent)
:RAM
:CPU Socket Pin
:32,767 Angels Dancing (one more and they'd roll over and become {{w|Two's complement|32,768 Devils}}), Rice, Torrent (a bug), CPU, upcoming segfault
:dust mite
:hair
:OVUM
:Data (a pixel on Rick Astley's shoulder), rust mite, fork();
:Peter Norton fighting a baxteriophage
:memory
:carbon nanotubes
:space elevator
:a line of silicon (Si), Electron Cloud, a man made out of arrows saying "sup?"
:silicon nucleus
:IPod femto
:Brian Greene knitting furiously [next to his knitting needles there is text saying ''clink, clink'']

==Trivia==
*The ballpit inside the apartment is a reference to [[150: Grownups]], in which Megan filled her apartment with playpen balls.
*The structure next to the couple in bed could be an elliptical dish to increase the sound from their [[Loud Sex]].
*[[1162: Log Scale]] and [[482: Height]] are other comics about the use of log scales.
*[[271: Powers of One]] mocks the concept of getting cool effects by zooming in/out by, instead of a log scale, using powers of one.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Large drawings]]
[[Category:Illustrations of scale]]
[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Rhythm Games]]
[[category:Sex]]

Talk:2648: Chemicals

2022-07-20T20:58:20Z

Zeimusu:

Does anyone know the significance of nitrobenzen, the compound indicated? Per Wikipedia " The production of nitrobenzene is one of the most dangerous processes conducted in the chemical industry because of the exothermicity of the reaction (ΔH = −117 kJ/mol)" but I wonder if there's something else too.
[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.221|108.162.237.221]] 20:07, 20 July 2022 (UTC)
: It's almost certainly the exothermic (read: potentially explosive) reaction that he's going for. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.207|172.70.110.207]] 20:11, 20 July 2022 (UTC)

: It is also the formula of Niacin, one of the B vitamins (same atoms, different arrangement) Possibly this is the point: the molecular formula is ambiguous, there are several well-known chemicals with this formula, with very different properties [[User:Zeimusu|Zeimusu]] ([[User talk:Zeimusu|talk]]) 20:58, 20 July 2022 (UTC)

Talk:2648: Chemicals

2022-07-20T20:58:01Z

Zeimusu: also niacin

2117: Differentiation and Integration

2019-02-27T20:06:15Z

Zeimusu: /* Integration */

{{comic
| number = 2117
| date = February 27, 2019
| title = Differentiation and Integration
| image = differentiation_and_integration.png
| titletext = "Symbolic integration" is when you theatrically go through the motions of finding integrals, but the actual result you get doesn't matter because it's purely symbolic.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BESSEL FUNCTION? Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic provides a {{w|flowchart}} purporting to show the process of differentiation, and another for integration.

{{w|Derivative|Differentiation}} and {{w|Antiderivative|Integration}} are two major components of {{w|calculus}}. As many Calculus 2 students are painfully aware, integration is much more complicated than the differentiation it undoes.

However, Randall dramatically overstates this point here. After the first step of integration, Randall assumes that any integration can not be solved so simply, and then dives into a step named "????", suggesting that it is unknowable how to proceed. (The four ?s are not all on the same line, which implies further chaos and confusion.) The rest of the flowchart is (we can assume deliberately) even harder to follow, and does not reach a conclusion. This is in contrast to the simple, straightforward flowchart for differentiation. The fact that the arrows in the bottom of the integration part leads to nowhere indicates that "Phone calls to mathematicians", "Oh no" and "Burn the evidence" are not final steps in the difficult journey. The flowchart could be extended by Randall to God-know-where extents.

It should be noted that Randall slightly undermines his point by providing four different methods, and an "etc", for attempting differentiation with no guidelines for selecting between them. (The "etc" in particular should not be here, as lists like this should name every single element without relying on the reader to be able to fill in unstated parts.)

===Differentiation===
'''{{w|Chain rule}}'''

For any <math> \frac{d}{dx}f(x)=f'(x)</math> and <math> \frac{d}{dx}g(x)=g'(x) </math>, it follows that <math> \frac{d}{dx}(f(g(x)))=f'(g(x))*g'(x)</math>.

'''{{w|Power Rule}}'''

For any <math> f(x)=x^a </math>, it follows that <math> \frac{d}{dx}f(x)=a*x^{a-1} </math>.

'''{{w|Quotient rule}}'''

For any <math> \frac{d}{dx}f(x)=f'(x)</math> and <math> \frac{d}{dx}g(x)=g'(x) </math>, it follows that <math> \frac{d}{dx} \frac{f(x)}{g(x)}=\frac{f'(x)g(x)-f(x)g'(x)}{(g(x))^2}</math> if <math>g(x)\ne 0</math>.

'''{{w|Product rule}}'''

For any <math> \frac{d}{dx}f(x)=f'(x)</math> and <math> \frac{d}{dx}g(x)=g'(x) </math>, it follows that <math> \frac{d}{dx}(f(x)*g(x))=f'(x)*g(x)+f(x)*g'(x)</math>.

===Integration===
'''{{w|Integration by parts}}'''
???

'''{{w|Integration by substitution|Substitution}}'''
???

'''{{w|Cauchy's integral formula|Cauchy's Formula}}'''
???

'''{{w|Partial_fraction_decomposition#Application_to_symbolic_integration|Partial Fractions}}'''

'''Install Mathematica'''

{{w|Mathematica}} is a modern technical computing system spanning most areas. One of its features is to compute mathematical functions. This step in the flowchart is install and use Mathematica to compute to do the integration for you.

'''{{w|Riemann integral|Riemann Integration}}'''
The Riemann integral is a definition of definite integration. Elementary textbooks on calculus sometimes present finding a definite integral as a process of approximating an area by strips of equal width and then taking the limit as the strips become narrower. Riemann integration removes the requirement that the strips have equal width, and so is a more flexible definition. However there are still many functions for which the Riemann integral doesn't converge, and consideration of these functions leads to the Lesbegue Integral. Riemann integration is not a method of calculus appropriate for finding the anti-derivative of an elementary function.

'''{{w|Stokes' Theorem}}'''
???

'''{{w|Risch Algorithm}}'''
The Risch Algorithm is a complex procedure that reduces the process of symbolic integration to purely algebraic steps. It is implemented in Computer Algebra software, such as Mathematica.

'''{{w|Bessel function}}'''
???

'''{{w|Symbolic integration}}'''
Mentioned in the title text. ???

''' Burn the evidence '''
In a parody of detective novels, this may refer to the burning of your work to avoid the shame of being unable to solve the integration problem.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Two flow charts are shown.]

:[The first flow chart has four steps in simple order, one with multiple recommendations.]
:DIFFERENTIATION
:Start
:Try applying
::Chain Rule
::Power Rule
::Quotient Rule
::Product Rule
::Etc.
:Done?
::Yes
::No
:Done!

[The second flow chart begins like the first, then descends into chaos.]
:INTEGRATION
:Start
:Try applying
::Integration by Parts
::Substitution
:Done?
:Haha, Nope!

:[Chaos, Roughly from left to right, top to bottom, direction arrows not included.]
::Cauchy's Formula
::????
::???!?
::???
::???
::?
::Partial Fractions
::??
::?
::Install Mathematica
::?
::Riemann Integration
::Stokes' Theorem
::???
::?
::Risch Algorithm
::???
::[Sad face.]
::?????
::???
::What the heck is a Bessel Function??
::Phone calls to mathematicians
::Oh No
::Burn the Evidence


{{comic discussion}}

2069: Wishlist

2018-11-07T09:55:24Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2069
| date = November 7, 2018
| title = Wishlist
| image = wishlist.png
| titletext = Disappointed that they caved to fan pressure and went with Ruth Bader Ginsburg over Elena Kagan.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Please only mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
''{{w|Super Smash Brothers}}'' (titled as ''Super Smash Bros.'') is a crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo, primarily featuring Nintendo characters. As of publish date, there are 77 playable characters across the 5 games in the series. Starting with the third game, ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'', characters from third-party franchises (non-Nintendo) have been made available.

Fans have suggested new characters to add, and few of these suggestions have been implemented. The comic lists 16 "characters" that Randall wishes were made available in ''Super Smash Bros.'', ranging from plausible playable characters, to the absurd.

; Mario / Luigi hybrid
: {{w|Mario}} and {{w|Luigi}} are characters in the {{w|Super Mario}} series, one of Nintendo's flagship franchises. They are both playable characters in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series. A hybrid of these two characters would be quite interesting.

; The SkiFree monster
: {{w|SkiFree}} is a computer game for Windows released in 1991. The player controls a skier trying to avoid obstacles. After the end of a full run, a monster (possibly the Abominable Snowman) appears, and tries to catch the player. The SkiFree monster was a subject of the [[667: SkiFree]] comic.

; Siri
: {{w|Siri}} is the name given to Apple's personal virtual assistant for iOS, macOS, and its other operating systems. It is unclear how Siri would be a playable character in ''Super Smash Bros.''

; Ellie from ''Up''
: Ellie is one of the characters in ''{{w|Up (2009 film)|Up}}'', a 2009 Pixar film. In the beginning of the film, Ellie passes away, leaving her husband Carl alone, and leading him to start his adventure in Paradise Falls.

; Zordon
: {{w|Zordon}} is a fictional character from the ''Power Rangers'' franchise who serves as the Rangers' mentor.

; Clippy
: Clippit, commonly nicknamed {{w|Clippy}}, was one of the Office Assistants for Microsoft Office (versions 1997 to 2003). It was an intelligent user interface that assisted users. Clippy (and the other Office Assistants) was negatively received by users, and was eventually removed in Office 2007.

; The Sarlaac
: The {{w|Sarlaac}} is an alien monster that lived in {{w|Tatooine}} in the ''{{w|Star Wars}}'' universe. It is most prominently shown in the film ''{{w|Return of the Jedi}}'', when the main heroes are sentenced to death by being dropped into the Sarlaac's mouth.

; InstallShield Wizard
: A ''wizard'' is a type of UI that simplifies configuration of an app or process by guiding the user through a number of screens in sequence. A user makes one decision on each screen, and the overall process puts less cognitive load on the user.
: {{w|InstallShield}} is a proprietary software tool for creating installer applications (or software packages) for Microsoft Windows. When the created package is being installed, the installer application can be shown in form of a 'standard Windows Wizard' dialog. Depending on the creativity of the user creating the package, the Wizard can display images while different stages of the installer are being executed.
: There are known instances of The InstallShield Wizard showing a wizard-like character images. Also, the standard wording of the installer text shown to the user ('software-to-be-installed is preparing the InstallShield Wizard, which will guide you through the program setup process') suggests that the Wizard is a 'real character'.

; Mr. Clean
: {{w|Mr. Clean}} is a brand and mascot for Proctor & Gamble used for all-purpose cleaners and melamine foam cleaners.

; Comet Cursor
: {{w|Comet Cursor}} was Windows software that allowed users or websites to customise the mouse cursor. It was often installed with mimimal user interaction and was accused of tracking users and being “spyware”.

; Beto O'Rourke
: {{w|Beto O'Rourke}} is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 16th congressional district since 2013. He was the nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2018 Texas U.S. Senate election, running against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz. O'Rourke received much media attention leading up to the election, with many considering the election abnormally competitive.

; The Monopoly boot
: The "boot" is one of the classic pewter tokens from the board game ''{{w|Monopoly (game)|Monopoly}}''. In 2017, the boot token was retired from the standard version of ''Monopoly''.

; Lot's wife
: Lot and his wife are characters from the book of Genesis in the Bible. According to the book of Genesis, Lot and his family had to {{w|Sodom_and_Gomorrah#In_the_Book_of_Genesis|flee the city of Sodom}}, which was being judged by God for its wickedness. They were commanded to flee and not look back at the city. However, Lot's wife looked back at the city and was turned into a pillar of salt. It is unclear which version of Lot's wife Randall wishes to be playable in the game.

; D.B. Cooper
: {{w|D.B. Cooper}} is the name popularly used to refer to an unidentified man who hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft on November 24, 1971. He extorted $200,000 in ransom and parachuted out of the plane. His identity and whereabouts have never been discovered. D.B. Cooper was a subject of the [[1400: D.B. Cooper]] comic.

; The Blair Witch
: The Blair Witch is the titular character of the ''{{w|The Blair Witch Project}}'', a 1999 "found footage" supernatural horror film. The film became one of the most successful independent films of all time.

; Mavis Beacon
: ''{{w|Mavis Beacon}}'', properly titled as ''Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing'', is a software program used to teach touch typing. However, many have mistakenly thought that "Mavis Beacon" is an actual person.

The title text refers to two US Supreme Court Associate Justices. {{w|Ruth Bader Ginsberg}} was appointed by Bill Clinton; {{w|Elena Kagan}} was appointed by Barack Obama. Both are considered to be on the “liberal” wing of the court, but Ginsberg’s forceful dissenting opinions may explain why she would have been a more popular character Super Smash Bros.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[A bulleted list of items:]
*Mario/Luigi hybrid
*The SkiFree monster
*Siri
*Ellie from ''Up''
*Zordon
*Clippy
*The Sarlaac
*The InstallShield Wizard
*Mr. Clean
*Comet Cursor
*Beto O'Rourke
*The Monopoly boot
*Lot's wife
*D.B. Cooper
*The Blair Witch
*Mavis Beacon

:[Caption below the frame:]
:Super Smash Brothers never did end up adding anyone from my wishlist.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Video games]]

2069: Wishlist

2018-11-07T09:45:43Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2069
| date = November 7, 2018
| title = Wishlist
| image = wishlist.png
| titletext = Disappointed that they caved to fan pressure and went with Ruth Bader Ginsburg over Elena Kagan.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Please only mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
''{{w|Super Smash Brothers}}'' (titled as ''Super Smash Bros.'') is a crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo, primarily featuring Nintendo characters. As of publish date, there are 77 playable characters across the 5 games in the series. Starting with the third game, ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'', characters from third-party franchises (non-Nintendo) have been made available.

