explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1745: Record Scratch

2016-10-12T10:50:30Z

141.101.104.74:

== Misleading title text ==

Note: this is a ridiculous pedantic rant. Tl;dr: the xkcd alt text for today is misleading, and I read a lot about the history of music storage to back up that claim.

http://xkcd.com/1745/

So, this alt text is actually pretty misleading, because he's misusing the "whoa! Event A was closer to Event B than to today" meme by implying that 78s were vinyl, when in fact they were largely shellac -- and also I would argue that he's just got the facts wrong about when the 78-rpmera ended. The 78-rpm era arguably began as early as 1898, and arguably ended as late as the 1950s. In became the standard in 1925. So, ok, we could say, "Yeah, 78-rpm era should be considered to mean some time before 1940. That's reasonable, because the 1940s is really when the age of the 33 1/3 begins. So, OK, Randall, the 78-rpm era was closer to the Civil War than to today. But here's the thing. You implied that the 78-rpm era was a vinyl thing. That's not really true. Vinyl is what ushered in the 33 1/3 days. So while it's maybe a cool piece of trivia to say "we first started using 33 1/3 rpm vinyl records in earnest only slightly closer to today than to the Civil War," it's not really a "wow, compare these well known events! Look how old this record scratch reference is!" Because tapes didn't start to seriously compete with vinyl until the late 1970s, and didn't overtake it until about 1985. So it would be fair to say, "the vinyl era ended closer to the start of the Vietnam War than to today," assuming we treat the Vietnam War as beginning in 1954 or later.
[[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.66|108.162.219.66]] 05:04, 12 October 2016 (UTC)
: Well, doncha think that it's Randall's comic and we shouldn't mess with it? [[User:Jacky720|Jacky720]] ([[User talk:Jacky720|talk]]) 10:11, 12 October 2016 (UTC)
: Agreed. Half way between the end of the US civil war and today was 1940. Vinyl LPs didn't overtake 78's until around 1952 according to Wikipedia (and 78's were being sold until 1960). So I guess what Randall means is that the time between the end of the era, and now is less than the time between the end of the civil war and the start of the 78 era. Might add something to this effect (if nobody else beats me to it) since this does require some clarification. [[User:Luckykaa|Luckykaa]] ([[User talk:Luckykaa|talk]]) 08:06, 12 October 2016 (UTC)

Why is the explanation even mentioning "gramophones" or "phonographs"? Never mind making them sound important to this comic? (I'm not sure of the spelling, but think "gramophone" is wrong). As someone whose childhood was still during the record era, I've never seen either, but have played many records, and heard said scratch sound many times when I was sloppy or unlucky. It seems likely that 78-rpm records are from the grammophone era, but as the above commentor points out, those weren't vinyl. I would suspect vinyl records are all well past the time of grammophones. The device in question was "commonly" known simply as a record player. The current explanation is making the reference sound a LOT older than it is (and Randall already went there in the title text). - NiceGuy1 [[Special:Contributions/162.158.126.227|162.158.126.227]] 05:53, 12 October 2016 (UTC)
:He did not write that the 78-rpm area was a vinyl thing. The vinyl thing is about the scratching of modern records... Gramophone is the Wikipedia name for record player. So chill man ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 06:40, 12 October 2016 (UTC)

Somebody said it "stores music on a disc with very small bumps". I had to correct that. I feel old. I was born closer to World War 1 than to the present day.

