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		<updated>2013-05-20T12:30:39Z</updated>
		<subtitle>User contributions</subtitle>
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	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1181:_PGP</id>
		<title>1181: PGP</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1181:_PGP"/>
				<updated>2013-03-05T23:54:06Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: added timecode reference, typos&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 1181&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = March 4, 2013&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = PGP&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = pgp.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = If you want to be extra safe, check that there's a big block of jumbled characters at the bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
{{w|Pretty Good Privacy|PGP}} (Pretty Good Privacy) is a program which can be used to encrypt and/or sign data, including messages sent as emails. Encrypting means encoding data in a way that requires a known key to decrypt and read; signing means that there is a code included in the data which can be used to verify both that the data is unaltered and to verify the true sender.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the case of the email in this comic, it has only been signed; not encrypted (hence, the top of the first line of text can be seen and is legible in normal English). This is more common than encryption, as reading an encrypted message would require the recipient to already be a PGP user. In fact, the use of PGP even to sign email messages is so rare that most people have probably never seen a signed message. Because a signed email is so rare, and because it is already legible and unencrypted, [[Randall]] is making the observation that few users actually bother to use the signature to verify the authenticity of the sender using the PGP signature, and make the assumption that the fact that there IS a signature is good enough evidence that the message is authentic. He may also be implying that because PGP signatures are so rare and probably ignored by most recipients, he would not expect anyone to even bother creating a false PGP signature; therefore the mere existence of a PGP header will indicate authenticity. The title text extends the joke by suggesting you confirm there's a bunch of random characters in the footer (this is the actual key that PGP generates which can be used to verify the authenticity of the email. Again, Randall is saying that the existence of the block is itself evidence of authenticity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A similar false assumption of security was pointed out in the movie {{w|Strange Brew}}, where while viewing security camera footage in a courtroom one character states: &amp;quot;It even has a time code on it and those are very difficult to fake.&amp;quot;  The simple appearance of a {{w|Timecode}} on a video leads some people to assume that the video must be genuine and untampered with.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:How to use PGP to verify that an email is authentic:&lt;br /&gt;
:Look for this text at the top&lt;br /&gt;
:[In mail header, light grey.] Reply&lt;br /&gt;
:-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----&lt;br /&gt;
:[in mail message, light grey]&lt;br /&gt;
:HASH: SHA256&lt;br /&gt;
:Hey,&lt;br /&gt;
:First of all, thanks for taking care of&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:[After mail message]&lt;br /&gt;
:If it's there, the email is probably fine&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics with color]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Computers]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1181:_PGP</id>
		<title>1181: PGP</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1181:_PGP"/>
				<updated>2013-03-04T22:24:59Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Added context about web sites and fixed typo&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 1181&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = March 4, 2013&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = PGP&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = pgp.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = If you want to be extra safe, check that there's a big block of jumbled characters at the bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
{{w|Pretty Good Privacy|PGP}} (or {{w|GNU_Privacy_Guard|GnuPG}} for the free, open source version) is a program which can be used to encrypt and sign data, including messages sent as emails.  It is often used in combination with email software extensions, such as [http://www.enigmail.net/home/index.php Enigmail] (for Thunderbird). Encrypting the message would prevent anybody from reading it if they didn't have the key to decrypt. Signing the message would mean that the message can be verified as unaltered, if the reader was to check the message against the signature. People who use such a program typically only use the feature to sign the message, since encrypting it (which would give you the privacy) requires that the recipient already be a PGP user. Hence the irony here is that nobody actually verifies the &amp;quot;signature&amp;quot; either, but feel secure that the message appears to be signed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
PGP or {{w|Pretty Good Privacy}}, uses {{w|Public-key cryptography}}, which is defined in [https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4880 RFC4880]. The blob which makes the signature is a binary (clear sign) signature which is encoded into ASCII using {{w|ASCII armor}}.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The use of signing software for email is so rare that most people have never seen a signed message. The joke here lies within the approach of ignoring actual privacy guarantees PGP provides, therefore giving a false sense of security.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A similar thing happens on some web pages that simply state &amp;quot;This page is secure&amp;quot; or include the padlock icon in the body of the page, and then ask for your credit card information, while not actually using SSL (and showing that little padlock or an &amp;quot;https&amp;quot;).  (Read an old blog/rant [http://www.troyhunt.com/2011/07/padlock-icon-must-die.html about the padlock icon and security]).&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This irresponsible approach to security is unfortunately quite common with users and even more so for computer security related topics. When confronted with something strange (like the blob at the bottom) most people simply believe it: If it says it's secure it really has to be - even if it actually isn't.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
