https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Herobrine&feedformat=atomexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T00:20:27ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2459:_March_2020&diff=2118342459: March 20202021-05-13T00:32:12Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2459<br />
| date = May 5, 2021<br />
| title = March 2020<br />
| image = march_2020.png<br />
| titletext = "I've traveled here from the year 2020 to bring you this vaccine!"<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}, specifically regarding the {{w|Covid-19 vaccine}}.<br />
This comic shows 15 calendars and [[Cueball]] next to them. The first three months on the calendar are January, February and March 2020. It would be expected that the months would increase in order, but the calendar month stays at March 2020 until the final panel of the comic, where it switches to May 2021, the month this comic was released, indicating that Cueball is "stuck" in March 2020 for more than a year. The COVID-19 pandemic reached the United States in March 2020 and Cueball (probably representing [[Randall]]) may feel that he has been unable to move on with life, or that time was at a standstill until he was fully vaccinated. It is plausible that Randall was past the two weeks after his final vaccination when this comic came out. He has made several comics centered around that of being fully vaccinated in the weeks up to this comic. Specifically [[2450: Post Vaccine Social Scheduling]] and [[2454: Fully Vaccinated]] in April.<br />
<br />
In the penultimate 2 panels, Cueball is shown getting his two doses of the vaccine, with [[Ponytail]] and [[Hairy]] administering the vaccine. Also these two panels are in March 2020, but in reality they are most likely in March 2021 and April 2021, as there are typically 3-6 weeks between first and second dose depending on the type of vaccine. In the final panel, the calendar has switched to the current month, May 2021, showing that Cueball can now resume life after getting vaccinated, and most likely having passed the two weeks after final shot mark. <br />
<br />
The title text refers to films, in which someone travels through time with a {{W|MacGuffin}}. It could be based on initial production of COVID vaccine in late 2020, or a reference to films in which an earlier "original" version of a virus is necessary to produce a viable vaccine (for example, [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114746/ 12 Monkeys]). Mass rollouts of COVID vaccine ramped up significantly starting early in 2021, but vaccines were still scarce, and unavailable to most of the world.<br />
<br />
The title text also appears to reference [[630: Time Travel]], further highlighting how the COVID-19 pandemic has skewed the perceived flow of time. While it’s technically true that the vaccines were brought from the year 2020, it was through the more ordinary “one day per day” form of time travel illustrated in this earlier comic.<br />
<br />
Interestingly, there are only 15 panels, so if the 'normal' months increased in sync, it would "only" be March 2021, not May 2021. This may refer to the [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7641621/ strange distortion of time during the COVID-19 pandemic]. Clearly 17 panels would have made more sense when counting months, but the point here is that time has been at a standstill the last 14 months from March 2020 to April 2021; how many panels represents those 14 month (14, 12 or 10) is not important. Using 15 panels, makes the first 3 and the last 3 stand out from the 9 in the middle, which makes sense from the flow of the comic.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[In a 3 column by 5 row grid of panels, 15 monthly wall calendars are shown. All calendars have a large header with month and year given on two lines. Below this is a black border with 7 white lines, for each day of the week, and below that 5 rows with 7 columns, making all calendars the same, with 35 spaces. Nothing is shown in these grids. Next to each of these calendars Cueball is shown. In the first 12 panels, Cueball is standing next to the calendar, in only slightly different poses. The text on the calendars only change in the top row, then it stays the same for the next nine panels:]<br />
:Calendar: January 2020<br />
:Calendar: February 2020<br />
:Calendar: March 2020<br />
:Calendar: March 2020<br />
:Calendar: March 2020<br />
:Calendar: March 2020<br />
:Calendar: March 2020<br />
:Calendar: March 2020<br />
:Calendar: March 2020<br />
:Calendar: March 2020<br />
:Calendar: March 2020<br />
:Calendar: March 2020<br />
<br />
:[In the bottom row's first panel the calendar is, as always, to the left, but now Cueball is wearing a mask and sitting on a chair leaning a bit to the left while he is being vaccinated by a masked Ponytail to his right. She is inserting the needle into his left arm. To the right is a tall but small table with the vial from which she has drawn the vaccine standing next to the lid of the vial.]<br />
:Calendar: March 2020<br />
<br />
:[The bottom row's second panel is similar to the previous with Cueball wearing a mask and sitting on a chair leaning a bit to the left while he is being vaccinated - although this time by a masked Hairy, standing to his right. Hairy is also inserting the needle into his left arm. To the right is a different small table, with only one leg. On it is a vial from which Hairy has drawn the vaccine. Also some other black things are lying on the table, maybe other syringes for administrating the vaccine.]<br />
:Calendar: March 2020<br />
<br />
:[In the final panel Cueball again stands next to the calendar, but finally the text has changed.]<br />
:Calendar: May 2021<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]<br />
[[Category:Calendar]]<br />
[[Category:Time travel]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring face masks]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2457:_After_the_Pandemic&diff=2118332457: After the Pandemic2021-05-13T00:30:49Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2457<br />
| date = April 30, 2021<br />
| title = After the Pandemic<br />
| image = after_the_pandemic.png<br />
| titletext = I'm looking forward to having to worry a lot less about covid, but wouldn't mind if we worried a little more about giving each other colds. Colds are bad!<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}. <br />
<br />
There is no hidden humor in this comic, it simply states an opinion. [[Randall]] is saying that he is looking forward to not having to wear a mask everywhere after the pandemic is over. Mask mandates were a common way various organizations reduced the spread of Covid-19. Now that the vaccines exist, people are assuming that these mask mandates will soon end, and in many jurisdictions they have already.<br />
<br />
However, Randall hopes that people will continue to wear a mask when they are sick, as is common in many East Asian countries. This lets other people know the person may be sick, or trying to avoid becoming sick, so they can give the person extra distance. Wearing a mask reduces the spread of infectious droplets when one exhales or coughs, and reduces exposure to droplets from others. Both features help reduce the spread of communicable diseases. Also, Randall thinks other people coughing on him is gross, as do most people.<br />
<br />
Masking when ill would help reduce influenza, [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110517162020.htm tuberculosis] and colds. The flu is a deadly disease that usually kills tens of thousands of people each year.<br />
<br />
People with less common diseases, like tuberculosis, may be more likely to wear a mask if mask wearing becomes more common, so they don't feel as conspicuous. For less severe illnesses and less vulnerable populations xkcd's wish may not be such a good idea, as every cold - albeit unpleasant - constantly trains the immune system and keeps it alert.[https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/common-cold-infection-may-train-the-body-to-recognise-and-fight-coronavirus/articleshow/77366133.cms?from=mdr]<br />
<br />
The title text continues this line of reasoning by saying Randall wants to worry less about COVID-19, but hopes people would worry more about colds. Colds are generally mild and might cause someone to spend a few days home sick from work or school. However, colds cost [https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20030224/cost-of-common-cold-40-billion tens of billions of dollars annually] in the US. Costs include the value of lost productivity at work or school, time spent caring for the sick, cost of doctor visits and medications. Inappropriate treatment of colds with antibiotics is common, and contributes to the rise of {{W|antimicrobial resistance|antibiotic resistant bacteria}}, and {{W|clostridium difficile infection|clostridium difficile infections}}.[https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/community/for-patients/common-illnesses/colds.html].<br />
<br />
Randall has made a specific corona comic targeted at colds before: [[2306: Common Cold]]. And in 2015 he probably had a severe cold (or more than one) as he published these two comics [[1612: Colds]] and [[1618: Cold Medicine]] in December 2015.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
|Things I will not miss one bit after the Pandemic<br />
|Things I hope stick around and become normalized<br />
|-<br />
|Wearing masks everywhere<br />
|Wearing masks when you're feeling sick, because it's an easy way to tell people to give you space, and also getting coughed on is gross<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2455:_Virus_Consulting&diff=2118322455: Virus Consulting2021-05-13T00:29:58Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2455<br />
| date = April 26, 2021<br />
| title = Virus Consulting<br />
| image = virus_consulting.png<br />
| titletext = All our teams make an effort to stay optimistic, but I will say that once our virus division saw the vaccine efficacy data, they started asking for payment up front.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}, specifically regarding the [[:Category:COVID-19 vaccine|COVID-19 vaccine]].<br />
<br />
This comic imagines a scenario where [[Ponytail]] works for a {{w|consulting firm}}, which offers advice about viruses, specifically COVID-19. Ponytail tells a panel of people (the government?), consisting of [[Hairbun]], [[Cueball]] and [[Megan]], that though they are worried about COVID-19 variants, the fact that the number of people vaccinated is increasing considerably is a good sign. Hairbun then accuses Ponytail's firm of simply "telling them what they want to hear", accusing her firm of giving them false hope to make them keep retaining her firm. <br />
<br />
The punchline comes in the final panel where it turns out that Ponytail's colleague, [[Black Hat]], is consulting a different set of clients, which are the viruses themselves. He presents the exact same graph to the viruses and gives them the opposite message: though COVID-19 variants seem to be exciting to them, vaccination numbers are terrible news to their propagation and survival. This repeats the idea of [[2287: Pathogen Resistance]] where the pandemic is seen from the virus' perspective. As in that previous comic, it is the virus that is in a lot of trouble, which is another way of saying that humanity stands a good chance of surviving this situation. (That humanity will survive is also good for the virus, which needs living humans so that it can spread.) This is not the first time that Black Hat has given advice to natural disasters that can kill humans, see [[1754: Tornado Safety Tips]]. <br />
<br />
The fact that another member of Ponytail's firm is telling clients that they should be worried is what Ponytail refers to when claiming that her firm does not simply tell clients what they want to hear.<br />
<br />
Secondarily, the comic is making fun of the perception that consulting firms will offer their services to whoever can pay, even if they are harmful to society, a perception with {{w|McKinsey & Company#Controversies|some basis in fact}}.<br />
<br />
{{w|Variants of SARS-CoV-2|SARS-CoV-2 variants}}, commonly called "COVID variants", have been in the news. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has mutated into many different strains, some of which spread more easily among humans. It is unknown whether the different variants have a greater individual fatality rate. The current SARS-CoV-2 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna as well as the Regeneron therapeutic monoclonal<br />
antibodies all effectively protect against at least the New York ({{w|Lineage B.1.526}}), South African ({{w|Lineage B.1.351}}), and U.K. ({{w|Lineage B.1.1.7}}) variants according to [https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/22/health/covid-ny-variant-vaccine.html two recent study preprints] released April 22, 2021. Further research and peer review is ongoing.<br />
<br />
The title text notes that the firm's "virus division" (the group advising the viruses themselves) has started to get worried that their jobs are becoming obsolete, due to vaccine efficacy. Thus, they are demanding to be paid "up front", before consulting/advising services have been rendered to their clients. Dependent upon the expectations of each party, payment can be asked for "up front", deferred for invoicing once services have been rendered, or a combination of the two. The weaker party to a contract may need to submit their transaction, or a guarantor, before the other spends too much effort in fulfilling their side of the contract.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Ponytail stands in front a chart, with a labeled graph with an upward-curving line at the top, and several box-and-whisker plots below, with unreadable text and labels. She is holding a pointer towards the plot while addressing a panel in front of her to the left. The panel is seated behind a desk and is composed of Hairbun, Cueball and Megan. Cueball has one arm on the desk.]<br />
:Ponytail: Now, I know you're worried about the variants, but this graph should be encouraging.<br />
:Ponytail: Your rollout is going well. The vaccines are good. They work.<br />
:Label on graph: Vaccinations<br />
<br />
:[Same setting in a narrower panel without the chart. Ponytail has the pointer to her side. Cueball has his arms under the desk as the other two.]<br />
:Hairbun: You're just telling us what we want to hear.<br />
:Ponytail: If you think that, you should see the reports from my colleagues who work for COVID.<br />
<br />
:[Close-up of Ponytail in a very narrow panel.]<br />
:Off-screen voice: They work for '''''who??'''''<br />
:Ponytail: Our firm has lots of clients.<br />
<br />
:[Black Hat stands in front of an identical chart as in panel one, and points to it with a pointer in the same way as Ponytail did. Only he is looking to the right at his clients. He is speaking to a panel of three large coronaviruses, two of which floats above the desk, the middle one is partly below the desk. Across the top frame of the panel there is a box with a caption:]<br />
:Meanwhile...<br />
:Black Hat: Now, I know you're excited about the variants, but this graph should be terrifying.<br />
:Black Hat: We're in real trouble here.<br />
:Label on graph: Vaccinations<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2450:_Post_Vaccine_Social_Scheduling&diff=2118302450: Post Vaccine Social Scheduling2021-05-13T00:27:28Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2450<br />
| date = April 14, 2021<br />
| title = Post Vaccine Social Scheduling<br />
| image = post_vaccine_social_scheduling.png<br />
| titletext = As if these problems weren't NP-hard enough.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by an UNVACCINATED MOVIEGOER. Events and people in the comic need to be explained more in detail. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}, specifically regarding the [[:Category:COVID-19 vaccine|COVID-19 vaccine]].<br />
<br />
The comic shows a timeline of a multitude of (presumably) friends and acquaintances getting two doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Due to the recommended delay between shots, as well as few weeks needed to build antibodies after the second shot, planning get-togethers becomes complicated by who is free to meet, or not yet.<br />
<br />
The diagram is some form of Scheduling Diagram, maybe akin to a {{w|Gantt chart}}, which helps to coordinate the status of several individual 'processes' (personal vaccination schedules) and demonstrate where dependent activities (meet-ups) are mutually possible.<br />
<br />
Eventually, everyone can start getting together, but during the time where some people have only received one dose, or neither dose, or their second dose recently, the scheduling is complicated. The complication is increased by the fact that people who have received one or two doses of vaccine, but haven't gone through the whole waiting period, can be expected to have some protection, but possibly not full protection (as represented by the dashed line). In that case, there's the added question of how important it is that the person be at an event, and how much risk the people involved are willing to tolerate. This may be the reason for the "movie" set, in which all participants will have received both doses, but one will not have completed the final waiting period.<br />
<br />
The title text references NP-hardness, a theme that has come up in past comics. {{w|NP-hardness}} describes a particular level of computational difficulty. Scheduling problems are normally NP-hard. But when extra challenges such as having to deal with whether or not people are vaccinated they become even more difficult.<br />
<br />
In this case though, {{w|Critical Path}} dependencies seem trivial enough. Events (vertical lozanges across the dot-marked timelines of those included) are trivial to validate as possible for those selected to attend. Fixed events in time can be scanned to show all those allowed to participate at that moment. Movable events can be rescheduled until (enough of) those hoped to be included are 'valid'. Complications may arise for those whose presence relies upon [[2441|the status of others]] potentially attending, or the need to maintain time between two events (in either order) with part-shared attendees as a precautionary 'cool-down' isolation. It is not obvious that either of these issues factor in, any more than basic scheduling conflicts would.<br />
<br />
The third person being scheduled for a movie before being fully vaccinated may be a direct reference to [[2441: IMDb Vaccines]], discussing the number of people that needs to be vaccinated to record a particular scene. Other than each line's identifying portrait (which are not of the Throne Room characters) no explicit age/vulnerability information is given to justify this, presumably the chart's users are aware of the specifics.<br />
<br />
The third person in the table is included in a movie viewing (for which masks could be worn) shortly after their second immunization, but not included in dinner group until full benefit of vaccine. CDC guidelines permit vaccinated individuals to visit inside a home or private setting without a mask with one household of unvaccinated people who are not at risk for severe illness. Therefore the movie gathering conforms to CDC recommendations provided that the single unvaccinated person is not at increased risk of severe illness and the movie is in a home or private setting.<br />
<br />
The third person in the table appears to have received the second shot twice. This is possibly a reference to [[2422: Vaccine Ordering]]. Another interpretation is that she lied about her first dose being her second dose in order to be invited to the movie.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[From top to bottom, there are eleven people standing on the left side of the image: Danish, Cueball #1, Hairbun, Black Hat, Ponytail, Science Girl, White Hat, Hairy, Blondie, Cueball #2, and Megan, with even-numbered characters standing slightly further to the left. Each character’s first and second doses of the vaccine are labelled ① and ②, respectively. The time before each character’s first dose is drawn with a grey solid line; the time between their first dose and after they are fully vaccinated (two weeks after their second dose) is drawn with a grey dashed line; and the time after they are fully vaccinated is drawn with a black solid line. Black Hat, Science Girl, Blondie, Cueball #2, and Megan have all received their first doses prior to the comic’s time frame. Social activities are drawn with a ellipse around the top and bottom members, and each participating character is identified with a large filled-in circle on their timeline. The ellipses are labelled:]<br />
: DINNER GAMES MOVIE BIRTHDAY DINNER CABIN<br />
<br />
:[The events that happen, in chronological order (from left to right), are:<br />
<br />
* Cueball #1 receives his first dose;<br />
* Blondie receives her second dose;<br />
* Ponytail receives her first dose;<br />
* Hairy receives his first dose;<br />
* White Hat receives his first dose;<br />
* Danish receives her first dose;<br />
* Black Hat receives his second dose;<br />
* Blondie is fully vaccinated;<br />
* Science Girl receives her second dose;<br />
* Cueball #2 receives his second dose;<br />
* Megan receives her second dose;<br />
* Hairbun receives her first dose (erroneously labelled as ②);<br />
* Ponytail receives her second dose;<br />
* Black Hat is fully vaccinated;<br />
* Black Hat and Blondie go to dinner;<br />
* Danish receives her second dose;<br />
* Cueball #1 receives his second dose;<br />
* Science Girl is fully vaccinated;<br />
* Cueball #2 is fully vaccinated;<br />
* Megan is fully vaccinated;<br />
* Hairy receives his second dose;<br />
* White Hat receives his second dose;<br />
* Science Girl, Blondie, Cueball #2, and Megan play games;<br />
* Ponytail is fully vaccinated;<br />
* Hairbun receives her second dose;<br />
* Hairbun, Black Hat, and Ponytail go to the movies or make a movie (the label is just "Movie");<br />
* Danish is fully vaccinated;<br />
* Cueball #1 is fully vaccinated;<br />
* Hairy is fully vaccinated;<br />
* White Hat is fully vaccinated;<br />
* Danish, Cueball #1, Ponytail, White Hat, and Hairy attend a birthday party;<br />
* Hairbun is fully vaccinated;<br />
* Hairbun and Blondie go to dinner;<br />
* Black Hat, Science Girl, White Hat, Hairy, and Cueball #2 go to a cabin.<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:Post-Vaccine Social Scheduling<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category: COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category: COVID-19 vaccine]]<br />
[[Category: Timelines]]<br />
[[Category: Programming]]<br />
[[Category: Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category: Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category: Comics featuring Hairy]]<br />
[[Category: Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category: Comics featuring Hairbun]]<br />
[[Category: Comics featuring Blondie]]<br />
[[Category: Comics featuring Science Girl]]<br />
[[Category: Comics featuring White Hat]]<br />
[[Category: Comics featuring Danish]]<br />
[[Category: Comics featuring Black Hat]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2448:_Eradication&diff=2118292448: Eradication2021-05-13T00:26:17Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2448<br />
| date = April 9, 2021<br />
| title = Eradication<br />
| image = eradication.png<br />
| titletext = When you get to hell, tell smallpox we say hello.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This is another comic in the [[:Category:COVID-19|COVID-19 series]] related to the {{w|2019-20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}}, caused by the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}.<br />
<br />
[[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are discussing the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 eventually becoming "another circulating common cold virus". This is considered to be a [https://science.sciencemag.org/content/371/6530/741 serious possibility], as a combination and vaccines and acquired immunity cause most people to have some degree of immunity as they age. This is particularly likely because SARS-CoV-2 poses little risk to small children, and if most people are infected with it in childhood, they'll likely be immune as adults. Multiple other coronaviruses are common in the human population, and fall under the category of "the common cold", causing only minor and temporary symptoms, with little serious risk for most people. <br />
<br />
If SARS-CoV-2 does transition to being a minor disease, there will be little reason to continue focused eradication efforts, because the ongoing harm will be too little to justify such efforts. It's extremely difficult to wipe out a virus all together, as it requires every human population to be either isolated from the disease, or vaccinated until {{W|herd immunity}} is acheived. There are only two viruses which have been totally eliminated in the wild: {{W|Smallpox}} and {{W|rinderpest}}, and rinderpest infects only cattle and other ruminants, not humans. The elimination of smallpox was one of the greatest public health accomplishments of the 20th century, and resulted from an aggressive and ambitious global vaccination effort. Smallpox is now considered to be extinct in the wild, with only a small number of samples still preserved in government labs. <br />
<br />
Where diseases continue to be dangerous, ongoing global efforts are made to eliminate them entirely (polio, measles and rubella are currently targets of such programs). If a disease ultimately becomes more or less harmless, its elimination is less of a priority. <br />
<br />
The joke of this strip is that, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Megan feels so much rage and ill-will toward the disease that vaccination efforts are no longer only a matter of protecting health, but an expression of hostility toward the virus. Her argument is that, even if global elimination efforts are no longer justified by the danger of the virus, they should be pursued "out of spite". Like many other strips in this series, the characters tend to anthropomorphize the virus, treating it as an intelligent and sentient enemy, rather than mere force of nature. Given that mindset, the idea that the virus could cause so many deaths and so much disruption, and then continue to live ('live') without consequence, would upset many people. Cueball agrees with her perspective, approvingly referring to it as "revenge". Cueball has also previously shown a [[2306|merciless attitude towards endemic infections]], even those that aren't particularly deadly, and so the idea of eliminating one entirely would probably appeal to him on its own merits.<br />
<br />
The title text refers to the aforementioned extinction (in the wild) of smallpox. This is [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PreMortemOneLiner the type of line one might see in fiction], delivered to someone who is about to be killed, taunting them about the death of one of their friends or associates. The line treats the virus like a villain in an action movie, and reveling in the fact that we're finally going to kill it.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Megan holding a hand up, palm held out, is walking with Cueball.]<br />
:Megan: Even if the threat eventually fades, thanks to vaccines and stuff,<br />
<br />
:[They walk on, both with their arms down.]<br />
:Megan: And it becomes just another circulating common cold virus,<br />
<br />
:[Megan holds her hand up in a fist, while Cueball hold his hand to his chin as they walk on.]<br />
:Megan: I think we should pursue global eradication of SARS-CoV-2 out of ''spite''.<br />
:Cueball: Revenge-based public health policy. I like it.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2447:_Hammer_Incident&diff=2118282447: Hammer Incident2021-05-13T00:25:40Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2447<br />
| date = April 7, 2021<br />
| title = Hammer Incident<br />
| image = hammer incident small.png<br />
| titletext = I still think the Cold Stone Creamery partnership was a good idea, but I should have asked before doing the first market trials during the cryogenic mirror tests.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
The {{w|James Webb Space Telescope}} (JWST) is a {{w|space telescope}} created to be the successor of the {{w|Hubble Space Telescope}} under construction at time of publishing and expected to launch in October 2021, though in [[2014: JWST Delays]], xkcd predicted its launch would actually occur during late 2026.<br />
<br />
It's implied that Cueball dropped a hammer on the mirror of the JWST and broke it. In superstition, breaking a mirror causes seven years of bad luck. The cost estimate for the JWST is currently US$10 billion, and Cueball is on trial by NASA for breaking this very expensive piece of equipment, no doubt costing NASA (and thus the nation) hundreds of millions of dollars more for repair work. However, Cueball is more concerned about personally experiencing seven years of bad luck. <br />
<br />
In actuality the mirror panel is not made of glass, so it's likely that a dropped hammer would dent and distort the panel rather than shattering it. Presumably Cueball's hammer drop would damage or destroy only one mirror panel out of the JWST's eighteen panels. (If he had destroyed the entire telescope, he would have been facing 7×18=126 years of bad luck, and the damage costs would be much higher. [[2153:_Effects_of_High_Altitude|Then again, this depends on the altitude that the destruction happened.]]) Even breaking a single panel would likely be very expensive because it would require extremely accurate machinery and extensive calibration tests to make and install a replacement panel, especially because the back of JWST's mirrors are made of beryllium. Beryllium is expensive to purchase, since it is relatively scarce, and is very hard and abrasive, so making things out of it is difficult (and expensive due to the specialized machinery required and the precautions necessary to prevent inhalation). Breaking a beryllium mirror would lead to dust formation; single exposures to beryllium dust [http://who.int/ipcs/publications/cicad/en/cicad32.pdf can cause] acute beryllium poisoning and massively increase the risk of lung cancer, which is very bad luck on behalf of Cueball. In addition to the property damage, Cueball is probably liable for injuring his coworkers, which is probably the main reason why the NASA workers are so angry at him because human lives are more valuable than mere money.{{Citation needed}}<br />
<br />
The title text refers to the {{w|Cold Stone Creamery}}, a chain that mixes ice cream with various other ingredients, such as fruit or candy, in front of the customer before serving it. The usual surface for mixing is a piece of granite which is kept cold (about -10°C). It's implied that Cueball had tried mixing his ice cream and flavorings in the style of Cold Stone Creamery on the JWST mirror, which is also kept cold -- in fact much colder, as it's cooled to as low as 7 K (-266°C, or -447°F). If Cueball had mixed ice cream this way on the JWST, he would likely have scratched and/or stained the surfaces on the telescope and perhaps have gotten gunk into the instrumentation, and possibly, due to the localized temperature differential from ice cream hundreds of degrees ''warmer'' than the material, promoted damaging distortions or fractures -- hardly the 'good idea' mentioned in the title text. (It also would not have worked: at sufficiently low temperatures, ice cream hardens and cannot be mixed.)<br />
<br />
The bad luck from breaking a mirror is also referenced in [[1136: Broken Mirror]].<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball, holding a palm up in front of him, stands before a long desk, behind which is a seated panel of four people, consisting of Ponytail, Hairy, a Cueball-like guy and Hairbun. Hairy is the only one to have one arm on the desk, all other arms are held down with hands below the desk.]<br />
:Cueball: Yes, I know you're mad that I dropped that hammer.<br />
:Cueball: But think about me—<br />
:Cueball: '''''Seven years of bad luck!'''''<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel]:<br />
:Man, NASA is really on my case about the James Webb Space Telescope.<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*The JWST has previously been mentioned in [[2014: JWST Delays]], [[1730: Starshade]], and [[1461: Payloads]].<br />
*For some reason, the original version of this comic was very large (4332×4838px), [https://archive.is/yJXTS well overflowing the boundaries of the page]. This was probably a mistake, as the [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/hammer_incident.png current version] is significantly smaller at 289 × 323px.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]<br />
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]<br />
[[Category:Telescopes]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2446:_Spike_Proteins&diff=2118272446: Spike Proteins2021-05-13T00:24:22Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2446<br />
| date = April 5, 2021<br />
| title = Spike Proteins<br />
| image = spike_proteins.png<br />
| titletext = Ugh, it's stuck to my laptop. It must have bound to the ACER-2 receptor.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This is another comic in the [[:Category:COVID-19|COVID-19 series]] related to the {{w|2019-20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}}, caused by the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}.<br />
<br />
This is also another comic about the current [[:Category:COVID-19 vaccine|vaccine against COVID-19]]. A vaccine is designed to provoke an immune response from the body of the recipient, which "trains" the immune system to attack actual viruses (or bacteria). For COVID-19, the {{w|spike protein}}, necessary for the virus to bind a receptor on human cells and invade them, is the key protein for an immune response. Almost all vaccines approved for human use pre-COVID actually contain either inactivated pathogen (e.g., flu vaccine), live but safe pathogen variants (e.g., measles), or some protein from the pathogen that the immune system can respond to (e.g., pertussis). The four COVID-19 vaccines approved in the United States or the European Union as of the date of this comic, however, are all a relatively new type of vaccine that instead cause human cells to temporarily produce spike proteins, which the immune system then "learns" to attack. The Oxford-AstraZeneca and {{w|Johnson & Johnson}}’s {{w|Janssen Vaccines|Janssen}} vaccine use a technique first approved for the July 2020 Ebola vaccine, in which a genetically modified {{w|adenovirus}} is used to deliver DNA to the nuclei of the vaccine recipients' cells, which convert the DNA to {{w|Messenger RNA}} (mRNA). The recipients' cells then use the mRNA as instructions to produce spike proteins. The {{w|Pfizer}} {{w|BioNTech}} and {{w|Moderna}} vaccines are of an even newer type: m{{w|RNA vaccine}}s, which directly inject the mRNA into the body for the cells to use, and never have to enter the cell nuclei.<br />
<br />
[[Beret Guy]], in his [[:Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy|usual fashion]], misunderstands how reality works, then reality alters to fit his view of it. <br />
<br />
After receiving the vaccine, as he informs [[Cueball]] and [[Megan]], he claims he will now go away to make spike proteins. For him, this literally means that he (not his cells) will build them, by unexplained means. When he returns he is carrying his constructed protein, which is [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7224694/ roughly 8 orders of magnitude] larger than the normal version, and also appears to be dripping. He then drops it on the desk, where a laptop is being used. Cueball part-closes his screen to try to prevent the mass from landing on it - though he's only partially successful.<br />
<br />
When a normal living body is coerced into making a spike protein, they are microscopic particles that distribute internally around the body to provoke an immune response. Beret Guy's macroscopic version provokes an understandable response of both disgust and confusion from both Cueball and Megan, who choose to ask why it is so wet. Proteins are [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2271157/ highly hydrated molecules] where water — through the moderation of its presence and absence in specific locations — plays a central role in shaping the structure and function of the protein (although it is not clear how Beret Guy knows that the spike protein should be hydrated since this is his first try). Though, of the many questions that might have been asked, it is not an entirely unreasonable snap reaction.<br />
<br />
Beret Guy remains typically oblivious to the fuss he causes. His enthusiastic intention, apparently, is to leave his first proud creation there as he departs to construct further examples. They will likely be no less unwelcome.<br />
<br />
Anything damp and squidgy (as ''this'' creation seems to be) would not be welcome around a laptop, for a number of reasons, and Beret Guy seems to have made a particularly messy contact with the part of the case where most such devices are likely to have clusters of heat vents or unruggedised ports/connections that may not react well to the ingress of liquids.<br />
<br />
The title text is a pun on Acer, ACER2, and ACE2. {{w|Acer Inc.|Acer}} is a brand of computers including laptops. The {{w|Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2|ACE2 receptor}}, is an [https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-ace2-receptor-how-is-it-connected-to-coronavirus-and-why-might-it-be-key-to-treating-covid-19-the-experts-explain-136928 entry point on a cell] to which the SARS-COV-2 virus attaches during the process of entering the cell. {{w|ACER2}} is a real enzyme in humans which, although unrelated to ACE2 or SARS-COV-2, may also help bind the pun together.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is sitting in an office chair at a desk with an open laptop in front of him. Megan stands behind him looking over his shoulder. Beret Guy is in front of the desk, walking away and looking back at the two while holding a hand to his shoulder, where he got the vaccine shot.]<br />
:Beret Guy: Got the vaccine!<br />
:Megan: Congrats!<br />
:Beret Guy: Time to go make spike proteins.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball continues to work on his laptop while Megan is looking on.]<br />
<br />
:[In a frameless, narrow panel, Beret Guy walks back carrying a large object in his arms that looks like a spike protein. But it is about half as long as he is tall, fluffy and dripping wet, flexing slightly along its length, with the Y-shaped head pointed forwards, away from Beret Guy]<br />
:Beret Guy: OK! <br />
:Beret Guy: Here's my first try.<br />
<br />
:[Beret Guy drops the spike protein onto Cueball's desk with the Y-shaped end on the desk up against the back of Cueball's laptop. The movement is shown with several lines and a sound follows when it hits the desk. The head of it takes up the entire desk area not covered by the laptop, while the tail overhangs the desk. Cueball is grabbing the lid and base of his laptop with both hands, pulling it partially closed and away from the spike protein, and Megan reflexively leans away.]<br />
:Spike Protein: Plop<br />
<br />
:[Beret Guy turns to leave, with an outstretched finger pointing skyward. The overhanging part of the spike protein has sagged, and it is dripping some wet material over both the floor and desk. Cueball is sitting with his hands on the partially closed laptop, Megan stands normally again.]<br />
:Beret Guy: ''More!''<br />
:Cueball: Ewww.<br />
:Megan: Why is it so ''wet??''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2443:_Immune_Response&diff=2118262443: Immune Response2021-05-13T00:23:52Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2443<br />
| date = March 29, 2021<br />
| title = Immune Response<br />
| image = immune_response.png<br />
| titletext = I don't care whether you win or lose, as long as you have-- ...okay, sorry, I'm being reminded I very much care whether you win or lose. I need you to win, that's very important.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This is another comic in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series]] related to the {{w|2019-20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}.<br />
<br />
As with a [[2287: Pathogen Resistance|number of previous strips]], [[Randall]] has a tendency to anthropomorphize both pathogens and the immune system, [[2425: mRNA Vaccine|envisioning the process of infection and immune response as an epic battle]]. In this case, he treats his immune system as he would a child trying to accomplish something difficult, and worries about its emotional reaction. <br />
<br />
The [[:Category:COVID-19 vaccine|COVID-19 vaccine]]s (like all viral inoculations) work by introducing viral proteins into the body, causing the immune system to react as if the actual virus were present, creating the antibodies to fight it. As a result, if the actual virus is introduced, the immune system will have the capacity to quickly eliminate it. <br />
<br />
In this comic, [[Cueball]] has just received the COVID-19 vaccine and anthropomorphizes this process. He worries that his immune system is "freaking out", as the vaccine causes the body to 'think' it's under attack and respond as it would to a deadly threat. Cueball accordingly tries to reassure his immune system that the threat isn't real. However, [[Megan]] reminds him that the "panic" is the entire point, as that's what causes the body to build defenses, which will allow it to handle the real virus. Cueball then switches tactics, melodramatically announcing that the virus is about to kill him, and encouraging his "heroic immune cells" to save the day. The joke is that the basic elements of their response is accurate: the vaccine is essentially a ruse intended to "trick" the immune system into developing antibodies. However, the immune system obviously lacks a separate consciousness, and can neither hear nor understand their comments,{{Citation needed}} making both reassurance and encouragement entirely moot. <br />
<br />
In the title text, Cueball continues to treat his immune system like a conscious entity. Specifically, all of his communications sound like a parent, or other adult, trying to encourage a child who was trying to win a game: giving it a pep talk about how he doesn't care if it wins or loses as long as it has fun. This is a common refrain when parents or other adults try to reassure children in contexts where victory isn't especially important, and where enjoyment is the real goal. Cueball then remembers that this particular event is much more consequential. If his immune system were to 'lose' to the vaccine, that would presumably mean it was incapable of responding properly to the viral threat, meaning he'd be in serious risk of death if he contracted the actual virus. As a result, he corrects himself and states that winning, in this case, is "very important".<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Megan is walking toward Cueball, who is holding his arm.]<br />
:Megan: How you feeling?<br />
:Cueball: Not bad. Tired. A little sore.<br />
<br />
:[Zoom in on Cueball. He looks down at his arms, which are held out.]<br />
:Cueball: I feel bad for my immune system. It doesn't know this isn't a real virus. It must be freaking out. <br />
:Cueball: Hey buddy, don't worry! We're going to be fine. This is just practice!<br />
<br />
:[Zoom out. Megan gestures at Cueball, as he holds his arm.]<br />
:Megan: No, don't tell it ''that''. You '''''want''''' it to panic and build defenses that will be able to handle the real thing.<br />
:Cueball: I guess. <br />
:Cueball: Okay, let me try that again. <br />
:Cueball: *ahem*<br />
<br />
:[Cueball dramatically clutches at his chest.]<br />
:Cueball: Woe! My arm is stricken by a dreadful plague! <br />
:Cueball: I feel death draw near! My only hope is those heroic immune cells!<br />
:Megan: Perfect.<br />
:Cueball: <small>''Psst - you're doing great! I'm so proud of you.''</small><br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2439:_Solar_System_Cartogram&diff=2118252439: Solar System Cartogram2021-05-13T00:21:35Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2439<br />
| date = March 19, 2021<br />
| title = Solar System Cartogram<br />
| image = solar_system_cartogram.png<br />
| titletext = For sentimental reasons, every active Mars rover is counted as one person, although that's not enough to make Mars more than a dot.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
In this comic, [[Randall]] has made a {{w|cartogram}} showing the planets in the {{w|solar system}}. Cartograms are a type of map in which geographic area is displayed proportionately to some secondary characteristic - in this case, population. From the title text it is clear that the population in question is human (persons) (but even if all life forms where counted it it wouldn't matter, since the only confirmed life in the Solar System is on Earth). Thus the other planets have a population of 0 and are shown as nothing more than dots. <br />
<br />
[[File:2016 presidential election electoral college cartogram.png|thumb|300px|Cartogram showing the results of the 2016 U.S. presidential election.]]<br />
<br />
This comic is a joke about cartograms, which are used, for instance, to show electoral representation. A standard {{w|United States Electoral College|American electoral map}} is very misleading. Though the split between the two major parties, Democrats and Republicans, is about 50-50, most of the area of the U.S. map is shown in the color associated with the Republican Party, red. That's because many Democrats live in densely packed districts occupying little land area, while many Republicans live in rural districts with large land area but few people. This has led to the rise of electoral {{w|Cartogram|cartograms}} in which district areas are shown in proportion to population, correcting the misimpression that most of America is conservative.<br />
<br />
Solar system diagrams are likely also to be misleading. Illustrators are overwhelmingly forced to use a far more scaled-down spacing between planets, compared to their scaled sizes, even if they can (or care to) maintain consistency in the relative distances and/or radii on linear scales. (The huge factors of difference involved instead may lend themselves to being {{w|Solar_System_model#Scale_models_in_various_locations|physically modeled}} to better give some sense of the spacing and sizing differences.) Here, Randall has intentionally applied the wrong solution to the problem.<br />
<br />
The title text states that even though Randall counts every active [[:Category:Mars rovers|Mars rover]] as a person (for sentimental reasons), they are almost nothing compared to Earth's roughly 7,800,000,000 persons. Mars therefore is still nothing more than a dot compared to the Earth. There are a total of five rovers at the time of the comic's publication; in chronological order, they are Sojourner, Spirit and Opportunity, Curiosity, and Perseverance. Only the latter two were functional at the time of the comic's publication, giving Mars a rover population of two. (This is a tie for all-time high. Spirit and Opportunity were active together from 2004 to 2010, when Spirit shut down. Opportunity was still active when Curiosity arrived in 2012, and remained so until 2018. With the arrival of Perseverance in 2021, there are again two active rovers.) A third rover, China's {{w|Tianwen-1}}, is currently in orbit around Mars and expected to land in May 2021. <br />
<br />
Mars rovers are a [[:Category:Mars rovers|recurring theme]] on xkcd and only a few weeks earlier, a comic named [[2433: Mars Rovers]] was released. This is the fourth comic this year to reference Mars Rovers. <br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Above a chart are two paragraphs with explanation:]<br />
:Most solar system diagrams are misleading.<br />
:This chart offers a more accurate view by showing the planets sized by population.<br />
<br />
:[Below the explanation is a list of the eight planets in the solar system. They are shown in order with labels. All but Earth show up only as dots. Earth is large and clearly drawn, with a view approximately centered on Indonesia. The spacing between the dots is equal, and the same distance as from those closest dots to Earth to Earths surface. Earth's label floats below it, while the other planets' labels connect to their respective dots with lines, with text either above or below the line of planets:]<br />
:Mercury<br />
:Venus<br />
:Earth<br />
:Mars<br />
:Jupiter<br />
:Saturn<br />
:Uranus<br />
:Neptune<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Charts]]<br />
[[Category:Astronomy]]<br />
[[Category:Mars rovers]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2437:_Post-Vaccine_Party&diff=2118242437: Post-Vaccine Party2021-05-13T00:19:49Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2437<br />
| date = March 15, 2021<br />
| title = Post-Vaccine Party<br />
| image = post_vaccine_party.png<br />
| titletext = [Future update] Well, someone accidentally dropped an M&M in their cup of ice water, and we all panicked and scattered.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This is another comic in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series]] related to the {{w|2019-20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}.<br />
<br />
As more and more people are getting [[:Category:COVID-19 vaccine|vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus, and as the CDC released guidelines suggesting vaccinated people can start gathering in larger groups, including some groups of unvaccinated people, there is increasing excitement about the possibility to resume get-togethers, and have a party. However, being very cautious, [[Randall]] is detailing the plans for his first "post-pandemic" party by cutting it down from the scope of a normal party. Some of the cut-downs may make sense from a health safety standpoint, others are less likely to be health-based and may be just to deliberately make the party boring, thus limiting attendance, with the effect of it being safer for the few who do come.<br />
<br />
* Drinks<br />
Instead of soda and various alcoholic beverages, he's opting for small glasses of water. Alcoholic beverages could encourage a lowering of inhibitions, help some participants to make bad social decisions, to the detriment of hygiene and reasonable social distancing. Soda would have less of that problem, though some might argue the sugar or caffeine might have some similar effect. Drinking alcohol immediately after vaccination may "accelerate" allergic reaction according to an article on WebMD [https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/covid-19-vaccine/news/20210127/covid-19-vaccine-how-best-to-prepare]<br />
<br />
* Food<br />
Instead of traditional party foods like pizza, nachos, and snacks, only three individual pieces of candy ({{w|M&Ms}}) and one cracker will be provided. Pizza could be a health issue as people reach into a common pizza box to grab their slice, and likewise snacks if they are in communal bowls. Another possible motive for such meager offerings is the concern that people may have gained weight due to more sedentary lifestyles while staying home a lot more during the pandemic, so he didn't want them eating a lot of fattening snacks and drinks at his party.<br />
<br />
* Entertainment<br />
Instead of music and {{w|karaoke}} singing and watching sports, the only music allowed will be {{w|ambient music}}, such that it would be hardly noticeable, and the only entertainment being displayed will be {{w|Bob Ross}}, who was famous for his very calm, low-key, painting lessons. (Painting could be followed by watching paint dry, one of the few activities even more boring than this party{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}.) Music, singing, and reacting to exciting sports games can cause a lot more movement and airborne particles with the potential of spreading the virus.<br />
<br />
* Activities<br />
Board games, video games, {{w|ping pong}}, and good conversation are already relatively low-key activities, but not low-key enough. The only two games allowed will be 3-card pickup (trimmed down from {{w|52-card pickup}}, which would typically use a full deck of 52 cards), and a single video game, the ancient "{{w|Pong}}" game. Also, while conversation will be allowed, it will not be "good conversation", presumably preferring the conversation to be boring or uninteresting, or even repulsing. It might also be that Randall anticipates the pandemic [[2424|will have worsened peoples' ability to converse normally]], and so is saying that people won't be held to any 'standards' regarding the quality of their conversation.<br />
<br />
The title text mentions that in the end, despite Randall's efforts, even the incredibly mild disruption of an M&M falling into a cup of water caused the party-goers to panic and flee, much as Cueball and Ponytail panicked at a meeting in spite of their precautions due to their highly-strung natures in [[2330: Acceptable Risk]].<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[The comic consists of four underlined headings, two by two grid, with three times four and one time three lines of text beneath each. Almost all of the original lines of text has been crossed out with red, sometimes only partial. And five new items have been added in red, plus some brackets and one arrow. Even one of the red texts have been crossed out]<br />
:<u>Drinks</u><br />
:<s>Soda<br />
:Wine</s> <font color="red">Small cups</font><br />
:<s>Beer</s> <font color="red">of ice water</font><br />
:<s>Cocktails</s><br />
<br />
:<u>Food</u> <font color="red">Three M&Ms</font><br />
:<s>Pizza</s> <font color="red">and a saltine</font><br />
:<s>Nachos</s> <font color="red">per person</font><br />
:<s>Various snacks</s><br />
<br />
:<u>Entertainment</u><br />
:Music <font color="red">(Ambient)</font><br />
:<s>Karaoke<br />
:Big screen</s> TV<br />
:showing <s>sports</s><br />
:::<font color="red">Bob Ross</font><br />
<br />
:<u>Activities</u> <br />
:<s>Board games</s> <font color="red"><s>52</s> 3-card pickup</font><br />
:[3 is above 52]<br />
:Video Games<br />
:<s>Ping</s> <font color="red">(</font>Pong<font color="red">)</font><br />
:[A red arrow points from Video Games to Pong]<br />
:<s>Good</s> conversation<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:We're planning our first post-vaccine party, but we want to start slow.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]<br />
[[Category:Social interactions]]<br />
[[Category:Food]]<br />
[[Category:Sport]]<br />
[[Category:Music]]<br />
[[Category:Video games]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2419:_Hug_Count&diff=2118232419: Hug Count2021-05-13T00:12:31Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2419<br />
| date = February 1, 2021<br />
| title = Hug Count<br />
| image = hug_count.png<br />
| titletext = I've never been that big of a hug person, but it turns out I'm not quite this small of a hug person either.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}.<br />
<br />
The comic displays a bar chart showing the number of Individuals [[Randall]] has hugged vs the year, spanning from 1996 to 2021, and goes up to 35 individuals hugged in 2007. The apparent spike in the estimate for 2007 may have been chance or may have been a known social event that Randall remembers, such as a family reunion or anticipated parting from a social group (such as a school or job from which he left), where he hugged many people he otherwise would not have hugged. While it varies a decent amount for the first 24 years, it drops sharply in 2020 and goes even lower in 2021. However, it should be noted that 2021 (at the time of the comic) had just begun, which is why the final bar is grey. It seems he is down to only two people hugged in 2021, one of which is most likely his wife. In 2020 he managed 5 different hugs, but the extra three may have been before the onset of COVID-19 precautions in the US.<br />
<br />
This is because in 2020 when the pandemic happened, everyone had to social distance and avoid contact with strangers. This was a widely used method of slowing the spread of COVID-19. People are asked to not closely associate with those outside a very limited 'bubble' or even isolating individuals in their own household. As such, people have had less physical contact with each other since the beginning of this pandemic, including hugs.<br />
<br />
No explanation is given for the variations year-to-year preceding 2020, and much of it may be [[2101: Technical Analysis|random walks]]. However, one can see a major spike in hug levels in 2010 and 2011; Randall's wife [[818|was diagnosed]] with cancer in late 2010 (see [[:Category:Cancer]]). Loved ones of those with cancer tend to receive much compassion from others, and compassion tends to beget hugs.<br />
<br />
The title text states that, while Randall isn't very big on hugs, he too desires hugs. It plays on the common phrase "I'm not too big of an (x) person", which is used to indicate that someone isn't extremely fond of said activity. One could then infer the person is not fond of the activity at all, though in this case, he indicates his desire for hugs is non-zero, as presumably demonstrated by the frequency being now less than even he would prefer.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[A bar graph is shown with 25 black bars and one gray at the far right. Most of the bars have a height around the center of the graph, but the one in the middle is clearly higher than all others and also the two before and after are lower than average. There are also a couple of high bars in pairs on either side of the central spike. The far-right, however, are two very low bars, with the last in gray less than half the height of the previous, which was already only a third of the next lowest bar. There are numbers on both axes. The X-axis has the year for every fifth year below the relevant bar, and the number of hugs is given in intervals of 10 on the Y-axis. The Y-axis has ticks for every number, but those with labels are longer. The chart has a title written above:]<br />
:Estimated Number of Distinct People Hugged per Year<br />
<br />
:[Y-axis:]<br />
:30 <br />
:20 <br />
:10<br />
:0<br />
<br />
:[X-axis:]<br />
:2000&nbsp;&nbsp;2005&nbsp;&nbsp;2010&nbsp;&nbsp;2015&nbsp;&nbsp;2020<br />
<br />
==Table of number of people hugged==<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Year !! People<br />
|-<br />
| 1996 || 31<br />
|-<br />
| 1997 || 28<br />
|-<br />
| 1998 || 23<br />
|-<br />
| 1999 || 25<br />
|-<br />
| 2000 || 21<br />
|-<br />
| 2001 || 18<br />
|-<br />
| 2002 || 28<br />
|-<br />
| 2003 || 24<br />
|-<br />
| 2004 || 17<br />
|-<br />
| 2005 || 19<br />
|-<br />
| 2006 || 14<br />
|-<br />
| 2007 || 35<br />
|-<br />
| 2008 || 17<br />
|-<br />
| 2009 || 16<br />
|-<br />
| 2010 || 27<br />
|-<br />
| 2011 || 29<br />
|-<br />
| 2012 || 18<br />
|-<br />
| 2013 || 15<br />
|-<br />
| 2014 || 16<br />
|-<br />
| 2015 || 22<br />
|-<br />
| 2016 || 15<br />
|-<br />
| 2017 || 21<br />
|-<br />
| 2018 || 19<br />
|-<br />
| 2019 || 25<br />
|-<br />
| 2020 || &nbsp; 5<br />
|-<br />
| 2021 || &nbsp; 2<br />
|}<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Bar charts]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2220:_Imagine_Going_Back_in_Time/Ads&diff=211822Talk:2220: Imagine Going Back in Time/Ads2021-05-13T00:08:45Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div>== Google ads ==<br />
<br />
''Note: This topic is contained in a [[Talk:2220: Imagine Going Back in Time/Ads|separate Talk page]] and was transcluded into the talk pages of new comics. This is to maintain a single discussion on the ads which affect all of explain xkcd. Click the "[edit]" button above to add comments about ads. --[[User:NeatNit|NeatNit]] ([[User talk:NeatNit|talk]]) 22:20, 3 November 2019 (UTC)''<br />
<br />
[[File:explainxkcd ads.jpg|thumb|100px]] When looking at the article page, I'm seeing several Google ads splashed across the full width of the article space, breaking it up randomly and making it more difficult to read (it sometimes interrupts the Transcript, for example, and also randomly crops up in the already-hard-to-read Discussion box). It looks awful. Is anyone else seeing them? I understand that ads are needed to pay for Explain XKCD's server costs, but they're really detrimental to the article. [[User:Hawthorn|Hawthorn]] ([[User talk:Hawthorn|talk]]) 13:13, 28 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
: Yeah, I'm seeing them, too, and I agree. ExplainXKCD is one of the few pages on my AdBlock white list. Please don't make me reconsider my decision. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 13:47, 28 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
: Thank you for creating the new section. Yes, not only am I seeing them invade the text, but invade the text three times with the same advert. Perhaps we need a new tag to make room for advertising [[Special:Contributions/172.68.174.22|172.68.174.22]] 13:59, 28 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: I've added a tall screenshot of this to the right. Just from the thumbnail it's easy to see how disruptive it is to the page. --[[User:NeatNit|NeatNit]] ([[User talk:NeatNit|talk]]) 21:06, 28 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
::Oh, yours have images? Mine don't - they're just big white blocks with some text in them (which I think is even ''more'' disruptive since they are harder to distinguish from body text). But still, yeah, absolutely not a fan of this at all. It makes the site feel incredibly tacky. [[User:Hawthorn|Hawthorn]] ([[User talk:Hawthorn|talk]]) 21:34, 28 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
:::Yes I also see them with pictures and it is horrible. :-( Will try to see if making a [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Admin_requests#Google_ads_all_over_the_text|Admin requests]] will help... --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:34, 29 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
::::I'm not seeing them in the explanation - Maybe they fixed that? - but like FOUR times in the comments, which seems excessive. It seems less obtrusive than as described here - and shown, thanks NeatNit - but it still seems disgusting. They should keep them unobtrusive, like they've always been on the side. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 05:17, 1 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
::::I find it interesting that this Ad topic block is appearing on multiple comics (I saw it on 2221, where I added my other comments, then 2222, now this is 2220, and I see the same comments, including mine). I also find it interesting that after I left each comment on 2221 - between the comic's comment section and this one, like 8 edits or so, I kept finding things to say or corrections to my comments - I refreshed the page to see my edit show up, and after a couple I stopped seeing ads. Either there's a daily quota or it remembered that I closed each ad? Maybe a combination? [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 05:51, 1 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
::::: The topic showing up in multiple comic discussing is my doing - because this topic affects all of explainxkcd, I want to make sure it's always visible in the latest comic. I used wiki transclusion to do this. The discussion is actually held in [[Talk:2220: Imagine Going Back in Time/Ads]] and is inserted (transcluded) in all the other talk pages. --[[User:NeatNit|NeatNit]] ([[User talk:NeatNit|talk]]) 12:50, 2 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
:::::: Oh, then may I say Way to go! I completely concur, this is an ongoing topic. (Though the ads seem gone now, at least for me) [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 05:11, 8 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
:::::: Since the ads seem gone now, it seems like this section can stop being added to every new comic (though in my opinion it should remain on the relevant comics that were published during this dark time, I think 2220 until like 2225 or so...) [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 05:35, 10 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:I'm only seeing 1 ad, always (regardless of which comic's explanation I'm seeing) after the second paragraph, always with pictures. The existence of the ad doesn't annoy me as much as the fact that it'll sometimes load after I've already read past that point, pushing the text I ''am'' reading down. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.123.103|162.158.123.103]] 16:47, 29 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Click the X and report the ads for reason "Ad covers content". Maybe they'll even do something about it! [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.59|108.162.246.59]] 16:54, 30 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
::The thing is, that looks more like a complaint against the particular ad. Even picking "covers content" I get a response "Okay, we'll try not to show this ad any more". My objection isn't to the particular ad, it's to the EXISTENCE and PLACEMENT of the ad. I don't care what's IN the ad, it shouldn't be there at all! I accept the evil necessity of ads, just don't shove them down my throat, encouraging more people to use the ad blockers the obnoxious sites always whine about. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 05:17, 1 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
:::NiceGuy1 is correct. The complaint button is against a single advert, not against the advert block placement. It's not unlike filling a complaint against a business renting a billboard because you have a problem with where the billboard is placed. The business renting the space has no control over where the billboard is. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.38.64|172.68.38.64]] 04:35, 2 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm not seeing these ads right now, have they been removed entirely? --[[User:NeatNit|NeatNit]] ([[User talk:NeatNit|talk]]) 12:41, 2 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
:I don't see them anymore either. Only the one on the left below the navigation bar remains, which has always been there and doesn't bother me. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 07:42, 4 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
::Ok, never mind. After I posted this and went back to the page the ads are back as well. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 07:42, 4 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
:::All I see are the letters "Ads". Seems my Firefox blocks it. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.71|162.158.91.71]] 13:57, 5 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I do not see any additional adds, but some additional linebreaks in between the pages, which fit the places described by those, seeing adds. Using Chrome on a company computer... So I do not know what exactly the settings are, but generally it does not block adds. (I even see the lunarpages add on the left) --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 12:26, 6 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Last Wednesday (6 to 7 days ago), according to the time stamps on my previous comments above, I was seeing 4 or 5 ads in a rather short comment section (which went away after a few refreshes after a few comments). Now I see none. Maybe whoever turned them on saw the negative reaction and turned them back off? Or maybe they only needed a quick cash injection and turned it off after they got what they needed, LOL! [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 05:07, 8 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
: They indeed seem to have vanished. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 14:42, 8 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm going to stop adding this conversation to new comics for the time being, because it seems like the ads have gone. It's weird though; no admin has commented on this. If you still see ads, let me know! --[[User:NeatNit|NeatNit]] ([[User talk:NeatNit|talk]]) 05:37, 10 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
:I removed this from the talk page for all but the first comic after it was first posted (as on that page there where also discussion on adds) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 15:04, 12 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
:Seems like there are no admins active at the moment... --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 15:04, 12 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I still have areas on parts of some pages (e.g. in the discussion part of [[1109]] from time to time, which are according to the inspect tool, frames for google adds. They either cover part of the text, so I cannot click/mark it (what I often do to find the line I am reading in easier, or just to have my hand busy), or they create big interuptions of the text. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 10:57, 14 November 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
=== December return of the ads ===<br />
<br />
[[File:xkcd ads dec12.png|thumb|100px]]The horizontal ads are back. Noticed some on [[2227]] and decided to report back to this thread that the issue has not fully ended. [[User:ChessCake|ChessCake]] ([[User talk:ChessCake|talk]]) 13:47, 4 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