I think Randall chose the exact perfect moment for this comic since vinyls are getting more and more popular, again: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinyl_revival#Sales I doubt they will get as widely spread as in past times, but at least here in my town here in Germany even the bigger electronic retailers have fairly large vinyl supplies again. Enough to consider them back in popular culture? I don't know, because I don't know how the situation applies in the US which would be the relevnat part for the understanding of the comic. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 07:24, 12 October 2016 (UTC)

To me, the 'record scratch' sound in movies is not the sound made by a scratch ON a record, which is normally just a pop, but rather the sound of either the stylus being dragged ''across'' the grooves, more of a "ZZREEEIIP" sound, or of spinning the turntable in reverse. I have not changed the explanation as I may be the only person who feels this way. [[User:Miamiclay|Miamiclay]] ([[User talk:Miamiclay|talk]]) 08:35, 12 October 2016 (UTC)

* What was the first movie to do the "*Record Scratch* *Freeze Frame* Yup, that's me. You're probably wondering..." --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.70.20|141.101.70.20]] 08:58, 12 October 2016 (UTC)

Gramophone records are played on a gramophone, not a phonograph. Gramophones use discs, phonographs use cylinders.
[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.74|141.101.104.74]] 10:50, 12 October 2016 (UTC)

Talk:1686: Feel Old

2016-05-31T11:20:35Z

141.101.104.74:

;Candidates too
Heck with voters, we've got a ''candidate'' who can't remember it: [http://www.snopes.com/donald-trump-7-11/ Trump thought it was 7/11] and that [http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2015/dec/02/new-information-doesnt-fix-donald-trumps-911-claim/ thousands and thousands celebrated in Jersey City]. [[User:Matchups|Matchups]] ([[User talk:Matchups|talk]]) 16:03, 27 May 2016 (UTC)

;The Pot
My favorite election-related "feel old": from 2012 to now, some eligible voters have had pot-smoking Presidents '''for their entire lifetime'''. - [[User:Frankie|Frankie]] ([[User talk:Frankie|talk]]) 16:19, 27 May 2016 (UTC)

; Maybe not?
I would not be surprised if, when young eligible voters are asked, nearly all of them respond that they clearly remember the events. My experience is that we tend to have memories (real or perceived) from a very young age, if we are reminded of them frequently enough later in our lifetime. I clearly remember watching the Apollo 11 landing on TV with my parents; I was only 14 months old at the time, but the memory is vivid in my head. Perhaps I remember a rebroadcast or another landing, when I was older. I remember Watergate unfolding, even though I was 6. Similarly, I have clear first-person memories of events that my father recorded with his 8mm camera. The 9/11 attacks were so frequently referenced and rebroadcasted for years after they occurred, that I suspect that most 18-year-olds consider them part of their personal experience. This also explains Trump's "memory" of celebrations in Jersey City mentioned by [[User:Matchups|Matchups]]. If someone immature sees something repeatedly on Fox news, the experience can become personal to them. [[User:Sysin|Sysin]] ([[User talk:Sysin|talk]]) 12:53, 28 May 2016 (UTC)

: The comic does not imply that all the voters of that age won't remember 9/11. Clearly there will be some, but not all people can remember events from when they were about 3 years-old. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.14|141.101.98.14]] 07:42, 31 May 2016 (UTC)

; Previous comics
An earlier comic with the same twist: http://explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/647:_Scary. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.74|141.101.104.74]] 11:20, 31 May 2016 (UTC)

Talk:1680: Black Hole

2016-05-13T08:38:04Z

141.101.104.74:

IF the explanation of "Milkshake" being a coded message is correct, then I like how Melis plays with it. I always thought the more sexual way, Milkshake meaning shaking her milk bags. Sure, that brings boys to the yard.... [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.151|141.101.104.151]]

It's not clear what exactly in the comic is a reference to the Big Lebowski movie. This needs clarification. [[User:Todor|Todor]] ([[User talk:Todor|talk]]) 06:48, 13 May 2016 (UTC)

In the Big Lebowski, The Dude's reasoning for wanting the rug replaced was that "It really tied the room together" [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.80|108.162.219.80]] 07:50, 13 May 2016 (UTC)

The event horizon of the black hole in the cartoon appears to be roughly an inch across, which using the formula linking Schwarzschild radius to mass (r = 2MG/c^2) gives a black hole of about 3 earth masses. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.34.138|162.158.34.138]] 08:06, 13 May 2016 (UTC)