BTW: You can annoy pretty much any security geek out there with such ignoring behaviour.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:How to use PGP to verify that an email is authentic:&lt;br /&gt;
:Look for this text at the top&lt;br /&gt;
:[In mail header, light grey.] Reply&lt;br /&gt;
:-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----&lt;br /&gt;
:[in mail message, light grey]&lt;br /&gt;
:HASH: SHA256&lt;br /&gt;
:Hey,&lt;br /&gt;
:First of all, thanks for taking care of&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:[After mail message]&lt;br /&gt;
:If it's there, the email is probably fine&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics with color]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Computers]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=389:_Keeping_Time</id>
		<title>389: Keeping Time</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=389:_Keeping_Time"/>
				<updated>2013-01-07T23:24:32Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: added Category:Music using HotCat&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 389&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = February 27, 2008&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Keeping Time&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = keeping_time.png&lt;br /&gt;
| imagesize = &lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = You can identify them ahead-of-time -- they lead with their left foot when the music starts.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
[http://imgs.xkcd.com/blag/xkcd_389.mp3 Listen to the music]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A member of a marching band, after spending seasons marching in time to their music for their shows, end up naturally walking with the rhythm of any music they hear around them, like at a shopping mall. Pausing the music for a split second would throw off the rhythm, causing them to fall. The line of music in the comic is a piano reduction of beguiling of &amp;quot;Never Gonna Give You Up&amp;quot; by Rick Astley, a reference to &amp;quot;Rickrolling&amp;quot;, which is when a link to video is set up to appear as one thing but in reality, when clicked, plays &amp;quot;Never Gonna Give You Up&amp;quot;. The alt text refers to the fact that almost all marching bands start marching with the left foot, so marching band members start to naturally starting with the left foot.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
My Hobby:&lt;br /&gt;
:Pausing in-store music for a split second and watching the ex-marching band kids stumble.&lt;br /&gt;
:[On a balcony overlooking a supermarket, a man presses a button on a pedestal. The in-store music, the first four bars of &amp;quot;Never Gonna Give You Up&amp;quot; by Rick Astley, pauses briefly after the third bar, and one of the store's patrons falls on her face.]&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;&amp;lt;FWOMP&amp;gt;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}} &lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:My Hobby]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Music]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=643:_Ohm</id>
		<title>643: Ohm</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=643:_Ohm"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T22:58:27Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Added mathiness&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 643&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = September 30, 2009&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Ohm&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = ohm.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = More generally, with great power comes great dEnergy/dt&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
This comic is a play on the concepts of power as the human capacity to take action, and power as a strictly defined physical quantity, namely the amount of energy which flows from one locus to another in a unit of time. In calculus, this is expressed as dE/dt, hence the title text declaration that with great power comes great dEnergy/dt—though strictly speaking, great power EQUALS (is identical with) great dEnergy/dt.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The uncle's advice references the comic-book superhero {{w|Spiderman}}. In various versions of Spiderman's origin story, a teenage Peter Parker is brought up by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Uncle Ben cautions Peter that &amp;quot;with great power comes great responsibility&amp;quot;. Through an incident involving a spider and some cutting-edge technology, Peter Parker acquires spider-like powers—great strength and the ability to adhere to walls and ceilings. Parker fails to use his new powers to stop a mugging; it turns out that the victim is none other than Uncle Ben, who dies from injuries sustained. This failure to save his uncle haunts Parker and drives him to use his new powers for heroic purposes. Visually, this comic looks like the dying Uncle Ben counselling his nephew to use his power responsibly.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Physical energy can exist in many different forms. In electrical physics, current flowing through a resistor generates heat. The basic units are defined such that the power (in {{w|Watt}}s) converted into heat is given by the square of the electrical current flowing (in {{w|Amperes}}) multiplied by the resistance of the component (in {{w|Ohm}}s). The unit, Ohm, is named for physicist {{w|Georg Ohm}} who determined experimentally that a given resistor would pass double the current when the electrical pressure ({{w|voltage}}) was also doubled.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This relationship is summarized by {{w|Ohm's law}}:&lt;br /&gt;
:Current = Voltage / Resistance (I=V/R)&lt;br /&gt;
:Voltage = Current x Resistance (V=IxR)&lt;br /&gt;
:Resistance = Voltage / Current (R=V/I)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{w|Electric power}} is defined as:&lt;br /&gt;
:Power = Current x Voltage (P=IxV - {{w|Joule's laws|Joule's first law}})&lt;br /&gt;
:or by replacing &amp;quot;Voltage&amp;quot; with &amp;quot;(Current x Resistance)&amp;quot; (from Ohm's law):&lt;br /&gt;
:Power = Current x (Current x Resistance) = Current^2 x Resistance&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:[Ohm is holding his uncle by the shoulders.]&lt;br /&gt;
:Uncle: Remember: With great power comes great current squared times resistance.&lt;br /&gt;
:Narrator: Ohm never forgot his dying uncle's advice.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Physics]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Math]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=191:_Lojban</id>