Fans have suggested new characters to add, and few of these suggestions have been implemented. The comic lists 16 "characters" that Randall wishes were made available in ''Super Smash Bros.'', ranging from plausible playable characters, to the absurd.

; Mario / Luigi hybrid
: {{w|Mario}} and {{w|Luigi}} are characters in the {{w|Super Mario}} series, one of Nintendo's flagship franchises. They are both playable characters in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series. A hybrid of these two characters would be quite interesting.

; The SkiFree monster
: {{w|SkiFree}} is a computer game for Windows released in 1991. The player controls a skier trying to avoid obstacles. After the end of a full run, a monster (possibly the Abominable Snowman) appears, and tries to catch the player. The SkiFree monster was a subject of the [[667: SkiFree]] comic.

; Siri
: {{w|Siri}} is the name given to Apple's personal virtual assistant for iOS, macOS, and its other operating systems. It is unclear how Siri would be a playable character in ''Super Smash Bros.''

; Ellie from ''Up''
: Ellie is one of the characters in ''{{w|Up (2009 film)|Up}}'', a 2009 Pixar film. In the beginning of the film, Ellie passes away, leaving her husband Carl alone, and leading him to start his adventure in Paradise Falls.

; Zordon
: {{w|Zordon}} is a fictional character from the ''Power Rangers'' franchise who serves as the Rangers' mentor.

; Clippy
: Clippit, commonly nicknamed {{w|Clippy}}, was one of the Office Assistants for Microsoft Office (versions 1997 to 2003). It was an intelligent user interface that assisted users. Clippy (and the other Office Assistants) was negatively received by users, and was eventually removed in Office 2007.

; The Sarlaac
: The {{w|Sarlaac}} is an alien monster that lived in {{w|Tatooine}} in the ''{{w|Star Wars}}'' universe. It is most prominently shown in the film ''{{w|Return of the Jedi}}'', when the main heroes are sentenced to death by being dropped into the Sarlaac's mouth.

; InstallShield Wizard
: A ''wizard'' is a type of UI that simplifies configuration of an app or process by guiding the user through a number of screens in sequence. A user makes one decision on each screen, and the overall process puts less cognitive load on the user.
: {{w|InstallShield}} is a proprietary software tool for creating installer applications (or software packages) for Microsoft Windows. When the created package is being installed, the installer application can be shown in form of a 'standard Windows Wizard' dialog. Depending on the creativity of the user creating the package, the Wizard can display images while different stages of the installer are being executed.
: There are known instances of The InstallShield Wizard showing a wizard-like character images. Also, the standard wording of the installer text shown to the user ('software-to-be-installed is preparing the InstallShield Wizard, which will guide you through the program setup process') suggests that the Wizard is a 'real character'.

; Mr. Clean
: {{w|Mr. Clean}} is a brand and mascot for Proctor & Gamble used for all-purpose cleaners and melamine foam cleaners.

; Comet Cursor
: {{Comet Cursor}} was Windows software that allowed users or websites to customise the mouse cursor. It was often installed with mimimal user interaction and was accused of tracking users and being “spyware”.

; Beto O'Rourke
: {{w|Beto O'Rourke}} is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 16th congressional district since 2013. He was the nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2018 Texas U.S. Senate election, running against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz. O'Rourke received much media attention leading up to the election, with many considering the election abnormally competitive.

; The Monopoly boot
: The "boot" is one of the classic pewter tokens from the board game ''{{w|Monopoly (game)|Monopoly}}''. In 2017, the boot token was retired from the standard version of ''Monopoly''.

; Lot's wife
: Lot and his wife are characters from the book of Genesis in the Bible. According to the book of Genesis, Lot and his family had to {{w|Sodom_and_Gomorrah#In_the_Book_of_Genesis|flee the city of Sodom}}, which was being judged by God for its wickedness. They were commanded to flee and not look back at the city. However, Lot's wife looked back at the city and was turned into a pillar of salt. It is unclear which version of Lot's wife Randall wishes to be playable in the game.

; D.B. Cooper
: {{w|D.B. Cooper}} is the name popularly used to refer to an unidentified man who hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft on November 24, 1971. He extorted $200,000 in ransom and parachuted out of the plane. His identity and whereabouts have never been discovered. D.B. Cooper was a subject of the [[1400: D.B. Cooper]] comic.

; The Blair Witch
: The Blair Witch is the titular character of the ''{{w|The Blair Witch Project}}'', a 1999 "found footage" supernatural horror film. The film became one of the most successful independent films of all time.

; Mavis Beacon
: ''{{w|Mavis Beacon}}'', properly titled as ''Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing'', is a software program used to teach touch typing. However, many have mistakenly thought that "Mavis Beacon" is an actual person.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[A bulleted list of items:]
*Mario/Luigi hybrid
*The SkiFree monster
*Siri
*Ellie from ''Up''
*Zordon
*Clippy
*The Sarlaac
*The InstallShield Wizard
*Mr. Clean
*Comet Cursor
*Beto O'Rourke
*The Monopoly boot
*Lot's wife
*D.B. Cooper
*The Blair Witch
*Mavis Beacon

:[Caption below the frame:]
:Super Smash Brothers never did end up adding anyone from my wishlist.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Video games]]

Talk:2061: Tectonics Game

2018-10-20T15:00:07Z

Zeimusu:

Wrote my first transcript. Hopefully it isn't terrible, haha. [[User:IYN|IYN]] ([[User talk:IYN|talk]]) 17:13, 19 October 2018 (UTC)
:Not bad, but please do not remove the incomplete tag too soon. Even my smaller changes don't convince me right now that it's complete. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 17:34, 19 October 2018 (UTC)
:There's no explanation ''OR'' transcript for the Title-text, yet. Sooo...
:[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 18:41, 19 October 2018 (UTC)

I know very little about stars. Can anyone explain what the type in the title text is? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.70|162.158.63.70]] 18:23, 19 October 2018 (UTC)

The nice thing about this game is you could represent the Earth by a 1000-pixel wide map, and it would take over a decade before anyone could tell whether you'd actually implemented anything. -- [[User:Dtgriscom|Dtgriscom]] ([[User talk:Dtgriscom|talk]]) 20:53, 19 October 2018 (UTC)

In Panel 2, there is a box with the following information

<pre>
Single Multi
LT 80 GT 440 T
LM 15 GT 3 GT
LA 2 MT 0 T
LL 580 GT 0 T
</pre>

What does this mean? The measurements seem to be in gigatonnes, hence a measure of mass. CO2 releases are often measured in Gigatonnes. The geochemical carbon cycle is a significant long term negative feedback loop, so I guess these relate to CO2, but I can't guess the specifics. [[User:Zeimusu|Zeimusu]] ([[User talk:Zeimusu|talk]]) 15:00, 20 October 2018 (UTC)

== An Actual Game ==

Here is a section for people who are looking into actually developing a game. (With time warp obviously.)

Seriously though, this could actually be a fun (and educational) simulator, similar to KSP. --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.142.10|172.69.142.10]] 02:31, 20 October 2018 (UTC)

My wife is trying to physically restrain me from immediately starting to write this game...int main ( int arggggg...ow...get off [[User:SteveBaker|SteveBaker]] ([[User talk:SteveBaker|talk]]) 16:52, 19 October 2018 (UTC)
:If the comment section of this comic is anything to go by, you could sell it for a buck a pop and get...I dunno...$12 at least? [[User:GreatWyrmGold|GreatWyrmGold]] ([[User talk:GreatWyrmGold|talk]]) 19:01, 19 October 2018 (UTC)

Who wants to help me make this? [[User:Blacksilver|Blacksilver]] ([[User talk:Blacksilver|talk]]) 17:24, 19 October 2018 (UTC)

With a sufficiently large time warp, this actually sounds like it would be pretty fun. [[User:Ahiijny|Ahiijny]] ([[User talk:Ahiijny|talk]]) 18:20, 19 October 2018 (UTC)

Hey, guys reading your comments I can see several people, including myself, might be interested in making a game like this. Perhaps we should coordinate efforts to make one? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.246.100|162.158.246.100]] 23:15, 19 October 2018 (UTC)

I came here specifically to see if this game existed and I'm irritated it doesn't yet. People with better coding and geological skills than me, you have an interested party.

I'm fully on board. If and when this thing hypothetically gets popular, I'll be like, "Hey, I was there!" [[Special:Contributions/172.68.46.5|172.68.46.5]] 04:12, 20 October 2018 (UTC)

== Other Real Time Games ==

This is for discussion of other real time games. (I.E. Desert Bus) --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.142.10|172.69.142.10]] 02:34, 20 October 2018 (UTC)

I have this horrible urge to find the Desert Bus source code and mod it to make "Desert Bus 2: Walt Disney Land to Walt Disney World" [[Special:Contributions/172.68.90.88|172.68.90.88]] 21:53, 19 October 2018 (UTC)SiliconWolf

It's like playing Desert Bus for the rest of your life... :) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.154|162.158.63.154]] 18:23, 19 October 2018 (UTC) Scott

:I thought it appropriate to add Desert Bus to the main description as a real world example of a tedious real-time game that goes to a ridiculous extreme... though much less extreme and ridiculous than the one in the comic. [[User:N0lqu|-boB]] ([[User talk:N0lqu|talk]]) 21:17, 19 October 2018 (UTC)

Does anyone else remember the old DOS game: 688 Attack Sub? Where it felt like you were waiting forever for your torpedo to hit? I liked that they told you that, in the real world, it's much slower than it is in the game.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.6|172.68.65.6]] 18:46, 19 October 2018 (UTC)

2061: Tectonics Game

2018-10-19T20:05:11Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2061
| date = October 19, 2018
| title = Tectonics Game
| image = tectonics_game.png
| titletext = They're limiting the playtesters to type A3 V stars, so the games will all end before the Sun consumes the Earth.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Written by a Tectonics Developer. Do NOT delete this tag too soon. What do L_T etc mean?}}

This comic is to show similarity to many simulation games, which have various niche popularity. Similar to Maxis' {{w|Spore_(2008_video_game)|Spore}}, the game in question allows you to terraform entire worlds. However, in a typical Randall twist, unlike most simulation games, you could not speed up the progress of time to make world-changing endeavours occur in a matter of seconds. The game operates in real time, which means most of the user time-frame will be spent idly watching nearly non-moving continents, drifting at the real speed of continental drift, a couple of inches a year, which makes for very slow gameplay. Thus several millennia of play time is needed to reach a game {{w|Achievement (video gaming)|achievement}} of forming a kilometre high mountain.

Many {{w|computer games}} {{w|simulate}} to one degree or another real items and tasks, but often simplify them to fit into a game format -- to make them more exciting, to make them quicker, to advance a particular plot line or quest, etc. For example, a game about farming might allow you to grow corn, but whereas in real life corn takes about 90 days to germinate from seed and grow to maturity, in a game the growth might be instantaneous or measured by minutes, rather than by days/weeks/months.

In this game, especially, one would expect such shortcuts, given the extreme time frames required for {{w|geological}} events to be manifested. The joke is that this game is so realistic that it's played in "real-time", which means for every second or hour or æon something would take in real life, in the game it would take the same second or hour or æon to happen. Playing such a game where the events take longer than the person would be alive would likely be unsatisfying{{Citation_needed}}.

The frames show some elements of gameplay. The first frame shows a destructive plate margin in which an oceanic plate (grey) is being subducted under a continental plate (brown with a person standing on it) while sediments between the plates are compressed to form mountains. Clockwise from top left, the second frame shows: a cross section through the planet, Various statistics about the planet ($CO_2$ levels of 840ppm, Solar irradiation of 1184 W/m2 and heat-flow through the crust of 91mW/m2) Solar irradiation and heat-flow are similar to the Earth, but CO2 levels are raised. Bottom right is several stats titled L_T and bottom left is a view of the planet showing the proportion covered by ice (3%) land (31%) and water (66%). It seems that the raised CO2 levels have reduced the amount of ice compared to the Earth. The final panel shows some of the achievements that can be won, the first is 1km mountains. Below that seems to be achievements in the formation of an atoll.

Type A3V stars are white main sequence stars. They have a shorter lifespan than the sun, hundreds of millions of years, compared to the 10 billion years lifespan of the sun. By starting the game now with an A3V star, there would be time to complete the game before the sun becomes a red giant and destroys the Earth.

This comic's number and content regarding simulations in real time may also be a reference to {{w|Arthur_C._Clarke|Arthur C. Clarke}}'s {{w|2061:_Odyssey_Three|2061: Odyssey_Three}}, the third book in the {{w|Space_Odyssey|Space Odyssey}} series, in which {{w|Monolith_(Space_Odyssey)|monoliths}} are left throughout the solar system, manipulating environments to encourage the evolution of intelligent life.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Cueball is standing behind Ponytail, who is sitting on the floor playing a video game on a TV which displays a diagram of tectonic plates.]
:Cueball: What game is that?
:Ponytail: ''Tectonics''!
:Ponytail: You steer chunks of crust around, rifting, subducting, and building and eroding mountains.

