explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

2467: Wikipedia Caltrops

2021-05-24T18:05:26Z

108.162.219.192: I defines what caltrops are and gave a link to the Wikipedia article about them.

{{comic
| number = 2467
| date = May 24, 2021
| title = Wikipedia Caltrops
| image = wikipedia_caltrops.png
| titletext = Oh no, they set up a roadblock which is just a sign with the entire 'Czech hedgehog' article printed on it.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by A WIKIPEDIA CRAWL INEVITABLY REACHING "PHILOSOPHY". Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
Wikipedia is a website that is notorious for having many links to other pages, which may result in a "wiki walk", a dilemma what has been discussed previously in [[214|214: The Problem with Wikipedia]] (and separately with TV Tropes in [[609|609: Tab Explosion]]).

A '{{w|Czech hedgehog}}' is an anti-tank obstacle made of metal, and would be an effective roadblock however a sign describing it would not impede most traffic.

Cueball's car has a collection of Wikipedia links spilling out of the trunk. They include:

* {{w|1808 mystery eruption}}: A conjectured volcanic eruption
* {{w|1916 Cumberland vs. Georgia Tech football game}}: The most uneven college football game in history
* {{w|1994 Caribbean Cup#Anomaly}}: A soccer game where group stage qualification rules had unintended consequences
* {{w|American death triangle}}: An unsafe type of rock climbing anchor
* {{w|AVE Mizar}}: A 1970s flying car
* {{w|Bald-hairy}}: A Russian political theory about state leaders' hairstyles
* {{w|Boeing YAL-1}}: A laser weapon mounted on a military aircraft
* {{w|Bubbly Creek}}: A stretch of river in Chicago featured in The Jungle
* {{w|Burned house horizon}}: An area where Neolithic people burned their settlements
* {{w|Defence Scheme No. 1}}: A 1920s plan for Canada to attack the USA
* {{w|Ebright Azimuth}}: The highest point in Delaware
* {{w|Elsagate}}: A YouTube controversy involving inappropriate videos being categorised as child-friendly
* {{w|Fastest animals#Invertebrates}}: Very fast insects, and some squid
* {{w|Flying ice cube}}: An effect in molecular dynamics simulations
* {{w|Future of Earth#Introversion}}: A theory that the continents will all drift back together
* {{w|Hairy Hands}}: A ghost story in Dartmoor, England
* {{w|January 0}}: December 31st in some software programs
* {{w|List of fictional colors}}: Impossible colours in fiction
* {{w|List of unexplained sounds}}: Mostly detected by NOAA, includes the Bloop
* {{w|Talk:List of U.S. states and territories by area}}: A very long talk page where people dispute the order of the list
* {{w|Mosquito laser}}: A proposed device for killing mosquitoes
* {{w|Pheasant Island}}: An island shared equally between France and Spain
* {{w|Time in Australia#Anomalies}}: Places in Australia which do not use the expected time zone
* {{w|Timeline of the far future}}: Scientific speculation
* {{w|Walkalong glider}}: A type of unpowered model aircraft

The idea is that by dropping a series of interesting links, one could stop someone else's movement (provided that they are also easily distracted) as they take the time to go through them all. This is analogous to the {{w|caltrops}} mentioned in the title; caltrops are small, spiked implements that are scattered on a road to slow down someone pursuing you.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Cueball drives a car, followed by another car. A number of paper slips with wikipedia links are distributed from the back of the car:

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubbly_Creek
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsagate
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheasant_Island
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_death_triangle
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YAL-1
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1808_mystery_eruption
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Caribbean_Cup#Anomaly
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walkalong_glider
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastest_animals#Invertebrates
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_ice_cube
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairy_Hands
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_laser
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1916_Cumberland_vs._Georgia_Tech_football_game
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_far_future
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_0
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_Scheme_No._1
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_of_Earth#Introversion
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_colors
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burned_house_horizon
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unexplained_sounds
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_elevation#Delaware_-_Ebright_Azimuth

Caption: I have a collection of wikipedia links to throw behind my car if I'm ever being chased by someone as easily distracted as me.

{{comic discussion}}

2450: Post Vaccine Social Scheduling

2021-04-15T04:52:55Z

108.162.219.192: "created by" change

{{comic
| number = 2450
| date = April 15, 2021
| title = Post Vaccine Social Scheduling
| image = post_vaccine_social_scheduling.png
| titletext = As if these problems weren't NP-hard enough.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a UNVACCINATED MOVIEGOER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
The comic shows a timeline of a multitude of (presumably) friends and acquaintances getting their two doses of vaccine. Due to the CDC-recommended delay between shots, as well as few weeks needed to build antibodies from the second shot, planning get-togethers in advance becomes complicated by who is free to meet, or not yet.

Eventually, everyone can start getting together, but during the time where some people have only received one dose, or neither dose, or their second dose recently, the scheduling is complicated.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
A time graph of eleven people with lines. Circles with 1 and 2 are interspaced on the lines to represent first and second doses for COVID, and bolded lines for times after their second doses. 6 ellipses intersect various subsets of the people labeled in order:

DINNER GAMES MOVIE BIRTHDAY DINNER CABIN

[Caption below the panel]:

