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Explanation[edit]
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This is not a comic, but a webpage on xkcd.comThere are many other similar xkcd webpages, some of which are explained here. Explain xkcd is trying to decide how they should be treated. You are welcome to help us decide how we should categorise, call, or present these kinds of explanations. Kindly leave a comment here. This page should not be categorized until we decide how to explain these non-comics (see discussion above). |
This page shows a black dot blinking in the center of the screen at a tempo of 150 BPM. The GIF is composed of only two frames, one with the dot and one without. This means it's likely not a Morse code, as it would be interpreted as a repeated T-dash, or possibly a set of Es.
The Morse code convention is the following:
The duration of a dah is three times the duration of a dit (although some telegraphers deliberately exaggerate the length of a dah for clearer signalling). Each dit or dah within an encoded character is followed by a period of signal absence, called a space, equal to the dit duration. The letters of a word are separated by a space of duration equal to three dits, and words are separated by a space equal to seven dits.
If equal dot and no-dot, that seems to fit a "word" of "dah dah dah dah ..." ("TTTT[...]"). Either that or a "character" of "dit-dit-dit-dit-..." (whatever is at the infinite end of the sequence starting "E", "I", "S", "H", "5", ...).
Transcript[edit]
- [A flashing black dot in the center of the image, which is all white.]
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This is not a comic, but a webpage on xkcd.comThere are many other similar xkcd webpages, some of which are explained here. Explain xkcd is trying to decide how they should be treated. You are welcome to help us decide how we should categorise, call, or present these kinds of explanations. Kindly leave a comment here. This page should not be categorized until we decide how to explain these non-comics (see discussion above). |
As the one who made this page (and probably the only one aware of it), this is technically the "F1RST P0ST!!" Caliban (talk) 13:49, 17 March 2025 (UTC)
- How on earth do people find these?172.69.40.181 17:22, 17 March 2025 (UTC)
Dot. Broseph (talk) 17:07, 17 March 2025 (UTC)
MorseCode???--hi (talk) 15:21, 24 March 2025 (UTC)
- I tried extracting the GIF's frames using ezgif and unfortunately there are only two frames, one with the dot and one without. Wanderer Sinner (talk) 17:49, 27 March 2025 (UTC)
- Unless it's just a repeated T-dash, or maybe a set of Es. ;) 162.158.216.153 20:29, 28 March 2025 (UTC)
The duration of a dah is three times the duration of a dit (although some telegraphers deliberately exaggerate the length of a dah for clearer signalling). Each dit or dah within an encoded character is followed by a period of signal absence, called a space, equal to the dit duration. The letters of a word are separated by a space of duration equal to three dits, and words are separated by a space equal to seven dits.
- If equal dot and no-dot, that seems to fit a "word" of "dah dah dah dah ..." ("TTTT[...]"). Either that or a "character" of "dit-dit-dit-dit-..." (whatever is at the infinite end of the sequence starting "E", "I", "S", "H", "5", ... I wonder if there are any suitable OEIS sequences..? ...no, apparently not). Or "Hello from Antarctica. We have run out of fuel and I'm shivering from the cold." 172.70.162.125 16:20, 29 March 2025 (UTC)
Possible April Fools shenanigans? Willintendo (talk) 15:59, 24 March 2025 (UTC)
It’s just a flashing dot, idk how the explanation is incomplete. Commercialegg (talk) 01:39, 29 April 2025 (UTC)
- We don't too! We are trying to figure out what to do with these pages. --FaviFake (talk) 15:16, 29 April 2025 (UTC)
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