explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1586: Keyboard Problems

2015-10-07T18:45:12Z

108.162.221.152: /* Explanation */ Cueball may be pounding the keys and breaking them himself...

{{comic
| number = 1586
| date = October 5, 2015
| title = Keyboard Problems
| image = keyboard_problems.png
| titletext = In the future, a group of resistance fighters send me back in time with instructions to find the Skynet prototype and try to upgrade it.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Needs some rewording and reorganizing}}

This comic parodies how people diagnose and solve computer problems. Cueball and Megan are trying to solve a keyboard issue, but are somewhat incompetent at diagnosing the issue. Cueball in particular blames a broken keyboard on software or a keyboard virus.

In the comic, [[Cueball]] complains that some keys in his keyboard don't work. Generally speaking, this could be due either to a software problem (e.g. the keyboard driver not working properly, or some program ignoring keypresses) or to a hardware problem (the keyboard is physically damaged, e.g. because of dirt under the keys).

If the problem is in software, booting from a different operating system (e.g. an external recovery disk) should solve it, as the computer would not be using the faulty software. Conversely, if the problem is in hardware, changing the keyboard should solve the problem as the new keyboard is not physically damaged (and has no dirt under the keys).

However, the problem stays there after booting from an external recovery disk (so it's not a software problem) and it has "followed Cueball since his last computer" (i.e. persists after changing to a new laptop with a new keyboard, so it's not a hardware problem). Cueball is reasonably puzzled.

[[Megan]] seems to be used to Cueball's computer behaving strangely, and she doesn't even attempt to explain or solve the problem. The only explanation she needs for the problem is that "it's Cueball's computer". The characters in this comic are probably the same as in [[1084: Server Problem]], [[1316: Inexplicable]], and possibly [[349: Success]].

Both Cueball and Megan are entirely clueless to the fact that the issue is likely a hardware issue with the keyboards, rather than a virus that spreads between computers. It's possible Cueball uses the computer in a dirty environment with food or dust clogging up all of his keyboards. It may also be a case of PEBCAC--as in, Cueball pounding the keys in the same way on both keyboards, and breaking the same keys. Blaming such a broken-key problem on software or a virus is completely absurd.

The last panel is a reference to {{w|The Terminator}}, a 1984 movie often referenced in xkcd. In the movie, the artificial intelligence named Skynet initiates a nuclear war, destroying most of humanity, then it sends killing machines to finish the rest. These include flying drones - Megan suggests that if such robots come to Cueball's vicinity, they will (physically) crash since computers around Cueball can't seem to ever work properly, and so hiding in Cueball's house she should be safe from the robots.

The title text refers to main plot of the movie and its sequel {{w|Terminator 2: Judgment Day}}. As Skynet's army is losing the battle against the human Resistance movement, it finds a way to send a humanoid robot {{w|Terminator_(character)|T-800}} back in time to kill the mother of the Resistance's leader. The Resistance in turn sends a soldier back in time to protect her. In the sequel, the situation repeats with the more advanced {{w|T-1000}} being the killer and a reprogrammed T-800 being the protector of the child (the future leader). Along the way, they manage to destroy the research lab where Skynet hardware is to be born in the future. The title text suggests an alternative mission into the past, sending Cueball back in time and using his power to cause Skynet to malfunction instead of destroying it physically (as Skynet was created later anyway, despite the destruction of the research lab).

==Transcript==
:[Cueball sits between two laptops. Megan stands behind him.]

:Cueball: Keys on my keyboard keep failing, even when I boot from an external recovery disk.
:Megan: Sounds like it's hardware, then.

:[Cueball moves over to the laptop behind him.]

:Cueball: Yeah... except the problem followed me from my ''last'' computer.
:Megan: You have the most ''bizarre'' tech issues.

:[Cueball picks up the keyboard from the rear computer and plugs it into the one in front of him.]

:Cueball: It must be spreading via keyboards. This one won't work with ''any'' computer now.
:Megan: When the robot apocalypse happens, I'm hiding out in your house. Any Skynet drones that come near will develop inexplicable firmware problems and crash.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Terminator]]

Talk:1546: Tamagotchi Hive

2015-07-03T15:07:47Z

108.162.221.152: Singularity meaning

Should we have a "My Hobby" category? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.135|141.101.98.135]] 14:14, 3 July 2015 (UTC)
:You mean like the [[:Category:My_Hobby|My Hobby]] category? Yes, that would be a good idea. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.216|108.162.254.216]] 14:39, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

This explanation should probably include a reference to the Matrix. --[[Special:Contributions/198.41.242.251|198.41.242.251]] 14:29, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

: Most definitely.
Should we have a "My Hobby" category? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.135|141.101.98.135]] 14:14, 3 July 2015 (UTC)
:You mean like the [[:Category:My_Hobby|My Hobby]] category? Yes, that would be a good idea. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.216|108.162.254.216]] 14:39, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

This explanation should probably include a reference to the Matrix. --[[Special:Contributions/198.41.242.251|198.41.242.251]] 14:29, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

: Most definitely.

