Difference between revisions of "ibm hc 3"

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
Jump to: navigation, search
m (removed Category:Unreleased comics using HotCat because of red link)
 
(17 intermediate revisions by 10 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
{{comic
+
<noinclude>{{DISPLAYTITLE:ibm_hc_3}}</noinclude>{{comic
 
| image    = ibm_hc_3.png
 
| image    = ibm_hc_3.png
 
| lappend  = ibm/ibm_hc_3.png
 
| lappend  = ibm/ibm_hc_3.png
Line 7: Line 7:
  
 
==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
−
{{incomplete|[[User:Novotvor]] has discovered 2 new comics, [[ibm hc 2]] and [[ibm hc 3]]. They do not have a title, so the filename is used instead. '''They have never been published.''' For more info, see [[Category talk: A Smarter Planet]]. To discuss and coordinate, only use [[Category talk: A Smarter Planet]]. Below is the text copied from [[Prescriptions]] to kickstart the page. Explain everything (both the joke and the discovery) and use all the information you can find (also add the missing categories).
+
{{incomplete|
−
*Learn more about the discovery: [[Category talk: A Smarter Planet]]
+
*Finish explaining the joke
−
*Learn about the "A Smarter Planet" comic series: [[:Category:A Smarter Planet]]
+
*Mention the discovery of this comic and Randall's response, using the {{tl|Quote}} template.)}}
−
*Learn about the two released comics: [[Conservation]] and [[Prescriptions]]
 
−
*Use the Wayback Machine if necessary ([https://web.archive.org/web/20250000000000*/https://imgs.xkcd.com/ibm/ibm_hc_2.png Wayback: ibm hc 2]) ([https://web.archive.org/web/20250000000000*/https://imgs.xkcd.com/ibm/ibm_hc_3.png Wayback: ibm hc 3]). (see more wayback machine links at [[:Category: A Smarter Planet]].)}}
 
  
 
This comic was created by [[Randall Munroe|Randall]] after a special request from {{w|IBM}}'s [http://asmarterplanet.com A Smarter Planet blog] (now defunct, [https://web.archive.org/web/20161119052748/http://asmarterplanet.com archive]). The website now redirects to IBM's Think blog's homepage. This and the other [[:Category:A Smarter Planet|A Smarter Planet]] comic, [[Conservation]], are not part of the regular numbered series of comics, but both of them used to be featured on [https://xkcd.com/asmarterplanet xkcd.com/asmarterplanet] (now defunct, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190102070937/https://xkcd.com/asmarterplanet/ archive]). Each comic on that page linked to their respective blog posts on IBM's site.
 
This comic was created by [[Randall Munroe|Randall]] after a special request from {{w|IBM}}'s [http://asmarterplanet.com A Smarter Planet blog] (now defunct, [https://web.archive.org/web/20161119052748/http://asmarterplanet.com archive]). The website now redirects to IBM's Think blog's homepage. This and the other [[:Category:A Smarter Planet|A Smarter Planet]] comic, [[Conservation]], are not part of the regular numbered series of comics, but both of them used to be featured on [https://xkcd.com/asmarterplanet xkcd.com/asmarterplanet] (now defunct, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190102070937/https://xkcd.com/asmarterplanet/ archive]). Each comic on that page linked to their respective blog posts on IBM's site.
  
−
This comic references to the stereotype of doctors' handwriting being illegible, which is a very bad thing when you need a very specific medication and your pharmacy clerk can't read the numbers. Cueball is eager for his doctor to start signing his prescription digitally, as it means less paperwork and faster response time, but his enthusiasm fades when the doctor somehow manages to ''type'' in illegible handwriting. This could theoretically be done with a bad handwriting font, though most computerized forms don't allow you to change their font, and even if they did, one would not use such a horrible font.{{Citation needed}} The type of code that they used is known as a "public key fingerprint" (or an RSA fingerprint), used as a code to shorten the length of a longer code number.
+
[[Megan]] (presumably) is ranting about how bureaucracy has slowed the introduction of computers to information transmission. She uses the metaphor of hiring {{w|Peter Jackson}} (director, writer, and producer of the [[:Category:LOTR|''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy]] as well as the {{w|The Hobbit (film series)|''Hobbit'' trilogy}}) to answer phones, a clear analogy of wasted potential. [[Cueball]] tweaks the metaphor by claiming it's more like {{w|Tiger Woods}}, a championship golf player, on an Olympic swim team, an equally prestigious position but one completely outside of Woods' skillset. [[Ponytail]] then compares it to hiring a German porn star to do Hungarian ballet, a metaphor so weird and oddly specific that the others doubt its applicability here.
−
The prescription number is given as "{{w|THX1138}}", the first film directed by {{w|George Lucas}}.
 
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
−
:[A caption above the first panel to the left:]
 
−
:Good news: Doctors are finally learning to use modern security tools.
 
−
:[Beneath the caption is a panel where a bald doctor with a forehead mirror is handing a piece of paper to Cueball who is reaching for it. The doctor speaks although there is no speech line from him to the text above the two.]
 