:Yes, I got them too. Also in the past weeks I got containers/placeholders in some places, which, according to the inspecting tool, where also for adds. Since today or yesterday they are fillign with adds again. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 13:52, 4 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
::I'm seeing them too. [[File:201912040943 - More Ads.PNG|200px|thumb|They're back.]] [[User:Ahiijny|Ahiijny]] ([[User talk:Ahiijny|talk]]) 14:48, 4 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
:::The top-level div for one of those ad elements has class <code>google-auto-placed ap_container</code>. Possibly related: https://techcrunch.com/2018/02/21/google-debuts-adsense-auto-ads-with-machine-learning-to-make-placement-and-monetization-choices/ https://wpadvancedads.com/adsense-in-random-positions-auto-ads/ https://stackoverflow.com/questions/51183831/prevent-adsense-auto-ad-from-showing-ad-in-specific-area [[User:Ahiijny|Ahiijny]] ([[User talk:Ahiijny|talk]]) 14:56, 4 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
::::Yup, they're back... I've transcluded this page in the latest comic's discussion page, and I've added a new screenshot here (more disruptive than the one Ahiijny showed). I've also made a comment on [[User talk:Davidy22]], hopefully he'll receive an email about that. This stinks. --[[User:NeatNit|NeatNit]] ([[User talk:NeatNit|talk]]) 23:35, 11 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
:::::Yes they are back with a vengeance. Sadly it seems neither Davidy or Dgbrt are active anymore or replies to any messages written on their pages. They are the two last admins that have been active here. But Davidy has not been for more than two years (2017) and it has been some times since [[User talk:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] was active (march 2019)... PS I'm not an admin, just very active ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:35, 12 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
As of today, I ''am'' seeing fullwidth ads, but only in the talk page space. Aside from the usual sidebar ads, the rest of the explanation page doesn't have any. --[[User:Aaron of Mpls|Aaron of Mpls]] ([[User talk:Aaron of Mpls|talk]]) 21:45, 17 January 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
After being fixed again, it now appears that users are seeing the erroneously placed ads again. Not a very nice April Fool's joke... <br />
[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 14:20, 3 April 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I've just started to get [https://imgur.com/a/pvAO5VO some huge ads] that basically take up my entire screen. Have we gotten any updates at all? [[User:Opalmagpie|Opalmagpie]] ([[User talk:Opalmagpie|talk]]) 02:59, 23 September 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I've got full-width ads in the discussion box, but nowhere else, which is interesting, and also FLIPPING ANNOYING! Darn it, those ads are taking up the discussion box and I hate it. (Note: Just really noticed the ads) [[User:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)]] ([[User talk:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|talk]]) 23:20, 30 March 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I have spotted video advertisements on the website. I fear this issue is only getting worse with time now. If this isn't just me, we should probably start to insert this back into new comics' Talk pages. [[User:ChessCake|ChessCake]] ([[User talk:ChessCake|talk]]) 18:54, 13 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Notified [[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]], he checked the ad settings for the wiki, and the broken ads should finally be fixed!''' I went and checked a few pages, and I don't see the ads appearing in random positions anymore. Hopefully this concludes the issue. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 00:08, 13 May 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2098:_Magnetic_Pole&diff=2117012098: Magnetic Pole2021-05-10T04:56:29Z<p>Herobrine: /* Explanation */ no longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2098<br />
| date = January 14, 2019<br />
| title = Magnetic Pole<br />
| image = magnetic_pole.png<br />
| titletext = People keep trying to come up with reasons that we should worry about the magnetic field collapsing or reversing, but honestly I think it's fine. Whatever minor problems it causes will be made up for by the mid-latitude auroras.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
Over the last couple of months, {{w|Earth's magnetic field|Earth's magnetic fields}} have been [https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00007-1 shifting rapidly]. Although the magnetic fields do move regularly, the current shift has been unexpected and unprecedented. As many location systems are reliant on the magnetic fields to function, the accuracy of such tools is being shifted beyond the maximum acceptable error.<br />
<br />
Locational and navigational systems use the magnetic field, combined with a model of field behavior, to do fancy math and pop out data. Because of the rapid shifts, a new model was scheduled to be created; however, the model has been considerably delayed by the {{w|United States federal government shutdown of 2018–2019|US government shutdown}},<br />
<br />
As shifts occur, the error of geopositional data will increase until a new {{w|World Magnetic Model|model}} is released. The effect is especially pronounced as you move toward the poles. <br />
<br />
Cueball is saying that because of the currently published {{w|magnetic declination}} data being slightly incorrect, his {{w|Schooner|schooners}} (old merchant sailing ships) may go off-course and crash on {{w|Shoal|shoals}}. This is to illustrate how magnetic pole shift doesn't actually affect many people's daily lives. Modern ships' navigation systems do not rely on magnetic pole location &ndash; in contrast to old vessels which mostly used a {{w|compass}}.<br />
<br />
Since the movement is only about two-fifths of a degree, it wouldn't cause much disruption for [[Cueball]] or require him to adjust anything about his lifestyle, but since the speed of the change has been steadily increasing over the past few years, it may mean we are heading for a geomagnetic reversal in the next few decades, something very exciting indeed. During a magnetic reversal, the poles wouldn't just switch places; several different poles would form and interact chaotically, and it's likely that one of them would end up close enough to where [[Randall]] lives to cause auroras to become more common at some point during the transition.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall mentions that there are reasons people could be concerned, but says that they would be more than made up for by newly being able to experience mid-latitude auroras. Since auroras occur within 3° to 6° of the magnetic poles, the migration of the poles to middle latitudes would cause the auroras to occur there as well; since more people live at middle latitudes than in the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, and since auroras are considered aesthetically attractive, the psychological benefits of the drifting poles might more than make up for the technical difficulties it causes.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[White Hat and Cueball are talking to each other. White Hat has a cellphone in his hand, while Cueball is raising his hands in the air in mock exasperation.]<br />
:White Hat: I just read that the Earth's North magnetic pole is drifting rapidly.<br />
:Cueball: Oh no! I must update our declination tables post haste, lest our merchant schooners run aground on the shoals!<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:I like when the Earth's magnetic field does weird stuff, because it's a huge, cool, urgent-seeming science thing, but there's nothing I personally need to do about it.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:Jeff&diff=211700User talk:Jeff2021-05-10T04:54:26Z<p>Herobrine: /* Two issues that may need to be solved */ new section</p>
<hr />
<div>{{notice|This is the talk page of Jeff, the creator of Explain XKCD. If you have a comment about the wiki, please use the [[Explain XKCD:Community portal]].<br>Use this page only for personal messages to Jeff, of for requests that require server access.}}<br><br />
<br />
== ParserFunctions ==<br />
<br />
Hi Jeff,<br />
<br />
Just thought I'd run this up the flagpole... any thought about installing the ParserFunctions extension? I think this site could benefit from a few templates that would aid in indexing/categorizing the entries as content is migrated, and ParserFunctions would make some really impressive things possible... but installing any extension or not would be up to you.<br />
<br />
Also, do you have any feelings about us users creating templates in the Template namespace, which we could use to maintain the content? Just wanted to get your thumbs-up before/if I did something like that. Just want to play nice. Love the site, and the new wiki format.<br />
<br />
- PT [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 03:05, 1 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
:ParserFunctions are awesome, yup! --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 06:56, 1 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
::{{done}} Yes to both. I have enabled ParserFunctions and Templates sound like a great idea. IronyChef, please send me an email at the address on the blog and I'll make you an admin if necessary to edit templates. --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 08:03, 1 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Extension:Variable ==<br />
Just wondering what you thought about adding the [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Variables Variables extension]. I'm toying with revising {{tl|LATESTCOMIC}} to not be so expensive (both in terms of template expansion, and ongoing maintenance.) I could do that now, but the wiki would have to re-expand and re-evaluate the same expression about six times, being slightly counter-productive. -- [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 14:54, 25 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
:: any thoughts ... up, down, sideways? Thanks! -- [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 15:34, 1 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
::: I'm up for it... Let me get it installed on the wiki side when I get a chance. --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 23:13, 3 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Bugging you again.... ==<br />
<br />
Could you take a look at [//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?limit=10000&tagfilter=&title=Special%3AContributions&contribs=user&target=Philosopher&namespace=8&year=&month=-1] and tell me if I'm thinking in about the same way as you are here? Also, I've brought up [[MediaWiki:Tagline]] and [[Explain XKCD:Community portal]], as it'd be cool to have a tagline. --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 10:46, 1 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
:With you 100% on the File Delete reasons. Thanks. I agree also about having a tagline. What do you think it should be? --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 11:13, 1 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
::Nothing's coming to mind right now. Perhaps someone else will think of something. --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 17:54, 2 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<small>Discussion continued at [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Proposals#Tagline]].</small><br />
<br />
== Automatic Import ==<br />
Moved to [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Proposals#Automatic Import]]. (Header left to avoid breaking links.) --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 00:30, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Please watch [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] ==<br />
<br />
I'd like to ask that the admins consider adding [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] to their [[wikipedia:Help:Watching pages|watchlists]]. On a similar note, I've just started a discussion there about spammers. -''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 02:02, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Images from Wikimedia Commons and SVG ==<br />
Please set <code>$wgUseInstantCommons = true;</code> in the wiki's LocalSettings.php, so we can use images from Wikimedia Commons without having to reupload them here.<br />
Also, I'd be neat if you could [[mw:Manual:Image Administration#SVG|enable svg images]]. Thanks! --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 04:20, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
: {{done}}, Instant Commons is on. Will need a little more work to get SVG images to work. What renderer to do you suggest I use? --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:05, 6 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
:: That'll depend on what you have available in your server. They say there that ImageMagick seems to be an acceptable choice, but rsvg seems to be the best one if the dependencies can be sorted out. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 13:20, 6 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Search suggestions ==<br />
<br />
Hi,<br />
<br />
could you please set $wgEnableMWSuggest [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:$wgEnableMWSuggest] to true? This enables search suggestions for the search field, and often this helps you to skip the search results. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 09:10, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
:{{done}} OK, this is has been added to the LocalSettings. --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:06, 6 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Time zone ==<br />
<br />
Please set the wiki to UTC (<tt>$wgLocaltimezone = "UTC";</tt> in LocalSettings.php), as it's the most neutral option for our international community. In any case, each user can choose their time zone in their preferences.<br />
:{{done}} Ok, set. --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:07, 6 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Short urls, site logo, lowercase xkcd ==<br />
<br />
Hi,<br />
I'm not sure if you tried it but http://shorturls.redwerks.org is a great (and simple :D) tool to implement clean urls with mediawiki. That would make urls much nicer around here.<br />
<br />
Also, if you could, please take a look at [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Proposals#Naming conventions]], where your assistance is needed for some server changes. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 15:31, 6 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Hi again :) just to remind you about the short urls thing. I think it would be great if we could have wiki links in the form "explainxkcd.com/wiki/link_title". It might be necessary to move the wiki into a different folder name than "wiki", but that's just a matter of renaming the folder and changing <code>$wgScriptPath</code> in LocalSettings.php accordingly. The link above makes things really straighforward, it should really only take you a few minutes to set everything up.<br />
:Another cool thing that could be done is set up a server redirect so that links in the form of explainxkcd.com/number would point to the comics in the wiki instead of returning a 404 error (for instance, http://explainxkcd.com/123 would point to http://explainxkcd.com/wiki/123). That way, we could replicate xkcd's own url system for comics and people could simply type explainxkcd.com/123 and get the explanation for the corresponding comic. This redirect can probably be set up in the hosting company's web interface, but in case it can't, let me know if you need any help. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 22:03, 11 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
::Hi Waldir - I'll work on the short URL thing. I want that to work for sure. With regards to the redirect, I have been working on it for a while and I have a few .htaccess files and etc that don't work. I'll be grateful for the help on it. Please send me an email if you know how to get it done. This would also allow anyone from xkcd.com/435 to just add explain and go to the comic explanation. Very helpful. Been working on it unsuccessfully for a while. --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 01:41, 12 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
:::Ugh, it must be my hosting because I did all of the shorturls correctly it just sent it to a 404 page for the site over and over again. The url seemed to be the right one, but didn't send it to the right location. It should NOT be this difficult. --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 02:25, 12 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== wgCapitalLinks ==<br />
<br />
Hi Jeff! When you have a few spare minutes, please add the following to LocalSettings.php:<br />
$wgCapitalLinks = false;<br />
This allows page titles not to be automatically capitalized by the software, which is important for filenames and for some comic titles such as [[s/keyboard/leopard/]]. Cheers, [[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 21:34, 11 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
:{{done}} --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 01:37, 12 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
::...and this broke our templates (and maybe [[Special:RecentChanges]]?). See [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Admin requests]]. Can't we just style the page titles so they appear as though they aren't capitalized when they really are? (As done at [[wikipedia:Xkcd]], using the DISPLAYTITLE magic word (called through [[wikipedia:Template:DISPLAYTITLE]]).) --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 04:42, 12 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
:::Looks like transition pains would be inevitable. I think everything is sorted out for now. See the Admin requests thread for details. As for using DISPLAYTITLE, I understand the rationale, but this is xkcd and attention to capitalization is necessary in several pages, and I believe we'd rather use a complete solution (so that pages actually have the correct title) rather than hacking what is shown to viewers. In any case, we shouldn't have many problems in the future because of this; People will only capitalize the first letter of a title when it's actually necessary; otherwise, lazyness/convenience makes us all use lowercase everywhere (besides, redirects can be used just in case, such as {{tl|yesno}} → {{tl|YesNo}}. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 09:06, 12 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== External Images ==<br />
<br />
Has there actually been a decision on external images? Or is it just to be decided later? <span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-left-radius: 15px; border-bottom-left-radius: 15px;">&nbsp;[[User:Grep|grep]]</span><span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-right-radius: 15px; border-bottom-right-radius: 15px;">[[User_talk:Grep|talk]]&nbsp;</span><br />
: No decision yet. What do you think? --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 21:16, 28 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
::Well, the whitelisting seems an OK idea. This would help you save space on the servers that you are hosting on, so that's a plus.<br />I say go for whitelisting. <span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-left-radius: 15px; border-bottom-left-radius: 15px;">&nbsp;[[User:Grep|grep]]</span><span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-right-radius: 15px; border-bottom-right-radius: 15px;">[[User_talk:Grep|talk]]&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: 77%">Mostly I am wondering because I created a PHP script that creates an image to display the results of a poll (like on the Moving the Wiki topic in Proposals). For my situation any method of something external being placed on this site will work.</span><br />
::'''I just''' got an idea... what if there was a group of moderators that check external images and approve them. The more approvals a person gets, the more "reliable" they are considered to be... ? <span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-left-radius: 15px; border-bottom-left-radius: 15px;">&nbsp;[[User:Grep|grep]]</span><span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-right-radius: 15px; border-bottom-right-radius: 15px;">[[User_talk:Grep|talk]]&nbsp;</span><br />
<br />
== Short Link Problem Fix? ==<br />
<br />
Is <code>mod_rewrite</code> installed and enabled?<br /><br />
[https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Short_URL/Apache MW ShortURL]<br /><br />
Are all of the config files (including the wiki one) set up?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-left-radius: 15px; border-bottom-left-radius: 15px;">&nbsp;[[User:Grep|grep]]</span><span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-right-radius: 15px; border-bottom-right-radius: 15px;">[[User_talk:Grep|talk]]&nbsp;</span><br />
<br />
== New admin please? ==<br />
<br />
This is a bit forthright of me, but nothing appears to be being done about it. Would you read this [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Spampage Rampage]] and comment on it? Thanks, [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] and the community 17:47, 13 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Small change ==<br />
<br />
Hi Jeff! Long time no see. Look, could you add<br />
:<code>$wgGroupPermissions['autoconfirmed']['autopatrol'] = true;</code><br />
to LocalSettings.php? That will allow edits by [[mw:auto-confirmed|auto-confirmed]] users not to be marked with a red exclamation mark in recent changes so we can more quickly spot edits that might need reviewing. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 02:16, 22 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Btw while you're at it, please also add<br />
::<code>$wgAllowUserJs = true;</code><br />
::<code>$wgAllowUserCss = true;</code><br />
:So users can make their own scripts and styles to enhance the wiki (I need that, for instance, to test stuff without affecting anyone else, before integrating them on site-wide javascript/css pages) --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 16:52, 22 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
{{done}} and {{done}} --[[User:Jeff|<font color="orange">Jeff</font>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 19:55, 25 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Thanks! --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 19:57, 25 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:: Sorry, I forgot a small detail: it is necessary to set up the following so that "auto-confirmed" doesn't mean "any registered user":<br />
:: <code>$wgAutoConfirmAge = 60*60*24*3 // accounts become auto-confirmed after 3 days</code><br />
:: <code>$wgAutoConfirmCount = 10 // ...and 10 edits</code><br />
:: Cheers, [[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 21:32, 25 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::: {{done}} --[[User:Jeff|<font color="orange">Jeff</font>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 21:49, 25 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:::: Thanks, again. Also, since the wiki didn't break, I take it that you noticed the missing semicolons which I stupidly forgot to include at the end of the lines, and added them. Sorry for the slip-up. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 17:31, 26 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
::::: No worries, I know that much at least! :) --[[User:Jeff|<font color="orange">Jeff</font>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 17:36, 26 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Did you by any chance write "auto patrol" instead of "autopatrol"? [[Special:ListGroupRights]] suggests so, and if that's the case, that explains why the changes don't seem to have had the effects I expected from them (edits by auto-patrolled users still marked with the red exclamation mark in Special:RecentChanges). Could you check that the line reads exactly <code>$wgGroupPermissions['autoconfirmed']['autopatrol'] = true;</code>? --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 17:54, 26 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
: That's what I thought I put even though autocorrect wanted to change it. Can't look now, will have a look when I get home. ---[[User:Jeff|<font color="orange">Jeff</font>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 17:55, 26 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
:: Any news? No pressure, I'm just curious :) --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 15:34, 30 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
::: Bah - I keep forgetting when I get home. I'll try to get it done this weekend. --[[User:Jeff|<font color="orange">Jeff</font>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 17:35, 30 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
:::: Much delayed, but {{done}} --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 02:50, 4 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
::::: Thanks, Jeff. I'll let you know if there's any further issues, but I believe everything should be working now. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 03:34, 4 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Links to category pages ==<br />
<br />
I couldn't help but notice the number of your edits to your page. You can link to category pages by putting a colon in front of "Category". <code><nowiki>[[:Category:Pages to delete]]</nowiki></code> produces [[:Category:Pages to delete]]. It also doesn't add the category to that page, it just links to it. Cheers, [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 17:30, 30 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
: Oh geez. You saw that? That's a little embarrassing with not knowing what to do, I kept trying to figure out how to put the link there. Thanks for the help! I couldn't find that information anywhere. --[[User:Jeff|<font color="orange">Jeff</font>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 17:31, 30 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::When I had to learn about that trick the edits on that page looked fairly similar. I eventually found the right page [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Links] (ctrl+f "category", it's buried) and managed it. I have the Recent Changes page set to auto-refresh every minute. I see a few things. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 17:43, 30 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Your opinion? ==<br />
<br />
Please comment [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Technical#We need more maintainers|here]]. Cheers, [[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 17:21, 5 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
:Update: we've been offered help by [[mediawiki:User:Dantman|an experienced MediaWiki developer]], I think we can finally solve the server-side issues now! Please take a look at the thread linked above. [[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 20:07, 23 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== I am really dumb ==<br />
<br />
and this morning, while creating a user name, I goofed it and wrote .mau, (with a trailing comma) instead of .mau. (with a trailing dot, which is my trademark). I know that a bureaucrat on MediaWiki can change a username which had few edits (my own edits are three including this one): could you do this, or at least delete this username so that I may recreate it without leaving a dead one? TIA, [[User:.mau,|.mau,]] ([[User talk:.mau,|talk]]) 15:09, 16 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
:You can actually change your signature to .mau. if you want, to mask that for now. Just make a page called User:.mau,/sig and craft your signature to your liking, then go to my preferences at the top and set your sig to <nowiki>{{SUBST:User:.mau,/sig}}</nowiki>. If you want an example, [[User:Lcarsos/sig]] is a near-vanilla and quite clean example of a custom sig, while [[User:Omega/sig]] and my sig, [[User:Davidy22/sig]] are slightly more tricked-out options. Wikipedia's guidelines to signature crafting are {{w|Wikipedia:Signatures#Customizing_your_signature|here.}} '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 15:53, 16 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
::ok, thanks! [[User:.mau,|.mau.]] ([[User talk:.mau,|talk]]) 09:55, 17 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::Aw, that's it? No bling or anything? Meeehhh. '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 13:16, 17 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
:(to Jeff) I believe user renaming is not possible in vanilla mediawiki. An extension is required: [[mw:Extension:Renameuser]] --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 18:21, 17 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
::I find a bit disturbing to have a "wrong" username, especially because I may not remember it somewhen (yes, the word does not exist, but I like its sound); but I don't need any flashy signature, so I just changed the traling comma to a dot. --[[User:.mau,|.mau.]] ([[User talk:.mau,|talk]]) 14:09, 18 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==/wiki/==<br />
Now that the site apparently redirects to the wiki, could the entire wiki URL just be explainxkcd.com, without the trailing wiki? It's mostly for cleanliness, but also to throw off the spambots for a while. Those accursed spam happy bots. '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 04:29, 4 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
: Sounds good, I'm working on that part next. It is next on my "to-do" list complete some URL work like that. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 18:05, 4 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::''nag''. Also, the spam is becoming an issue. A pretty big issue. Time to switch captchas? '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 13:04, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::: OK - sounds good to me, any ones you recommend? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 13:33, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::: I don't remember which captcha the wiki uses, but I know securimage and recaptcha are two very competent options. Alternately, you could use [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:ConfirmEdit ConfirmEdit] to screen anon edits. Much of the spam seems to be automated, so questycaptcha should screen out most of the chaff. Just simple questions, like "What webcomic does this site explain" or "Who created XKCD" should be sufficient to screw up our current spammers. Also, rm /wiki/ plx. '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 13:41, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::Confirm edit is in and Recaptcha is out. Let's try that. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 14:11, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::The questions appear to be case-sensitive. To avoid frustration, could you add a notice to every question saying that the answers have to be in all lower/upper case? I got "What's the name of this wiki" wrong a bunch of times, and I think it's due to capitalization. '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 14:30, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::Ok - cool. I changed it to $wgSitename instead of just writing it out. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 14:32, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::If we get no spam tomorrow, I will hold a party in your talk page. Oh, and /wiki/. '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 14:38, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::I'll just hijack this thread and ask: Isn't it time Davidy22 got admin tools? It's long overdue. And please promote Lcarsos to bureaucrat, so he can make new admins if needed. And seconded: <code>/wiki/</code> ! --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 02:39, 19 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::Could you also put confirmEdit in general page creation for anonymous users? There's still a couple of spam pages being made that don't actually advertise anything. There hasn't been an account creation in a long time, so I think we've killed off the spam accounts. The rate of spam has definitely dropped significantly ever since we switched to confirmEdit. '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 05:42, 20 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::We've just had a surge of pure griefer spam. Anons who don't insert any links, they're just throwing spam at us out of malice. Could you make anonymous users have to pass through confrimEdit to create pages? Thanks. On a side note, what's the ratio in terms of file size between current explanation pages to logs and diffs? '''[[User:Davidy22|<u><font color="purple" title="I want you">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><font color="indigo" size="4px">²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:53, 22 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::::Wow those suck. Wiping out whole pages with anon edits. I can't change the settings from here, but I'll do it when I get home. Also, I'm not sure what you mean by filesize? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 15:51, 22 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::::Eh, how much space do explanations and images take up on your hard drive when compared to the space that log files and diffs take up? '''[[User:Davidy22|<u><font color="purple" title="I want you">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><font color="indigo" size="4px">²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 16:01, 22 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::::::Click a thing, check out the URL. I be posting this here instead of DMs because somthing like this has been requested for a pretty long time. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:55, 7 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::::: I'm confused. There's a lot going on in this thread. Want to break it out into its own header? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:48, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::::::Mkay '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 19:47, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Promote Davidy22 ==<br />
<br />
:''Breaking this discussion out from where it was, because it merits its own section. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]])''<br />
I'll just hijack this thread and ask: Isn't it time Davidy22 got admin tools? It's long overdue. And please promote lcarsos to bureaucrat, so he can make new admins if needed. And seconded: <code>/wiki/</code> ! --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 02:39, 19 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:'''Heartily Agree''' on promoting Davidy22, he's almost always more on top of spam patrol than I am these days (burn-out for the lose). I'm not sure I can speak for my own promotion without sounding self-serving and power-hungry. However, in my few spare moments this semester I am looking closely at getting a bot up and running to automate the clean up of spam (mostly because manual spam patrol is the most soul-sucking and disheartening activity I've ever done), so it would be nice to be able to get a bot account promoted to bot status without misrepresenting it as my account. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 18:13, 19 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: Davidy22 is up to admin (honestly, I thought he was already one, so no issue there on my end.) and lcarsos has been updated to bureaucrat because we should have more redundancy there. Also, create a bot account and let me know what it is and i'll give it bot rights. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 18:36, 19 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: Or now, you can do it! :) --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 18:41, 19 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::WOO, power! '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 05:42, 20 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Small ConfirmEdit change ==<br />
<br />
Can you change the line:<br />
<pre>$wgCaptchaTriggers['create'] = false;</pre><br />
to true? I think this would solve most of our bot vandalism/griefing problems. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 21:19, 22 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: {{done}} I changed 'edit' to true as well since we've seen a bunch when editing user's talk pages. We will see if I have to move that back to false. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:16, 23 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== DeleteOldRevisions ==<br />
<br />
There's a script built into mediawiki called DeleteOldRevisions.php that seems to have deprecated the deletehistory plugin. A link to the [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:DeleteOldRevisions.php manual page.] A hard drive upgrade would be apt for the future though. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|purple|David}}<font color=green size=3px>y</font></u><font color=indigo size=4px>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 00:15, 20 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
: I'm looking into it. I'm not sure how the wiki got back up and running without me running the update. I'll try the [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:DeleteHistory] and see if that can help in the meantime. The expanded HD might be a no-go, but I'll see on that too. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 01:27, 20 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Server Hardware==<br />
The website is getting really slow and throwing internal errors all over the place, and it looks like both the main page and the page for the newest comic [[1190: Time]] are climbing rapidly in views. If one ambiguous comic is hitting us like a DDoS, we're going to get it in the shorts if Randall ever actually acknowledges our existence directly, or some other geeky media outlet posts a link to us. Is there a donate button anywhere? '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|purple|David}}<font color=green size=3px>y</font></u><font color=indigo size=4px>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 05:18, 25 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
: We certainly can get a Donate button. We may need to migrate the server to get it upgraded. This is one of those big days, I guess. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:39, 25 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: How about a Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign? --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 12:37, 26 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::Kickstarter and Indiegogo are one-time things. No good for this. I recommend modifying the donate button so that there is a PayPal "Subscribe" button near it so people can also do small monthly subscriptions. I recommend a dropdown with $1, $2, $5, $10, $20 options.<br />
:::Does 1&1 give you stats like how much bandwidth (or rather how much data) you are using. That could have an effect on where is best to get the new hosting; Rackspace Cloud, Linode, AWS, or even a real server with access to other network options like paying for actual Mbps bandwidth with unlimited data.<br />
:::When you get a server I'd like to properly set it up with varnish, nginx, apc (or Zend_Optimizer+ considering it's going to be part of php 5.5), memcached, and perhaps php-fpm instead of mod_php. Varnish will allow anonymous pages to be cached hopefully reducing the load issues. And nginx should serve out static things better than Apache. [[User:Dantman|Dantman]] ([[User talk:Dantman|talk]]) 05:23, 27 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::: Regarding the Paypal button, besides the subscribe option, I would recommend removing the credit card logos, as they make it too wide for the sidebar and not fit the design well. Besides, I personally think they give it kind of a corporate feel; instead, a simple "donate" button, while still recognizable as paypal's, feels simpler and more "personal", for lack of a better word.<br />
:::: Also, I think you should place it above the AdSense block, since that makes it more visible, and prioritizes a form of supporting the site that people have direct, active control over, rather than the passive, choice-less (modulo AdBlock) AdSense.<br />
:::: And also capitalize "donate" in the section title, to match the other titles ("Navigation", "Toolbox", etc.)<br />
:::: Since we're at it: maybe more donation options would make sense: [//flattr.com Flattr], [//gittip.com Gittip], [//tiptheweb.org/ TipTheWeb], and possibly [//bitcoin.org/ Bitcoins].<br />
:::: Finally, is it possible to make the AdSense background transparent, or at least the same as the site background of #F3F3F3? --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 14:15, 27 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::Is it possible to add the ad and donate buttons without including a section title? Minimizing unused space is gooood. Also, I noticed that you installed the deletehistory plugin, but it's trying to use another version of PHP that's installed on the server. deleteoldrevisions.php in the maintenance folder oughta work fine, though it'd probably be apt to run it over the weekend when we're not expecting absurd floods of visitors like we are now. We may need it too, after we've filled up the hard drive again with archives of Time.'''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|purple|David}}<font color=green size=3px>y</font></u><font color=indigo size=4px>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 14:39, 27 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::: Yes, it is possible for me to edit, I will have to go into the settings for each since I used extensions for them. I hate the credit card things too. Will take a look at all options tonight.<br />
:::::: The Deletehistory plugin doesn't work, sadly because of the PHP version. Hopefully, when we migrate, it will be on a newer version and that will work. Hopefully, we will have more disk space too... --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]])<br />
::::: Hey Jeff. Could you change the width of the paypal donate button so that it matches the google ads and the bitcoin donate button? Maybe using a custom button rather than the paypal-provided one?<br />
::::: Also, any news regarding the possibility of changing the background of the google ads? --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 17:21, 8 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::: It did not work out with Google ads for a reason they will not disclose to me, but I'll work on the buttons and the banner ad. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:11, 9 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Everything's good ==<br />
<br />
Except for the (currently) occasional server error, I have no problems.<br />
<br />
I've turned on HotCat and Popups, imported wikEdDiff and my HideTopContribs, all of which make me fairly efficient at watching changes.<br />
<br />
A minor request would be the Redirect toolbar button.<br />
<br />
[[User:Markhurd|Mark Hurd]] ([[User talk:Markhurd|talk]]) 17:13, 19 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:When you turn off enwiki's "Enable enhanced editing toolbar" all of the toolbar buttons explainxkcd has are in the same order (it skips Math) and the very next one is Redirect #R. It seems to be defined at http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MediaWiki:Common.js/edit.js&action=edit<br />
:I've tried adding just Redirect #R myself [[User:Markhurd/common.js|here]], but something's going wrong. (And I should be sleeping!)<br />
::Seeing as it is only one button I wanted, I simplified the code down to calling addButton directly and it is now working fine. [[User:Markhurd|Mark Hurd]] ([[User talk:Markhurd|talk]]) 13:07, 20 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Re being an Admin: Yes, please, as long as you note this would be my first actual Admin bit. (I'm a Bureaucrat on another MW wiki so I could give myself Admin rights whenever I wanted.) [[User:Markhurd|Mark Hurd]] ([[User talk:Markhurd|talk]]) 19:39, 19 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Sidebar ads ==<br />
<br />
Hi, we're having a discussion about the sidebar ads on [[Talk:Main Page#sidebar ads?]]. --[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 08:42, 24 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Economic transparency ==<br />
<br />
Hi! I made a request on economic transparency on the proposals page. –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 22:05, 27 May 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Thumbnails are not working==<br />
I'm relatively new here but I think each picture should get it's proper thumbnail when the original is to large to embed. Mediawiki is using some applications in the background maybe not available here. But there are some workarounds. And since "onlinehome.us" is well secured I still do even not know what OS is running in the background. But whatever the OS is, it should be solvable.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:13, 8 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Last missing page ==<br />
<br />
Hi, I'm hoping you don't mind about my adds to Natalie Dee. I was working on that at the same time.<br />
BTW: Can I help you on that thumbnail issue? I really would be happy if it could fixed here.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:42, 18 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: No problem on the Natalee Dee comic, I was just working on it because it was the last one, edit away. What's the thumbnail issue? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 21:43, 18 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::Thanks for your reply. I am still talking about this: [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Errors_and_symptoms#Image_Thumbnails_not_working_and.2For_appearing Image_Thumbnails_not_working]. I am sure there is a need to fix the [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/LocalSettings.php LocalSettings.php]. Maybe some paths are wrong or it's just using wrong image tools. I can help on any OS except Apple computers.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:07, 18 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Congratulations! ==<br />
<br />
You just created the last unexplained comic of ''xkcd''! [[User:Greyson|Greyson]] ([[User talk:Greyson|talk]]) 23:38, 18 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
: Thanks Greyson! --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 03:04, 19 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Math==<br />
A lot of comics have formulae in them. Could you set $wgUseTeX = true in LocalSettings.php? That lets us use latex in pages. It'd be useful for comics like yesterday's. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 09:12, 11 July 2013 (UTC)<br />
:Yeah, this would be nice. But you have to install an extension, LaTex must be available, then compile something, and at least adjusting the LocalSettings.php config file. We also sill do not have all image features here. But I can help, Windows or Linux.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 13:55, 11 July 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: I'll look into it. Let me know if you find an extension that will do the trick. Send me some links to anything that would help and I can get them set up. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 14:44, 11 July 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::Go here [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Math Extension:Math] and read the installation instructions first, it's not easy. For Fedora (Linux) there is a package called "mediawiki-math.x86_64" available. I will test this at my own computer.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 15:57, 11 July 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::It's the hell, but I got a first crappy version at my local installation. I have had to install ''latex'' and ''ocaml'' packages and now its working, but it still renders many lines before the <nowiki><math></nowiki> tag, So it's still not usable for this site.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:35, 13 July 2013 (UTC)<br />
===Seeing injected banner ads?===<br />
I'm seeing banner ads (viewing on my iPad) that cover the actual banner of the site and never scroll out of view. It's as if they've been infected by a downstream server (ISP?). Anybody else? I'm in Wisconsin using TDS. Jeff M.<br />
: That's terrible, I've got to fix that. bah. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 18:36, 2 August 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: Is there a place I can email some screenshots? Jeff M.{{unsigned ip|69.130.242.120}}<br />
<br />
== Full cache kills this page ==<br />
<br />
Hi, it seems this page was not reachable for 15 hours again. The cache here has to be cleared sometimes, but since I can do it with my account I will create a script running once per day. 15 hours outage are bad, I try to avoid this in the future. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 15:50, 3 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:Which page was dead? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:11, 3 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
::The entire site was dead. Look here: [[Special:RecentChanges|Special:RecentChanges]]. My last post was at 23:44 yesterday, no actions here after my reset at 14:54 today. The site was dead. I'm not a hacker, but I'm a programmer and I used this base of knowledge to fix this problem. If you do need more details, please send me an email. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:25, 3 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
::: Agreed. Tried to visit yesterday PM, but a lot of pages were spilling guts: user pages, category pages, no comic explanations (as far as I could tell with my limited browsing.) A chron-job script to keep that at bay would be good medicine, assuming it didn't have other side effects. [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 03:19, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
I will set up a cron job running once per day. Maybe this entry at the config file [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:LocalSettings.php LocalSettings.php] would be the better solution:<br />
$wgMainCacheType = CACHE_NONE;<br />
I'm using the MidnightCommander (Linux) for editing this file.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 12:11, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::: Cache_None is already set in the LocalSettings. I believe this is usually a database error that we are getting. It usually resolves itself as I'm not able to resolve it myself. I believe that we are getting hit with a brute force attack at our database during those times because the database is totally unreachable. I'm working on moving to a new host where the database will be better protected. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:16, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::Cache_None or CACHE_NONE? This should be case sensitive. Nevertheless I did purge the cache and the site was instantly available again (after approx. 15 hours). Also Davidy22 explained that he did clear the cache to bring the site back. The error messages are misleading and not showing the real problem.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 12:43, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::: Yes, CACHE_NONE, sorry, I was typing fast. I've ran my clear cache script a few times when I've had that same problem and haven't seen results, so I'm glad we at least have something that's working. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 15:18, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::You are doing a great job, I feel I just have to say thanks! When the next outage does happen I will activate a small script, but for now I just try to avoid unnecessary traffic to this server.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 16:15, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::: Thanks Dgbrt! --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 18:07, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== New host ==<br />
<br />
Great job, but please check this link: <code>/wiki/</code>. I can browse the entire folder and more. It seems that "htaccess" should be renamed to ".htaccess".--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 08:32, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
: Oh geez. That's bad. Thanks! --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:02, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: Should be good now. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:45, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I found an other serious issue belonging to DNS entries:<br />
Name: explainxkcd.com<br />
Address: 108.162.198.131<br />
Name: explainxkcd.com<br />
Address: 108.162.199.131<br />
This works fine because 108.162.'''198'''.131 is correct. But most DNS servers showing up with this result:<br />
Name: explainxkcd.com<br />
Address: 108.162.199.131<br />
Name: explainxkcd.com<br />
Address: 108.162.198.131<br />
This just leads to the old server at 108.162.'''199'''.131. Check Google DNS server 8.8.8.8 with nslookup, the wrong IP is shown first.<br />
--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:34, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
: Weird... I'll research. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 19:35, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
::Yes, it's weird. After I discovered this I did enter an entry for this at my local "/etc/hosts" file. But it seems most people can not access the new site.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:20, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
::One more: The logo on the left top is broken. ''style="background-image: url(/wiki/skins/common/images/explainxkcd.png)'' does not exist.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:53, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
::: Yea, what happened to that logo... it was there this morning. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 20:56, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::Oh, after a computer crash I'm back. Right now even the editor is broken here. I don't know if I can send this message. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:22, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::Ok, it does work, but all images for short cuts on top of the editor are also broken now. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:26, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::: The editor works fine for me, I'll research the images. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 21:27, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::It seems all links like "/wiki/skins/common/images/button_bold.png" are gone. Additionally I'm getting an JavaScript error "TypeError: document.getElementById(...) is null". http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/skins/common/images/button_bold.png redirects me to http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page. Maybe you still get some content, maybe cache, from 108.162.199.131? Or is the real site now on that IP? Remember, I have had to restart my computer; most of my cache is gone and I'm just seeing the real page.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:48, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::: I fixed the images. I did that stupidly through the htaccess page. I've got to figure a better solution for what I'm trying to do to solve another problem. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 21:58, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::Looks great right now. So that DNS glitch seems to be the most worse problem right now.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:08, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::: I think DNS is still propagating with the updates from yesterday. Not every one has the correct information yet... those two DNS IPs are the load balancers, I believe. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 22:09, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::::Strange "load balancers", but it's working now on both IPs. Many thanks again for your hard work, you must have invested many hours on this migration. Let's see tomorrow if other users will be able to find this site again.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:30, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Please remove subaddressing from my account email [[user:tbc]] ==<br />
<br />
Hi Jeff,<br />
<br />
I requested a password reset, but I forgot that my account still has an old email registered: timc+explainxkcd@divide.net. My ISP, pcisys.net née divide.net, disabled subaddressing during an email upgrade earlier this year. If you will update that email to remove the plus sign so my account email is timc@divide.net, I will be able to reset my password. I was logged in from my iPad to write on the [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Admin_requests#Please_remove_subaddressing_from_my_account_email_user:tbc|community portal]] page, but since I needed my password, which I have forgotten, to change it, I got stuck. – ''[[User:Tbc|tbc]] ([[User talk:Tbc|talk]]) 30 Oct 2013''<br />
: You should be good to go now. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:07, 31 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: I am. Thank you! – ''[[User:Tbc|tbc]] ([[User talk:Tbc|talk]]) 05:32, 8 November 2013 (UTC)''<br />
<br />
== Forbidden ==<br />
<br />
You don't have permission to access /wiki/ ([http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/ http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/]) on this server. I think a simple redirect would be a better solution.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 23:45, 4 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
: Yup, that's on my list to work on. If you are knowledgable about htaccess files, feel free to send me an email. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 13:48, 5 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
::The first great point is: The error doesn't show the server, version, etc... A hacker can't figure what exploits are available.<br />
::At my local test installation (Apache, Linux) it's covered by the general server configuration. And each folder simply does contain a proper "index.php" file from mediawiki doing the correct redirects.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:19, 5 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
::: Fixed. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:02, 21 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::Great job, thanks.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:18, 21 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Re: the latest puzzle ==<br />
<br />
I don't know how to contribute in the discussion section on the page, so I'm throwing ideas at you. <br />
<br />
Just quick thoughts. <br />
I feel like Cpl klinger and the water type kingler is too solid a connection to ignore even though I can't really use it. <br />
Kingler was owned in the series by Ash. <br />
Ash is a three letter word and the last three letters of the phrase monstermash. <br />
Monsterm=8 letters so the first block ash=3 letters in the second block. <br />
Monsterm is about the monster.com thing, therefore purloined. It's a double reference, the .co has been purloined from the purloined website. <br />
Then blastoise -3, or rather blastois3 - 3 (mocking the common password meme of replacing letters with numbers) <br />
So the last password, which is super hard to guess and well chosen even with the clue is, blastoisash? It's a feasibly memorable password that would not be quickly forgotten by a pokemon fan while still being hard to guess. <br />
Can you think of a way to check it? Maybe go into the old command line xkcd and try it as a password?<br />
<br />
==URLs==<br />
I made them marginally shorter. Can you spot the difference? '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 19:47, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
: Uh, I can't. Does that make me a bad person? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 22:17, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::If you go to any page, you should see that it says index.php/<page name> instead of index.php?title=<page name>. Small change, I'm trying to kill the index.php bit too, but I think I suck at regexes. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 22:31, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::: Regexes are the WORST --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 22:45, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::Regexes are great, but they are hard to implement for a specific solution. But Goooogle helps. And a question to Davidy22: Why you do not present your enhancement here? --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 23:10, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::I set $wgUsePathInfo to true in mediawiki settings, and here's our lines for redirecting URLs in general:<br />
<br />
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(\.png|\.jpg|\.gif)$ [NC]<br />
# RewriteRule ^/wiki(/.*)$ %{DOCUMENT_ROOT}/wiki/index.php$1 [L]<br />
<br />
:::::Followed and preceded by htaccess commands that do other things. The broken line is commented out because it doesn't work. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 23:32, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::Uhh, it seems I still do not understand the secret. [http://www.xkcd.com/1301] to [http://www.explainxkcd.com/1301] works fine for me, but I do not understand that [NC] here so far:<br />
:::::::RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(\.png|\.jpg|\.gif)$ [NC]<br />
::::::maybe<br />
:::::::RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(\.png|\.jpg|\.gif)$[NC]<br />
::::::is better. But this means every request not matching those three image extensions would fit that rewrite rule. This is just haaardly regex. The second line is just a comment you probably did remove. I can't see the rewrite rule. And testing for a simple number x, xx, xyz, or xyzz would be better.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 00:23, 10 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::That's an entirely different rewriterule that does actually work and was deployed long ago that I didn't print here. I'm talking about a general-purpose rewrite that redirects from explainxkcd.com/wiki/<page name>, which I attempted to create in the commented-out line. The image exclusion is to stop image display requests from also being redirected, and I don't think you quite get how rewrite rules work. Not *every* page is fitted to every rewrite rule; the first half of the rule describes the conditions in which the rule should be applied. And yeah, just plugging in page names works, but I kinda don't want to hard-code every possible page redirect into our htaccess file. That's what the regex is for. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 00:51, 10 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== /r/xkcd sitenotice ==<br />
<br />
Could you please remove the sitenotice linking to and promoting /r/xkcd? [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]] added it to the sitenotice and cross-posted to reddit. Unfortunately, h/r/xkcd sub is controlled by /u/soccer, who links to racist, xenophobic and misogynistic content regularly. [http://www.reddit.com/r/anonymous123421/comments/1w8aie/petition_to_reinstate_uwyboth_as_a_mod_of_rxkcd/cezp63m Randall has spoken in support] of a petition for /u/soccer to be removed as a mod. /r/xkcdcomic is a non-hateful alternative, one that Randall supports, and it has more users than /r/xkcd.<br />
<br />
I did comment on Davidy22's talk page, but I thought I should drop you a line as well. Thanks, [[User:LadyMondegreen|LadyMondegreen]] ([[User talk:LadyMondegreen|talk]]) 13:55, 2 May 2014 (UTC)<br />
: Hi LadyMondegreen did he change it already? I didn't touch it yet, but it shows /r/xkcdcomic for me. I agree with you completely and I'm sorry if we linked to the wrong subreddit, even momentarily. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 14:50, 2 May 2014 (UTC)<br />
::It never linked to /r/xkcd. I think LadyMondegreen misread it or something. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:41, 3 May 2014 (UTC)<br />
:::Yeah, that was my bad. Someone pointed it out to me on IRC and I guess I didn't look closely enough. Sorry about that. [[User:LadyMondegreen|LadyMondegreen]] ([[User talk:LadyMondegreen|talk]]) 19:36, 6 May 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== MediaWiki question ==<br />
<br />
Out of curiosity, do you ever have a plan to add other skin options, like Monobook? [[User:Schiffy|<font color="000999">Schiffy</font>]] ([[User_talk:Schiffy|<font color="FF6600">Speak to me</font>]]|[[Special:Contributions/Schiffy|<font color="FF0000">What I've done</font>]]) 21:40, 31 July 2014 (UTC)<br />
:A fair number of other skins were cut because they broke our sidebar, and others were cut cuz they were ugly and no one used them. If there's demand for them, they could be brought back though; you just want Monobook? '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 18:06, 2 August 2014 (UTC)<br />
::Mainly, yes. From a personal standpoint, I find Vector fairly ugly. CologneBlue and Modern aren't much better. Monobook is my preferred alternative. I can't speak for majority of users on explainxkcd, but I do know there are a number of people who prefer Monobook to other skins. [[User:Schiffy|<font color="000999">Schiffy</font>]] ([[User_talk:Schiffy|<font color="FF6600">Speak to me</font>]]|[[Special:Contributions/Schiffy|<font color="FF0000">What I've done</font>]]) 21:56, 3 August 2014 (UTC)<br />
:::Fair enough. Monobook is back. Tell me if anything is wonky with our customisations, and I'll fix it.'''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:56, 4 August 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== IP Address glitch ==<br />
<br />
There appears to be a problem with the way that this site fetches users IP addresses! My IP address, as confirmed by whatismyip.com and other wikis, is 24.15.68.186! However, this site believes it to be 108.162.237.130! When I look up the incorrect IP address, it appears to be registered to CloudFlare. Is there anything you can do to resolve the situation? I don't want to get confused with a spambot and accidentally blocked! Thank you! [[User:The Wikiator|The Wikiator]] ([[User talk:The Wikiator|talk]]) 00:26, 19 April 2016 (UTC)<br />
:This is a [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Technical#Wrong IP address shown|known issue]]. [[User:Markhurd|Mark Hurd]] ([[User talk:Markhurd|talk]]) 11:06, 19 April 2016 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Crash ==<br />
<br />
Cool, I was worried for a bit that Explain Xkcd was down. By the way, I found the URL for a [http://c.xkcd.com/random/comic random comic] and a [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:Random random explained comic]. [[User:SilverMagpie|SilverMagpie]] ([[User talk:SilverMagpie|talk]]) 16:48, 12 May 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== A problem with a thing ==<br />
<br />
Hi, I'm a new user on this site, and for some reason I can't make my own user page because I don't have permission. Plz help me!<br />
<br />
[[User:Timeflow X|Timeflow X]] ([[User talk:Timeflow X|talk]]) 10:52, 21 June 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Weird - it works for me. I edited your user page, see if you can edit it now that its created? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:44, 21 June 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== LocalSettings.php ==<br />
<br />
Please set "$wgUseInstantCommons = true;" in LocalSettings.php. We have still pictures with red links here. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 15:39, 22 July 2017 (UTC)<br />
: Done --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 00:40, 26 July 2017 (UTC)<br />
::Thanks, but it's not working as expected: [[File:Button sig.png]]. It should show this picture: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Button_sig.png https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Button_sig.png].--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:44, 26 July 2017 (UTC)<br />
::: Ok, I'll take a look again when I can, is there anything else I need to do? Like add an extension? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 02:32, 1 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
::::Are we on MediaWiki version 1.16 or later? If not "$wgForeignFileRepos" would be the solution. But if the version is ok it's probably an https related problem: [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/InstantCommons#HTTPS InstantCommons#HTTPS]. Maybe this helps.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 12:39, 1 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
:::::'''Solved.''' As you can see above. I've had to update the ca-certificate package. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 23:56, 25 May 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Email coming from a non-existent domain ==<br />
<br />
