Difference between revisions of "554: Not Enough Work"

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
In some companies, programmers often find themselves with not much work to do. This is because these companies have little programming work that needs doing until something breaks or needs upgrading. As a result, coders need to make themselves available to perform these emergency fixes, but also have nothing to do in the meantime. This requires finding constructive ways to entertain themselves.
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In some companies, programmers can find themselves under-employed. This may be because these companies have little programming work until something breaks or needs upgrading, or perhaps they are between projects, or simply waiting for a go-ahead. Coders still need to make themselves available to perform emergency fixes, but they may have no other assigned work. This requires them to find constructive ways to spend their time.  Or unconstructive, if that is more fun.
  
{{w|Dvorak Simplified Keyboard|Dvorak}} is a keyboard layout that was proposed as an alternative to the more common {{w|Qwerty keyboard|QWERTY}} layout. The QWERTY keyboard became the standard in the US due to mechanical typewriters; to avoid jamming, the most common letters had to be placed far away from each other on the keyboard. (International variants like the AZERTY and QWERTZ layout were designed with similar goals in mind, but for other languages.) As a result, certain words are incredibly awkward to type on a QWERTY keyboard; for example, if you're a US touch-typist, look at your keyboard and think about how you would type "minimum" - your fingers have to constantly straddle the "j" key and awkwardly avoid each other. The Dvorak keyboard, by contrast, is designed to make words much easier to type, placing all of the most common letters (including all five vowels) on the home row and maximizing hand alternation (which makes typing faster). Of course, most people learned to type with a Qwerty keyboard, and switching is quite difficult, especially for longtime touch-typists (like, say, programmers). Seriously considering the switch is a sign that you really having nothing better to do.
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{{w|Dvorak Simplified Keyboard|Dvorak}} is a keyboard layout that was proposed in 1936 as an alternative to the existing, entrenched {{w|Qwerty keyboard|QWERTY}} layout, developed in the 1870s. The QWERTY keyboard is the standard in the US, but some features in its layout are  based on mechanical considerations rather than the optimum placement for typing speed. For example, common letter combinations such as 'st' and 'th' had to be arranged so that their operating levers were separated from each other, lest they cause jams and slow down the typist. More than sixty years later, such mechanical considerations could be overcome, and Dvorak designed his keyboard layout with typing efficiency in mind.
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The Dvorak keyboard was ultimately unsuccessful. It still persists today, but has never threatened the dominance of the QWERTY keyboard.  Even if the Dvorak layout is  more efficient (which is still a matter for debate), QWERTY was and is the standard. This means that every keyboard user has to learn QWERTY anyway, and there is insufficient benefit in spending the time to learn a new layout, especially when you would have to switch back and forth between Dvorak and QWERTY as the situation demands.
 +
 
 +
Therefore, even seriously considering the switch is a sign that you really having nothing better to do.  Another joke is that even though the coder has plenty of spare time on his hands to practice on Dvorak, he has only been able to 'almost' match his old typing speed.
  
 
{{w|Gopher (protocol)|Gopher}} is a defunct internet protocol, which has been completely superseded by {{w|HTTP}}. It's a perfect example of the kind of thing a programmer might implement in the absence of other, more useful work. (As an aside, the protocol is named for the mascot of the University of Minnesota, where it was developed.)
 
{{w|Gopher (protocol)|Gopher}} is a defunct internet protocol, which has been completely superseded by {{w|HTTP}}. It's a perfect example of the kind of thing a programmer might implement in the absence of other, more useful work. (As an aside, the protocol is named for the mascot of the University of Minnesota, where it was developed.)
  
{{w|HTML}} and {{w|XHTML}} are markup languages used to describe web documents. XHTML-strict is a more restricted version of XHTML that excludes certain redundant tags like <center>, which is theoretically no longer necessary now that <div> and <span> exist. {{w|Haiku}}, on the other hand, is a kind of Japanese poetry. Rather than having a rhyming meter like Western poetry, Japanese poetry has strict restrictions on syllable count; a haiku must contain three lines, containing 5, 7, and 5 syllables, respectively. The section of code given is HTML markup, and would be read by a web developer like this:
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{{w|HTML}} and {{w|XHTML}} are markup languages used to describe web documents. XHTML-strict is a more restricted version of XHTML that excludes certain redundant tags like <nowiki><center></nowiki>, which is theoretically no longer necessary now that <nowiki><div>and <span></nowiki> exist. {{w|Haiku}}, on the other hand, is a kind of Japanese poetry. Rather than having a rhyming meter like Western poetry, Japanese poetry has strict restrictions on syllable count; a haiku must contain three lines, containing 5, 7, and 5 syllables, respectively. The section of code given is HTML markup, and would be read by a web developer like this:
  