There's only 5 years between the Big Lebowski and Milkshake (1998 vs 2003) so while "more contemporary" is technically correct, I think it underestimates how old Milkshake is. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.21|141.101.98.21]] 08:15, 13 May 2016 (UTC)

Perhaps this comic is in reference to [http://gizmodo.com/were-one-step-closer-to-better-tabletop-particle-accele-1775501374 this article referencing tabletop particle accelerators]? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.74|141.101.104.74]] 08:38, 13 May 2016 (UTC)

Talk:1668: Singularity

2016-04-18T00:50:01Z

141.101.104.74:

Incidentally, [http://craphound.com/rotn/Cory_Doctorow_and_Charles_Stross_-_Rapture_of_the_Nerds.html Rapture of the Nerds] mentions [[1664: Mycology|Toxoplasma gondii]] in passing. [[User:.42|.42]] ([[User talk:.42|talk]]) 13:19, 15 April 2016 (UTC)

Great! Who brought Roko's Basilisk into this?! Now we to delete the entire Explain in order to contain this threat. >:( There needs to be an internet rule that forbids the discussion of the basilisk. Except that such a rule only furthers its creation. Augh!!![[User:R0hrshach|R0hrshach]] ([[User talk:R0hrshach|talk]]) 15:13, 15 April 2016 (UTC)

;Quantum gravity

Is there something more to this joke than the comedy of public nudity? With Munroe there usually is. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.80.25|141.101.80.25]] 13:46, 15 April 2016 (UTC)

: {{w|Naked singularity}}. [[User:.42|.42]] ([[User talk:.42|talk]]) 13:50, 15 April 2016 (UTC)

::Ahh, I missed the Naked singularity joke. Good catch. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.119|108.162.246.119]] 14:53, 15 April 2016 (UTC)

::: The "incomplete" tag ("Haven't explained title text") should be removed, it is no longer needed. The title text is surely a reference to the physics rule that black holes always have event horizons (the naked singularity is never exposed to the rest of the universe), as noted in the final paragraph (as of this writing). {{unsigned ip|108.162.215.20}}

: I just realized, Randall's characters are effectively almost naked! (They may wear hats, but clothing is only drawn for effect, such as a flower-printed sun dress, or an open trench coat.) {{unsigned ip|108.162.220.227}}

It looks like this is a continuation of comic #1084: Server Problem, which ends with Megan suggesting Cueball should shut down his laptop and wait for the singularity. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.96|108.162.245.96]] 16:35, 15 April 2016 (UTC)

:It doesn't. First, in 1084, cueball was working on a server problem, but in this, he is editing a file. Second, in this one, there is no sight of any tech problems. Just because both mention the singularity does not mean that this is a continuation. [[User:HisHighestMinion|HisHighestMinion]] ([[User talk:HisHighestMinion|talk]]) 19:55, 16 April 2016 (UTC)

The "Yup/Nope" combo reminds me of "Choices (Yup)" by E-40. I'd link it but: ads. The hook seems to match like staying rich, not selling your soul and not worrying about what anyone thinks, while the phone's apparently "broke". [[User:Elvenivle|Elvenivle]] ([[User talk:Elvenivle|talk]]) 05:32, 16 April 2016 (UTC)

While singularity does involve artificial intelligence surpassing humans, I don't think this involves personal computers in any way. Unless minimal requirements for new games get really high, personal computers wouldn't have nearly enough computation power for AI. Cloud servers, maybe. Don't store your stuff in cloud, you may lose it in singularity. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 14:23, 16 April 2016 (UTC)

:It could be distributed computing. [[User:HisHighestMinion|HisHighestMinion]] ([[User talk:HisHighestMinion|talk]]) 19:55, 16 April 2016 (UTC)

:You might not actually lose the data in the cloud in case of singularity. However, it might be used by the AI to make you do stuff against your wishes - like buying things online. Wait....! [[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.50|162.158.255.50]] 00:14, 17 April 2016 (UTC)