The "confirm email" button sends email from "expla0@vps.explainxkcd.com". The vps.explainxkcd.com domain doesn't exist (according to CloudFlare's DNS servers). Some email servers (including sendmail's default configuration; see https://www.sendmail.org/~ca/email/doc8.12/cf/m4/features.html#accept_unresolvable_domains) will reject such emails. I haven't tested password recovery emails, but I wouldn't be surprised if the same problem exists there too. In my case, I've added "vps.explainxkcd.com" to my access database, but whom should I talk to about fixing the sent email? [[User:Piquan|Piquan]] ([[User talk:Piquan|talk]]) 02:44, 11 February 2018 (UTC)<br />
: The emails that I get when someone edits my talk page are: explain@explainxkcd.com and both settings in the localsettings.php are set to:$wgEmergencyContact = "explain@explainxkcd.com";$wgPasswordSender = "explain@explainxkcd.com"; but there might be a third one that catches those types of emails so I added $wgNoReplyAddress = "explain@explainxkcd.com"; Let me know if that fixes it. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 02:58, 13 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
::I've send you an email from here: [[:Special:EmailUser/Jeff]]. I also requested a copy to me and that was more than two hours ago. But nothing happened and I'm sure you also didn't receive a mail. By having access to the log-files I'm sure I would figure out the problem. BTW: My last mail from here was in February. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:55, 13 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
Ok, problem partly solved; my mails went into the Spam folder eventually meaning no notification to me. The reason is in fact what [[User:Piquan|Piquan]] has told in the initial comment. The mails are delivered via a mail server "vps.explainxkcd.com with local (Exim 4.80.1)" (belonging to Lunar Pages/Cloudflare) while the MX entry for explainxkcd.com is "mail.explainxkcd.com". There are two possible solutions, but the first is highly recommended:<br />
*Lunar Pages/Cloudflare have to change the rewriting rules at their Exim message transfer agent to an existing domain name. This would be in this case "mail.explainxkcd.com".<br />
*The name "vps.explainxkcd.com" must resolve to the IP 67.210.100.50 (we must hope that will not change in the future) AND there must be a second MX entry in the name registry for "explainxkcd.com" to "vps.explainxkcd.com". But I predict this would cause new problems in the future.<br />
The FROM line in the mail header (e.g. From: Dgbrt <my.name@mail.com> or something like <explain@explainxkcd.com>) is irrelevant because only the message agents needs a proper configuration. My former mail servers also rejected those corrupt mails; google mail just puts it into a spam folder. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:43, 13 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== ReCaptcha v1 is going away ==<br />
<br />
As I was posting an earlier comment, the reCAPTCHA told me:<br />
"V1 UNSUPPORTED - Please direct siteowner to g.co/recaptcha/upgrade". (I typed "V1 UNSUPPORTED" in the box and it worked.) It looks like the reCAPTCHA that's currently being used by the wiki is sunsetting on 31 March 2018 (in a month and a half, as of this writing), and so they're currently sending a small percentage of requests that notice instead of a CAPTCHA challenge. Thought I'd let you know. [[User:Piquan|Piquan]] ([[User talk:Piquan|talk]]) 02:55, 11 February 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Someone else has already mentioned that in the admin forum, but no one replied. I really think we should create a new forum for requests like that, as not many people visit that forum now. And at the time of this comment the CAPTCHA has expired. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 07:40, 8 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
: That's on me, I'm working on it. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:03, 12 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
::That's great, please also fix the email issue (section above). --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 12:15, 12 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Please reactivate the corrupt captcha or disable IPs from editing. We already have vandalism (see history at [[1031]])! --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:58, 12 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
: Well, that was stupid. It's back on now. I'm going to fix it, but I can't fix it right now so I'll leave the broken one on. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 15:20, 12 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
::Thanks, a day or one more are not a problem yet. But maybe you should change the Sitenotice on top so that others can see that work is in progress. Nevertheless I would talk to you about some general issues here, so when you have time please contact me on my talk page. Maybe you remember that I've had a test-wiki at home to test my BOT. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 15:58, 12 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== A Couple of Issues ==<br />
<br />
1. Google seems to have changed something in AdSense again, and the ads have been appearing in random positions again since December, 2019. [https://wpadvancedads.com/adsense-in-random-positions-auto-ads/ This page] might have a solution? It's been quite a while, and the ads are still broken.<br />
2. New site called xkcd.wtf is blatantly stealing/scraping explanations from our site and posting it with a new theme. Not sure if it's a mirror or just Ctrl+C Ctrl+V. Is this even legal? [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 09:32, 4 April 2020 (UTC)<br />
: Google keeps killing me with these. I'll see what I can do. Not sure about the page copying. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:32, 5 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:: looks like xkcd.wtf at least links to us and references us at the bottom since all of our stuff is CC licensed. Pretty friendly all things concerned. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:54, 5 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Randall's NYT Columns ==<br />
Hi, In June I posted a proposal on the community portal ([[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#New_page_for_Randall.27s_regular_column_in_the_New_York_Times |New page for Randall's regular column in the NY Times]]) and I was sort of hoping to get feedback. The proposal does include a script for the page.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure where the page would go or be linked from, but it would be similar to our page about [[whatif|what if?]]. Perhaps the see also sections of the [[Randall Munroe]] page and the [[xkcd]] page.<br />
<br />
BTW Jeff, our own links to our [[whatif|what if?]] page don't work, because the page name ends with a question mark, which messes up the browser (or maybe the Wiki software). The link I gave in the previous sentence does work, but when you get to the page and ask for what links here, that fails. ([https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D This, however] does work as an external link.) Probably need to rename the page to not include a question mark. But anyway. [[User:JohnB|JohnB]] ([[User talk:JohnB|talk]]) 16:54, 7 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
:Every mod has LANCBed (leave and never come back). Nothing can be fixed.<span> — [[User:Sqrt-1|The <b>𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭</b>]] <sup>[[User talk:Sqrt-1|<span style="color: blue">talk</span>]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|<span style="color: blue">stalk</span>]]</sup></span> 14:25, 18 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::SlashMe is still active, but he doesn't have server access. I think Dgbrt has server access as well, and I left a comment on his talk page in the hopes that he'll reply (but he hasn't been active in a while). [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 02:16, 5 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: Sorry guys. I'm here. I can take a look at this for you. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:32, 5 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::: Keep commenting here guys, because this notifies me. Life is nuts right now so my time is crazy. Send anything you need done. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:40, 5 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::: Thanks so much Jeff, this is very appreciated! Re: the "what if" errors, if it's at all helpful:<br />
:::::: * The "<code>No input file specified</code>" error seems to happen for pages that end in question marks or have special characters like "é" in their name. A list of such pages is [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Technical#Known broken pages|here]].<br />
:::::: * A possible solution is mentioned [[mw:Manual talk:Short URL/Page title -- Windows & Apache without 403 on Special Pages|here]] in the MediaWiki manual talk pages, involving [https://www.php.net/manual/en/ini.core.php#ini.cgi.force-redirect CGI settings in php.ini] (for IIS) or [https://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/mod/mod_rewrite.html#rewriterule mod_rewrite settings in .htaccess] (for Apache). (Not sure if that's valid, or if there are any security/stability side-effects/consequences of that.)<br />
:::::: * As a workaround in the meantime, [[User:Sqrt-1]] has moved/renamed the "[[what if?]]" page to "[[what if]]" to make it easier to get to.<br />
:::::: * (If you're interested, there's a whole section about it in the Technical community portal [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Technical#Unable to view "what if?" page|here]].)<br />
::::: – [[User:Yfmcpxpj|Yfmcpxpj]] ([[User talk:Yfmcpxpj|talk]]) 17:41, 5 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Re: Randall's New York Times columns, just a note that [[User:JohnB]] has created a page for this at [[New York Times: Good Question]]. – [[User:Yfmcpxpj|Yfmcpxpj]] ([[User talk:Yfmcpxpj|talk]]) 17:41, 5 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Main page ==<br />
<br />
Hi!<br />
<br />
You might have accidentally vandalized the main page.<br />
<br />
https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page&type=revision&diff=205838&oldid=158337<br />
<br />
--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.238.8|162.158.238.8]] 20:28, 5 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:That literally made me jump out of my seat. Like, what the hell just happened here?!<span> — [[User:Sqrt-1|The <b>𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭</b>]] <sup>[[User talk:Sqrt-1|<span style="color: blue">talk</span>]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|<span style="color: blue">stalk</span>]]</sup></span> 13:12, 8 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
::I just realised, the main page has been this way for 3 days?!<span> — [[User:Sqrt-1|The <b>𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭</b>]] <sup>[[User talk:Sqrt-1|<span style="color: blue">talk</span>]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|<span style="color: blue">stalk</span>]]</sup></span> 13:12, 8 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: Reverted. Whoops, I must have read that one wrong. That's what I get for reading too fast. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 14:41, 8 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Two issues that may need to be solved ==<br />
<br />
Few more issues that may need to be solved:<br />
<br />
1. Google ads are still appearing in random locations on wiki pages. Have you tried the [https://wpadvancedads.com/adsense-in-random-positions-auto-ads/ potential solution] I mentioned earlier? (It seems to be the most plausible explanation for the broken ads, and the time the changes happened was when the ads started appearing in random locations and breaking the pages.) If the previous solution I mentioned above didn't work, would it be possible to turn off the ads until there's a solution? The ads have been running rampant for more than a year in staggering amounts, the generated revenue should be enough to cover server costs until we can figure out a way to fix it, right?<br />
<br />
2. Another editor mentioned a potential problem regarding the MediaWiki version in the community portal: <br />
This wiki is [[Special:Version|currently]] on [[mw:MediaWiki 1.30|MediaWiki 1.30.0]] ([[mw:Release notes/1.30|release notes]]), the first of three releases of a version of MW that reached end-of-life in June of 2019 ([[mw:Version lifecycle]]). It's thus missing multiple important security updates from 1.30.1 and 1.30.2, not to mention the two years' worth of security updates since 1.30.x reached end-of-life. Even 1.31.x will be reaching end-of-life in just over a month. <br />
If the sysadmins here update to [[mw:MediaWiki 1.35|MediaWiki 1.35.2]] ([[mw:Release_notes/1.35|release notes]]), that version will be maintained till September of 2023, with only a few security updates in the meantime. I would '''strongly''' encourage y'all to update to 1.35.2; to promptly update if there's a .3, .4, etc.; and to make sure you switch to the next LTS release (which will presumably be 1.39) well in advance of September of '23. (Note that this will also require updating to PHP 7.3.19 or later.) [[User:PinkAmpersand|PinkAmpersand]] ([[User talk:PinkAmpersand|talk]]) 07:17, 30 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks! [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 04:54, 10 May 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2460:_Vaccinated&diff=211699Talk:2460: Vaccinated2021-05-10T04:37:11Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
Do you get to encounter a lot of fit Vaccination Stats Models if you go to a Vaccination Stats Pool-Party? Asking for a Vaccination Stats Friend! [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.106|141.101.98.106]] 23:35, 7 May 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Possible reference to 2450. Though depends on what counts as a party. I'm anti-social enough that I being in a room of 2 would put me in a normal party-goer range [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.126|108.162.221.126]] 17:32, 9 May 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anyone else see six and ¼ lines of grey vertical lines and black crossed (clapping) hands icons in the middle of the explanation? [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 04:35, 10 May 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes. Removed it. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 04:37, 10 May 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2460:_Vaccinated&diff=2116982460: Vaccinated2021-05-10T04:36:09Z<p>Herobrine: Undo revision 211696 by 162.158.255.251 (talk)</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2460<br />
| date = May 7, 2021<br />
| title = Vaccinated<br />
| image = vaccinated.png<br />
| titletext = I built a model that combines local case rates and vaccination stats to estimate when it's reasonable to attend various types of party, but I forgot to include anything about where to find them.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a VACCINATION STATS MODEL. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|ongoing pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}, specifically regarding the {{w|Covid-19 vaccine}}.<br />
<br />
Hooray, [[Cueball]] and [[Megan]] are finally fully vaccinated! This means that they are now able to socialize within society, as they are unafraid of being infected by COVID or spreading COVID to others.<br />
<br />
However, the punchline lies in the fact that Cueball and Megan have never been good with [[:Category:Social interactions|social interactions]], and are still unsure of how to do this.<br />
<br />
The title text continues with this theme, as Cueball (or Megan?) is good at building mathematical models to know when it is safe to attend parties (and other large gatherings), but the issue remains that they are not commonly invited to these events, or are socially awkward when attending them. It also refers to the fact that they don't know where people are having these parties, or who they are being held by.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Cueball, holding a phone, stands next to Megan.]<br />
:Cueball: It's official: we're fully vaccinated.<br />
:Megan: It doesn't feel real.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball and Megan continue standing, Cueball without his phone]<br />
:Cueball: I can't wait to hang out with friends again.<br />
:Megan: ''Seriously.''<br />
<br />
:[Neither speaks in the next panel (frameless), looking outwards]<br />
<br />
:[They look back at each other and continue the conversation]<br />
:Cueball: So, uh...how do we...<br />
:Megan: I was hoping '''''you''''' knew.<br />
:Cueball: I'm realizing now, I was hazy on this '''''before''''' the pandemic.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Social interactions]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2420:_Appliances&diff=205826Talk:2420: Appliances2021-02-05T06:08:49Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
This seems related to [[1890: What to Bring]]. <span style="font-family:serif">[[User:Bubblegum|<span style="color:#00BFFF">bubblegum</span>]]-[[User_talk:Bubblegum|<span style="color:#BF7FFF">talk</span>]]|[[Special:Contributions/Bubblegum|<span style="color:#FF7FFF">contribs</span>]]</span> <span style="font-family:serif;">02:55, 4 February 2021 (UTC)</span><br />
<br />
I actually disagree with the stove and washing dishes. In a large pot with water and with some stirring one can remove stains from cloths and kill germs. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.96.28|141.101.96.28]] 07:08, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
It's interesting that all green squares are mirrored along the diagonal, with one exception, but no yellow ones at all. Usually you would assume that somewhat similar things result in a yellow square on both sides. [[User:Fabian42|Fabian42]] ([[User talk:Fabian42|talk]]) 07:35, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== A washing mashine can (and does) spin-dry clothes ==<br />
<br />
A spin-drying program can usually be selected separately without getting the clothes wet. While this is not effective as a dryer, still much better than nothing.<br />
----<br />
<br />
I microwave can boil eggs, you just nweed to wrap them in foil and ensure they are covered by the boiling water. The foil acts as a faraday cage and ensures they only cook by conduction from the outside and the water stops arcing. <br />
You cvan also make scrabled eggs and omlettes. [[User:Arachrah|Arachrah]] ([[User talk:Arachrah|talk]]) 09:31, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:You seriously suggest putting foil into the microwave? I guess you don't mean tinfoil/aluminum? --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 09:58, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
::yes, read what they said. The aluminium foil happens to be unnecessary because they are immersing the eggs in water which will eventually boil. A fun thing to do is say to put a half a cup of water in the microwave, and listen to the screams from people who don't know that a couple of halved grapes are just fine with that half cup of water. One year old microwaves may not need the water; the half cup of water thing is from the directions for use on a twenty year old microwave. Edit by me[[Special:Contributions/162.158.75.140|162.158.75.140]] 05:02, 5 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:: You can put a foil there IF you know what you are doing. Try dissecting a microwave popcorn bag - its bottom has an aluminium foil inside and acts as a pan. I was surprised by inclusion of egg as okay by Randall though - I thought egg yolks were famous for infrequent but nasty [https://abcnews.go.com/Health/dangers-microwaving-eggs/story?id=51630977 superheating surprises] when microwaved. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.165.116|162.158.165.116]] 10:41, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: You don't even need to know what you are a doing. I often don't bother to heat a skillet and fry two eggs in an oiled ceramic bowl. They don't cook evenly, so you gotta rearrange them.<br />
500watt oven. For a 1500 one use a quarter power. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.52|108.162.216.52]] 05:17, 5 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
----<br />
I didn't get this at all until I read the explanation, as I am red-green colorblind and the shades of red and green that Randall chose appear completely identical to me. <br />
[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.35|141.101.104.35]] 09:47, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Oh man, I wonder whether Randall is aware of the difficulty his choice in colors creates for colorblind readers. He's done comics referring to colorblindness before, hasn't he? I wonder if a subtle edit should be in order, on his part. (Alternatively, a confusion map of which vision types perceive differences between which colors, labeled in the same problematic colors, might have a certain apropos irony...?) <br />
:[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 18:42, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
----<br />
<br />
What a microwave does to bread is very weird. It seems to make the bread tougher (i.e., harder to bite through; in one case of a microwaved sandwich I was totally unable to bite off pieces), but doesn't make it stiffer (it ends up kind of like rubber). It doesn't wind up unevenly toasted like in the picture, but rather cooked in a completely different way. [[User:Magic9mushroom|Magic9mushroom]] ([[User talk:Magic9mushroom|talk]]) 11:22, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
----<br />
Using a microwave to dry clothes is generally a bad idea, there is quite a high chance of burns. The most household appliance to quickly dry clothes beside a dryer is actually the freezer. [[User:Perigril|Perigril]] ([[User talk:Perigril|talk]]) 13:20, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
----<br />
Updated transcript from [[1890: What to Bring]]. Considering the increased size of this table maybe something else is wiser? Does anyone know why the three first items are separate, or why the washing machine appears only to wet parts of the shirt? Should the cited text from the comic be written in all caps to match the comic? Should the "with a" between the pairs be replaced with something better to indicate that unlike What to Bring, Appliances does not have an equivalent to the "Should you bring _____ to ______"-text? --[[User:IonIceXIII|IonIceXIII]] ([[User talk:IonIceXIII|talk]]) 13:22, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
----<br />
Attempting to do as well as possible in each square could make an interesting short video series. Stove/oven could probably achieve 6 greens, at least for quality of results if not for the time required [[User:Jgt|Jgt]] ([[User talk:Jgt|talk]]) 13:41, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:I love this. Where do I click "Like" & "Subscribe"? [[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 19:06, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:I agree that the stove/oven deserves more green. I'm using the oven to dry (not just) clothes pretty often ;-) --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.96.82|141.101.96.82]] 21:08, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
----<br />
A classic example of a diagonally dominant matrix. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.41|162.158.62.41]] 18:35, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
----<br />
I'm surprised how many people persist in using "bad" toasters (slot loading). They're terrible at handling pretty much everything except sliced bread, & are completely impractical for more than half the things one might want "toasted". Even a sliced bagel turns out better in a half-decent "toaster oven" than in any slot-loader I've seen; & with a toaster oven you can toast the toppings too. (For instance: peanut butter is better toasted! Warm gooey cream cheese! Reheat muffins with loads of butter on top!) Try making a toasted sandwich in a slot loader; they're a nightmare. Even cleaning them is more effort than a toaster oven. Slot loaders are terrible, obsolete fire hazards, as far as I'm concerned. Yet when you say "toaster", people still visualize a slot loader. It's like if you said "pencil" & everyone visualized a stick of bare graphite. The graphite can <i>conditionally</i> be used for <i>some</i> purposes related to "pencil" but the wood cased design with rubber eraser is far more practical. Same situation with toasters; why use a slot-loader when you can get a <i>good</i> toaster instead? <br />
[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 19:06, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
----<br />
I seem to recall a Cutthroat Kitchen episode where one of the chefs was forced to cook eggs with a toaster. I think they turned the toaster on its side, then put the egg in a shallow dish that was placed inside the slot. I don't remember if that chef was cut, though. - [[Special:Contributions/162.158.212.218|162.158.212.218]] 22:28, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Wait, you can cook fish in a dishwasher? Guess I'm one of today's lucky 10,000. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 01:58, 5 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
: Don't. It is like canning greenbeans with aspirin. The aspirin fucks up the flavor of the greenbeans and with or without the aspirin you must process the greenbeans properly. SDT[[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.239|162.158.74.239]] 05:32, 5 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Yeah I'm obviously not going to actually do that, but it's fun that I learned it's technically possible to cook fish like this. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 06:08, 5 February 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:Jeff&diff=205818User talk:Jeff2021-02-05T02:16:02Z<p>Herobrine: /* Randall's NYT Columns */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{notice|This is the talk page of Jeff, the creator of Explain XKCD. If you have a comment about the wiki, please use the [[Explain XKCD:Community portal]].<br>Use this page only for personal messages to Jeff, of for requests that require server access.}}<br><br />
<br />
== ParserFunctions ==<br />
<br />
Hi Jeff,<br />
<br />
Just thought I'd run this up the flagpole... any thought about installing the ParserFunctions extension? I think this site could benefit from a few templates that would aid in indexing/categorizing the entries as content is migrated, and ParserFunctions would make some really impressive things possible... but installing any extension or not would be up to you.<br />
<br />
Also, do you have any feelings about us users creating templates in the Template namespace, which we could use to maintain the content? Just wanted to get your thumbs-up before/if I did something like that. Just want to play nice. Love the site, and the new wiki format.<br />
<br />
- PT [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 03:05, 1 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
:ParserFunctions are awesome, yup! --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 06:56, 1 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
::{{done}} Yes to both. I have enabled ParserFunctions and Templates sound like a great idea. IronyChef, please send me an email at the address on the blog and I'll make you an admin if necessary to edit templates. --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 08:03, 1 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Extension:Variable ==<br />
Just wondering what you thought about adding the [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Variables Variables extension]. I'm toying with revising {{tl|LATESTCOMIC}} to not be so expensive (both in terms of template expansion, and ongoing maintenance.) I could do that now, but the wiki would have to re-expand and re-evaluate the same expression about six times, being slightly counter-productive. -- [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 14:54, 25 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
:: any thoughts ... up, down, sideways? Thanks! -- [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 15:34, 1 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
::: I'm up for it... Let me get it installed on the wiki side when I get a chance. --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 23:13, 3 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Bugging you again.... ==<br />
<br />
Could you take a look at [//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?limit=10000&tagfilter=&title=Special%3AContributions&contribs=user&target=Philosopher&namespace=8&year=&month=-1] and tell me if I'm thinking in about the same way as you are here? Also, I've brought up [[MediaWiki:Tagline]] and [[Explain XKCD:Community portal]], as it'd be cool to have a tagline. --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 10:46, 1 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
:With you 100% on the File Delete reasons. Thanks. I agree also about having a tagline. What do you think it should be? --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 11:13, 1 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
::Nothing's coming to mind right now. Perhaps someone else will think of something. --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 17:54, 2 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<small>Discussion continued at [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Proposals#Tagline]].</small><br />
<br />
== Automatic Import ==<br />
Moved to [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Proposals#Automatic Import]]. (Header left to avoid breaking links.) --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 00:30, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Please watch [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] ==<br />
<br />
I'd like to ask that the admins consider adding [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] to their [[wikipedia:Help:Watching pages|watchlists]]. On a similar note, I've just started a discussion there about spammers. -''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 02:02, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Images from Wikimedia Commons and SVG ==<br />
Please set <code>$wgUseInstantCommons = true;</code> in the wiki's LocalSettings.php, so we can use images from Wikimedia Commons without having to reupload them here.<br />
Also, I'd be neat if you could [[mw:Manual:Image Administration#SVG|enable svg images]]. Thanks! --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 04:20, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
: {{done}}, Instant Commons is on. Will need a little more work to get SVG images to work. What renderer to do you suggest I use? --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:05, 6 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
:: That'll depend on what you have available in your server. They say there that ImageMagick seems to be an acceptable choice, but rsvg seems to be the best one if the dependencies can be sorted out. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 13:20, 6 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Search suggestions ==<br />
<br />
Hi,<br />
<br />
could you please set $wgEnableMWSuggest [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:$wgEnableMWSuggest] to true? This enables search suggestions for the search field, and often this helps you to skip the search results. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 09:10, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
:{{done}} OK, this is has been added to the LocalSettings. --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:06, 6 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Time zone ==<br />
<br />
Please set the wiki to UTC (<tt>$wgLocaltimezone = "UTC";</tt> in LocalSettings.php), as it's the most neutral option for our international community. In any case, each user can choose their time zone in their preferences.<br />
:{{done}} Ok, set. --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:07, 6 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Short urls, site logo, lowercase xkcd ==<br />
<br />
Hi,<br />
I'm not sure if you tried it but http://shorturls.redwerks.org is a great (and simple :D) tool to implement clean urls with mediawiki. That would make urls much nicer around here.<br />
<br />
Also, if you could, please take a look at [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Proposals#Naming conventions]], where your assistance is needed for some server changes. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 15:31, 6 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Hi again :) just to remind you about the short urls thing. I think it would be great if we could have wiki links in the form "explainxkcd.com/wiki/link_title". It might be necessary to move the wiki into a different folder name than "wiki", but that's just a matter of renaming the folder and changing <code>$wgScriptPath</code> in LocalSettings.php accordingly. The link above makes things really straighforward, it should really only take you a few minutes to set everything up.<br />
:Another cool thing that could be done is set up a server redirect so that links in the form of explainxkcd.com/number would point to the comics in the wiki instead of returning a 404 error (for instance, http://explainxkcd.com/123 would point to http://explainxkcd.com/wiki/123). That way, we could replicate xkcd's own url system for comics and people could simply type explainxkcd.com/123 and get the explanation for the corresponding comic. This redirect can probably be set up in the hosting company's web interface, but in case it can't, let me know if you need any help. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 22:03, 11 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
::Hi Waldir - I'll work on the short URL thing. I want that to work for sure. With regards to the redirect, I have been working on it for a while and I have a few .htaccess files and etc that don't work. I'll be grateful for the help on it. Please send me an email if you know how to get it done. This would also allow anyone from xkcd.com/435 to just add explain and go to the comic explanation. Very helpful. Been working on it unsuccessfully for a while. --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 01:41, 12 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
:::Ugh, it must be my hosting because I did all of the shorturls correctly it just sent it to a 404 page for the site over and over again. The url seemed to be the right one, but didn't send it to the right location. It should NOT be this difficult. --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 02:25, 12 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== wgCapitalLinks ==<br />
<br />
Hi Jeff! When you have a few spare minutes, please add the following to LocalSettings.php:<br />
$wgCapitalLinks = false;<br />
This allows page titles not to be automatically capitalized by the software, which is important for filenames and for some comic titles such as [[s/keyboard/leopard/]]. Cheers, [[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 21:34, 11 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
:{{done}} --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 01:37, 12 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
::...and this broke our templates (and maybe [[Special:RecentChanges]]?). See [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Admin requests]]. Can't we just style the page titles so they appear as though they aren't capitalized when they really are? (As done at [[wikipedia:Xkcd]], using the DISPLAYTITLE magic word (called through [[wikipedia:Template:DISPLAYTITLE]]).) --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 04:42, 12 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
:::Looks like transition pains would be inevitable. I think everything is sorted out for now. See the Admin requests thread for details. As for using DISPLAYTITLE, I understand the rationale, but this is xkcd and attention to capitalization is necessary in several pages, and I believe we'd rather use a complete solution (so that pages actually have the correct title) rather than hacking what is shown to viewers. In any case, we shouldn't have many problems in the future because of this; People will only capitalize the first letter of a title when it's actually necessary; otherwise, lazyness/convenience makes us all use lowercase everywhere (besides, redirects can be used just in case, such as {{tl|yesno}} → {{tl|YesNo}}. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 09:06, 12 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== External Images ==<br />
<br />
Has there actually been a decision on external images? Or is it just to be decided later? <span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-left-radius: 15px; border-bottom-left-radius: 15px;">&nbsp;[[User:Grep|grep]]</span><span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-right-radius: 15px; border-bottom-right-radius: 15px;">[[User_talk:Grep|talk]]&nbsp;</span><br />
: No decision yet. What do you think? --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 21:16, 28 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
::Well, the whitelisting seems an OK idea. This would help you save space on the servers that you are hosting on, so that's a plus.<br />I say go for whitelisting. <span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-left-radius: 15px; border-bottom-left-radius: 15px;">&nbsp;[[User:Grep|grep]]</span><span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-right-radius: 15px; border-bottom-right-radius: 15px;">[[User_talk:Grep|talk]]&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: 77%">Mostly I am wondering because I created a PHP script that creates an image to display the results of a poll (like on the Moving the Wiki topic in Proposals). For my situation any method of something external being placed on this site will work.</span><br />
::'''I just''' got an idea... what if there was a group of moderators that check external images and approve them. The more approvals a person gets, the more "reliable" they are considered to be... ? <span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-left-radius: 15px; border-bottom-left-radius: 15px;">&nbsp;[[User:Grep|grep]]</span><span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-right-radius: 15px; border-bottom-right-radius: 15px;">[[User_talk:Grep|talk]]&nbsp;</span><br />
<br />
== Short Link Problem Fix? ==<br />
<br />
Is <code>mod_rewrite</code> installed and enabled?<br /><br />
[https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Short_URL/Apache MW ShortURL]<br /><br />
Are all of the config files (including the wiki one) set up?<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-left-radius: 15px; border-bottom-left-radius: 15px;">&nbsp;[[User:Grep|grep]]</span><span style="font-size: 90%; background: #eee; padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px; border: 2px solid #ddd; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-right-radius: 15px; border-bottom-right-radius: 15px;">[[User_talk:Grep|talk]]&nbsp;</span><br />
<br />
== New admin please? ==<br />
<br />
This is a bit forthright of me, but nothing appears to be being done about it. Would you read this [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Spampage Rampage]] and comment on it? Thanks, [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] and the community 17:47, 13 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Small change ==<br />
<br />
Hi Jeff! Long time no see. Look, could you add<br />
:<code>$wgGroupPermissions['autoconfirmed']['autopatrol'] = true;</code><br />
to LocalSettings.php? That will allow edits by [[mw:auto-confirmed|auto-confirmed]] users not to be marked with a red exclamation mark in recent changes so we can more quickly spot edits that might need reviewing. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 02:16, 22 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Btw while you're at it, please also add<br />
::<code>$wgAllowUserJs = true;</code><br />
::<code>$wgAllowUserCss = true;</code><br />
:So users can make their own scripts and styles to enhance the wiki (I need that, for instance, to test stuff without affecting anyone else, before integrating them on site-wide javascript/css pages) --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 16:52, 22 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
{{done}} and {{done}} --[[User:Jeff|<font color="orange">Jeff</font>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 19:55, 25 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Thanks! --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 19:57, 25 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:: Sorry, I forgot a small detail: it is necessary to set up the following so that "auto-confirmed" doesn't mean "any registered user":<br />
:: <code>$wgAutoConfirmAge = 60*60*24*3 // accounts become auto-confirmed after 3 days</code><br />
:: <code>$wgAutoConfirmCount = 10 // ...and 10 edits</code><br />
:: Cheers, [[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 21:32, 25 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::: {{done}} --[[User:Jeff|<font color="orange">Jeff</font>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 21:49, 25 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:::: Thanks, again. Also, since the wiki didn't break, I take it that you noticed the missing semicolons which I stupidly forgot to include at the end of the lines, and added them. Sorry for the slip-up. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 17:31, 26 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
::::: No worries, I know that much at least! :) --[[User:Jeff|<font color="orange">Jeff</font>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 17:36, 26 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Did you by any chance write "auto patrol" instead of "autopatrol"? [[Special:ListGroupRights]] suggests so, and if that's the case, that explains why the changes don't seem to have had the effects I expected from them (edits by auto-patrolled users still marked with the red exclamation mark in Special:RecentChanges). Could you check that the line reads exactly <code>$wgGroupPermissions['autoconfirmed']['autopatrol'] = true;</code>? --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 17:54, 26 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
: That's what I thought I put even though autocorrect wanted to change it. Can't look now, will have a look when I get home. ---[[User:Jeff|<font color="orange">Jeff</font>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 17:55, 26 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
:: Any news? No pressure, I'm just curious :) --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 15:34, 30 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
::: Bah - I keep forgetting when I get home. I'll try to get it done this weekend. --[[User:Jeff|<font color="orange">Jeff</font>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 17:35, 30 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
:::: Much delayed, but {{done}} --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 02:50, 4 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
::::: Thanks, Jeff. I'll let you know if there's any further issues, but I believe everything should be working now. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 03:34, 4 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Links to category pages ==<br />
<br />
I couldn't help but notice the number of your edits to your page. You can link to category pages by putting a colon in front of "Category". <code><nowiki>[[:Category:Pages to delete]]</nowiki></code> produces [[:Category:Pages to delete]]. It also doesn't add the category to that page, it just links to it. Cheers, [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 17:30, 30 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
: Oh geez. You saw that? That's a little embarrassing with not knowing what to do, I kept trying to figure out how to put the link there. Thanks for the help! I couldn't find that information anywhere. --[[User:Jeff|<font color="orange">Jeff</font>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 17:31, 30 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::When I had to learn about that trick the edits on that page looked fairly similar. I eventually found the right page [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Links] (ctrl+f "category", it's buried) and managed it. I have the Recent Changes page set to auto-refresh every minute. I see a few things. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 17:43, 30 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Your opinion? ==<br />
<br />
Please comment [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Technical#We need more maintainers|here]]. Cheers, [[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 17:21, 5 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
:Update: we've been offered help by [[mediawiki:User:Dantman|an experienced MediaWiki developer]], I think we can finally solve the server-side issues now! Please take a look at the thread linked above. [[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 20:07, 23 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== I am really dumb ==<br />
<br />
and this morning, while creating a user name, I goofed it and wrote .mau, (with a trailing comma) instead of .mau. (with a trailing dot, which is my trademark). I know that a bureaucrat on MediaWiki can change a username which had few edits (my own edits are three including this one): could you do this, or at least delete this username so that I may recreate it without leaving a dead one? TIA, [[User:.mau,|.mau,]] ([[User talk:.mau,|talk]]) 15:09, 16 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
:You can actually change your signature to .mau. if you want, to mask that for now. Just make a page called User:.mau,/sig and craft your signature to your liking, then go to my preferences at the top and set your sig to <nowiki>{{SUBST:User:.mau,/sig}}</nowiki>. If you want an example, [[User:Lcarsos/sig]] is a near-vanilla and quite clean example of a custom sig, while [[User:Omega/sig]] and my sig, [[User:Davidy22/sig]] are slightly more tricked-out options. Wikipedia's guidelines to signature crafting are {{w|Wikipedia:Signatures#Customizing_your_signature|here.}} '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 15:53, 16 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
::ok, thanks! [[User:.mau,|.mau.]] ([[User talk:.mau,|talk]]) 09:55, 17 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::Aw, that's it? No bling or anything? Meeehhh. '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 13:16, 17 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
:(to Jeff) I believe user renaming is not possible in vanilla mediawiki. An extension is required: [[mw:Extension:Renameuser]] --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 18:21, 17 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
::I find a bit disturbing to have a "wrong" username, especially because I may not remember it somewhen (yes, the word does not exist, but I like its sound); but I don't need any flashy signature, so I just changed the traling comma to a dot. --[[User:.mau,|.mau.]] ([[User talk:.mau,|talk]]) 14:09, 18 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==/wiki/==<br />
Now that the site apparently redirects to the wiki, could the entire wiki URL just be explainxkcd.com, without the trailing wiki? It's mostly for cleanliness, but also to throw off the spambots for a while. Those accursed spam happy bots. '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 04:29, 4 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
: Sounds good, I'm working on that part next. It is next on my "to-do" list complete some URL work like that. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 18:05, 4 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::''nag''. Also, the spam is becoming an issue. A pretty big issue. Time to switch captchas? '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 13:04, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::: OK - sounds good to me, any ones you recommend? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 13:33, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::: I don't remember which captcha the wiki uses, but I know securimage and recaptcha are two very competent options. Alternately, you could use [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:ConfirmEdit ConfirmEdit] to screen anon edits. Much of the spam seems to be automated, so questycaptcha should screen out most of the chaff. Just simple questions, like "What webcomic does this site explain" or "Who created XKCD" should be sufficient to screw up our current spammers. Also, rm /wiki/ plx. '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 13:41, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::Confirm edit is in and Recaptcha is out. Let's try that. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 14:11, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::The questions appear to be case-sensitive. To avoid frustration, could you add a notice to every question saying that the answers have to be in all lower/upper case? I got "What's the name of this wiki" wrong a bunch of times, and I think it's due to capitalization. '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 14:30, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::Ok - cool. I changed it to $wgSitename instead of just writing it out. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 14:32, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::If we get no spam tomorrow, I will hold a party in your talk page. Oh, and /wiki/. '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 14:38, 18 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::I'll just hijack this thread and ask: Isn't it time Davidy22 got admin tools? It's long overdue. And please promote Lcarsos to bureaucrat, so he can make new admins if needed. And seconded: <code>/wiki/</code> ! --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 02:39, 19 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::Could you also put confirmEdit in general page creation for anonymous users? There's still a couple of spam pages being made that don't actually advertise anything. There hasn't been an account creation in a long time, so I think we've killed off the spam accounts. The rate of spam has definitely dropped significantly ever since we switched to confirmEdit. '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 05:42, 20 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::We've just had a surge of pure griefer spam. Anons who don't insert any links, they're just throwing spam at us out of malice. Could you make anonymous users have to pass through confrimEdit to create pages? Thanks. On a side note, what's the ratio in terms of file size between current explanation pages to logs and diffs? '''[[User:Davidy22|<u><font color="purple" title="I want you">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><font color="indigo" size="4px">²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:53, 22 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::::Wow those suck. Wiping out whole pages with anon edits. I can't change the settings from here, but I'll do it when I get home. Also, I'm not sure what you mean by filesize? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 15:51, 22 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::::Eh, how much space do explanations and images take up on your hard drive when compared to the space that log files and diffs take up? '''[[User:Davidy22|<u><font color="purple" title="I want you">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><font color="indigo" size="4px">²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 16:01, 22 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::::::Click a thing, check out the URL. I be posting this here instead of DMs because somthing like this has been requested for a pretty long time. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:55, 7 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::::: I'm confused. There's a lot going on in this thread. Want to break it out into its own header? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:48, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::::::Mkay '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 19:47, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Promote Davidy22 ==<br />
<br />
:''Breaking this discussion out from where it was, because it merits its own section. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]])''<br />
I'll just hijack this thread and ask: Isn't it time Davidy22 got admin tools? It's long overdue. And please promote lcarsos to bureaucrat, so he can make new admins if needed. And seconded: <code>/wiki/</code> ! --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 02:39, 19 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:'''Heartily Agree''' on promoting Davidy22, he's almost always more on top of spam patrol than I am these days (burn-out for the lose). I'm not sure I can speak for my own promotion without sounding self-serving and power-hungry. However, in my few spare moments this semester I am looking closely at getting a bot up and running to automate the clean up of spam (mostly because manual spam patrol is the most soul-sucking and disheartening activity I've ever done), so it would be nice to be able to get a bot account promoted to bot status without misrepresenting it as my account. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 18:13, 19 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: Davidy22 is up to admin (honestly, I thought he was already one, so no issue there on my end.) and lcarsos has been updated to bureaucrat because we should have more redundancy there. Also, create a bot account and let me know what it is and i'll give it bot rights. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 18:36, 19 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: Or now, you can do it! :) --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 18:41, 19 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::WOO, power! '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 05:42, 20 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Small ConfirmEdit change ==<br />
<br />
Can you change the line:<br />
<pre>$wgCaptchaTriggers['create'] = false;</pre><br />
to true? I think this would solve most of our bot vandalism/griefing problems. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 21:19, 22 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: {{done}} I changed 'edit' to true as well since we've seen a bunch when editing user's talk pages. We will see if I have to move that back to false. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:16, 23 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== DeleteOldRevisions ==<br />
<br />
There's a script built into mediawiki called DeleteOldRevisions.php that seems to have deprecated the deletehistory plugin. A link to the [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:DeleteOldRevisions.php manual page.] A hard drive upgrade would be apt for the future though. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|purple|David}}<font color=green size=3px>y</font></u><font color=indigo size=4px>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 00:15, 20 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
: I'm looking into it. I'm not sure how the wiki got back up and running without me running the update. I'll try the [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:DeleteHistory] and see if that can help in the meantime. The expanded HD might be a no-go, but I'll see on that too. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 01:27, 20 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Server Hardware==<br />
The website is getting really slow and throwing internal errors all over the place, and it looks like both the main page and the page for the newest comic [[1190: Time]] are climbing rapidly in views. If one ambiguous comic is hitting us like a DDoS, we're going to get it in the shorts if Randall ever actually acknowledges our existence directly, or some other geeky media outlet posts a link to us. Is there a donate button anywhere? '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|purple|David}}<font color=green size=3px>y</font></u><font color=indigo size=4px>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 05:18, 25 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
: We certainly can get a Donate button. We may need to migrate the server to get it upgraded. This is one of those big days, I guess. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:39, 25 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: How about a Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign? --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 12:37, 26 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::Kickstarter and Indiegogo are one-time things. No good for this. I recommend modifying the donate button so that there is a PayPal "Subscribe" button near it so people can also do small monthly subscriptions. I recommend a dropdown with $1, $2, $5, $10, $20 options.<br />
:::Does 1&1 give you stats like how much bandwidth (or rather how much data) you are using. That could have an effect on where is best to get the new hosting; Rackspace Cloud, Linode, AWS, or even a real server with access to other network options like paying for actual Mbps bandwidth with unlimited data.<br />
:::When you get a server I'd like to properly set it up with varnish, nginx, apc (or Zend_Optimizer+ considering it's going to be part of php 5.5), memcached, and perhaps php-fpm instead of mod_php. Varnish will allow anonymous pages to be cached hopefully reducing the load issues. And nginx should serve out static things better than Apache. [[User:Dantman|Dantman]] ([[User talk:Dantman|talk]]) 05:23, 27 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::: Regarding the Paypal button, besides the subscribe option, I would recommend removing the credit card logos, as they make it too wide for the sidebar and not fit the design well. Besides, I personally think they give it kind of a corporate feel; instead, a simple "donate" button, while still recognizable as paypal's, feels simpler and more "personal", for lack of a better word.<br />
:::: Also, I think you should place it above the AdSense block, since that makes it more visible, and prioritizes a form of supporting the site that people have direct, active control over, rather than the passive, choice-less (modulo AdBlock) AdSense.<br />
:::: And also capitalize "donate" in the section title, to match the other titles ("Navigation", "Toolbox", etc.)<br />
:::: Since we're at it: maybe more donation options would make sense: [//flattr.com Flattr], [//gittip.com Gittip], [//tiptheweb.org/ TipTheWeb], and possibly [//bitcoin.org/ Bitcoins].<br />
:::: Finally, is it possible to make the AdSense background transparent, or at least the same as the site background of #F3F3F3? --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 14:15, 27 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::Is it possible to add the ad and donate buttons without including a section title? Minimizing unused space is gooood. Also, I noticed that you installed the deletehistory plugin, but it's trying to use another version of PHP that's installed on the server. deleteoldrevisions.php in the maintenance folder oughta work fine, though it'd probably be apt to run it over the weekend when we're not expecting absurd floods of visitors like we are now. We may need it too, after we've filled up the hard drive again with archives of Time.'''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|purple|David}}<font color=green size=3px>y</font></u><font color=indigo size=4px>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 14:39, 27 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::: Yes, it is possible for me to edit, I will have to go into the settings for each since I used extensions for them. I hate the credit card things too. Will take a look at all options tonight.<br />
:::::: The Deletehistory plugin doesn't work, sadly because of the PHP version. Hopefully, when we migrate, it will be on a newer version and that will work. Hopefully, we will have more disk space too... --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]])<br />
::::: Hey Jeff. Could you change the width of the paypal donate button so that it matches the google ads and the bitcoin donate button? Maybe using a custom button rather than the paypal-provided one?<br />
::::: Also, any news regarding the possibility of changing the background of the google ads? --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 17:21, 8 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::: It did not work out with Google ads for a reason they will not disclose to me, but I'll work on the buttons and the banner ad. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:11, 9 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Everything's good ==<br />
<br />
Except for the (currently) occasional server error, I have no problems.<br />
<br />
I've turned on HotCat and Popups, imported wikEdDiff and my HideTopContribs, all of which make me fairly efficient at watching changes.<br />
<br />
A minor request would be the Redirect toolbar button.<br />
<br />
[[User:Markhurd|Mark Hurd]] ([[User talk:Markhurd|talk]]) 17:13, 19 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:When you turn off enwiki's "Enable enhanced editing toolbar" all of the toolbar buttons explainxkcd has are in the same order (it skips Math) and the very next one is Redirect #R. It seems to be defined at http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MediaWiki:Common.js/edit.js&action=edit<br />
:I've tried adding just Redirect #R myself [[User:Markhurd/common.js|here]], but something's going wrong. (And I should be sleeping!)<br />
::Seeing as it is only one button I wanted, I simplified the code down to calling addButton directly and it is now working fine. [[User:Markhurd|Mark Hurd]] ([[User talk:Markhurd|talk]]) 13:07, 20 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Re being an Admin: Yes, please, as long as you note this would be my first actual Admin bit. (I'm a Bureaucrat on another MW wiki so I could give myself Admin rights whenever I wanted.) [[User:Markhurd|Mark Hurd]] ([[User talk:Markhurd|talk]]) 19:39, 19 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Sidebar ads ==<br />
<br />
Hi, we're having a discussion about the sidebar ads on [[Talk:Main Page#sidebar ads?]]. --[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 08:42, 24 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Economic transparency ==<br />
<br />
Hi! I made a request on economic transparency on the proposals page. –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 22:05, 27 May 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Thumbnails are not working==<br />
I'm relatively new here but I think each picture should get it's proper thumbnail when the original is to large to embed. Mediawiki is using some applications in the background maybe not available here. But there are some workarounds. And since "onlinehome.us" is well secured I still do even not know what OS is running in the background. But whatever the OS is, it should be solvable.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:13, 8 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Last missing page ==<br />
<br />
Hi, I'm hoping you don't mind about my adds to Natalie Dee. I was working on that at the same time.<br />
BTW: Can I help you on that thumbnail issue? I really would be happy if it could fixed here.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:42, 18 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: No problem on the Natalee Dee comic, I was just working on it because it was the last one, edit away. What's the thumbnail issue? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 21:43, 18 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::Thanks for your reply. I am still talking about this: [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Errors_and_symptoms#Image_Thumbnails_not_working_and.2For_appearing Image_Thumbnails_not_working]. I am sure there is a need to fix the [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/LocalSettings.php LocalSettings.php]. Maybe some paths are wrong or it's just using wrong image tools. I can help on any OS except Apple computers.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:07, 18 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Congratulations! ==<br />
<br />
You just created the last unexplained comic of ''xkcd''! [[User:Greyson|Greyson]] ([[User talk:Greyson|talk]]) 23:38, 18 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
: Thanks Greyson! --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 03:04, 19 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Math==<br />
A lot of comics have formulae in them. Could you set $wgUseTeX = true in LocalSettings.php? That lets us use latex in pages. It'd be useful for comics like yesterday's. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 09:12, 11 July 2013 (UTC)<br />
:Yeah, this would be nice. But you have to install an extension, LaTex must be available, then compile something, and at least adjusting the LocalSettings.php config file. We also sill do not have all image features here. But I can help, Windows or Linux.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 13:55, 11 July 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: I'll look into it. Let me know if you find an extension that will do the trick. Send me some links to anything that would help and I can get them set up. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 14:44, 11 July 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::Go here [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Math Extension:Math] and read the installation instructions first, it's not easy. For Fedora (Linux) there is a package called "mediawiki-math.x86_64" available. I will test this at my own computer.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 15:57, 11 July 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::It's the hell, but I got a first crappy version at my local installation. I have had to install ''latex'' and ''ocaml'' packages and now its working, but it still renders many lines before the <nowiki><math></nowiki> tag, So it's still not usable for this site.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:35, 13 July 2013 (UTC)<br />
===Seeing injected banner ads?===<br />
I'm seeing banner ads (viewing on my iPad) that cover the actual banner of the site and never scroll out of view. It's as if they've been infected by a downstream server (ISP?). Anybody else? I'm in Wisconsin using TDS. Jeff M.<br />
: That's terrible, I've got to fix that. bah. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 18:36, 2 August 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: Is there a place I can email some screenshots? Jeff M.{{unsigned ip|69.130.242.120}}<br />
<br />
== Full cache kills this page ==<br />
<br />
Hi, it seems this page was not reachable for 15 hours again. The cache here has to be cleared sometimes, but since I can do it with my account I will create a script running once per day. 15 hours outage are bad, I try to avoid this in the future. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 15:50, 3 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:Which page was dead? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:11, 3 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
::The entire site was dead. Look here: [[Special:RecentChanges|Special:RecentChanges]]. My last post was at 23:44 yesterday, no actions here after my reset at 14:54 today. The site was dead. I'm not a hacker, but I'm a programmer and I used this base of knowledge to fix this problem. If you do need more details, please send me an email. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:25, 3 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
::: Agreed. Tried to visit yesterday PM, but a lot of pages were spilling guts: user pages, category pages, no comic explanations (as far as I could tell with my limited browsing.) A chron-job script to keep that at bay would be good medicine, assuming it didn't have other side effects. [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 03:19, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
I will set up a cron job running once per day. Maybe this entry at the config file [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:LocalSettings.php LocalSettings.php] would be the better solution:<br />
$wgMainCacheType = CACHE_NONE;<br />