:[A view of the game screen is shown. It includes a large cross-section of the Earth with smaller charts around it.]
:Ponytail: You try to keep your climate stable and your biosphere rich. Avoid making large igneous provinces! They're the ''worst''.

:[Cueball holds his hand out.]
:Cueball: Cool!
:Cueball: Can I try?
:Ponytail: Sure!

:[Cueball plays the game.]
:Cueball: ...How do I unpause?
:Ponytail: It's not paused.
:Cueball: ...
:Ponytail: Continents can only move a few inches per year.

:[Cueball holds the controller in one hand, now uninterested in the game. The screen shows an achievement page with nothing completed.]
:Cueball: It's ''real-time''?
:Ponytail: Just 400 millennia to go until your first mountain achievement!

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:Video games]]

2061: Tectonics Game

2018-10-19T19:51:52Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2061
| date = October 19, 2018
| title = Tectonics Game
| image = tectonics_game.png
| titletext = They're limiting the playtesters to type A3 V stars, so the games will all end before the Sun consumes the Earth.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Written by a Tectonics Developer. Do NOT delete this tag too soon. What do L_T etc mean?}}

This comic is to show similarity to many simulation games, which have various niche popularity. Similar to Maxis' {{w|Spore_(2008_video_game)|Spore}}, the game in question allows you to to terraform entire worlds. However, in a typical Randall twist, unlike most simulation games, you could not speed up the progress of time to make world changing endeavors occur in a matter of seconds. The game operates in real time, which means most of the user time-frame will be spend idly watching nearly non-moving continents, drifting at the real speed of continental drift, a couple of inches a year, which makes for very slow gameplay. Thus several millennia of play time is needed to reach a game {{w|Achievement (video gaming)|achievement}} of forming a kilometer high mountain.

Many {{w|computer games}} {{w|simulate}} to one degree or another real items and tasks, but often simplify them to fit into a game format -- to make them more exciting, to make them quicker, to advance a particular plot line or quest, etc. For example, a game about farming might allow you to grow corn, but whereas in real life corn takes about 90 days to germinate from seed and grow to maturity, in a game the growth might be instantaneous or measured by minutes, rather than by days/weeks/months.

In this game, especially, one would expect such shortcuts, given the extreme time frames required for {{w|geological}} events to be manifested. The joke is that this game is so realistic that it's played in "real-time", which means for every second or hour or eon something would take in real life, in the game it would take the same second or hour or eon to happen. Playing such a game where the events take longer than the person would be alive would likely be unsatisfying{{Citation_needed}}.

The frames show some elements of gameplay. The first frame shows a destructive plate margin in which an oceanic plate (grey) is being subducted under a continental plate (brown with a person standing on it) while sediments between the plates are compressed to form mountains. Clockwise from top left, the second frame shows: a cross section through the planet, Various statistics about the planet ($CO_2$ levels of 840ppm, Solar irradiation of 1184 W/m2 and heatflow through the crust of 91mW/m2) Solar irradiation and heatflow are similar to the Earth, but CO2 levels are raised. Bottom right is several stats titled L_T and bottom left is a view of the planet showing the proportion covered by ice (3%) land (31%) and water (66%). It seems that the raised CO2 levels have reduced the amount of ice compared to the Earth. The final panel shows some of the achivements that can be won, the first is 1km mountains. Below that seems to be achievements in the formation of an atoll.

This comic's number and content regarding simulations in real time may also be a reference to {{w|Arthur_C._Clarke|Arthur C. Clarke}}'s {{w|2061:_Odyssey_Three|2061: Odyssey_Three}}, the third book in the {{w|Space_Odyssey|Space Odyssey}} series, in which {{w|Monolith_(Space_Odyssey)|monoliths}} are left throughout the solar system, manipulating environments to encourage the evolution of intelligent life.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Cueball is standing behind Ponytail, who is sitting on the floor playing a video game on a TV which displays a diagram of tectonic plates.]
:Cueball: What game is that?
:Ponytail: ''Tectonics''!
:Ponytail: You steer chunks of crust around, rifting, subducting, and building and eroding mountains.

:[A view of the game screen is shown. It includes a large cross-section of the Earth with smaller charts around it.]
:Ponytail: You try to keep your climate stable and your biosphere rich. Avoid making large igneous provinces! They're the ''worst''.

:[Cueball holds his hand out.]
:Cueball: Cool!
:Cueball: Can I try?
:Ponytail: Sure!

:[Cueball plays the game.]
:Cueball: ...How do I unpause?
:Ponytail: It's not paused.
:Cueball: ...
:Ponytail: Continents can only move a few inches per year.

:[Cueball holds the controller in one hand, now uninterested in the game. The screen shows an achievement page with nothing completed.]
:Cueball: It's ''real-time''?
:Ponytail: Just 400 millennia to go until your first mountain achievement!

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:Video games]]

2055: Bluetooth

2018-10-05T16:36:48Z

Zeimusu:

{{comic
| number = 2055
| date = October 5, 2018
| title = Bluetooth
| image = bluetooth.png
| titletext = Bluetooth is actually named for the tenth-century Viking king Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson, but the protocol developed by Harald was a wireless charging standard unrelated to the modern Bluetooth except by name.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by JOSIAH BLUETOOTH. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

[[Cueball]] is talking to [[White Hat]] about {{w|Bluetooth}} and wireless connectivity. He asks if it has become easier to stream audio via Bluetooth since he last used it. White Hat then replies that it has become an easy-to-use and streamlined service, where connecting devices is easy. Cueball is excited about this, before White Hat tells him he was lying and that Bluetooth is still as hard to use as ever.

This comic also references the common problem of audio playing through the wrong device when Bluetooth is activated.

The Viking king {{w|Harald Bluetooth|Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson}} referenced in the title text, usually called Harald Bluetooth, was an actual ruler of Denmark and Norway who died in 985 or 986. He of course had nothing to do with wireless Bluetooth connection technology or charging, which wouldn't be invented for more than a millennium. However Jim Kardach of Intel did name the Bluetooth protocol after him, apparently as he united the various Norse tribes of Denmark into a single kingdom, just as Bluetooth unites communication protocols.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Cueball and White Hat are talking, Cueball is holding a cell phone and wireless headphones]
:Cueball: I haven't used a wireless/Bluetooth thingy in like ten years. Is audio stuff still a nightmare?
:White Hat: Nah, it's great now.

:[Zoom in on White Hat]
:White Hat: You tap devices together twice to link them and they flash in sync. (It pairs using accelerometer timing and sound.) Tap them three times to disconnect.
:White Hat: You can pair multiple inputs and outputs and it handles it smoothly.
:Cueball (off screen): Nice!
:White Hat: It just works. Sound comes from where you expect.
:Cueball (off screen): Wonderful.

:[Cueball and White Hat facing each other]
:White Hat: Haha, just kidding, it's a nightmare.
:Cueball: ''NOOOOOO!''
:White Hat: When I connect to my car, music starts blasting from my headphones while the car repeatedly plays a "NEW CONNECTION!" chime.
:Cueball: ''This is not what Josiah Bluetooth intended!''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]

2033: Repair or Replace

2018-08-15T16:54:25Z

Zeimusu: /* = */

{{comic
| number = 2033
| date = August 15, 2018
| title = Repair or Replace
| image = repair_or_replace.png
| titletext = Just make sure all your friends and family are out of the car, or that you've made backup friends and family at home.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOY - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic compares the repair of cars with that of phones or other similar devices.

When a car is malfunctioning the usual response is to attempt to repair it. The car is designed so that many of the parts can be replaced or adjusted.

By contrast, when a phone is malfunctioning, it is often judged to be impossible to repair, and the usual action is to purchase a new phone. Most parts are not designed to be replaceable, and if they fail it is normally cheaper to replace than repair.

Cueball, likely representing Randall, is in his car. He says that there is a weird sound, so Hairy, representing a mechanic, asks him to lift his hood. When that proves difficult the mechanic suggests discarding the car. In reality, fixing the catch on the hood is a simple task for a skilled mechanic and would not justify writing-off the car.

The title text continues the analogy. When you replace a phone you would try to download or backup your photos and contacts. The mechanic asks Cueball to check that all friends family members have either been removed from the car or "backed up".

===The economics===

Cars are more expensive than phones, and become obselete less quickly. The point at which it becomes cheaper to purchase a new phone rather than repair an old one comes much more quickly. Phones are highly optimised to pack components into a small volume. This design makes replacing individual components of a phone much harder than for a car.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Cueball sits in a car arriving from the left while Hairy stands in front of it and points to a big black hole on the right behind him.]
:Cueball: My engine's making a weird noise. Can you take a look?
:Hairy: Sure, just pop the hood.
:Cueball: Oh, the hood latch is also broken.
:Hairy: Ok, just pull up to that big pit and push the car in. We'll go get a new one.

:[Caption below the frame:]
:I'm sure the economics make sense, but it still freaks me out how quick companies are to replace computing devices instead of trying to fix them.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Computers]]

2033: Repair or Replace

2018-08-15T16:54:09Z

Zeimusu: /* = */

{{comic
| number = 2033
| date = August 15, 2018
| title = Repair or Replace
| image = repair_or_replace.png
| titletext = Just make sure all your friends and family are out of the car, or that you've made backup friends and family at home.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOY - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic compares the repair of cars with that of phones or other similar devices.

When a car is malfunctioning the usual response is to attempt to repair it. The car is designed so that many of the parts can be replaced or adjusted.

By contrast, when a phone is malfunctioning, it is often judged to be impossible to repair, and the usual action is to purchase a new phone. Most parts are not designed to be replaceable, and if they fail it is normally cheaper to replace than repair.

Cueball, likely representing Randall, is in his car. He says that there is a weird sound, so Hairy, representing a mechanic, asks him to lift his hood. When that proves difficult the mechanic suggests discarding the car. In reality, fixing the catch on the hood is a simple task for a skilled mechanic and would not justify writing-off the car.

The title text continues the analogy. When you replace a phone you would try to download or backup your photos and contacts. The mechanic asks Cueball to check that all friends family members have either been removed from the car or "backed up".

===The economics===

===

Cars are more expensive than phones, and become obselete less quickly. The point at which it becomes cheaper to purchase a new phone rather than repair an old one comes much more quickly. Phones are highly optimised to pack components into a small volume. This design makes replacing individual components of a phone much harder than for a car.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Cueball sits in a car arriving from the left while Hairy stands in front of it and points to a big black hole on the right behind him.]
:Cueball: My engine's making a weird noise. Can you take a look?
:Hairy: Sure, just pop the hood.
:Cueball: Oh, the hood latch is also broken.
:Hairy: Ok, just pull up to that big pit and push the car in. We'll go get a new one.

:[Caption below the frame:]
:I'm sure the economics make sense, but it still freaks me out how quick companies are to replace computing devices instead of trying to fix them.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Computers]]

2033: Repair or Replace

2018-08-15T16:53:21Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2033
| date = August 15, 2018
| title = Repair or Replace
| image = repair_or_replace.png
| titletext = Just make sure all your friends and family are out of the car, or that you've made backup friends and family at home.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOY - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic compares the repair of cars with that of phones or other similar devices.

When a car is malfunctioning the usual response is to attempt to repair it. The car is designed so that many of the parts can be replaced or adjusted.

By contrast, when a phone is malfunctioning, it is often judged to be impossible to repair, and the usual action is to purchase a new phone. Most parts are not designed to be replaceable, and if they fail it is normally cheaper to replace than repair.

Cueball, likely representing Randall, is in his car. He says that there is a weird sound, so Hairy, representing a mechanic, asks him to lift his hood. When that proves difficult the mechanic suggests discarding the car. In reality, fixing the catch on the hood is a simple task for a skilled mechanic and would not justify writing-off the car.

The title text continues the analogy. When you replace a phone you would try to download or backup your photos and contacts. The mechanic asks Cueball to check that all friends family members have either been removed from the car or "backed up".

===
The economics
===

Cars are more expensive than phones, and become obselete less quickly. The point at which it becomes cheaper to purchase a new phone rather than repair an old one comes much more quickly. Phones are highly optimised to pack components into a small volume. This design makes replacing individual components of a phone much harder than for a car.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Cueball sits in a car arriving from the left while Hairy stands in front of it and points to a big black hole on the right behind him.]
:Cueball: My engine's making a weird noise. Can you take a look?
:Hairy: Sure, just pop the hood.
:Cueball: Oh, the hood latch is also broken.
:Hairy: Ok, just pull up to that big pit and push the car in. We'll go get a new one.

:[Caption below the frame:]
:I'm sure the economics make sense, but it still freaks me out how quick companies are to replace computing devices instead of trying to fix them.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Computers]]

2033: Repair or Replace

2018-08-15T16:46:59Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2033
| date = August 15, 2018
| title = Repair or Replace
| image = repair_or_replace.png
| titletext = Just make sure all your friends and family are out of the car, or that you've made backup friends and family at home.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOY - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic compares the repair of cars with that of phones or other similar devices.

When a car is malfunctioning the usual response is to attempt to repair it. The car is designed so that many of the parts can be replaced or adjusted.

By contrast, when a phone is malfunctioning, it is often judged to be impossible to repair, and the usual action is to purchase a new phone. Most parts are not designed to be replaceable, and if they fail it is normally cheaper to replace than repair.