Post Vaccine Social Scheduling
{{comic discussion}}

Talk:2334: Slide Trombone

2020-07-18T00:09:04Z

108.162.219.192: edited my own comment

I can't find any source saying that the CPS 2000 was discontinued ''because it was too powerful''. There's plenty of reasons why products get discontinued, and this product had various points of criticism apparently. --[[User:NeatNit|NeatNit]] ([[User talk:NeatNit|talk]]) 21:09, 17 July 2020 (UTC)
: It's not verified but it appears likely. The nozzle of the CPS 2000 was 2.5x larger than advertised on the box and had a prominent safety warning affixed to it. It shot water with higher pressures than ever before. There was a hullabaloo around somebody losing an eye from it; there's no proof this happened but such hullabaloos are still bad for business. The model was discontinued and no water gun with comparable power has ever been mass produced for consumers since. It's notable that you can shoot water with as much pressure as you want to the point of cutting metal from a distance (see water cutter, found in well funded makerspaces as an improvement from the laser cutter, plasma cutter, cnc machine) and the metal of a brass instrument could be made to hold higher pressure than plastic. CPS 2000 information from https://nerfpedialegacy.fandom.com/wiki/CPS_2000 [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.192|108.162.219.192]] 23:58, 17 July 2020 (UTC)

This should come standard with all spit valves. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.192|108.162.219.192]] 21:36, 17 July 2020 (UTC)

Maybe I'm too knowledgeable about musical instruments, but this doesn't seem funny even as a satire. And there are lots of musician jokes about trombonists. [[User:Cellocgw|Cellocgw]] ([[User talk:Cellocgw|talk]]) 23:34, 17 July 2020 (UTC)
: Randal probably doesn't play these instruments. I don't either and don't yet understand why the joke is painful to you. It would be good for us to learn to respect musicians like you better. Is it because it's disrespectful of an expensive loved instrument that requires great dedication to own? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.192|108.162.219.192]] 23:58, 17 July 2020 (UTC)

2334: Slide Trombone

2020-07-18T00:06:16Z

108.162.219.192: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2334
| date = July 17, 2020
| title = Slide Trombone
| image = slide_trombone.png
| titletext = Remember the CPS 2000, the super soaker that was discontinued because it was too powerful? Relatedly, can I borrow your tuba?
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a conspiracy to keep the masses from rebelling by preventing them from having powerful super soakers. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Might be nice to at least link to an explanation of how the CPS 2000 worked; which relates to why the trombone makes a hissing noise which younger readers may not understand. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

In this comic, [[Megan]] carries her "old" trombone. The people offscreen do not know what's coming until it turns out that the trombone contains a water gun and she soaks the people offscreen. This super soaker is also referenced in [[220: Philosophy]] and [[517: Marshmallow Gun]].

In this title text, the CPS 2000 was a powerful water gun developed by {{w|Super Soaker}}. As mentioned, the water gun was discontinued because it was ''too'' powerful and caused injuries. Megan asks to borrow a tuba, presumably to hide the CPS 2000 water gun inside; this may be cause for loss of friendship with an experienced tuba player.

Brass can likely withstand higher pressures than the plastic material of super soakers. High pressure jets of water are used to cut metal with precision in prototyping labs and some makerspaces.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Megan walking with a trombone.]
:Offpanel voice #1: Hey, her old trombone.
:Offpanel voice #2: Cool, I haven't seen that thing since the 90s.

:Slide
:Hisss
:Slide
:Hisss

:[Megan's trombone shoots water at the offpanel observers.]
:Pshhhhh
:Offpanel voice #1: AUGH!
:Offpanel voice #2: So ''that's'' where my Super Soaker went.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

Talk:2334: Slide Trombone

2020-07-17T23:58:10Z

108.162.219.192:

I can't find any source saying that the CPS 2000 was discontinued ''because it was too powerful''. There's plenty of reasons why products get discontinued, and this product had various points of criticism apparently. --[[User:NeatNit|NeatNit]] ([[User talk:NeatNit|talk]]) 21:09, 17 July 2020 (UTC)
: It's not verified but it appears likely. The nozzle of the CPS 2000 was 2.5x larger than advertised on the box and had a prominent safety warning affixed to it. It shot water with higher pressures than ever before. There was a hullabaloo around somebody losing an eye from it; there's no proof this happened but such hullabaloos are still bad for business. The model was discontinued and no water gun with comparable power has ever been mass produced for consumers since. It's notable that you can shoot water with as much pressure as you want to the point of cutting metal from a distance (see water cutter, found in well funded makerspaces as an improvement from the laser cutter, plasma cutter, cnc machine) and the metal of a brass instrument could be made to hold higher pressure than plastic. CPS 2000 information from https://nerfpedialegacy.fandom.com/wiki/CPS_2000 [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.192|108.162.219.192]] 23:58, 17 July 2020 (UTC)

This should come standard with all spit valves. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.192|108.162.219.192]] 21:36, 17 July 2020 (UTC)

Maybe I'm too knowledgeable about musical instruments, but this doesn't seem funny even as a satire. And there are lots of musician jokes about trombonists. [[User:Cellocgw|Cellocgw]] ([[User talk:Cellocgw|talk]]) 23:34, 17 July 2020 (UTC)
: Randal probably doesn't play these instruments. I don't either and don't know why it's painful. It would be good for us to learn to respect musicians better. Is it because it's disrespectful of an expensive loved instrument that requires great dedication to ownb? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.192|108.162.219.192]] 23:58, 17 July 2020 (UTC)

Talk:2334: Slide Trombone

2020-07-17T21:36:11Z

108.162.219.192:

Talk:2320: Millennium Problems

2020-06-16T13:02:46Z

108.162.219.192:

Ironically, Randall misspells Perelman as "Perlman" in the comic but spells it correctly in the alt-text.

[[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.147|172.69.63.147]] 02:56, 16 June 2020 (UTC)

:Perhaps he meant Perlman the Perl-programming superhero? ;) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.123.145|162.158.123.145]] 03:33, 16 June 2020 (UTC)

The image is projected by a projector on the ground that Cueball is apparently standing in the way of, but there's no Cueball-shaped shadow on the projected image.