I'm using the MidnightCommander (Linux) for editing this file.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 12:11, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::: Cache_None is already set in the LocalSettings. I believe this is usually a database error that we are getting. It usually resolves itself as I'm not able to resolve it myself. I believe that we are getting hit with a brute force attack at our database during those times because the database is totally unreachable. I'm working on moving to a new host where the database will be better protected. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:16, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::Cache_None or CACHE_NONE? This should be case sensitive. Nevertheless I did purge the cache and the site was instantly available again (after approx. 15 hours). Also Davidy22 explained that he did clear the cache to bring the site back. The error messages are misleading and not showing the real problem.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 12:43, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::: Yes, CACHE_NONE, sorry, I was typing fast. I've ran my clear cache script a few times when I've had that same problem and haven't seen results, so I'm glad we at least have something that's working. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 15:18, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::You are doing a great job, I feel I just have to say thanks! When the next outage does happen I will activate a small script, but for now I just try to avoid unnecessary traffic to this server.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 16:15, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::: Thanks Dgbrt! --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 18:07, 4 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== New host ==<br />
<br />
Great job, but please check this link: <code>/wiki/</code>. I can browse the entire folder and more. It seems that "htaccess" should be renamed to ".htaccess".--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 08:32, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
: Oh geez. That's bad. Thanks! --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:02, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: Should be good now. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:45, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I found an other serious issue belonging to DNS entries:<br />
Name: explainxkcd.com<br />
Address: 108.162.198.131<br />
Name: explainxkcd.com<br />
Address: 108.162.199.131<br />
This works fine because 108.162.'''198'''.131 is correct. But most DNS servers showing up with this result:<br />
Name: explainxkcd.com<br />
Address: 108.162.199.131<br />
Name: explainxkcd.com<br />
Address: 108.162.198.131<br />
This just leads to the old server at 108.162.'''199'''.131. Check Google DNS server 8.8.8.8 with nslookup, the wrong IP is shown first.<br />
--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:34, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
: Weird... I'll research. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 19:35, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
::Yes, it's weird. After I discovered this I did enter an entry for this at my local "/etc/hosts" file. But it seems most people can not access the new site.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:20, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
::One more: The logo on the left top is broken. ''style="background-image: url(/wiki/skins/common/images/explainxkcd.png)'' does not exist.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:53, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
::: Yea, what happened to that logo... it was there this morning. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 20:56, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::Oh, after a computer crash I'm back. Right now even the editor is broken here. I don't know if I can send this message. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:22, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::Ok, it does work, but all images for short cuts on top of the editor are also broken now. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:26, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::: The editor works fine for me, I'll research the images. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 21:27, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::It seems all links like "/wiki/skins/common/images/button_bold.png" are gone. Additionally I'm getting an JavaScript error "TypeError: document.getElementById(...) is null". http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/skins/common/images/button_bold.png redirects me to http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page. Maybe you still get some content, maybe cache, from 108.162.199.131? Or is the real site now on that IP? Remember, I have had to restart my computer; most of my cache is gone and I'm just seeing the real page.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:48, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::: I fixed the images. I did that stupidly through the htaccess page. I've got to figure a better solution for what I'm trying to do to solve another problem. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 21:58, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::Looks great right now. So that DNS glitch seems to be the most worse problem right now.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:08, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::: I think DNS is still propagating with the updates from yesterday. Not every one has the correct information yet... those two DNS IPs are the load balancers, I believe. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 22:09, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::::Strange "load balancers", but it's working now on both IPs. Many thanks again for your hard work, you must have invested many hours on this migration. Let's see tomorrow if other users will be able to find this site again.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:30, 30 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Please remove subaddressing from my account email [[user:tbc]] ==<br />
<br />
Hi Jeff,<br />
<br />
I requested a password reset, but I forgot that my account still has an old email registered: timc+explainxkcd@divide.net. My ISP, pcisys.net née divide.net, disabled subaddressing during an email upgrade earlier this year. If you will update that email to remove the plus sign so my account email is timc@divide.net, I will be able to reset my password. I was logged in from my iPad to write on the [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Admin_requests#Please_remove_subaddressing_from_my_account_email_user:tbc|community portal]] page, but since I needed my password, which I have forgotten, to change it, I got stuck. – ''[[User:Tbc|tbc]] ([[User talk:Tbc|talk]]) 30 Oct 2013''<br />
: You should be good to go now. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:07, 31 October 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: I am. Thank you! – ''[[User:Tbc|tbc]] ([[User talk:Tbc|talk]]) 05:32, 8 November 2013 (UTC)''<br />
<br />
== Forbidden ==<br />
<br />
You don't have permission to access /wiki/ ([http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/ http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/]) on this server. I think a simple redirect would be a better solution.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 23:45, 4 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
: Yup, that's on my list to work on. If you are knowledgable about htaccess files, feel free to send me an email. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 13:48, 5 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
::The first great point is: The error doesn't show the server, version, etc... A hacker can't figure what exploits are available.<br />
::At my local test installation (Apache, Linux) it's covered by the general server configuration. And each folder simply does contain a proper "index.php" file from mediawiki doing the correct redirects.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:19, 5 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
::: Fixed. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 16:02, 21 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::Great job, thanks.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:18, 21 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Re: the latest puzzle ==<br />
<br />
I don't know how to contribute in the discussion section on the page, so I'm throwing ideas at you. <br />
<br />
Just quick thoughts. <br />
I feel like Cpl klinger and the water type kingler is too solid a connection to ignore even though I can't really use it. <br />
Kingler was owned in the series by Ash. <br />
Ash is a three letter word and the last three letters of the phrase monstermash. <br />
Monsterm=8 letters so the first block ash=3 letters in the second block. <br />
Monsterm is about the monster.com thing, therefore purloined. It's a double reference, the .co has been purloined from the purloined website. <br />
Then blastoise -3, or rather blastois3 - 3 (mocking the common password meme of replacing letters with numbers) <br />
So the last password, which is super hard to guess and well chosen even with the clue is, blastoisash? It's a feasibly memorable password that would not be quickly forgotten by a pokemon fan while still being hard to guess. <br />
Can you think of a way to check it? Maybe go into the old command line xkcd and try it as a password?<br />
<br />
==URLs==<br />
I made them marginally shorter. Can you spot the difference? '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 19:47, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
: Uh, I can't. Does that make me a bad person? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 22:17, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::If you go to any page, you should see that it says index.php/<page name> instead of index.php?title=<page name>. Small change, I'm trying to kill the index.php bit too, but I think I suck at regexes. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 22:31, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::: Regexes are the WORST --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 22:45, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::Regexes are great, but they are hard to implement for a specific solution. But Goooogle helps. And a question to Davidy22: Why you do not present your enhancement here? --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 23:10, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::I set $wgUsePathInfo to true in mediawiki settings, and here's our lines for redirecting URLs in general:<br />
<br />
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(\.png|\.jpg|\.gif)$ [NC]<br />
# RewriteRule ^/wiki(/.*)$ %{DOCUMENT_ROOT}/wiki/index.php$1 [L]<br />
<br />
:::::Followed and preceded by htaccess commands that do other things. The broken line is commented out because it doesn't work. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 23:32, 9 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::Uhh, it seems I still do not understand the secret. [http://www.xkcd.com/1301] to [http://www.explainxkcd.com/1301] works fine for me, but I do not understand that [NC] here so far:<br />
:::::::RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(\.png|\.jpg|\.gif)$ [NC]<br />
::::::maybe<br />
:::::::RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(\.png|\.jpg|\.gif)$[NC]<br />
::::::is better. But this means every request not matching those three image extensions would fit that rewrite rule. This is just haaardly regex. The second line is just a comment you probably did remove. I can't see the rewrite rule. And testing for a simple number x, xx, xyz, or xyzz would be better.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 00:23, 10 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::::::That's an entirely different rewriterule that does actually work and was deployed long ago that I didn't print here. I'm talking about a general-purpose rewrite that redirects from explainxkcd.com/wiki/<page name>, which I attempted to create in the commented-out line. The image exclusion is to stop image display requests from also being redirected, and I don't think you quite get how rewrite rules work. Not *every* page is fitted to every rewrite rule; the first half of the rule describes the conditions in which the rule should be applied. And yeah, just plugging in page names works, but I kinda don't want to hard-code every possible page redirect into our htaccess file. That's what the regex is for. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 00:51, 10 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== /r/xkcd sitenotice ==<br />
<br />
Could you please remove the sitenotice linking to and promoting /r/xkcd? [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]] added it to the sitenotice and cross-posted to reddit. Unfortunately, h/r/xkcd sub is controlled by /u/soccer, who links to racist, xenophobic and misogynistic content regularly. [http://www.reddit.com/r/anonymous123421/comments/1w8aie/petition_to_reinstate_uwyboth_as_a_mod_of_rxkcd/cezp63m Randall has spoken in support] of a petition for /u/soccer to be removed as a mod. /r/xkcdcomic is a non-hateful alternative, one that Randall supports, and it has more users than /r/xkcd.<br />
<br />
I did comment on Davidy22's talk page, but I thought I should drop you a line as well. Thanks, [[User:LadyMondegreen|LadyMondegreen]] ([[User talk:LadyMondegreen|talk]]) 13:55, 2 May 2014 (UTC)<br />
: Hi LadyMondegreen did he change it already? I didn't touch it yet, but it shows /r/xkcdcomic for me. I agree with you completely and I'm sorry if we linked to the wrong subreddit, even momentarily. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 14:50, 2 May 2014 (UTC)<br />
::It never linked to /r/xkcd. I think LadyMondegreen misread it or something. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:41, 3 May 2014 (UTC)<br />
:::Yeah, that was my bad. Someone pointed it out to me on IRC and I guess I didn't look closely enough. Sorry about that. [[User:LadyMondegreen|LadyMondegreen]] ([[User talk:LadyMondegreen|talk]]) 19:36, 6 May 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== MediaWiki question ==<br />
<br />
Out of curiosity, do you ever have a plan to add other skin options, like Monobook? [[User:Schiffy|<font color="000999">Schiffy</font>]] ([[User_talk:Schiffy|<font color="FF6600">Speak to me</font>]]|[[Special:Contributions/Schiffy|<font color="FF0000">What I've done</font>]]) 21:40, 31 July 2014 (UTC)<br />
:A fair number of other skins were cut because they broke our sidebar, and others were cut cuz they were ugly and no one used them. If there's demand for them, they could be brought back though; you just want Monobook? '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 18:06, 2 August 2014 (UTC)<br />
::Mainly, yes. From a personal standpoint, I find Vector fairly ugly. CologneBlue and Modern aren't much better. Monobook is my preferred alternative. I can't speak for majority of users on explainxkcd, but I do know there are a number of people who prefer Monobook to other skins. [[User:Schiffy|<font color="000999">Schiffy</font>]] ([[User_talk:Schiffy|<font color="FF6600">Speak to me</font>]]|[[Special:Contributions/Schiffy|<font color="FF0000">What I've done</font>]]) 21:56, 3 August 2014 (UTC)<br />
:::Fair enough. Monobook is back. Tell me if anything is wonky with our customisations, and I'll fix it.'''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:56, 4 August 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== IP Address glitch ==<br />
<br />
There appears to be a problem with the way that this site fetches users IP addresses! My IP address, as confirmed by whatismyip.com and other wikis, is 24.15.68.186! However, this site believes it to be 108.162.237.130! When I look up the incorrect IP address, it appears to be registered to CloudFlare. Is there anything you can do to resolve the situation? I don't want to get confused with a spambot and accidentally blocked! Thank you! [[User:The Wikiator|The Wikiator]] ([[User talk:The Wikiator|talk]]) 00:26, 19 April 2016 (UTC)<br />
:This is a [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Technical#Wrong IP address shown|known issue]]. [[User:Markhurd|Mark Hurd]] ([[User talk:Markhurd|talk]]) 11:06, 19 April 2016 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Crash ==<br />
<br />
Cool, I was worried for a bit that Explain Xkcd was down. By the way, I found the URL for a [http://c.xkcd.com/random/comic random comic] and a [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:Random random explained comic]. [[User:SilverMagpie|SilverMagpie]] ([[User talk:SilverMagpie|talk]]) 16:48, 12 May 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== A problem with a thing ==<br />
<br />
Hi, I'm a new user on this site, and for some reason I can't make my own user page because I don't have permission. Plz help me!<br />
<br />
[[User:Timeflow X|Timeflow X]] ([[User talk:Timeflow X|talk]]) 10:52, 21 June 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Weird - it works for me. I edited your user page, see if you can edit it now that its created? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:44, 21 June 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== LocalSettings.php ==<br />
<br />
Please set "$wgUseInstantCommons = true;" in LocalSettings.php. We have still pictures with red links here. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 15:39, 22 July 2017 (UTC)<br />
: Done --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 00:40, 26 July 2017 (UTC)<br />
::Thanks, but it's not working as expected: [[File:Button sig.png]]. It should show this picture: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Button_sig.png https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Button_sig.png].--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:44, 26 July 2017 (UTC)<br />
::: Ok, I'll take a look again when I can, is there anything else I need to do? Like add an extension? --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 02:32, 1 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
::::Are we on MediaWiki version 1.16 or later? If not "$wgForeignFileRepos" would be the solution. But if the version is ok it's probably an https related problem: [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/InstantCommons#HTTPS InstantCommons#HTTPS]. Maybe this helps.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 12:39, 1 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
:::::'''Solved.''' As you can see above. I've had to update the ca-certificate package. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 23:56, 25 May 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Email coming from a non-existent domain ==<br />
<br />
The "confirm email" button sends email from "expla0@vps.explainxkcd.com". The vps.explainxkcd.com domain doesn't exist (according to CloudFlare's DNS servers). Some email servers (including sendmail's default configuration; see https://www.sendmail.org/~ca/email/doc8.12/cf/m4/features.html#accept_unresolvable_domains) will reject such emails. I haven't tested password recovery emails, but I wouldn't be surprised if the same problem exists there too. In my case, I've added "vps.explainxkcd.com" to my access database, but whom should I talk to about fixing the sent email? [[User:Piquan|Piquan]] ([[User talk:Piquan|talk]]) 02:44, 11 February 2018 (UTC)<br />
: The emails that I get when someone edits my talk page are: explain@explainxkcd.com and both settings in the localsettings.php are set to:$wgEmergencyContact = "explain@explainxkcd.com";$wgPasswordSender = "explain@explainxkcd.com"; but there might be a third one that catches those types of emails so I added $wgNoReplyAddress = "explain@explainxkcd.com"; Let me know if that fixes it. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 02:58, 13 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
::I've send you an email from here: [[:Special:EmailUser/Jeff]]. I also requested a copy to me and that was more than two hours ago. But nothing happened and I'm sure you also didn't receive a mail. By having access to the log-files I'm sure I would figure out the problem. BTW: My last mail from here was in February. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:55, 13 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
Ok, problem partly solved; my mails went into the Spam folder eventually meaning no notification to me. The reason is in fact what [[User:Piquan|Piquan]] has told in the initial comment. The mails are delivered via a mail server "vps.explainxkcd.com with local (Exim 4.80.1)" (belonging to Lunar Pages/Cloudflare) while the MX entry for explainxkcd.com is "mail.explainxkcd.com". There are two possible solutions, but the first is highly recommended:<br />
*Lunar Pages/Cloudflare have to change the rewriting rules at their Exim message transfer agent to an existing domain name. This would be in this case "mail.explainxkcd.com".<br />
*The name "vps.explainxkcd.com" must resolve to the IP 67.210.100.50 (we must hope that will not change in the future) AND there must be a second MX entry in the name registry for "explainxkcd.com" to "vps.explainxkcd.com". But I predict this would cause new problems in the future.<br />
The FROM line in the mail header (e.g. From: Dgbrt <my.name@mail.com> or something like <explain@explainxkcd.com>) is irrelevant because only the message agents needs a proper configuration. My former mail servers also rejected those corrupt mails; google mail just puts it into a spam folder. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:43, 13 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== ReCaptcha v1 is going away ==<br />
<br />
As I was posting an earlier comment, the reCAPTCHA told me:<br />
"V1 UNSUPPORTED - Please direct siteowner to g.co/recaptcha/upgrade". (I typed "V1 UNSUPPORTED" in the box and it worked.) It looks like the reCAPTCHA that's currently being used by the wiki is sunsetting on 31 March 2018 (in a month and a half, as of this writing), and so they're currently sending a small percentage of requests that notice instead of a CAPTCHA challenge. Thought I'd let you know. [[User:Piquan|Piquan]] ([[User talk:Piquan|talk]]) 02:55, 11 February 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Someone else has already mentioned that in the admin forum, but no one replied. I really think we should create a new forum for requests like that, as not many people visit that forum now. And at the time of this comment the CAPTCHA has expired. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 07:40, 8 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
: That's on me, I'm working on it. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:03, 12 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
::That's great, please also fix the email issue (section above). --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 12:15, 12 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Please reactivate the corrupt captcha or disable IPs from editing. We already have vandalism (see history at [[1031]])! --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:58, 12 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
: Well, that was stupid. It's back on now. I'm going to fix it, but I can't fix it right now so I'll leave the broken one on. --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 15:20, 12 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
::Thanks, a day or one more are not a problem yet. But maybe you should change the Sitenotice on top so that others can see that work is in progress. Nevertheless I would talk to you about some general issues here, so when you have time please contact me on my talk page. Maybe you remember that I've had a test-wiki at home to test my BOT. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 15:58, 12 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== A Couple of Issues ==<br />
<br />
1. Google seems to have changed something in AdSense again, and the ads have been appearing in random positions again since December, 2019. [https://wpadvancedads.com/adsense-in-random-positions-auto-ads/ This page] might have a solution? It's been quite a while, and the ads are still broken.<br />
2. New site called xkcd.wtf is blatantly stealing/scraping explanations from our site and posting it with a new theme. Not sure if it's a mirror or just Ctrl+C Ctrl+V. Is this even legal? [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 09:32, 4 April 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Randall's NYT Columns ==<br />
Hi, In June I posted a proposal on the community portal ([[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#New_page_for_Randall.27s_regular_column_in_the_New_York_Times |New page for Randall's regular column in the NY Times]]) and I was sort of hoping to get feedback. The proposal does include a script for the page.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure where the page would go or be linked from, but it would be similar to our page about [[whatif|what if?]]. Perhaps the see also sections of the [[Randall Munroe]] page and the [[xkcd]] page.<br />
<br />
BTW Jeff, our own links to our [[whatif|what if?]] page don't work, because the page name ends with a question mark, which messes up the browser (or maybe the Wiki software). The link I gave in the previous sentence does work, but when you get to the page and ask for what links here, that fails. ([https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D This, however] does work as an external link.) Probably need to rename the page to not include a question mark. But anyway. [[User:JohnB|JohnB]] ([[User talk:JohnB|talk]]) 16:54, 7 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
:Every mod has LANCBed (leave and never come back). Nothing can be fixed.<span> — [[User:Sqrt-1|The <b>𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭</b>]] <sup>[[User talk:Sqrt-1|<span style="color: blue">talk</span>]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|<span style="color: blue">stalk</span>]]</sup></span> 14:25, 18 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::SlashMe is still active, but he doesn't have server access. I think Dgbrt has server access as well, and I left a comment on his talk page in the hopes that he'll reply (but he hasn't been active in a while). [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 02:16, 5 February 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:Dgbrt&diff=205817User talk:Dgbrt2021-02-05T02:10:41Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div>See the history for more:<br />
* [[User talk:Dgbrt/2013|2013]]<br />
* [[User talk:Dgbrt/2014|2014]]<br />
* [[User talk:Dgbrt/2015-2017|2015-2017]]<br />
<br />
== Create comic page in lieu of DgbrtBOT ==<br />
<br />
I could see [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1969:_Not_Available&action=history here] that the bot seemed to have failed this time (or did RamenChef fail to wait long enough?) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:41, 20 March 2018 (UTC)<br />
:Ah sorry, saw your comment in the [[Talk:1969: Not Available|Discussion]] now. Great if it has been fixed. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:47, 20 March 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== ReCAPTCHA ==<br />
ReCAPTCHA v1 has expired, and since no one replied on the admin forum, I asked Kynde, and he told me to come to you. So can you upgrade it to v2? Thanks. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 13:05, 9 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
:Hi [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]], this is bad. Also email notification doesn't work since a long time. All admins are nonexistent since months and I don't have access the the server. I will check what I can do with the BOT account. But there is not much hope. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 15:00, 9 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
::Oh... ok. But if I remember correctly, I think one of the admins (I think Jeff?) has a twitter account, but I don't have one and I can't ask on twitter. Could you like contact him that way? And maybe tell him to add a few admins to deal with problems like this? Thanks! [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 10:18, 11 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
:::Hi [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]], I don't have a twitter account too, but I will sign in when things go worse. And this will happen in the future when all admins are still absent because:<br />
:::*The next invoice for the web-service at Cloudflare must be paid.<br />
:::*The name registration at namecheap.com will expire on 2018-08-10.<br />
:::And it seems that there is no advertising here on the left. So we definitely need new admins here to address these and other issues. I would apply for this, but not alone. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 13:07, 11 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Hello Dgbrt, I saw your message both here and on Wikipedia. Messaging me on my talk page is enough, I'll see it in my feed reader. Unfortunately, I can't do anything about recaptcha as I don't have ssh access to the server. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 15:25, 11 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
:Thanks for your reply [[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]]. You don't have ssh access but as an Administrator you are maybe able to send an email to the relevant persons. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 16:09, 11 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
::Unfortunately, I don't have [[User:Jeff|Jeff]]'s email address either. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 06:47, 12 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
'''The problem is solved.''' --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:50, 22 May 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== I'm here ==<br />
<br />
I'm sorry Dgbt (and all my other friendly editors/helpers!) <br />
Let me know what needs to be done and I'll work through it. I'm going to try to be much more proactive and logged in. It's been a busy few months. Please accept my apologies.<br />
The main complication with reCaptcha is that to upgrade to use ReCaptchaNoCaptcha, I'd have to upgrade the wiki. I'm not opposed, it is just a larger work effort than I thought! We are also quite a bit behind! --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 03:18, 13 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== A slight technical problem ==<br />
<br />
The image size for comics is a bit off, the zoom is weird and there's some space to the right of the screen... Not sure what to do about it, but as an admin now (congratulations, by the way!) you should be able to deal with it. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 13:06, 4 July 2018 (UTC)<br />
:Hi [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]], what is weird? Please give an example of what's wrong and how it should be. BTW: To be an admin just means more work ;) --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 13:20, 4 July 2018 (UTC)<br />
::It seems that there's only one problem left, rather than the three I mentioned before, but it's still a problem. For example, normally pages should be like this, where there's a sidebar to the left, and the rest is the page you're viewing. But now for comic explanations, there's an empty sidebar on the right side of the screen that shouldn't be there, and the page itself has been squeezed so now it only takes up about 60% of the screen's width. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 01:24, 5 July 2018 (UTC)<br />
:::Sorry for the delay, but it should be fixed now. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 16:38, 10 July 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Unicode issues with the Bot ==<br />
<br />
Hi, your bot doesn't handle UTF-8 in the alt-text well, as seen on today's comic [[2038]] :P This is a known problem with the xkcd api, which double-utf-8-encodes everything. I believe I've read your bot is programmed in Perl, so I may be able to help fix this. There is a module on CPAN to fix this automagically, [https://metacpan.org/pod/Encode::DoubleEncodedUTF8 Encode::DoubleEncodedUTF8] [[User:Gir|//gir.st/]] ([[User talk:Gir|talk]]) 13:23, 27 August 2018 (UTC)<br />
:'''E''': I've sent you a PR; https://github.com/dgbrt/explainXKCD_update/pull/3 [[User:Gir|//gir.st/]] ([[User talk:Gir|talk]]) 13:44, 27 August 2018 (UTC)<br />
::I was replying at the same time:<br />
:Thanks, you can find the GitHub link here: [[User:DgbrtBOT]]. The latest changes are a little bit ugly because I've had to find a fast solution on the forced https connection. Nonetheless the unicode issue is well known, until now I simply was too lazy. And reading the warnings at the DoubleEncodedUTF8 module tells me it should be solved in a better way.<br />
:I'm not sure, but my CentOS environment looks good:<br />
:<code>env | grep LANG</code> gives me<br />
:<code>LANG=en_US.UTF-8</code><br />
:The Perl script already has <code>binmode STDOUT, ':utf8';</code> which was needed so maybe the same for <code>STDIN</code> could help. Any ideas? I have a Wiki at my PC for testing. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:26, 27 August 2018 (UTC)<br />
The problem is solved and the script successfully tested. Thanks for the help. And if Randall reads this: You probably can fool the BOT by using double encoded UTF at the comic name. But I believe the corresponding image URI wouldn't work. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:26, 28 August 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Signature==<br />
Oops, sorry for forgetting my signature in my comment on "1047: Approximations", and thank you for adding it. [[User:Redbelly98|Redbelly98]] ([[User talk:Redbelly98|talk]]) 01:27, 4 September 2018 (UTC)<br />
:You're welcome but there is absolutely no need to apologize. Errare humanum est. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:42, 4 September 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Elections ==<br />
<br />
Regarding your new [[:Category:Elections|Category:Elections]]...<br />
<br>Is it comics like this you wish to include? [[1130: Poll Watching]]? Guess anything Nate Silver is about it?<br />
<br>Just added [[500: Election]]... question is if election category is to be a subset of politics and that some politic comics that are "only" about election should then not also be directly in politic category? Sometimes there is more to it than election, but not really in the election comic for instance --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:30, 2 November 2018 (UTC)<br />
:Thanks for your work. I've written "...in politics or elsewhere" because I think it may belong not only to politics. "1130: Poll Watching" definitely belongs to this category, it's even politics. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 12:56, 2 November 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Thanx. ==<br />
<br />
Thanx for the tweeking and the signing of my entry in 2066.[[User:Naraht|Naraht]] ([[User talk:Naraht|talk]]) 21:07, 12 November 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Purge? ==<br />
<br />
On the main page, there's a line below the Latest Comic block that states "Is this out of date? Clicking here will fix that."<br />
<br />
This link contains an action parameter value of "purge" in the URL. Do you know what this actually does? Is it somehow related to the caching system, or does it just force the main page to recheck the latest comic number?<br />
<br />
Just curious, as I thought it might be useful for refreshing the cache when investigating an issue like an updated image that isn't being shown immediately. Thanks for any insight! (Oops, forgot to sign my edit!) [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 17:58, 2 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
:Purging affects only the cache at this Wiki but not at Cloudflare. A purged page here will produce a new hash and thus also the Cloudflare cache will be expired. You can do this at every page here by adding "?action=purge" to the end of the URL; or if there is already a parameter with a question mark it should be "&action=purge". Nonetheless, editing a page and changing only one single character will have the same effect.<br />
:For pictures this is different because there is a page for the image:<br />
:*<nowiki>https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/File:reminders.png</nowiki><br />
:and the image itself:<br />
:*<nowiki>https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/2/2c/reminders.png</nowiki><br />
:You can purge the first link because it's rendered through the PHP engine but the second link is just a static image and the Cloudflare cache assumes that this doesn't change often. This helps to keep the traffic at the Wiki server much lower. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:04, 2 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
::Awesome and thorough answer! I appreciate you taking the time to explain it so well. [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 18:20, 2 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==2003: Presidential_Succession==<br />
<br />
In the explanation for [[2003: Presidential_Succession]], I just noticed that a number of users have updated the "List of specific individuals" section based on events since the comic was published, even though the section heading states that the list is as of the date the comic was published. Specifically, someone removed Serena Williams from the list because of a loss in July 2018, someone removed a whole section on the Royal family (which might be appropriate, but I don't know for sure), and several users changed a number of government people as a result of election results in November.<br />
<br />
I was going to try to revert each of the changes back to the original list ,but there are also changes that are probably appropriate in other areas of the explanation. Do you know of a way to revert only those changes that were not appropriate, while retaining others that are appropriate? [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 15:46, 5 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:I decided to just manually revert each change made that was not appropriate, so you can disregard my question. I also added '''bold''' highlighting to the text in the opening paragraph that the list is as of the date of the comic to let people know that they should not update the names based on later events. One of the edits was to remove members of the royal family from the list. I left those names off of the updated list, as that makes sense to me. [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 17:37, 5 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::Many thanks for your work. The explanation always belongs to the date when the comic was published. Any further developments may be mentioned by that manner, but in general that's trivia because it doesn't explain the comic itself in it's context. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:16, 5 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==1732: Earth_Temperature_Timeline==<br />
<br />
Ok, hate to bug you again, but I have an odd question about [[1732:_Earth_Temperature_Timeline]] and its comic image, which is 740 × 14,889 in size.<br />
<br />
This past week, when I viewed this comic, the image was not displaying, and it wouldn't display even when I clicked on the image file link on the image page (the thumbnail was OK though). I was getting what I thought was a server error instead, and the problem was clearly not due to something in the explanation page. I thought maybe something was wrong with the image file, but I was able to download it and open it in my local image viewer program. I was considering what I might be able to do to resolve the issue, but not knowing why it wasn't opening, I put it off...<br />
<br />
However, now it's working fine again on the comic page, and I'm not sure what to make of the previous problem.<br />
<br />
Have you seen similar issues like this in the past? Any thoughts on what might have caused it? I considered whether it might be helpful to actually split the image into separate slices and add them to the comic with some slider effect to view just a slice at a time, but I thought that might be too much effort for a wiki environment. Any thoughts? [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 05:28, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
:Please copy and paste the server error message or do a screen shot. But maybe it was just a local problem with your browser. Other comic images still did work? And click on the navigation title to see the original at the xkcd site. It also has the huge image directly embedded, thus I think we also should do so. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 17:15, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Protection from antisemitic troll ==<br />
<br />
Hi, good thing to short-term protect the new pages. However at the same time someone with the account truth revealer has registered... also still on other posts back and forth editing (with antisemitic content from IP-users) happens: https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2120:_Brain_Hemispheres&curid=21799&diff=170762&oldid=170760 is it possible to also block for stuff like that? like slowing down the capabilities to do multiple edits for IP-users? --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 16:22, 8 March 2019 (UTC)<br />
:This is a bad solution because many - sometimes even most - editors are just IPs. This action today is just a signal to that vandal. Further older discussions are here: [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Admin_requests#SOON_THE_TRUTH_WILL_BE_REVEALED|Admin requests at the Community portal]]. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 16:32, 8 March 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==DgbrtBOT failed 2019-08-30==<br />
Hi Dgbrt. The bot failed yesterday on [[2196: Nice To E-Meet You]]. Have you noticed it? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:29, 31 August 2019 (UTC)<br />
:It began working again at [[2252: Parenthetical Names]]. So 56 comics or about 19 weeks of downtime...? Did you fix it? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:26, 10 January 2020 (UTC)<br />
::It was not continuesly down from August onward. It started again right on 2nd September: [[2197: Game Show]] and did work until Friday, 13th December: [[2241: Brussels Sprouts Mandela Effect]] (maybe it is supersitious about Friday the 13th?) - [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:Contributions/DgbrtBOT&target=DgbrtBOT see contributions page of the bot] --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 09:36, 10 January 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Possible problem with the PHP installation ==<br />
<br />
Dgbrt, I had an exchange of posts on the SlashMe talk page because that is the only administrator with any Wiki contributions shown in 2020 (for example you were in March 2019 and Jeff in April 2019). SlashMe confirmed the problem I identified but had no solution, and suggested that I reach out to you. The exchange is copied below. --[[User:JohnB|JohnB]] ([[User talk:JohnB|talk]]) 00:38, 11 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
=== Really really difficult to get to the What If? page in the Wiki ===<br />
The name of the page is '''what if?''' but if you make an internal link the usual way, as here: [[what if?|<nowiki>[[what if?]]</nowiki>]], you get a mostly blank page with the message ''No input file specified''. It would appear that page names with a question mark break something. The failed form is what is used on the disambiguation page [[What If|<nowiki>[[What If]]</nowiki>]], and so following the page link from there fails. What does work is this internal link: [[whatif|<nowiki>[[whatif]]</nowiki>]], but when you get there and click what links here, that fails as described above. If you really really want to get to the what links here page for the what if? page, you have to use an external link, as [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D|<nowiki>[https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D]</nowiki>]. But but but. On all those pages that it says link to the what if? page, the links are broken as described above.<br />
<br />
My opinion is that the way to fix at this problem is to rename the what if? page to have no question mark, and then to visit all the pages in the old linked to list and update their links to the new page name. Ugh.<br />
--[[User:JohnB|JohnB]] ([[User talk:JohnB|talk]]) 22:45, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:I have looked a little bit into it and it seems to be a configuration issue with the PHP installation. However, I don't have a definite solution for that and even if I had, I don't have access to the server and wouldn't be able to change it. I think [[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] has. Try reaching out to him. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::One more data point. The redirect page [[whatif|<nowiki>[[whatif]]</nowiki>]] redirects using the [[what if?|<nowiki>[[what if?]]</nowiki>]] syntax that fails every place else, but when redirecting it actually works. Go figure. --[[User:JohnB|JohnB]] ([[User talk:JohnB|talk]]) 00:47, 12 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:::Hi JohnB, you're right – looks like ''redirects'' to the pages do work. FYI, a few other users have noticed that there are some more pages that have a similar problem (mainly comics with titles that end in question marks); I've tried to collect the gist of all your findings and add them to the [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Technical#Unable to view "what_if?" page|discussion there]], but feel free to jump in if there's anything else you can think of. – [[User:Yfmcpxpj|Yfmcpxpj]] ([[User talk:Yfmcpxpj|talk]]) 05:21, 29 September 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Thanks for maintaining the bot! ==<br />
<br />
I saw in today's incomplete tag that you mentioned no one ever thanks you. I just wanted to thank you for maintaining it. [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 15:05, 19 August 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== I see that you are the newest sysop on the wiki and no one uses the community portal for some reason so... Welcome Bot? ==<br />
<br />
I have an idea to make a welcome bot for new users that have made it to the editing leaderboards. So there are no red links and new members are encouraged to edit.<span> — [[User:Sqrt-1|The <b>𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭</b>]] <sup>[[User talk:Sqrt-1|<span style="color: blue">talk</span>]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|<span style="color: blue">stalk</span>]]</sup></span> 16:59, 14 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== A couple of issues ==<br />
Google seems to have changed something in AdSense again, and the ads have been appearing in random positions again since December, 2019. [https://wpadvancedads.com/adsense-in-random-positions-auto-ads/ This page] might have a solution? It's been quite a while, and the ads are still broken. <br />
Also as [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Technical#Random_page_sometimes_takes_me_to_an_invalid_address others have already mentioned] links that end in special characters are broken. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 02:10, 5 February 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:SlashMe&diff=205816User talk:SlashMe2021-02-05T02:01:42Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div>Please [{{SERVER}}{{SCRIPTPATH}}/index.php?title=User_talk:SlashMe&action=edit&section=new leave a message]...<br />
<br />
== Hey ==<br />
<br />
Hey SlashMe,<br />
<br />
Just wanted to say; wasn't trying to ignore you or anything. I created the new template well before I figured out where to actually look for discussions on the thing. I only noticed the discussions after I'd already created the thing and posted for discussion. Cheers. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:12, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
: No problem. I'm about to reply on Jeff's talk page. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:13, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
::Do you have any form of instant messenger? It would be easier to talk the changes through instantly than through piles of comments [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:25, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
Yes, but not <del>today</del><ins>tonight</ins>. 1:27 AM in Germany. Good night... --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:27, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
:::Cheers. Have a good night. I guess I'll reply on the main page, that you can pick up in the morning. I'll be unavailable much of tomorrow. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:29, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
==Talkback==<br />
New message for you on my talk page. --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 20:43, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Please watch [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] ==<br />
<br />
I'd like to ask that the admins consider adding [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] to their [[wikipedia:Help:Watching pages|watchlists]]. On a similar note, I've just started a discussion there about spammers. -''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 02:02, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Comic template ==<br />
<br />
Hey,<br />
<br />
Back after a weekend, and I'm getting kind of lost and confused with where discussions are going on, as a lot of conversations appear to have moved. Just want to check in on where we are with the comic template discussion. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 13:59, 7 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Well, my discussion was moved to [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Automatic Import]], but the main discussion is at [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Header template]]. I haven't received much feedback and since more and more comics are created manually using {{tl|comic}}, I don't know if it still makes sense to start an import. I don't think I can reuse existing pages, so the explanations would have to be moved to the new pages. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 16:50, 7 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==User:SlashMe/Testpage==<br />
We seem to have settled on template:comic for all comic pages. May we have permission to remove User:SlashMe/Testpage and all associated templates and categories? There's quite a few legacy templates that are only used in User:SlashMe/Testpage, and it'd be nice if we could clear them out. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u><font color="purple" title="I want you">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><font color="indigo" size="4px">²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:50, 5 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Yes, feel free to do so --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 09:25, 5 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Bot for time==<br />
It's bad when you are doing wrong uploads. I'm using several sources to get this files, but when I'm downloading the files from here my script will not do so unless I delete them manually at my local folder. I can help because I think we do need a more reliable bot here. And my machine is online at 24/7. I'm trying to help you, but if this does not work I will start a bot by myself. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:48, 12 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: The problem is not really the bot, but the wiki. Sometimes, when the server is overloaded, it won't respond to api requests. I'm using python with mwclient, and I haven't found a way to specify a timeout yet. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 10:14, 13 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Regex Golf Trivia ==<br />
<br />
Do you have a source for the trivia you added to the regex golf explanation? I can't find his mention of it. Also, What If 78 was posted Tuesday (today), which is the day after the comic was published, it is currently impossible for you to know which What If will be published next week (unless you know Randall ;p). [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 19:41, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: That was yesterday? Boy, I'm not back to my regular week schedule yet. My bad.<br />
: For the mention, check the tooltip on the second reference, last link. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:56, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:: Ah! I haven't read this week's What If yet. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 20:48, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== German translation / Deutsche Übersetzung ==<br />
<br />
First I have to say thanks for fixing typos done be me. I'm still working on a German page, and my local Wiki is looking better and better. Right now I do not understand the Wiki-Template; in German it should link to a German Wiki page. When this issue is solved I will ask admins here for a first shot.<br />
<br />
Erst einmal muss ich mich für die Korrektur meiner Tippfehler bedanken. Ich arbeite nach wie vor an einer deutschen Seite, mein eigenes Wiki wird besser und besser. Probleme habe ich mit den Templates, ein <nowiki>{{wp}}</nowiki>-Tag sollte auf die deutsche Wiki verlinken. Wenn das Problem gelöst ist werde ich die Admins hier für einen ersten Versuch fragen.<br />
<br />
Written original in English and translated back to German. You see it's not easy, but I'm hoping I can count on you on this future project. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:36, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Of course I'll do everything my timetable allows.<br />
: Concerning the Wikipedia links: I'm not absolutely sure, but I think an interwiki link with the prefix "Wikipedia:" has been setup (might be that this is even default in the interwiki plugin). So basically, if you type "[[Wikipedia:Something]]" into the searchbox here (works the same way as links), you will be redirected to the page "Something" on Wikipedia. This even works for different languages: "[[Wikipedia:de:xkcd]]" will redirect to the article about xkcd on the German Wikipedia (this is probably due to the fact that interwiki links in Wikipedia work with "de:" prefixes). Hope it helps. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 21:11, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Addendum: see also [[Wikipedia:MW:Manual:Interwiki]] (yes, this is a double redirect). --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 21:15, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::There's a setting that we can make in localsettings.php that lets us define other wikis in a family, making it possible to add a special kind of link to each explanation page that'll add a link to its corresponding page on each of the translation wikis. I'll do a writeup on it later, the end of this quarter's finals are in sight. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 00:13, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:::Thanks SlashMe for your investigations but editing templates isn't that easy at all. But I got some progress (not much time today for me on this):<br />
:::*The link is <nowiki>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/de:Programmiersprachen</nowiki><br />
:::*Result: <nowiki>https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmiersprachen</nowiki><br />
:::This seems to be a first resolution. But maybe there is a better way by help from David.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:18, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
::::Nah, that's what I was talking about. I need to define what the de: namespace means to mediawiki so that it knows to insert language links when it sees it, but that shouldn't be too hard. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 21:34, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
:::::Ok, no problem. Tell me some more about this, I can test it on my local English Wiki page. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:47, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Clarification ==<br />
<br />
My edit to [[1713: 50 ccs]] wasn't adding a period after "ml", it was capitalizing the L (look more closely at the diff). I think that's technically more correct, although a little research seems to indicate that it's used both ways, so I'm not going to revert yours. [[User:SuperSupermario24|<span style="color: #c21aff;">Just some random derp</span>]] 02:01, 18 October 2016 (UTC)<br />
: I can see that, and now I'm wondering what I was thinking when I wrote that.... --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:57, 18 October 2016 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== reCaptcha ==<br />
<br />
Since email notification is still broken I'm hoping you will see this soon. Please check the captcha issue (also at my talk page) and let's talk about one or two new admins here. There will be more issues soon. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:30, 11 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb. ==<br />
<br />
Sorry to bother you, but I think that this issue needs to be resolved. In every explain xkcd page, this appears at the top, and it seems unnecessarily mean, and also violates the first rule (don't be a jerk). This has already been mentioned in the discussion page of the main page, and some people (like me) think it should be removed or changed. Could you do that? Or does it needs to be discussed a bit more? Thanks. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 13:52, 18 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Technically, I can do that. But I'd rather not until there is a consensus that it should be changed and what it should say instead. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 16:15, 18 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Banning Bots ==<br />
<br />
Hi SlashMe,<br />
<br />
good thing to ban all the spamming bots, but apperantly if you look at their contributions they all just did one entry (or few directly following each other, but not a second after some time). Therefore I am not sure if banning really helps the issue. Protecting the pages they target as you did (for some reason it seems to be one talk page for a few days, then moving to another one) I guess is the better option.<br />
Question: I assume the target of these bots is not for people to follow their spammed links, but to generate inbound links for SEO (search engine optimization). Is the wiki structure, which tracks and saves all edits a preferred target for them? If so: Is it possible to delete their edits from the history, instead of just undoing them, to disencourage that kind of behaviour? --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:54, 21 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:I've seen this issue with other wikis as well. Unfortunately, there's little that can be done except for implementing more disruptive captchas. I can't do that here; I have admin access to the wiki, but not the underlying server (which would be required to install plugins or change settings). As for deleting revisions: I think it is generally possible, as I've seen it a few times in Wikipedia, but only to hide edits with legal issues. I believe they use another plugin for that. Fortunately, that's not required against SEO bots: older revisions are marked as <code>noindex,nofollow</code> which makes crawlers ignore both the page contents as well as the outbound links. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 10:11, 21 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::Thanks for the reply. Very interesting for me to learn a bit about the wiki structure here :) Spam has just emerged on the talk page of 2151. It may follow recent spamming trends, that this talk page will be a main target, just as in the past it has been 2141 and 2139, 2133. So please take a semiprotection into account. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:42, 22 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Homeopathic Wiki ==<br />
<br />
Has the Explain xkcd Wiki achieved the ability to self regulate? Or have all but one of its caretakers gone into hibernation, even before the global Covid-19 crisis. I mean, it's a wonderful indication of the site's maturity, but I've been trying to find someone to ask about a few things.<br />
<br />
=== Really really difficult to get to the What If? page in the Wiki ===<br />
The name of the page is '''what if?''' but if you make an internal link the usual way, as here: [[what if?|<nowiki>[[what if?]]</nowiki>]], you get a mostly blank page with the message ''No input file specified''. It would appear that page names with a question mark break something. The failed form is what is used on the disambiguation page [[What If|<nowiki>[[What If]]</nowiki>]], and so following the page link from there fails. What does work is this internal link: [[whatif|<nowiki>[[whatif]]</nowiki>]], but when you get there and click what links here, that fails as described above. If you really really want to get to the what links here page for the what if? page, you have to use an external link, as [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D|<nowiki>[https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D]</nowiki>]. But but but. On all those pages that it says link to the what if? page, the links are broken as described above.<br />
<br />
My opinion is that the way to fix at this problem is to rename the what if? page to have no question mark, and then to visit all the pages in the old linked to list and update their links to the new page name. Ugh.<br />
<br />
:I have looked a little bit into it and it seems to be a configuration issue with the PHP installation. However, I don't have a definite solution for that and even if I had, I don't have access to the server and wouldn't be able to change it. I think [[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] has. Try reaching out to him. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
=== Randall's NYT Columns ===<br />
This is what I really wanted to ask someone about. In June I posted a proposal on the community portal ([[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#New_page_for_Randall.27s_regular_column_in_the_New_York_Times |New page for Randall's regular column in the NY Times]]) and I was sort of hoping to get feedback. That post does include a proposed script for the page.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure where the page would go or be linked from, but it would be similar to our page about [[whatif|what if?]]. Perhaps the see also sections of the [[Randall Munroe]] page and the [[xkcd]] page.<br />
<br />
=== Where have all the administrators gone ===<br />
On the page [https://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers?username=&group=bureaucrat User list for group Bureaucrats] there are just two names, but they have had no activity in 2020:<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Jeff|Jeff]], last contribution was April 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Lcarsos|Lcarsos]], last contribution was in May 2015<br />
<br />
On the page [https://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers?username=&group=sysop User list for group Administrators] there are ten names, but only one with activity in 2020:<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Davidy22|Davidy22]], November 2017<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Dgbrt|Dgbrt]], March 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/IronyChef|IronyChef]], November 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Jeff|Jeff]], April 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Lcarsos|Lcarsos]], May 2015<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Markhurd|Markhurd]], July 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Mynotoar|Mynotoar]], April 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Philosopher|Philosopher]], April 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Slashme|Slashme]], '''July 2020 Hooray!'''<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Waldir|Waldir]], August 2018<br />
<br />
So I'm posting this on the Slashme user talk page and hoping for a response.<br />
<br />
[[User:JohnB|JohnB]] ([[User talk:JohnB|talk]]) 22:45, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: I don't know the other administrators either. Jeff owns the server and has full access; I think he gave Dgbrt server access, too, who fixed a few issues with the MediaWiki installation in the past. No idea about the others. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== A couple of issues ==<br />
<br />
Posted this a long while ago in the community portal, but I don't think the admins saw. Since you seem to be the only admin who's still active, I'll leave this on your talk page:<br />
<br />
1. Google seems to have changed something in AdSense again, and the ads have been appearing in random positions again since December, 2019. [https://wpadvancedads.com/adsense-in-random-positions-auto-ads/ This page] might have a solution? It's been quite a while, and the ads are still broken.<br />
<br />
2. New site called xkcd.wtf is blatantly stealing/scraping explanations from our site (and has been since April 2020) and posting it with a new theme. Not sure if it's a mirror or just Ctrl+C Ctrl+V, but it's clear that it's taken from Explain xkcd. Is this even legal? [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 07:33, 16 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Unfortunately, I only have access to the wiki, not to the server below. The only ones with system access are [[User:Jeff|Jeff]] and [[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]]. About the explanations: yeah, that's perfectly legal. According to [[explain xkcd:Copyrights]], the explanations are subject to CC-BY-SA 3.0, and the site mentions explainxkcd.com at the very bottom, together with other sources, albeit rather small. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 13:08, 16 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::Ah, I see. Thanks. Also there's [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Technical#Random_page_sometimes_takes_me_to_an_invalid_address another problem] that a user mentioned in the community portal which I've been meaning to ask about as well. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 07:41, 31 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::: I believe that's a combination of a bug in PHP and the way permalinks are configured in the wiki. Another thing that requires server access to fix. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 01:13, 1 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::::Ok, thanks. I'll leave a message in their talk pages as well and see if they reply. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 02:01, 5 February 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2420:_Appliances&diff=205814Talk:2420: Appliances2021-02-05T01:58:09Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
This seems related to [[1890: What to Bring]]. <span style="font-family:serif">[[User:Bubblegum|<span style="color:#00BFFF">bubblegum</span>]]-[[User_talk:Bubblegum|<span style="color:#BF7FFF">talk</span>]]|[[Special:Contributions/Bubblegum|<span style="color:#FF7FFF">contribs</span>]]</span> <span style="font-family:serif;">02:55, 4 February 2021 (UTC)</span><br />
<br />
I actually disagree with the stove and washing dishes. In a large pot with water and with some stirring one can remove stains from cloths and kill germs. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.96.28|141.101.96.28]] 07:08, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
It's interesting that all green squares are mirrored along the diagonal, with one exception, but no yellow ones at all. Usually you would assume that somewhat similar things result in a yellow square on both sides. [[User:Fabian42|Fabian42]] ([[User talk:Fabian42|talk]]) 07:35, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== A washing mashine can (and does) spin-dry clothes ==<br />
<br />
A spin-drying program can usually be selected separately without getting the clothes wet. While this is not effective as a dryer, still much better than nothing.<br />
----<br />
<br />
I microwave can boil eggs, you just nweed to wrap them in foil and ensure they are covered by the boiling water. The foil acts as a faraday cage and ensures they only cook by conduction from the outside and the water stops arcing. <br />
You cvan also make scrabled eggs and omlettes. [[User:Arachrah|Arachrah]] ([[User talk:Arachrah|talk]]) 09:31, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:You seriously suggest putting foil into the microwave? I guess you don't mean tinfoil/aluminum? --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 09:58, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:: You can put a foil there IF you know what you are doing. Try dissecting a microwave popcorn bag - its bottom has an aluminium foil inside and acts as a pan. I was surprised by inclusion of egg as okay by Randall though - I thought egg yolks were famous for infrequent but nasty [https://abcnews.go.com/Health/dangers-microwaving-eggs/story?id=51630977 superheating surprises] when microwaved. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.165.116|162.158.165.116]] 10:41, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
----<br />
I didn't get this at all until I read the explanation, as I am red-green colorblind and the shades of red and green that Randall chose appear completely identical to me. <br />
[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.35|141.101.104.35]] 09:47, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Oh man, I wonder whether Randall is aware of the difficulty his choice in colors creates for colorblind readers. He's done comics referring to colorblindness before, hasn't he? I wonder if a subtle edit should be in order, on his part. (Alternatively, a confusion map of which vision types perceive differences between which colors, labeled in the same problematic colors, might have a certain apropos irony...?) <br />