		<title>191: Lojban</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=191:_Lojban"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:18:42Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: added translated image link&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 191&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = December 1, 2006&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Lojban&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = lojban.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = zo'o ta jitfa .i .e'o xu do pendo mi&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
{{w|Lojban}} is an invented language specifically designed to have no ambiguous constructs at all. The authors mainly wanted to see if such a thing was possible, but it has a number of fans who believe the lack of ambiguities is a substantial benefit, making the language easier to use with fewer misunderstandings. However, anyone actually willing to learn a new language for this is someone [[Black Hat]] would rather avoid.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clicking on the original comic brings you to [[:File:lojban translated.png|a Lojban translation of the comic]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The title-text is also written in Lojban. It translates roughly as: &amp;quot;That was a joke. Really. Wanna be friends with me?&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:Cueball: If you learned to speak Lojban, your communication would be completely unambiguous and logical.&lt;br /&gt;
:Black Hat: Yeah, but it would all be with the kind of people who learn Lojban.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Language]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=File:lojban_translated.png</id>
		<title>File:lojban translated.png</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=File:lojban_translated.png"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:16:25Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Comic 191 translated into lojban&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;== Summary ==&lt;br /&gt;
Comic 191 translated into lojban&lt;br /&gt;
== Licensing ==&lt;br /&gt;
{{XKCD file}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=191</id>
		<title>191</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=191"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:12:14Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 191: Lojban&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[191: Lojban]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Lojban</id>
		<title>Lojban</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Lojban"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:11:59Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 191: Lojban&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[191: Lojban]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=246</id>
		<title>246</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=246"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:10:32Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 246: Labyrinth Puzzle&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[246: Labyrinth Puzzle]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Labyrinth_Puzzle</id>
		<title>Labyrinth Puzzle</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Labyrinth_Puzzle"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:09:15Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 246: Labyrinth Puzzle&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[246: Labyrinth Puzzle]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=246:_Labyrinth_Puzzle</id>
		<title>246: Labyrinth Puzzle</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=246:_Labyrinth_Puzzle"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:08:49Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: typos&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 246&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = April 9, 2007&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Labyrinth Puzzle&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = labyrinth puzzle.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = And the whole setup is just a trap to capture escaping logicians. None of the doors actually lead out&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
This comic alludes to a famous {{w|Knights and Knaves}}-type logic puzzle, in which there are ''two'' doors and ''two'' guards. One guard always lies, and the other always tells the truth. One of the doors leads to freedom, and you can only ask one guard one question. The solution to this riddle involves a very tricky question indeed, and one would in the xkcd-version risk a stabbing from the third guard. If you want to give the original puzzle a try for yourself, don't read the spoiling next paragraph.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Solution: Ask one guard (it doesn't matter which one) which door the other guard would say leads out. The door indicated doesn't lead out.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:Black Hat: And here we have the labyrinth guards. One always lies, one always tells the truth, and one stabs people who ask tricky questions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Logic]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=246:_Labyrinth_Puzzle</id>
		<title>246: Labyrinth Puzzle</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=246:_Labyrinth_Puzzle"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:06:10Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Bpothier moved page 246: Labryinth Puzzle to 246: Labyrinth Puzzle: typo&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 246&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = April 9, 2007&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Labryinth Puzzle&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = labyrinth puzzle.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = And the whole setup is just a trap to capture escaping logicians. None of the doors actually lead out&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
This comic alludes to a famous {{w|Knights and Knaves}}-type logic puzzle, in which there are ''two'' doors and ''two'' guards. One guard always lies, and the other always tells the truth. One of the doors leads to freedom, and you can only ask one guard one question. The solution to this riddle involves a very tricky question indeed, and one would in the xkcd-version risk a stabbing from the third guard. If you want to give the original puzzle a try for yourself, don't read the spoiling next paragraph.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Solution: Ask one guard (it doesn't matter which one) which door the other guard would say leads out. The door indicated doesn't lead out.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:Black Hat: And here we have the labrinth guards. One always lies, one always tells the truth, and one stabs people who ask tricky questions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}} &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Logic]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=246</id>