"The rising up of the laptop into the air, and the remaining behind of the phone, are probably references to the Rapture, where some Christian denominations believe that at the second coming of Christ, true believers will be taken up bodily from this world"
What the actual fuck
Isn't that stretching it a bit too far? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.167.23|162.158.167.23]] 16:25, 17 April 2016 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure most of the joke of this comic can be summarized as "the singularity is treated as if it's the machines' variant of the christian rapture", the phone didn't come to the singularity because it's the machine equivalent of an atheist. It has nothing to do with phones and computers having different software. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.74|141.101.104.74]] 00:50, 18 April 2016 (UTC)

1506: xkcloud

2015-04-02T11:50:14Z

141.101.104.74: observation about the three dots

{{comic
| number = 1506
| date = April 1, 2015
| title = xkcloud
| image = xkcloud.png
| titletext =
}}

'''NOTE: The above is the first panel of an interactive comic.''' 
To actually experience the interactive content you need to go to this comic on xkcd (click on the date above the comic, which, as always, takes you to the xkcd comic). 
A page with pictures representing the other three main types of pages can be seen here: [[1506:_xkcloud/Pictures_of_other_pages|Pictures of other pages]]. 
Similarly here is a page with some of the images of the comic created by users: [[1506: xkcloud/Pictures posted by users|Pictures posted by users]].

==Explanation==
In this interactive {{w|April Fools' Day}} comic [[Cueball]], presumably representing [[Randall]], admits to the readers he built a flimsy {{w|Cloud computing|cloud}} services company using spare computers and parts. Included in the cloud hardware are (from left to right) a {{w|Macintosh Classic}}, several old laptops, an {{w|Alienware}} tower, a {{w|Nintendo}} {{w|VirtualBoy}}, some sort of radio transmitter, and an {{w|Atari, Inc.|Atari}} {{w|Pong#Home_version|Pong Console}}.

He named the company after xkcd, xkcloud being a [[:category:Portmanteau|portmanteau]] of "[[xkcd]]" and "{{w|Cloud computing|cloud}}", here pronounced XK-cloud.

After providing his services to various (very big) companies ({{w|Facebook}}, {{w|Twitter}} and {{w|Tumblr}}), that are very concerned with securing the users data, his setup failed (some portions may even have caught fire? He is not sure). This has caused him to lose the data he was required to preserve as part of his service. He thus requests the readers help to make up and re-imagine the lost data by pressing the large red button at the bottom of the comic. Preferably ''before Facebook & Co notice we lost it.''

Pressing the button links to one of two interactive survey pages (see [[1506:_xkcloud/Pictures_of_other_pages|picture here]]). 
[[1506:_xkcloud/Pictures_of_other_pages#Help.21_We_lost_the_picture_page|The first]] asks the reader to indicate which of several [[1506:_xkcloud/Pictures_posted_by_users|line-drawings]] best matches a given caption, or the reader can [[1506:_xkcloud/Pictures_of_other_pages#Draw_one_your_self_page|create their own drawing]] in a simple web-based "{{w|Paint (software)|paint}}"-style {{w|Web application|app}}. 
[[1506:_xkcloud/Pictures_of_other_pages#Help.21_We_lost_the_text_page|The other]] asks the reader to indicate which of [[1506:_xkcloud/Transcript#Post_from_users|several captions]] best matches a given drawing, or the reader can create their own caption. 
In either case we are given the reason for the data loss. And there are many different reasons (all by account of Randall), a list (with some explanations) [[1506:_xkcloud/Transcript#Reason_for_data_loss|can be found here]].

The content of the "surveys" appear to come from reader submissions, and are different upon every click. This is thus both an interactive and a dynamic comic with only the first picture shown on top of this page. By inviting the xkcd readers to add content that will be displayed in the comic later, the result of all the interactions leads to the generation of {{w|Crowdsourcing|crowd-sourced content}}.