:[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 18:42, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
----<br />
<br />
What a microwave does to bread is very weird. It seems to make the bread tougher (i.e., harder to bite through; in one case of a microwaved sandwich I was totally unable to bite off pieces), but doesn't make it stiffer (it ends up kind of like rubber). It doesn't wind up unevenly toasted like in the picture, but rather cooked in a completely different way. [[User:Magic9mushroom|Magic9mushroom]] ([[User talk:Magic9mushroom|talk]]) 11:22, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
----<br />
Using a microwave to dry clothes is generally a bad idea, there is quite a high chance of burns. The most household appliance to quickly dry clothes beside a dryer is actually the freezer. [[User:Perigril|Perigril]] ([[User talk:Perigril|talk]]) 13:20, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
----<br />
Updated transcript from [[1890: What to Bring]]. Considering the increased size of this table maybe something else is wiser? Does anyone know why the three first items are separate, or why the washing machine appears only to wet parts of the shirt? Should the cited text from the comic be written in all caps to match the comic? Should the "with a" between the pairs be replaced with something better to indicate that unlike What to Bring, Appliances does not have an equivalent to the "Should you bring _____ to ______"-text? --[[User:IonIceXIII|IonIceXIII]] ([[User talk:IonIceXIII|talk]]) 13:22, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
----<br />
Attempting to do as well as possible in each square could make an interesting short video series. Stove/oven could probably achieve 6 greens, at least for quality of results if not for the time required [[User:Jgt|Jgt]] ([[User talk:Jgt|talk]]) 13:41, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:I love this. Where do I click "Like" & "Subscribe"? [[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 19:06, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:I agree that the stove/oven deserves more green. I'm using the oven to dry (not just) clothes pretty often ;-) --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.96.82|141.101.96.82]] 21:08, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
----<br />
A classic example of a diagonally dominant matrix. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.41|162.158.62.41]] 18:35, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
----<br />
I'm surprised how many people persist in using "bad" toasters (slot loading). They're terrible at handling pretty much everything except sliced bread, & are completely impractical for more than half the things one might want "toasted". Even a sliced bagel turns out better in a half-decent "toaster oven" than in any slot-loader I've seen; & with a toaster oven you can toast the toppings too. (For instance: peanut butter is better toasted! Warm gooey cream cheese! Reheat muffins with loads of butter on top!) Try making a toasted sandwich in a slot loader; they're a nightmare. Even cleaning them is more effort than a toaster oven. Slot loaders are terrible, obsolete fire hazards, as far as I'm concerned. Yet when you say "toaster", people still visualize a slot loader. It's like if you said "pencil" & everyone visualized a stick of bare graphite. The graphite can <i>conditionally</i> be used for <i>some</i> purposes related to "pencil" but the wood cased design with rubber eraser is far more practical. Same situation with toasters; why use a slot-loader when you can get a <i>good</i> toaster instead? <br />
[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 19:06, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
----<br />
I seem to recall a Cutthroat Kitchen episode where one of the chefs was forced to cook eggs with a toaster. I think they turned the toaster on its side, then put the egg in a shallow dish that was placed inside the slot. I don't remember if that chef was cut, though. - [[Special:Contributions/162.158.212.218|162.158.212.218]] 22:28, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Wait, you can cook fish in a dishwasher? Guess I'm one of today's lucky 10,000. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 01:58, 5 February 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1890:_What_to_Bring&diff=205813Talk:1890: What to Bring2021-02-05T01:55:40Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
Presumably water in a gun fight _might_ work if the guns involved are particularly old fashioned (e.g. see [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flintlock Flintlock]) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.55|162.158.154.55]] 06:35, 15 September 2017 (UTC) A flintlock style uses a metal 'frizzen' which hinges over the 'pan' into which the priming power is placed. This not only protects the powder from the weather (and a splash), but also keep the powder in the pan as the firearm is moved about. When the mechanism is fired, the flint comes striking down on the surface of the frizzen which both opens the cover and directs sparks into the pan. The type of firearm that might be made inactive with a splash of water is an older design called the matchlock which held a lit cord or match in a mechanism over the open pan. The gun is fired by allowing the match to fall into the pan and detonating the powder. <br />
:Water in a gun fight would also work if the guns are water guns or if the fight is against the Wicked Witch of the West [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.198|172.68.65.198]] 15:09, 17 March 2020 (UTC) <br />
<br />
I see that bringing a lid to a knife or gun fight might serve as some sort of a shield? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.66|141.101.107.66]] 06:52, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
If your lid is big enough, you can extinguish a wood fire too [[Special:Contributions/141.101.105.240|141.101.105.240]] 09:50, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is this Randall being political about the situation with North Korea? Maybe I'm reading too much into it, although the world would probably be a better place if more people (and countries) followed the tag text. [[User:Fluppeteer|Fluppeteer]] ([[User talk:Fluppeteer|talk]]) 10:29, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
But what if... you bring a wood fire... TO A KNIFE FIGHT?! Also, I'm not the only person thinking about BOTW's lowest-defense shield, am I? [[User:OriginalName|OriginalName]] ([[User talk:OriginalName|talk]]) 11:24, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
US Military personnel use "lid" as a euphemism for their uniform hat. I think that interpretation is represented in the drawing for "lid to a knife fight". [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.201|162.158.74.201]] 12:57, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Using a gun to extinguish fire probably was influenced by this official tweet of a sheriff 5 days ago [https://mobile.twitter.com/pascosheriff/status/906712903868469249 "To clarify, DO NOT shoot weapons @ #Irma. You won't make it turn around & it will have very dangerous side effects"], which was necessary after stupid people started to try to fight the hurricane with guns. Sebastian --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.110.94|172.68.110.94]] 15:23, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
The sentence "which often come with lids suited to making an airtight seal" is inaccurate. Lids don't form an airtight seal, and airtightness is not necessary to extinguish a pan fire.--[[User:Pere prlpz|Pere prlpz]] ([[User talk:Pere prlpz|talk]]) 23:58, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
The phrase "don't bring a knife to a gun fight" is not a statement of general naive lack of preparation, but is specifically used to advocate literal firearms as a means of defense over literal knives. The "gun fight" refers to encounters with armed criminals who, the phrase suggests, will still use their gun to your disadvantage whether or not you are capable of fighting back. It has been subverted occasionally as an implied threat (usually in drama rather than reality) when the situation is reversed, i.e. the criminal is armed with a knife and the would-be victim is armed with a gun. The violence implied by "a gun fight" tends to restrict more metaphorical use of the phrase. The title text seems to be based in the original meaning, with the implication that Randall expects a gun being used against an armed criminal to escalate violence. {{unsigned ip|162.158.74.231|20:08, 16 September 2017}}<br />
:Struggling to work out whether this comment is tongue in cheek, or for real.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.32|162.158.155.32]] 16:31, 18 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
:Hmmm... Since I don't see the humour in this comment if it was meant as a joke, and trolling is just pointless, I'm going to go ahead and treat it as a serious comment. No. Just no. A literal knife to a literal gun fight would be where the saying came from, but even then only as a metaphor or simile, as an issue easily understood. It should be obvious to anyone who knows how guns work that the gun would have an almost complete advantage. The saying actually means being on unequal footing in some conflict, where the person being warned is trying to attack or go against someone who is better prepared. The stereotypical jock trying to argue a point against the captain of the debate team (presumably the captain being the most experienced at making logical well-reasoned arguments, and as such would have no problem winning such an argument). A brand new private in the army challenging a multi-stipe sargeant to a fist fight (presumably anyone who has risen to the rank of sargeant and gained several stripes besides is quite experienced at fighting). A child challenging an Olympic medalist to a race (besides being an adult, presumably someone who has won a medal has tremendous ability at whatever kind of race this is). "Bringing a knife to a gunfight" is a common SAYING to describe such situations. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:01, 19 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Just noticed that the comic on xkcd got a little correction: The "Water to a knife fight" Cueball was missing an arm. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.202.202|162.158.202.202]] 23:12, 17 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
:Here's still the old image. Can anyone update it? --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.202.52|162.158.202.52]] 21:59, 22 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
The gun is the only thing with two uses, so it's ''obviously'' the most useful. [[User:1337357|1337357]] ([[User talk:1337357|talk]])<br />
:A nuke would neutralize all of these threats, so obviously it would be the "most" useful. But nuking a wood fire to put it out would probably be overkill. Randall isn't trying to say that something is the "most" useful, he's just showing us different scenarios.[[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 13:13, 1 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is this a co-violence matrix?<br />
<br />
This should probably be in the Charts category, but I can't figure out how to do so. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.106|172.68.65.106]] 18:53, 4 February 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Done. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 01:55, 5 February 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1890:_What_to_Bring&diff=2058121890: What to Bring2021-02-05T01:54:31Z<p>Herobrine: Typo</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1890<br />
| date = September 15, 2017<br />
| title = What to Bring<br />
| image = what_to_bring.png<br />
| titletext = I always figured you should never bring a gun to a gun fight because then you'll be part of a gun fight.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic derives its humor from combining two common but unrelated pieces of advice: "never bring a knife to a gun fight", and "never put water on an oil fire". The corollary to these phrases is that a knife is only useful for a knife fight, and water is only useful for a wood fire (or similar solid and porous fuel). [[Randall]] creates a grid applying each of the solutions (knives, guns, lids, and water) to each of the situations (knife fight, gun fight, wood fire, oil fire) to predict the likely outcomes. <br />
<br />
The squares in the table are highlighted in green to answer "Yes" to the question, where the specified object is appropriate or advantageous for the situation, or red to answer "No", usually because the object would not be helpful in resolving the situation. The grid concludes that, not only are both pieces of advice correct (bringing knives to gun fights, and using water on oil fires would both end in likely disaster), but only the prescribed solutions are appropriate for each situation (e.g. any solution other than a lid would be ineffective for an oil fire, and potentially very dangerous). The sole exception to this trend is bringing a gun to a knife fight, which would give you a major tactical advantage over your opponent. <br />
<br />
The ultimate point of this comic may be in the title text. There is a phrase in American English, "to bring a knife to a gun fight," which means "to be so naive as to be unprepared." While Randall may be commenting specifically on managing {{w|conflict escalation}} by being adequately prepared for the situation, it is also possible that he is subtly expressing his opinion about the virtues of restraint.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Should you bring ... to ...<br />
! scope="col"| a knife fight<br />
! scope="col"| a gun fight<br />
! scope="col"| a wood fire<br />
! scope="col"| an oil fire<br />
|-<br />
! scope="row"| a knife<br />
| Yes. If you bring a knife to a knife fight, you will be evenly matched with your opponent.<br />
| No. If you bring a knife to a gun fight, you will be at a perilous disadvantage. (Although, at close range, a knife is considered more lethal than a firearm in certain situations, e.g. a holstered pistol)<br />
| No. Attempting to stab a wood fire with a knife will only lead to you being burned.<br />
| No. Attempting to stab an oil fire will only cause you to get burned and leave metallic scrapes in the pan.<br />
|-<br />
! scope="row"| a gun<br />
| Yes. Bringing a gun to a knife fight will leave your opponent at a perilous disadvantage. (You may be accused of "not playing fair", but only if you leave survivors.)<br />
| Yes&#42;. Bringing a gun to a gun fight will leave you {{w|Mexican standoff|evenly matched with your opponent}}.<br />
| colspan="2"| No. Shooting at a wood or an oil fire will not extinguish either one. Depending on the exact caliber of the bullet, you may even end up scattering the wood or oil fueling the flames, leaving you with a worse situation than before. Also, most bullets contain lead, so the heat of the fire may cause the bullet to give off toxic fumes.<br />
|-<br />
! scope="row"| water<br />
| colspan="2"| No. Splashing either a knife-wielder or a gunman with water may blind your opponent briefly, but if you're still in a fight (i.e. you cannot use the opportunity to flee), it won't win you the fight. (However, water can disable some older guns that use black powder, since the powder will not ignite when wet.)<br />
| Yes. Wood fires are best extinguished with a well-aimed splash of water.<br />
| No! Pouring water on an oil fire is notorious for creating huge fireballs and scattering the oil, making the situation even worse ({{w|boilover}}).<br />
|- <br />
! scope="row"| a lid<br />
| colspan="2"| No. Attempting to put a lid on the head or weapon of a knife-wielder or gunman will probably not help matters, as it may only serve to agitate them. While it might momentarily confuse your opponent, it probably won't give you much of a running start. (However, a metal lid with the right sort of handle could serve as a makeshift {{w|buckler|shield}}.)<br />
| No. Trying to put out a wood fire with a lid would usually require a lid far too large for you to carry.<br />
| Yes. An {{w|Class B fire|oil fire}} is best extinguished by cutting it off from oxygen; stove top oil fires generally occur in cooking pans, which often come with lids suited to making an airtight seal. A fire-resistant blanket or towel also works well for this purpose.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
&#42; While the chart states that you should bring a gun to a gun fight, the title text makes the observation that bringing a gun to a gunfight might just raise your status from 'inconsequential bystander' to 'combatant'. So perhaps you shouldn't bring a gun to a gun fight if not bringing one is a way to avoid being considered part of the fight. It probably all depends on why there is a gun fight to begin with, and why you are choosing to go to it, with or without a gun (or knife or water or lid). Or Randall may simply (and wisely) mean that you shouldn't go to a gunfight at all, which is a genuinely valid point, and not a joke. If you're not there, you can't get shot.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Text in the top-left corner of the comic:] <br />
<br />
:"Should you bring _____ to ______?"<br />
<br />
:[The comic is laid out like a grid, with implements down the left-hand side (A knife / A gun / Water / A lid) and the type of "fight" across the top (A knife fight / A gun fight / A wood fire / An oil fire). The grid illustrates the "match-ups", with a green square denoting a "correct" match-up and a red square denoting a Very Bad Idea.]<br />
<br />
:[From the top left corner, going from left to right, top to bottom, with each first item being on its own line in the grid, the squares are as follows:]<br />
<br />
:[Green square, two combatants face off against each other with knives, equally matched.]<br />
<br />
:*'''A knife''' to '''A knife fight'''<br />
<br />
:[Red square, a person with a knife faces off against someone with a gun, and is clearly outmatched.]<br />
<br />
:*'''A knife''' to '''A gun fight'''<br />
<br />
:[Red square, a person holds a knife in a wood fire while saying "OW OW OW".]<br />
:*'''A knife''' to '''A wood fire'''<br />
*'''A knife''' to '''An oil fire''': Red square, the person with the knife scrapes at the oil inside the pan that's on fire while saying "OW OW OW". The scraping accompanied by the text "SCRAPE SCRAPE".<br />
*'''A gun''' to '''A knife fight''': Green square, the person with the gun points it at the opponent with the knife, who exclaims, "Dude!"<br />
*'''A gun''' to '''A gun fight''': Green square, two combatants point guns at one another, equally matched.<br />
*'''A gun''' to '''A wood fire''': Red square, the person with the gun shoots pointlessly three times at the wood fire, which carries on blazing. The shooting is accompanied by the text "BLAM BLAM BLAM".<br />
*'''A gun''' to '''An oil fire''': Red square, the person with the gun shoots at the flaming pan, which does nothing to put it out. The shooting is accompanied by the text "BLAM".<br />
*'''Water''' to '''A knife fight''': Red square, the person with the water throws it uselessly in the face of the person holding the knife.<br />
*'''Water''' to '''A gun fight''': Red square, the person with the water throws it uselessly in the face of the person holding the gun.<br />
*'''Water''' to '''A wood fire''': Green square, the person throws the water on the fire and successfully extinguishes it, which makes a "SPLOOSH" sound.<br />
*'''Water''' to '''An oil fire''': Red square, the person is shown reeling back from the oil fire, the water glass going flying, as the oil fire explodes with a "FOOM".<br />
*'''A lid''' to '''A knife fight''': Red square, the person with the lid comically places it on the head of the person with the knife, who stands there in confusion.<br />
*'''A lid''' to '''A gun fight''': Red square, the person with the lid ineffectually places it on top of the gun the other person is pointing at them.<br />
*'''A lid''' to '''A wood fire''': Red square, the person with the lid holds it near the wood fire, which does nothing to put out the fire.<br />
*'''A lid''' to '''An oil fire''': Green square, the person places the lid on top of the oil fire, which suffocates and extinguishes it.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]<br />
[[Category:Charts]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1890:_What_to_Bring&diff=2058111890: What to Bring2021-02-05T01:54:00Z<p>Herobrine: Category</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1890<br />
| date = September 15, 2017<br />
| title = What to Bring<br />
| image = what_to_bring.png<br />
| titletext = I always figured you should never bring a gun to a gun fight because then you'll be part of a gun fight.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic derives its humor from combining two common but unrelated pieces of advice: "never bring a knife to a gun fight", and "never put water on an oil fire". The corollary to these phrases is that a knife is only useful for a knife fight, and water is only useful for a wood fire (or similar solid and porous fuel). [[Randall]] creates a grid applying each of the solutions (knives, guns, lids, and water) to each of the situations (knife fight, gun fight, wood fire, oil fire) to predict the likely outcomes. <br />
<br />
The squares in the table are highlighted in green to answer "Yes" to the question, where the specified object is appropriate or advantageous for the situation, or red to answer "No", usually because the object would not be helpful in resolving the situation. The grid concludes that, not only are both pieces of advice correct (bringing knives to gun fights, and using water on oil fires would both end in likely disaster), but only the prescribed solutions are appropriate for each situation (e.g. any solution other than a lid would be ineffective for an oil fire, and potentially very dangerous). The sole exception to this trend is bringing a gun to a knife fight, which would give you a major tactical advantage over your opponent. <br />
<br />
The ultimate point of this comic may be in the title text. There is a phrase in American English, "to bring a knife to a gun fight," which means "to be so naive as to be unprepared." While Randall may be commenting specifically on managing {{w|conflict escalation}} by being adequately prepared for the situation, it is also possible that he is subtly expressing his opinion about the virtues of restraint.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Should you bring ... to ...<br />
! scope="col"| a knife fight<br />
! scope="col"| a gun fight<br />
! scope="col"| a wood fire<br />
! scope="col"| an oil fire<br />
|-<br />
! scope="row"| a knife<br />
| Yes. If you bring a knife to a knife fight, you will be evenly matched with your opponent.<br />
| No. If you bring a knife to a gun fight, you will be at a perilous disadvantage. (Although, at close range, a knife is considered more lethal than a firearm in certain situations, e.g. a holstered pistol)<br />
| No. Attempting to stab a wood fire with a knife will only lead to you being burned.<br />
| No. Attempting to stab an oil fire will only cause you to get burned and leave metallic scrapes in the pan.<br />
|-<br />
! scope="row"| a gun<br />
| Yes. Bringing a gun to a knife fight will leave your opponent at a perilous disadvantage. (You may be accused of "not playing fair", but only if you leave survivors.)<br />
| Yes&#42;. Bringing a gun to a gun fight will leave you {{w|Mexican standoff|evenly matched with your opponent}}.<br />
| colspan="2"| No. Shooting at a wood or an oil fire will not extinguish either one. Depending on the exact caliber of the bullet, you may even end up scattering the wood or oil fueling the flames, leaving you with a worse situation than before. Also, most bullets contain lead, so the heat of the fire may cause the bullet to give off toxic fumes.<br />
|-<br />
! scope="row"| water<br />
| colspan="2"| No. Splashing either a knife-wielder or a gunman with water may blind your opponent briefly, but if you're still in a fight (i.e. you cannot use the opportunity to flee), it won't win you the fight. (However, water can disable some older guns that use black powder, since the powder will not ignite when wet.)<br />
| Yes. Wood fires are best extinguished with a well-aimed splash of water.<br />
| No! Pouring water on an oil fire is notorious for creating huge fireballs and scattering the oil, making the situation even worse ({{w|boilover}}).<br />
|- <br />
! scope="row"| a lid<br />
| colspan="2"| No. Attempting to put a lid on the head or weapon of a knife-wielder or gunman will probably not help matters, as it may only serve to agitate them. While it might momentarily confuse your opponent, it probably won't give you much of a running start. (However, a metal lid with the right sort of handle could serve as a makeshift {{w|buckler|shield}}.)<br />
| No. Trying to put out a wood fire with a lid would usually require a lid far too large for you to carry.<br />
| Yes. An {{w|Class B fire|oil fire}} is best extinguished by cutting it off from oxygen; stove top oil fires generally occur in cooking pans, which often come with lids suited to making an airtight seal. A fire-resistant blanket or towel also works well for this purpose.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
&#42; While the chart states that you should bring a gun to a gun fight, the title text makes the observation that bringing a gun to a gunfight might just raise your status from 'inconsequential bystander' to 'combatant'. So perhaps you shouldn't bring a gun to a gun fight if not bringing one is a way to avoid being considered part of the fight. It probably all depends on why there is a gun fight to begin with, and why you are choosing to go to it, with or without a gun (or knife or water or lid). Or Randall may simply (and wisely) mean that you shouldn't go to a gunfight at all, which is a genuinely valid point, and not a joke. If you're not there, you can't get shot.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Text in the top-left corner of the comic:] <br />
<br />
:"Should you bring _____ to ______?"<br />
<br />
:[The comic is laid out like a grid, with implements down the left-hand side (A knife / A gun / Water / A lid) and the type of "fight" across the top (A knife fight / A gun fight / A wood fire / An oil fire). The grid illustrates the "match-ups", with a green square denoting a "correct" match-up and a red square denoting a Very Bad Idea.]<br />
<br />
:[From the top left corner, going from left to right, top to bottom, with each first item being on its own line in the grid, the squares are as follows:]<br />
<br />
:[Green square, two combatants face off against each other with knives, equally matched.]<br />
<br />
:*'''A knife''' to '''A knife fight'''<br />
<br />
:[Red square, a person with a knife faces off against someone with a gun, and is clearly outmatched.]<br />
<br />
:*'''A knife''' to '''A gun fight'''<br />
<br />
:[Red square, a person holds a knife in a wood fire while saying "OW OW OW".]<br />
:*'''A knife''' to '''A wood fire'''<br />
*'''A knife''' to '''An oil fire''': Red square, the person with the knife scrapes at the oil inside the pan that's on fire while saying "OW OW OW". The scraping accompanied by the text "SCRAPE SCRAPE".<br />
*'''A gun''' to '''A knife fight''': Green square, the person with the gun points it at the opponent with the knife, who exclaims, "Dude!"<br />
*'''A gun''' to '''A gun fight''': Green square, two combatants point guns at one another, equally matched.<br />
*'''A gun''' to '''A wood fire''': Red square, the person with the gun shoots pointlessly three times at the wood fire, which carries on blazing. The shooting is accompanied by the text "BLAM BLAM BLAM".<br />
*'''A gun''' to '''An oil fire''': Red square, the person with the gun shoots at the flaming pan, which does nothing to put it out. The shooting is accompanied by the text "BLAM".<br />
*'''Water''' to '''A knife fight''': Red square, the person with the water throws it uselessly in the face of the person holding the knife.<br />
*'''Water''' to '''A gun fight''': Red square, the person with the water throws it uselessly in the face of the person holding the gun.<br />
*'''Water''' to '''A wood fire''': Green square, the person throws the water on the fire and successfully extinguishes it, which makes a "SPLOOSH" sound.<br />
*'''Water''' to '''An oil fire''': Red square, the person is shown reeling back from the oil fire, the water glass going flying, as the oil fire explodes with a "FOOM".<br />
*'''A lid''' to '''A knife fight''': Red square, the person with the lid comically places it on the head of the person with the knife, who stands there in confusion.<br />
*'''A lid''' to '''A gun fight''': Red square, the person with the lid ineffectually places it on top of the gun the other person is pointing at them.<br />
*'''A lid''' to '''A wood fire''': Red square, the person with the lid holds it near the wood fire, which does nothing to put out the fire.<br />
*'''A lid''' to '''An oil fire''': Green square, the person places the lid on top of the oil fire, which suffocates and extinguishes it.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]<br />
[[Catehory:Charts]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:SlashMe&diff=205614User talk:SlashMe2021-01-31T07:47:54Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div>Please [{{SERVER}}{{SCRIPTPATH}}/index.php?title=User_talk:SlashMe&action=edit&section=new leave a message]...<br />
<br />
== Hey ==<br />
<br />
Hey SlashMe,<br />
<br />
Just wanted to say; wasn't trying to ignore you or anything. I created the new template well before I figured out where to actually look for discussions on the thing. I only noticed the discussions after I'd already created the thing and posted for discussion. Cheers. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:12, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
: No problem. I'm about to reply on Jeff's talk page. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:13, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
::Do you have any form of instant messenger? It would be easier to talk the changes through instantly than through piles of comments [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:25, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
Yes, but not <del>today</del><ins>tonight</ins>. 1:27 AM in Germany. Good night... --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:27, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
:::Cheers. Have a good night. I guess I'll reply on the main page, that you can pick up in the morning. I'll be unavailable much of tomorrow. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:29, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
==Talkback==<br />
New message for you on my talk page. --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 20:43, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Please watch [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] ==<br />
<br />
I'd like to ask that the admins consider adding [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] to their [[wikipedia:Help:Watching pages|watchlists]]. On a similar note, I've just started a discussion there about spammers. -''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 02:02, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Comic template ==<br />
<br />
Hey,<br />
<br />
Back after a weekend, and I'm getting kind of lost and confused with where discussions are going on, as a lot of conversations appear to have moved. Just want to check in on where we are with the comic template discussion. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 13:59, 7 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Well, my discussion was moved to [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Automatic Import]], but the main discussion is at [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Header template]]. I haven't received much feedback and since more and more comics are created manually using {{tl|comic}}, I don't know if it still makes sense to start an import. I don't think I can reuse existing pages, so the explanations would have to be moved to the new pages. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 16:50, 7 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==User:SlashMe/Testpage==<br />
We seem to have settled on template:comic for all comic pages. May we have permission to remove User:SlashMe/Testpage and all associated templates and categories? There's quite a few legacy templates that are only used in User:SlashMe/Testpage, and it'd be nice if we could clear them out. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u><font color="purple" title="I want you">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><font color="indigo" size="4px">²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:50, 5 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Yes, feel free to do so --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 09:25, 5 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Bot for time==<br />
It's bad when you are doing wrong uploads. I'm using several sources to get this files, but when I'm downloading the files from here my script will not do so unless I delete them manually at my local folder. I can help because I think we do need a more reliable bot here. And my machine is online at 24/7. I'm trying to help you, but if this does not work I will start a bot by myself. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:48, 12 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: The problem is not really the bot, but the wiki. Sometimes, when the server is overloaded, it won't respond to api requests. I'm using python with mwclient, and I haven't found a way to specify a timeout yet. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 10:14, 13 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Regex Golf Trivia ==<br />
<br />
Do you have a source for the trivia you added to the regex golf explanation? I can't find his mention of it. Also, What If 78 was posted Tuesday (today), which is the day after the comic was published, it is currently impossible for you to know which What If will be published next week (unless you know Randall ;p). [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 19:41, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: That was yesterday? Boy, I'm not back to my regular week schedule yet. My bad.<br />
: For the mention, check the tooltip on the second reference, last link. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:56, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:: Ah! I haven't read this week's What If yet. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 20:48, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== German translation / Deutsche Übersetzung ==<br />
<br />
First I have to say thanks for fixing typos done be me. I'm still working on a German page, and my local Wiki is looking better and better. Right now I do not understand the Wiki-Template; in German it should link to a German Wiki page. When this issue is solved I will ask admins here for a first shot.<br />
<br />
Erst einmal muss ich mich für die Korrektur meiner Tippfehler bedanken. Ich arbeite nach wie vor an einer deutschen Seite, mein eigenes Wiki wird besser und besser. Probleme habe ich mit den Templates, ein <nowiki>{{wp}}</nowiki>-Tag sollte auf die deutsche Wiki verlinken. Wenn das Problem gelöst ist werde ich die Admins hier für einen ersten Versuch fragen.<br />
<br />
Written original in English and translated back to German. You see it's not easy, but I'm hoping I can count on you on this future project. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:36, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Of course I'll do everything my timetable allows.<br />
: Concerning the Wikipedia links: I'm not absolutely sure, but I think an interwiki link with the prefix "Wikipedia:" has been setup (might be that this is even default in the interwiki plugin). So basically, if you type "[[Wikipedia:Something]]" into the searchbox here (works the same way as links), you will be redirected to the page "Something" on Wikipedia. This even works for different languages: "[[Wikipedia:de:xkcd]]" will redirect to the article about xkcd on the German Wikipedia (this is probably due to the fact that interwiki links in Wikipedia work with "de:" prefixes). Hope it helps. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 21:11, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Addendum: see also [[Wikipedia:MW:Manual:Interwiki]] (yes, this is a double redirect). --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 21:15, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::There's a setting that we can make in localsettings.php that lets us define other wikis in a family, making it possible to add a special kind of link to each explanation page that'll add a link to its corresponding page on each of the translation wikis. I'll do a writeup on it later, the end of this quarter's finals are in sight. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 00:13, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:::Thanks SlashMe for your investigations but editing templates isn't that easy at all. But I got some progress (not much time today for me on this):<br />
:::*The link is <nowiki>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/de:Programmiersprachen</nowiki><br />
:::*Result: <nowiki>https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmiersprachen</nowiki><br />
:::This seems to be a first resolution. But maybe there is a better way by help from David.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:18, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
::::Nah, that's what I was talking about. I need to define what the de: namespace means to mediawiki so that it knows to insert language links when it sees it, but that shouldn't be too hard. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 21:34, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
:::::Ok, no problem. Tell me some more about this, I can test it on my local English Wiki page. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:47, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Clarification ==<br />
<br />
My edit to [[1713: 50 ccs]] wasn't adding a period after "ml", it was capitalizing the L (look more closely at the diff). I think that's technically more correct, although a little research seems to indicate that it's used both ways, so I'm not going to revert yours. [[User:SuperSupermario24|<span style="color: #c21aff;">Just some random derp</span>]] 02:01, 18 October 2016 (UTC)<br />
: I can see that, and now I'm wondering what I was thinking when I wrote that.... --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:57, 18 October 2016 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== reCaptcha ==<br />
<br />
Since email notification is still broken I'm hoping you will see this soon. Please check the captcha issue (also at my talk page) and let's talk about one or two new admins here. There will be more issues soon. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:30, 11 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb. ==<br />
<br />
Sorry to bother you, but I think that this issue needs to be resolved. In every explain xkcd page, this appears at the top, and it seems unnecessarily mean, and also violates the first rule (don't be a jerk). This has already been mentioned in the discussion page of the main page, and some people (like me) think it should be removed or changed. Could you do that? Or does it needs to be discussed a bit more? Thanks. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 13:52, 18 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Technically, I can do that. But I'd rather not until there is a consensus that it should be changed and what it should say instead. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 16:15, 18 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Banning Bots ==<br />
<br />
Hi SlashMe,<br />
<br />
good thing to ban all the spamming bots, but apperantly if you look at their contributions they all just did one entry (or few directly following each other, but not a second after some time). Therefore I am not sure if banning really helps the issue. Protecting the pages they target as you did (for some reason it seems to be one talk page for a few days, then moving to another one) I guess is the better option.<br />
Question: I assume the target of these bots is not for people to follow their spammed links, but to generate inbound links for SEO (search engine optimization). Is the wiki structure, which tracks and saves all edits a preferred target for them? If so: Is it possible to delete their edits from the history, instead of just undoing them, to disencourage that kind of behaviour? --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:54, 21 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:I've seen this issue with other wikis as well. Unfortunately, there's little that can be done except for implementing more disruptive captchas. I can't do that here; I have admin access to the wiki, but not the underlying server (which would be required to install plugins or change settings). As for deleting revisions: I think it is generally possible, as I've seen it a few times in Wikipedia, but only to hide edits with legal issues. I believe they use another plugin for that. Fortunately, that's not required against SEO bots: older revisions are marked as <code>noindex,nofollow</code> which makes crawlers ignore both the page contents as well as the outbound links. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 10:11, 21 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::Thanks for the reply. Very interesting for me to learn a bit about the wiki structure here :) Spam has just emerged on the talk page of 2151. It may follow recent spamming trends, that this talk page will be a main target, just as in the past it has been 2141 and 2139, 2133. So please take a semiprotection into account. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:42, 22 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Homeopathic Wiki ==<br />
<br />
Has the Explain xkcd Wiki achieved the ability to self regulate? Or have all but one of its caretakers gone into hibernation, even before the global Covid-19 crisis. I mean, it's a wonderful indication of the site's maturity, but I've been trying to find someone to ask about a few things.<br />
<br />
=== Really really difficult to get to the What If? page in the Wiki ===<br />
The name of the page is '''what if?''' but if you make an internal link the usual way, as here: [[what if?|<nowiki>[[what if?]]</nowiki>]], you get a mostly blank page with the message ''No input file specified''. It would appear that page names with a question mark break something. The failed form is what is used on the disambiguation page [[What If|<nowiki>[[What If]]</nowiki>]], and so following the page link from there fails. What does work is this internal link: [[whatif|<nowiki>[[whatif]]</nowiki>]], but when you get there and click what links here, that fails as described above. If you really really want to get to the what links here page for the what if? page, you have to use an external link, as [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D|<nowiki>[https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D]</nowiki>]. But but but. On all those pages that it says link to the what if? page, the links are broken as described above.<br />
<br />
My opinion is that the way to fix at this problem is to rename the what if? page to have no question mark, and then to visit all the pages in the old linked to list and update their links to the new page name. Ugh.<br />
<br />
:I have looked a little bit into it and it seems to be a configuration issue with the PHP installation. However, I don't have a definite solution for that and even if I had, I don't have access to the server and wouldn't be able to change it. I think [[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] has. Try reaching out to him. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
=== Randall's NYT Columns ===<br />
This is what I really wanted to ask someone about. In June I posted a proposal on the community portal ([[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#New_page_for_Randall.27s_regular_column_in_the_New_York_Times |New page for Randall's regular column in the NY Times]]) and I was sort of hoping to get feedback. That post does include a proposed script for the page.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure where the page would go or be linked from, but it would be similar to our page about [[whatif|what if?]]. Perhaps the see also sections of the [[Randall Munroe]] page and the [[xkcd]] page.<br />
<br />
=== Where have all the administrators gone ===<br />
On the page [https://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers?username=&group=bureaucrat User list for group Bureaucrats] there are just two names, but they have had no activity in 2020:<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Jeff|Jeff]], last contribution was April 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Lcarsos|Lcarsos]], last contribution was in May 2015<br />
<br />
On the page [https://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers?username=&group=sysop User list for group Administrators] there are ten names, but only one with activity in 2020:<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Davidy22|Davidy22]], November 2017<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Dgbrt|Dgbrt]], March 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/IronyChef|IronyChef]], November 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Jeff|Jeff]], April 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Lcarsos|Lcarsos]], May 2015<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Markhurd|Markhurd]], July 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Mynotoar|Mynotoar]], April 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Philosopher|Philosopher]], April 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Slashme|Slashme]], '''July 2020 Hooray!'''<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Waldir|Waldir]], August 2018<br />
<br />
So I'm posting this on the Slashme user talk page and hoping for a response.<br />
<br />
[[User:JohnB|JohnB]] ([[User talk:JohnB|talk]]) 22:45, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: I don't know the other administrators either. Jeff owns the server and has full access; I think he gave Dgbrt server access, too, who fixed a few issues with the MediaWiki installation in the past. No idea about the others. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== A couple of issues ==<br />
<br />
Posted this a long while ago in the community portal, but I don't think the admins saw. Since you seem to be the only admin who's still active, I'll leave this on your talk page:<br />
<br />
1. Google seems to have changed something in AdSense again, and the ads have been appearing in random positions again since December, 2019. [https://wpadvancedads.com/adsense-in-random-positions-auto-ads/ This page] might have a solution? It's been quite a while, and the ads are still broken.<br />
<br />
2. New site called xkcd.wtf is blatantly stealing/scraping explanations from our site (and has been since April 2020) and posting it with a new theme. Not sure if it's a mirror or just Ctrl+C Ctrl+V, but it's clear that it's taken from Explain xkcd. Is this even legal? [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 07:33, 16 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Unfortunately, I only have access to the wiki, not to the server below. The only ones with system access are [[User:Jeff|Jeff]] and [[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]]. About the explanations: yeah, that's perfectly legal. According to [[explain xkcd:Copyrights]], the explanations are subject to CC-BY-SA 3.0, and the site mentions explainxkcd.com at the very bottom, together with other sources, albeit rather small. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 13:08, 16 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::Ah, I see. Thanks. Also there's [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Technical#Random_page_sometimes_takes_me_to_an_invalid_address another problem] that a user mentioned in the community portal which I've been meaning to ask about as well. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 07:41, 31 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:SlashMe&diff=205613User talk:SlashMe2021-01-31T07:41:43Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div>Please [{{SERVER}}{{SCRIPTPATH}}/index.php?title=User_talk:SlashMe&action=edit&section=new leave a message]...<br />
<br />
== Hey ==<br />
<br />
Hey SlashMe,<br />
<br />
Just wanted to say; wasn't trying to ignore you or anything. I created the new template well before I figured out where to actually look for discussions on the thing. I only noticed the discussions after I'd already created the thing and posted for discussion. Cheers. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:12, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
: No problem. I'm about to reply on Jeff's talk page. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:13, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
::Do you have any form of instant messenger? It would be easier to talk the changes through instantly than through piles of comments [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:25, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
Yes, but not <del>today</del><ins>tonight</ins>. 1:27 AM in Germany. Good night... --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:27, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
:::Cheers. Have a good night. I guess I'll reply on the main page, that you can pick up in the morning. I'll be unavailable much of tomorrow. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:29, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
==Talkback==<br />
New message for you on my talk page. --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 20:43, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Please watch [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] ==<br />
<br />
I'd like to ask that the admins consider adding [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] to their [[wikipedia:Help:Watching pages|watchlists]]. On a similar note, I've just started a discussion there about spammers. -''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 02:02, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Comic template ==<br />
<br />
Hey,<br />
<br />
Back after a weekend, and I'm getting kind of lost and confused with where discussions are going on, as a lot of conversations appear to have moved. Just want to check in on where we are with the comic template discussion. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 13:59, 7 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Well, my discussion was moved to [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Automatic Import]], but the main discussion is at [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Header template]]. I haven't received much feedback and since more and more comics are created manually using {{tl|comic}}, I don't know if it still makes sense to start an import. I don't think I can reuse existing pages, so the explanations would have to be moved to the new pages. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 16:50, 7 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==User:SlashMe/Testpage==<br />
We seem to have settled on template:comic for all comic pages. May we have permission to remove User:SlashMe/Testpage and all associated templates and categories? There's quite a few legacy templates that are only used in User:SlashMe/Testpage, and it'd be nice if we could clear them out. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u><font color="purple" title="I want you">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><font color="indigo" size="4px">²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:50, 5 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Yes, feel free to do so --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 09:25, 5 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Bot for time==<br />
It's bad when you are doing wrong uploads. I'm using several sources to get this files, but when I'm downloading the files from here my script will not do so unless I delete them manually at my local folder. I can help because I think we do need a more reliable bot here. And my machine is online at 24/7. I'm trying to help you, but if this does not work I will start a bot by myself. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:48, 12 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: The problem is not really the bot, but the wiki. Sometimes, when the server is overloaded, it won't respond to api requests. I'm using python with mwclient, and I haven't found a way to specify a timeout yet. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 10:14, 13 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Regex Golf Trivia ==<br />
<br />
Do you have a source for the trivia you added to the regex golf explanation? I can't find his mention of it. Also, What If 78 was posted Tuesday (today), which is the day after the comic was published, it is currently impossible for you to know which What If will be published next week (unless you know Randall ;p). [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 19:41, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: That was yesterday? Boy, I'm not back to my regular week schedule yet. My bad.<br />
: For the mention, check the tooltip on the second reference, last link. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:56, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:: Ah! I haven't read this week's What If yet. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 20:48, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== German translation / Deutsche Übersetzung ==<br />
<br />
First I have to say thanks for fixing typos done be me. I'm still working on a German page, and my local Wiki is looking better and better. Right now I do not understand the Wiki-Template; in German it should link to a German Wiki page. When this issue is solved I will ask admins here for a first shot.<br />
<br />
Erst einmal muss ich mich für die Korrektur meiner Tippfehler bedanken. Ich arbeite nach wie vor an einer deutschen Seite, mein eigenes Wiki wird besser und besser. Probleme habe ich mit den Templates, ein <nowiki>{{wp}}</nowiki>-Tag sollte auf die deutsche Wiki verlinken. Wenn das Problem gelöst ist werde ich die Admins hier für einen ersten Versuch fragen.<br />
<br />
Written original in English and translated back to German. You see it's not easy, but I'm hoping I can count on you on this future project. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:36, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Of course I'll do everything my timetable allows.<br />
: Concerning the Wikipedia links: I'm not absolutely sure, but I think an interwiki link with the prefix "Wikipedia:" has been setup (might be that this is even default in the interwiki plugin). So basically, if you type "[[Wikipedia:Something]]" into the searchbox here (works the same way as links), you will be redirected to the page "Something" on Wikipedia. This even works for different languages: "[[Wikipedia:de:xkcd]]" will redirect to the article about xkcd on the German Wikipedia (this is probably due to the fact that interwiki links in Wikipedia work with "de:" prefixes). Hope it helps. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 21:11, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Addendum: see also [[Wikipedia:MW:Manual:Interwiki]] (yes, this is a double redirect). --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 21:15, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::There's a setting that we can make in localsettings.php that lets us define other wikis in a family, making it possible to add a special kind of link to each explanation page that'll add a link to its corresponding page on each of the translation wikis. I'll do a writeup on it later, the end of this quarter's finals are in sight. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 00:13, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:::Thanks SlashMe for your investigations but editing templates isn't that easy at all. But I got some progress (not much time today for me on this):<br />
:::*The link is <nowiki>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/de:Programmiersprachen</nowiki><br />
:::*Result: <nowiki>https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmiersprachen</nowiki><br />
:::This seems to be a first resolution. But maybe there is a better way by help from David.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:18, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
::::Nah, that's what I was talking about. I need to define what the de: namespace means to mediawiki so that it knows to insert language links when it sees it, but that shouldn't be too hard. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 21:34, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
:::::Ok, no problem. Tell me some more about this, I can test it on my local English Wiki page. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:47, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Clarification ==<br />
<br />
My edit to [[1713: 50 ccs]] wasn't adding a period after "ml", it was capitalizing the L (look more closely at the diff). I think that's technically more correct, although a little research seems to indicate that it's used both ways, so I'm not going to revert yours. [[User:SuperSupermario24|<span style="color: #c21aff;">Just some random derp</span>]] 02:01, 18 October 2016 (UTC)<br />
: I can see that, and now I'm wondering what I was thinking when I wrote that.... --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:57, 18 October 2016 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== reCaptcha ==<br />
<br />
Since email notification is still broken I'm hoping you will see this soon. Please check the captcha issue (also at my talk page) and let's talk about one or two new admins here. There will be more issues soon. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:30, 11 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb. ==<br />
<br />
Sorry to bother you, but I think that this issue needs to be resolved. In every explain xkcd page, this appears at the top, and it seems unnecessarily mean, and also violates the first rule (don't be a jerk). This has already been mentioned in the discussion page of the main page, and some people (like me) think it should be removed or changed. Could you do that? Or does it needs to be discussed a bit more? Thanks. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 13:52, 18 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Technically, I can do that. But I'd rather not until there is a consensus that it should be changed and what it should say instead. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 16:15, 18 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Banning Bots ==<br />
<br />
Hi SlashMe,<br />
<br />
good thing to ban all the spamming bots, but apperantly if you look at their contributions they all just did one entry (or few directly following each other, but not a second after some time). Therefore I am not sure if banning really helps the issue. Protecting the pages they target as you did (for some reason it seems to be one talk page for a few days, then moving to another one) I guess is the better option.<br />
Question: I assume the target of these bots is not for people to follow their spammed links, but to generate inbound links for SEO (search engine optimization). Is the wiki structure, which tracks and saves all edits a preferred target for them? If so: Is it possible to delete their edits from the history, instead of just undoing them, to disencourage that kind of behaviour? --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:54, 21 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:I've seen this issue with other wikis as well. Unfortunately, there's little that can be done except for implementing more disruptive captchas. I can't do that here; I have admin access to the wiki, but not the underlying server (which would be required to install plugins or change settings). As for deleting revisions: I think it is generally possible, as I've seen it a few times in Wikipedia, but only to hide edits with legal issues. I believe they use another plugin for that. Fortunately, that's not required against SEO bots: older revisions are marked as <code>noindex,nofollow</code> which makes crawlers ignore both the page contents as well as the outbound links. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 10:11, 21 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::Thanks for the reply. Very interesting for me to learn a bit about the wiki structure here :) Spam has just emerged on the talk page of 2151. It may follow recent spamming trends, that this talk page will be a main target, just as in the past it has been 2141 and 2139, 2133. So please take a semiprotection into account. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:42, 22 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Homeopathic Wiki ==<br />
<br />
Has the Explain xkcd Wiki achieved the ability to self regulate? Or have all but one of its caretakers gone into hibernation, even before the global Covid-19 crisis. I mean, it's a wonderful indication of the site's maturity, but I've been trying to find someone to ask about a few things.<br />
<br />
=== Really really difficult to get to the What If? page in the Wiki ===<br />
The name of the page is '''what if?''' but if you make an internal link the usual way, as here: [[what if?|<nowiki>[[what if?]]</nowiki>]], you get a mostly blank page with the message ''No input file specified''. It would appear that page names with a question mark break something. The failed form is what is used on the disambiguation page [[What If|<nowiki>[[What If]]</nowiki>]], and so following the page link from there fails. What does work is this internal link: [[whatif|<nowiki>[[whatif]]</nowiki>]], but when you get there and click what links here, that fails as described above. If you really really want to get to the what links here page for the what if? page, you have to use an external link, as [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D|<nowiki>[https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D]</nowiki>]. But but but. On all those pages that it says link to the what if? page, the links are broken as described above.<br />
<br />
My opinion is that the way to fix at this problem is to rename the what if? page to have no question mark, and then to visit all the pages in the old linked to list and update their links to the new page name. Ugh.<br />
<br />
:I have looked a little bit into it and it seems to be a configuration issue with the PHP installation. However, I don't have a definite solution for that and even if I had, I don't have access to the server and wouldn't be able to change it. I think [[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] has. Try reaching out to him. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
=== Randall's NYT Columns ===<br />
This is what I really wanted to ask someone about. In June I posted a proposal on the community portal ([[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#New_page_for_Randall.27s_regular_column_in_the_New_York_Times |New page for Randall's regular column in the NY Times]]) and I was sort of hoping to get feedback. That post does include a proposed script for the page.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure where the page would go or be linked from, but it would be similar to our page about [[whatif|what if?]]. Perhaps the see also sections of the [[Randall Munroe]] page and the [[xkcd]] page.<br />
<br />
=== Where have all the administrators gone ===<br />
On the page [https://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers?username=&group=bureaucrat User list for group Bureaucrats] there are just two names, but they have had no activity in 2020:<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Jeff|Jeff]], last contribution was April 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Lcarsos|Lcarsos]], last contribution was in May 2015<br />
<br />
On the page [https://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers?username=&group=sysop User list for group Administrators] there are ten names, but only one with activity in 2020:<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Davidy22|Davidy22]], November 2017<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Dgbrt|Dgbrt]], March 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/IronyChef|IronyChef]], November 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Jeff|Jeff]], April 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Lcarsos|Lcarsos]], May 2015<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Markhurd|Markhurd]], July 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Mynotoar|Mynotoar]], April 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Philosopher|Philosopher]], April 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Slashme|Slashme]], '''July 2020 Hooray!'''<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Waldir|Waldir]], August 2018<br />
<br />
So I'm posting this on the Slashme user talk page and hoping for a response.<br />
<br />
[[User:JohnB|JohnB]] ([[User talk:JohnB|talk]]) 22:45, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: I don't know the other administrators either. Jeff owns the server and has full access; I think he gave Dgbrt server access, too, who fixed a few issues with the MediaWiki installation in the past. No idea about the others. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== A couple of issues ==<br />
<br />
Posted this a long while ago in the community portal, but I don't think the admins saw. Since you seem to be the only admin who's still active, I'll leave this on your talk page:<br />
<br />
1. Google seems to have changed something in AdSense again, and the ads have been appearing in random positions again since December, 2019. [https://wpadvancedads.com/adsense-in-random-positions-auto-ads/ This page] might have a solution? It's been quite a while, and the ads are still broken.<br />
<br />
2. New site called xkcd.wtf is blatantly stealing/scraping explanations from our site (and has been since April 2020) and posting it with a new theme. Not sure if it's a mirror or just Ctrl+C Ctrl+V, but it's clear that it's taken from Explain xkcd. Is this even legal? [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 07:33, 16 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Unfortunately, I only have access to the wiki, not to the server below. The only ones with system access are [[User:Jeff|Jeff]] and [[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]]. About the explanations: yeah, that's perfectly legal. According to [[explain xkcd:Copyrights]], the explanations are subject to CC-BY-SA 3.0, and the site mentions explainxkcd.com at the very bottom, together with other sources, albeit rather small. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 13:08, 16 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::Ah, I see. Thanks. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 07:41, 31 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:SlashMe&diff=204798User talk:SlashMe2021-01-16T07:33:35Z<p>Herobrine: /* A couple of issues */ formatting</p>
<hr />
<div>Please [{{SERVER}}{{SCRIPTPATH}}/index.php?title=User_talk:SlashMe&action=edit&section=new leave a message]...<br />
<br />
== Hey ==<br />
<br />
Hey SlashMe,<br />
<br />
Just wanted to say; wasn't trying to ignore you or anything. I created the new template well before I figured out where to actually look for discussions on the thing. I only noticed the discussions after I'd already created the thing and posted for discussion. Cheers. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:12, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
: No problem. I'm about to reply on Jeff's talk page. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:13, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
::Do you have any form of instant messenger? It would be easier to talk the changes through instantly than through piles of comments [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:25, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
Yes, but not <del>today</del><ins>tonight</ins>. 1:27 AM in Germany. Good night... --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:27, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
:::Cheers. Have a good night. I guess I'll reply on the main page, that you can pick up in the morning. I'll be unavailable much of tomorrow. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:29, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
==Talkback==<br />
New message for you on my talk page. --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 20:43, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Please watch [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] ==<br />
<br />