		<title>246</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=246"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:04:59Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Bpothier moved page 246 to 246: Labryinth Puzzle&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[246: Labryinth Puzzle]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=246:_Labyrinth_Puzzle</id>
		<title>246: Labyrinth Puzzle</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=246:_Labyrinth_Puzzle"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:04:58Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Bpothier moved page 246 to 246: Labryinth Puzzle&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 246&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = April 9, 2007&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Labryinth Puzzle&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = labyrinth puzzle.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = And the whole setup is just a trap to capture escaping logicians. None of the doors actually lead out&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
This comic alludes to a famous {{w|Knights and Knaves}}-type logic puzzle, in which there are ''two'' doors and ''two'' guards. One guard always lies, and the other always tells the truth. One of the doors leads to freedom, and you can only ask one guard one question. The solution to this riddle involves a very tricky question indeed, and one would in the xkcd-version risk a stabbing from the third guard. If you want to give the original puzzle a try for yourself, don't read the spoiling next paragraph.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Solution: Ask one guard (it doesn't matter which one) which door the other guard would say leads out. The door indicated doesn't lead out.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:Black Hat: And here we have the labrinth guards. One always lies, one always tells the truth, and one stabs people who ask tricky questions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}} &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Logic]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=253</id>
		<title>253</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=253"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:03:23Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 253: Highway Engineer Pranks&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[253: Highway Engineer Pranks]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Highway_Engineer_Pranks</id>
		<title>Highway Engineer Pranks</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Highway_Engineer_Pranks"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:03:08Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 253: Highway Engineer Pranks&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[253: Highway Engineer Pranks]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=534:_Genetic_Algorithms</id>
		<title>534: Genetic Algorithms</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=534:_Genetic_Algorithms"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:02:26Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: added Category:Comics with color using HotCat&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 534&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = January 23, 2009&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Genetic Algorithms&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = genetic_algorithms.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = Just make sure you don't have it maximize instead of minimize.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
Cueball is seen here defining a program (possibly in python). The title is a reference to the type of program Cueball is writing, a Genetic Algorithm. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the computer science field of artificial intelligence, a genetic algorithm is a search heuristic that mimics the process of natural evolution. This heuristic is routinely used to generate useful solutions to optimization and search problems. Genetic algorithms belong to the larger class of evolutionary algorithms, which generate solutions to optimization problems using techniques inspired by natural evolution, such as inheritance, mutation, selection, and crossover.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The line indicated by an arrow is a reference to the Terminator series, in which the main antagonist is an artificial intelligence known as Skynet.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The line about water crossing is a possible reference to the old computer game Oregon Trail, in which crossing water was hazardous.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:[Code displayed, presumably from an IDE]&lt;br /&gt;
:def getSolutionCosts(navigationCode):&lt;br /&gt;
::fuelStopCost = 15&lt;br /&gt;
::extraComputationCost = 8&lt;br /&gt;
:[There is a giant arrow pointing to the next line]&lt;br /&gt;
::thisAlgorithmBecomingSkynetCost = 999999999&lt;br /&gt;
::waterCrossingCost = 45&lt;br /&gt;
:Narration: Genetic algorithms tip: *Always* include this in your fitness function.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Programming]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics with color]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=463</id>
		<title>463</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=463"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:01:51Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 463: Voting Machines&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[463: Voting Machines]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Voting_Machines</id>
		<title>Voting Machines</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Voting_Machines"/>
				<updated>2013-01-04T00:01:28Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 463: Voting Machines&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[463: Voting Machines]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=477</id>
		<title>477</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=477"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:59:25Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 477: Typewriter&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[477: Typewriter]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Typewriter</id>
		<title>Typewriter</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Typewriter"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:59:05Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 477: Typewriter&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[477: Typewriter]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=501</id>