Cueball, likely representing Randall, is in his car. He says that there is a weird sound, so Hairy, representing a mechanic, asks him to lift his hood. When that proves difficult the mechanic suggests discarding the car. In reality, fixing the catch on the hood is a simple task for a skilled mechanic and would not justify writing-off the car.

The title text continues the analogy. When you replace a phone you would try to download or backup your photos and contacts. The mechanic asks Cueball to check that all friends family members have either been removed from the car or "backed up".

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Cueball sits in a car arriving from the left while Hairy stands in front of it and points to a big black hole on the right behind him.]
:Cueball: My engine's making a weird noise. Can you take a look?
:Hairy: Sure, just pop the hood.
:Cueball: Oh, the hood latch is also broken.
:Hairy: Ok, just pull up to that big pit and push the car in. We'll go get a new one.

:[Caption below the frame:]
:I'm sure the economics make sense, but it still freaks me out how quick companies are to replace computing devices instead of trying to fix them.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Computers]]

2033: Repair or Replace

2018-08-15T16:45:49Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2033
| date = August 15, 2018
| title = Repair or Replace
| image = repair_or_replace.png
| titletext = Just make sure all your friends and family are out of the car, or that you've made backup friends and family at home.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOY - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic compares the repair of cars with that of phones or other similar devices.

When a car is malfunctioning the usual response is to attempt to repair it. The car is designed so that many of the parts can be replaced or adjusted.

By contrast when a phone is malfunctioning, it is often judged to be impossible to repair, and the usual action is to purchase a new phone. Most parts are not designed to be replaceable, and if they fail it is normally cheaper to replace than repair.

Cueball, likely representing Randall, is in his car. He says that there is a weird sound, so Hairy, representing a mechanic, asks him to lift his hood. When that proves difficult the mechanic suggests discarding the car. In reality, fixing the catch on the hood is a simple task for a skilled mechanic and would not justify writing-off the car.

The title text continues the analogy. When you replace a phone you would try to download or backup your photos and contacts. The mechanic asks Cueball to check that all family members have either been removed from the car or "backed up".

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Cueball sits in a car arriving from the left while Hairy stands in front of it and points to a big black hole on the right behind him.]
:Cueball: My engine's making a weird noise. Can you take a look?
:Hairy: Sure, just pop the hood.
:Cueball: Oh, the hood latch is also broken.
:Hairy: Ok, just pull up to that big pit and push the car in. We'll go get a new one.

:[Caption below the frame:]
:I'm sure the economics make sense, but it still freaks me out how quick companies are to replace computing devices instead of trying to fix them.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Computers]]

2031: Pie Charts

2018-08-10T19:24:42Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2031
| date = August 10, 2018
| title = Pie Charts
| image = pie_charts.png
| titletext = If you can't get your graphing tool to do the shading, just add some clip art of cosmologists discussing the unusual curvature of space in the area.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by ''a cosmologist discussing the unusual curvature of space in the area'' - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{w|Pie_chart|Pie Charts}} graph quantities as "slices" of a circle, like a pie that you cut into slices. The circle, or Pie, represents the whole sum of the slices, or 100% of the data. As such, if the data represented by the slices is expressed as percentages, the total of all the slices, by definition, must total 100%. This comic introduces a new technique for getting around that rule by "warping" the circle to allow more than 100% of the data to exist in the graph. Thus the total amount of 130% is represented with a shape presumably 30% larger in area than the circle.

The resulting warped circle is then actually part of a [[wikipedia:Hyperbolic geometry#Circles and disks|hyperbolic plane]], while a normal circle is part of a flat plane. Of course, it doesn't matter if the geometric shape is a circle or a hyperbolic plane: A changed graphic doesn't magically solve the misrepresentation of percentages. At best, it serves to highlight the methodical error. Regarding doctored statistics: If the same numbers were presented as absolute values instead of percentages, the error would still remain but would be less obvious, especially if you omit the total count of the sample (''Of '''all''' people asked, 40 selected green as favorite color, 45 selected red, 30 yellow and 15 blue.'' This statement omits that you surveyed only 100 people and several of them named several colors, and readers will assume a larger sample.)

Percentages that add up to more than 100% are often a sign that a math error has occurred, whether a typo somewhere or a sloppy case of taking numbers from different sources. However, they can arise naturally in cases where each item can belong to more than one group, such as [[wikipedia:approval voting|approval voting]] (40% of the people like green 45% like red etc., however there may be some that like both green and red). In such cases, a more accurate depiction would have some form of overlap of the pie pieces, not a warping of the space which they occupy, or a completely different representation, such as a bar chart. Minor cases can also occur if the percentages of the pieces have been rounded for readability - summing the rounded numbers can result in them adding to 99% or 101%.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Two colored circles are shown. The circle on the right is fuzzy in shape and shows some shadows from the middle to the outer edges.]

:[The left circle:]
:Wrong:
:45% (red)
:15% (blue)
:30% (yellow)
:40% (green)

:[The right fuzzy circle with shadows:]
:Right:
:45% (red)
:15% (blue)
:30% (yellow)
:40% (green)

:[Caption below the frame:]
:How to make a pie chart if your percentages don't add up to 100

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Pie charts]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

911: Magic School Bus

2018-08-05T11:21:23Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 911
| date = June 13, 2011
| title = Magic School Bus
| image = magic school bus.png
| titletext = At my OLD school, we used Microsoft Encarta 2005.
}}

==Explanation==
''{{w|The Magic School Bus}}'' is a series of educational children's books in the US that was adapted in the mid-nineties into an animated television show. The series centers on a class of children whose teacher {{w|Ms. Frizzle}} makes use of the titular magic school bus to take her students on a variety of magical field trips that allow them to experience various scientific topics first hand, such as the inner anatomy of the human body, the effects of friction, what goes on inside a beehive, and many others.

In this comic, however, Ms. Frizzle initially takes the students onto the bus apparently for one of these field trips to explore the way batteries work, but then for whatever reason, she has the students get off the bus again and simply resorts to looking up the {{w|Wikipedia}} article about {{w|Battery (electricity)|batteries}}. The implied joke is that, with the advent on resources like Wikipedia, it's no longer necessary for Ms. Frizzle to take the students on half-hour long trips in the bus to experience whatever phenomenon they are studying that day (which is what the third panel symbolizes) - Wikipedia effectively answers the question quickly and easily. An alternative answer is that Ms. Frizzle has just gotten lazy, and has resorted to looking up the answers to the students' questions on Wikipedia instead of taking them on field trips. The alternative seems more likely, since the third panel shows them still going on an adventure, however briefly it takes to get to the library/computer lab.

The red and white cubed rocket in the bottom-right of the third panel can possibly be a reference to The Adventures of Tintin ''{{w|Destination Moon (comics)|Destination Moon}}'', in which Tintin goes to the moon in a rocket that is similar, if not identical, to the one depicted. To the bottom-left is a green {{w|Ciliate}}, a single celled life-form covered in hair-like fibres. At the top left are a set of {{w|Planetary gears}}. To the top right is a ringed planet, perhaps {{w|Uranus}} and in the background is a complex {{w|Feynman diagram}}.

The child who is asking the question looks similar to Wanda, one of the regular students in the class who often asked the questions that set the field trips in motion. Ralphie, the student in the second panel with the backward hat, was another student who often asked these questions. The students in the class were shown to be from many backgrounds (i.e. some of the students were black, another was Asian, etc.), something Randall appears not to have added into this comic, despite it being in color.

The title text is a reference to Phoebe, one of the students in Ms. Frizzle's class, who would regularly make a remark beginning with "At my old school..." (Phoebe used to go to a different school, unlike many of the other students in the class) to express wonder at how unusual were the events of Ms. Frizzle's field trips (e.g. "At my old school, we never rode on bees!"). Phoebe actually said that so much that in an episode where she goes back to her old school, the sign out front labels it as "Phoebe's old school".

{{w|Encarta|Microsoft Encarta 2005}} was a digital encyclopedia that was often used in school settings for learning with the aid of computers. Arguably, with the advent of Wikipedia, programs like Encarta have become relatively less widely used, which is part of the joke in the title text.

==Transcript==
:[A girl sits at a desk in a classroom, and the teacher stands before her. The teacher has a blue dress and blonde hair piled on her head in a bun. The girl raises her hand, the teacher raises both arms above her head, a pointer in one hand.]
:Girl: Ms. Frizzle, how do batteries work?
:Ms. Frizzle: To the bus!

:[Ms. Frizzle and the children are shown getting onto the bus.]

:[The bus, with Ms. Frizzle at the helm and a child's face in every window, soars through a rainbow void filled with a giant amoeba, a rocket, an epicyclic gear, a planet with rings, and a Feynman diagram.]

:[The bus is parked, and the occupants have gotten out. The children stand around Ms. Frizzle, and she stands at a desk with a computer on it, typing.]
:Computer: WIKIPEDIA - BATTERIES

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Wikipedia]]

2028: Complex Numbers

2018-08-03T16:00:19Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2028
| date = August 3, 2018
| title = Complex Numbers
| image = complex_numbers.png
| titletext = I'm trying to prove that mathematics forms a meta-abelian group, which would finally confirm my suspicions that algebreic geometry and geometric algebra are the same thing.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a MATHEMATICIAN - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

The complex numbers can be thought of as pairs <math>(a,\,b)\in\mathbb{R}</math> of real numbers with rules for addition and multiplication.

: (a,b) + (c,d) = (a+c, b+d)

: (a,b) . (c,d) = (ac - bd, ad + bc)

As such they are 2d vectors, with an interesting rule for multiplication. The justification for these rules of multiplication is to consider a complex number to be an expression in the form a+bi, where <math>i^2 = -1</math>, ie ''i'' is the square root of negative 1. Applying the common rules of algebra and the definition of ''i'' yields rules for addition and multiplication above.

Regular 2d vectors are pairs of values, with the same rule for addition, and no rule for multiplication.

The usual way to introduce complex numbers is by starting with ''i'' and deducing the rules for addition and multiplication, but Cueball is correct to say that complex numbers are really just vectors, and can be defined without consideration of the square root of a negative number.

The teacher, (Miss Lenhard) counters that to ignore the natural construction of the negative numbers would hide the relevance of the fundamental theorem of algebra (Every polynomial of degree ''n'' has exactly ''n'' roots, when counted according to multiplicity) and much of complex analysis (the application of calculus to complex-valued functions), but she also agrees that mathematicians are too cool for "regular vectors"

{{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:2021: Software Development

2018-07-18T15:48:50Z

Zeimusu:

It seems to me that the cannon is a metaphor for powerful hardware. The drill is a metaphor for elegant and efficient code. The computer is so powerful that the fact that the elegance or efficiency of the code is irrelevant to how it is actually used.[[User:Zeimusu|Zeimusu]] ([[User talk:Zeimusu|talk]]) 15:48, 18 July 2018 (UTC)

1992: SafetySat

2018-05-11T19:48:28Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1992
| date = May 11, 2018
| title = SafetySat
| image = safetysat.png
| titletext = During launch, in the event of an unexpected sensor reading, SafetySat will extend prongs in all directions to secure itself and any other cubesats safely in the launch vehicle until the source of the problem can be determined.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT (the first image upload was corrupt)- Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{w|Cubesat}} is a standard format for small satellites that can fit in a 10x10x10cm format with a mass of less than 1.3kg. They have been widely use by academics for research satellites, and by both small and large companies.

Cubesats are normally launched as a secondary payload often beside a deployment to the international space station. There are multiple safety rules to ensure that the cubesat cannot damage the primary payload. This design seeks to break as many rules as possible.

(from bottom left)

;Americinum corners:Americinium is a highly radioactive substance.
;Gun Cotton: A form of nitrocellose, it is explosive.

.
.
.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{comic discussion}}

1985: Meteorologist

2018-04-25T16:28:20Z

Zeimusu:

{{comic
| number = 1985
| date = April 25, 2018
| title = Meteorologist
| image = meteorologist.png
| titletext = Hi, I'm your new meteorologist and a former software developer. Hey, when we say 12pm, does that mean the hour from 12pm to 1pm, or the hour centered on 12pm? Or is it a snapshot at 12:00 exactly? Because our 24-hour forecast has midnight at both ends, and I'm worried we have an off-by-one error.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a OVERLY ANALYTICAL METEOROLOGIST - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

''panel 1''

''Cueball'' (as a TV weather presenter): Our forecast says there is a 20% chance of rain for each of the next 5 hours

: How likely is it to rain this afternoon? It's a simple question but I don't know the answer. Is each hour independent? Correlated? Or is rain guaranteed and we're just unsure of the timing?

''panel 2''

: It says “scattered showers.” Is this the chance of rain ''somewhere'' in your area? How big is your area? What if you have two locations you're worried about

: I've asked management, but they've stopped answering my emails, so — hang on, the security guy is coming over.

''panel 3''

''Text on screen'':
<center>
''Technical difficulties''

—

We apologize for hiring a meteorologist with a pure math background

—

We'll be back on the air shortly

(logo) News 4
</center>

''panel 4''

''Blondie'': Sorry about that. Hi, I'm your new meteorologist

''Voice off'': And you're not a mathematician, right?

''Blondie'': No. I do have a linguistics degree.

''Voice off'': That's fine.

''panel 5''

''Blondie'': It might rain this afternoon.

: But what is “it” here? Is it a true dummy pronoun in the phrase “It's too bad?” or is the weather an entitiy?

: Also what if I say “It's hot out and getting bigger?”

''Voice off'': Security!