There has been some controversy over the millennium prizes, given that in mathematics important results are often a product of the work of different mathematicians who are not necessarily close associates. Perelman reportedly believed that his work was a corollary to prior work by Richard S. Hamilton.

I think the idea of this comic is an extension to a question, which I've seen before in this discussion, "what if person A shows that 2 millennium problems are equivalent, and then person B proves one of them?" Should person B get both prizes, or should person A get one of them? It is easy to think of situations where it is hard to know who deserves the credit, and I think this comic takes that
to a logical exteme. [[User:Probably not Douglas Hofstadter|Probably not Douglas Hofstadter]] ([[User talk:Probably not Douglas Hofstadter|talk]]) 03:59, 16 June 2020 (UTC)

The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Perelman Wikipedia article] for Grigori Perelman states the following: "The Clay Institute subsequently used Perelman's prize money to fund the 'Poincaré Chair', a temporary position for young promising mathematicians at the Paris Institut Henri Poincaré.", so no funding would be available for Randall's eighth prize. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.61|162.158.74.61]] 04:21, 16 June 2020 (UTC)

By process of elimination, the matrix and the equation should represent Yang-Mills and P=NP, but which is which? The 4x4 matrix could represent the 4D unitary transformation from Yang-Mills? The equation seems to say 'Ar + (squiggles)' but I can't think of any complexity problems that might take this form. --[[User:Quantum7|Quantum7]] ([[User talk:Quantum7|talk]]) 06:35, 16 June 2020 (UTC)

Syndication

2020-05-27T02:42:34Z

108.162.219.192: /* List of Changes supposedly imposed on Randall */

{{comic
| date = April 1, 2007
| title = Syndication
| image = syndication.jpg
| ldomain = imgs
| lappend = comics/xkcd_ufs.jpg
| titletext = Complaints should be directed to the xkcd writing staff.
| before = Now that xkcd is carried by United Features Syndicate, there are going to be a few changes to the comic. Obviously, with the rights signed over, it will no longer be published under Creative Commons, and all previous strips will be retroactively un-CC'd and relicensed under UFS terms. All online content will be protected via proprietary DRM. I also recieved a letter outlining topics and content that would be off-limits in the new xkcd. Prohibited content includes:

- Cultural references that would be lost on the average newspaper reader

- Mathematics above the high-school level

- Obscure scientific subjects

- Overt sexual material

- Objectionable words such as fuck, shit, cunt, ass, tits, cock, scrotum, bitch, Belgium, pussy, or twat

- Same-sex relationships

- Star Wars

- Star Trek (Original Series and Enterprise)

- The home phone numbers of White House employees

- Bacon-based currencies

- Erotic use of flywheels

- Exposés regarding other United Features syndicated characters

- Exposés regarding the personal lives of United Features Syndicate executives, specifically including CEO Kenneth Lowe

- Teledildonics

- Portrayals of Johnny Cash as an Amway distributor

- Any story that ends with "and that's how my penis got the nickname 'grappling hook'."

- Computer-computer cybersex

- Swordfights between white people

- Bitch & Animal

- Sexualization of Mt. Rushmore

- Staplers as mélée weapons

- Road trip buddy comedies starring Tank Girl and William Howard Taft

- Eric S. Raymond performing in Cirque du Soleil

- Hats with buckles

- Licking of nipples atop a moving train

The internet is the past. Newspapers are the future! See you in the funny papers.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an EROTIC FLYWHEEL. Needs a list explaining all the changes required. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This is a non-numbered [[:Category:April fools' comics|April fools' comic]], and is the first April fools' joke performed on xkcd. This comic is formatted similarly to other posts such as [[Blue Eyes]]. The post describes xkcd becoming syndicated into a newspaper, changing from a webcomic. Newspapers are notorious for censorship of content, and [[Randall]] describes all the changes that would be required of the comic, the humor coming from their progressive absurdity.

Randall then offers a "free preview" of the new syndicated version of XKCD. This is a parody of newspaper comics such as ''Garfield'', which tend to use relatively weak jokes in order to appeal to a broad audience. Notably:
*The joke being told, "Why did the computer cross the road?", is based on one of the most well-known jokes in existence. Those who know the joke have probably heard variations of it dozens of times, and will not find another one to be very humorous.
*The punchline of the "joke" is that computers are complicated. This relates to the general cultural stereotype (in the US) that [[1050: Forgot Algebra|math is hard]], and by extension anything related to math is hard.
*The punchline is followed by an extensive editor's note explaining the meaning of the acronym "{{w|LOL}}." Although that acronym could be considered the most niche terminology in the comic, it is still one of the most well-known texting abbreviations.
*Furthermore, the editor's note clarifies that LOL is meant to be an indicator to the audience that they should find something funny. The fact that humor has to be pointed out to the comic reader shows just how weak it is.
*The layout of the comic is a clear reference to ''Garfield'', including the usage of three identically sized panels (in the same aspect ratio as ''Garfield''), the use of borders around the outer panels but not the one in the middle, the fact that the characters [https://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1987/11/11 don't change poses] between panels, and the floor taking up about 15% of the bottom of each panel. See [https://d1ejxu6vysztl5.cloudfront.net/comics/garfield/2020/2020-04-30.gif here] for an example.
In addition, the strip image is noticeably grainy, as if it were a photograph of a newspaper.

