Editing 1810: Chat Systems

==Explanation==

==Explanation==

Below is a [[#Chat systems|table]] with explanation for all 24 mentioned chat systems and below that a list of each system's [[#Euler intersections|intersections]] with the other systems. Several of the systems are already considered old, like ''The "chat" tab in an old {{w|Google Doc}}'', but some people keep using them, which is part of the joke. There only seems to be one "chat" system which could in no way be said to be an on-line chat system, and that is the ''Wall (bathroom)'' at the bottom, which refers to how people writes notes on public bathroom walls, making it an extra joke and possibly a reference to [[229: Graffiti]].

Below is a [[#Chat systems|table]] with explanation for all 24 mentioned chat systems and below that a list of each system's [[#Euler intersections|intersections]] with the other systems. Several of the systems are already considered old, like ''The "chat" tab in an old {{w|Google Doc}}'', but some people keep using them, which is part of the joke. There only seems to be one "chat" system which could in no way be said to be an on-line chat system, and that is the ''Wall (bathroom)'' at the bottom, which refers to how people writes notes on public bathroom walls, making it an extra joke and possibly a reference to [[229: Graffiti]].

===Chat systems===

===Chat systems===

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

!System

!System

!Number of people in group

!Number of people in group

!Explanation

!Explanation

|-

|-

| {{w|SMS}}

| {{w|SMS}}

|39

|39

|Short Message Service; a text-based messaging system connecting most worldwide phone systems that had its beginnings in the 1980s and has since represented the most common form of data transmission for most people.  It is principally used to send short text messages between mobile phones, but most phone carriers provide facilities to send-to-email or send-to-voice (for use with landline phones).  Most major phone carriers also provide support for email-to-SMS.

|Short Message Service; a text-based messaging system connecting most worldwide phone systems that had its beginnings in the 1980s and has since represented the most common form of data transmission for most people.  It is principally used to send short text messages between mobile phones, but most phone carriers provide facilities to send-to-email or send-to-voice (for use with landline phones).  Most major phone carriers also provide support for email-to-SMS.

|-

|-

| {{w|Email}}

| {{w|Email}}

|35

|35

|A popular form of electronic communication that saw first widespread use in the 1960s. It allows you to send electronic "letters" to people using pre-exchanged email addresses. Many people use this platform, hence the large size of the corresponding circle.

|A popular form of electronic communication that saw first widespread use in the 1960s. It allows you to send electronic "letters" to people using pre-exchanged email addresses. Many people use this platform, hence the large size of the corresponding circle.

|-

|-

| {{w|Hangouts}}

| {{w|Hangouts}}

|9

|9

|Google Hangouts is Google's instant messaging system. It can be used to share data and for video chat.

|Google Hangouts is Google's instant messaging system. It can be used to share data and for video chat.

|-

|-

| {{w|Signal_(software)|Signal}}

| {{w|Signal_(software)|Signal}}

|8

|8

| An app used for encrypted communications.

| An app used for encrypted communications.

|-

|-

| {{w|iMessage}}

| {{w|iMessage}}

|6

|6

|Apple's SMS service

|Apple's SMS service

|-

|-

| {{w|IRC}}

| {{w|IRC}}

|5

|5

|-

|-

| {{w|Slack_(software)|Slack}}

| {{w|Slack_(software)|Slack}}

|5

|5

|A team instant messaging service

|A team instant messaging service

|-

|-

| {{w|Twitter|Twitter DM}}

| {{w|Twitter|Twitter DM}}

|4

|4

| "Direct messages" between users on Twitter.

| "Direct messages" between users on Twitter.

|-

|-

| {{w|AOL Instant Messenger|AIM}}

| {{w|AOL Instant Messenger|AIM}}

|2

|2

|-

|-

|The "chat" tab in an old {{w|Google Doc}}

|The "chat" tab in an old {{w|Google Doc}}

|2

|2

|Google Docs is an online word processor reminiscent of Microsoft Word. One of the notable features is online collaborative editing, with a rudimentary chat feature for communication. Randall apparently communicates with someone using the chat in an old Google Doc.

|Google Docs is an online word processor reminiscent of Microsoft Word. One of the notable features is online collaborative editing, with a rudimentary chat feature for communication. Randall apparently communicates with someone using the chat in an old Google Doc.

|-

|-

| {{w|Facebook_Messenger|FB Messenger}}

| {{w|Facebook_Messenger|FB Messenger}}

|2

|2

|Facebook's chat system.

|Facebook's chat system.

|-

|-

| {{w|Instagram|Instagram DM}}

| {{w|Instagram|Instagram DM}}

|2

|2

|Direct Messaging, a feature of Instagram that allows users to post personal messages to each other.

|Direct Messaging, a feature of Instagram that allows users to post personal messages to each other.

|-

|-

|{{w|Peach_(social_network)|Peach}}

|{{w|Peach_(social_network)|Peach}}

|2

|2

|Peach is a mobile-based social network introduced in January 2016.

