Difference between revisions of "814: Diode"

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
Jump to: navigation, search
(Created page with "{{comic | number = 814 | date = November 3, 2010 | title = Diode | image = diode.png | titletext = And the worst part is you won't apologize. }} ==Explanation...")
 
(The real situation is more nuanced, this oversimplification is a bit misleading and not relevant to the comic - http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/78366/why-cant-two-series-connected-diodes-act-as-a-bjt)
(9 intermediate revisions by 9 users not shown)
Line 8: Line 8:
  
 
==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
A {{w:diode}} is an electronic component that, to put it simply, blocks current traveling in one direction, but allows current going the other way. Diodes are a common component of digital circuits, such as those found in a computer (in particular, {{w:transistors}}, the fundamental building blocks of modern computers, are essentially two diodes stuck together).
+
A {{w|diode}} is an electronic component that, to put it simply, blocks current traveling in one direction, but allows current going the other way. Diodes are a common component of digital circuits, such as those found in a computer. The end that rejects incoming current is marked with a line or band of paint.
  
The comic is describing a common frustration in relationships. Sometimes one party in a relationship will feel that the other isn't listening to them, even though they themselves are being as open as possible. This is analogous to the function of a diode, which the comic indicates by literally introducing a diode into the dialogue. The title text simply further illustrates the point.
+
The comic is describing a common frustration in relationships. Sometimes one party in a relationship will feel that the other isn't listening to them, even though they themselves are being as open as possible. This is analogous to the function of a diode, which the comic indicates by literally introducing a diode into the dialogue. The diode introduced has the banded end being held by [[Cueball]]. This means his "negative energy" is blocked by the diode, while [[Megan]]'s flows through to him. This means she never receives his emotional pain, so does not feel she did anything wrong.  The title text simply further illustrates the point: Megan didn't perceive Cueball's apology, due to it being blocked by the diode, so she berates Cueball for not apologizing.
  
The reality is that ''communication is hard'', and your partner is probably trying just as hard as you are. Relationships are complicated. If they weren't, they wouldn't be so much fun.
+
==Transcript==
 +
:[Cueball is talking to Megan. Megan holds up a diode.]
 +
:Cueball: We need to talk.
 +
:Megan: Okay, but first hold the end of this diode.
  
==Transcript==
+
:[They hold the diode.]
:[Man is talking to woman. Woman holds up a diode.]
 
:[[Cueball]]: We need to talk.
 
:[[Megan]]: Okay, but first hold the end of this diode.
 
:[They hold the diode]
 
 
:Cueball: You hurt my feelings yesterday.
 
:Cueball: You hurt my feelings yesterday.
 
:Megan: You embarrassed me with my family last weekend.
 
:Megan: You embarrassed me with my family last weekend.
:[They are still holding the diode between them]
+
 
 +
:[They are still holding the diode between them.]
 
:Cueball: I'm sorry.
 
:Cueball: I'm sorry.
  
{{comic discussion}}  
+
{{comic discussion}}
<!-- Include any categories below this line-->
+
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comments featuring Cueball]]
+
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comments featuring Megan]]
 
 
[[Category:Romance]]
 
[[Category:Romance]]

Revision as of 18:05, 6 August 2016

Diode
And the worst part is you won't apologize.
Title text: And the worst part is you won't apologize.

Explanation

A diode is an electronic component that, to put it simply, blocks current traveling in one direction, but allows current going the other way. Diodes are a common component of digital circuits, such as those found in a computer. The end that rejects incoming current is marked with a line or band of paint.

The comic is describing a common frustration in relationships. Sometimes one party in a relationship will feel that the other isn't listening to them, even though they themselves are being as open as possible. This is analogous to the function of a diode, which the comic indicates by literally introducing a diode into the dialogue. The diode introduced has the banded end being held by Cueball. This means his "negative energy" is blocked by the diode, while Megan's flows through to him. This means she never receives his emotional pain, so does not feel she did anything wrong. The title text simply further illustrates the point: Megan didn't perceive Cueball's apology, due to it being blocked by the diode, so she berates Cueball for not apologizing.

Transcript

[Cueball is talking to Megan. Megan holds up a diode.]
Cueball: We need to talk.
Megan: Okay, but first hold the end of this diode.
[They hold the diode.]
Cueball: You hurt my feelings yesterday.
Megan: You embarrassed me with my family last weekend.
[They are still holding the diode between them.]
Cueball: I'm sorry.


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

Discussion

...but watch out for that knee if it's a Zenor diode! 31.110.91.76 00:39, 3 May 2013 (UTC)

"Zener", not "Zenor" 108.162.229.55 12:59, 23 November 2013 (UTC)

If cueball's words are indeed negative, they will pass trough the diode... But he still wo'nt appologize asuming an apology is positive. -173.245.53.148 15:44, 20 May 2014 (UTC)

1. A negative charge is what electrons have, so it won't pass through the diode, because Megan has the negative side.
2. A 'postive' apology (i.e. one with a positive charge, which is what you meant here) wouldn't flow at all, because charges don't go from positive to negative , so even if it was just a normal wire it still wouldn't flow.
3. You probably mean that the apology wouldn't flow, not that he wouldn't apologize.

Just on the structure, (ignoring the spelling errors, because I am pretty English isn't your first language) 'won't' stands for 'will not', so the apostrophe is a contraction of the 'o'. Beanie (talk) 12:30, 26 April 2021 (UTC)

I'm still having a problem with this, since the electrons are the mobile charge carriers and 'current' is a fiction. If anything is passing between them, it's got to be the electrons, not the 'current'. Like Randall, I've fantasized about going back and setting Ben Franklin straight about this, but then I thought that removing that one little speed bump in everyone's understanding of electricity could have accellerated technology just that little bit that would have resulted in having the atomic bomb in time for World War I. So, I've decided not to go back, it may have been a mistake with a highly practical outcome.

Is there a timeline (50% of them, I suppose) that have Ben getting it right, in which things go horribly wrong?

Why do you think his name is Ben? Beanie (talk) 12:31, 26 April 2021 (UTC)