 
:Div class equals Main
 
:Div class equals Main
Line 20: Line 24:
 
:Blog! end span end div
 
:Blog! end span end div
  
which meets the syllable requirements. Restricting yourself to writing markup in this form would be extremely challenging and time-consuming, so it, too, is a good sign your coders need more work. (As the title-text notes, it would be even more challenging if you pronounce the angle brackets that all HTML tags have. Doing so is pointless and time-consuming, since anyone who knows HTML will also know what's meant to be a tag and what isn't, so Randall calls anyone who does this an asshole.)
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This meets the syllable requirements. Restricting yourself to writing markup in this form would be extremely challenging and time-consuming and pointless, so it, too, is a good sign your coders need more work. The title text notes that pronouncing the angle-brackets would be even more challenging to write HTML in Haiku format, prompting Randall to name anyone who does this an asshole.
  
 
Finally, the last panel mentions the biggest timesink of them all: webcomics. (Or, say, [[Main Page|wikis devoted to explaining the jokes in webcomics]].)
 
Finally, the last panel mentions the biggest timesink of them all: webcomics. (Or, say, [[Main Page|wikis devoted to explaining the jokes in webcomics]].)
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
:Narration: Signs your coders don't have enough work to do:
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:Signs your coders don't have enough work to do:
:[Cueball sitting at his workstation, with Ponytail standing behind him]
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:[Cueball sitting at his workstation, with Ponytail standing behind him.]
 
:Cueball: I'm almost up to my old typing speed in Dvorak
 
:Cueball: I'm almost up to my old typing speed in Dvorak
:[Two men standing by a server rack]
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:Man #1: Our servers now support gopher.
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:[Two men standing by a server rack.]
:Man #1: Just in case.
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:Cueball: Our servers now support Gopher. Just in case.
:[Megan standing near her workstation speaking to Cueball]
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:Megan: Our pages are now HTML, XHTML-STRICT, and haiku-compliant
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:[Megan standing near her workstation speaking to Cueball.]
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:Megan: Our pages are now HTML, XHTML-STRICT, and Haiku-compliant.
 
:Cueball: Haiku?
 
:Cueball: Haiku?
:Megan: &lt;div class=&quot;main&quot;&gt;
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:Megan: <nowiki><div class="main"><span id="marquee">Blog!</span></div></nowiki>
:Megan: &lt;span id=&quot;marquee&quot;&gt;
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:Megan: Blog!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
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:[Ponytail sitting at her workstation.]
[Ponytail sitting at her workstation]
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:Ponytail: Hey! Have you guys seen this webcomic?
Ponytail: Hey! Have you guys seen this webcomic?
 
  
{{comic discussion}}  
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{{comic discussion}}
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
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[[Category:Programming]]

Revision as of 18:08, 14 February 2014

Not Enough Work
It's even harder if you're an asshole who pronounces <> brackets.
Title text: It's even harder if you're an asshole who pronounces <> brackets.

Explanation

In some companies, programmers can find themselves under-employed. This may be because these companies have little programming work until something breaks or needs upgrading, or perhaps they are between projects, or simply waiting for a go-ahead. Coders still need to make themselves available to perform emergency fixes, but they may have no other assigned work. This requires them to find constructive ways to spend their time. Or unconstructive, if that is more fun.

Dvorak is a keyboard layout that was proposed in 1936 as an alternative to the existing, entrenched QWERTY layout, developed in the 1870s. The QWERTY keyboard is the standard in the US, but some features in its layout are based on mechanical considerations rather than the optimum placement for typing speed. For example, common letter combinations such as 'st' and 'th' had to be arranged so that their operating levers were separated from each other, lest they cause jams and slow down the typist. More than sixty years later, such mechanical considerations could be overcome, and Dvorak designed his keyboard layout with typing efficiency in mind.

The Dvorak keyboard was ultimately unsuccessful. It still persists today, but has never threatened the dominance of the QWERTY keyboard. Even if the Dvorak layout is more efficient (which is still a matter for debate), QWERTY was and is the standard. This means that every keyboard user has to learn QWERTY anyway, and there is insufficient benefit in spending the time to learn a new layout, especially when you would have to switch back and forth between Dvorak and QWERTY as the situation demands.

Therefore, even seriously considering the switch is a sign that you really having nothing better to do. Another joke is that even though the coder has plenty of spare time on his hands to practice on Dvorak, he has only been able to 'almost' match his old typing speed.

Gopher is a defunct internet protocol, which has been completely superseded by HTTP. It's a perfect example of the kind of thing a programmer might implement in the absence of other, more useful work. (As an aside, the protocol is named for the mascot of the University of Minnesota, where it was developed.)