Title text: Hi, I’m your new meteorologist and a former software developer. Hey, when we say 12pm, does that mean the hour from 12pm to 1pm, or the hour centered on 12pm? Or is it a snapshot at 12:00 exactly? Because our 24-hour forecast has midnight at both ends, and I’m worried we have an off-by-one error.

:Cueball: Our forecast says there's a 20% chance of rain for each of the next five hours.
:Cueball: How likely is it to rain this afternoon? It's a simple question, but I don't know the answer. Is each hour independent? Correlated? Or is rain guaranteed and we're just unsure of the timing?

:Cueball: It says "scattered showers." Is this the chance of rain ''somewhere'' in your area? How big is your area? What if you have two locations you're worried about?
:Cueball: I've asked management, but they've stopped answering my emails, so -- hang on, the security guy is coming over.

:Technical Difficulties
:We Apologize for Hiring a Meteorologist with a Pure Math Background.
:We'll Be Back on the Air Shortly.
:News 4

:Woman: Sorry about that. Hi, I'm your new meteorologist.
:Off-panel voice: And you're not a mathematician, right?
:Woman: No. I do have a linguistics degree.
:Off-panel voice: That's fine.

:Woman: It might rain this afternoon.
:Woman: But what is "it" here? Is it a true dummy pronoun, as in the phrase "It's too bad?" Or is the weather an entity?
:Woman: Also, what if I say, "It's hot out, and getting bigger?"
:Off-panel voice: Security!

{{comic discussion}}

1985: Meteorologist

2018-04-25T16:23:29Z

Zeimusu: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 1985
| date = April 25, 2018
| title = Meteorologist
| image = meteorologist.png
| titletext = Hi, I'm your new meteorologist and a former software developer. Hey, when we say 12pm, does that mean the hour from 12pm to 1pm, or the hour centered on 12pm? Or is it a snapshot at 12:00 exactly? Because our 24-hour forecast has midnight at both ends, and I'm worried we have an off-by-one error.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a OVERLY ANALYTICAL METEOROLOGIST - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
''Cueball'' (as a TV weather presenter): Our forecast says there is a 20% chance of rain for each of the next 5 hours

: How likely is it to rain this afternoon? It's a simple question byt I don't know the answer. Is each hour independent? Correllated? Or is rain guareneteed and we're just unsure of the timing.

: It says “scattered showers.” Is this the chance of rain ''somewhere'' in your area? How big is your area? What if you have two locations you're worred about

:I've asked managemanet, but they've stopped answering my emials, so — hang on, the security guy is coming over.

''Text on screen'':
<center>
''Technical difficulties''

—

We apologize for hiring a meteologist with a pure math background

—

We'll be back on the air shortly

(logo) News 4
</center>

Blondie: Sorry about that. Hi, I'm your new meteorologist

Voice off: And you're not a mathematician, right?

Blondie: No. I do have a linguistics degree.

Voice off: That's fine.

Blondie: I might rain this afternoon.

: But what is “it” here? Is it a true dummy pronounas in the phrase “It's too bad?” or is the weather an entitiy>

: Also what if I say “It's hot out and getting bigger?”

Voice off: Security!

Title text: Hi, I’m your new meteorologist and a former software developer. Hey, when we say 12pm, does that mean the hour from 12pm to 1pm, or the hour centered on 12pm? Or is it a snapshot at 12:00 exactly? Because our 24-hour forecast has midnight at both ends, and I’m worried we have an off-by-one error.

:Cueball: Our forecast says there's a 20% chance of rain for each of the next five hours.
:Cueball: How likely is it to rain this afternoon? It's a simple question, but I don't know the answer. Is each hour independent? Correlated? Or is rain guaranteed and we're just unsure of the timing?

:Cueball: It says "scattered showers." Is this the chance of rain ''somewhere'' in your area? How big is your area? What if you have two locations you're worried about?
:Cueball: I've asked management, but they've stopped answering my emails, so -- hang on, the security guy is coming over.

:Technical Difficulties
:We Apologize for Hiring a Meteorologist with a Pure Math Background.
:We'll Be Back on the Air Shortly.
:News 4

:Woman: Sorry about that. Hi, I'm your new meteorologist.
:Off-panel voice: And you're not a mathematician, right?
:Woman: No. I do have a linguistics degree.
:Off-panel voice: That's fine.

:Woman: It might rain this afternoon.
:Woman: But what is "it" here? Is it a true dummy pronoun, as in the phrase "It's too bad?" Or is the weather an entity?
:Woman: Also, what if I say, "It's hot out, and getting bigger?"
:Off-panel voice: Security!

{{comic discussion}}

1985: Meteorologist

2018-04-25T16:22:52Z

Zeimusu:

{{comic
| number = 1985
| date = April 25, 2018
| title = Meteorologist
| image = meteorologist.png
| titletext = Hi, I'm your new meteorologist and a former software developer. Hey, when we say 12pm, does that mean the hour from 12pm to 1pm, or the hour centered on 12pm? Or is it a snapshot at 12:00 exactly? Because our 24-hour forecast has midnight at both ends, and I'm worried we have an off-by-one error.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a OVERLY ANALYTICAL METEOROLOGIST - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
''Cueball'' (as a TV weather presenter): Our forecast says there is a 20% chance of rain for each of the next 5 hours

: How likely is it to rain this afternoon? It's a simple question byt I don't know the answer. Is each hour independent? Correllated? Or is rain guareneteed and we're just unsure of the timing.

: It says “scattered showers.” Is this the chance of rain ''somewhere'' in your area? How big is your area? What if you have two locations you're worred about

:I've asked managemanet, but they've stopped answering my emials, so — hang on, the security guy is coming over.

''Text on screen'':
<center>
''Technical difficulties''

—

We apologize for hiring a meteologist with a pure math background

—

We'll be back on the air shortly

(logo) News 4
</centre>

Blondie: Sorry about that. Hi, I'm your new meteorologist

Voice off: And you're not a mathematician, right?

Blondie: No. I do have a linguistics degree.

Voice off: That's fine.

Blondie: I might rain this afternoon.

: But what is “it” here? Is it a true dummy pronounas in the phrase “It's too bad?” or is the weather an entitiy>

: Also what if I say “It's hot out and getting bigger?”

Voice off: Security!

Title text: Hi, I’m your new meteorologist and a former software developer. Hey, when we say 12pm, does that mean the hour from 12pm to 1pm, or the hour centered on 12pm? Or is it a snapshot at 12:00 exactly? Because our 24-hour forecast has midnight at both ends, and I’m worried we have an off-by-one error.

:Cueball: Our forecast says there's a 20% chance of rain for each of the next five hours.
:Cueball: How likely is it to rain this afternoon? It's a simple question, but I don't know the answer. Is each hour independent? Correlated? Or is rain guaranteed and we're just unsure of the timing?

:Cueball: It says "scattered showers." Is this the chance of rain ''somewhere'' in your area? How big is your area? What if you have two locations you're worried about?
:Cueball: I've asked management, but they've stopped answering my emails, so -- hang on, the security guy is coming over.

:Technical Difficulties
:We Apologize for Hiring a Meteorologist with a Pure Math Background.
:We'll Be Back on the Air Shortly.
:News 4

:Woman: Sorry about that. Hi, I'm your new meteorologist.
:Off-panel voice: And you're not a mathematician, right?
:Woman: No. I do have a linguistics degree.
:Off-panel voice: That's fine.

:Woman: It might rain this afternoon.
:Woman: But what is "it" here? Is it a true dummy pronoun, as in the phrase "It's too bad?" Or is the weather an entity?
:Woman: Also, what if I say, "It's hot out, and getting bigger?"
:Off-panel voice: Security!

{{comic discussion}}

1924: Solar Panels

2018-04-20T19:34:20Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1924
| date = December 4, 2017
| title = Solar Panels
| image = solar_panels.png
| titletext = This works for a surprising range of sunlit things, including rooftops (sure), highway surfaces (probably not), sailboats (maybe), and jets, cars, and wild deer (haha good luck).
}}

==Explanation==

This handy decision tree aims to help in finding out whether a given object should have {{w|solar panel}}s installed on it.

The root question is whether the object of choice moves. If it doesn't and has no nearby empty space that would be more practical for the solar panel installation, then yes, the object should be equipped with the solar panels. If the object is static, but you could more easily install the panels somewhere else nearby, probably that's the best place. An example of this is a slanted rooftop of a house or a field on a hillside: it's certainly possible to put solar panels there, but if a flat surface, like a flat-roofed house or a level field, is available, it would generally be easier to put them on that. This way, you can select the optimal direction for the panels to face, which might not be possible on a given incline, or even have them [https://www.linak.com/business-areas/energy move to track the sun]. However if the house has a side that is turned towards the sun (south in the Northern hemisphere) then a house roof could be even better than on the ground, which is why the title text says "sure" for rooftops. For another example of things where "putting next to it" instead of "on it" is generally the easier (and arguably) option, see the "highway surfaces" of the title text.

If the object moves, the next question is whether its batteries can be recharged or swapped with ease, in which case batteries may be a better option than solar panels, if the purpose of the panels is to power the object. The idea is that solar panels on a vehicle sound like an interesting idea, but batteries can be much more easily (and economically) recharged from a fixed electrical station than using solar panels on the vehicle as a power source.

Finally, if the object moves and batteries are not an option, the last question is whether the object heats up during operation. If so, solar panels may not work well. [[Randall]] doubts it mockingly, see also the title text regarding his ''Haha Good luck'' final option.
Solar panels can only produce electrical power equal to about 20% of the solar radiation they receive. Thus, a device which heats up during use likely consumes much more power than the amount which could be produced by solar panels covering its surface - so "good luck". Obviously, many animals are also "moving objects"{{Citation needed}} fitting this condition, and installing solar panels on them is bound to be a challenge.
Moreover, solar panels do not work effectively when excessively hot [http://news.energysage.com/solar-panel-temperature-overheating/] (solar panels are typically designed to operate in temperature ranges of 15-25 Celsius, 59-77 Fahrenheit, 288.15-298.15 Kelvin, 518.67-536.67 Rankine , or [[1923: Felsius|37-51 felsius]]).

But if changing batteries is not an option, and heat production and power requirements are low, then solar panels can be an excellent solution on a moving object. An excellent case for this is on [[:Category:Space probes|space probes]] and satellites, which are typically powered entirely by solar panels. Randall is well aware of this, as shown with the comics [[695: Spirit]] and [[1504: Opportunity]] about the two solar powered [[:Category:Mars rovers|Mars rovers]], although in this comic he seems to have only been concerned with Earthbound objects.

The flow chart, however, does not mention if the thing in question actually ''needs'' solar panels, but according to the title text it works very well, and thus Randall implies that if the answer is ''sure'' then it is relevant to put solar panels there. The more solar panels in place, the less fossil fuels are needed, and this is in line with Randall's general interest in reducing [[:Category:Climate change|climate change]].

The title text suggests that this flow chart is very broadly applicable to anything the Sun hits. It takes rooftops as one of the sure things, highway surfaces as probably not (see below), sailboats as a maybe, whereas all these moving objects, jets, cars, and wild deer ends up on the ''haha good luck'' result, as they get too hot when running. Randall tries to make the reader envision a wild deer with solar panels on it. As opposed to a car, though, a wild deer has no use of the electricity created by a solar panel, and it would be very hard for those installing it in the first place to come back and extract any energy stored by the panels...

"Highway surfaces" is likely a reference to "{{w|photovoltaic pavement}}". Engineers{{Citation needed}} commonly{{Citation needed}} regard the idea as a nightmare to implement; it would be more practical to install the solar panels ''beside'' the road where damage by cars is less of an issue.

==Transcript==

:[A flow chart that features four questions in bubbles. Each question has yes/no options in bubbles overlain to the left and right on the question bubble. Curved arrows points from the yes and no bubbles to either next question or the result. The result written at the bottom is not inside bubbles. The chart has two main branches, that ends up in five places using only four different results, as the middle result is shared by both branches. Above the chart there is a caption:]
:'''Should I put solar panels on it?'''

:Does it move around?
::Yes
:::Does it have regular chances to recharge or swap batteries?
::::Yes
:::::Probably not
::::No
:::::When running, is it hot to the touch?
::::::No
:::::::Maybe
::::::Yes
:::::::Haha good luck
::No
:::Is there an empty space nearby where it would be easier to put them?
::::Yes
:::::Probably not [Uses the same sentence as the one in the first branch.]
::::No
:::::Sure

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Flowcharts]]
[[Category:Animals]]

1981: Rickrolling Anniversary

2018-04-16T16:18:18Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1981
| date = April 16, 2018
| title = Rickrolling Anniversary
| image = rickrolling_anniversary.png
| titletext = Want to feel old? The 'want to feel old?' factoid meme dates back to around 2011, closer to the Bush/Kerry election than to today.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a Rickroller - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic is another one in the "feeling old" series. This one deals with the memes {{w|Rickrolling}} and "want to feel old?" (title text).
In the comic, Megan and Cueball discuss the 10th anniversary of the peak of rickrolling, and after a beat panel, note that they are old.

Cueball's comment in the final panel, "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ We've known each other for so long]", is the first line of the second verse of the song "{{w|Never Gonna Give You Up}}" on which rickrolling is based.