: Which should also reference the Title Text's modern usage of the term "Singularity". The Matrix (for humans) would imply a relatively large step _beyond_ the Singularity, as surpassing the capabilities of one human mind does not necessarily impart the capacity to simulate full sensory information for thousands of them. I believe the joke there would be that a Tamagotchi Matrix would be trivially simple as compared to one for humans. Therefore the Singularity has arrived for Tamagotchis, while our own complexity remains rather far beyond the capacity of large-scale distributed computing platforms. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.152|108.162.221.152]] 15:03, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

Only Randall Munroe fantasizes about creating a legion of digital, mutated woodland creatures.[[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.88|173.245.54.88]] 14:34, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

: I could not disagree more. The popularity of PocketMonster digital games speaks to the broad appeal of such fantasies. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.152|108.162.221.152]] 15:03, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

The singularity reference is worth explaining: The Singularity is a frequent trope in Science Fiction stories that postulates a time when AI technologies become all-pervasive, often alongside ubiquitous computing. This can include a situation where human minds can be uploaded into AIs, effectively running as simulations within these large distributed computers.

: Actually "The Singularity" only means that an artificial system has grown in complexity beyond our ability to understand or predict it; In many ways this has already occurred. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.152|108.162.221.152]] 15:07, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

Someone needs to get on this and create a BOINC project or something. In all seriousness though, I wonder how many Tamagotchis you could simulate at once on the average home computer. [[User:Saklad5|Saklad5]] ([[User talk:Saklad5|talk]]) 14:55, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

Talk:1546: Tamagotchi Hive

2015-07-03T15:03:31Z

108.162.221.152: Singularity VS Matrix

Should we have a "My Hobby" category? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.135|141.101.98.135]] 14:14, 3 July 2015 (UTC)
:You mean like the [[:Category:My_Hobby|My Hobby]] category? Yes, that would be a good idea. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.216|108.162.254.216]] 14:39, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

This explanation should probably include a reference to the Matrix. --[[Special:Contributions/198.41.242.251|198.41.242.251]] 14:29, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

: Most definitely.
Should we have a "My Hobby" category? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.135|141.101.98.135]] 14:14, 3 July 2015 (UTC)
:You mean like the [[:Category:My_Hobby|My Hobby]] category? Yes, that would be a good idea. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.216|108.162.254.216]] 14:39, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

This explanation should probably include a reference to the Matrix. --[[Special:Contributions/198.41.242.251|198.41.242.251]] 14:29, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

: Most definitely.

: Which should also reference the Title Text's modern usage of the term "Singularity". The Matrix (for humans) would imply a relatively large step _beyond_ the Singularity, as surpassing the capabilities of one human mind does not necessarily impart the capacity to simulate full sensory information for thousands of them. I believe the joke there would be that a Tamagotchi Matrix would be trivially simple as compared to one for humans. Therefore the Singularity has arrived for Tamagotchis, while our own complexity remains rather far beyond the capacity of large-scale distributed computing platforms. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.152|108.162.221.152]] 15:03, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

Only Randall Munroe fantasizes about creating a legion of digital, mutated woodland creatures.[[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.88|173.245.54.88]] 14:34, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

: I could not disagree more. The popularity of PocketMonster digital games speaks to the broad appeal of such fantasies. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.152|108.162.221.152]] 15:03, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

The singularity reference is worth explaining: The Singularity is a frequent trope in Science Fiction stories that postulates a time when AI technologies become all-pervasive, often alongside ubiquitous computing. This can include a situation where human minds can be uploaded into AIs, effectively running as simulations within these large distributed computers.

Someone needs to get on this and create a BOINC project or something. In all seriousness though, I wonder how many Tamagotchis you could simulate at once on the average home computer. [[User:Saklad5|Saklad5]] ([[User talk:Saklad5|talk]]) 14:55, 3 July 2015 (UTC)

Talk:1521: Sword in the Stone

2015-05-06T07:27:32Z

108.162.221.152:

In Arthurian legend, whoever can remove the Sword in the Stone is the lawful king of England. Arthur is an orphan being raised in secret; he notices the sword, removes it, and is proclaimed king. The sword is sometimes identified as Excalibur, although in other versions Excalibur was acquired by King Arthur from the Lady of the Lake. The most familiar version of this story is ''The Sword in the Stone'' by T. H. White which is based on ''Le Mort d'Arthur'' by Sir Thomas Malory. Having a woman remove the sword would introduce difficulties. [[User:The Dining Logician|The Dining Logician]] ([[User talk:The Dining Logician|talk]]) 06:12, 6 May 2015 (UTC)

Seriously? Megan being transgender is preposterous. The comic mentions a throne, not a king. The proposition that the character needs to be a man is far fetched and a bit sexist. The legend usually mentions a ruler, not a kind per se. Even if it were a king, that is a baseless statement. Legends are up to interpretation. If a woman pulls out a sword it is possible that she be crowned Queen without having a king. Case in point, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria -of England; they both have seen the glory days of Britain. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.152|108.162.221.152]] 07:27, 6 May 2015 (UTC)BK201

1506: xkcloud/Transcript

2015-04-01T15:52:15Z

108.162.221.152:

__NOTOC__
==Intro==
*This is a valiant effort to create a transcript for the continually(?) growing dynamic comic [[1506: xkcloud]].
*After clicking on the red button on the first page, you will see either:
** the [[#Help! We lost the picture|Help! We lost the picture]] page or
** the [[#Help! We lost the text|Help! We lost the text]] page
*Both these pages are transcribed below.
*Also, there are lists for the following Randall created text and items:
**[[#Reason for data loss|Reason for data loss]]
**[[#User names|User names]]
**[[#User pictures|User pictures]] (a description of possible images next to users)
**[[#Like buttons|Like buttons]]
*Finally, there is all the user input text. This will probably be impossible to transcribe but a few examples should be provided as an example.
**These will be given here: [[#Post from users|Post from users]]

==Help! We lost the picture==

:[At the top of the page there are the following text:]
:'''Help! We lost the picture that goes with this post!'''
:Reason for data loss:
:[Here on this same line follows a text which is a random reason taken from a list created by [[Randall]]. See [[#Reason for data loss|examples below]]).]

:[Below this text is a white box on top of the light blue background. It is the post mentioned above. At the top is a random user picture - could be a person or a picture of a galaxy etc (see [[#User pictures|descriptions below]]). Next to the picture is a random user name (see [[#User names|descriptions below]]). The same picture can be used for several user names (and probably likewise).]
:[Below the user name is the text of the post. This text is also random and it must mainly be user input. Randall must have given some input to start with though - at least five sentences see [[#Help! We lost the text|Help! We lost the text]] section below). Some examples are [[#Post from users|transcribed here]].]
:[Below is a blue rectangle where the missing picture should be. Instead there is only a white question mark:]
:'''?'''

:[Below this and above six picture frames in two rows is a line of text:]
:Which of these pictures do you think went with this post?
:[The five first pictures are from a random sample, created mainly by the users, but Randall must at least have made five to begin with). In the sixth and last picture frame the following text is written:]
:Draw one your self

:[By clicking on any of the five pictures you get to a new page (see the [[#Help us recover more data|Help us recover more data]] page) with the chosen picture now substituting the "?" in the post above with the chosen picture. If you click the Draw one your self you will go to a page where you can do exactly this.]

:[Below these six frames is a thin black line. Below this to the left we again see Cueball sitting at his desk (as on the front page).]
:Desk: XKCD.COM

:[Below him there are the following text and bulleted list:]
:Our policy regarding
:your personal data:

* Please stop sending us
:your personal data
* We are running out of
:places to put it
* Is this even yours?
* Does anyone recognize
:whose data this is?
* Oh jeez never mind here
:comes more data
* Why are you doing this
* Please stop
* Help

:[To the right below the thin black line are three post above each other with user picture and name above a post text and and a picture. All three again random as mentioned above. Furthermore to the right above each picture (right of the first line - if there are multiple lines) of the post text are a blue like button that you can press. The buttons seems to be active links when you hover over them, but nothing happens when you click on them. The buttons have a thumbs up icon to the right. Next to the icon there is a random word taken from a list created by Randall. (It seems to be from a list of words that are synonymous with want - see [[#Like buttons|below]]).]

==Help! We lost the text==

:[At the top of the page there are the following text:]
:'''Help! we lost the text that goes with this post!'''
:[For cases where the user has to submit or select a text according to a picture]
:Reason for data loss:
:[Here on this same line follows a text which is a random reason taken from a list created by [[Randall]]. See [[#Reason for data loss|examples below]]).]

:[Below this text is a white box on top of the light blue background. It is the post mentioned above. At the top is a random user picture - could be a person or a galaxy etc (see [[#User pictures|descriptions below]]). Next to the picture is a random user name (see [[#User names|descriptions below]]). The picture can be used for several user names.]
:[Below the user name is the picture from the post. This picture is also chosen at random from a set which must mainly be created from user input. Randall must have given some input to start with though - at least five pictures see [[#Help! We lost the picture|Help! We lost the picture]] section above).]

:[Below this and above five frames with text in two columns are this line of text:]
:Which text post do you think went with this picture?
:[The five texts below are from a random sample, created mainly by the users, but Randall must at least have made five to begin with. Some examples are [[#Post from users|transcribed here]].]
:[Below this is a box where you are invited to write and submit a text suggestion. In the box written in gray letters (rather than black, which it will turn to when you type something) are the following text:]
:Or, write your own
:[To the left is a button with the text:]
:Submit

:[By clicking on any of the five text boxes you get to a new page (see the [[#Help us recover more data|Help us recover more data]] page) where the chosen text is now standing above the picture from the post above. If you write a text and click the submit button your own text will be written above the picture.]

:[Below this submit text box is a thin black line. Below this to the left we again see Cueball sitting at his desk (as on the front page).]
:Desk: XKCD.COM

:[Below him there are the following text and bulleted list:]
:Our policy regarding
:your personal data:

* Please stop sending us
:your personal data
* We are running out of
:places to put it
* Is this even yours?
* Does anyone recognize
:whose data this is?
* Oh jeez never mind here
:comes more data
* Why are you doing this
* Please stop
* Help

:[To the right below the thin black line are three post above each other with user picture and name above a post text and and a picture. All three again random as mentioned above. Furthermore to the right above each picture (right of the first line - if there are multiple lines) of the post text are a blue like button that you can press. The buttons seems to be active links when you hover over them, but nothing happens when you click on them. The buttons have a thumbs up icon to the right. Next to the icon there is a random word taken from a list created by Randall. (It seems to be from a list of words that are synonymous with want - see [[#Like buttons|below]]).]

