Editing 1514: PermaCal
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | This comic proposes a new calendar system | + | This comic proposes a new calendar system. This is similar to comic [[1061: EST]]. In this new calendar system, the date stays constant, and only changes with {{w|February 29|leap days}}. PermaCal is a portmanteau of the words "permanent" and "calendar". |
− | In the comic, | + | In the comic, the date is the same as the day before the comic was released, the 19th of April, 2015. |
− | Leap days in the {{w|Gregorian calendar}} are days added to the end of {{w|February}} every year that is a multiple of 4, but not by 100, unless it's also a multiple of 400. The purpose is to synchronize the calendar with Earth's orbit without having a partial day each year | + | Leap days in the {{w|Gregorian calendar}} are days added to the end of {{w|February}} every year that is a multiple of 4, but not by 100, unless it's also a multiple of 400. The purpose is to synchronize the calendar with Earth's orbit without having a partial day each year. |
− | + | NTP servers are used to keep local computer time from drifting. {{w|Leap second|Leap seconds}} normally account for the differences in the length of our 24 hour day and a solar day (the time taken for Earth to rotate so the same point points towards the sun), and are announced several months before hand, but in the context of this comic probably refer to a system with constant time, and the time is adjusted by an NTP call every second. The title text refers to the bandwidth used by correcting the time in every millisecond resolution (maybe 100ms every few months like [http://www.quadibloc.com/science/cal06.htm] and [http://fixunix.com/ntp/68074-leap-millisecond.html]), resulting in a {{w|DDoS}}, and is probably a reference to other retail consumer products that have {{w|Denial-of-service_attack#Unintentional_denial-of-service|unintentionally}} caused DDoS attacks because of a flaw in implementation. See here, an example of a [http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.org.operators.swinog/10055 real-life unintentional DDOS attack involving NTP servers]. | |
− | + | Part of the humor stems from the problems that leap seconds are causing for some computers. [http://www.livescience.com/49370-leap-second-added-2015.html] The last leap second disrupted computers at for big companies such as {{w|Reddit}}, {{w|LinkedIn}}, {{w|Gizmodo}} and {{w|FourSquare}}. {{w|Google}} has coped by adding adding microseconds stretched out over the year, rather than a single disruptive second, possibly the reason for the reference to microsecond resolution. | |
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− | Part of the humor stems from the problems that leap seconds are causing for some computers. [http://www.livescience.com/49370-leap-second-added-2015.html] The last leap second disrupted computers at big companies such as {{w|Reddit}}, {{w|LinkedIn}}, {{w|Gizmodo}} and {{w|FourSquare}}. {{w|Google}} | ||
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==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[Megan and Cueball are in the panel. Cueball appears to be holding a phone, tapping.] | + | :[Megan and Cueball are in the panel. Cueball appears to be holding a phone, tapping.] |
:Megan: What day is it? | :Megan: What day is it? | ||
:Cueball: Sunday the 19<sup>th</sup>. | :Cueball: Sunday the 19<sup>th</sup>. | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
+ | <!-- Include any categories below this line. --> | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
[[Category:Time management]] | [[Category:Time management]] | ||
[[Category:Portmanteau]] | [[Category:Portmanteau]] | ||
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