|Peach is a mobile-based social network introduced in January 2016.

|-

|-

| Telegram

| Telegram

|2

|2

|-

|-

| {{w|Skype}}

| {{w|Skype}}

|2

|2

|-

|-

| {{w|WhatsApp}}

| {{w|WhatsApp}}

|2

|2

|-

|-

| {{w|WeChat}}

| {{w|WeChat}}

|2

|2

|-

|-

|{{w|Apache_HTTP_Server|Apache}} Request {{w|Server_log|Log}}

|{{w|Apache_HTTP_Server|Apache}} Request {{w|Server_log|Log}}

|1

|1

|-

|-

| {{w|BlackBerry Messenger|BBM}}

| {{w|BlackBerry Messenger|BBM}}

|1

|1

|Blackberry message. A chat system available on {{w|BlackBerry}} phones, now largely obsolete.

|Blackberry message. A chat system available on {{w|BlackBerry}} phones, now largely obsolete.

|-

|-

| {{w|Snapchat}}

| {{w|Snapchat}}

|1

|1

|Snapchat is an image messaging app.

|Snapchat is an image messaging app.

|-

|-

|Wall (bathroom)

|Wall (bathroom)

|1

|1

|This is the only "other" joke in the comic as this is the only "system" not on-line. Apparently it is a chat system based around writing on the wall in the bathroom. Not an electronic system. It may thus be a reference to [[229: Graffiti]]. Leaving messages on public bathroom walls is a common form of {{w|graffiti}}. It may be used as a support for anonymous conversations. Alternatively, this could mean the person is an extreme introvert, and hides in his bathroom instead of interacting with others, by talking through the wall. It could also be a pun on "communicating through _____" as a bathroom wall is a physical object rather than an interface. It could also refer to someone who has a habit of talking through the wall to people in adjacent stalls of a public bathroom.

|This is the only "other" joke in the comic as this is the only "system" not on-line. Apparently it is a chat system based around writing on the wall in the bathroom. Not an electronic system. It may thus be a reference to [[229: Graffiti]]. Leaving messages on public bathroom walls is a common form of {{w|graffiti}}. It may be used as a support for anonymous conversations. Alternatively, this could mean the person is an extreme introvert, and hides in his bathroom instead of interacting with others, by talking through the wall. It could also be a pun on "communicating through _____" as a bathroom wall is a physical object rather than an interface. It could also refer to someone who has a habit of talking through the wall to people in adjacent stalls of a public bathroom.

|-

|-

|{{w|Wall (Unix)}}

|{{w|Wall (Unix)}}

|1

|1

|Short for "write all", the "wall" command copies its input to every user logged into the same Unix system, and so can be used as a primitive chat system.

|Short for "write all", the "wall" command copies its input to every user logged into the same Unix system, and so can be used as a primitive chat system.

|-

|-

| {{w|Zephyr (protocol)}}

| {{w|Zephyr (protocol)}}

|1

|1

| Zephyr was designed as an instant messaging protocol and application-suite with a heavy Unix background.

| Zephyr was designed as an instant messaging protocol and application-suite with a heavy Unix background.

|-

|-

| {{w|ICQ}}

| {{w|ICQ}}

|1

|1

|}

|}

==Transcript==

==Transcript==

:[An Euler diagram with many circle like drawings for various chat systems is shown. Some circles overlapping others in complicated ways, others are single circles with no connections, but most are embedded into others. Inside the circles mainly the standard sticky figures like Cueball, Megan, Ponytail and Hairy are shown but there are also a few others.]

:[An Euler diagram with many circle like drawings for various chat systems is shown. Some circles overlapping others in complicated ways, others are single circles with no connections, but most are embedded into others. Inside the circles mainly the standard sticky figures like Cueball, Megan, Ponytail and Hairy are shown but there are also a few others.]

==Trivia==

==Trivia==

*The ubiquity of standards - here, of messaging systems - was already covered in [[927: Standards]] and people's hesitation to switch off IRC was mentioned in [[1782: Team Chat]]. The same point about people using various chat systems was used in [[1254: Preferred Chat System]]. And famously the hidden chat room mentioned in [[1305: Undocumented Feature]], was later created by Randall through the [[:Category:April fools' comics|April fools' comic]] [[1506: xkcloud]] - see the [[1506:_xkcloud#Don.27t_contact_us|Don't contact us]] section.

*The ubiquity of standards - here, of messaging systems - was already covered in [[927: Standards]] and people's hesitation to switch off IRC was mentioned in [[1782: Team Chat]]. The same point about people using various chat systems was used in [[1254: Preferred Chat System]]. And famously the hidden chat room mentioned in [[1305: Undocumented Feature]], was later created by Randall through the [[:Category:April fools' comics|April fools' comic]] [[1506: xkcloud]] - see the [[1506:_xkcloud#Don.27t_contact_us|Don't contact us]] section.

[[Category:Charts]]

[[Category:Charts]]

[[Category:Social networking]]

[[Category:Social networking]]