==Help us recover more data==

==Reason for data loss==

{| class="wikitable"
!Sentence
!Explanation
|-
|<%= reason %>
|A template used by server-side frameworks such as Rails, which would normally replace this line with the actual value of the "reason" variable.
|-
| +++ OUT OF CHEESE ERROR. REDO FROM START +++
|A reference to Hex, the magical computer from Terry Pratchett's Discworld, which would occasionally emit this error
|-
|AOL window in front of Netscape window
|
|-
|Baby ur much 2 fast
|
|-
|bookmarks migrated to Venezuela
|
|-
|butter overflow
|butter instead of buffer
|-
|butter to text interface not found
|A reference to speech-to-text interfaces, typically used by people who cannot see easily to enable them to use a computer.
|-
|CAPTCHA response indicated parahuman intelligence
|A CAPTCHA is a tool which aims to prevent comupter-generated submissions to an online form by asking the user a question which is easy for humans but (supposedly) hard for computers. In this case, the CAPTCHA detects parahuman intelligence rather than human intelligence.
|-
|CRM-114 unit malfunctioning
|The CRM-114 unit's malfunction is the main plot device in the film Dr Strangelove
|-
|confirmation BIOS
|
|-
|could not initialize sound blaster 16
|The Sound Blaster 16 is a PC sound card which used FM synthesis to play MIDI files, which was popular in the 1990s.
|-
|data too big
|
|-
|Desystematized chronodynamic balancing detected in VX Module core.
|
|-
|cumulonimbus #19 too rabbitlike
|A cumulonimbus is a type of cloud. This may be a pun. The error suggests that the cloud looked too much like a rabbit.
|-
|dictionary too stiff to read
|
|-
|electrons too big, stuck in wafer
|
|-
|ERR:INVALID DIM
|<s>If there's an invalid DIM ram inserted it's unlikely this error message could be shown since the pc won't start.</s>
|-
|error reading drive B. Abort, Retry, Fail?
|A common error from MS-DOS, often caused by a failing floppy disk
|-
|ethics in journalism
|Possibly a reference to the right-wing Gamergate movement, who defended their harassment and dox actions as "ethics in video game journalism".
|-
|eyelash! eyelash!
|
|-
|files overwritten with more interesting content
|
|-
|floating point unit no longer afloat
|A floating point unit is a part of a CPU which can perform calculations on non-integers. The pun is that the floating point unit is not floating (as in on a liquid). Possibly a reference to the Jargon File's [http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/N/number-crunching.html#crunchly74-12-25 Crunchly comic].
|-
|friday squid blogging
|Security guru Bruce Schneier regularly posts a blog post with this title, and some squid related news, primarily as a discussion thread
|-
|guru meditation #00000025.65045338 press left mouse button to continue
|A common error from the Commodore Amiga
|-
|GSM filter change required
|
|-
|hard drive oil depleted
|
|-
|helvetica scenario
|A reference to the episode on Calcium from the BBC TV show Look Around You.
|-
|HTTP 403 and 3/4ths
|HTTP errors are emitted when an HTTP request (e.g. to download a web page) fails. 403 is Forbidden and 404 is Not Found; 403.75 is somewhere between the two.
|-
|http is down
|
|-
|hung up prematurely
|
|-
|illegal carrot detected in mail queue
|carrot instead of caret
|-
|insufficient smoke for current mirror array
|
|-
|lp0 on fire
|lp0 is the printer port, there used to be a 'printer on fire' error/warning
|-
|Main Bus B Undervolt
|A line from Apollo 13, when the spaceship is 'having a problem'.
|-
|mean connection time exceeded
|
|-
|microwave running
|Both microwaves and Wifi operate on the frequency and have been known to cause interference
|-
|nanobots in the water
|
|-
|oh jeez there's a lot of you can you all just hang on for a second please oh frig this is so bad
|
|-
|out of electrons
|
|-
|out of monads
|Monads are a concept in functional programming languages, such as Haskell.
|-
|overcurrent undervolt caused by vacuum cleaner on same circuit
|
|-
|PC LOAD LETTER
|Error message on older printers stating to add extra letter-size sheets, which has become known to be a very cryptic error message.
|-
|Please Insert Riven CD 4
|Riven is a graphical adventure game by Cyan Worlds which was distributed on CD.
|-
|qubit indeterminate
|
|-
|RDBMS completely forgot how inner joins work
|
|-
|server aperture too narrow for capital letters
|
|-
|server fell in ocean
|
|-
|server power cable stolen by raccoon for nest
|
|-
|server room haunted
|Maybe a reference to an UVB-76 broadcast in 2001, which said "I am 143. Not receiving the generator." and "That stuff comes from hardware room." in Russian
|-
|Something went wrong: Something went wrong (Something went wrong)
|similar to certain OS error messages which contain errors in themselves
|-
|spin number must be of the form n/2
|
|-
|spontaneous splinal dereticulation
|
|-
|SQL ejection
|ejection instead of injection
|-
|sysadmin trapped in well
|
|-
|temporal paradox
|
|-
|the butter you have dialed is invalid or no longer in service
|butter instead of number
|-
|the server is temporarily permanent. Please try another also.
|
|-
|This copy of Ubuntu is not genuine and you have not yet resolved this issue.
|Similar warnings betray proprietary software designed to break when used outside the terms of its license. Messages like this are unlikely to be found in free software like Ubuntu, where anti-features are largely inviable.
|-
|This page contains content from the Open Source Initiative, who have blocked it on copyright grounds.
|It would be ironic for the Open Source Initiative, which promotes sharing and modification, to prevent the sharing of the page for copyright reasons.
|-
|TRIED TO READ 9TH SIDE OF 8 TRACK
|
|-
|undefined is not a function, which really makes you think
|
|-
|unexpected timezone drift desynchronization
|
|-
|unimplemented trap
|
|-
|User accepted terms but not conditions
|Normally, at a EULA you must accept 'terms and conditions'. There is basically no option to only agree to terms.
|-
|User is not a typewriter.
|A reference to the isatty function in the Unix C library, which reports whether a file descriptor is connected to a teletypewriter (terminal) or not. Interactive programs generally are intended to be used from a terminal.
|-
|user put spaces/vowels in filename
|
|-
|UTF-31 decode error
|UTF-31 instead of UTF-32
|-
|virtual memory got too real
|Virtual memory is where the OS writes less-used parts of RAM to disk, so that the RAM can be used for another program, hence the less-used parts are in virtual memory.
|-
|wrong files
|
|-
|YOU MUST CONSTRUCT ADDITIONAL PYLONS
|A line frequently announced by the Protoss advisor in Starcraft.
|}

