Editing 2151: A/B

{{comic
| number    = 2151
| date      = May 17, 2019
| title     = A/B
| image     = a_b.png
| titletext = We wrote our site in Linear A rather than Aksara Kawi because browser testing showed that Crete script rendered faster than Java script.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|A/B testing}} is a form of {{w|Scientific control|controlled experiment}} in which test subjects are randomly split into two groups, A and B, and each group is shown a slightly different version of the same thing. This is most often used for market research, as it allows researchers to discover which of two options are received more favorably by consumers. For example, a website might employ A/B testing by randomly showing 50% of visitors a version with a different font. By checking their site traffic analytics afterward, the site operators can see which version of the site received the most user engagement, which might tell them that the alternate font is a better choice.

{{w|Linear A}} is an as-of-yet undeciphered writing system of the ancient {{w|Minoan civilization}} (a civilization based on the island of {{w|Crete}}). It appears similar to the deciphered Linear B writing system, but if the pronunciation rules of Linear B are applied to Linear A, it produces a language unrelated to any known language.  

{{w|Linear B}}, on the other hand, has been deciphered.  It is a syllabic script that was used for writing {{w|Mycenaean Greek}}, the earliest form of Greek for which we have evidence. It predates the {{w|Greek alphabet}} by several centuries and likely evolved out of the earlier Linear A writing system.

While not completely consistent with the definition of A/B testing presented above, the comic jokingly suggests that the choice of writing system could be decided through A/B testing, with the "A" and "B" literally being Linear A and Linear B. The test subject apparently can read Linear B (which encodes Mycenaean Greek), but not Linear A (which produces what's seemingly gibberish when read through the rules of Linear B).  It is also a pun on the common phrase "[it's] {{w|Greek to me}}", which people use to refer to something as gibberish, but here, it is the Greek text which is comprehensible to [[Cueball]], while instead the other one isn't.

The title text explains the selection of {{w|Scripting language|script code}} (i.e. {{w|programming language}}) used to create the web site.  {{w|Kawi script|Aksara Kawi}} is a {{w|writing system|script}} (i.e. a writing system) that was used on the island of {{w|Java}} (today part of Indonesia) from the 8th century until 1500 AD.  Referring to it as "Java script" is a pun on {{w|JavaScript}}, which is a browser scripting language for creating web pages. Here, Linear A is selected as the "script" language over Aksara Kawi because it rendered faster in testing.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is sitting behind a computer desk, facing to the right, gesturing at the screen. Ponytail stands behind him and Hairy stands in front of him, both taking notes in a pad.]
:Cueball: I like this one more because it encodes Mycenaean Greek. The other one just looks like gibberish.

:[Caption below the panel:] 
:Linear A/B testing

==Trivia==
Versions of the script engine used in early versions of the Opera web browser were named after ancient writing scripts: Linear A, Linear B, {{w|Elder Futhark|Futhark}} (the oldest form of the runic alphabets used by Germanic tribes), and Carakan ({{w|Javanese script}} known as Aksara Jawa, a modern variant of Aksara Kawi).

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Programming]]