I'd like to ask that the admins consider adding [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] to their [[wikipedia:Help:Watching pages|watchlists]]. On a similar note, I've just started a discussion there about spammers. -''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 02:02, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Comic template ==<br />
<br />
Hey,<br />
<br />
Back after a weekend, and I'm getting kind of lost and confused with where discussions are going on, as a lot of conversations appear to have moved. Just want to check in on where we are with the comic template discussion. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 13:59, 7 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Well, my discussion was moved to [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Automatic Import]], but the main discussion is at [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Header template]]. I haven't received much feedback and since more and more comics are created manually using {{tl|comic}}, I don't know if it still makes sense to start an import. I don't think I can reuse existing pages, so the explanations would have to be moved to the new pages. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 16:50, 7 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==User:SlashMe/Testpage==<br />
We seem to have settled on template:comic for all comic pages. May we have permission to remove User:SlashMe/Testpage and all associated templates and categories? There's quite a few legacy templates that are only used in User:SlashMe/Testpage, and it'd be nice if we could clear them out. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u><font color="purple" title="I want you">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><font color="indigo" size="4px">²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:50, 5 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Yes, feel free to do so --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 09:25, 5 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Bot for time==<br />
It's bad when you are doing wrong uploads. I'm using several sources to get this files, but when I'm downloading the files from here my script will not do so unless I delete them manually at my local folder. I can help because I think we do need a more reliable bot here. And my machine is online at 24/7. I'm trying to help you, but if this does not work I will start a bot by myself. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:48, 12 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: The problem is not really the bot, but the wiki. Sometimes, when the server is overloaded, it won't respond to api requests. I'm using python with mwclient, and I haven't found a way to specify a timeout yet. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 10:14, 13 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Regex Golf Trivia ==<br />
<br />
Do you have a source for the trivia you added to the regex golf explanation? I can't find his mention of it. Also, What If 78 was posted Tuesday (today), which is the day after the comic was published, it is currently impossible for you to know which What If will be published next week (unless you know Randall ;p). [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 19:41, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: That was yesterday? Boy, I'm not back to my regular week schedule yet. My bad.<br />
: For the mention, check the tooltip on the second reference, last link. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:56, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:: Ah! I haven't read this week's What If yet. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 20:48, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== German translation / Deutsche Übersetzung ==<br />
<br />
First I have to say thanks for fixing typos done be me. I'm still working on a German page, and my local Wiki is looking better and better. Right now I do not understand the Wiki-Template; in German it should link to a German Wiki page. When this issue is solved I will ask admins here for a first shot.<br />
<br />
Erst einmal muss ich mich für die Korrektur meiner Tippfehler bedanken. Ich arbeite nach wie vor an einer deutschen Seite, mein eigenes Wiki wird besser und besser. Probleme habe ich mit den Templates, ein <nowiki>{{wp}}</nowiki>-Tag sollte auf die deutsche Wiki verlinken. Wenn das Problem gelöst ist werde ich die Admins hier für einen ersten Versuch fragen.<br />
<br />
Written original in English and translated back to German. You see it's not easy, but I'm hoping I can count on you on this future project. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:36, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Of course I'll do everything my timetable allows.<br />
: Concerning the Wikipedia links: I'm not absolutely sure, but I think an interwiki link with the prefix "Wikipedia:" has been setup (might be that this is even default in the interwiki plugin). So basically, if you type "[[Wikipedia:Something]]" into the searchbox here (works the same way as links), you will be redirected to the page "Something" on Wikipedia. This even works for different languages: "[[Wikipedia:de:xkcd]]" will redirect to the article about xkcd on the German Wikipedia (this is probably due to the fact that interwiki links in Wikipedia work with "de:" prefixes). Hope it helps. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 21:11, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Addendum: see also [[Wikipedia:MW:Manual:Interwiki]] (yes, this is a double redirect). --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 21:15, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::There's a setting that we can make in localsettings.php that lets us define other wikis in a family, making it possible to add a special kind of link to each explanation page that'll add a link to its corresponding page on each of the translation wikis. I'll do a writeup on it later, the end of this quarter's finals are in sight. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 00:13, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:::Thanks SlashMe for your investigations but editing templates isn't that easy at all. But I got some progress (not much time today for me on this):<br />
:::*The link is <nowiki>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/de:Programmiersprachen</nowiki><br />
:::*Result: <nowiki>https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmiersprachen</nowiki><br />
:::This seems to be a first resolution. But maybe there is a better way by help from David.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:18, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
::::Nah, that's what I was talking about. I need to define what the de: namespace means to mediawiki so that it knows to insert language links when it sees it, but that shouldn't be too hard. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 21:34, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
:::::Ok, no problem. Tell me some more about this, I can test it on my local English Wiki page. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:47, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Clarification ==<br />
<br />
My edit to [[1713: 50 ccs]] wasn't adding a period after "ml", it was capitalizing the L (look more closely at the diff). I think that's technically more correct, although a little research seems to indicate that it's used both ways, so I'm not going to revert yours. [[User:SuperSupermario24|<span style="color: #c21aff;">Just some random derp</span>]] 02:01, 18 October 2016 (UTC)<br />
: I can see that, and now I'm wondering what I was thinking when I wrote that.... --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:57, 18 October 2016 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== reCaptcha ==<br />
<br />
Since email notification is still broken I'm hoping you will see this soon. Please check the captcha issue (also at my talk page) and let's talk about one or two new admins here. There will be more issues soon. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:30, 11 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb. ==<br />
<br />
Sorry to bother you, but I think that this issue needs to be resolved. In every explain xkcd page, this appears at the top, and it seems unnecessarily mean, and also violates the first rule (don't be a jerk). This has already been mentioned in the discussion page of the main page, and some people (like me) think it should be removed or changed. Could you do that? Or does it needs to be discussed a bit more? Thanks. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 13:52, 18 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Technically, I can do that. But I'd rather not until there is a consensus that it should be changed and what it should say instead. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 16:15, 18 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Banning Bots ==<br />
<br />
Hi SlashMe,<br />
<br />
good thing to ban all the spamming bots, but apperantly if you look at their contributions they all just did one entry (or few directly following each other, but not a second after some time). Therefore I am not sure if banning really helps the issue. Protecting the pages they target as you did (for some reason it seems to be one talk page for a few days, then moving to another one) I guess is the better option.<br />
Question: I assume the target of these bots is not for people to follow their spammed links, but to generate inbound links for SEO (search engine optimization). Is the wiki structure, which tracks and saves all edits a preferred target for them? If so: Is it possible to delete their edits from the history, instead of just undoing them, to disencourage that kind of behaviour? --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:54, 21 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:I've seen this issue with other wikis as well. Unfortunately, there's little that can be done except for implementing more disruptive captchas. I can't do that here; I have admin access to the wiki, but not the underlying server (which would be required to install plugins or change settings). As for deleting revisions: I think it is generally possible, as I've seen it a few times in Wikipedia, but only to hide edits with legal issues. I believe they use another plugin for that. Fortunately, that's not required against SEO bots: older revisions are marked as <code>noindex,nofollow</code> which makes crawlers ignore both the page contents as well as the outbound links. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 10:11, 21 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::Thanks for the reply. Very interesting for me to learn a bit about the wiki structure here :) Spam has just emerged on the talk page of 2151. It may follow recent spamming trends, that this talk page will be a main target, just as in the past it has been 2141 and 2139, 2133. So please take a semiprotection into account. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:42, 22 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Homeopathic Wiki ==<br />
<br />
Has the Explain xkcd Wiki achieved the ability to self regulate? Or have all but one of its caretakers gone into hibernation, even before the global Covid-19 crisis. I mean, it's a wonderful indication of the site's maturity, but I've been trying to find someone to ask about a few things.<br />
<br />
=== Really really difficult to get to the What If? page in the Wiki ===<br />
The name of the page is '''what if?''' but if you make an internal link the usual way, as here: [[what if?|<nowiki>[[what if?]]</nowiki>]], you get a mostly blank page with the message ''No input file specified''. It would appear that page names with a question mark break something. The failed form is what is used on the disambiguation page [[What If|<nowiki>[[What If]]</nowiki>]], and so following the page link from there fails. What does work is this internal link: [[whatif|<nowiki>[[whatif]]</nowiki>]], but when you get there and click what links here, that fails as described above. If you really really want to get to the what links here page for the what if? page, you have to use an external link, as [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D|<nowiki>[https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D]</nowiki>]. But but but. On all those pages that it says link to the what if? page, the links are broken as described above.<br />
<br />
My opinion is that the way to fix at this problem is to rename the what if? page to have no question mark, and then to visit all the pages in the old linked to list and update their links to the new page name. Ugh.<br />
<br />
:I have looked a little bit into it and it seems to be a configuration issue with the PHP installation. However, I don't have a definite solution for that and even if I had, I don't have access to the server and wouldn't be able to change it. I think [[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] has. Try reaching out to him. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
=== Randall's NYT Columns ===<br />
This is what I really wanted to ask someone about. In June I posted a proposal on the community portal ([[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#New_page_for_Randall.27s_regular_column_in_the_New_York_Times |New page for Randall's regular column in the NY Times]]) and I was sort of hoping to get feedback. That post does include a proposed script for the page.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure where the page would go or be linked from, but it would be similar to our page about [[whatif|what if?]]. Perhaps the see also sections of the [[Randall Munroe]] page and the [[xkcd]] page.<br />
<br />
=== Where have all the administrators gone ===<br />
On the page [https://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers?username=&group=bureaucrat User list for group Bureaucrats] there are just two names, but they have had no activity in 2020:<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Jeff|Jeff]], last contribution was April 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Lcarsos|Lcarsos]], last contribution was in May 2015<br />
<br />
On the page [https://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers?username=&group=sysop User list for group Administrators] there are ten names, but only one with activity in 2020:<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Davidy22|Davidy22]], November 2017<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Dgbrt|Dgbrt]], March 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/IronyChef|IronyChef]], November 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Jeff|Jeff]], April 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Lcarsos|Lcarsos]], May 2015<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Markhurd|Markhurd]], July 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Mynotoar|Mynotoar]], April 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Philosopher|Philosopher]], April 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Slashme|Slashme]], '''July 2020 Hooray!'''<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Waldir|Waldir]], August 2018<br />
<br />
So I'm posting this on the Slashme user talk page and hoping for a response.<br />
<br />
[[User:JohnB|JohnB]] ([[User talk:JohnB|talk]]) 22:45, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: I don't know the other administrators either. Jeff owns the server and has full access; I think he gave Dgbrt server access, too, who fixed a few issues with the MediaWiki installation in the past. No idea about the others. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== A couple of issues ==<br />
<br />
Posted this a long while ago in the community portal, but I don't think the admins saw. Since you seem to be the only admin who's still active, I'll leave this on your talk page:<br />
<br />
1. Google seems to have changed something in AdSense again, and the ads have been appearing in random positions again since December, 2019. [https://wpadvancedads.com/adsense-in-random-positions-auto-ads/ This page] might have a solution? It's been quite a while, and the ads are still broken.<br />
<br />
2. New site called xkcd.wtf is blatantly stealing/scraping explanations from our site (and has been since April 2020) and posting it with a new theme. Not sure if it's a mirror or just Ctrl+C Ctrl+V, but it's clear that it's taken from Explain xkcd. Is this even legal? [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 07:33, 16 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:SlashMe&diff=204797User talk:SlashMe2021-01-16T07:33:07Z<p>Herobrine: /* A couple of issues */ new section</p>
<hr />
<div>Please [{{SERVER}}{{SCRIPTPATH}}/index.php?title=User_talk:SlashMe&action=edit&section=new leave a message]...<br />
<br />
== Hey ==<br />
<br />
Hey SlashMe,<br />
<br />
Just wanted to say; wasn't trying to ignore you or anything. I created the new template well before I figured out where to actually look for discussions on the thing. I only noticed the discussions after I'd already created the thing and posted for discussion. Cheers. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:12, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
: No problem. I'm about to reply on Jeff's talk page. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:13, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
::Do you have any form of instant messenger? It would be easier to talk the changes through instantly than through piles of comments [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:25, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
Yes, but not <del>today</del><ins>tonight</ins>. 1:27 AM in Germany. Good night... --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:27, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
:::Cheers. Have a good night. I guess I'll reply on the main page, that you can pick up in the morning. I'll be unavailable much of tomorrow. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:29, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
==Talkback==<br />
New message for you on my talk page. --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 20:43, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Please watch [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] ==<br />
<br />
I'd like to ask that the admins consider adding [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] to their [[wikipedia:Help:Watching pages|watchlists]]. On a similar note, I've just started a discussion there about spammers. -''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 02:02, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Comic template ==<br />
<br />
Hey,<br />
<br />
Back after a weekend, and I'm getting kind of lost and confused with where discussions are going on, as a lot of conversations appear to have moved. Just want to check in on where we are with the comic template discussion. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 13:59, 7 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Well, my discussion was moved to [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Automatic Import]], but the main discussion is at [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Header template]]. I haven't received much feedback and since more and more comics are created manually using {{tl|comic}}, I don't know if it still makes sense to start an import. I don't think I can reuse existing pages, so the explanations would have to be moved to the new pages. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 16:50, 7 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==User:SlashMe/Testpage==<br />
We seem to have settled on template:comic for all comic pages. May we have permission to remove User:SlashMe/Testpage and all associated templates and categories? There's quite a few legacy templates that are only used in User:SlashMe/Testpage, and it'd be nice if we could clear them out. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u><font color="purple" title="I want you">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><font color="indigo" size="4px">²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:50, 5 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Yes, feel free to do so --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 09:25, 5 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Bot for time==<br />
It's bad when you are doing wrong uploads. I'm using several sources to get this files, but when I'm downloading the files from here my script will not do so unless I delete them manually at my local folder. I can help because I think we do need a more reliable bot here. And my machine is online at 24/7. I'm trying to help you, but if this does not work I will start a bot by myself. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:48, 12 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: The problem is not really the bot, but the wiki. Sometimes, when the server is overloaded, it won't respond to api requests. I'm using python with mwclient, and I haven't found a way to specify a timeout yet. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 10:14, 13 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Regex Golf Trivia ==<br />
<br />
Do you have a source for the trivia you added to the regex golf explanation? I can't find his mention of it. Also, What If 78 was posted Tuesday (today), which is the day after the comic was published, it is currently impossible for you to know which What If will be published next week (unless you know Randall ;p). [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 19:41, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: That was yesterday? Boy, I'm not back to my regular week schedule yet. My bad.<br />
: For the mention, check the tooltip on the second reference, last link. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:56, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:: Ah! I haven't read this week's What If yet. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 20:48, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== German translation / Deutsche Übersetzung ==<br />
<br />
First I have to say thanks for fixing typos done be me. I'm still working on a German page, and my local Wiki is looking better and better. Right now I do not understand the Wiki-Template; in German it should link to a German Wiki page. When this issue is solved I will ask admins here for a first shot.<br />
<br />
Erst einmal muss ich mich für die Korrektur meiner Tippfehler bedanken. Ich arbeite nach wie vor an einer deutschen Seite, mein eigenes Wiki wird besser und besser. Probleme habe ich mit den Templates, ein <nowiki>{{wp}}</nowiki>-Tag sollte auf die deutsche Wiki verlinken. Wenn das Problem gelöst ist werde ich die Admins hier für einen ersten Versuch fragen.<br />
<br />
Written original in English and translated back to German. You see it's not easy, but I'm hoping I can count on you on this future project. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:36, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Of course I'll do everything my timetable allows.<br />
: Concerning the Wikipedia links: I'm not absolutely sure, but I think an interwiki link with the prefix "Wikipedia:" has been setup (might be that this is even default in the interwiki plugin). So basically, if you type "[[Wikipedia:Something]]" into the searchbox here (works the same way as links), you will be redirected to the page "Something" on Wikipedia. This even works for different languages: "[[Wikipedia:de:xkcd]]" will redirect to the article about xkcd on the German Wikipedia (this is probably due to the fact that interwiki links in Wikipedia work with "de:" prefixes). Hope it helps. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 21:11, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Addendum: see also [[Wikipedia:MW:Manual:Interwiki]] (yes, this is a double redirect). --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 21:15, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::There's a setting that we can make in localsettings.php that lets us define other wikis in a family, making it possible to add a special kind of link to each explanation page that'll add a link to its corresponding page on each of the translation wikis. I'll do a writeup on it later, the end of this quarter's finals are in sight. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 00:13, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:::Thanks SlashMe for your investigations but editing templates isn't that easy at all. But I got some progress (not much time today for me on this):<br />
:::*The link is <nowiki>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/de:Programmiersprachen</nowiki><br />
:::*Result: <nowiki>https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmiersprachen</nowiki><br />
:::This seems to be a first resolution. But maybe there is a better way by help from David.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:18, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
::::Nah, that's what I was talking about. I need to define what the de: namespace means to mediawiki so that it knows to insert language links when it sees it, but that shouldn't be too hard. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 21:34, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
:::::Ok, no problem. Tell me some more about this, I can test it on my local English Wiki page. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:47, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Clarification ==<br />
<br />
My edit to [[1713: 50 ccs]] wasn't adding a period after "ml", it was capitalizing the L (look more closely at the diff). I think that's technically more correct, although a little research seems to indicate that it's used both ways, so I'm not going to revert yours. [[User:SuperSupermario24|<span style="color: #c21aff;">Just some random derp</span>]] 02:01, 18 October 2016 (UTC)<br />
: I can see that, and now I'm wondering what I was thinking when I wrote that.... --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:57, 18 October 2016 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== reCaptcha ==<br />
<br />
Since email notification is still broken I'm hoping you will see this soon. Please check the captcha issue (also at my talk page) and let's talk about one or two new admins here. There will be more issues soon. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:30, 11 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb. ==<br />
<br />
Sorry to bother you, but I think that this issue needs to be resolved. In every explain xkcd page, this appears at the top, and it seems unnecessarily mean, and also violates the first rule (don't be a jerk). This has already been mentioned in the discussion page of the main page, and some people (like me) think it should be removed or changed. Could you do that? Or does it needs to be discussed a bit more? Thanks. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 13:52, 18 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Technically, I can do that. But I'd rather not until there is a consensus that it should be changed and what it should say instead. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 16:15, 18 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Banning Bots ==<br />
<br />
Hi SlashMe,<br />
<br />
good thing to ban all the spamming bots, but apperantly if you look at their contributions they all just did one entry (or few directly following each other, but not a second after some time). Therefore I am not sure if banning really helps the issue. Protecting the pages they target as you did (for some reason it seems to be one talk page for a few days, then moving to another one) I guess is the better option.<br />
Question: I assume the target of these bots is not for people to follow their spammed links, but to generate inbound links for SEO (search engine optimization). Is the wiki structure, which tracks and saves all edits a preferred target for them? If so: Is it possible to delete their edits from the history, instead of just undoing them, to disencourage that kind of behaviour? --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:54, 21 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:I've seen this issue with other wikis as well. Unfortunately, there's little that can be done except for implementing more disruptive captchas. I can't do that here; I have admin access to the wiki, but not the underlying server (which would be required to install plugins or change settings). As for deleting revisions: I think it is generally possible, as I've seen it a few times in Wikipedia, but only to hide edits with legal issues. I believe they use another plugin for that. Fortunately, that's not required against SEO bots: older revisions are marked as <code>noindex,nofollow</code> which makes crawlers ignore both the page contents as well as the outbound links. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 10:11, 21 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::Thanks for the reply. Very interesting for me to learn a bit about the wiki structure here :) Spam has just emerged on the talk page of 2151. It may follow recent spamming trends, that this talk page will be a main target, just as in the past it has been 2141 and 2139, 2133. So please take a semiprotection into account. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:42, 22 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Homeopathic Wiki ==<br />
<br />
Has the Explain xkcd Wiki achieved the ability to self regulate? Or have all but one of its caretakers gone into hibernation, even before the global Covid-19 crisis. I mean, it's a wonderful indication of the site's maturity, but I've been trying to find someone to ask about a few things.<br />
<br />
=== Really really difficult to get to the What If? page in the Wiki ===<br />
The name of the page is '''what if?''' but if you make an internal link the usual way, as here: [[what if?|<nowiki>[[what if?]]</nowiki>]], you get a mostly blank page with the message ''No input file specified''. It would appear that page names with a question mark break something. The failed form is what is used on the disambiguation page [[What If|<nowiki>[[What If]]</nowiki>]], and so following the page link from there fails. What does work is this internal link: [[whatif|<nowiki>[[whatif]]</nowiki>]], but when you get there and click what links here, that fails as described above. If you really really want to get to the what links here page for the what if? page, you have to use an external link, as [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D|<nowiki>[https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D]</nowiki>]. But but but. On all those pages that it says link to the what if? page, the links are broken as described above.<br />
<br />
My opinion is that the way to fix at this problem is to rename the what if? page to have no question mark, and then to visit all the pages in the old linked to list and update their links to the new page name. Ugh.<br />
<br />
:I have looked a little bit into it and it seems to be a configuration issue with the PHP installation. However, I don't have a definite solution for that and even if I had, I don't have access to the server and wouldn't be able to change it. I think [[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] has. Try reaching out to him. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
=== Randall's NYT Columns ===<br />
This is what I really wanted to ask someone about. In June I posted a proposal on the community portal ([[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#New_page_for_Randall.27s_regular_column_in_the_New_York_Times |New page for Randall's regular column in the NY Times]]) and I was sort of hoping to get feedback. That post does include a proposed script for the page.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure where the page would go or be linked from, but it would be similar to our page about [[whatif|what if?]]. Perhaps the see also sections of the [[Randall Munroe]] page and the [[xkcd]] page.<br />
<br />
=== Where have all the administrators gone ===<br />
On the page [https://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers?username=&group=bureaucrat User list for group Bureaucrats] there are just two names, but they have had no activity in 2020:<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Jeff|Jeff]], last contribution was April 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Lcarsos|Lcarsos]], last contribution was in May 2015<br />
<br />
On the page [https://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers?username=&group=sysop User list for group Administrators] there are ten names, but only one with activity in 2020:<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Davidy22|Davidy22]], November 2017<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Dgbrt|Dgbrt]], March 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/IronyChef|IronyChef]], November 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Jeff|Jeff]], April 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Lcarsos|Lcarsos]], May 2015<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Markhurd|Markhurd]], July 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Mynotoar|Mynotoar]], April 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Philosopher|Philosopher]], April 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Slashme|Slashme]], '''July 2020 Hooray!'''<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Waldir|Waldir]], August 2018<br />
<br />
So I'm posting this on the Slashme user talk page and hoping for a response.<br />
<br />
[[User:JohnB|JohnB]] ([[User talk:JohnB|talk]]) 22:45, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: I don't know the other administrators either. Jeff owns the server and has full access; I think he gave Dgbrt server access, too, who fixed a few issues with the MediaWiki installation in the past. No idea about the others. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== A couple of issues ==<br />
<br />
Posted this a long while ago in the community portal, but I don't think the admins saw. Since you seem to be the only admin who's still active, I'll leave this on your talk page:<br />
1. Google seems to have changed something in AdSense again, and the ads have been appearing in random positions again since December, 2019. [https://wpadvancedads.com/adsense-in-random-positions-auto-ads/ This page] might have a solution? It's been quite a while, and the ads are still broken.<br />
2. New site called xkcd.wtf is blatantly stealing/scraping explanations from our site (and has been since April 2020) and posting it with a new theme. Not sure if it's a mirror or just Ctrl+C Ctrl+V, but it's clear that it's taken from Explain xkcd. Is this even legal? [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 07:33, 16 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:SlashMe&diff=204796User talk:SlashMe2021-01-16T07:29:30Z<p>Herobrine: Removing spam</p>
<hr />
<div>Please [{{SERVER}}{{SCRIPTPATH}}/index.php?title=User_talk:SlashMe&action=edit&section=new leave a message]...<br />
<br />
== Hey ==<br />
<br />
Hey SlashMe,<br />
<br />
Just wanted to say; wasn't trying to ignore you or anything. I created the new template well before I figured out where to actually look for discussions on the thing. I only noticed the discussions after I'd already created the thing and posted for discussion. Cheers. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:12, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
: No problem. I'm about to reply on Jeff's talk page. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:13, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
::Do you have any form of instant messenger? It would be easier to talk the changes through instantly than through piles of comments [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:25, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
Yes, but not <del>today</del><ins>tonight</ins>. 1:27 AM in Germany. Good night... --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:27, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
:::Cheers. Have a good night. I guess I'll reply on the main page, that you can pick up in the morning. I'll be unavailable much of tomorrow. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 19:29, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
==Talkback==<br />
New message for you on my talk page. --''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 20:43, 3 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Please watch [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] ==<br />
<br />
I'd like to ask that the admins consider adding [[Explain XKCD:Community portal/Administrators' noticeboard]] to their [[wikipedia:Help:Watching pages|watchlists]]. On a similar note, I've just started a discussion there about spammers. -''[[User:Philosopher|Philosopher]]''&nbsp;<sup>[[User talk:Philosopher|Let us reason together.]]</sup> 02:02, 4 August 2012 (EDT)<br />
<br />
== Comic template ==<br />
<br />
Hey,<br />
<br />
Back after a weekend, and I'm getting kind of lost and confused with where discussions are going on, as a lot of conversations appear to have moved. Just want to check in on where we are with the comic template discussion. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 13:59, 7 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Well, my discussion was moved to [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Automatic Import]], but the main discussion is at [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Proposals#Header template]]. I haven't received much feedback and since more and more comics are created manually using {{tl|comic}}, I don't know if it still makes sense to start an import. I don't think I can reuse existing pages, so the explanations would have to be moved to the new pages. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 16:50, 7 August 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==User:SlashMe/Testpage==<br />
We seem to have settled on template:comic for all comic pages. May we have permission to remove User:SlashMe/Testpage and all associated templates and categories? There's quite a few legacy templates that are only used in User:SlashMe/Testpage, and it'd be nice if we could clear them out. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u><font color="purple" title="I want you">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><font color="indigo" size="4px">²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 01:50, 5 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Yes, feel free to do so --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 09:25, 5 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Bot for time==<br />
It's bad when you are doing wrong uploads. I'm using several sources to get this files, but when I'm downloading the files from here my script will not do so unless I delete them manually at my local folder. I can help because I think we do need a more reliable bot here. And my machine is online at 24/7. I'm trying to help you, but if this does not work I will start a bot by myself. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:48, 12 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: The problem is not really the bot, but the wiki. Sometimes, when the server is overloaded, it won't respond to api requests. I'm using python with mwclient, and I haven't found a way to specify a timeout yet. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 10:14, 13 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Regex Golf Trivia ==<br />
<br />
Do you have a source for the trivia you added to the regex golf explanation? I can't find his mention of it. Also, What If 78 was posted Tuesday (today), which is the day after the comic was published, it is currently impossible for you to know which What If will be published next week (unless you know Randall ;p). [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 19:41, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: That was yesterday? Boy, I'm not back to my regular week schedule yet. My bad.<br />
: For the mention, check the tooltip on the second reference, last link. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:56, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:: Ah! I haven't read this week's What If yet. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 20:48, 7 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== German translation / Deutsche Übersetzung ==<br />
<br />
First I have to say thanks for fixing typos done be me. I'm still working on a German page, and my local Wiki is looking better and better. Right now I do not understand the Wiki-Template; in German it should link to a German Wiki page. When this issue is solved I will ask admins here for a first shot.<br />
<br />
Erst einmal muss ich mich für die Korrektur meiner Tippfehler bedanken. Ich arbeite nach wie vor an einer deutschen Seite, mein eigenes Wiki wird besser und besser. Probleme habe ich mit den Templates, ein <nowiki>{{wp}}</nowiki>-Tag sollte auf die deutsche Wiki verlinken. Wenn das Problem gelöst ist werde ich die Admins hier für einen ersten Versuch fragen.<br />
<br />
Written original in English and translated back to German. You see it's not easy, but I'm hoping I can count on you on this future project. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:36, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Of course I'll do everything my timetable allows.<br />
: Concerning the Wikipedia links: I'm not absolutely sure, but I think an interwiki link with the prefix "Wikipedia:" has been setup (might be that this is even default in the interwiki plugin). So basically, if you type "[[Wikipedia:Something]]" into the searchbox here (works the same way as links), you will be redirected to the page "Something" on Wikipedia. This even works for different languages: "[[Wikipedia:de:xkcd]]" will redirect to the article about xkcd on the German Wikipedia (this is probably due to the fact that interwiki links in Wikipedia work with "de:" prefixes). Hope it helps. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 21:11, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Addendum: see also [[Wikipedia:MW:Manual:Interwiki]] (yes, this is a double redirect). --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 21:15, 16 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::There's a setting that we can make in localsettings.php that lets us define other wikis in a family, making it possible to add a special kind of link to each explanation page that'll add a link to its corresponding page on each of the translation wikis. I'll do a writeup on it later, the end of this quarter's finals are in sight. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 00:13, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:::Thanks SlashMe for your investigations but editing templates isn't that easy at all. But I got some progress (not much time today for me on this):<br />
:::*The link is <nowiki>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/de:Programmiersprachen</nowiki><br />
:::*Result: <nowiki>https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmiersprachen</nowiki><br />
:::This seems to be a first resolution. But maybe there is a better way by help from David.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:18, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
::::Nah, that's what I was talking about. I need to define what the de: namespace means to mediawiki so that it knows to insert language links when it sees it, but that shouldn't be too hard. '''[[User:Davidy22|<u>{{Color|#707|David}}<font color=#070 size=3>y</font></u><font color=#508 size=4>²²</font>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 21:34, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
:::::Ok, no problem. Tell me some more about this, I can test it on my local English Wiki page. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:47, 17 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Clarification ==<br />
<br />
My edit to [[1713: 50 ccs]] wasn't adding a period after "ml", it was capitalizing the L (look more closely at the diff). I think that's technically more correct, although a little research seems to indicate that it's used both ways, so I'm not going to revert yours. [[User:SuperSupermario24|<span style="color: #c21aff;">Just some random derp</span>]] 02:01, 18 October 2016 (UTC)<br />
: I can see that, and now I'm wondering what I was thinking when I wrote that.... --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 19:57, 18 October 2016 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== reCaptcha ==<br />
<br />
Since email notification is still broken I'm hoping you will see this soon. Please check the captcha issue (also at my talk page) and let's talk about one or two new admins here. There will be more issues soon. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 14:30, 11 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb. ==<br />
<br />
Sorry to bother you, but I think that this issue needs to be resolved. In every explain xkcd page, this appears at the top, and it seems unnecessarily mean, and also violates the first rule (don't be a jerk). This has already been mentioned in the discussion page of the main page, and some people (like me) think it should be removed or changed. Could you do that? Or does it needs to be discussed a bit more? Thanks. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 13:52, 18 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Technically, I can do that. But I'd rather not until there is a consensus that it should be changed and what it should say instead. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 16:15, 18 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Banning Bots ==<br />
<br />
Hi SlashMe,<br />
<br />
good thing to ban all the spamming bots, but apperantly if you look at their contributions they all just did one entry (or few directly following each other, but not a second after some time). Therefore I am not sure if banning really helps the issue. Protecting the pages they target as you did (for some reason it seems to be one talk page for a few days, then moving to another one) I guess is the better option.<br />
Question: I assume the target of these bots is not for people to follow their spammed links, but to generate inbound links for SEO (search engine optimization). Is the wiki structure, which tracks and saves all edits a preferred target for them? If so: Is it possible to delete their edits from the history, instead of just undoing them, to disencourage that kind of behaviour? --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:54, 21 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:I've seen this issue with other wikis as well. Unfortunately, there's little that can be done except for implementing more disruptive captchas. I can't do that here; I have admin access to the wiki, but not the underlying server (which would be required to install plugins or change settings). As for deleting revisions: I think it is generally possible, as I've seen it a few times in Wikipedia, but only to hide edits with legal issues. I believe they use another plugin for that. Fortunately, that's not required against SEO bots: older revisions are marked as <code>noindex,nofollow</code> which makes crawlers ignore both the page contents as well as the outbound links. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 10:11, 21 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::Thanks for the reply. Very interesting for me to learn a bit about the wiki structure here :) Spam has just emerged on the talk page of 2151. It may follow recent spamming trends, that this talk page will be a main target, just as in the past it has been 2141 and 2139, 2133. So please take a semiprotection into account. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:42, 22 May 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Homeopathic Wiki ==<br />
<br />
Has the Explain xkcd Wiki achieved the ability to self regulate? Or have all but one of its caretakers gone into hibernation, even before the global Covid-19 crisis. I mean, it's a wonderful indication of the site's maturity, but I've been trying to find someone to ask about a few things.<br />
<br />
=== Really really difficult to get to the What If? page in the Wiki ===<br />
The name of the page is '''what if?''' but if you make an internal link the usual way, as here: [[what if?|<nowiki>[[what if?]]</nowiki>]], you get a mostly blank page with the message ''No input file specified''. It would appear that page names with a question mark break something. The failed form is what is used on the disambiguation page [[What If|<nowiki>[[What If]]</nowiki>]], and so following the page link from there fails. What does work is this internal link: [[whatif|<nowiki>[[whatif]]</nowiki>]], but when you get there and click what links here, that fails as described above. If you really really want to get to the what links here page for the what if? page, you have to use an external link, as [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D|<nowiki>[https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:WhatLinksHere?target=what_if%3F&namespace%3D]</nowiki>]. But but but. On all those pages that it says link to the what if? page, the links are broken as described above.<br />
<br />
My opinion is that the way to fix at this problem is to rename the what if? page to have no question mark, and then to visit all the pages in the old linked to list and update their links to the new page name. Ugh.<br />
<br />
:I have looked a little bit into it and it seems to be a configuration issue with the PHP installation. However, I don't have a definite solution for that and even if I had, I don't have access to the server and wouldn't be able to change it. I think [[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] has. Try reaching out to him. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
=== Randall's NYT Columns ===<br />
This is what I really wanted to ask someone about. In June I posted a proposal on the community portal ([[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#New_page_for_Randall.27s_regular_column_in_the_New_York_Times |New page for Randall's regular column in the NY Times]]) and I was sort of hoping to get feedback. That post does include a proposed script for the page.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure where the page would go or be linked from, but it would be similar to our page about [[whatif|what if?]]. Perhaps the see also sections of the [[Randall Munroe]] page and the [[xkcd]] page.<br />
<br />
=== Where have all the administrators gone ===<br />
On the page [https://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers?username=&group=bureaucrat User list for group Bureaucrats] there are just two names, but they have had no activity in 2020:<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Jeff|Jeff]], last contribution was April 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Lcarsos|Lcarsos]], last contribution was in May 2015<br />
<br />
On the page [https://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:ListUsers?username=&group=sysop User list for group Administrators] there are ten names, but only one with activity in 2020:<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Davidy22|Davidy22]], November 2017<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Dgbrt|Dgbrt]], March 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/IronyChef|IronyChef]], November 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Jeff|Jeff]], April 2019<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Lcarsos|Lcarsos]], May 2015<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Markhurd|Markhurd]], July 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Mynotoar|Mynotoar]], April 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Philosopher|Philosopher]], April 2016<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Slashme|Slashme]], '''July 2020 Hooray!'''<br />
: [[Special:Contributions/Waldir|Waldir]], August 2018<br />
<br />
So I'm posting this on the Slashme user talk page and hoping for a response.<br />
<br />
[[User:JohnB|JohnB]] ([[User talk:JohnB|talk]]) 22:45, 10 July 2020 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: I don't know the other administrators either. Jeff owns the server and has full access; I think he gave Dgbrt server access, too, who fixed a few issues with the MediaWiki installation in the past. No idea about the others. --[[User:SlashMe|SlashMe]] ([[User talk:SlashMe|talk]]) 22:58, 10 July 2020 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2407:_Depth_and_Breadth&diff=2047952407: Depth and Breadth2021-01-16T07:08:48Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2407<br />
| date = January 4, 2021<br />
| title = Depth and Breadth<br />
| image = depth_and_breadth2.png<br />
| titletext = A death-first search is when you lose your keys and travel to the depths of hell to find them, and then if they're not there you start checking your coat pockets.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{w|Tree (data structure)|Tree structure}}s are one of the most common data structures used in computer science. The common ways of enumerating items arranged in a tree is either {{w|Depth-first search|depth-first}}, or {{w|Breadth-first search|breadth-first}}, which are depicted accurately in the comic. Randall humorously combines the words, to produce "brepth-first", "deadth-first", "bread-first", and "death-first" search algorithms.<br />
<br />
Depth-first search explores down a full branch of the tree before working back to a higher level. This type of tree structure was already discussed as inefficient for human needs in [[761: DFS]]. The "opposite" of this is breadth-first search, which explores each level of the tree at a time.<br />
<br />
In the "brepth-first" algorithm, a depth-first and a breadth-first search are hybridized where the left-most node is visited more frequently than the right node, but the right node is still visited. This might be good for exploring data that is loosely but not strictly weighted to the left, or where data in deeper nodes needs some time to be loaded before it can be used. As implied by [[761: DFS]], this might be the best algorithm for a human to employ, where one can explore several topics briefly before deciding which one to explore more deeply, rather than blindly following the first rabbit hole to an absurd conclusion. Informed search algorithms like {{w|A* search algorithm|A* search}}, {{w|Beam search}}, and other {{w|Best-first search}} algorithms show this type of behavior by expanding the most ''promising'' node in the current set (under some appropriate metrics).<br />
<br />
The nature of the "deadth-first" algorithm is unclear and inefficient, since it searches the same nodes multiple times before moving to an entirely different region of the tree. It might be useful in a context where examining nodes has some probability of returning a noisy or incorrect result, such as searching for small objects that may be overlooked.<br />
<br />
The bread-first search is taken literally. Bread is searched for first. Since the computer user now has already met their want to find bread, the computer has no reason to explore the tree at all.{{Citation needed}}<br />
<br />
The title text introduces a "death-first" search, in which the user explores what it is like to be dead, before considering anything else. Specifically, the title text refers to hell, which calls to mind the adventures of Dante Alighieri in {{w|Inferno (Dante)| his ''Inferno''}}, and is a less likely place for keys to be left than one's coat pockets {{Citation needed}}. In 2021 (the year this comic was published) there are commemorations for the 700th anniversary of Dante's Death. These are expected to take place among the living only, and not in Hell.{{Citation needed}} A much more pleasant death-first algorithm might be to skip hell and purgatory and search heaven first, perhaps multiple times (which in itself would be a use of the deadth-first approach).<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:[Five panels, each containing identical copies of a rooted tree graph, grayed out in the background. The tree has a height of 3 and 15 nodes.]<br />
:[In all five panels, a black twisty arrow in the foreground indicates the order in which nodes are traversed. The arrow does not complete the entire traversal but cuts off at some point. Backtracking is indicated with a dotted line.]<br />
:[In the descriptions below, node 1 is the root, nodes 2 and 3 are its child nodes, nodes 4 and 5 are 2's child nodes, nodes 6 and 7 are 3's child nodes, nodes 8 and 9 are 4's child nodes, and so on up to node 15.]<br />
:[Backtracking is omitted from the descriptions below, as they increased confusion when read.]<br />
<br />
:Depth-first search<br />
:[The arrow visits nodes 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 5, 10, 11.]<br />
<br />
:Breadth-first search<br />
:[The arrow visits nodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7<sup>[''sic'']</sup>, 6, 8.]<br />
<br />
:Brepth-first search<br />
:[The arrow visits nodes 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 3, 6, 10, 11.]<br />
<br />
:Deadth-first search<br />
:[The arrow visits nodes 1, 2, 4, 4, 2, 4, 3, 6, 12, 13, 12.]<br />
<br />
:Bread-first search<br />
:[The arrow starts at node 1, then leaves the tree off to the right to point to a loaf labeled "Bread".]<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Programming]]<br />
[[Category:Food]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2402:_Into_My_Veins&diff=2047942402: Into My Veins2021-01-16T07:05:54Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2402<br />
| date = December 23, 2020<br />
| title = Into My Veins<br />
| image = into_my_veins.png<br />
| titletext = "Okay, for the last time, the shot is free, so we can't--" "Shut up and take my money!"<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}. It also references a common {{w|Internet meme|meme}}.<br />
<br />
Over the next four comics two more references the vaccine, [[2404: First Thing]] and [[2406: Viral Vector Immunity]], the vaccine is again referenced. The first of those two also like this one references a common Internet trend.<br />
<br />
The {{w|COVID-19 Pandemic}} has been one of the most consequential and broadly unpleasant events in living memory{{Citation needed}}. As of the publication of this strip, it is estimated to have caused over 1.5 million deaths worldwide, with over 300,000 deaths in the United States, with many more serious cases, often with lasting impacts. Even for those who have been spared infection, measures to slow the spread of the virus have been highly impactful, and have been ongoing for nearly a year.<br />
<br />
In consequence of all of this, many people (including, presumably, [[Randall]]) are excited for the vaccine (which will hopefully end the pandemic). This comic shows [[Cueball]] clearly thrilled to receive the vaccine. "Inject this directly into my veins," is a meme based on the line (from ''{{w|The Simpsons}}''). In the episode "{{W|A Star Is Burns}}", an alcoholic character wins a lifetime supply of beer, and replies "just hook it to my veins". The meme is typically applied to things that are not injected at all (such as a form of media or entertainment) to express exaggerated enthusiasm. When Cueball applies the meme to the COVID-19 vaccine, it causes some confusion, because the vaccine ''is'' delivered by injection, but not {{w|Intravenous therapy|directly into a vein}}. The medical staff delivering the vaccine have apparently heard this or similar lines frequently, and appear to take it literally, repeatedly explaining that it's not possible. <br />
<br />
The title text references another such meme, [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/shut-up-and-take-my-money "Shut up and take my money,"] which derives from the 2010 "{{w|Attack of the Killer App}}" episode of ''{{w|Futurama}}''. Similar to the first meme, this one expresses extreme and immediate desire for something, with the implication that the speaker is not only willing, but eager to pay whatever it costs, and is too excited to wait for a sales pitch or for any warnings or disclaimers. The COVID-19 vaccine is being provided free of charge to Cueball, so taking money is entirely unnecessary (and possibly illegal). Once again, this is a source of potential confusion because, under the American healthcare system, many people likely will have to pay at least part of the cost of vaccination. The workers administering it could easily confuse the meme for a genuine request.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
:Cueball: Yesssss<br />
:Cueball: Inject this directly into my veins<br />
<br />
:[Beat panel. Ponytail looks down at a clipboard.]<br />
<br />
:[Zoom out to reveal that Cueball is standing by a stool, with Ponytail in front of him with a clipboard and syringe and Hairy behind him with a box of bandages and a first-aid kit.]<br />
<br />
:Ponytail: Ok, but the vaccine is intramuscular...<br />
:Hairy: Why do people keep ''saying'' that?<br />
:Cueball: Sorry, sorry.<br />
:Cueball: Just excited.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2401:_Conjunction&diff=2047932401: Conjunction2021-01-16T07:04:11Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2401<br />
| date = December 21, 2020<br />
| title = Conjunction<br />
| image = conjunction.png<br />
| titletext = The IAU is sad to announce that at 00:39 UTC on December 22nd, Jupiter and Saturn did unfortunately come into contact, and appear to have blooped together.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
Cueball and Ponytail are observing the 2020 {{w|Great conjunction|Jupiter-Saturn conjunction}}. This comic is similar to other comparisons between expectation and reality, such as [[2176: How Hacking Works]], [[683: Science Montage]], [[2341: Scientist Tech Help]], and [[538: Security]]. The expectation is that the scientists will remain professional and serious throughout the event, testing Einstein's theory of General Relativity and using technical terms such as {{w|arcminute}}, a unit of measurement often used in astronomy. In reality, however, they are actually treating the event quite whimsically and are having fun with it, even jokingly commenting about the event. Other astronomical phenomena, such as solar eclipses, actually have been used to test Einstein's theories, but in this case the interest is purely aesthetic.<br />
<br />
The title text references the misconception that the planets physically get very close at conjunction, rather than merely appearing to do so. The wording suggests a quick and uneventful merger, possibly alluding to the way drops of water merge when the {{w|surface tension}} between them is broken.<br />
<br />
If Jupiter and Saturn really did come into contact and "blooped together", most of the mass would stay collected as an extremely hot and turbulent blob that would eventually settle down as a new planet (which Randall suggests might be called [[2258: Solar System Changes|"Jaturn"]]), but more than a bit would be spewed outwards. The possible outcomes vary enormously, depending on factors such as how direct the impact was, and its alignment relative to the planets' spins. However, while such a collision would be preceded by a conjunction, a conjunction does not necessarily indicate an imminent collision, as Jupiter and Saturn, although on the same sightline from Earth, are still [https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/great-jupiter-saturn-conjunction-dec-21-2020 separated by 734 million km (456 million mi)] at the time of the conjunction - almost five times the distance from Earth to the Sun.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
:Caption above the panel: What people imagine astronomers observing a conjunction are like<br />
:[Cueball and Ponytail are both looking through telescopes at the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.]<br />
:Cueball: 6.15 arcminutes!<br />
:Ponytail: Stupendous! This confirms Einstein!<br />
<br />
:Caption above the panel: What they're actually like<br />
:[The same picture with different spoken sentences.]<br />
:Cueball: Wow! Look how close they are!<br />
:Ponytail: It's '''''so cool!!'''''<br />
:Cueball: ''Now kiiiisssss!!''<br />
:Ponytail: '''''Dooo iiit!'''''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Astronomy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2401:_Conjunction&diff=2047922401: Conjunction2021-01-16T07:02:09Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2401<br />
| date = December 21, 2020<br />
| title = Conjunction<br />
| image = conjunction.png<br />
| titletext = The IAU is sad to announce that at 00:39 UTC on December 22nd, Jupiter and Saturn did unfortunately come into contact, and appear to have blooped together.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
Cueball and Ponytail are observing the 2020 {{w|Great conjunction|Jupiter-Saturn conjunction}}. This comic is similar to other comparisons between expectation and reality, such as [[2176: How Hacking Works]], [[683: Science Montage]], [[2341: Scientist Tech Help]], and [[538: Security]]. The expectation is that the scientists will remain professional and serious throughout the event, testing Einstein's theory of General Relativity and using technical terms, such as arcminute. In reality, however, they are actually treating the event quite whimsically and are having fun with it, even jokingly commenting about the event. Other astronomical phenomena, such as solar eclipses, actually have been used to test Einstein's theories, but in this case the interest is purely aesthetic.<br />
<br />
The title text references the misconception that the planets physically get very close at conjunction, rather than merely appearing to do so. The wording suggests a quick and uneventful merger, possibly alluding to the way drops of water merge when the {{w|surface tension}} between them is broken.<br />
<br />
If Jupiter and Saturn really did come into contact and "blooped together", most of the mass would stay collected as an extremely hot and turbulent blob that would eventually settle down as a new planet (which Randall suggests might be called [[2258: Solar System Changes|"Jaturn"]]), but more than a bit would be spewed outwards. The possible outcomes vary enormously, depending on factors such as how direct the impact was, and its alignment relative to the planets' spins. However, while such a collision would be preceded by a conjunction, a conjunction does not necessarily indicate an imminent collision, as Jupiter and Saturn, although on the same sightline from Earth, are still [https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/great-jupiter-saturn-conjunction-dec-21-2020 separated by 734 million km (456 million mi)] at the time of the conjunction - almost five times the distance from Earth to the Sun.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
:Caption above the panel: What people imagine astronomers observing a conjunction are like<br />
:[Cueball and Ponytail are both looking through telescopes at the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.]<br />
:Cueball: 6.15 arcminutes!<br />
:Ponytail: Stupendous! This confirms Einstein!<br />
<br />
:Caption above the panel: What they're actually like<br />
:[The same picture with different spoken sentences.]<br />
:Cueball: Wow! Look how close they are!<br />
:Ponytail: It's '''''so cool!!'''''<br />
:Cueball: ''Now kiiiisssss!!''<br />
:Ponytail: '''''Dooo iiit!'''''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Astronomy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2398:_Vaccine_Tracker&diff=2047912398: Vaccine Tracker2021-01-16T06:57:39Z<p>Herobrine: No longer incomplete</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2398<br />
| date = December 14, 2020<br />
| title = Vaccine Tracker<br />
| image = vaccine_tracker.png<br />
| titletext = *refresh* Aww, still in Kalamazoo. *refresh* Aww, still in Kalamazoo.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is another comic in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}.<br />
<br />
Similar to [[281: Online Package Tracking]], Cueball is trying to "track" the status of the {{w|Tozinameran|Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine}}, which was approved in the USA the week prior to the publishing of this comic, and began to be administered the day of publication. Cueball is impatient for the vaccine to be released to the public, wanting the pandemic to end as soon as possible. Because of that, he is treating the state vaccine website like a package tracker, even though it will probably be several months before he is vaccinated. <br />
<br />
Of course, the state vaccine website does not act like a package tracker, and updates will be few and far between. The comedy in this comes from Cueball expecting it to update regularly, even though the vaccine is not going to come anytime soon for most people, especially for those in Cueball's presumed priority level. Checking once a day for general 'movement' probably would ''more than'' suffice to get a head's up on when a possible invitation or opportunity to book would present itself.<br />
<br />
The title text refers to Pfizer's vaccine plant in the city of {{w|Kalamazoo, Michigan}}, and is also a reference to [[281: Online Package Tracking]].<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Megan walks towards Cueball. Cueball sits in front of his laptop.]<br />
:Megan: What are you up to?<br />
:Cueball: You know how when I have a package coming, I sit here refreshing the package tracker?<br />
:Megan: Is that the state vaccine website?<br />
:[Cueball refreshes the page]<br />
: *REFRESH*<br />
<br />
:Megan: You know it will be a while before you can-<br />
:[Cueball refreshes the page, cutting her off.]<br />
: *REFRESH*<br />
:Megan: They haven't even announced when-<br />
:[Cueball refreshes the page again, cutting her off.]<br />