==User names==
:[Below are possible (not all?) user names mentioned next to any post as for instance on the [[#Help! We lost the picture|Help! We lost the picture]] page.]
:[In alphabetical order:]
*@meganamram
*Agric Silverfinger
*Aidan2
*Aiden5
*Aidenn Aberforth Milne
*Agric Silverfinger
*Amanda08
*Arthur19
*Ashley8
*Ashley92
*Bailey2001
*Barbara1974
*Caden14
*Caden2010
*Carol04
*Chad80
*Charles18
*Cheyenne1988
*Curic Copperfinger
*Dakota94
*David St. Hubbins
*Debbie26
*Debbie3
*Debbie62
*Debian Bush
*Destiny1983
*Dillon2008
*DragonBall Cooper
*Dunston Chexin
*Egbert Bentley White
*Eliezer Yudkowsky
*Elon Musk
*Facebook Scott Fitzgerald
*Frances29
*Frances51
*Frances99
*Gary1951
*Gary86
*George Reagan Renesmee Martin
*Green Mario
*Greg2004
*Hatsy Collins
*Henry4
*J. Alfred Leftshark
*Jack3
*Jack39
*Jacob10
*Jada5
*Jaden Riley Rufio Tolkien
*Jaina Khloe Rowling
*Jalen81
*Jeph Jacques
*Joe Biden
*John2
*Justin87
*Kaitlin1976
*Kathleen78
*Keira48
*Kelsey1970
*Kelsey1996
*Kenneth96
*Khloe14
*Kristy2007
*Larry Ronald Hubbard
*Linda08
*Lisa1995
*Lord Gaga
*Lord Mondegreen
*Margaret11
*Margaret5
*Marie3
*Mark Zuckerberg
*Mark92
*Martin Van Halen
*Minecraft Holmes
*Misty3
*Myspace Tom
*Norton Ghost Dad
*Paul1957
*Professor Monoculatus McToff
*Raymond6
*Ronald22
*S. G. Dukat
*Samuel19
*Sarah55
*Sierra10
*Shaun46
*Sheena2005
*Sherri97
*Stacy07
*Steven02
*Steven50
*Susan25
*Tim21
*Tina Belcher
*Todd33
*Tonya22
*Tracy1977
*Tricia14
*Trinity1989
*Virginia2006
*Wil
*Wric Tungstenfinger

==User pictures==
:[Below are descriptions of possible (not all?) user pictures shown next to any user name as for instance on the [[#Help! We lost the picture|Help! We lost the picture]] page.]
*[Hairy complete stick figure]
*[Chipmunk]
*[Close up of male face with black hair on a gray background]
*[Galaxy]
*[Chipmunk head]
*[e^iπ ≈ 0]
*[Tree crossing the street]

==Like buttons==
:[xkcloud has "Like" buttons next to each post (next to the post text above the picture), similar to those on Facebook, but with random alternative text.]
:[Examples include in alphabetical order:]
* Covet
* Crave
* Like-like
* Hanker
* Thirst
* Yearn

==Post from users==
:[It will likely be impossible to transcribe all this as it is user input, and thus not Randall's own text. But at least a few examples should be given here as a reference. If anyone wish to expand beyond a few feel free to contribute.]
*Meritocracy is a pipe dream
*The prophecy was true!
*The tea party was right about GMO bicycles
*Everything makes sense now
*Turkey drumstick Stonehenge was surprisingly compelling
*I've made a huge mistake
*Um, I think somethings wrong with my carrot...
*The rest is darkness and decay
*Howerboard to full power!