		<title>501</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=501"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:56:47Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 501: Faust 2.0&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[501: Faust 2.0]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Faust_2.0</id>
		<title>Faust 2.0</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Faust_2.0"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:56:28Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 501: Faust 2.0&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[501: Faust 2.0]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=529</id>
		<title>529</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=529"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:56:03Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 529: Sledding Discussion&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[529: Sledding Discussion]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Sledding_Discussion</id>
		<title>Sledding Discussion</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Sledding_Discussion"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:55:46Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 529: Sledding Discussion&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[529: Sledding Discussion]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=534</id>
		<title>534</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=534"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:50:28Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 534: Genetic Algorithms&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[534: Genetic Algorithms]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Genetic_Algorithms</id>
		<title>Genetic Algorithms</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Genetic_Algorithms"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:49:57Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 534: Genetic Algorithms&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[534: Genetic Algorithms]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=598</id>
		<title>598</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=598"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:49:00Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 598: Porn&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[598: Porn]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Porn</id>
		<title>Porn</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Porn"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:48:45Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 598: Porn&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[598: Porn]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=658</id>
		<title>658</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=658"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:43:03Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 658: Orbitals&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[658: Orbitals]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Orbitals</id>
		<title>Orbitals</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Orbitals"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:42:45Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 658: Orbitals&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[658: Orbitals]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=679</id>
		<title>679</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=679"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:40:42Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 679: Christmas Plans&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[679: Christmas Plans]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas_Plans</id>
		<title>Christmas Plans</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas_Plans"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:40:20Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 679: Christmas Plans&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[679: Christmas Plans]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=750</id>
		<title>750</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=750"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:28:32Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 750: Book Burning&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[750: Book Burning]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Book_Burning</id>
		<title>Book Burning</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Book_Burning"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:28:18Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 750: Book Burning&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[750: Book Burning]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=754</id>
		<title>754</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=754"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:27:52Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 754: Dependencies&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[754: Dependencies]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Dependencies</id>
		<title>Dependencies</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Dependencies"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:27:39Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 754: Dependencies&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[754: Dependencies]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=811</id>
		<title>811</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=811"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:25:50Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 811: Starlight&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[811: Starlight]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Starlight</id>
		<title>Starlight</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Starlight"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:25:37Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 811: Starlight&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[811: Starlight]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=813</id>
		<title>813</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=813"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:24:46Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 813: One-Liners&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[813: One-Liners]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=One-Liners</id>
		<title>One-Liners</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=One-Liners"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T23:24:34Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 813: One-Liners&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[813: One-Liners]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=818:_Illness</id>