Rickrolling had first started in 2007, but reached a peak in about April 2008 when, as a April fool's day prank, Youtube linked all its featured videos to ''Never Gonna Give You Up'', and the New York Mets were Rickrolled by a public vote to choose a song for the 8th innings sing-song. This coincided with a sharp peak in searches for "Rick Astley" and related terms.[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/rickroll]

The title text refers to the xkcd meme of giving snippets of information that make one feel old. Although comics such as [[218: Nintendo Surgeon]] in 2007 refer to facts that could make you feel old, the first comic build around factoids to make one feel old in xkcd was [[891: Movie Ages]] in April 2011. This was 7 years before the time of publishing. The Bush Kerry election was in November 2004, 6½ years before that comic.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Cueball and Megan are walking.]
:Cueball: This month marks ten years since the peak of the Rickrolling phenomenon.

:[A frameless panel.]
:Megan: Seriously?
:Megan: Wow. Happy anniversary, I guess.

:[Beat panel.]

:Cueball: We've known each other for so long.
:Megan: We really have.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics to make one feel old]]

1981: Rickrolling Anniversary

2018-04-16T16:17:49Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1981
| date = April 16, 2018
| title = Rickrolling Anniversary
| image = rickrolling_anniversary.png
| titletext = Want to feel old? The 'want to feel old?' factoid meme dates back to around 2011, closer to the Bush/Kerry election than to today.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a Rickroller - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic is another one in the "feeling old" series. This one deals with the memes {{w|Rickrolling}} and "want to feel old?" (title text).
In the comic, Megan and Cueball discuss the 10th anniversary of the peak of rickrolling, and after a beat panel, note that they are old.

Cueball's comment in the final panel, "[We've known each other for so long https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ]", is the first line of the second verse of the song "{{w|Never Gonna Give You Up}}" on which rickrolling is based.

Rickrolling had first started in 2007, but reached a peak in about April 2008 when, as a April fool's day prank, Youtube linked all its featured videos to ''Never Gonna Give You Up'', and the New York Mets were Rickrolled by a public vote to choose a song for the 8th innings sing-song. This coincided with a sharp peak in searches for "Rick Astley" and related terms.[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/rickroll]

The title text refers to the xkcd meme of giving snippets of information that make one feel old. Although comics such as [[218: Nintendo Surgeon]] in 2007 refer to facts that could make you feel old, the first comic build around factoids to make one feel old in xkcd was [[891: Movie Ages]] in April 2011. This was 7 years before the time of publishing. The Bush Kerry election was in November 2004, 6½ years before that comic.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Cueball and Megan are walking.]
:Cueball: This month marks ten years since the peak of the Rickrolling phenomenon.

:[A frameless panel.]
:Megan: Seriously?
:Megan: Wow. Happy anniversary, I guess.

:[Beat panel.]

:Cueball: We've known each other for so long.
:Megan: We really have.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics to make one feel old]]

1981: Rickrolling Anniversary

2018-04-16T16:15:37Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */ title text

{{comic
| number = 1981
| date = April 16, 2018
| title = Rickrolling Anniversary
| image = rickrolling_anniversary.png
| titletext = Want to feel old? The 'want to feel old?' factoid meme dates back to around 2011, closer to the Bush/Kerry election than to today.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a Rickroller - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic is another one in the "feeling old" series. This one deals with the memes {{w|Rickrolling}} and "want to feel old?" (title text).
In the comic, Megan and Cueball discuss the 10th anniversary of the peak of rickrolling, and after a beat panel, note that they are old.

Cueball's comment in the final panel, "We've known each other for so long", is the first line of the second verse of the song "{{w|Never Gonna Give You Up}}" on which rickrolling is based.

Rickrolling had first started in 2007, but reached a peak in about April 2008 when, as a April fool's day prank, Youtube linked all its featured videos to ''Never Gonna Give You Up'', and the New York Mets were Rickrolled by a public vote to choose a song for the 8th innings sing-song. This coincided with a sharp peak in searches for "Rick Astley" and related terms.[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/rickroll]

The title text refers to the xkcd meme of giving snippets of information that make one feel old. Although comics such as [[218: Nintendo Surgeon]] in 2007 refer to facts that could make you feel old, the first comic build around factoids to make one feel old in xkcd was [[891: Movie Ages]] in April 2011. This was 7 years before the time of publishing. The Bush Kerry election was in November 2004, 6½ years before that comic.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Cueball and Megan are walking.]
:Cueball: This month marks ten years since the peak of the Rickrolling phenomenon.

:[A frameless panel.]
:Megan: Seriously?
:Megan: Wow. Happy anniversary, I guess.

:[Beat panel.]

:Cueball: We've known each other for so long.
:Megan: We really have.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics to make one feel old]]

1981: Rickrolling Anniversary

2018-04-16T16:07:29Z

Zeimusu: rick rolling in 2008

{{comic
| number = 1981
| date = April 16, 2018
| title = Rickrolling Anniversary
| image = rickrolling_anniversary.png
| titletext = Want to feel old? The 'want to feel old?' factoid meme dates back to around 2011, closer to the Bush/Kerry election than to today.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a Rickroller - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic is another one in the "feeling old" series. This one deals with the memes {{w|Rickrolling}} and "want to feel old?" (title text).
In the comic, Megan and Cueball discuss the 10th anniversary of the peak of rickrolling, and after a beat panel, note that they are old.

Cueball's comment in the final panel, "We've known each other for so long", is the first line of the second verse of the song "{{w|Never Gonna Give You Up}}" on which rickrolling is based.

Rickrolling had first started in 2007, but reached a peak in about April 2008 when, as a April fool's day prank, Youtube linked all its featured videos to ''Never Gonna Give You Up'', and the New York Mets were Rickrolled by a public vote to choose a song for the 8th innings sing-song. This coincided with a sharp peak in searches for "Rick Astley" and related terms.[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/rickroll]

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Cueball and Megan are walking.]
:Cueball: This month marks ten years since the peak of the Rickrolling phenomenon.

:[A frameless panel.]
:Megan: Seriously?
:Megan: Wow. Happy anniversary, I guess.

:[Beat panel.]

:Cueball: We've known each other for so long.
:Megan: We really have.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics to make one feel old]]

1963: Namespace Land Rush

2018-03-05T06:47:17Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1963
| date = March 5, 2018
| title = Namespace Land Rush
| image = namespace_land_rush.png
| titletext = You can also just mash the keyboard at random, but you might end up with a gibberish name no one can pronounce.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
When a new web server starts, such as a forum, a social media server or an email portal, the first people to sign up get to choose their username on the service, which blocks future users from those usernames. Common names such as "john" are likely to be taken quickly. This is analogous to the way that land was distributed in America, with the first to claim able to choose the best land.

The title text is a self-reference to "xkcd", The name of the comic is an unpronounceable meaningless result of mashing the keyboard.

==Transcript==
'''NAMESPACE LAND RUSH CHEAT SHEET'''

WHEN A NEW SERVICE APPEARS THAT LETS YOU REGISTER A NAME, HERE ARE SOME YOU MAY WANT TO TRY AND GET FIRST:

''Straightforward''

<Your usual username, if any>

<Your given name>

<Your full name>

<Initial><Surname>

<Surname> (Bold & slightly unconventional)

''Recognizable''

Google

iPhone

Facebook

Bitcoin

Obama

Canada

NFL

Garfield

<Your city>

NASA

<Name of person who runs the service>

''Causing Trouble''

User

Username

Name

You

Guest

Account

''Causing More Trouble''

Admin

Administrator

System

<Name of service>

Help

Error

''Impossible To Say''

Hypen-Emdash

Dash-8hyphen-8

Zero0ne2numeral2

Krisasinhemsworth

Theword&Ampersand

Zettawith3tees

''Misc''

<Single letters>

<Single numbers>

<Common words>

<SQL/JS injection>

ASDF

QWERTY

Yes

Bot

Computer

Blocked

Deleted

Jeeves

Narrator

Internet

NPC

Password

''Permissive Character Sets''

<Space>

@

é

|

"

"

<NBSP>

\

.

<nowiki>#</nowiki>

<nowiki>"</nowiki>

'

<RTL override>

–

-

_

/

`

'

`

<Any emoji>

","

<nowiki>&NBSP</nowiki>

<nowiki></HTML></nowiki>

&LT;/HTML&GT;

OKTHISISKINDOFCONFUSINGBUTIT'S

<LESSTHAN\FORWARDSLASHHTML

GREATERTHANACTUALGREATERTHAN

SYMBOL>YES,THATWASALLPARTOFTHE

NAME,BUTSOIS...OK,LETMESTARTOVER

Title text: You can also just mash the keyboard at random, but you might end up with a gibberish name no one can pronounce.

{{comic discussion}}

1953: The History of Unicode

2018-02-09T17:36:30Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1953
| date = February 9, 2018
| title = The History of Unicode
| image = the_history_of_unicode.png
| titletext = 2048: "Great news for Maine—we're once again an independent state!!! Thanks, @unicode, for ruling in our favor and sending troops to end New Hampshire's annexation. 🙏🚁🎖️"
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by XEROX - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

An encoding of a character set is a mapping from a number to a character. For example, the letter "a" might be represented by the value 65.
Unicode was planned as a way of representing the various characters used in the world's languages in a single encoding. Prior to Unicode, each script had its own character set. Different characters would be represented by the same value. Some languages, such as Japanese, had several inconsistent character encodings, so before people could send text, they would have to have agreed which character set to use. Unicode attempts to solve this by providing for a single character encoding for all the worlds languages. Unicode is run by a consortium of major technology companies and stakeholders.

New characters have continued to be added, and recently many "emoji" (picture characters) have been added to Unicode. One recently added emoji is the "[https://emojipedia.org/lobster/ Lobster emoji]". It was approved as part of Unicode 11, for release in 2018.

The founders of Unicode include [http://www.unicode.org/iuc/iuc29/review-committee.htm Joe Becker], who worked for Xerox in the 1980s. He wears a beard and may be the character featured in the first and third panels.

This is important for the US State of Maine, which has a larger lobster fishery.
The second panel refers to [https://twitter.com/SenAngusKing/status/961331752718557184 an actual tweet] by a Senator from Maine, Angus King.

The central role of Unicode in setting standards for emoji was not foreseen by the consortium's founders.

The title text imagines that Unicode will gain other unexpected roles in the next 30 years. In particular it acts as an international armed force, capable of intervening in military disputes, such as an annexation of Maine by its neighbour, New Hampshire.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[1988:]
:Bearded man: My "Unicode" standard should help reduce problems causeb by incompatible binary text encodings.

:[2018:]
:Senator Angus King‏
:@SenAngusKing
:Great news for Maine - we're getting a lobster emoji!!! Thanks to @unicode for recognizing the impact of this critical crustacean, in Maine and across the country.

:Yours truly,

:Senator 🐮👑

:2/7/18 3:12 PM

:Cueball: Wait, what happened in those thirty years?
:Bearded man: ''Things got a little weird, okay?''

[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

==Trivia==
Initial version of the comic has "1998" in panel 3 instead of "1988" as shown in panel 1.

{{comic discussion}}

1953: The History of Unicode

2018-02-09T17:33:21Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1953
| date = February 9, 2018
| title = The History of Unicode
| image = the_history_of_unicode.png
| titletext = 2048: "Great news for Maine—we're once again an independent state!!! Thanks, @unicode, for ruling in our favor and sending troops to end New Hampshire's annexation. 🙏🚁🎖️"
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by XEROX - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

An encoding of a character set is a mapping from a number to a character. For example, the letter "a" might be represented by the value 65.
Unicode was planned as a way of representing the various characters used in the world's languages in a single encoding. Prior to Unicode, each script had its own character set. Different characters would be represented by the same value. Some languages, such as Japanese, had several inconsistent character encodings, so before people could send text, they would have to have agreed which character set to use. Unicode attempts to solve this by providing for a single character encoding for all the worlds languages. Unicode is run by a consortium of major technology companies and stakeholders.

New characters have continued to be added, and recently many "emoji" (picture characters) have been added to Unicode. One recently added emoji is the "[https://emojipedia.org/lobster/ Lobster emoji]". It was approved as part of Unicode 11, for release in 2018.

The founders of Unicode include [http://www.unicode.org/iuc/iuc29/review-committee.htm Joe Becker], who worked for Xerox in the 1980s. He wears a beard and may be the character featured in the first and third panels.

This is important for the US State of Maine, which has a larger lobster fishery.
The second panel refers to [https://twitter.com/SenAngusKing/status/961331752718557184 an actual tweet] by a Senator from Maine, Angus King.

The central role of Unicode in setting standards for emoji was not foreseen by the consortium's founders.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[1988:]
:Bearded man: My "Unicode" standard should help reduce problems causeb by incompatible binary text encodings.

:[2018:]
:Senator Angus King‏
:@SenAngusKing
:Great news for Maine - we're getting a lobster emoji!!! Thanks to @unicode for recognizing the impact of this critical crustacean, in Maine and across the country.

:Yours truly,

:Senator 🐮👑

:2/7/18 3:12 PM

:Cueball: Wait, what happened in those thirty years?
:Bearded man: ''Things got a little weird, okay?''

[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

==Trivia==
Initial version of the comic has "1998" in panel 3 instead of "1988" as shown in panel 1.

{{comic discussion}}

1953: The History of Unicode

2018-02-09T17:26:01Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1953
| date = February 9, 2018
| title = The History of Unicode
| image = the_history_of_unicode.png
| titletext = 2048: "Great news for Maine—we're once again an independent state!!! Thanks, @unicode, for ruling in our favor and sending troops to end New Hampshire's annexation. 🙏🚁🎖️"
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by XEROX - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

An encoding of a character set is a mapping from a number to a character. For example, the letter "a" might be represented by the value 65.
Unicode was planned as a way of representing the various characters used in the world's languages in a single encoding. Prior to Unicode, each script had its own character set. Different characters would be represented by the same value. Some languages, such as Japanese, had several inconsistent character encodings, so before people could send text, they would have to have agreed which character set to use. Unicode attempts to solve this by providing for a single character encoding for all the worlds languages. Unicode is run by a consortium of major technology companies and stakeholders.

