Talk:1316: Inexplicable

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
Revision as of 15:24, 13 January 2014 by 108.162.212.217 (talk) (Explanation for my removal of the sentence "While it might [be] a reasonable conclusion for a human, demons can't possess a computer.")
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Literally haunted? 173.245.53.152 08:22, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

I would say he trying to say that some errors that computers have are impossible to fathom. I've baffled our IT people on many an occasion and the solution is usual 'rebuild' which is the computer equivalent of an exorcism.108.162.231.228 10:18, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

Definitely this. It is also much harder to figure out what the problem is with a computer when you weren't the one who has spent all their time using the computer. It is why I can't understand how IT people do their jobs. Daleb (talk) 13:14, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

Surprised nobody mentioned Ghost in the machine yet... --Koveras (talk) 10:28, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

I find the current explanation entertaining but... raises questions.

Is "This comic is inexplicable and represents a self-referencing joke about explainxkcd.com." serious?

I think it's not and I deleted the sentence. 173.245.50.84 14:39, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

"While it might [be] a reasonable conclusion [i.e. that it is 'haunted'] for a human, demons can't possess a computer." - this reads like "demons exist, but are incapable of possessing computer equipment", rather than "demons cannot possess a computer, because they don't even exist", which would be my preference (under the standard rules of not being able to prove the non-existence of the supernatral... and, believe me, I've had my fair share of totally baffling computer problems, in my time, and often anthropomorphise equipment, somewhat, at least to explain it to non-tech users... but then end up adopting the same attitude myself, of course).

"The title text suggests that Megan insists that Cueball resume possession of his laptop, as she is unsettled by the ghost; Cueball simply refuses, seeing an opportunity to make his problem hers." - I see that as more akin to the "cursed gem" type of story. One simply cannot palm the gem off on somebody else, but it must have a legitimately willing recipient (including a thief stealing it, often) in order for the curse itself to transfer itself. Now that the 'status' of the laptop is known he's not going to accept it back and take the 'curse of errors' back upon himself. 141.101.99.223 14:08, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

I just removed the sentence "While it might [be] a reasonable conclusion for a human, demons can't possess a computer." In the real world ghosts (the comic does not mention demons) don't exist and can't possess either humans or computers; in a fictional world, they might be able to do either or both (a la King's "Trucks"). -- 108.162.212.217 15:24, 13 January 2014 (UTC)