===List of Changes supposedly imposed on Randall===

; Cultural References that would be lost on the average newspaper reader
:xkcd is known for its niche cultural references, one of the main reasons this wiki exists.
; Mathematics above the high-school level
:Another trademark of xkcd is its use of mathematics for humor. More complex mathematics tends to lend itself less well to comedy.
; Obscure scientific subjects
:Again, this is a common feature of xkcd comics, which turns off many would-be readers for its exclusivity, making xkcd difficult to syndicate.
; Overt sexual material
:xkcd's abstract art style means that it can get away with sexual content without seeming profane, and takes advantage of this often.
; Objectionable words such as {{w|fuck}}, {{w|shit}}, {{w|cunt}}, {{w|ass}}, {{w|tits}}, {{w|cock}}, {{w|scrotum}}, {{w|bitch}}, {{w|Belgium}}, {{w|pussy}}, or {{w|twat}}
:Newspaper comics tend to have very "clean" humor, which xkcd's usual writing style is ill suited for. Belgium is the rudest word in the universe according to {{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy}}.
; {{w|Same Sex relationships}}
:Newspapers are more often read by older people, so same-sex relationships are often absent to avoid conservative backlash.
; {{w|Star Wars}}
:Star Wars, a common reference in xkcd, is an intellectual property that would need to be licensed, at great expense to United.
; {{w|Star Trek}} (Original and Enterprise)
:Similar case to Star Wars. It is curious that the original series and Enterprise are referenced specifically, and not any of the intervening series (i.e. ''The Next Generation'', ''Deep Space 9'', ''Voyager'')
; The home phone numbers of {{w|White House}} employees
:At this point, the list items begin to become more absurd, tipping more credulous readers off to the joke.
; {{w|Bacon}} Based Currencies
: {{w|Bacon}} was a significant meme around this time, especially on Reddit, where XKCD comics were very popular.
; Erotic use of {{w|Flywheels}}
:While it is hard to see how one could use Flywheels erotically, {{w|Rule 34 (Internet meme)|there have been attempts}}.
; Exposés regarding other United Features syndicated characters
:Here Randall seems to imply that certain (fictional) comic strip characters are involved in scandals, of which he knows the details.
; Exposés regarding the personal lives of {{w|United Features Syndicate}} executives, specifically including CEO {{w|Kenneth Lowe}}
:overly specific stipulations like this one often suggest scandals or wrongdoing of the named parties.
; {{w|Teledildonics}}
:A form of technology used to have sex remotely, obviously unsuitable for the funnies.
; Portrayals of {{w|Johnny Cash}} as an {{w|Amway}} distributor
:Amway is a {{w|Multi-level marketing}} company; a link to Johnny Cash is not apparent.
; Any story that ends with "and that's how my penis got the nickname 'grappling hook'.
: As comics are expected to be family friendly, anything involving rope-driven genitalia grappling devices would likely be unwelcome.
; Computer-computer {{w|Cybersex}}
:Two chatbots cybering with one another is a plausibly real thing, and an easy target for xkcd.
; {{w|Swordfights}} between white people
:Possibly a reference to the cliché that white people can't dance.
; {{w|Bitch & Animal}}
:A "queercore" gay punk band, never mentioned elsewhere in xkcd.
; {{w|Sexualization}} of {{w|Mount Rushmore}}
:Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into Mount Rushmore features the 60-foot (18 m) heads of Presidents George Washington (1732–1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), and Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), as for the sexualization of the mountain, See ''Erotic use of Flywheels.''
; Staplers as {{w|Melee weapon|mélée weapons}}
:By folding a stapler open and compressing its upper half, a stapler can be used as a very ineffective{{Citation needed}} imitation of a hand gun. Hand guns are ranged weapons, and therefore not mélée weapons.
; Road trip buddy comedies starring {{w|Tank Girl}} and {{w|William Howard Taft}}
: This is simply a bit of surrealism on Randall's part; Tank Girl (the subject of a comic book and 80s cult sci-fi movie) and William Howard Taft (the president that everyone knows as "The one that was so fat he got stuck in the tub) would have very little reason to go on a road trip together.
; {{w|Eric S. Raymond}} performing in {{w|Cirque du Soleil}}
: More surrealism. Eric S. Raymond (more commonly known by his login name esr) is a controversial figure in the tech scene; he's most well known for maintaining (poorly, in some people's opinion) the legendary Jargon File, and for writing The Cathedral and the Bazaar, which some consider one of the seminal manifestos of the modern Open Source/Free Software movement. He would have very little time or energy to spend performing French-Canadian contortion-based performance art.
; Hats with buckles
:
; Licking of nipples atop a moving train
:

==Transcript==
:[A Cueball and his Cueball-like friend are standing in some sort of grassy area.]
:Cueball: Why did the computer cross the road?
:Friend: I don't know.

:Cueball: I don't know either! Computers are so complicated!
:Friend: LOL!

:Editor's note: "LOL" is an online acronym for "laughing out loud." It alerts you to something funny, so keep an eye out!

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:April fools' comics]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics_with_color]]
[[Category:Extra_comics]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]

1537: Types

2015-06-15T01:54:01Z

108.162.219.192: Set the background color of 'yellowish blue'

{{comic
| number = 1537
| date = June 12, 2015
| title = Types
| image = types.png
| titletext = colors.rgb("blue") yields "#0000FF". colors.rgb("yellowish blue") yields NaN. colors.sort() yields "rainbow"
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a series of programming jokes about a ridiculous new programming language, perhaps inspired by {{w|Mathematica}} and {{w|Wolfram Research}} — the latter was used by [[Randall]] many times before. Maybe it's also inspired by [https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/talks/wat Gary Bernhardt's CodeMash 2012 lightning talk] on JavaScript's unpredictable typing. In the talk, the highly technical audience was unable to correctly guess the results of adding various JavaScript types and roared with laughter when they were revealed. The programming language shown in this comic has types even more unpredictable than JavaScript.