: *REFRESH*<br />
<br />
:Megan: Are you going to sit there clicking refresh for several months?<br />
:Cueball: '''''I am ready for the pandemic to be done.'''''<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2412:_1/100,000th_Scale_World&diff=2047902412: 1/100,000th Scale World2021-01-16T06:55:08Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2412<br />
| date = January 15, 2021<br />
| title = 1/100,000th Scale World<br />
| image = 1_100000th_scale_world.png<br />
| titletext = The floor should be slightly curved, but we haven't figured out artificial gravity yet, so for now we just added a trace intoxicating gas to the air that messes with your inner ear and gives you a sense that the ground is tilting away from you.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a TOXIC AURORA. Table needs to be filled out, and explanation needs more work as well. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
This comic is a sequel to the [[2411: 1/10,000th Scale World|previous one]]. As in the previous comic, Randall has another seemingly complete copy of Earth, this time at a 1:100,000 scale, with various features and warnings labeled. Again, real world phenomena are replicated at scale.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
!Rule<br />
!Reason<br />
!Notes<br />
|-<br />
|Our aurora are probably non-toxic but please stop trying to taste them<br />
| The aurora in the image is now temptingly at head height, and presumably look a lot like cotton candy or other inviting foodstuffs.<br />
| The plural of "{{w|aurora}}" should actually be "auroras" or "aurorae"<br />
|-<br />
|No breaking off pieces of the ice caps to put in your drink<br />
|An ice cap is a mass of ice that covers less than 50,000 km2 (19,000 sq mi) of land area.<br />
|Breaking off piece of ice caps would affect the climate of the scale world.<br />
|-<br />
|Warning: Limited cell network coverage above the ionosphere, crouch down to get more bars<br />
| The ionosphere reflects radio signals, in this case keeping terrestrial cellular phone signals from reaching phones higher up.<br />
|The ionosphere would be at around 48-965 centimeters in the scale world, so visitors would need to place their phones below it to receive cellphone signals.<br />
|-<br />
|Do not step on Mt. Everest<br />
| Mt. Everest, the highest peak on Earth, is several inches tall at 1:100,000 scale.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Caution! Ocean floor slippery when wet<br />
| Due to the smaller scale, the ocean depths would only be a few inches deep at most; this amount of liquid would cause more of a 'slippery surface' than a 'water region'.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Wear sunscreen; the ozone layer only protects you below the knees.<br />
|The ozone layer is a layer of the Earth's stratosphere which shields the earth from the sun's ultraviolet rays.<br />
|The ozone layer is approximately 15-35 kilometers above Earth, or 15-35 centimeters in this scale world, below knee height. Visitors would need sunscreen to protect them from UV rays.<br />
|-<br />
|Beware of chest-level meteors<br />
|Meteors typically occur in the mesosphere at altitudes from 76 to 100 km (250,000 to 330,000 ft).<br />
|In the scale world, meteors would occur at 76 to 100 centimeters, around chest height.<br />
|-<br />
| -100° mesopause vest recommended<br />
|The mesopause is the boundary in the earth's atmosphere between the mesosphere and the thermosphere. Due to the lack of solar heating and very strong radiative cooling from carbon dioxide, it is the coldest region on Earth with temperatures as low as -100 °C (-148 °F).<br />
|Without protection, visitors would succumb to hypothermia due to the extremely low temperatures.<br />
|-<br />
|If Lake Tahoe or the Dead Sea dries up, refill them with this 5oz wine glass<br />
|Five ounces, times 100,000<sup>3</sup> (because this is volume, so the linear scale factor applies to each of three dimensions), would be about 150 cubic kilometers, which is the approximate volume of {{w|Lake Tahoe}}; the {{w|Dead Sea}} is recently about 115 cubic kilometers, though it used to be somewhat larger.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Safety glasses required for protection from reentering spacecraft<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Do not anger the sprites<br />
| {{w|Sprite (lightning)|Sprites}} are poorly understood electrical phenomena in the upper atmosphere. They are enormous but very short-lived.<br />
| Sprites are also a name given to a form of forest spirit known for mischievous and sometimes harmful behaviour. In some fairy tales a warning would be given to not anger the spirits in case of grave repercussions.<br />
|-<br />
|Please stop digging through the Moho. Staff are tired of cleaning up large igneous provinces.<br />
|Short for the {{w|Mohorovičić discontinuity}}, the Moho is the boundary surface separating the Earth's crust from the mantle. It can be found at a depth of 6-7 miles under the ocean bed, and about 24-30 miles under the continents.<br />
|Using Randall's 1/100,000th scale world, 6-7 miles would be approximately 4 inches, while 24-30 miles would be about 16 inches, making the Moho easily accessible via digging. It would indeed create large igneous provinces, and make a big mess of lava that the staff would have to clean up, which would not be fun. The lava has a decent chance to burn through a mop or something, so it would be pretty tricky to clean up as well, since your cleaning stuff would light on fire unless soaked in water or something.<br />
|-<br />
|ISS (14 feet up) Returns every 90 minutes - Hit it with a nerf dart, win a prize!<br />
| The {{w|International Space Station}} is the largest human-made object in space, and orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes.<br />
| This idea of treating modern research as a toy is in the same general panel area as the weather balloon smacking from the previous comic, except instead of a rule preventing people from doing so, this time it is being encouraged (though it is unclear what the "prize" mentioned in the comic is). Hitting the ISS with a nerf dart in this scale world would have potentially devastating effect on the ISS.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The title text states that the floor should be slightly curved. In fact, given that the model in the comic is about 10 meters long, it represents about 1000 km of Earth, that spans about 9 degrees of a great circle. Therefore, if the model wasn't larger than the part shown in the panel, its edges would have a very noticeable slope of 4.5 degrees.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:RULES:<br />
:For visitors to my 1/100,000th scale world<br />
:1 meter = 100 km, 1 ft=100,000ft≈20 miles<br />
<br />
:ISS (14 feet up)<br />
:Returns every 90 minutes<br />
:Hit it with a Nerf dart to win a prize!<br />
<br />
:Our Aurora are probably non-toxic, but please stop trying to taste them<br />
<br />
:[one cell bar] Warning: Limited cell network coverage above the ionosphere. Crouch down to get more bars<br />
<br />
:Safety glasses required for protection from reentering spacecraft<br />
:Cueball: OW!<br />
:(off-screen): What?<br />
:Cueball: I got a Soyuz in my eye<br />
<br />
:Beware of chest level meteors<br />
<br />
:-100°C Mesopause vest recommended<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Illustrations of scale]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2412:_1/100,000th_Scale_World&diff=2047892412: 1/100,000th Scale World2021-01-16T06:52:50Z<p>Herobrine: Continued filling the table</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2412<br />
| date = January 15, 2021<br />
| title = 1/100,000th Scale World<br />
| image = 1_100000th_scale_world.png<br />
| titletext = The floor should be slightly curved, but we haven't figured out artificial gravity yet, so for now we just added a trace intoxicating gas to the air that messes with your inner ear and gives you a sense that the ground is tilting away from you.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a TOXIC AURORA. Missing an explanation entirely. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
This comic is a sequel to the [[2411: 1/10,000th Scale World|previous one]]. As in the previous comic, Randall has another seemingly complete copy of Earth, this time at a 1:100,000 scale, with various features and warnings labeled. Again, real world phenomena are replicated at scale.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
!Rule<br />
!Reason<br />
!Notes<br />
|-<br />
|Our aurora are probably non-toxic but please stop trying to taste them<br />
| The aurora in the image is now temptingly at head height, and presumably look a lot like cotton candy or other inviting foodstuffs.<br />
| The plural of "{{w|aurora}}" should actually be "auroras" or "aurorae"<br />
|-<br />
|No breaking off pieces of the ice caps to put in your drink<br />
|An ice cap is a mass of ice that covers less than 50,000 km2 (19,000 sq mi) of land area.<br />
|Breaking off piece of ice caps would affect the climate of the scale world.<br />
|-<br />
|Warning: Limited cell network coverage above the ionosphere, crouch down to get more bars<br />
| The ionosphere reflects radio signals, in this case keeping terrestrial cellular phone signals from reaching phones higher up.<br />
|The ionosphere would be at around 48-965 centimeters in the scale world, so visitors would need to place their phones below it to receive cellphone signals.<br />
|-<br />
|Do not step on Mt. Everest<br />
| Mt. Everest, the highest peak on Earth, is several inches tall at 1:100,000 scale.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Caution! Ocean floor slippery when wet<br />
| Due to the smaller scale, the ocean depths would only be a few inches deep at most; this amount of liquid would cause more of a 'slippery surface' than a 'water region'.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Wear sunscreen; the ozone layer only protects you below the knees.<br />
|The ozone layer is a layer of the Earth's stratosphere which shields the earth from the sun's ultraviolet rays.<br />
|The ozone layer is approximately 15-35 kilometers above Earth, or 15-35 centimeters in this scale world, below knee height. Visitors would need sunscreen to protect them from UV rays.<br />
|-<br />
|Beware of chest-level meteors<br />
|Meteors typically occur in the mesosphere at altitudes from 76 to 100 km (250,000 to 330,000 ft).<br />
|In the scale world, meteors would occur at 76 to 100 centimeters, around chest height.<br />
|-<br />
| -100° mesopause vest recommended<br />
|The mesopause is the boundary in the earth's atmosphere between the mesosphere and the thermosphere. Due to the lack of solar heating and very strong radiative cooling from carbon dioxide, it is the coldest region on Earth with temperatures as low as -100 °C (-148 °F).<br />
|Without protection, visitors would succumb to hypothermia due to the extremely low temperatures.<br />
|-<br />
|If Lake Tahoe or the Dead Sea dries up, refill them with this 5oz wine glass<br />
|Five ounces, times 100,000<sup>3</sup> (because this is volume, so the linear scale factor applies to each of three dimensions), would be about 150 cubic kilometers, which is the approximate volume of {{w|Lake Tahoe}}; the {{w|Dead Sea}} is recently about 115 cubic kilometers, though it used to be somewhat larger.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Safety glasses required for protection from reentering spacecraft<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Do not anger the sprites<br />
| {{w|Sprite (lightning)|Sprites}} are poorly understood electrical phenomena in the upper atmosphere. They are enormous but very short-lived.<br />
| Sprites are also a name given to a form of forest spirit known for mischievous and sometimes harmful behaviour. In some fairy tales a warning would be given to not anger the spirits in case of grave repercussions.<br />
|-<br />
|Please stop digging through the Moho. Staff are tired of cleaning up large igneous provinces.<br />
|Short for the {{w|Mohorovičić discontinuity}}, the Moho is the boundary surface separating the Earth's crust from the mantle. It can be found at a depth of 6-7 miles under the ocean bed, and about 24-30 miles under the continents.<br />
|Using Randall's 1/100,000th scale world, 6-7 miles would be approximately 4 inches, while 24-30 miles would be about 16 inches, making the Moho easily accessible via digging. It would indeed create large igneous provinces, and make a big mess of lava that the staff would have to clean up, which would not be fun. The lava has a decent chance to burn through a mop or something, so it would be pretty tricky to clean up as well, since your cleaning stuff would light on fire unless soaked in water or something.<br />
|-<br />
|ISS (14 feet up) Returns every 90 minutes - Hit it with a nerf dart, win a prize!<br />
| The {{w|International Space Station}} is the largest human-made object in space, and orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes.<br />
| This idea of treating modern research as a toy is in the same general panel area as the weather balloon smacking from the previous comic, except instead of a rule preventing people from doing so, this time it is being encouraged (though it is unclear what the "prize" mentioned in the comic is). Hitting the ISS with a nerf dart in this scale world would have potentially devastating effect on the ISS.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The title text states that the floor should be slightly curved. In fact, given that the model in the comic is about 10 meters long, it represents about 1000 km of Earth, that spans about 9 degrees of a great circle. Therefore, if the model wasn't larger than the part shown in the panel, its edges would have a very noticeable slope of 4.5 degrees.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:RULES:<br />
:For visitors to my 1/100,000th scale world<br />
:1 meter = 100 km, 1 ft=100,000ft≈20 miles<br />
<br />
:ISS (14 feet up)<br />
:Returns every 90 minutes<br />
:Hit it with a Nerf dart to win a prize!<br />
<br />
:Our Aurora are probably non-toxic, but please stop trying to taste them<br />
<br />
:[one cell bar] Warning: Limited cell network coverage above the ionosphere. Crouch down to get more bars<br />
<br />
:Safety glasses required for protection from reentering spacecraft<br />
:Cueball: OW!<br />
:(off-screen): What?<br />
:Cueball: I got a Soyuz in my eye<br />
<br />
:Beware of chest level meteors<br />
<br />
:-100°C Mesopause vest recommended<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Illustrations of scale]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2412:_1/100,000th_Scale_World&diff=2047882412: 1/100,000th Scale World2021-01-16T06:35:29Z<p>Herobrine: Filled out some parts of the table</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2412<br />
| date = January 15, 2021<br />
| title = 1/100,000th Scale World<br />
| image = 1_100000th_scale_world.png<br />
| titletext = The floor should be slightly curved, but we haven't figured out artificial gravity yet, so for now we just added a trace intoxicating gas to the air that messes with your inner ear and gives you a sense that the ground is tilting away from you.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a TOXIC AURORA. Missing an explanation entirely. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
This comic is a sequel to the [[2411: 1/10,000th Scale World|previous one]]. As in the previous comic, Randall has another seemingly complete copy of Earth, this time at a 1:100,000 scale, with various features and warnings labeled. Again, real world phenomena are replicated at scale.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
!Rule<br />
!Reason<br />
!Notes<br />
|-<br />
|Our aurora are probably non-toxic but please stop trying to taste them<br />
| The aurora in the image is now temptingly at head height, and presumably look a lot like cotton candy or other inviting foodstuffs.<br />
| The plural of "{{w|aurora}}" should actually be "auroras" or "aurorae"<br />
|-<br />
|No breaking off pieces of the ice caps to put in your drink<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Warning: Limited cell network coverage above the ionosphere, crouch down to get more bars<br />
| The ionosphere reflects radio signals, in this case keeping terrestrial cellular phone signals from reaching phones higher up<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Do not step on Mt. Everest<br />
| Mt. Everest, the highest peak on Earth, is several inches tall at 1:100,000 scale<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Caution! Ocean floor slippery when wet<br />
| Due to the smaller scale, the ocean depths would only be a few inches deep at most; this amount of liquid would cause more of a 'slippery surface' than a 'water region'.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Wear sunscreen; the ozone layer only protects you below the knees.<br />
|The ozone layer is a layer of the Earth's stratosphere which shields the earth from the sun's ultraviolet rays.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Beware of chest-level meteors<br />
|Meteros typically occur in the mesosphere at altitudes from 76 to 100 km (250,000 to 330,000 ft).<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| -100° mesopause vest recommended<br />
|The mesopause is the boundary in the earth's atmosphere between the mesosphere and the thermosphere. Due to the lack of solar heating and very strong radiative cooling from carbon dioxide, it is the coldest region on Earth with temperatures as low as -100 °C (-148 °F).<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|If Lake Tahoe or the Dead Sea dries up, refill them with this 5oz wine glass<br />
|Five ounces, times 100,000<sup>3</sup> (because this is volume, so the linear scale factor applies to each of three dimensions), would be about 150 cubic kilometers, which is the approximate volume of {{w|Lake Tahoe}}; the {{w|Dead Sea}} is recently about 115 cubic kilometers, though it used to be somewhat larger.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Safety glasses required for protection from reentering spacecraft<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Do not anger the sprites<br />
| {{w|Sprite (lightning)|Sprites}} are poorly understood electrical phenomena in the upper atmosphere. They are enormous but very short-lived.<br />
| Sprites are also a name given to a form of forest spirit known for mischievous and sometimes harmful behaviour. In some fairy tales a warning would be given to not anger the spirits in case of grave repercussions.<br />
|-<br />
|Please stop digging through the Moho. Staff are tired of cleaning up large igneous provinces.<br />
|Short for the {{w|Mohorovičić discontinuity}}, the Moho is the boundary surface separating the Earth's crust from the mantle. It can be found at a depth of 6-7 miles under the ocean bed, and about 24-30 miles under the continents.<br />
|Using Randall's 1/100,000th scale world, 6-7 miles would be approximately 4 inches, while 24-30 miles would be about 16 inches, making the Moho easily accessible via digging. It would indeed create large igneous provinces, and make a big mess of lava that the staff would have to clean up, which would not be fun. The lava has a decent chance to burn through a mop or something, so it would be pretty tricky to clean up as well, since your cleaning stuff would light on fire unless soaked in water or something.<br />
|-<br />
|ISS (14 feet up) Returns every 90 minutes - Hit it with a nerf dart, win a prize!<br />
| The {{w|International Space Station}} is the largest human-made object in space, and orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes.<br />
| This idea of treating modern research as a toy is in the same general panel area as the weather balloon smacking from the previous comic, except instead of a rule preventing people from doing so, this time it is being encouraged (though it is unclear what the "prize" mentioned in the comic is). Hitting the ISS with a nerf dart in this scale world would have potentially devastating effect on the ISS.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The title text states that the floor should be slightly curved. In fact, given that the model in the comic is about 10 meters long, it represents about 1000 km of Earth, that spans about 9 degrees of a great circle. Therefore, if the model wasn't larger than the part shown in the panel, its edges would have a very noticeable slope of 4.5 degrees.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:RULES:<br />
:For visitors to my 1/100,000th scale world<br />
:1 meter = 100 km, 1 ft=100,000ft≈20 miles<br />
<br />
:ISS (14 feet up)<br />
:Returns every 90 minutes<br />
:Hit it with a Nerf dart to win a prize!<br />
<br />
:Our Aurora are probably non-toxic, but please stop trying to taste them<br />
<br />
:[one cell bar] Warning: Limited cell network coverage above the ionosphere. Crouch down to get more bars<br />
<br />
:Safety glasses required for protection from reentering spacecraft<br />
:Cueball: OW!<br />
:(off-screen): What?<br />
:Cueball: I got a Soyuz in my eye<br />
<br />
:Beware of chest level meteors<br />
<br />
:-100°C Mesopause vest recommended<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Illustrations of scale]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2410:_Apple_Growers&diff=204786Talk:2410: Apple Growers2021-01-16T06:19:14Z<p>Herobrine: Added sources</p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I think this is the first strip to refer to Trump by name. Can anyone confirm that? [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 05:32, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Negatory. [[2137: Text Entry]] is one I remember. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.173|172.69.63.173]] 06:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::The earliest I'm aware of is [[980: Money]] from 2011 (so before he'd held elective office). It's almost unfindable in the giant image. Trump is mentioned in the lower right corner of the "Billionaires" box, inside the very large "Billions" section. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.64|108.162.237.64]] 06:12, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: And, of course, [[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]].<br />
:I was sufficiently interested in this question to actually look it up with the search function. Turns out the transcripts are actually useful for something!<br />
:*[[980: Money]] is the only one from before Trump was elected President<br />
:*[[1836: Okeanos]] (mentioned as "Trump" only) is the first after the election - May 12, 2017, nearly six months after it<br />
:*[[1939: 2016 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2126: Google Trends Maps]]<br />
:*[[2137: Text Entry]]<br />
:*[[2220: Imagine Going Back in Time]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2399: 2020 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:As far as I can tell, these are the only nine comics (inclusive of this one) that use the name "Trump", and there are only four occurrences of "Donald Trump", including this. So it's not unknown, but Randall does seem to be avoiding it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.238|108.162.237.238]] 06:56, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::I think we should make a new category for “Comics featuring Trump,” just as we have for Elon Musk.<span> — [[User:Sqrt-1|The <b>𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭</b>]] <sup>[[User talk:Sqrt-1|<span style="color: blue">talk</span>]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|<span style="color: blue">stalk</span>]]</sup></span> 03:58, 13 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is it really a good idea to take the lack of masks on the spokesfolks as evidence of their mental state? It seems to me that Randall often draws characters without masks when they're not directly topical, even in these days of Covid precautions, and the reporters aren't wearing masks either. It's unlikely that either group is made up entirely of family members who share the same residence [citation needed], so I would count it more likely that they can all be assumed to be masked in the same way that they can be assumed to have eyes and mouths despite lack of any visual indicators of such. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.216|108.162.245.216]] 07:48, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Do remember that they also has no close on, so unless the masks are important for the topic, then you can assume they have masks just as you can assume they have clothe on. (Or if you like, you can assume Megan and Ponytail doesn't, as I always do :-p ) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Specifically they don't have faces so... rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.42|162.158.155.42]] 10:46, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the state is Washington. Washington's pretty well known for apples, and the Cosmic Crisp variety mentioned in the title text was developed by researchers at Washington State University. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.40|108.162.245.40]] 08:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
According to a quick Wikipedia search, the title text's "we have SO MUCH to say" could be a reference to the fact that promotion for cosmic crisp was apparently the largest campaign in apple industry history. If anyone has the time to check and confirm that, we should add it to the explanation. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 08:05, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Right now, "Pink Lady" is splurging an ad (basically a 'facetime filter'-type graphics enhanced thing) over here in the UK. Though the classic from my youth was the ¿Golden Delicious? brand doing a Bugsy Mallone-spoof ("le Crunch Bunch"). But I don't follow apple brands (there's a cooking-apple tree in a garden, that I pick from, been there 40-50 years - but now no idea what cultivar it is, etc) and I'm not particularly exposed to US news on apples, only its politics. Just so you know. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.138|162.158.155.138]] 08:36, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anybody agree that "Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them" is a reference to Trump-style way of talking in speeches? [[User:Reisbein|Reisbein]] ([[User talk:Reisbein|talk]]) 08:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes already added this to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
May I question that "Nothing in modern American history resembles this"? Possibly nothing in the national Capitol's modern history resembles this precisely, but the Capitol in Michigan was invaded last May, Tennessee had an incident of this kind in 2001 while trying to debate state income tax, and there was that thing at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in Oregon. And there was Black rioting in Washington and in most other places and machine guns at the Capitol when Dr Martin Luther King was murdered, does that count as modern? And President Reagan was shot in Washington. Presidents and the White House are shot at all the time. The President's personal militia attacking other branches of the government is less usual, or is it? Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.82|141.101.107.82]] 12:01, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:In the sense of '' an attempt to overturn fair election results and prevent the orderly transition of power by attacking the Capitol,'' yes. It's not the "important buildings were attacked/threatened" part, it's the context and meaning behind the actions that's unprecedented. The incident was an unprecedented attack on democracy—it has been described by some as ''an attempted coup d'état in the United States'', and a lot of congressmen and House members, [https://www.newsweek.com/proud-boys-intended-kill-mike-pence-nancy-pelosi-fbi-witness-says-1562062 plus the Vice President] were close to being seriously harmed/killed during the incident. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:19, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: I take issue both with your description, Herobrine, and the fact that in some circles, this wasn't looked at as a coup attempt at all, but as an attempt to PROTECT democracy from treasonous congressmen and house members. But I do have a question for you. Exactly what words did the president use in his speech on January 6 to "incite a riot"? Please use direct quotes in your answer.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:29, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Went through the transcript of the speech and noted that I misunderstood one section that my statement was based on when I read it two days ago. Whether he was responsible for inciting the event [https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/10/us/trump-speech-riot.html depends on how you interpret his remarks,] but since there is no definite statement in the transcript, I have removed the section from my comment and the explanation. As for the coup attempt part, give me a sec and I'll reply later. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:41, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Changed to "described by some as (lawmakers, media, etc.)" to avoid misunderstanding. But honestly, I do not think this was an attempt to protect democracy—I think that they were trying to overturn a fair election and prevent the orderly transition of power. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:47, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::::The election results are disputed, and around 75% of Republicans and 20% of Democrats are willing to start a civil war over it. In what way can this be considered a fair election if all audits of the voter registration are blocked?[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:55, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::::Claims of election fraud have been rejected as totally meritless by numerous state and federal judges, state and local election officials, governors, the Justice and Homeland Security departments, and the Electoral College. I do not see how this the election was unfair. As for the "results are disputed" part, that is primarily the result of the president's efforts to overturn the results of the election and unwillingness to concede and admit his loss. Also, please reply with your quotes and sources, thanks. (Will reply again in a few hours, busy now) [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 15:10, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::::::People who do not trust the government to run a fair election- are not going to trust ''numerous state and federal judges, state and local election officials, governors, the Justice and Homeland Security departments and the Electoral College'', or for that matter ''the president'' to self-audit. These are all GOVERNMENT officials, and we're talking about people who have a profound distrust of the government. Why would you think ANY of those people can be trusted to tell the truth? All you've proven is that you are incapable of fairly looking at people who disagree with you. This isn't about evidence- because neither side has actually presented any believable evidence. The government has yet to produce an audit of voter registration changes, and the people disputing the voter registration only have graphs that indicate pay-for-vote scams. Without an audit by a third party- say some private accounting firm- there can be no faith in your "fair election".[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 15:21, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::::::Seebert, by that token, the people who dispute the fairness of the election claim that the fraud was SO widespread that ALL of these people—''numerous state and federal judges, state and local election officials, governors, the Justice and Homeland Security departments and the Electoral College''—have committed concerted fraud on an unprecedented scale in the United States. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't all these people from both parties? You're accusing Herobrine of being ''incapable of fairly looking at people who disagree with you'', but doesn't that claim seem far-fetched enough to you as to seem outlandish? When Clinton lost against Trump in what was also a hotly debated election, the electoral margins reported were far less important than in this election. Yet there was no fraud outcry. The big difference here is that Trump is crying fraud relentlessly. Now if a third party would intervene to audit the election, would that be proof enough for the people who back him? Would that settle it? Or wouldn't they claim that said third party was bought off, or was biased from the start anyway? Where does this end? In the meantime, we can see where it has led: to gallows being put up in front of the Capitol by a bunch of would-be executioners.[[User:A new user|A new user]] ([[User talk:A new user|talk]]) 17:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::::::::"All you've proven is that you are incapable of fairly looking at people who disagree with you." I take issue with that statement. Exactly how have I been unfair when discussing this? When you pointed out parts of my statement that were incorrect or potentially misleading, I rechecked my sources—and removed and clarified those erroneous sections, both in my comment and in the explanation. And even if a third party audits the election and does overturn the election results, what's to stop the Democrats from rejecting it? If the results hold true, will the Republicans accept—or will the president still call the results fraudulent, just as he did in 2012 and 2016? Adittionally, how would you trust a third party, and how could you guarantee that they fairly audited the election? You say we cannot trust the government—composed of thousands of officials from both major political parties and other parties, independents, etc.—but we're supposed to trust a third party to remain truly impartial when dealing with something of this magnitude? [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 22:54, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::::::Also I feel like there's no point in continuing this discussion any further. My original comment was a reply to another user discussing something in the explanation which has since been removed (and the entire explanation has been edited to be a lot more neutral and unbiased, anyways). Meanwhile our discussion has increasingly veered off on an a tangent, and I'm pretty sure that we will continue to disagree no matter how long this discussion drags on—in fact it's likely to just become more acrimonious while accomplishing nothing. At the end of the day, this is just a comment section for discussing the explanation of an xkcd comic, and there's no need for it to devolve into an endless argument about politics—we've already had enough of that back in 2016. Let's just agree to save the political arguments for other political forums, and end this discussion. I will try to remain neutral and avoid political bias when writing explanations in the future to avoid a similar situation from repeating. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 22:54, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::If the interpretation of January 6th is some armed citizens interfering with the franchise of other citizens... that isn't a new idea in America either, is it? It's just usually done at polling stations. Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.142|162.158.159.142]] 20:30, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::True, but I think that magnitude of the events of January 6th was on a completely different scale. But other editors have already removed that section from the explanation (and made it much more neutral), resolving the issue, so I think there's not much point in continuing this discussion anyways. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 22:54, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Well this is certainly going to be a very controversial comic for a good while. I'm personally under the belief that the election was not rigged and Trump should resign, but I feel we should create a much more neutral explanation than it is currently.--[[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.119|172.69.33.119]] 16:52, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:: Yeah, whoever wrote that explanation should resign. They're not even trying to be neutral, it is pure ideological soapboxing being shoveled down the throat of anyone reading. I vote that the first couple of paragraphs be deleted and reworked completely. Or else, this website can abandon any claim it might have had to objectivity and neutrality.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.37.44|172.68.37.44]] 17:02, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::: I think the explanation is hilarious. To me, this strip is about everyone having abandoned doing what they are supposed to know how to do and instead wasting everyone's time sharing their opinion on the subject that is neither their expertise nor purview. The audience's clear disinterest in apple growers' opinion about Trump is conveyed by "Do you have any apple-related announcements at all?" remark. The current explanation just needs a similar remark along the lines of "Do you have anything xkcd-related at all?" to underscore the irony lest someone takes it seriously, and it will be perfect :) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.69.113|141.101.69.113]] 18:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Well, I deleted a lot of the article that was filled with useless information irrelevant to the actual comic. Feel free to add more if you want.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.82|108.162.245.82]]<br />
<br />
Apple growers are rightly concerned about bad apples.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.176|172.68.65.176]] 23:01, 14 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Anyone else notice the veiled reference to Apple (iPhone manufacturer)?[[Special:Contributions/172.68.132.69|172.68.132.69]] 20:46, 13 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
== Removing bias ==<br />
<br />
When you add or remove from this explanation, please keep your political biases out of this. This is a webcomic explanation page, not a political discussion forum. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.107.219|162.158.107.219]]<br />
<br />
Is it wrong to say that it was a small percentage of actual supporters that attended? I think in the interest of being impartial we should include more facts, not less. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.132.69|172.68.132.69]] 20:39, 13 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2410:_Apple_Growers&diff=204517Talk:2410: Apple Growers2021-01-12T22:54:18Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I think this is the first strip to refer to Trump by name. Can anyone confirm that? [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 05:32, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Negatory. [[2137: Text Entry]] is one I remember. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.173|172.69.63.173]] 06:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::The earliest I'm aware of is [[980: Money]] from 2011 (so before he'd held elective office). It's almost unfindable in the giant image. Trump is mentioned in the lower right corner of the "Billionaires" box, inside the very large "Billions" section. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.64|108.162.237.64]] 06:12, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: And, of course, [[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]].<br />
:I was sufficiently interested in this question to actually look it up with the search function. Turns out the transcripts are actually useful for something!<br />
:*[[980: Money]] is the only one from before Trump was elected President<br />
:*[[1836: Okeanos]] (mentioned as "Trump" only) is the first after the election - May 12, 2017, nearly six months after it<br />
:*[[1939: 2016 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2126: Google Trends Maps]]<br />
:*[[2137: Text Entry]]<br />
:*[[2220: Imagine Going Back in Time]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2399: 2020 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:As far as I can tell, these are the only nine comics (inclusive of this one) that use the name "Trump", and there are only four occurrences of "Donald Trump", including this. So it's not unknown, but Randall does seem to be avoiding it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.238|108.162.237.238]] 06:56, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is it really a good idea to take the lack of masks on the spokesfolks as evidence of their mental state? It seems to me that Randall often draws characters without masks when they're not directly topical, even in these days of Covid precautions, and the reporters aren't wearing masks either. It's unlikely that either group is made up entirely of family members who share the same residence [citation needed], so I would count it more likely that they can all be assumed to be masked in the same way that they can be assumed to have eyes and mouths despite lack of any visual indicators of such. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.216|108.162.245.216]] 07:48, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Do remember that they also has no close on, so unless the masks are important for the topic, then you can assume they have masks just as you can assume they have clothe on. (Or if you like, you can assume Megan and Ponytail doesn't, as I always do :-p ) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Specifically they don't have faces so... rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.42|162.158.155.42]] 10:46, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the state is Washington. Washington's pretty well known for apples, and the Cosmic Crisp variety mentioned in the title text was developed by researchers at Washington State University. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.40|108.162.245.40]] 08:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
According to a quick Wikipedia search, the title text's "we have SO MUCH to say" could be a reference to the fact that promotion for cosmic crisp was apparently the largest campaign in apple industry history. If anyone has the time to check and confirm that, we should add it to the explanation. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 08:05, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Right now, "Pink Lady" is splurging an ad (basically a 'facetime filter'-type graphics enhanced thing) over here in the UK. Though the classic from my youth was the ¿Golden Delicious? brand doing a Bugsy Mallone-spoof ("le Crunch Bunch"). But I don't follow apple brands (there's a cooking-apple tree in a garden, that I pick from, been there 40-50 years - but now no idea what cultivar it is, etc) and I'm not particularly exposed to US news on apples, only its politics. Just so you know. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.138|162.158.155.138]] 08:36, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anybody agree that "Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them" is a reference to Trump-style way of talking in speeches? [[User:Reisbein|Reisbein]] ([[User talk:Reisbein|talk]]) 08:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes already added this to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
May I question that "Nothing in modern American history resembles this"? Possibly nothing in the national Capitol's modern history resembles this precisely, but the Capitol in Michigan was invaded last May, Tennessee had an incident of this kind in 2001 while trying to debate state income tax, and there was that thing at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in Oregon. And there was Black rioting in Washington and in most other places and machine guns at the Capitol when Dr Martin Luther King was murdered, does that count as modern? And President Reagan was shot in Washington. Presidents and the White House are shot at all the time. The President's personal militia attacking other branches of the government is less usual, or is it? Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.82|141.101.107.82]] 12:01, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:In the sense of '' an attempt to overturn fair election results and prevent the orderly transition of power by attacking the Capitol,'' yes. It's not the "important buildings were attacked/threatened" part, it's the context and meaning behind the actions that's unprecedented. The incident was an unprecedented attack on democracy—it has been described by some as ''an attempted coup d'état in the United States'', and a lot of congressmen and House members, plus the Vice President were close to being seriously harmed/killed during the incident. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:19, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: I take issue both with your description, Herobrine, and the fact that in some circles, this wasn't looked at as a coup attempt at all, but as an attempt to PROTECT democracy from treasonous congressmen and house members. But I do have a question for you. Exactly what words did the president use in his speech on January 6 to "incite a riot"? Please use direct quotes in your answer.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:29, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Went through the transcript of the speech and noted that I misunderstood one section that my statement was based on when I read it two days ago. Whether he was responsible for inciting the event is debatable, but since there is no definite statement in the transcript, I have removed the section from my comment and the explanation. As for the coup attempt part, give me a sec and I'll reply later. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:41, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Changed to "described by some as (lawmakers, media, etc.)" to avoid misunderstanding. But honestly, I do not think that this was an attempt to protect democracy—I think that they were trying to overturn a fair election and prevent the orderly transition of power. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:47, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::::The election results are disputed, and around 75% of Republicans and 20% of Democrats are willing to start a civil war over it. In what way can this be considered a fair election if all audits of the voter registration are blocked?[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:55, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::::Claims of election fraud have been rejected as totally meritless by numerous state and federal judges, state and local election officials, governors, the Justice and Homeland Security departments, and the Electoral College. I do not see how this the election was unfair. As for the "results are disputed" part, that is primarily the result of the president's efforts to overturn the results of the election and unwillingness to concede and admit his loss. Also, please reply with your quotes and sources, thanks. (Will reply again in a few hours, busy now) [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 15:10, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::::::People who do not trust the government to run a fair election- are not going to trust ''numerous state and federal judges, state and local election officials, governors, the Justice and Homeland Security departments and the Electoral College'', or for that matter ''the president'' to self-audit. These are all GOVERNMENT officials, and we're talking about people who have a profound distrust of the government. Why would you think ANY of those people can be trusted to tell the truth? All you've proven is that you are incapable of fairly looking at people who disagree with you. This isn't about evidence- because neither side has actually presented any believable evidence. The government has yet to produce an audit of voter registration changes, and the people disputing the voter registration only have graphs that indicate pay-for-vote scams. Without an audit by a third party- say some private accounting firm- there can be no faith in your "fair election".[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 15:21, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::::::Seebert, by that token, the people who dispute the fairness of the election claim that the fraud was SO widespread that ALL of these people—''numerous state and federal judges, state and local election officials, governors, the Justice and Homeland Security departments and the Electoral College''—have committed concerted fraud on an unprecedented scale in the United States. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't all these people from both parties? You're accusing Herobrine of being ''incapable of fairly looking at people who disagree with you'', but doesn't that claim seem far-fetched enough to you as to seem outlandish? When Clinton lost against Trump in what was also a hotly debated election, the electoral margins reported were far less important than in this election. Yet there was no fraud outcry. The big difference here is that Trump is crying fraud relentlessly. Now if a third party would intervene to audit the election, would that be proof enough for the people who back him? Would that settle it? Or wouldn't they claim that said third party was bought off, or was biased from the start anyway? Where does this end? In the meantime, we can see where it has led: to gallows being put up in front of the Capitol by a bunch of would-be executioners.[[User:A new user|A new user]] ([[User talk:A new user|talk]]) 17:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::::::::"All you've proven is that you are incapable of fairly looking at people who disagree with you." I take issue with that statement. Exactly how have I been unfair when discussing this? When you pointed out parts of my statement that were incorrect or potentially misleading, I rechecked my sources—and removed and clarified those erroneous sections, both in my comment and in the explanation. And even if a third party audits the election and does overturn the election results, what's to stop the Democrats from rejecting it? If the results hold true, will the Republicans accept—or will the president still call the results fraudulent, just as he did in 2012 and 2016? Adittionally, how would you trust a third party, and how could you guarantee that they fairly audited the election? You say we cannot trust the government—composed of thousands of officials from both major political parties and other parties, independents, etc.—but we're supposed to trust a third party to remain truly impartial when dealing with something of this magnitude? [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 22:54, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::::::Also I feel like there's no point in continuing this discussion any further. My original comment was a reply to another user discussing something in the explanation which has since been removed (and the entire explanation has been edited to be a lot more neutral and unbiased, anyways). Meanwhile our discussion has increasingly veered off on an a tangent, and I'm pretty sure that we will continue to disagree no matter how long this discussion drags on—in fact it's likely to just become more acrimonious while accomplishing nothing. At the end of the day, this is just a comment section for discussing the explanation of an xkcd comic, and there's no need for it to devolve into an endless argument about politics—we've already had enough of that back in 2016. Let's just agree to save the political arguments for other political forums, and end this discussion. I will try to remain neutral and avoid political bias when writing explanations in the future to avoid a similar situation from repeating. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 22:54, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::If the interpretation of January 6th is some armed citizens interfering with the franchise of other citizens... that isn't a new idea in America either, is it? It's just usually done at polling stations. Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.142|162.158.159.142]] 20:30, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::True, but I think that magnitude of the events of January 6th was on a completely different scale. But other editors have already removed that section from the explanation (and made it much more neutral), resolving the issue, so I think there's not much point in continuing this discussion anyways. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 22:54, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Well this is certainly going to be a very controversial comic for a good while. I'm personally under the belief that the election was not rigged and Trump should resign, but I feel we should create a much more neutral explanation than it is currently.--[[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.119|172.69.33.119]] 16:52, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:: Yeah, whoever wrote that explanation should resign. They're not even trying to be neutral, it is pure ideological soapboxing being shoveled down the throat of anyone reading. I vote that the first couple of paragraphs be deleted and reworked completely. Or else, this website can abandon any claim it might have had to objectivity and neutrality.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.37.44|172.68.37.44]] 17:02, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::: I think the explanation is hilarious. To me, this strip is about everyone having abandoned doing what they are supposed to know how to do and instead wasting everyone's time sharing their opinion on the subject that is neither their expertise nor purview. The audience's clear disinterest in apple growers' opinion about Trump is conveyed by "Do you have any apple-related announcements at all?" remark. The current explanation just needs a similar remark along the lines of "Do you have anything xkcd-related at all?" to underscore the irony lest someone takes it seriously, and it will be perfect :) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.69.113|141.101.69.113]] 18:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Well, I deleted a lot of the article that was filled with useless information irrelevant to the actual comic. Feel free to add more if you want.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.82|108.162.245.82]]<br />
<br />
== Removing bias ==<br />
<br />
When you add or remove from this explanation, please keep your political biases out of this. This is a webcomic explanation page, not a political discussion forum. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.107.219|162.158.107.219]]</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2410:_Apple_Growers&diff=204461Talk:2410: Apple Growers2021-01-12T15:21:04Z<p>Herobrine: Typo</p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I think this is the first strip to refer to Trump by name. Can anyone confirm that? [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 05:32, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Negatory. [[2137: Text Entry]] is one I remember. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.173|172.69.63.173]] 06:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::The earliest I'm aware of is [[980: Money]] from 2011 (so before he'd held elective office). It's almost unfindable in the giant image. Trump is mentioned in the lower right corner of the "Billionaires" box, inside the very large "Billions" section. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.64|108.162.237.64]] 06:12, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: And, of course, [[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]].<br />
:I was sufficiently interested in this question to actually look it up with the search function. Turns out the transcripts are actually useful for something!<br />
:*[[980: Money]] is the only one from before Trump was elected President<br />
:*[[1836: Okeanos]] (mentioned as "Trump" only) is the first after the election - May 12, 2017, nearly six months after it<br />
:*[[1939: 2016 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2126: Google Trends Maps]]<br />
:*[[2137: Text Entry]]<br />
:*[[2220: Imagine Going Back in Time]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2399: 2020 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:As far as I can tell, these are the only nine comics (inclusive of this one) that use the name "Trump", and there are only four occurrences of "Donald Trump", including this. So it's not unknown, but Randall does seem to be avoiding it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.238|108.162.237.238]] 06:56, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is it really a good idea to take the lack of masks on the spokesfolks as evidence of their mental state? It seems to me that Randall often draws characters without masks when they're not directly topical, even in these days of Covid precautions, and the reporters aren't wearing masks either. It's unlikely that either group is made up entirely of family members who share the same residence [citation needed], so I would count it more likely that they can all be assumed to be masked in the same way that they can be assumed to have eyes and mouths despite lack of any visual indicators of such. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.216|108.162.245.216]] 07:48, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Do remember that they also has no close on, so unless the masks are important for the topic, then you can assume they have masks just as you can assume they have clothe on. (Or if you like, you can assume Megan and Ponytail doesn't, as I always do :-p ) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Specifically they don't have faces so... rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.42|162.158.155.42]] 10:46, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the state is Washington. Washington's pretty well known for apples, and the Cosmic Crisp variety mentioned in the title text was developed by researchers at Washington State University. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.40|108.162.245.40]] 08:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
According to a quick Wikipedia search, the title text's "we have SO MUCH to say" could be a reference to the fact that promotion for cosmic crisp was apparently the largest campaign in apple industry history. If anyone has the time to check and confirm that, we should add it to the explanation. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 08:05, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Right now, "Pink Lady" is splurging an ad (basically a 'facetime filter'-type graphics enhanced thing) over here in the UK. Though the classic from my youth was the ¿Golden Delicious? brand doing a Bugsy Mallone-spoof ("le Crunch Bunch"). But I don't follow apple brands (there's a cooking-apple tree in a garden, that I pick from, been there 40-50 years - but now no idea what cultivar it is, etc) and I'm not particularly exposed to US news on apples, only its politics. Just so you know. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.138|162.158.155.138]] 08:36, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anybody agree that "Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them" is a reference to Trump-style way of talking in speeches? [[User:Reisbein|Reisbein]] ([[User talk:Reisbein|talk]]) 08:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes already added this to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
May I question that "Nothing in modern American history resembles this"? Possibly nothing in the national Capitol's modern history resembles this precisely, but the Capitol in Michigan was invaded last May, Tennessee had an incident of this kind in 2001 while trying to debate state income tax, and there was that thing at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in Oregon. And there was Black rioting in Washington and in most other places and machine guns at the Capitol when Dr Martin Luther King was murdered, does that count as modern? And President Reagan was shot in Washington. Presidents and the White House are shot at all the time. The President's personal militia attacking other branches of the government is less usual, or is it? Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.82|141.101.107.82]] 12:01, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:In the sense of '' an attempt to overturn fair election results and prevent the orderly transition of power by attacking the Capitol,'' yes. It's not the "important buildings were attacked/threatened" part, it's the context and meaning behind the actions that's unprecedented. The incident was an unprecedented attack on democracy—it has been described by some as ''an attempted coup d'état in the United States'', and a lot of congressmen and House members, plus the Vice President were close to being seriously harmed/killed during the incident. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:19, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: I take issue both with your description, Herobrine, and the fact that in some circles, this wasn't looked at as a coup attempt at all, but as an attempt to PROTECT democracy from treasonous congressmen and house members. But I do have a question for you. Exactly what words did the president use in his speech on January 6 to "incite a riot"? Please use direct quotes in your answer.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:29, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Went through the transcript of the speech and noted that I misunderstood one section that my statement was based on when I read it two days ago. Whether he was responsible for inciting the event is debatable, but since there is no definite statement in the transcript, I have removed the section from my comment and the explanation. As for the coup attempt part, give me a sec and I'll reply later. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:41, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Changed to "described by some as (lawmakers, media, etc.)" to avoid misunderstanding. But honestly, there is no way that this was an attempt to protect democracy—they were trying to overturn a fair election and prevent the orderly transition of power. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:47, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::::The election results are disputed, and around 75% of Republicans and 20% of Democrats are willing to start a civil war over it. In what way can this be considered a fair election if all audits of the voter registration are blocked?[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:55, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::::Claims of election fraud have been rejected as totally meritless by numerous state and federal judges, state and local election officials, governors, the Justice and Homeland Security departments, and the Electoral College. I do not see how this the election was unfair. As for the "results are disputed" part, that is primarily the result of the president's efforts to overturn the results of the election and unwillingness to concede and admit his loss. Also, please reply with your quotes and sources, thanks. (Will reply again in a few hours, busy now) [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 15:10, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::::::People who do not trust the government to run a fair election- are not going to trust ''numerous state and federal judges, state and local election officials, governors, the Justice and Homeland Security departments and the Electoral College'', or for that matter ''the president'' to self-audit. These are all GOVERNMENT officials, and we're talking about people who have a profound distrust of the government. Why would you think ANY of those people can be trusted to tell the truth? All you've proven is that you are incapable of fairly looking at people who disagree with you. This isn't about evidence- because neither side has actually presented any believable evidence. The government has yet to produce an audit of voter registration changes, and the people disputing the voter registration only have graphs that indicate pay-for-vote scams. Without an audit by a third party- say some private accounting firm- there can be no faith in your "fair election".[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 15:21, 12 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2410:_Apple_Growers&diff=204459Talk:2410: Apple Growers2021-01-12T15:19:48Z<p>Herobrine: Typo</p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I think this is the first strip to refer to Trump by name. Can anyone confirm that? [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 05:32, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Negatory. [[2137: Text Entry]] is one I remember. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.173|172.69.63.173]] 06:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::The earliest I'm aware of is [[980: Money]] from 2011 (so before he'd held elective office). It's almost unfindable in the giant image. Trump is mentioned in the lower right corner of the "Billionaires" box, inside the very large "Billions" section. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.64|108.162.237.64]] 06:12, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: And, of course, [[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]].<br />
:I was sufficiently interested in this question to actually look it up with the search function. Turns out the transcripts are actually useful for something!<br />
:*[[980: Money]] is the only one from before Trump was elected President<br />
:*[[1836: Okeanos]] (mentioned as "Trump" only) is the first after the election - May 12, 2017, nearly six months after it<br />
:*[[1939: 2016 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2126: Google Trends Maps]]<br />
:*[[2137: Text Entry]]<br />
:*[[2220: Imagine Going Back in Time]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2399: 2020 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:As far as I can tell, these are the only nine comics (inclusive of this one) that use the name "Trump", and there are only four occurrences of "Donald Trump", including this. So it's not unknown, but Randall does seem to be avoiding it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.238|108.162.237.238]] 06:56, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is it really a good idea to take the lack of masks on the spokesfolks as evidence of their mental state? It seems to me that Randall often draws characters without masks when they're not directly topical, even in these days of Covid precautions, and the reporters aren't wearing masks either. It's unlikely that either group is made up entirely of family members who share the same residence [citation needed], so I would count it more likely that they can all be assumed to be masked in the same way that they can be assumed to have eyes and mouths despite lack of any visual indicators of such. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.216|108.162.245.216]] 07:48, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Do remember that they also has no close on, so unless the masks are important for the topic, then you can assume they have masks just as you can assume they have clothe on. (Or if you like, you can assume Megan and Ponytail doesn't, as I always do :-p ) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Specifically they don't have faces so... rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.42|162.158.155.42]] 10:46, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the state is Washington. Washington's pretty well known for apples, and the Cosmic Crisp variety mentioned in the title text was developed by researchers at Washington State University. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.40|108.162.245.40]] 08:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
According to a quick Wikipedia search, the title text's "we have SO MUCH to say" could be a reference to the fact that promotion for cosmic crisp was apparently the largest campaign in apple industry history. If anyone has the time to check and confirm that, we should add it to the explanation. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 08:05, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Right now, "Pink Lady" is splurging an ad (basically a 'facetime filter'-type graphics enhanced thing) over here in the UK. Though the classic from my youth was the ¿Golden Delicious? brand doing a Bugsy Mallone-spoof ("le Crunch Bunch"). But I don't follow apple brands (there's a cooking-apple tree in a garden, that I pick from, been there 40-50 years - but now no idea what cultivar it is, etc) and I'm not particularly exposed to US news on apples, only its politics. Just so you know. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.138|162.158.155.138]] 08:36, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anybody agree that "Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them" is a reference to Trump-style way of talking in speeches? [[User:Reisbein|Reisbein]] ([[User talk:Reisbein|talk]]) 08:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes already added this to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