Below the "survey", the reader is presented with a listing similar to a Facebook news feed, listing six posts (three posts before 18:00 {{w|Eastern Time Zone|ET}} on April 1st) of the line-drawings apparently tagged with the captions as paired up by the survey results. The posts are made by apparently fictional randomly-named readers (see examples [[1506:_xkcloud/Transcript#User_names|of names here]] and for description [[1506:_xkcloud/Transcript#User_pictures|of pictures here]]). These posts are accompanied by a button similar to Facebook's "{{w|Like button}}" but here the button is [[1506:_xkcloud/Transcript#Like_buttons|labeled with different words]] which are all {{w|synonyms}} for ''[http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/want want]''. So not "to like" but "to want" is the new thing in this version of Facebook.

After completing the survey, a new page appears with yet another red button, but at the top of the page this time, saying ''[[1506:_xkcloud/Pictures_of_other_pages#Help_us_recover_more_data_page|Help us recover more data]]''. Below are seven posts (this was 4 posts before 18:00 ET on April 1st), six (three) new posts below the one you just helped complete. The only difference if you click the red button here (rather than when you start for the first time at the front page) is that there will now be seven (four) posts below the one you need to fix. These seven (four) posts are the same as those you had on the previous page, including your own at the top.

Next to each post, on this page after the survey, there is a text ''Link'' that when pushed created a "permalink". That is it generates a unique URL that will show the post, that was chosen via the permalink Link button, at the top of this page. So the reader can save one post at a time. The one you chooses will be moved to the top. When you apply the permalink later it will not show all the posts from when you created the permalink. Only the one you saved by clicking the Link button next to it, the other post will again just be random. As an example of a [http://xkcd.com/1506/#post/50b47c70-3a7c-504d-bcc0-60597338e999 permalink] this is one where {{w|Mark Zuckerberg}} himself has made a post saying: ''We told Iran that atomic energy is unsafe''.

The permalink option did not appear in the comic until very late in the afternoon on April 1st. Before this there were also only 3 or 4 posts at a time. In the permalink listed above there are 7 posts! At the same time that the permalink appeared, there was also suddenly a link beneath the list of problems under [[1506:_xkcloud/Pictures_of_other_pages#Help_us_recover_more_data_page|Cueball at his desk]] (that is on all other pages than the front page.) The link tells you: '''[https://euphoria.io/room/xkcd/ Don't contact us]'''. It is also written in a very weak gray, it can even be hard to see on some screens (or maybe it has changed color since it appeared there to begin with). However, if you do try to contact them anyway by clicking the link a new browser window opens where you get send to an xkcd chartroom at euphoria.io. Several xkcd users began posting there at around 18.00 {{w|Eastern Time Zone|Eastern time}} (where Randall lives). This chat room is reminiscent to the one in comic [[1305: Undocumented Feature]].

Maybe he timed these extra features for when people came back from work all over the US. Also at that time the xkcd page did not work properly. The reason he increased the number of posts could simply be because there now is so many possible posts that the risk of seeing the same is smaller even with 6 posts.

It is possible to go back to the front page at any time by clicking the picture of Cueball behind his desk. He is always present to the left on all pages after the front page. But if you go back to the front page like this, then when you again click on the "original" red button it will always take you back to the same page you came from (with the same post and the same post to fix.) You can thus only get to a new survey page by finishing the current task.

It was not immediately clear if the reader-created drawings or captions are, in fact, being cycled into the surveys and feeds, or if the displayed items were all created by Randall and the reader-created content is simply discarded. It seems likely though, with the huge amount of different comments and drawings. And especially the drawings looks like they are created in the simple paint app. (i.e. not by Randall). But since there are now so many inputs, it is very unlikely you will by chance see your own drawing again. Maybe it will even be kept away from a computer through its IP address.

An earlier comic that was related to problems with cloud computing [[908: The Cloud]].

This comic resembles last years April Fools' comic [[1350: Lorenz]] where user input also generated a very complex comic where the concept of a "{{w|permalink}}", yet another portmanteau, of "permanent-link" [[1350: Lorenz#Permalink|was used]].