Most regular programming languages distinguish types, e.g. integers, strings, lists… all of which have different behaviours. But for instance, the operation "+" is usually conventionally defined over more than one of these types. Applied to two integers, it returns their sum. Applied to two strings (denoted by being enclosed in quotes) it concatenates them:

<code>> 2 + 3 5

> "123" + "abc" "123abc"</code>

While these behaviours are standard, conventional, and intuitive, there is a huge amount of variation among programming languages when you apply an operation like "+" to different types. One logical approach is to always return an error in all cases of type mixing, but it is often practical to allow some case mixing, since it can hugely simplify expressions. Variation and lack of a clearly more intuitive behaviour leads some languages to have weird results when you mix types.

# <code>2 + "2"</code> uses the <code>+</code> operator on a number and a string. In some programming languages, this might result in the number <code>4</code> in math addition, or <code>"22"</code> in string concatenation; however, the new language converts the string to an integer, adds them to produce <code>4</code> and converts back to a string. Alternately, it may instead be adding 2 to the ASCII value of the character <code>"2"</code> (50), resulting in the character <code>"4"</code> (52). This is (somewhat) consistent with the behavior for item 4.
# <code>"2" + []</code> adds a string to an array or list. This first inexplicably converts the string to a number again, and then it literally adds the number to the list by prepending it. And then the result (the entire array) is converted to a string again.
# <code>(2/0)</code> divides <code>2</code> by <code>0</code> and quite reasonably results in <code>NaN</code>, meaning "Not a Number", though in most languages, as prescribed by the IEEE 854 standard for floating point numbers, dividing a nonzero number by zero would instead return an infinity value.
# <code>(2/0)+2</code> adds <code>2</code> to <code>NaN</code>. <code>2</code> Is "added" to the string <code>"NaN"</code> as again, the number is converted to a string for apparently no reason, which produces <code>"NaP"</code>. If the language's convention is to add to the ASCII value of a character or string, then in this case it added 2 to the character <code>"N"</code> (78), resulting in <code>"P"</code> (80). How the string "NaP" is converted into a bare NaP with undefined meaning is not clear. It is possible the "NaP" means "Not a Positive" as opposed to "Not a Negative"
# <code>""+""</code>: In many languages, two consecutive double-quote characters denote an empty string, so this expression would concatenate two empty strings, resulting in an empty string. However, it appears that this language treats only the outermost quotes of the expression as the string boundary, so all of the characters between them become part of the literal string, producing '<code>"+"</code>' (In many programming languages, you can use both <code>"</code> or <code>'</code> to delimit strings and both behave similar if not identical).
# <code>[1,2,3]+2</code> seems to test whether it's sound to append <code>2</code> to the list <code>[1,2,3]</code>, and concludes that it doesn't fit the pattern, returning the boolean value <code>false</code>. It could conceivably also be the result of an attempt to add <code>2</code> to the ''set'' <code>[1,2,3]</code>, which already contains that element (although <code>{1,2,3}</code> would be a more common notation for sets).
# <code>[1,2,3]+4</code> returns <code>true</code> for much the same reason.
# <code>2/(2-(3/2+1/2))</code> is a floating point joke. Floating point numbers are notoriously imprecise. With precise mathematics, <code>(3/2+1/2)</code> would be exactly 2, hence the entire thing would evaluate to <code>2/0</code> or <code>NaN</code> in Randall's new language. However, the result of <code>(3/2+1/2)</code> is "just slightly off," which makes the result "just slightly off" of <code>NaN</code>, which would be ridiculous in a real language. The ironic thing is that fractions with 2 in the denominator are ''not'' the kind of numbers that typically suffer from floating point impreciseness. Additionally, if there was indeed a rounding error, the actual calculation becomes something like <code>2/0.000000000000013</code>, which should not return a <code>NaN</code> since it is not division by zero. It is most likely not a coincidence that there are 13 zeros before the "13" at the end of the "decimal".
# <code>range(" ")</code> normally wouldn't make any sense. However, the new language appears to interpret it as ASCII, and in the ASCII table, character #32 is space, #33 is <code>!</code>, and #34 is <code>"</code>. So, instead of interpreting <code>" "</code> as a string, it seems to be interpreted as <code>34, 32, 34</code> (in ASCII), and then <code>range</code> appears to transform this into <code>34, 33, 32, 33, 34</code> (the "ranges" between the numbers), which, interpreted as ASCII, becomes <code>['"', '!', ' ', '!', '"']</code>.
# <code>+2</code> is "simply" attempting to add 2 to the line number 10 to get 12.
# <code>2+2</code> would normally be <code>4</code>. However, the interpreter takes this instruction to mean that the user wishes to increase the actual value of the number <code>2</code> (aka the "literal value") by <code>2</code> for the remainder of the program, making it <code>4</code> and then reports that the work is "Done". The result can be seen in the subsequent lines where all <code>2</code>s are replaced by <code>4</code>s. This could be a reference to languages like Fortran where [http://everything2.com/title/Changing+the+value+of+5+in+FORTRAN literals could be assigned new values]. It might also refer that "2+2" operation is already been done on line 1
# <code>range(1,5)</code> would normally return <code>[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]</code>. However, since the value of <code>2</code> has been changed to <code>4</code>, it returns <code>[1, 4, 3, 4, 5]</code>, and this even affects the line number (which is 14 instead of 12).
# <code>floor(10.5)</code> should return <code>10</code> (the "floor" of a decimal number is that number rounded down). However, it instead returns {{w|ASCII art}} of the number on a "floor."

