Talk:1826: Birdwatching
- Size error at release
This is a big one.108.162.246.41 04:07, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
- I wonder if the size is a technical error, or if I am missing some subtle joke. 108.162.245.184 04:37, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
- I guess it's the latter. 162.158.166.71 04:39, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
I think the vacuum is a further joke about scale and distance playing on the absurdity of trying to vacuum from a range of one mile. I must say I don't really understand this comic very well.108.162.245.70 04:47, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
Pretty sure the size is an error, I've seen this happen briefly before. It's 1200 dpi, suitable for archival, printing, or just what comes off the scanner 108.162.246.107 09:04, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
- The size is intentional. it kinda freaked m out wen i saw it, though. i thought there was a problem with my phone! Will X (talk) 11:24, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
- I think the size is biting Randall in the rear. I'm getting all sorts of 503 gateway timeouts that appear to be from his Varnish web accelerator. The East coast is waking up and pounding his server... 162.158.78.106 11:32, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
It looks like they fixed the size. Maybe it wasn't intentional?
- I'm not sure, but maybe the size of the comic changes depending on the time? I mean, it does see like the size is smaller as of right now.(By the way, I'm not the guy on top that didn't sign his/her post.) 162.158.138.40 13:55, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
- It seems the error was fixed and it must be concluded that this was indeed an error. Or at least gave so much trouble that Randall regretted it... I have collected all comments on the size up here with a heading, to make it easier to read this and the rest of the comments. See the trivia section. --Kynde (talk) 20:51, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
I thought the vacuum was trying to drain the atmosphere to make it so that the birds can't fly as high.1I1III1 (talk) 05:42, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
- That was my thought, too. (/edit: Honestly, to think of sucking the birds in I found being too absurd, while sucking the atmosphere seemed absolutely plausible - at least for an XKCD...) Elektrizikekswerk (talk) 08:18, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
- If only he had a vacuum the size of the one in Space Balls. 173.245.50.162 15:59, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
Are these the same birds from 1824? Codrus (talk) 06:16, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
- Probably not but these two comics are definitely related. Have mentioned it in the explanation. --Kynde (talk) 20:51, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
Hey folks, am I the only one thinking that Cueball also holds the binoculars the wrong way around? Usually the small end is nearest to the eyes... That would for sure make birdwatching even MORE difficult. Regarding size, I think it is intentional.162.158.150.76 09:16, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
- Hey, that's a reflex camera, isn't it? Some camera geek can comment on birdwatching situation camera? That zoom seems much too small for the job, but I've got no real clue...--Blaisorblade (talk) 09:34, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
I would take issue with the use of the word "confused" in the transcript. perhaps "blankly" would be more descriptive. --141.101.107.18 12:56, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
- Transcript is for as little explanation as possible. Have removed the word. --Kynde (talk) 20:51, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
Why is Megan wearing a knit cap? Does Randall's wife have cancer again? 162.158.79.89 16:10, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
- I don't think that's Megan. The transcript names that character as "Beanie-Man." 162.158.78.238
- The transcript is made by us users. There are no longer any official transcripts on xkcd. Here is where it should have been for this comic. It looks like a guy to me, but there has been several characters with a knit cap, see the link in the explanation to the largest knit cap comic, where there is a collection of other knit cap comics. It is definitely not Megan. And I sure hope that there is not more cancer for Randall and his wife. --Kynde (talk) 20:51, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
My first thought is than a successful birdwatcher requires patience, which is something that Cueball does not appear to have. You also want to avoid to making noise, so Cueball talking will probably make the bird stay at a distance, and the ShopVac would be even more discouragement for the hawk. There are other issues. I would guess that the camera is a 200 to 300 millimeter lens. If you wanted to get a good picture of a bird with that type of camera, you would have to get closer to the nest and wait very patiently for the bird to get closer. (Patiently for several hours or even days. That doesn't seem like Cueball.) Many methods are available, but they are a lot of work. You also don't try to find the bird using the camera. You try to find the bird without using telescopes or binoculars and then only use the viewing aids once you find the general location of the bird. Megan is presumably satisfied with the fact that the bird probably only fills a portion of the viewport, while Cueball is expecting a picture of the bird where you can count the feathers. So Cueball has unreasonable expectations, is unwilling to wait, and is doing just about everything wrong. He then complains about his lack of success. Cueball's next attempt might be to use a camera mounted on a drone. A lot of people have tried though, although the last image captured is often a close up view of the beak filling the entire screen. BradleyRoss (talk) 18:49, 19 April 2017 (UTC)