−
:Doctor: No need for phone verification. I've digitally signed it.
 
  
−
:[A caption above the first panel to the left:]
+
:[Megan is sitting at a desk looking at a computer, Cueball is standing next to her.]
−
:Bad news: They've somehow learned to ''type'' with terrible handwriting.
+
:Megan: We barely use computers. Red tape, paperwork, and bureaucracy should be vanishing, with information appearing where we need it, fast and secure.
−
:[Beneath the caption is a panel with a close up of the top left of the paper handed over by the doctor, which turns out to be a prescription for Cueball. The two first lines of text are clearly readable printed text, but the actual code message from the doctor is written in almost unreadable computer font, below given as best as can be interpreted.]
+
 
−
:Prescription THX1138
+
:[Megan turns the chair she's on to face Cueball, Ponytail appears on-panel.]
−
:RSA fingerprint: 5e:2c:eb:ea:cc:1e:17:ed:5f:96
+
:Megan: Instead, we're emailing scans of forms.
 +
 
 +
:Megan: It's like hiring Peter Jackson to answer phones at your studio.
 +
 
 +
:[Cueball lifts his arms up, Ponytail lifts one of her arms.]
 +
:Cueball: Or putting Tiger Woods on your Olympic swim team
 +
 
 +
:Ponytail: Or hiring a German porn star to do Hungarian ballet.
 +
 
 +
:[Cueball and Ponytail puts their arms back down, Cueball and Megan look at Ponytail.]
 +
:Megan: Is it really like that?
 +
 
 +
:Cueball: Yeah, I don't think anything's like that.
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
Line 37: Line 42:
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
 
[[Category:No title text]]
 
[[Category:No title text]]
 +
[[Category:Unreleased comics]]
 +
[[Category:No date]]

Latest revision as of 09:44, 10 September 2025

                                     
  • Go to Comic
    •                                       
ibm hc 3.png
Title text: none

      Explanation[edit]

      Ambox warning blue construction.svg This is one of 53 incomplete explanations:
      • Finish explaining the joke
      • Mention the discovery of this comic and Randall's response, using the {{Quote}} template.) If you can fix this issue, edit the page!

      This comic was created by Randall after a special request from IBM's A Smarter Planet blog (now defunct, archive). The website now redirects to IBM's Think blog's homepage. This and the other A Smarter Planet comic, Conservation, are not part of the regular numbered series of comics, but both of them used to be featured on xkcd.com/asmarterplanet (now defunct, archive). Each comic on that page linked to their respective blog posts on IBM's site.

      Megan (presumably) is ranting about how bureaucracy has slowed the introduction of computers to information transmission. She uses the metaphor of hiring Peter Jackson (director, writer, and producer of the Lord of the Rings trilogy as well as the Hobbit trilogy) to answer phones, a clear analogy of wasted potential. Cueball tweaks the metaphor by claiming it's more like Tiger Woods, a championship golf player, on an Olympic swim team, an equally prestigious position but one completely outside of Woods' skillset. Ponytail then compares it to hiring a German porn star to do Hungarian ballet, a metaphor so weird and oddly specific that the others doubt its applicability here.

      Transcript[edit]

      [Megan is sitting at a desk looking at a computer, Cueball is standing next to her.]
      Megan: We barely use computers. Red tape, paperwork, and bureaucracy should be vanishing, with information appearing where we need it, fast and secure.
      [Megan turns the chair she's on to face Cueball, Ponytail appears on-panel.]
      Megan: Instead, we're emailing scans of forms.
      Megan: It's like hiring Peter Jackson to answer phones at your studio.
      [Cueball lifts his arms up, Ponytail lifts one of her arms.]
      Cueball: Or putting Tiger Woods on your Olympic swim team
      Ponytail: Or hiring a German porn star to do Hungarian ballet.
      [Cueball and Ponytail puts their arms back down, Cueball and Megan look at Ponytail.]
      Megan: Is it really like that?
      Cueball: Yeah, I don't think anything's like that.

      comment.png  Add comment      new topic.png  Create topic (use sparingly)     refresh discuss.png  Refresh 

      Discussion

      warning!!.png To share information and coordinate, please use Category talk:A Smarter Planet instead of this talk page. Thanks!

      Wow! An unpublished comic! Also, first post! RadiantRainwing (talk) 14:46, 13 February 2025 (UTC)

      tori, crush their skull, ty ^-^ Caliban (talk) 08:54, 14 February 2025 (UTC)
      yes please! violently! --FaviFake (talk) 16:00, 14 February 2025 (UTC)
      crunch done. 42.book.addictTalk to me! 17:23, 14 February 2025 (UTC)
      Normally with lost media there's a whole story to be told about the quest to find it, but here, we didn't even know it was lost in the first place. This existing is just wild to me. 108.162.238.9 21:17, 13 February 2025 (UTC)
            comment.png  Add comment
      Retrieved from "https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=ibm_hc_3&oldid=386319"