The title text contains three further examples relating to color. <code>color.rgb("blue")</code> returns the hexadecimal code for pure blue (as would be used in HTML, for example), which is how a real programming language might work. The lookup for "yellowish blue" returns "NaN" (Not a Number) again, which makes sense at one level because there is no such color as "yellowish blue" (yellow and blue are opposites on the RGB {{w|color triangle}}, making yellowish-blue an {{w|impossible colour}}, which can only be perceived with great difficulty through contrived figures). However a more typical result would have been a failure indicating that the color database does not include the name, in the same way that a typo such as "bluw" would. (Note that HTML does [http://stackoverflow.com/q/8318911/256431 explicitly attempt] to handle all "color names". For the record, "yellowish blue" is a dark blue with an imperceptible amount of red — <code style='background-color: #0e00b0; color: white'>#0E00B0</code>.) Similarly sorting the colors would normally produce some defined ordering, such as alphabetical, but in this language it generates the string "rainbow". It seems that Randall's new language understands color theory in an unusually deep way.

==Transcript==
:[Caption above the black part of the comic:]
:My new language is great, but it
:has a few quirks regarding type:

:[The rest of the comic is written in a black rectangle. All text to the left of ">" is written in gray. Text to the right of the ">" on the lines with numbers are in white, and then gray text on the other lines. There seems to be missing a ">" after the line no. 3.]
:  [1]> 2+"2"
:    => "4"
:  [2]> "2"+[]
:    => "[2]"
:  [3] (2/0)
:    = > NaN
:  [4]> (2/0)+2
:    = > NaP
:  [5]> "" + ""
:    = > ' "+" '
:  [6]> [1,2,3]+2
:    = > False
:  [7]> [1,2,3]+4
:    = > True
:  [8]> 2/(2-(3/2+1/2))
:    = > NaN.000000000000013
:  [9]> Range("   ")
:    = > (' " ',"! "," ","!",' " ')
:[10]> + 2
:    = > 12
:[11]> 2+2
:    = > Done
:[14]> Range(1,5)
:    = > (1,4,3,4,5)
:[13]> Floor(10.5)
:    = > |
:    = > |
:    = > |
:    = > |_ _ _10.5_ _ _

==Trivia==
*There is an inconsistency in the comic after [3] where the ">" is missing.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:  Programming]]
[[Category:  Language]]

1432: The Sake of Argument

2014-10-10T09:50:09Z

108.162.219.192: The page said that Ponytail was the speaker of the last line in the title text, but it was Cueball who said it.

{{comic
| number = 1432
| date = October 10, 2014
| title = The Sake of Argument
| image = the_sake_of_argument.png
| titletext = 'It's not actually ... it's a DEVICE for EXPLORING a PLAUSIBLE REALITY that's not the one we're in, to gain a broader understanding about it.' 'oh, like a boat!' '...' 'Just for the sake of argument, we should get a boat! You can invite the Devil, too, if you want.'
}}

==Explanation==

{{incomplete|Only a summary of the main strip so far; no title text.}}

[[Ponytail]] is trying to get [[Cueball]] to consider a hypothetical situation, for the sake of argument. Cueball is questioning the wisdom of doing so, and postulating that assuming unreal hypotheses for the sake of argument is a stupid thing to do, because it causes more arguments. Ponytail then claims she is simply playing the devil's advocate, and Cueball again lambastes her for advocating for somebody as unsympathetic as the devil.

In a debate or discussion, to play the {{w|Devil's Advocate}} is take a position you do not necessarily agree with, to allow further exploration of the subject. As the title text starts to explain, it can be a device used to explore a different viewpoint to gain a wider understanding. Arguing for a view you do not agree with can provoke a re-evaluation, or conversely a re-affirmation of your previously held view. To be able to convincingly play the devil's advocate is the mark of a well rounded debater.

Cueball then pulls an ironic twist on Ponytail by revealing that he was questioning Ponytail's argumentative style for the sake of argument himself. The comic actually plays on the double meaning of "argument": Ponytail refers to a statement in a debate while Cueball suggests a quarrel in the last panel.

In the title text, an exasperated Ponytail is trying to explain to Cueball that she is simply trying to use these debating techniques as a device to explore and broaden her understanding of her reality or a plausible alternative. Cueball simply derails the conversation, by comparing these attributes to a boat, which also allows you to explore other areas and broaden your experiences and understanding. Ponytail is rendered speechless by this statement, and Cueball further suggests that they should get a boat, and that Ponytail can bring the Devil too.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Ponytail and Cueball are talking]
:Ponytail: Just for the sake of argument, let's say that--
:Cueball: --wait, for the sake of what?
:[Panel zooms to only show Cueball]
:Ponytail: Argument.
:Cueball: Ok, cool, that's totally a good reason to say something that's wrong. Gotta have arguments.
:[Panel returns to original view]
:Ponytail: I'm just playing devil's advocate.
:Cueball: Ok. So you saw an argument where one side was the Devil, and you were like "Man, that guy could use an advocate."
:Ponytail: It's...why are you being so difficult?
:Cueball: For the sake of argument.
:Ponytail: Argh!
:Cueball: Yay, it's working!
{{comic discussion}}

1401: New

2014-07-30T16:55:55Z

108.162.219.192:

{{comic
| number = 1401
| date = July 30, 2014
| title = New
| image = new.png
| titletext = The nice thing about headcannnons is that it's really easy to get other people to believe in them.
}}

==Explanation==
A canon describes a set of works that are collectively recognized as having authenticity. Although a work's definitive canon is determined by its creators, with authors borrowing elements from works that are not their own, there are many alternate canons, or universes, that can exist for a set of fictional characters or settings. The term is derived from canon which means the rule by which things are judged or authenticated. Fans often develop canons around things that they think the author should have done, such as romantic pairings or answers to questions officially left unexplained. If a reader of a work of fiction develops their own theories that are inconsistent with the original work or attempts to explain details that the story doesn't address, this is referred to as head canon. For a reader with head canon, the rules that determine the authenticity of the work only exist in said readers head, and do not necessarily reflect the authors intent or consensus.