		<title>818: Illness</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=818:_Illness"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T00:53:53Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: /* Explanation */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 818&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = November 12, 2010&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Illness&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = illness.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = &amp;lt;3 If there’s anything you can do, I’ll let you know. For the moment, any simple distracting online games sent to sick@xkcd.com will not go unappreciated&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[EDIT; Holy crap 2,700 games before noon. I love you guys: thank you. They will be passed along and played by us all.]&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
This is the first comic about [[Randall]]'s wife's [[:Category:Cancer|cancer]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is self explanatory, although vague on specifics.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More details and related comics are on the [[:Category:Cancer]] page.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:Hey, Everyone-&lt;br /&gt;
:As I mentioned on the blag, I’m going through a rough time right now. I’m dealing with a serious family illness and it’s become pretty overwhelming.&lt;br /&gt;
:We’re still getting a handle on everything, and I appreciate your patience while we figure it all out.&lt;br /&gt;
:Thank you to everyone who wrote in with kind wished and words of support. They’ve been passed on and meant a lot.&lt;br /&gt;
:I like drawing, and might find time for it in the coming weeks, but I’m not going to push myself to stick to a schedule.&lt;br /&gt;
:However, between my stacks of notebooks, scanner, and supportive sysadmin, I should at least have something interesting to share with you in this space each M/W/F.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Randall Munroe]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Cancer]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=818:_Illness</id>
		<title>818: Illness</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=818:_Illness"/>
				<updated>2013-01-03T00:49:31Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: added Category:Cancer using HotCat&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 818&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = November 12, 2010&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Illness&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = illness.png&lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = &amp;lt;3 If there’s anything you can do, I’ll let you know. For the moment, any simple distracting online games sent to sick@xkcd.com will not go unappreciated&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[EDIT; Holy crap 2,700 games before noon. I love you guys: thank you. They will be passed along and played by us all.]&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
{{incomplete}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:Hey, Everyone-&lt;br /&gt;
:As I mentioned on the blag, I’m going through a rough time right now. I’m dealing with a serious family illness and it’s become pretty overwhelming.&lt;br /&gt;
:We’re still getting a handle on everything, and I appreciate your patience while we figure it all out.&lt;br /&gt;
:Thank you to everyone who wrote in with kind wished and words of support. They’ve been passed on and meant a lot.&lt;br /&gt;
:I like drawing, and might find time for it in the coming weeks, but I’m not going to push myself to stick to a schedule.&lt;br /&gt;
:However, between my stacks of notebooks, scanner, and supportive sysadmin, I should at least have something interesting to share with you in this space each M/W/F.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Randall Munroe]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Cancer]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=867:_Herpetology</id>
		<title>867: Herpetology</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=867:_Herpetology"/>
				<updated>2012-12-14T00:07:55Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: wiki links&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 867&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = March 2, 2011&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Herpetology&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = herpetology.png&lt;br /&gt;
| imagesize = &lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = Birds are Aves, which is part of the clade Theropoda, which is in Saurischia, which is in Dinosauria. Those birds outside our windows are dinosaurs. We can clear out the rest of our brains because we now have the best fact.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
{{w|Ornithology}} is the branch of {{w|zoology}} that studies birds. In the ornithology conference, they think that reptiles should be folded in under the ornithology umbrella as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{w|Herpetology}} is the branch of zoology that studies reptiles and amphibians. Rather than strike back with their own reptiles chart, they strike back with an &amp;quot;Assholes&amp;quot; chart to insult Ornithologists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the image text, birds are class {{w|Aves}} which is a subset of the suborder {{w|Theropoda}} which is a subset of the order {{w|Saurischia}} and the superorder {{w|Dinosauria}}. This is obviously an oversimplification, but interesting fact none the less.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:Ornithology conference:&lt;br /&gt;
:[Graph showing a large tree split between amphibians and reptiles]&lt;br /&gt;
:Ponytail: As you can see, herpetology is a silly field; reptiles are actually more closely related to birds and mammals than to amphibians.It should really be broken up, with lizards folded into ornithology.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:Herpetology conference:&lt;br /&gt;
:[Graph showing a large tree split between nice people and ornithologists]&lt;br /&gt;
:Megan: As you can see, ornithologists are actually assholes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}} &lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=873:_FPS_Mod</id>
		<title>873: FPS Mod</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=873:_FPS_Mod"/>
				<updated>2012-12-13T22:55:44Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: added wiki links, perspective clarification&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 873&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = March 16, 2011&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = FPS Mod&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = fps mod.png&lt;br /&gt;
| imagesize = &lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = Wait, that second one is a woman? ... wait, if that bothers me, then why doesn't ... man, this game is no fun anymore.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