May I question that "Nothing in modern American history resembles this"? Possibly nothing in the national Capitol's modern history resembles this precisely, but the Capitol in Michigan was invaded last May, Tennessee had an incident of this kind in 2001 while trying to debate state income tax, and there was that thing at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in Oregon. And there was Black rioting in Washington and in most other places and machine guns at the Capitol when Dr Martin Luther King was murdered, does that count as modern? And President Reagan was shot in Washington. Presidents and the White House are shot at all the time. The President's personal militia attacking other branches of the government is less usual, or is it? Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.82|141.101.107.82]] 12:01, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:In the sense of '' an attempt to overturn fair election results and prevent the orderly transition of power by attacking the Capitol,'' yes. It's not the "important buildings were attacked/threatened" part, it's the context and meaning behind the actions that's unprecedented. The incident was an unprecedented attack on democracy—it has been described by some as ''an attempted coup d'état in the United States'', and a lot of congressmen and House members, plus the Vice President were close to being seriously harmed/killed during the incident. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:19, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: I take issue both with your description, Herobrine, and the fact that in some circles, this wasn't looked at as a coup attempt at all, but as an attempt to PROTECT democracy from treasonous congressmen and house members. But I do have a question for you. Exactly what words did the president use in his speech on January 6 to "incite a riot"? Please use direct quotes in your answer.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:29, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Went through the transcript of the speech and noted that I misunderstood one section that my statement was based on when I read it two days ago. Whether he was responsible for inciting the event is debatable, but since there is no definite statement in the transcript. I have removed the section from my comment and the explanation. As for the coup attempt part, give me a sec and I'll reply later. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:41, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Changed to "described by some as (lawmakers, media, etc.)" to avoid misunderstanding. But honestly, there is no way that this was an attempt to protect democracy—they were trying to overturn a fair election and prevent the orderly transition of power. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:47, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::::The election results are disputed, and around 75% of Republicans and 20% of Democrats are willing to start a civil war over it. In what way can this be considered a fair election if all audits of the voter registration are blocked?[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:55, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::::Claims of election fraud have been rejected as totally meritless by numerous state and federal judges, state and local election officials, governors, the Justice and Homeland Security departments, and the Electoral College. I do not see how this the election was unfair. As for the "results are disputed" part, that is primarily the result of the president's efforts to overturn the results of the election and unwillingness to concede and admit his loss. Also, please reply with your quotes and sources, thanks. (Will reply again in a few hours, busy now) [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 15:10, 12 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2410:_Apple_Growers&diff=204458Talk:2410: Apple Growers2021-01-12T15:15:29Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I think this is the first strip to refer to Trump by name. Can anyone confirm that? [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 05:32, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Negatory. [[2137: Text Entry]] is one I remember. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.173|172.69.63.173]] 06:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::The earliest I'm aware of is [[980: Money]] from 2011 (so before he'd held elective office). It's almost unfindable in the giant image. Trump is mentioned in the lower right corner of the "Billionaires" box, inside the very large "Billions" section. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.64|108.162.237.64]] 06:12, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: And, of course, [[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]].<br />
:I was sufficiently interested in this question to actually look it up with the search function. Turns out the transcripts are actually useful for something!<br />
:*[[980: Money]] is the only one from before Trump was elected President<br />
:*[[1836: Okeanos]] (mentioned as "Trump" only) is the first after the election - May 12, 2017, nearly six months after it<br />
:*[[1939: 2016 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2126: Google Trends Maps]]<br />
:*[[2137: Text Entry]]<br />
:*[[2220: Imagine Going Back in Time]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2399: 2020 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:As far as I can tell, these are the only nine comics (inclusive of this one) that use the name "Trump", and there are only four occurrences of "Donald Trump", including this. So it's not unknown, but Randall does seem to be avoiding it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.238|108.162.237.238]] 06:56, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is it really a good idea to take the lack of masks on the spokesfolks as evidence of their mental state? It seems to me that Randall often draws characters without masks when they're not directly topical, even in these days of Covid precautions, and the reporters aren't wearing masks either. It's unlikely that either group is made up entirely of family members who share the same residence [citation needed], so I would count it more likely that they can all be assumed to be masked in the same way that they can be assumed to have eyes and mouths despite lack of any visual indicators of such. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.216|108.162.245.216]] 07:48, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Do remember that they also has no close on, so unless the masks are important for the topic, then you can assume they have masks just as you can assume they have clothe on. (Or if you like, you can assume Megan and Ponytail doesn't, as I always do :-p ) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Specifically they don't have faces so... rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.42|162.158.155.42]] 10:46, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the state is Washington. Washington's pretty well known for apples, and the Cosmic Crisp variety mentioned in the title text was developed by researchers at Washington State University. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.40|108.162.245.40]] 08:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
According to a quick Wikipedia search, the title text's "we have SO MUCH to say" could be a reference to the fact that promotion for cosmic crisp was apparently the largest campaign in apple industry history. If anyone has the time to check and confirm that, we should add it to the explanation. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 08:05, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Right now, "Pink Lady" is splurging an ad (basically a 'facetime filter'-type graphics enhanced thing) over here in the UK. Though the classic from my youth was the ¿Golden Delicious? brand doing a Bugsy Mallone-spoof ("le Crunch Bunch"). But I don't follow apple brands (there's a cooking-apple tree in a garden, that I pick from, been there 40-50 years - but now no idea what cultivar it is, etc) and I'm not particularly exposed to US news on apples, only its politics. Just so you know. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.138|162.158.155.138]] 08:36, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anybody agree that "Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them" is a reference to Trump-style way of talking in speeches? [[User:Reisbein|Reisbein]] ([[User talk:Reisbein|talk]]) 08:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes already added this to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
May I question that "Nothing in modern American history resembles this"? Possibly nothing in the national Capitol's modern history resembles this precisely, but the Capitol in Michigan was invaded last May, Tennessee had an incident of this kind in 2001 while trying to debate state income tax, and there was that thing at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in Oregon. And there was Black rioting in Washington and in most other places and machine guns at the Capitol when Dr Martin Luther King was murdered, does that count as modern? And President Reagan was shot in Washington. Presidents and the White House are shot at all the time. The President's personal militia attacking other branches of the government is less usual, or is it? Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.82|141.101.107.82]] 12:01, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:In the sense of '' an attempt to overturn fair election results and prevent the orderly transition of power by attacking the Capitol,'' yes. It's not the "important buildings were attacked/threatened" part, it's the context and meaning behind the actions that's unprecedented. The incident was an unprecedented attack on democracy—it has been described by some as ''an attempted coup d'état in the United States'', and a lot of congressmen and House members, plus the Vice President were close to being seriously harmed/killed during the incident. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:19, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: I take issue both with your description, Herobrine, and the fact that in some circles, this wasn't looked at as a coup attempt at all, but as an attempt to PROTECT democracy from treasonous congressmen and house members. But I do have a question for you. Exactly what words did the president use in his speech on January 6 to "incite a riot"? Please use direct quotes in your answer.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:29, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Went through the transcript of the speech and noted that I misunderstood one section that my statement was based on when I read it two days ago. Whether he was responsible for inciting the event is debatable, but since there is no definite statement in the transcript I have removed the section from my comment and the explanation. As for the coup attempt part, give me a sec and I'll reply later. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:41, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Changed to "described by some as (lawmakers, media, etc.)" to avoid misunderstanding. But honestly, there is no way that this was an attempt to protect democracy—they were trying to overturn a fair election and prevent the orderly transition of power. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:47, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::::The election results are disputed, and around 75% of Republicans and 20% of Democrats are willing to start a civil war over it. In what way can this be considered a fair election if all audits of the voter registration are blocked?[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:55, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::::Claims of election fraud have been rejected as totally meritless by numerous state and federal judges, state and local election officials, governors, the Justice and Homeland Security departments, and the Electoral College. I do not see how this the election was unfair. As for the "results are disputed" part, that is primarily the result of the president's efforts to overturn the results of the election and unwillingness to concede and admit his loss. Also, please reply with your quotes and sources, thanks. (Will reply again in a few hours, busy now) [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 15:10, 12 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2410:_Apple_Growers&diff=204457Talk:2410: Apple Growers2021-01-12T15:10:10Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I think this is the first strip to refer to Trump by name. Can anyone confirm that? [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 05:32, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Negatory. [[2137: Text Entry]] is one I remember. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.173|172.69.63.173]] 06:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::The earliest I'm aware of is [[980: Money]] from 2011 (so before he'd held elective office). It's almost unfindable in the giant image. Trump is mentioned in the lower right corner of the "Billionaires" box, inside the very large "Billions" section. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.64|108.162.237.64]] 06:12, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: And, of course, [[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]].<br />
:I was sufficiently interested in this question to actually look it up with the search function. Turns out the transcripts are actually useful for something!<br />
:*[[980: Money]] is the only one from before Trump was elected President<br />
:*[[1836: Okeanos]] (mentioned as "Trump" only) is the first after the election - May 12, 2017, nearly six months after it<br />
:*[[1939: 2016 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2126: Google Trends Maps]]<br />
:*[[2137: Text Entry]]<br />
:*[[2220: Imagine Going Back in Time]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2399: 2020 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:As far as I can tell, these are the only nine comics (inclusive of this one) that use the name "Trump", and there are only four occurrences of "Donald Trump", including this. So it's not unknown, but Randall does seem to be avoiding it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.238|108.162.237.238]] 06:56, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is it really a good idea to take the lack of masks on the spokesfolks as evidence of their mental state? It seems to me that Randall often draws characters without masks when they're not directly topical, even in these days of Covid precautions, and the reporters aren't wearing masks either. It's unlikely that either group is made up entirely of family members who share the same residence [citation needed], so I would count it more likely that they can all be assumed to be masked in the same way that they can be assumed to have eyes and mouths despite lack of any visual indicators of such. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.216|108.162.245.216]] 07:48, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Do remember that they also has no close on, so unless the masks are important for the topic, then you can assume they have masks just as you can assume they have clothe on. (Or if you like, you can assume Megan and Ponytail doesn't, as I always do :-p ) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Specifically they don't have faces so... rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.42|162.158.155.42]] 10:46, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the state is Washington. Washington's pretty well known for apples, and the Cosmic Crisp variety mentioned in the title text was developed by researchers at Washington State University. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.40|108.162.245.40]] 08:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
According to a quick Wikipedia search, the title text's "we have SO MUCH to say" could be a reference to the fact that promotion for cosmic crisp was apparently the largest campaign in apple industry history. If anyone has the time to check and confirm that, we should add it to the explanation. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 08:05, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Right now, "Pink Lady" is splurging an ad (basically a 'facetime filter'-type graphics enhanced thing) over here in the UK. Though the classic from my youth was the ¿Golden Delicious? brand doing a Bugsy Mallone-spoof ("le Crunch Bunch"). But I don't follow apple brands (there's a cooking-apple tree in a garden, that I pick from, been there 40-50 years - but now no idea what cultivar it is, etc) and I'm not particularly exposed to US news on apples, only its politics. Just so you know. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.138|162.158.155.138]] 08:36, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anybody agree that "Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them" is a reference to Trump-style way of talking in speeches? [[User:Reisbein|Reisbein]] ([[User talk:Reisbein|talk]]) 08:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes already added this to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
May I question that "Nothing in modern American history resembles this"? Possibly nothing in the national Capitol's modern history resembles this precisely, but the Capitol in Michigan was invaded last May, Tennessee had an incident of this kind in 2001 while trying to debate state income tax, and there was that thing at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in Oregon. And there was Black rioting in Washington and in most other places and machine guns at the Capitol when Dr Martin Luther King was murdered, does that count as modern? And President Reagan was shot in Washington. Presidents and the White House are shot at all the time. The President's personal militia attacking other branches of the government is less usual, or is it? Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.82|141.101.107.82]] 12:01, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:In the sense of '' an attempt to overturn fair election results and prevent the orderly transition of power by attacking the Capitol,'' yes. It's not the "important buildings were attacked/threatened" part, it's the context and meaning behind the actions that's unprecedented. The incident was an unprecedented attack on democracy—it has been described by some as ''an attempted coup d'état in the United States'', and a lot of congressmen and House members, plus the Vice President were close to being seriously harmed/killed during the incident. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:19, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: I take issue both with your description, Herobrine, and the fact that in some circles, this wasn't looked at as a coup attempt at all, but as an attempt to PROTECT democracy from treasonous congressmen and house members. But I do have a question for you. Exactly what words did the president use in his speech on January 6 to "incite a riot"? Please use direct quotes in your answer.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:29, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Went through the transcript of the speech and noted that I misunderstood one section that my statement was based on when I read it two days ago. Whether he was responsible for inciting the event is debatable, but since there is no definite statement in the transcript I have removed the section from my comment and the explanation. As for the coup attempt part, give me a sec and I'll reply later. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:41, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Changed to "described by some as (lawmakers, media, etc.)" to avoid misunderstanding. But honestly, there is no way that this was an attempt to protect democracy—they were trying to overturn a fair election and prevent the orderly transition of power. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:47, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::::The election results are disputed, and around 75% of Republicans and 20% of Democrats are willing to start a civil war over it. In what way can this be considered a fair election if all audits of the voter registration are blocked?[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:55, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::::Claims of election fraud have been rejected as totally meritless by numerous state and federal judges, state and local election officials, governors, the Justice and Homeland Security departments, and the Electoral College. I do not see how this the election was unfair. As for the "willing to start a civil war" part, that is primarily refusal to accept the results, and the result of the president's efforts to overturn the results of the election and unwillingness to concede and admit his loss. Also, please reply with your quotes and sources. (Will reply again in a few hours, busy now) [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 15:10, 12 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2410:_Apple_Growers&diff=204454Talk:2410: Apple Growers2021-01-12T14:52:41Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I think this is the first strip to refer to Trump by name. Can anyone confirm that? [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 05:32, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Negatory. [[2137: Text Entry]] is one I remember. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.173|172.69.63.173]] 06:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::The earliest I'm aware of is [[980: Money]] from 2011 (so before he'd held elective office). It's almost unfindable in the giant image. Trump is mentioned in the lower right corner of the "Billionaires" box, inside the very large "Billions" section. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.64|108.162.237.64]] 06:12, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: And, of course, [[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]].<br />
:I was sufficiently interested in this question to actually look it up with the search function. Turns out the transcripts are actually useful for something!<br />
:*[[980: Money]] is the only one from before Trump was elected President<br />
:*[[1836: Okeanos]] (mentioned as "Trump" only) is the first after the election - May 12, 2017, nearly six months after it<br />
:*[[1939: 2016 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2126: Google Trends Maps]]<br />
:*[[2137: Text Entry]]<br />
:*[[2220: Imagine Going Back in Time]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2399: 2020 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:As far as I can tell, these are the only nine comics (inclusive of this one) that use the name "Trump", and there are only four occurrences of "Donald Trump", including this. So it's not unknown, but Randall does seem to be avoiding it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.238|108.162.237.238]] 06:56, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is it really a good idea to take the lack of masks on the spokesfolks as evidence of their mental state? It seems to me that Randall often draws characters without masks when they're not directly topical, even in these days of Covid precautions, and the reporters aren't wearing masks either. It's unlikely that either group is made up entirely of family members who share the same residence [citation needed], so I would count it more likely that they can all be assumed to be masked in the same way that they can be assumed to have eyes and mouths despite lack of any visual indicators of such. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.216|108.162.245.216]] 07:48, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Do remember that they also has no close on, so unless the masks are important for the topic, then you can assume they have masks just as you can assume they have clothe on. (Or if you like, you can assume Megan and Ponytail doesn't, as I always do :-p ) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Specifically they don't have faces so... rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.42|162.158.155.42]] 10:46, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the state is Washington. Washington's pretty well known for apples, and the Cosmic Crisp variety mentioned in the title text was developed by researchers at Washington State University. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.40|108.162.245.40]] 08:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
According to a quick Wikipedia search, the title text's "we have SO MUCH to say" could be a reference to the fact that promotion for cosmic crisp was apparently the largest campaign in apple industry history. If anyone has the time to check and confirm that, we should add it to the explanation. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 08:05, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Right now, "Pink Lady" is splurging an ad (basically a 'facetime filter'-type graphics enhanced thing) over here in the UK. Though the classic from my youth was the ¿Golden Delicious? brand doing a Bugsy Mallone-spoof ("le Crunch Bunch"). But I don't follow apple brands (there's a cooking-apple tree in a garden, that I pick from, been there 40-50 years - but now no idea what cultivar it is, etc) and I'm not particularly exposed to US news on apples, only its politics. Just so you know. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.138|162.158.155.138]] 08:36, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anybody agree that "Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them" is a reference to Trump-style way of talking in speeches? [[User:Reisbein|Reisbein]] ([[User talk:Reisbein|talk]]) 08:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes already added this to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
May I question that "Nothing in modern American history resembles this"? Possibly nothing in the national Capitol's modern history resembles this precisely, but the Capitol in Michigan was invaded last May, Tennessee had an incident of this kind in 2001 while trying to debate state income tax, and there was that thing at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in Oregon. And there was Black rioting in Washington and in most other places and machine guns at the Capitol when Dr Martin Luther King was murdered, does that count as modern? And President Reagan was shot in Washington. Presidents and the White House are shot at all the time. The President's personal militia attacking other branches of the government is less usual, or is it? Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.82|141.101.107.82]] 12:01, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:In the sense of '' an attempt to overturn fair election results and prevent the orderly transition of power by attacking the Capitol,'' yes. It's not the "important buildings were attacked/threatened" part, it's the context and meaning behind the actions that's unprecedented. The incident was an unprecedented attack on democracy—it has been described by some as ''an attempted coup d'état in the United States'', and a lot of congressmen and House members, plus the Vice President were close to being seriously harmed/killed during the incident. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:19, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: I take issue both with your description, Herobrine, and the fact that in some circles, this wasn't looked at as a coup attempt at all, but as an attempt to PROTECT democracy from treasonous congressmen and house members. But I do have a question for you. Exactly what words did the president use in his speech on January 6 to "incite a riot"? Please use direct quotes in your answer.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:29, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Went through the transcript of the speech and noted that I misunderstood one section that my statement was based on when I read it two days ago. Whether he was responsible for inciting the event is debatable, but since there is no definite statement in the transcript I have removed the section from my comment and the explanation. As for the coup attempt part, give me a sec and I'll reply later. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:41, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Changed to "described by some as (lawmakers, media, etc.)" to avoid misunderstanding. But honestly, there is no way that this was an attempt to protect democracy—they were trying to overturn a fair election and prevent the orderly transition of power. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:47, 12 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2410:_Apple_Growers&diff=204453Talk:2410: Apple Growers2021-01-12T14:50:49Z<p>Herobrine: Typo</p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I think this is the first strip to refer to Trump by name. Can anyone confirm that? [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 05:32, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Negatory. [[2137: Text Entry]] is one I remember. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.173|172.69.63.173]] 06:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::The earliest I'm aware of is [[980: Money]] from 2011 (so before he'd held elective office). It's almost unfindable in the giant image. Trump is mentioned in the lower right corner of the "Billionaires" box, inside the very large "Billions" section. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.64|108.162.237.64]] 06:12, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: And, of course, [[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]].<br />
:I was sufficiently interested in this question to actually look it up with the search function. Turns out the transcripts are actually useful for something!<br />
:*[[980: Money]] is the only one from before Trump was elected President<br />
:*[[1836: Okeanos]] (mentioned as "Trump" only) is the first after the election - May 12, 2017, nearly six months after it<br />
:*[[1939: 2016 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2126: Google Trends Maps]]<br />
:*[[2137: Text Entry]]<br />
:*[[2220: Imagine Going Back in Time]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2399: 2020 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:As far as I can tell, these are the only nine comics (inclusive of this one) that use the name "Trump", and there are only four occurrences of "Donald Trump", including this. So it's not unknown, but Randall does seem to be avoiding it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.238|108.162.237.238]] 06:56, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is it really a good idea to take the lack of masks on the spokesfolks as evidence of their mental state? It seems to me that Randall often draws characters without masks when they're not directly topical, even in these days of Covid precautions, and the reporters aren't wearing masks either. It's unlikely that either group is made up entirely of family members who share the same residence [citation needed], so I would count it more likely that they can all be assumed to be masked in the same way that they can be assumed to have eyes and mouths despite lack of any visual indicators of such. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.216|108.162.245.216]] 07:48, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Do remember that they also has no close on, so unless the masks are important for the topic, then you can assume they have masks just as you can assume they have clothe on. (Or if you like, you can assume Megan and Ponytail doesn't, as I always do :-p ) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Specifically they don't have faces so... rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.42|162.158.155.42]] 10:46, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the state is Washington. Washington's pretty well known for apples, and the Cosmic Crisp variety mentioned in the title text was developed by researchers at Washington State University. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.40|108.162.245.40]] 08:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
According to a quick Wikipedia search, the title text's "we have SO MUCH to say" could be a reference to the fact that promotion for cosmic crisp was apparently the largest campaign in apple industry history. If anyone has the time to check and confirm that, we should add it to the explanation. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 08:05, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Right now, "Pink Lady" is splurging an ad (basically a 'facetime filter'-type graphics enhanced thing) over here in the UK. Though the classic from my youth was the ¿Golden Delicious? brand doing a Bugsy Mallone-spoof ("le Crunch Bunch"). But I don't follow apple brands (there's a cooking-apple tree in a garden, that I pick from, been there 40-50 years - but now no idea what cultivar it is, etc) and I'm not particularly exposed to US news on apples, only its politics. Just so you know. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.138|162.158.155.138]] 08:36, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anybody agree that "Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them" is a reference to Trump-style way of talking in speeches? [[User:Reisbein|Reisbein]] ([[User talk:Reisbein|talk]]) 08:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes already added this to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
May I question that "Nothing in modern American history resembles this"? Possibly nothing in the national Capitol's modern history resembles this precisely, but the Capitol in Michigan was invaded last May, Tennessee had an incident of this kind in 2001 while trying to debate state income tax, and there was that thing at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in Oregon. And there was Black rioting in Washington and in most other places and machine guns at the Capitol when Dr Martin Luther King was murdered, does that count as modern? And President Reagan was shot in Washington. Presidents and the White House are shot at all the time. The President's personal militia attacking other branches of the government is less usual, or is it? Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.82|141.101.107.82]] 12:01, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:In the sense of '' an attempt to overturn fair election results and prevent the orderly transition of power by attacking the Capitol,'' yes. It's not the "important buildings were attacked/threatened" part, it's the context and meaning behind the actions that's unprecedented. The incident was an unprecedented attack on democracy—it has been described by some as ''an attempted coup d'état in the United States'', and a lot of congressmen and House members, plus the Vice President were close to being seriously harmed/killed during the incident. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:19, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: I take issue both with your description, Herobrine, and the fact that in some circles, this wasn't looked at as a coup attempt at all, but as an attempt to PROTECT democracy from treasonous congressmen and house members. But I do have a question for you. Exactly what words did the president use in his speech on January 6 to "incite a riot"? Please use direct quotes in your answer.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:29, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Went through the transcript of the speech and noted that I misunderstood one section that my statement was based on when I read it two days ago. Whether he was responsible for inciting the event is debatable, but since there is no definite statement in the transcript I have removed the section from my comment and the explanation. As for the coup attempt part, give me a sec and I'll reply later. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:41, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Changed to "described by some as (lawmakers, media, etc.)" to avoid misunderstanding. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:47, 12 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2410:_Apple_Growers&diff=204452Talk:2410: Apple Growers2021-01-12T14:50:15Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I think this is the first strip to refer to Trump by name. Can anyone confirm that? [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 05:32, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Negatory. [[2137: Text Entry]] is one I remember. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.173|172.69.63.173]] 06:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::The earliest I'm aware of is [[980: Money]] from 2011 (so before he'd held elective office). It's almost unfindable in the giant image. Trump is mentioned in the lower right corner of the "Billionaires" box, inside the very large "Billions" section. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.64|108.162.237.64]] 06:12, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: And, of course, [[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]].<br />
:I was sufficiently interested in this question to actually look it up with the search function. Turns out the transcripts are actually useful for something!<br />
:*[[980: Money]] is the only one from before Trump was elected President<br />
:*[[1836: Okeanos]] (mentioned as "Trump" only) is the first after the election - May 12, 2017, nearly six months after it<br />
:*[[1939: 2016 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2126: Google Trends Maps]]<br />
:*[[2137: Text Entry]]<br />
:*[[2220: Imagine Going Back in Time]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2399: 2020 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:As far as I can tell, these are the only nine comics (inclusive of this one) that use the name "Trump", and there are only four occurrences of "Donald Trump", including this. So it's not unknown, but Randall does seem to be avoiding it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.238|108.162.237.238]] 06:56, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is it really a good idea to take the lack of masks on the spokesfolks as evidence of their mental state? It seems to me that Randall often draws characters without masks when they're not directly topical, even in these days of Covid precautions, and the reporters aren't wearing masks either. It's unlikely that either group is made up entirely of family members who share the same residence [citation needed], so I would count it more likely that they can all be assumed to be masked in the same way that they can be assumed to have eyes and mouths despite lack of any visual indicators of such. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.216|108.162.245.216]] 07:48, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Do remember that they also has no close on, so unless the masks are important for the topic, then you can assume they have masks just as you can assume they have clothe on. (Or if you like, you can assume Megan and Ponytail doesn't, as I always do :-p ) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Specifically they don't have faces so... rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.42|162.158.155.42]] 10:46, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the state is Washington. Washington's pretty well known for apples, and the Cosmic Crisp variety mentioned in the title text was developed by researchers at Washington State University. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.40|108.162.245.40]] 08:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
According to a quick Wikipedia search, the title text's "we have SO MUCH to say" could be a reference to the fact that promotion for cosmic crisp was apparently the largest campaign in apple industry history. If anyone has the time to check and confirm that, we should add it to the explanation. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 08:05, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Right now, "Pink Lady" is splurging an ad (basically a 'facetime filter'-type graphics enhanced thing) over here in the UK. Though the classic from my youth was the ¿Golden Delicious? brand doing a Bugsy Mallone-spoof ("le Crunch Bunch"). But I don't follow apple brands (there's a cooking-apple tree in a garden, that I pick from, been there 40-50 years - but now no idea what cultivar it is, etc) and I'm not particularly exposed to US news on apples, only its politics. Just so you know. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.138|162.158.155.138]] 08:36, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anybody agree that "Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them" is a reference to Trump-style way of talking in speeches? [[User:Reisbein|Reisbein]] ([[User talk:Reisbein|talk]]) 08:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes already added this to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
May I question that "Nothing in modern American history resembles this"? Possibly nothing in the national Capitol's modern history resembles this precisely, but the Capitol in Michigan was invaded last May, Tennessee had an incident of this kind in 2001 while trying to debate state income tax, and there was that thing at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in Oregon. And there was Black rioting in Washington and in most other places and machine guns at the Capitol when Dr Martin Luther King was murdered, does that count as modern? And President Reagan was shot in Washington. Presidents and the White House are shot at all the time. The President's personal militia attacking other branches of the government is less usual, or is it? Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.82|141.101.107.82]] 12:01, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:In the sense of '' an attempt to overturn fair election results and prevent the orderly transition of power by attacking the Capitol,'' yes. It's not the "important buildings were attacked/threatened" part, it's the context and meaning behind the actions that's unprecedented. The incident was an unprecedented attack on democracy—it was has been described by some as ''an attempted coup d'état in the United States'', and a lot of congressmen and House members, plus the Vice President were close to being seriously harmed/killed during the incident. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:19, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: I take issue both with your description, Herobrine, and the fact that in some circles, this wasn't looked at as a coup attempt at all, but as an attempt to PROTECT democracy from treasonous congressmen and house members. But I do have a question for you. Exactly what words did the president use in his speech on January 6 to "incite a riot"? Please use direct quotes in your answer.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:29, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Went through the transcript of the speech and noted that I misunderstood one section that my statement was based on when I read it two days ago. Whether he was responsible for inciting the event is debatable, but since there is no definite statement in the transcript I have removed the section from my comment and the explanation. As for the coup attempt part, give me a sec and I'll reply later. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:41, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Changed to "described by some as (lawmakers, media, etc.)" to avoid misunderstanding. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:47, 12 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2410:_Apple_Growers&diff=204451Talk:2410: Apple Growers2021-01-12T14:47:38Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I think this is the first strip to refer to Trump by name. Can anyone confirm that? [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 05:32, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Negatory. [[2137: Text Entry]] is one I remember. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.173|172.69.63.173]] 06:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::The earliest I'm aware of is [[980: Money]] from 2011 (so before he'd held elective office). It's almost unfindable in the giant image. Trump is mentioned in the lower right corner of the "Billionaires" box, inside the very large "Billions" section. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.64|108.162.237.64]] 06:12, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: And, of course, [[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]].<br />
:I was sufficiently interested in this question to actually look it up with the search function. Turns out the transcripts are actually useful for something!<br />
:*[[980: Money]] is the only one from before Trump was elected President<br />
:*[[1836: Okeanos]] (mentioned as "Trump" only) is the first after the election - May 12, 2017, nearly six months after it<br />
:*[[1939: 2016 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2126: Google Trends Maps]]<br />
:*[[2137: Text Entry]]<br />
:*[[2220: Imagine Going Back in Time]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2399: 2020 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:As far as I can tell, these are the only nine comics (inclusive of this one) that use the name "Trump", and there are only four occurrences of "Donald Trump", including this. So it's not unknown, but Randall does seem to be avoiding it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.238|108.162.237.238]] 06:56, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is it really a good idea to take the lack of masks on the spokesfolks as evidence of their mental state? It seems to me that Randall often draws characters without masks when they're not directly topical, even in these days of Covid precautions, and the reporters aren't wearing masks either. It's unlikely that either group is made up entirely of family members who share the same residence [citation needed], so I would count it more likely that they can all be assumed to be masked in the same way that they can be assumed to have eyes and mouths despite lack of any visual indicators of such. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.216|108.162.245.216]] 07:48, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Do remember that they also has no close on, so unless the masks are important for the topic, then you can assume they have masks just as you can assume they have clothe on. (Or if you like, you can assume Megan and Ponytail doesn't, as I always do :-p ) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Specifically they don't have faces so... rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.42|162.158.155.42]] 10:46, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the state is Washington. Washington's pretty well known for apples, and the Cosmic Crisp variety mentioned in the title text was developed by researchers at Washington State University. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.40|108.162.245.40]] 08:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
According to a quick Wikipedia search, the title text's "we have SO MUCH to say" could be a reference to the fact that promotion for cosmic crisp was apparently the largest campaign in apple industry history. If anyone has the time to check and confirm that, we should add it to the explanation. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 08:05, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Right now, "Pink Lady" is splurging an ad (basically a 'facetime filter'-type graphics enhanced thing) over here in the UK. Though the classic from my youth was the ¿Golden Delicious? brand doing a Bugsy Mallone-spoof ("le Crunch Bunch"). But I don't follow apple brands (there's a cooking-apple tree in a garden, that I pick from, been there 40-50 years - but now no idea what cultivar it is, etc) and I'm not particularly exposed to US news on apples, only its politics. Just so you know. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.138|162.158.155.138]] 08:36, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anybody agree that "Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them" is a reference to Trump-style way of talking in speeches? [[User:Reisbein|Reisbein]] ([[User talk:Reisbein|talk]]) 08:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes already added this to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
May I question that "Nothing in modern American history resembles this"? Possibly nothing in the national Capitol's modern history resembles this precisely, but the Capitol in Michigan was invaded last May, Tennessee had an incident of this kind in 2001 while trying to debate state income tax, and there was that thing at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in Oregon. And there was Black rioting in Washington and in most other places and machine guns at the Capitol when Dr Martin Luther King was murdered, does that count as modern? And President Reagan was shot in Washington. Presidents and the White House are shot at all the time. The President's personal militia attacking other branches of the government is less usual, or is it? Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.82|141.101.107.82]] 12:01, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:In the sense of '' an attempt to overturn fair election results and prevent the orderly transition of power by attacking the Capitol,'' yes. It's not the "important buildings were attacked/threatened" part, it's the context and meaning behind the actions that's unprecedented. The incident was an unprecedented attack on democracy—it was has been described by some as ''an attempted coup d'état in the United States'', and a lot of congressmen and House members, plus the Vice President were close to being seriously harmed/killed during the incident. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:19, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: I take issue both with your description, Herobrine, and the fact that in some circles, this wasn't looked at as a coup attempt at all, but as an attempt to PROTECT democracy from treasonous congressmen and house members. But I do have a question for you. Exactly what words did the president use in his speech on January 6 to "incite a riot"? Please use direct quotes in your answer.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:29, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Went through the transcript of the speech and noted that I misunderstood one section that my statement was based on when I read it two days ago. Removed that section from my comment and the explanation. As for the coup attempt part, give me a sec and I'll reply later. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:41, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Changed to "described by some as (lawmakers, media, etc.)" [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:47, 12 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2410:_Apple_Growers&diff=204450Talk:2410: Apple Growers2021-01-12T14:43:00Z<p>Herobrine: Formatting</p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I think this is the first strip to refer to Trump by name. Can anyone confirm that? [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 05:32, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Negatory. [[2137: Text Entry]] is one I remember. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.173|172.69.63.173]] 06:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::The earliest I'm aware of is [[980: Money]] from 2011 (so before he'd held elective office). It's almost unfindable in the giant image. Trump is mentioned in the lower right corner of the "Billionaires" box, inside the very large "Billions" section. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.64|108.162.237.64]] 06:12, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: And, of course, [[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]].<br />
:I was sufficiently interested in this question to actually look it up with the search function. Turns out the transcripts are actually useful for something!<br />
:*[[980: Money]] is the only one from before Trump was elected President<br />
:*[[1836: Okeanos]] (mentioned as "Trump" only) is the first after the election - May 12, 2017, nearly six months after it<br />
:*[[1939: 2016 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2126: Google Trends Maps]]<br />
:*[[2137: Text Entry]]<br />
:*[[2220: Imagine Going Back in Time]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2399: 2020 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:As far as I can tell, these are the only nine comics (inclusive of this one) that use the name "Trump", and there are only four occurrences of "Donald Trump", including this. So it's not unknown, but Randall does seem to be avoiding it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.238|108.162.237.238]] 06:56, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is it really a good idea to take the lack of masks on the spokesfolks as evidence of their mental state? It seems to me that Randall often draws characters without masks when they're not directly topical, even in these days of Covid precautions, and the reporters aren't wearing masks either. It's unlikely that either group is made up entirely of family members who share the same residence [citation needed], so I would count it more likely that they can all be assumed to be masked in the same way that they can be assumed to have eyes and mouths despite lack of any visual indicators of such. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.216|108.162.245.216]] 07:48, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Do remember that they also has no close on, so unless the masks are important for the topic, then you can assume they have masks just as you can assume they have clothe on. (Or if you like, you can assume Megan and Ponytail doesn't, as I always do :-p ) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Specifically they don't have faces so... rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.42|162.158.155.42]] 10:46, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the state is Washington. Washington's pretty well known for apples, and the Cosmic Crisp variety mentioned in the title text was developed by researchers at Washington State University. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.40|108.162.245.40]] 08:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
According to a quick Wikipedia search, the title text's "we have SO MUCH to say" could be a reference to the fact that promotion for cosmic crisp was apparently the largest campaign in apple industry history. If anyone has the time to check and confirm that, we should add it to the explanation. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 08:05, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Right now, "Pink Lady" is splurging an ad (basically a 'facetime filter'-type graphics enhanced thing) over here in the UK. Though the classic from my youth was the ¿Golden Delicious? brand doing a Bugsy Mallone-spoof ("le Crunch Bunch"). But I don't follow apple brands (there's a cooking-apple tree in a garden, that I pick from, been there 40-50 years - but now no idea what cultivar it is, etc) and I'm not particularly exposed to US news on apples, only its politics. Just so you know. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.138|162.158.155.138]] 08:36, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anybody agree that "Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them" is a reference to Trump-style way of talking in speeches? [[User:Reisbein|Reisbein]] ([[User talk:Reisbein|talk]]) 08:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes already added this to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
May I question that "Nothing in modern American history resembles this"? Possibly nothing in the national Capitol's modern history resembles this precisely, but the Capitol in Michigan was invaded last May, Tennessee had an incident of this kind in 2001 while trying to debate state income tax, and there was that thing at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in Oregon. And there was Black rioting in Washington and in most other places and machine guns at the Capitol when Dr Martin Luther King was murdered, does that count as modern? And President Reagan was shot in Washington. Presidents and the White House are shot at all the time. The President's personal militia attacking other branches of the government is less usual, or is it? Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.82|141.101.107.82]] 12:01, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:In the sense of '' an attempt to overturn fair election results and prevent the orderly transition of power by attacking the Capitol,'' yes. It's not the "important buildings were attacked/threatened" part, it's the context and meaning behind the actions that's unprecedented. The incident was an unprecedented attack on democracy—it was essentially ''an attempted coup d'état in the United States'', and a lot of congressmen and House members, plus the Vice President were close to being seriously harmed/killed during the incident. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:19, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: I take issue both with your description, Herobrine, and the fact that in some circles, this wasn't looked at as a coup attempt at all, but as an attempt to PROTECT democracy from treasonous congressmen and house members. But I do have a question for you. Exactly what words did the president use in his speech on January 6 to "incite a riot"? Please use direct quotes in your answer.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:29, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Went through the transcript of the speech and noted that I misunderstood one section that my statement was based on when I read it two days ago. Removed that section from my comment and the explanation. As for the coup attempt part, give me a sec and I'll reply later. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:41, 12 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2410:_Apple_Growers&diff=204449Talk:2410: Apple Growers2021-01-12T14:41:49Z<p>Herobrine: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I think this is the first strip to refer to Trump by name. Can anyone confirm that? [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 05:32, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Negatory. [[2137: Text Entry]] is one I remember. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.173|172.69.63.173]] 06:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::The earliest I'm aware of is [[980: Money]] from 2011 (so before he'd held elective office). It's almost unfindable in the giant image. Trump is mentioned in the lower right corner of the "Billionaires" box, inside the very large "Billions" section. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.64|108.162.237.64]] 06:12, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: And, of course, [[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]].<br />
:I was sufficiently interested in this question to actually look it up with the search function. Turns out the transcripts are actually useful for something!<br />
:*[[980: Money]] is the only one from before Trump was elected President<br />
:*[[1836: Okeanos]] (mentioned as "Trump" only) is the first after the election - May 12, 2017, nearly six months after it<br />
:*[[1939: 2016 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2126: Google Trends Maps]]<br />
:*[[2137: Text Entry]]<br />
:*[[2220: Imagine Going Back in Time]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:*[[2399: 2020 Election Map]] ("Trump" only)<br />
:As far as I can tell, these are the only nine comics (inclusive of this one) that use the name "Trump", and there are only four occurrences of "Donald Trump", including this. So it's not unknown, but Randall does seem to be avoiding it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.238|108.162.237.238]] 06:56, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is it really a good idea to take the lack of masks on the spokesfolks as evidence of their mental state? It seems to me that Randall often draws characters without masks when they're not directly topical, even in these days of Covid precautions, and the reporters aren't wearing masks either. It's unlikely that either group is made up entirely of family members who share the same residence [citation needed], so I would count it more likely that they can all be assumed to be masked in the same way that they can be assumed to have eyes and mouths despite lack of any visual indicators of such. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.216|108.162.245.216]] 07:48, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Do remember that they also has no close on, so unless the masks are important for the topic, then you can assume they have masks just as you can assume they have clothe on. (Or if you like, you can assume Megan and Ponytail doesn't, as I always do :-p ) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Specifically they don't have faces so... rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.42|162.158.155.42]] 10:46, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the state is Washington. Washington's pretty well known for apples, and the Cosmic Crisp variety mentioned in the title text was developed by researchers at Washington State University. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.40|108.162.245.40]] 08:00, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
According to a quick Wikipedia search, the title text's "we have SO MUCH to say" could be a reference to the fact that promotion for cosmic crisp was apparently the largest campaign in apple industry history. If anyone has the time to check and confirm that, we should add it to the explanation. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 08:05, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Right now, "Pink Lady" is splurging an ad (basically a 'facetime filter'-type graphics enhanced thing) over here in the UK. Though the classic from my youth was the ¿Golden Delicious? brand doing a Bugsy Mallone-spoof ("le Crunch Bunch"). But I don't follow apple brands (there's a cooking-apple tree in a garden, that I pick from, been there 40-50 years - but now no idea what cultivar it is, etc) and I'm not particularly exposed to US news on apples, only its politics. Just so you know. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.138|162.158.155.138]] 08:36, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anybody agree that "Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them" is a reference to Trump-style way of talking in speeches? [[User:Reisbein|Reisbein]] ([[User talk:Reisbein|talk]]) 08:31, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes already added this to the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:04, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
May I question that "Nothing in modern American history resembles this"? Possibly nothing in the national Capitol's modern history resembles this precisely, but the Capitol in Michigan was invaded last May, Tennessee had an incident of this kind in 2001 while trying to debate state income tax, and there was that thing at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in Oregon. And there was Black rioting in Washington and in most other places and machine guns at the Capitol when Dr Martin Luther King was murdered, does that count as modern? And President Reagan was shot in Washington. Presidents and the White House are shot at all the time. The President's personal militia attacking other branches of the government is less usual, or is it? Robert Carnegie rja.carnegie@excite.com [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.82|141.101.107.82]] 12:01, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:In the sense of '' an attempt to overturn fair election results and prevent the orderly transition of power by attacking the Capitol,'' yes. It's not the "important buildings were attacked/threatened" part, it's the context and meaning behind the actions that's unprecedented. The incident was an unprecedented attack on democracy—it was essentially ''an attempted coup d'état in the United States'', and a lot of congressmen and House members, plus the Vice President were close to being seriously harmed/killed during the incident. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:19, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
::: I take issue both with your description, Herobrine, and the fact that in some circles, this wasn't looked at as a coup attempt at all, but as an attempt to PROTECT democracy from treasonous congressmen and house members. But I do have a question for you. Exactly what words did the president use in his speech on January 6 to "incite a riot"? Please use direct quotes in your answer.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:29, 12 January 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::Went through the transcript of the speech and noted that I misunderstood one section that my statement was based on when I read it two days ago. Removed that section from my comment and the explanation. As for the coup attempt part, give me a sec and I'll reply later. [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 14:41, 12 January 2021 (UTC)</div>Herobrinehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2410:_Apple_Growers&diff=2044482410: Apple Growers2021-01-12T14:38:30Z<p>Herobrine: Undo revision 204447 Wrote incorrect information</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2410<br />
| date = January 12, 2021<br />
| title = Apple Growers<br />
| image = apple_growers.png<br />
| titletext = Hopefully in a couple of weeks we'll be able to resume our apple-focused updates, because we have SO MUCH to say about Cosmic Crisp.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a DISTRACTED APPLE GROWER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
On January 6, 2021, supporters of President {{w|Donald Trump}} {{w|2021 storming of the United States Capitol|stormed the United States Capitol}} while Congress was in session, an event variously described as treason, insurrection, domestic terrorism, or a coup attempt. Nothing in modern American history resembles this; the {{w|Burning of Washington}}, by the British in {{w|the War of 1812}}, is sometimes raised in comparison. It is hard to overstate the significance of this event—it was a blatant attempt to violently overturn a fair election and prevent the orderly transition of power, and an unprecedented attack on democracy.<br />
<br />
In its wake, many Democratic and Republican politicians have condemned the incident, and corporations ranging from Marriott Hotels to Axe Body Spray have denounced Trump and his enablers.<br />
<br />
Normal American life, already strained under the [[:Category:COVID-19|coronavirus pandemic]], was dealt another blow by the insurrection, but various scheduled events continue to be carried out. This comic depicts one such event, a news conference hosted by the State Apple Growers (of an unspecified state). Their spokeswoman, Megan, announces that the apple growers would like Donald Trump to resign. This has nothing to do with apples. Ponytail questions Megan about this, but Megan concedes that the apple growers have not actually been doing apple-related work recently. She then gives a frazzled call for people to consume apples, using phrases similarly to those Trump often uses, while admitting that the growers are under great strain.<br />
<br />
{{w|Cosmic Crisp}}, mentioned in title text, is a variety of apples developed in the Washington State University that has been on sale since 2019, amid a large marketing campaign.<br />
<br />
This is one of very few comics with [[Beret Guy]] where he is not really doing anything, although his presence in food related comics have often been seen, and this is also a weird turn of event that the Apple Growers discuss Trump. However, usually Beret Guy is not interested in real life problems.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Beret Guy and Cueball stand on either side of Megan with her hair unkempt. They stand behind a lectern with an image of an apple on the front of it. Unreadable text is written on both side of the apple in two rows.]<br />
:Megan: *Ahem* <br />
:Megan: The state apple-growers' association has decided to formally call on President Donald Trump to resign.<br />
<br />
:[A wider shot shows Beret Guy, Megan, and Cueball on a podium behind the lectern. The visible audience consist of a Cueball-like guy, Hairy and Ponytail holding a microphone to her mouth as she addresses those on the podium.]<br />
:Ponytail: Weren't you meeting to update the standards for new apple varieties?<br />
:Megan: Yes, but we talked it over and this is what we decided. <br />
:Megan: We feel strongly that this is important.<br />
<br />
:[There is a narrow shot with a zoom in on Megan.]<br />
:Ponytail (off-panel): Did you discuss anything on your actual agenda?<br />
:Megan: Thanks for the question! We did not.<br />
<br />
:[Beret Guy, Cueball and Megan is again seen from the front behind the lectern, Megan's hair even more unkempt.]<br />
:Ponytail (off-panel): Do you have any apple-related announcements at all?<br />
:Megan: Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them. <br />
:Megan: '''''We're a little distracted right now, okay??'''''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]<br />
[[Category:Food]]<br />
[[Category:Public speaking]]</div>Herobrine