For instance, in the ''Star Trek'' universe, a character named Quark owns a bar on the space station Deep Space Nine. This is canon; that is, Quark's bar is shown in official ''Star Trek'' media. If, however, a fan speculated that Quark was not driven out of business by the station's food replicators by importing replicator patterns of exotic foods unlikely to be found in standard Starfleet replicators, that would be headcanon but not canon (since the theory was developed without input or sanction from Star Trek's creators).

A ''cannon'' is an explosive-based projectile weapon.

In this case the head cannon is literally a cannon on Black Hat's head which he uses to interrupt Cueball on the computer. While the more esoteric headcanons are easy to ignore, it is decidedly more difficult to not notice or believe the existence of a cannon strapped to one's head.

This comic also shows Cueball being once again distracted from his work in a manner similar to [[1388: Subduction License]].

===Title Text===
The title text is a pun on the {{w|Homophone|homophones}} "{{w|Canon_(fiction)|canon}}" and "{{w|Cannon|cannon}}". Randall addresses both homophones in the title text by putting three consecutive "n"s in "headcannnon".

==Transcript==
:[Black Hat walks in.]
:Black Hat: New headcannon:

:[Cueball is sitting at his desk, using his computer.]
:Cueball: Yeah?

:[Black Hat lifts his hat, revealing his "headcannon": a tiny cannon on the top of his head. The headcannon fires and blows up Cueball's desk, the explosion throwing Cueball backwards.]
:Headcannon: '''BOOM'''
:Cueball: AUGH!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]

Talk:139: I Have Owned Two Electric Skateboards

2014-01-02T04:02:43Z

108.162.219.192:

I can hardly believe that Randall yet had any thougt of Danish, as he introduced her in [[377: Journal 2]]. It's just a "chic", like "Megan-2", who only just happens to have a little longer hair. –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 08:53, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
:We know Randall likes electric skateboards. And most of his early comics are not on a deeper sarcasm. This was just a fun comic. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:13, 29 May 2013 (UTC)
Do you really want a longer explanation, if there's nothing more to explain? –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 13:23, 1 June 2013 (UTC)
:Your link to [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/bitches-love-x bitches] is definitively wrong. I am sure it is related to this song: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicks_Dig_It Chicks DigIt] by Chris Cagle. The video was performed at a skate park and he tries to impress females, because the "chicks dig it". What do you think?--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 16:49, 1 June 2013 (UTC)
::Randalls arrows pointing towards "chicks" is probably not referencing anything else than the chicks. It's just a word. I don't know who linked to the "biches love X" meme, but I am quite sure it was just for the fun of it, and nothing more. :) –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 18:12, 1 June 2013 (UTC)
:::I was just checking the early history of this explain and this "bitches" are from "Revision as of 20:04, 17 September 2012 by Lcarsos". Maybe I did misunderstood you but this explain still does need some polish. So I will work on this soon.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:52, 1 June 2013 (UTC)
:::I feel that the connections are too vague for the conclusion that the comic was inspired by the "Chicks dig it"-song. The comic doesn't use the phrase "chicks dig it", and the song doesn't seem to touch upon skateboarding.

:::I don't think the comic has anything to do with the "bitches love X"-meme either, I think lcarsos only linked to it because it humorously related to the topic (like the song). I suggest that we have those two things somehow linked from the explanation or trivia without any claims that the comic was inspired by or references them. ––[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 00:18, 8 June 2013 (UTC)

I did remove the "bitches" last week and now I found a proper sentence for the title text. The "incomplete" tag is removed.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 12:50, 8 June 2013 (UTC)
:Often it feels like explanations of self-evident stuff just describes or repeats the stuff concerned... Secondly, how about: "I suggest that we have those two things somehow linked from the explanation or trivia without any claims that the comic was inspired by or references them." ––[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 22:24, 9 June 2013 (UTC)
:Please never edit posts by other people! Ok? --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:29, 9 June 2013 (UTC)
::Hey, I didn't edit your post, I indented it, only to help people follow the conversation. I assumed it was a reply, since you were talking about the "bitches"-meme. Sorry if I misinterpreted. Why did you remove "bitches love X"? –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 12:00, 10 June 2013 (UTC)

Is it Cueball or Randall talking in the title text? I always thought of it as Randall's side note, rather than the characters in the comic saying it. [[User:Alcatraz ii|Alcatraz ii]] ([[User talk:Alcatraz ii|talk]]) 23:47, 7 November 2013 (UTC)
:I agree. Unless it's a clear continuation of a thought expressed by a character, I tend to assume that the title text is directly from Randall. In this case no characters are talking so Cueball likely wasn't even assigned enough personality for this comic to have that kind of back story. He's just a guy with an electric skateboard.--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.192|108.162.219.192]] 04:02, 2 January 2014 (UTC)

This explanation seems to miss the main point. Electric skateboards get you from point A to point B and by the time you get there you will have a crowd of screaming chicks chasing after you (because the skateboard is just that awesome). What's all this talk about a song that was at no point clearly referenced?--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.192|108.162.219.192]] 03:54, 2 January 2014 (UTC)

Talk:139: I Have Owned Two Electric Skateboards

2014-01-02T03:54:47Z

108.162.219.192:

I can hardly believe that Randall yet had any thougt of Danish, as he introduced her in [[377: Journal 2]]. It's just a "chic", like "Megan-2", who only just happens to have a little longer hair. –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 08:53, 25 February 2013 (UTC)
:We know Randall likes electric skateboards. And most of his early comics are not on a deeper sarcasm. This was just a fun comic. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:13, 29 May 2013 (UTC)
Do you really want a longer explanation, if there's nothing more to explain? –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 13:23, 1 June 2013 (UTC)
:Your link to [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/bitches-love-x bitches] is definitively wrong. I am sure it is related to this song: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicks_Dig_It Chicks DigIt] by Chris Cagle. The video was performed at a skate park and he tries to impress females, because the "chicks dig it". What do you think?--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 16:49, 1 June 2013 (UTC)
::Randalls arrows pointing towards "chicks" is probably not referencing anything else than the chicks. It's just a word. I don't know who linked to the "biches love X" meme, but I am quite sure it was just for the fun of it, and nothing more. :) –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 18:12, 1 June 2013 (UTC)
:::I was just checking the early history of this explain and this "bitches" are from "Revision as of 20:04, 17 September 2012 by Lcarsos". Maybe I did misunderstood you but this explain still does need some polish. So I will work on this soon.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:52, 1 June 2013 (UTC)
:::I feel that the connections are too vague for the conclusion that the comic was inspired by the "Chicks dig it"-song. The comic doesn't use the phrase "chicks dig it", and the song doesn't seem to touch upon skateboarding.

:::I don't think the comic has anything to do with the "bitches love X"-meme either, I think lcarsos only linked to it because it humorously related to the topic (like the song). I suggest that we have those two things somehow linked from the explanation or trivia without any claims that the comic was inspired by or references them. ––[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 00:18, 8 June 2013 (UTC)

I did remove the "bitches" last week and now I found a proper sentence for the title text. The "incomplete" tag is removed.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 12:50, 8 June 2013 (UTC)
:Often it feels like explanations of self-evident stuff just describes or repeats the stuff concerned... Secondly, how about: "I suggest that we have those two things somehow linked from the explanation or trivia without any claims that the comic was inspired by or references them." ––[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 22:24, 9 June 2013 (UTC)
:Please never edit posts by other people! Ok? --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:29, 9 June 2013 (UTC)
::Hey, I didn't edit your post, I indented it, only to help people follow the conversation. I assumed it was a reply, since you were talking about the "bitches"-meme. Sorry if I misinterpreted. Why did you remove "bitches love X"? –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 12:00, 10 June 2013 (UTC)

Is it Cueball or Randall talking in the title text? I always thought of it as Randall's side note, rather than the characters in the comic saying it. [[User:Alcatraz ii|Alcatraz ii]] ([[User talk:Alcatraz ii|talk]]) 23:47, 7 November 2013 (UTC)

This explanation seems to miss the main point. Electric skateboards get you from point A to point B and by the time you get there you will have a crowd of screaming chicks chasing after you (because the skateboard is just that awesome). What's all this talk about a song that was at no point clearly referenced?--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.192|108.162.219.192]] 03:54, 2 January 2014 (UTC)

Talk:633: Blockbuster Mining

2014-01-02T03:35:50Z

108.162.219.192:

Why do we think that this is Danish? The hair isn't the same and there are no other indicators. [[User:LadyMondegreen|LadyMondegreen]] ([[User talk:LadyMondegreen|talk]]) 12:59, 13 June 2013 (UTC)
:I'm also sure it's not [[Megan]], she isn't that violent. And for now we have chaos here because [[Danish]] is still at the transcript.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 11:45, 18 June 2013 (UTC)
::I'm only using Megan because it's drawn like Megan. Megan, like Cueball is basically the default girl. Her personality changes as necessary. Besides, we're seeing an actor play Harriet the Spy so none of the violence is a character trait. I'd classify it as Harriet the Spy, but it's not only not completely accurate but it steps on the punchline. [[User:LadyMondegreen|LadyMondegreen]] ([[User talk:LadyMondegreen|talk]]) 16:48, 20 June 2013 (UTC)
:::I will tag this as incomplete. Megan is not that violent and we still have to find a better solution.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:49, 20 June 2013 (UTC)
::::"Woman" is a fine alternative to "Megan", but too generic. "Female spy" might give away the punchline a little early. "Testosterette" looks too much like the name of a toaster pastry flavoured with bacon, gunshot and a hint of Jack Daniel's. [[User:Thokling|Thokling]] ([[User talk:Thokling|talk]]) 18:11, 28 September 2013 (UTC)

Misuse of "to" in the title text. I'll check this out. --[[User:Quicksilver|Quicksilver]] ([[User talk:Quicksilver|talk]]) 19:22, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
:Randall has targeted grammar nazi's and people afflicted with OCD in the past. Consider yourself a member in a special breed of Internetter! [[User:Thokling|Thokling]] ([[User talk:Thokling|talk]]) 18:11, 28 September 2013 (UTC)

The "rectangular object" appears to be be the spiral bound notebook when looked at closely. Or is it just me? {{unsigned ip|108.162.237.120}}

Do we know which particular action scenes of which particular movies are satirized in each frame? I get the feeling they're either extremely generic or from something familiar. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.226.228|108.162.226.228]] 15:28, 1 January 2014 (UTC)

The one in the "stop I'll talk" frame reminds me of the scene in Mission Impossible III (I think three) where the bad guy gets the info and then shoots the girlfriend anyway, however it could be from any movie. It was my impression that the panels are more of a "spy goes bananas" aspect so this could just be a reference to the stereotypical spy information extraction tactic gone awry.
[[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.65|108.162.215.65]] 20:57, 1 January 2014 (UTC)

The movie based on this book already and by the same name deserves mention here somewhere.--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.192|108.162.219.192]] 03:35, 2 January 2014 (UTC)