==Transcript==
:[This transcript only transcribes what can be seen in the first picture shown at the top of the explanation here. For more see link below]

:[One large frame with a five part comic and a large red button at the bottom.]
:[Cueball sitting behind a desk.]
:Cueball: We've made a huge mistake.
:Desk: XKCD.COM

:[Cueball points at a bunch of computers]
:Cueball: I figured starting a cloud services company would be easy.
:Cueball: After all, I've got ''tons'' of computers!

:[A zoomed view on Cueballs head.]
:Cueball: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr— they all struggle to protect privacy and user data...
:Cueball: And '''''we''''' offered a solution.
:Cueball: I forget what it was, though.

:[Cueball is standing with his arms up.]
:Cueball: Anyway, long story short, we screwed up ''immediately'' and lost ''tons'' of their data.
:Cueball: Also a bunch of stuff is literally on fire?

:[Cueball standing behind a desk.]
:Cueball: We can fix this.
:Cueball: But we need your help.
:Desk: XKCD.COM

:[Below the above is a large red rectangular clickable button, that will take the reader on to the interactive part of the comic. On the button it says in large white letters:]
:'''CLICK HERE'''
:To help us recover user data
:before Facebook & Co notice we lost it.

:[The standard text for the next possible pages can be seen on the link to the '''[[1506: xkcloud/Transcript|continued transcript]]'''. Also here will be a list (which may not be possible to make complete) with possible text for the lost data.]

==Trivia==
*Since being originally posted the words "Click here" have been added in large text to the top of the red button followed by the word "to" being added to the beginning of the existing text.
**The [[Media:Originalxkcloud.png|original]] comic can be seen on the link where the text was just two lines:
**''Help us recover user data before Facebook & Co notice we lost it.''
**This was obviously not an error by Randall. He probably found that too few visitors to his page understood that they should press the button to continue.
*The "[[1350: Lorenz#Permalink|permalink]]" option did not appear on the page before late in the afternoon on April 1st.
**Maybe it was supposed to be working with the "Like" (or "Want") buttons, since they behave like there is an active link when you hover over them. But they do nothing.
**The permalink solution is now a text with ''Link'' written on it right above the "want" buttons.
*It's the first comic without a title text.
**This is most likely because it is an interactive comic. Since it is not an image it is not possible to have one title text for the entire comic. Thus Randall decided to not have any.
**Maybe he knew this would give trouble, here on April 1st, for some of his adherent followers - like us.
**Also note that this may be the first comic, where you are able to cut and paste some of the text from the comic.
***This is not possible on the front page, but on the other pages all text that are not part of an image can be selected and copied (into a transcript for instance.)
*From time to time, instead of the interactive page there is a page with [[Media:three dots only.png|three dots only]].
**This might be due to access problems while xkcd fans all over the world try to submit graphics and text.
**The TLD ''.org'' shows the three dots always while it's almost never happening on the TLD ''.com''.
*Source code of elements in the drawing interactive contain the attribute "data-reactid", indicating it is written using the [http://facebook.github.io/react/ React JavaScript library], developed to use with Facebook & Instagram.
*The mobile version is the comic is not interactive, and does not have the words "Click Here To"
*The fictional reader/user name "Lauren Ibsen Dolores Amit" is a modified version of "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorem_ipsum Lorem ipsum] dolor sit amet", the first words of a fake-Latin text often used as a substitute for real text where the text content is irrelevant, such as in a page used to display a typeface.
*One of the reported reasons for data loss is "Please insert Riven CD 4." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riven Riven] was an adventure game that was the sequel to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myst Myst], released in 1997. Due to its large amount of image and video content it was on 5 compact discs, and when you traverse from one section of the game to another, it usually prompted you to insert a different CD to load that section's content.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:April fool's comics]]
[[Category:Dynamic comics]]
[[Category:Interactive comics]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Portmanteau]]