1506: xkcloud/Transcript

2015-04-01T15:49:30Z

108.162.221.152:

__NOTOC__
==Intro==
*This is a valiant effort to create a transcript for the continually(?) growing dynamic comic [[1506: xkcloud]].
*After clicking on the red button on the first page, you will see either:
** the [[#Help! We lost the picture|Help! We lost the picture]] page or
** the [[#Help! We lost the text|Help! We lost the text]] page
*Both these pages are transcribed below.
*Also, there are lists for the following Randall created text and items:
**[[#Reason for data loss|Reason for data loss]]
**[[#User names|User names]]
**[[#User pictures|User pictures]] (a description of possible images next to users)
**[[#Like buttons|Like buttons]]
*Finally, there is all the user input text. This will probably be impossible to transcribe but a few examples should be provided as an example.
**These will be given here: [[#Post from users|Post from users]]

==Help! We lost the picture==

:[At the top of the page there are the following text:]
:'''Help! We lost the picture that goes with this post!'''
:Reason for data loss:
:[Here on this same line follows a text which is a random reason taken from a list created by [[Randall]]. See [[#Reason for data loss|examples below]]).]

:[Below this text is a white box on top of the light blue background. It is the post mentioned above. At the top is a random user picture - could be a person or a picture of a galaxy etc (see [[#User pictures|descriptions below]]). Next to the picture is a random user name (see [[#User names|descriptions below]]). The same picture can be used for several user names (and probably likewise).]
:[Below the user name is the text of the post. This text is also random and it must mainly be user input. Randall must have given some input to start with though - at least five sentences see [[#Help! We lost the text|Help! We lost the text]] section below). Some examples are [[#Post from users|transcribed here]].]
:[Below is a blue rectangle where the missing picture should be. Instead there is only a white question mark:]
:'''?'''

:[Below this and above six picture frames in two rows is a line of text:]
:Which of these pictures do you think went with this post?
:[The five first pictures are from a random sample, created mainly by the users, but Randall must at least have made five to begin with). In the sixth and last picture frame the following text is written:]
:Draw one your self

:[By clicking on any of the five pictures you get to a new page with the chosen picture now substituting the "?" in the post above with the chosen picture. If you click the Draw one your self you will go to a page where you can do exactly this.]

:[Below these six frames is a thin black line. Below this to the left we again see Cueball sitting at his desk (as on the front page).]
:Desk: XKCD.COM

:[Below him there are the following text and bulleted list:]
:Our policy regarding
:your personal data:

* Please stop sending us
:your personal data
* We are running out of
:places to put it
* Is this even yours?
* Does anyone recognize
:whose data this is?
* Oh jeez never mind here
:comes more data
* Why are you doing this
* Please stop
* Help

:[To the right below the thin black line are three post above each other with user picture and name above a post text and and a picture. All three again random as mentioned above. Furthermore to the right above each picture (right of the first line - if there are multiple lines) of the post text are a blue like button that you can press. The buttons seems to be active links when you hover over them, but nothing happens when you click on them. The buttons have a thumbs up icon to the right. Next to the icon there is a random word taken from a list created by Randall. (It seems to be from a list of words that are synonymous with want - see [[#Like buttons|below]]).]

==Help! We lost the text==

:[At the top of the page there are the following text:]
:'''Help! we lost the text that goes with this post!'''
:[For cases where the user has to submit or select a text according to a picture]
:Reason for data loss:
:[Here on this same line follows a text which is a random reason taken from a list created by [[Randall]]. See [[#Reason for data loss|examples below]]).]

:[Below this text is a white box on top of the light blue background. It is the post mentioned above. At the top is a random user picture - could be a person or a galaxy etc (see [[#User pictures|descriptions below]]). Next to the picture is a random user name (see [[#User names|descriptions below]]). The picture can be used for several user names.]
:[Below the user name is the picture from the post. This picture is also chosen at random from a set which must mainly be created from user input. Randall must have given some input to start with though - at least five pictures see [[#Help! We lost the picture|Help! We lost the picture]] section above).]

:[Below this and above five frames with text in two columns are this line of text:]
:Which text post do you think went with this picture?
:[The five texts below are from a random sample, created mainly by the users, but Randall must at least have made five to begin with. Some examples are [[#Post from users|transcribed here]].]
:[Below this is a box where you are invited to write and submit a text suggestion. In the box written in gray letters (rather than black, which it will turn to when you type something) are the following text:]
:Or, write your own
:[To the left is a button with the text:]
:Submit

:[By clicking on any of the five text boxes you get to a new page (see the [[#Help us recover more data|Help us recover more data]] page) where the chosen text is now standing above the picture from the post above. If you write a text and click the submit button your own text will be written above the picture.]

:[Below this submit text box is a thin black line. Below this to the left we again see Cueball sitting at his desk (as on the front page).]
:Desk: XKCD.COM

:[Below him there are the following text and bulleted list:]
:Our policy regarding
:your personal data:

* Please stop sending us
:your personal data
* We are running out of
:places to put it
* Is this even yours?
* Does anyone recognize
:whose data this is?
* Oh jeez never mind here
:comes more data
* Why are you doing this
* Please stop
* Help

:[To the right below the thin black line are three post above each other with user picture and name above a post text and and a picture. All three again random as mentioned above. Furthermore to the right above each picture (right of the first line - if there are multiple lines) of the post text are a blue like button that you can press. The buttons seems to be active links when you hover over them, but nothing happens when you click on them. The buttons have a thumbs up icon to the right. Next to the icon there is a random word taken from a list created by Randall. (It seems to be from a list of words that are synonymous with want - see [[#Like buttons|below]]).]