FPS is &amp;quot;First Person Shooter&amp;quot;, which is a type of video game (like {{w|Halo (series)|Halo}} or {{w|Duke Nukem}}) in which you are looking at the world from the first person perspective of the character you are controlling. Cueball mods the game which is short for &amp;quot;modify&amp;quot;.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
FPS games are controversial for their encouraging killing (especially of human beings). One point of the controversy is that, while virtual enemies are just pixels on a screen, real enemies have actual lives, emotions, and the like. In the games, there is a disconnect between the act and its emotional cost, thus leading to the controversy that FPS encourage wanton killing (or violence in general) to solve problems instead of considering the other party. Cueball makes reference to this by adding a mod that gives biographical snippets of the enemy you shoot in the game, thus giving him the perspective of the enemy he just shot. However, the disconnect between the act and the emotional cost fades away, causing Cueball to feel for the enemies he has shot, thus removing any enjoyment he gets from the game.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The above can also be a reference towards making games more realistic. Giving the enemies a life above being mere targets definitely makes the game more realistic, but such a game would not be that enjoyable. [[772: Frogger | This has been explored previously in xkcd.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The title text talks about how gender is portrayed in games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Incomplete}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:[Cueball is playing a video game.]&lt;br /&gt;
:''BLAM''&lt;br /&gt;
:Game: He once built a treehouse.&lt;br /&gt;
:''BLAM''&lt;br /&gt;
:Game: She has 110 unread emails that she was hoping to get to tonight.&lt;br /&gt;
:''BLAM BLAM''&lt;br /&gt;
:Game: He was the only one who took care of the plants back at base.&lt;br /&gt;
:No one liked my FPS mod that gives you three-second snippets from the bios of people you shoot.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}} &lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=865:_Nanobots</id>
		<title>865: Nanobots</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=865:_Nanobots"/>
				<updated>2012-12-13T22:47:27Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Clarified 1998 reference, added IPv4 &amp;amp; IPv6 wiki links&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{comic&lt;br /&gt;
| number    = 865&lt;br /&gt;
| date      = February 25, 2011&lt;br /&gt;
| title     = Nanobots&lt;br /&gt;
| image     = nanobots.png&lt;br /&gt;
| imagesize = &lt;br /&gt;
| titletext = I think the IETF hit the right balance with the 128 bits thing. We can fit MAC addresses in a /64 subnet, and the nanobots will only be able to devour half the planet.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Explanation==&lt;br /&gt;
In this comic, the two characters are in orbit in space while evil nanobots are devouring the earth in a swarm. The nanobots stop after devouring 40% of the planet. This is a take on the &amp;quot;gray goo&amp;quot; scenario in which self-replicating nanobots destroy the earth while creating more and more of themselves non-stop.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
However, the nanobots are only able to destroy 40% of the planet because 40% of the earth mass = (# of IPv6 addresses) x (A few cubic microns). Without more IP addresses, the nanobots cannot continue to replicate.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
This is a joke on the shortage of IPv4 addresses. The only difference is that we are on {{w|IPv4}} and the nanobots are on {{w|IPv6}}.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
1998 is when the [http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2460 IPv6 Specification (RFC 2460)] was published and IETF is the Internet Engineering Task Force. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Transcript==&lt;br /&gt;
:[Megan and commander are on a space station.]&lt;br /&gt;
:Megan: Commander! Come quick!&lt;br /&gt;
:Megan: It's the nanobots—they've STOPPED!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:Megan: They devoured 40% of the Earth, and then just ... quit! They're just sitting there!&lt;br /&gt;
:Megan: Why?!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:Ponytail: It's a mystery. ... unless ... What's the volume of each nanobot?&lt;br /&gt;
:Megan: A few cubic microns. Why?&lt;br /&gt;
:Ponytail: I think the year 1998 just bought us some time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:[Earth's surface, covered in mountains of nanobots.]&lt;br /&gt;
:In the swarm:&lt;br /&gt;
:Nanobot: What do you mean, &amp;quot;Run out of addresses?&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
:Other Nanobot: Look, we should've migrated away from IPv6 AGES ago ...&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{comic discussion}} &lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Alice_and_Bob</id>
		<title>Alice and Bob</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Alice_and_Bob"/>
				<updated>2012-12-13T22:10:56Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 177: Alice and Bob&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[177: Alice and Bob]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=177</id>
		<title>177</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=177"/>
				<updated>2012-12-13T22:10:38Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 177: Alice and Bob&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[177: Alice and Bob]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Not_Really_Into_Pokemon</id>
		<title>Not Really Into Pokemon</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Not_Really_Into_Pokemon"/>
				<updated>2012-12-13T22:09:17Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 178: Not Really Into Pokemon&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[178: Not Really Into Pokemon]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=178</id>
		<title>178</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=178"/>
				<updated>2012-12-13T22:08:57Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 178: Not Really Into Pokemon&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[178: Not Really Into Pokemon]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	<entry>
		<id>http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Small_Talk</id>
		<title>Small Talk</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Small_Talk"/>
				<updated>2012-12-13T22:08:33Z</updated>
		
		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Bpothier: Redirected page to 222: Small Talk&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;#REDIRECT [[222: Small Talk]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Bpothier</name></author>	</entry>

	</feed>