Editing 208: Regular Expressions
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| Latest revision | Your text | ||
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| title = Regular Expressions | | title = Regular Expressions | ||
| image = regular_expressions.png | | image = regular_expressions.png | ||
| − | | titletext = Wait, forgot to escape a space. Wheeeeee[taptaptap]eeeeee | + | | titletext = Wait, forgot to escape a space. Wheeeeee[taptaptap]eeeeee. |
}} | }} | ||
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
| − | + | In computing, {{w|regular expression}}s ("regexes") provide a concise and flexible{{Citation needed}} means to "match" (specify and recognize) strings of text, such as particular characters, words, or patterns of characters. | |
| − | The title text refers to how sensitive regexes can be to small | + | Manually trying to look for a specific pattern through 200MB of text is equivalent to looking for a needle in a haystack. But this task can be made easy by using regexes, since a script can read through text and match specific string patterns much faster than humans can achieve. |
| + | |||
| + | {{w|Perl}} is a popular scripting language that has [http://www.google.com/cse?cx=012652707207066138651%3Azudjtuwe28q&ie=UTF-8&q=perrl&siteurl=xkcd.com%2F&ref=&ss=1112j354976j5&oq=perrl&gs_l=partner.3...4805.5949.0.6245.5.5.0.0.0.0.316.1024.0j2j2j1.5.0.gsnos%2Cn%3D13...0.1112j354976j5..1ac.1.25.partner..3.2.276.Ewyu_zKGkDo#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=perl often been referenced] favorably in the comic. Perl is also the most acknowledged language when it comes to the performance while evaluating regular expressions. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The "PERL!" in the fifth panel is reminiscent of old superhero serials, particularly {{w|Batman (TV series)}}, in which sound effects such as "BAM!" "POW!" "ZAP!" would be displayed on screen in similar spiky bubbles. This fits with the theme of the comic, with Cueball being a "superhero" who fights crime using computer skills. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The title text refers to how sensitive regexes can be to small missing characters. In [[1168: tar]] another potential hero fails because some programming languages are just too difficult to remember by heart. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
| − | |||
:Whenever I learn a new skill I concoct elaborate fantasy scenarios where it lets me save the day. | :Whenever I learn a new skill I concoct elaborate fantasy scenarios where it lets me save the day. | ||
:Megan: Oh no! The killer must have followed her on vacation! | :Megan: Oh no! The killer must have followed her on vacation! | ||
:[Megan points to computer.] | :[Megan points to computer.] | ||
| − | :Megan: But to find them we'd have to search through | + | :Megan: But to find them we'd have to search through 200MB of emails looking for something formatted like an address! |
:Cueball: It's hopeless! | :Cueball: It's hopeless! | ||
| Line 28: | Line 33: | ||
:''tap tap'' | :''tap tap'' | ||
| − | : | + | :''PERL!'' |
:[The man swings away, and the other characters cheer.] | :[The man swings away, and the other characters cheer.] | ||
==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
| − | This comic | + | *This comic is featured on one of the [http://shop.xkcd.com/products/i-know-regular-expressions T-shirts] sold at the xkcd store. |
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
| − | |||
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
[[Category:Comics with color]] | [[Category:Comics with color]] | ||
[[Category:Regex]] | [[Category:Regex]] | ||
| − | |||