==Help us recover more data==

==Reason for data loss==

{| class="wikitable"
!Sentence
!Explanation
|-
|<%= reason %>
|A template used by server-side frameworks such as Rails, which would normally replace this line with the actual value of the "reason" variable.
|-
| +++ OUT OF CHEESE ERROR. REDO FROM START +++
|A reference to Hex, the magical computer from Terry Pratchett's Discworld, which would occasionally emit this error
|-
|AOL window in front of Netscape window
|
|-
|Baby ur much 2 fast
|
|-
|bookmarks migrated to Venezuela
|
|-
|butter overflow
|butter instead of buffer
|-
|butter to text interface not found
|A reference to speech-to-text interfaces, typically used by people who cannot see easily to enable them to use a computer.
|-
|CAPTCHA response indicated parahuman intelligence
|A CAPTCHA is a tool which aims to prevent comupter-generated submissions to an online form by asking the user a question which is easy for humans but (supposedly) hard for computers. In this case, the CAPTCHA detects parahuman intelligence rather than human intelligence.
|-
|CRM-114 unit malfunctioning
|The CRM-114 unit's malfunction is the main plot device in the film Dr Strangelove
|-
|confirmation BIOS
|
|-
|could not initialize sound blaster 16
|The Sound Blaster 16 is a PC sound card which used FM synthesis to play MIDI files, which was popular in the 1990s.
|-
|data too big
|
|-
|Desystematized chronodynamic balancing detected in VX Module core.
|
|-
|cumulonimbus #19 too rabbitlike
|A cumulonimbus is a type of cloud. This may be a pun. The error suggests that the cloud looked too much like a rabbit.
|-
|dictionary too stiff to read
|
|-
|electrons too big, stuck in wafer
|
|-
|ERR:INVALID DIM
|If there's an invalid DIM ram inserted it's unlikely this error message could be shown since the pc won't start.
|-
|error reading drive B. Abort, Retry, Fail?
|A common error from MS-DOS, often caused by a failing floppy disk
|-
|ethics in journalism
|Possibly a reference to the right-wing Gamergate movement, who defended their harassment and dox actions as "ethics in video game journalism".
|-
|eyelash! eyelash!
|
|-
|files overwritten with more interesting content
|
|-
|floating point unit no longer afloat
|A floating point unit is a part of a CPU which can perform calculations on non-integers. The pun is that the floating point unit is not floating (as in on a liquid). Possibly a reference to the Jargon File's [http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/N/number-crunching.html#crunchly74-12-25 Crunchly comic].
|-
|friday squid blogging
|Security guru Bruce Schneier regularly posts a blog post with this title, and some squid related news, primarily as a discussion thread
|-
|guru meditation #00000025.65045338 press left mouse button to continue
|A common error from the Commodore Amiga
|-
|GSM filter change required
|
|-
|hard drive oil depleted
|
|-
|helvetica scenario
|A reference to the episode on Calcium from the BBC TV show Look Around You.
|-
|HTTP 403 and 3/4ths
|HTTP errors are emitted when an HTTP request (e.g. to download a web page) fails. 403 is Forbidden and 404 is Not Found; 403.75 is somewhere between the two.
|-
|http is down
|
|-
|hung up prematurely
|
|-
|illegal carrot detected in mail queue
|carrot instead of caret
|-
|insufficient smoke for current mirror array
|
|-
|lp0 on fire
|lp0 is the printer port, there used to be a 'printer on fire' error/warning
|-
|Main Bus B Undervolt
|A line from Apollo 13, when the spaceship is 'having a problem'.
|-
|mean connection time exceeded
|
|-
|microwave running
|Both microwaves and Wifi operate on the frequency and have been known to cause interference
|-
|nanobots in the water
|
|-
|oh jeez there's a lot of you can you all just hang on for a second please oh frig this is so bad
|
|-
|out of electrons
|
|-
|out of monads
|Monads are a concept in functional programming languages, such as Haskell.
|-
|overcurrent undervolt caused by vacuum cleaner on same circuit
|
|-
|PC LOAD LETTER
|Error message on older printers stating to add extra letter-size sheets, which has become known to be a very cryptic error message.
|-
|Please Insert Riven CD 4
|Riven is a graphical adventure game by Cyan Worlds which was distributed on CD.
|-
|qubit indeterminate
|
|-
|RDBMS completely forgot how inner joins work
|
|-
|server aperture too narrow for capital letters
|
|-
|server fell in ocean
|
|-
|server power cable stolen by raccoon for nest
|
|-
|server room haunted
|Maybe a reference to an UVB-76 broadcast in 2001, which said "I am 143. Not receiving the generator." and "That stuff comes from hardware room." in Russian
|-
|Something went wrong: Something went wrong (Something went wrong)
|similar to certain OS error messages which contain errors in themselves
|-
|spin number must be of the form n/2
|
|-
|spontaneous splinal dereticulation
|
|-
|SQL ejection
|ejection instead of injection
|-
|sysadmin trapped in well
|
|-
|temporal paradox
|
|-
|the butter you have dialed is invalid or no longer in service
|butter instead of number
|-
|the server is temporarily permanent. Please try another also.
|
|-
|This copy of Ubuntu is not genuine and you have not yet resolved this issue.
|Similar warnings betray proprietary software designed to break when used outside the terms of its license. Messages like this are unlikely to be found in free software like Ubuntu, where anti-features are largely inviable.
|-
|This page contains content from the Open Source Initiative, who have blocked it on copyright grounds.
|It would be ironic for the Open Source Initiative, which promotes sharing and modification, to prevent the sharing of the page for copyright reasons.
|-
|TRIED TO READ 9TH SIDE OF 8 TRACK
|
|-
|undefined is not a function, which really makes you think
|
|-
|unexpected timezone drift desynchronization
|
|-
|unimplemented trap
|
|-
|User accepted terms but not conditions
|Normally, at a EULA you must accept 'terms and conditions'. There is basically no option to only agree to terms.
|-
|User is not a typewriter.
|A reference to the isatty function in the Unix C library, which reports whether a file descriptor is connected to a teletypewriter (terminal) or not. Interactive programs generally are intended to be used from a terminal.
|-
|user put spaces/vowels in filename
|
|-
|UTF-31 decode error
|UTF-31 instead of UTF-32
|-
|virtual memory got too real
|Virtual memory is where the OS writes less-used parts of RAM to disk, so that the RAM can be used for another program, hence the less-used parts are in virtual memory.
|-
|wrong files
|
|-
|YOU MUST CONSTRUCT ADDITIONAL PYLONS
|A line frequently announced by the Protoss advisor in Starcraft.
|}