HTML and XHTML are markup languages used to describe web documents. XHTML-strict is a more restricted version of XHTML that excludes certain redundant tags like <center>, which is theoretically no longer necessary now that <div>and <span> exist. Haiku, on the other hand, is a kind of Japanese poetry. Rather than having a rhyming meter like Western poetry, Japanese poetry has strict restrictions on syllable count; a haiku must contain three lines, containing 5, 7, and 5 syllables, respectively. The section of code given is HTML markup, and would be read by a web developer like this:

Div class equals Main
Span ID equals Marquee
Blog! end span end div

This meets the syllable requirements. Restricting yourself to writing markup in this form would be extremely challenging and time-consuming and pointless, so it, too, is a good sign your coders need more work. The title text notes that pronouncing the angle-brackets would be even more challenging to write HTML in Haiku format, prompting Randall to name anyone who does this an asshole.

Finally, the last panel mentions the biggest timesink of them all: webcomics. (Or, say, wikis devoted to explaining the jokes in webcomics.)

Transcript

Signs your coders don't have enough work to do:
[Cueball sitting at his workstation, with Ponytail standing behind him.]
Cueball: I'm almost up to my old typing speed in Dvorak
[Two men standing by a server rack.]
Cueball: Our servers now support Gopher. Just in case.
[Megan standing near her workstation speaking to Cueball.]
Megan: Our pages are now HTML, XHTML-STRICT, and Haiku-compliant.
Cueball: Haiku?
Megan: <div class="main"><span id="marquee">Blog!</span></div>
[Ponytail sitting at her workstation.]
Ponytail: Hey! Have you guys seen this webcomic?


comment.png add a comment! ⋅ comment.png add a topic (use sparingly)! ⋅ Icons-mini-action refresh blue.gif refresh comments!

Discussion

I always pronounce tags like < / span > as "slash span." 107.204.46.198 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

Same -Donthaveusernametalk


I thought the keys jamming thing was a myth... 184.66.160.91 04:27, 22 October 2013 (UTC)

You're thinking of the "slow typers down" qualification to that. QWERTY was designed to speed them up by stopping jams. Anonymous 06:14, 13 December 2013 (UTC)


An interesting note; Haiku is also the name of a free and open source operating system! The Alpha release was 6 months after this comic was written though, so this is likely a coincidence.108.162.219.195 21:11, 26 November 2013 (UTC)

"Gopher" is also a pun on "go for". For this reason it's used to mean a general unqualified helper person, sent to fetch various items for the more senior people. For example, "He started on the racing team as a gopher". 108.162.246.5 21:33, 31 January 2014 (UTC)


There is no explanation on the title text... 173.245.51.97 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

There is now, though not by me. It is written together with the explanation of the third panel before the last panel, since it refers to that panel --Kynde (talk) 11:51, 17 June 2015 (UTC)


There is a community portal discussion of what to call Cueball and what to do in case with more than one Cueball. I have added this comic to the new Category:Multiple Cueballs. Since only one of the two Cueballs in panel two speaks in this comic, he is still listed as Cueball. Just made a note that the other guy also looks like Cueball. --Kynde (talk) 11:53, 17 June 2015 (UTC)

Couldn't haiku refer to the alternative OS Randall has mentioned several times before? That seems more likely than putting the web tags into an actual haiku... 108.162.216.36 03:39, 19 November 2015 (UTC)

See above:
> An interesting note; Haiku is also the name of a free and open source operating system! The Alpha release was 6 months after this comic was written though, so this is likely a coincidence.108.162.219.195 21:11, 26 November 2013 (UTC)
173.245.54.28 04:55, 19 November 2015 (UTC)

Hey, guys ,have you seen that webcomic? I think XKCD is referring to itself. 162.158.49.6 15:42, 29 August 2016 (UTC)

This comic made me want to learn dvorak (this was typed in dvorak) -Donthaveusernametalk

Has it helped? Beanie (talk) 13:57, 31 March 2021 (UTC)

Just in case the editor of this 'grammar' change reads this... Either "a matter for debate" or "a matter of debate" are correct, both grammatically and factually, but with subtly different emphasis. It might be more correct to say that the debate is ongoing (somewhere in the world of such discussions) rather than to be had later (though it will doubtless be a still outstanding future issue for as long as there are no seismic shifts in keyboard layouts or alternatives), but I don't think grammar really comes into it. (But, in checking the edit, the double-space between "is" and "more" is something that almost annoys me enough to want to change it.) 172.69.79.203 20:16, 13 May 2022 (UTC)

"Either A or B" is considered singular, so "Either A or B is correct.", not "... are correct".172.71.166.68 03:28, 9 January 2023 (UTC)