New characters have continued to be added, and recently many "emoji" (picture characters) have been added to Unicode. One recently added emoji is the "[https://emojipedia.org/lobster/ Lobster emoji]". It was approved as part of Unicode 11, for release in 2018.

This is important for the US State of Maine, which has a larger lobster fishery.
The second panel refers to [https://twitter.com/SenAngusKing/status/961331752718557184 an actual tweet] by a Senator from Maine, Angus King.

The central role of Unicode in setting standards for emoji was not foreseen by the consortium's founders.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[1988:]
:Bearded man: My "Unicode" standard should help reduce problems causeb by incompatible binary text encodings.

:[2018:]
:Senator Angus King‏
:@SenAngusKing
:Great news for Maine - we're getting a lobster emoji!!! Thanks to @unicode for recognizing the impact of this critical crustacean, in Maine and across the country.

:Yours truly,

:Senator 🐮👑

:2/7/18 3:12 PM

:Cueball: Wait, what happened in those thirty years?
:Bearded man: ''Things got a little weird, okay?''

[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

==Trivia==
Initial version of the comic has "1998" in panel 3 instead of "1988" as shown in panel 1.

{{comic discussion}}

1951: Super Bowl Watch Party

2018-02-05T20:04:16Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1951
| date = February 5, 2018
| title = Super Bowl Watch Party
| image = super_bowl_watch_party.png
| titletext = It's going to be weird near the end of May when the screen goes blank for over 18 hours.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a FOOTBALL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

The "Super Bowl" is the name of the American Football championship game. On the 4th of February, the winner of the American Football Conference (AFC) played the winner of the National Football Conference (NFC) to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL). Due to the fact that it determines the champion of the highest level of American Football, it is considered to be the most important game of the year, and many people watch it. Some have parties centered around watching the game. The full game lasts for several hours, including breaks for advertisement and a halftime, which includes a live performance of music.

By slowing the video down by a factor of 2300, the show would last a full year. Normal TV is broadcast at 30 frames per second. So if slowed by a factor of 2300 each frame would be shown for about 76 seconds Each frame can be discussed and analysed by the watchers. Each day in the slow video would cover just under 40 seconds of real time. So when Megan comes down to rejoin the party (who have been watching all night) they can describe about 20 seconds of real time. The description refers to the offense taking the field after the initial kickoff was returned to the 26 yard line.

Some people watch the Super Bowl to see the ads which are shown during breaks in play. The end of February would correspond to about 14 minutes of real time.

The title text refers to how, during a commercial break during the 2018 Super Bowl, just blackness was broadcast for 28 seconds. <ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2018/02/04/super-bowl-nbc-equipment-failure-blank-screen-super-bowl-commercial/305623002/</ref>

Cueball has previously explained that he now watches the [[1480: Super Bowl|Super Bowl]], despite [[60: Super Bowl|not being very interested in sport]]. A slowly updating video is similar to the concept behind [[Time]].

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Megan walks into a room. Cueball and another Megan-like individual are sitting on a couch. Another Cueball sits in front of them, while Ponytail lies on the ground in front of a TV.]
:Megan: Morning. How's the game?
:Cueball: Eagles got to the 26-yard line around midnight. They've been walking across the field since then. Just entered a huddle.
:Megan #2: I bet the next frame will be a cut.
:Cueball #2: You always say that.
:Ponytail: Do you think the first ads will come by the end of February?
:[Caption below the comic:]
:I'm at a year-round Super Bowl watch party. We're playing the stream at 1/2300x speed, so it will end just as next year's Super Bowl starts.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:American football]]

<references/>

1951: Super Bowl Watch Party

2018-02-05T19:04:42Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1951
| date = February 5, 2018
| title = Super Bowl Watch Party
| image = super_bowl_watch_party.png
| titletext = It's going to be weird near the end of May when the screen goes blank for over 18 hours.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a FOOTBALL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

On the 4th of February, there was a Gridiron Football match between the winners of the two professional leagues in America. Called the "Super Bowl", it is considered to be the most important game of the year, and many people watch it. Some have parties centred around watching the match. The full game lasts for several hours, including breaks in which there are live performances of music and ads are broadcast on T.V.

By slowing the video down by a factor of 2300, the show would last a full year. Normal TV is broadcast at 30 frames per second. So if slowed by a factor of 2300 each frame would be shown for about 76 seconds Each frame can be discussed and analysed by the watchers. Each day in the slow video would cover just under 40 seconds of real time. So when Megan comes down to rejoin the party (who have been watching all night) they can describe about 20 seconds of real time. The description refers to the offense taking the field after the initial kickoff was returned to the 26 yard line.

The title text refers to how, during a commercial break during the 2018 Super Bowl, just blackness was broadcast for 28 seconds. <ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2018/02/04/super-bowl-nbc-equipment-failure-blank-screen-super-bowl-commercial/305623002/</ref>

Cueball has previously explained that he now watches the [[1480: Super Bowl|Super Bowl]], despite [[60: Super Bowl|not being very interested in sport]]. A slowly updating video is similar to the concept behind [[Time]].

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Megan walks into a room. Cueball and another Megan-like individual are sitting on a couch. Another Cueball sits in front of them, while Ponytail lies on the ground in front of a TV.]
:Megan: Morning. How's the game?
:Cueball: Eagles got to the 26-yard line around midnight. They've been walking across the field since then. Just entered a huddle.
:Megan #2: I bet the next frame will be a cut.
:Cueball #2: You always say that.
:Ponytail: Do you think the first ads will come by the end of February?
:[Caption below the comic:]
:I'm at a year-round Super Bowl watch party. We're playing the stream at 1/2300x speed, so it will end just as next year's Super Bowl starts.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:American football]]

<references/>

1951: Super Bowl Watch Party

2018-02-05T19:04:24Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1951
| date = February 5, 2018
| title = Super Bowl Watch Party
| image = super_bowl_watch_party.png
| titletext = It's going to be weird near the end of May when the screen goes blank for over 18 hours.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a FOOTBALL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

On the 4th of February, there was a Gridiron Football match between the winners of the two professional leagues in America. Called the "Super Bowl", it is considered to be the most important game of the year, and many people watch it. Some have parties centred around watching the match. The full game lasts for several hours, including breaks in which there are live performances of music and ads are broadcast on T.V.

By slowing the video down by a factor of 2300, the show would last a full year. Normal TV is broadcast at 30 frames per second. So if slowed by a factor of 2300 each frame would be shown for about 76 seconds Each frame can be discussed and analysed by the watchers. Each day in the slow video would cover just under 40 seconds of real time. So when Megan comes down to rejoin the party (who have been watching all night) they can describe about 20 seconds of real time. The description refers to the offense taking the field after the initial kickoff was returned to the 26 yard line.

The title text refers to how, during a commercial break during the 2018 Super Bowl, just blackness was broadcast for 28 seconds. <ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2018/02/04/super-bowl-nbc-equipment-failure-blank-screen-super-bowl-commercial/305623002/</ref>

Cueball has previously explained that he now watches the [[1480: Super Bowl|Super Bowl]], despite [[60:Super Bowl|not being very interested in sport]]. A slowly updating video is similar to the concept behind [[Time]].

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Megan walks into a room. Cueball and another Megan-like individual are sitting on a couch. Another Cueball sits in front of them, while Ponytail lies on the ground in front of a TV.]
:Megan: Morning. How's the game?
:Cueball: Eagles got to the 26-yard line around midnight. They've been walking across the field since then. Just entered a huddle.
:Megan #2: I bet the next frame will be a cut.
:Cueball #2: You always say that.
:Ponytail: Do you think the first ads will come by the end of February?
:[Caption below the comic:]
:I'm at a year-round Super Bowl watch party. We're playing the stream at 1/2300x speed, so it will end just as next year's Super Bowl starts.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:American football]]

<references/>

1951: Super Bowl Watch Party

2018-02-05T18:53:00Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1951
| date = February 5, 2018
| title = Super Bowl Watch Party
| image = super_bowl_watch_party.png
| titletext = It's going to be weird near the end of May when the screen goes blank for over 18 hours.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a FOOTBALL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

On the 4th of February, there was a Gridiron Football match between the winners of the two professional leagues in America. Called the "Super Bowl", it is considered to be the most important game of the year, and many people watch it. Some have parties centred around watching the match. The full game lasts for several hours, including breaks in which there are live performances of music and ads are broadcast on T.V.

By slowing the video down by a factor of 2300, the show would last a full year. Normal TV is broadcast at 30 frames per second. So if slowed by a factor of 2300 each frame would be shown for about 76 seconds Each frame can be discussed and analysed by the watchers. Each day in the slow video would cover just under 40 seconds of real time. So when Megan comes down to rejoin the party (who have been watching all night) they can describe about 20 seconds of real time. The description refers to the offense taking the field after the initial kickoff was returned to the 26 yard line.

The title text refers to how, during a commercial break during the 2018 Super Bowl, just blackness was broadcast for 28 seconds. <ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2018/02/04/super-bowl-nbc-equipment-failure-blank-screen-super-bowl-commercial/305623002/</ref>

Cueball has previously explained that he watches the [[Super Bowl]], despite not being very interested in sport. A slowly updating video is similar to the concept behind [[Time]].

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Megan walks into a room. Cueball and another Megan-like individual are sitting on a couch. Another Cueball sits in front of them, while Ponytail lies on the ground in front of a TV.]
:Megan: Morning. How's the game?
:Cueball: Eagles got to the 26-yard line around midnight. They've been walking across the field since then. Just entered a huddle.
:Megan #2: I bet the next frame will be a cut.
:Cueball #2: You always say that.
:Ponytail: Do you think the first ads will come by the end of February?
:[Caption below the comic:]
:I'm at a year-round Super Bowl watch party. We're playing the stream at 1/2300x speed, so it will end just as next year's Super Bowl starts.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:American football]]

<references/>

1951: Super Bowl Watch Party

2018-02-05T18:30:51Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1951
| date = February 5, 2018
| title = Super Bowl Watch Party
| image = super_bowl_watch_party.png
| titletext = It's going to be weird near the end of May when the screen goes blank for over 18 hours.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a FOOTBALL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

On the 4th of February, there was a Gridiron Football match between the winners of the two professional leagues in America. Called the "Super Bowl", it is considered to be the most important game of the year, and many people watch it. Some have parties centred around watching the match. The full game lasts for several hours, including breaks in which there are live performances of music and ads are broadcast on T.V.

By slowing the video down by a factor of 2300, the show would last a full year. Normal TV is broadcast at 30 frames per second. So if slowed by a factor of 2300 each frame would be shown for about 76 seconds Each frame can be discussed and analysed by the watchers. Each day in the slow video would cover just under 40 seconds of real time. So when Megan comes down to rejoin the party (who have been watching all night) they can describe about 20 seconds of real time. The description refers to the offense taking the field after the initial kickoff was returned to the 26 yard line.

The title text refers to how, during a commercial break during the 2018 Super Bowl, just blackness was broadcast for 28 seconds. <ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2018/02/04/super-bowl-nbc-equipment-failure-blank-screen-super-bowl-commercial/305623002/</ref>

A slowly updating video is similar to the concept behind [[Time]].

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Megan walks into a room. Cueball and another Megan-like individual are sitting on a couch. Another Cueball sits in front of them, while Ponytail lies on the ground in front of a TV.]
:Megan: Morning. How's the game?
:Cueball: Eagles got to the 26-yard line around midnight. They've been walking across the field since then. Just entered a huddle.
:Megan #2: I bet the next frame will be a cut.
:Cueball #2: You always say that.
:Ponytail: Do you think the first ads will come by the end of February?
:[Caption below the comic:]
:I'm at a year-round Super Bowl watch party. We're playing the stream at 1/2300x speed, so it will end just as next year's Super Bowl starts.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:American football]]

<references/>

1951: Super Bowl Watch Party

2018-02-05T18:03:49Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */ some explanation

{{comic
| number = 1951
| date = February 5, 2018
| title = Super Bowl Watch Party
| image = super_bowl_watch_party.png
| titletext = It's going to be weird near the end of May when the screen goes blank for over 18 hours.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a FOOTBALL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

On the 4th of February, there was a Gridiron Football match between the winners of the two professional leagues in America, called the "Super Bowl". It is considered to be the most important game of the year, and many people watch it. Some have parties centred around watching the match. The full game lasts for several hours, including breaks in which there are live performances of music and ads are broadcast on T.V.

By slowing the video down by a factor of 2300, the show would last a full year. Normal TV is broadcast at 30 frames per second. So a if slowed by a factor of 2300 each frame would be shown for about 76 seconds Each frame can be discussed and analysed by the watchers. Each day in the slow video would cover just under 40 seconds of real time. So when Megan comes down to rejoin the party (who have been watching all night) they can describe about 20 seconds of real time. Apparently the teams are still walking out on the field and going into their pre-match motivational "huddle".

The title text refers to how, during a commercial break during the 2018 Super Bowl, just blackness was broadcast for 28 seconds. <ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2018/02/04/super-bowl-nbc-equipment-failure-blank-screen-super-bowl-commercial/305623002/</ref>

A slowly updating video is similar to the concept behind [[Time]].