==User names==
:[Below are possible (not all?) user names mentioned next to any post as for instance on the [[#Help! We lost the picture|Help! We lost the picture]] page.]
:[In alphabetical order:]
*@meganamram
*Agric Silverfinger
*Aidan2
*Aiden5
*Aidenn Aberforth Milne
*Agric Silverfinger
*Amanda08
*Arthur19
*Ashley8
*Ashley92
*Bailey2001
*Barbara1974
*Caden14
*Caden2010
*Carol04
*Chad80
*Charles18
*Cheyenne1988
*Curic Copperfinger
*Dakota94
*David St. Hubbins
*Debbie26
*Debbie3
*Debbie62
*Debian Bush
*Destiny1983
*Dillon2008
*DragonBall Cooper
*Dunston Chexin
*Egbert Bentley White
*Eliezer Yudkowsky
*Elon Musk
*Facebook Scott Fitzgerald
*Frances29
*Frances51
*Frances99
*Gary1951
*Gary86
*George Reagan Renesmee Martin
*Green Mario
*Greg2004
*Hatsy Collins
*Henry4
*J. Alfred Leftshark
*Jack3
*Jack39
*Jacob10
*Jada5
*Jaden Riley Rufio Tolkien
*Jaina Khloe Rowling
*Jalen81
*Jeph Jacques
*Joe Biden
*John2
*Justin87
*Kaitlin1976
*Kathleen78
*Keira48
*Kelsey1970
*Kelsey1996
*Kenneth96
*Khloe14
*Kristy2007
*Larry Ronald Hubbard
*Linda08
*Lisa1995
*Lord Gaga
*Lord Mondegreen
*Margaret11
*Margaret5
*Marie3
*Mark Zuckerberg
*Mark92
*Martin Van Halen
*Minecraft Holmes
*Misty3
*Myspace Tom
*Norton Ghost Dad
*Paul1957
*Professor Monoculatus McToff
*Raymond6
*Ronald22
*S. G. Dukat
*Samuel19
*Sarah55
*Sierra10
*Shaun46
*Sheena2005
*Sherri97
*Stacy07
*Steven02
*Steven50
*Susan25
*Tim21
*Tina Belcher
*Todd33
*Tonya22
*Tracy1977
*Tricia14
*Trinity1989
*Virginia2006
*Wil
*Wric Tungstenfinger

==User pictures==
:[Below are descriptions of possible (not all?) user pictures shown next to any user name as for instance on the [[#Help! We lost the picture|Help! We lost the picture]] page.]
*[Hairy complete stick figure]
*[Chipmunk]
*[Close up of male face with black hair on a gray background]
*[Galaxy]
*[Chipmunk head]
*[e^iπ ≈ 0]
*[Tree crossing the street]

==Like buttons==
:[xkcloud has "Like" buttons next to each post (next to the post text above the picture), similar to those on Facebook, but with random alternative text.]
:[Examples include in alphabetical order:]
* Covet
* Crave
* Like-like
* Hanker
* Thirst
* Yearn

==Post from users==
:[It will likely be impossible to transcribe all this as it is user input, and thus not Randall's own text. But at least a few examples should be given here as a reference. If anyone wish to expand beyond a few feel free to contribute.]
*Meritocracy is a pipe dream
*The prophecy was true!
*The tea party was right about GMO bicycles
*Everything makes sense now
*Turkey drumstick Stonehenge was surprisingly compelling
*I've made a huge mistake
*Um, I think somethings wrong with my carrot...
*The rest is darkness and decay
*Howerboard to full power!