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Megan walks into a room. Cueball and another Megan-like individual are sitting on a couch. Another Cueball sits in front of them, while Ponytail lies on the ground in front of a TV.]
:Megan: Morning. How's the game?
:Cueball: Eagles got to the 26-yard line around midnight. They've been walking across the field since then. Just entered a huddle.
:Megan #2: I bet the next frame will be a cut.
:Cueball #2: You always say that.
:Ponytail: Do you think the first ads will come by the end of February?
:[Caption below the comic:]
:I'm at a year-round Super Bowl watch party. We're playing the stream at 1/2300x speed, so it will end just as next year's Super Bowl starts.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:American football]]

<references/>

Talk:1934: Phone Security

2017-12-27T23:26:04Z

Zeimusu: removing email address from signature.

"Detonated" ah, so this is the feature that Samsung was prototyping last year... [[User:Andyd273|Andyd273]] ([[User talk:Andyd273|talk]]) 15:39, 27 December 2017 (UTC)

:Ha! Yes, it's too bad their phones kept mistakenly registering as being stolen... stupid bugs. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.70.107|172.69.70.107]] 17:28, 27 December 2017 (UTC) Sam

Someone needs to make a jailbreak that does as much of this as possible, especially the ridesharing and siren 😂 [[User:PotatoGod|PotatoGod]] ([[User talk:PotatoGod|talk]]) 15:52, 27 December 2017 (UTC)

: there was or is at least one house in the U.S. that was reported, apparently inaccurately, as the location of an extraordinary number of stolen cell phones. Presumably that house would suffer all of the pranks that this phone security performs. As for payment details - someone who stole a phone may have also stolen banking cards, so, the account number that you steal back may belong to another innocent victim. It's just a joke of course, but, saying. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.235|162.158.111.235]] 22:02, 27 December 2017 (UTC)

1758: Astrophysics

2017-09-18T21:00:23Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1758
| date = November 11, 2016
| title = Astrophysics
| image = astrophysics.png
| titletext = DEPARTMENT OF NEUROSCIENCE / Motto: "If I hear the phrase 'mirror neurons' I swear to God I will flip this table."
}}

==Explanation==
In physics, the theory of gravity produced by {{w|general relativity}} combined with {{w|dark matter}} are our current best model for explaining the behavior of gravity and galaxies. The evidence supporting this model is extensive. General relativity accurately predicts the orbit of planets, even precise details like the {{w|Two-body problem in general relativity#Anomalous precession of Mercury|precession of Mercury}} which Newtonian gravity couldn't fully explain. Dark matter, in turn, explains behaviors of galaxies such as their {{w|Galaxy rotation curve|rotation rates}} that were not correctly predicted with general relativity alone. Most astrophysicists believe dark matter exists, either in the form of {{w|Massive compact halo object|an unknown type of star that is too dim to see}}, or {{w|Weakly interacting massive particles|an undiscovered subatomic particle}}.

However, because the concept of dark matter posits something unknown and so far undetected, it can be difficult to accept at an intuitive level. It is common to hear objections to dark matter, with a popular alternative idea being that dark matter can be explained away by a modified theory of gravity. One such alternative theory which gets proposed regularly is {{w|modified Newtonian dynamics}} (MOND). In MOND, gravity doesn't simply follow the {{w|inverse square law}} but has more complicated behavior. Usually, the extra behavior is either to say that gravitational force can be affected by the acceleration of the particle, or that it goes from inverse-square to just inverse at large distances. It can be appealing because it's relatively simple—it just changes our understanding of Newton's law of gravitation, rather than requiring entirely new forms of matter or unknown stars to exist—and because it has some nice side-effects, such as explaining why there seems to be a limit on the density of galaxies. Unfortunately, physicists have explored this avenue and cannot reconcile it with all existing data. One famous counterexample is the {{w|Bullet Cluster}}, where two colliding galaxy clusters are ripping through each other. The mass distribution within the cluster can be inferred through gravitational lensing, and appears to show dark matter and ordinary matter being separated to a certain extent which cannot be explained with MOND. Another counterexample is MOND's incompatibility with observations of the motion of galaxies in galaxy clusters. More generally, MOND isn't compatible with general relativity—which has a huge amount of experimental data in its favour—and a MOND-compatible general relativity would be very complicated and ugly.

This comic illustrates physicists' disdain for people who constantly try to challenge the existence of dark matter without realizing all the evidence and theoretical foundation that support it. Apparently members of this department are so tired of hearing the same old ideas being repeated to them, that they have adopted a motto and even erected a sign in an attempt to clear the misconception. The specific impetus for this comic may be the press coverage around [https://arxiv.org/abs/1611.02269 this publication] by {{w|Erik Verlinde}} (see popular description of the paper [http://phys.org/news/2016-11-theory-gravity-dark.html here]). It was released online three days before the release of this comic and got a lot of coverage exclaiming "this will prove Einstein wrong". While Verlinde's work on {{w|entropic gravity}} is a serious theory derived from {{w|thermodynamics}} and {{w|quantum information theory}}, it is important to keep in mind that it's just a {{w|pre-print}} and hasn't been peer-reviewed or experimentally verified yet. Verlinde's theory also doesn't match all available data - it [http://motls.blogspot.de/2010/01/erik-verlinde-why-gravity-cant-be.html disagrees with experimental results showing how particles interact with gravity]. Thus, it is still a far cry from being a contender for replacing dark matter.

The title text alludes to a similar issue faced by the Department of {{w|Neuroscience}} from popular misconceptions of {{w|Mirror neurons}}. Mirror neurons are brain cells which trigger when watching someone else do something. Experiments claim to have found mirror neurons in humans and apes, and there are theories that make mirror neurons the foundation of learning, empathy, language and consciousness itself. However, {{w|mirror neurons#Doubts concerning mirror neurons|the evidence for mirror neurons is still patchy}}, and even if they exist, it's very simplistic to try to attribute so much of human behavior to a single type of relatively simple cell. In light of this, the motto of the neuroscientists at the department rightfully reflect their frustration. [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/flipping-tables Flipping tables] is a common depiction for expressing extreme outrage. It is used here also as a pun because mirrors flip the image in front of them.

Another story of similar press coverage questioning the current established scientific theory was also mentioned two days before the release of this comic, on the YouTube channel Space Time from PBS Digital Studios in their video titled [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UNLgPIiWAg Did Dark Energy Just Disappear?]. This one was regarding the paper [http://www.nature.com/articles/srep35596 Marginal evidence for cosmic acceleration from Type Ia supernovae]. The video concluded that dark energy is still the best explanation. Note this is about the existence of dark energy rather than dark matter. The two are very distinct concepts.

Science papers with results that supposedly disprove solidly founded theories have been the subject before in [[955: Neutrinos]].

==Transcript==
:[A sign on two posts, in the grass in front of a building with windows and double doors, a window on each door, and bars facing outwards. There is a cement walk leading to the doors. On the sign is the text:]
:<big>'''Department of Astrophysics'''</big>
:'''Motto:'''
:''Yes, everybody has already had the idea, "Maybe there's no dark matter—Gravity just works differently on large scales!" It sounds good but doesn't really fit the data.''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Biology]]

1886: Typing Notifications

2017-09-06T16:51:25Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1886
| date = September 6, 2017
| title = Typing Notifications
| image = typing_notifications.png
| titletext = Over the years I've decided I'd rather have them on than not, but I'm glad there aren't "has opened a blank note to compose a reply to you" notifications.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Typing notifications are a feature of some instant messaging systems. They let you know when the other person in a conversation is typing and preparing a reply. They give the sender confidence that their message has been received and is being processed.

The comic shows a transcript from such an instant messenger, such as "iMessage" on the iPhone.
In the comic, the receiver is asked if they like the sender's "show". They compose a reply, then pause to delete it. This happens twice. When the final response is received it is anodyne "It was great", suggesting that the first two deleted drafts were far more critical. The fact that you know that a message has been deleted or edited twice provokes you to imagine what the deleted drafts may have contained.



==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Sequence of panels representing the same conversation in an electronic chat:]

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!
:Reply: [...]

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!
:Reply: [...]

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!
:Reply: [...]

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!
:Reply: [...]

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!
:Reply: It was great!

:[Caption below the panels:]
:My least favorite aspect of typing notifications

{{comic discussion}}

1886: Typing Notifications

2017-09-06T16:49:49Z

Zeimusu: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1886
| date = September 6, 2017
| title = Typing Notifications
| image = typing_notifications.png
| titletext = Over the years I've decided I'd rather have them on than not, but I'm glad there aren't "has opened a blank note to compose a reply to you" notifications.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Typing notifications are a feature of some instant messaging systems. They let you know when the other person in a conversation is typing and preparing a reply. They give the sender confidence that their message has been received and is being processed.

In the comic, the receiver is asked if they like the sender's "show". They compose a reply, then pause to delete it. This happens twice. When the final response is received it is anodyne "It was great", suggesting that the first two deleted drafts were far more critical. The fact that you know that a message has been deleted or edited twice provokes you to imagine what the deleted drafts may have contained.



==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Sequence of panels representing the same conversation in an electronic chat:]

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!
:Reply: [...]

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!
:Reply: [...]

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!
:Reply: [...]

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!
:Reply: [...]

:Message: What did you think of my show? Did you like it? Be honest!
:Reply: It was great!

:[Caption below the panels:]
:My least favorite aspect of typing notifications

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:1881: Drone Training

2017-08-25T14:15:21Z

Zeimusu: /* Deep learning */

== Deep learning ==

With deep learning (or any kind of actively learning Artificial Intelligence), drones can learn from their experience. The question is if you need spray bottle for this (that is, if there is some programmatic way to teach it, like marking parts of home that it should not enter in an app, or a feedback from app), and if the spraying the drone would actually work (if the AI would actually take it for a negative reinforcement). --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 10:33, 25 August 2017 (UTC)
: Imho it would be really cool if you could teach an AI things without using any software, e.g. no programmatic way or app needed. Personally I'd prefer using a spray bottle over an app or similar. And I'm saying this as a professional software developer. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 10:55, 25 August 2017 (UTC)

: 60 years ago when televisions had vacuum tubes instead of integrated circuits and the picture would get fuzzy, you could ''teach'' it to behave by slapping the side of the case. *wink* [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 12:02, 25 August 2017 (UTC)
:: Indeed, but it didn't learn from it XD /edit: I'm not sure if you're exaggerating with the "60 years ago", though... It's more like 10 to 15 when CRTs vanished https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube#Demise. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 13:01, 25 August 2017 (UTC)

"This is the first comic to feature Black Hat, White Hat, and no other character." Is this correct. Which other comics feature both "hats".[[User:Zeimusu|Zeimusu]] ([[User talk:Zeimusu|talk]]) 14:15, 25 August 2017 (UTC)

Talk:1881: Drone Training

2017-08-25T14:15:04Z

Zeimusu: /* Deep learning */

1881: Drone Training

2017-08-25T14:14:01Z

Zeimusu: /* Trivia */

{{comic
| number = 1881
| date = August 25, 2017
| title = Drone Training
| image = drone_training.png
| titletext = The joke will be on him in a few weeks when animal control shows up and takes custody of his Roomba.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|A simple comic, anything missing?}}
In this comic, [[Black Hat]] enters a pet store run by [[White Hat]]. He wants to buy something to help him train his drone, which keeps flying into the wrong rooms. This is absurd as drones are not living creatures like dogs or cats, which can be trained to do tricks, or stay in the correct areas (inside his property). He also wants a shock collar for his {{w|Roomba}}, which would train it to stay inside or at least on his lawn.

{{w|Cat repeller}} are devices or substances for training cats or repelling them from furniture or other areas. The Wikipedia page lacks the spray but you easily can create it at home as shown here: [http://www.instructables.com/id/Friendly-but-Effective-Cat-Repellent/ Friendly (but Effective) Cat Repellent], Black Hat is probably wasting some money when he buys it in a shop.

Roomba is a branch of autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners and controlling it by electric shocks from a {{w|Shock collar|shock collar}}, normally used for dogs, is more than questionable. Those collars are legal in the US but they are banned in many European countries and others.

The title text predicts that it will become a total flop when the Roomba probably gets rid of the collar and terrorizes the neighborhood. As a result dogcatchers from the {{w|Animal control service|animal control service}} will arrest this ''wild animal''.

==Transcript==
:[Black Hat stands in front of a store counter facing White Hat who stands behind.]
:Black Hat: My drone keeps flying into the wrong rooms. Do you have anything to discourage it?
:White Hat: Sir, this is a pet store.

:Black Hat: Yeah, I was thinking one of those spray bottles for cats.
:White Hat: I don't think you can train a drone.

:[White Hat hands a spray bottle over the counter.]
:Black Hat: Eh, they say that about cats, too. Plus, these days they probably all come with deep learning or whatever. Drones, I mean. Maybe cats too.
:White Hat: Fine, here's a bottle.

:Black Hat: Do you sell a shock collar that can fit around a Roomba?
:White Hat: I'm going to have to ask you to leave.

==Trivia==
*This comic breaks a 5-comic, 9-day (August 14 - 23) eclipse streak, which included [[1876: Eclipse Searches]], [[1877: Eclipse Science]], [[1878: Earth Orbital Diagram]], [[1879: Eclipse Birds]], and [[1880: Eclipse Review]]. This is the longest of [[Randall]]'s same-topic streaks, as his other 5-comic streaks took place in one week with special Tuesday and Thursday releases.

*This is the first comic to feature Black Hat, White Hat, and no other character.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Artificial Intelligence]]