explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

561: Well

2020-12-28T06:33:48Z

172.68.146.162: /* Explanation */ Added Content

{{comic
| number = 561
| date = March 27, 2009
| title = Well
| image = well.png
| titletext = I'll concede ergonomics anecdotally, but none of the studies of Dvorak were at all rigorous (the most-cited Navy study was overseen by Dvorak himself). And the 'slow typists down' thing is a myth. Also EMACS RULES VI DROOLS WOOOOOOO!
}}

==Explanation==
This is the first comic in the [[:Category:Well|Well]] series. It was followed by [[568: Well 2]].

Uncomfortable truths are truths that exist, but no one wants to have to think about them.

The first is about ''{{w|Firefly (TV Series)|Firefly}}'', the TV series created by {{w|Joss Whedon}} and canceled by {{w|FOX}}, due to poor ratings performance, after {{tvtropes|OutOfOrder|airing the first 13 episodes out-of-order}}. In ''Firefly'', the main languages spoken are English and Chinese (supposedly in equal measure), because China was the only other world power besides America to go to space (Joss Whedon's own explanation on the DVDs). However, there are {{tvtropes|HumansAreWhite|very few actual Asians}} on-screen.

The second is about two different keyboard layouts, QWERTY and Dvorak. Early {{w|typewriter}}s used to jam easily if two nearby keys were struck at about the same time. To work around this, the {{w|QWERTY}} layout, named after the first six letters on its keys, scattered common letter combinations around the keyboard, thus greatly avoiding the problem. (A common myth states that this was done to slow typists down; this was not the case.) Later typewriter mechanisms were less prone to jamming, which prompted a few people to try to create alternative layouts, such as {{w|Blickensderfer typewriter|Blickensderfer's DHIATENSOR layout}} in 1892, or the {{w|Dvorak Simplified Keyboard}} in 1932. Such layouts never really caught on; by then, typists were all very used to the QWERTY layout, and were unwilling to take the time and effort to learn a new one.

In the Dvorak layout, {{w|August Dvorak}} placed the most frequently used keys at the most easily accessible places; Dvorak's advocates claim this reduces typing effort and repetitive strain (as mentioned in the title text) while increasing typing speed and accuracy. However, rigorous, unbiased studies have yet to clearly show significant superiority. (As the title text mentions, the most commonly cited study in Dvorak's favor was overseen by Dvorak himself during his US Navy service in World War II.)

This was the second comic to refer to Dvorak after [[554: Not Enough Work]], and since then it has become a [[:Category:Dvorak|recurrent theme]] on xkcd.

The third and fourth truths are connected: they involve the two people receiving them and (presumably) their relationship with each other. Every time [[Cueball]] said "I love you" he never really meant it; whereas [[Megan]] meant it every time she said "I love you". This is very uncomfortable for both! This could also be intentional, as a person called Mike (Who happens to be a friend of [[Megan]]) is actually hiding inside the well and tells these uncomfortable "truths", he would have intentionally broken Cueball and Megan up to be able to manipulate Megan in the next installment.

The title text perpetuates the {{w|Editor war|Emacs vs. vi debate}}. Both {{w|Emacs}} and {{w|Vim (text editor)|Vim}} are text editors that are frequently used as general-language editors of source code. The issue is that, while Emacs is more user-friendly and customizable, vim is more lightweight while needing few keystrokes in text editing. Because of this balance, fans of Emacs and fans of vim end up fighting each other.

==Transcript==
:[A sign sits by a well.]
:The Uncomfortable Truths Well

:[A Cueball-like guy and Ponytail are lined up for the well; the guy throws a coin in.]
:Well: For a universe that's supposed to be half Chinese, Firefly sure doesn't have any Asians.

:[The guy is gone, Cueball and Megsn arrives as a couple lining up behind Ponytail; Ponytail throws a coin in.]
:Well: There's no solid evidence DVORAK's better than QWERTY. The standard histories are urban legends.

:[Just the couple remain; Cueball throws another coin in.]
:Well: You've never said "I love you" and meant it. It was always just words.

:[Megan has presumably also thrown a coin in the well. This is not shown as for the first three. Cueball waits for her on the other side of the well.]
:Well: You meant it every time.

==Trivia==
*In the comic game [[1608: Hoverboard]] there is also a well in the left part of the world. This well has the same type of covered top and at the bottom (it is very deep) there is a girl and above her a coin, like the one thrown into a wishing well. On these links, to images on {{xkcd}}; used in the game, the [http://xkcd.com/1608/980:-1077+s.png top] and the [http://xkcd.com/1608/980:-1073+s.png bottom] of the well can be seen.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Well]]
[[Category:Comics sharing name|Well]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Dvorak]]
[[Category:Sarcasm]]
[[Category:Romance]]
[[Category:Firefly]]
[[Category:Emacs]]

Talk:2397: I Just Don't Trust Them

2020-12-15T00:21:00Z

172.68.146.162:

Is this a parody of anti-vaxxers? that's what my first thought was, but the way Cueball seems so polite about it just being his opinion makes me think otherwise. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.164|162.158.255.164]] 01:19, 12 December 2020 (UTC)
:It is, but I could definitely see a milder-than-stereotypical "Karen" saying that—I think it'd be more clear on the politeness if Cueball had, y'know, a face. [[User:Bubblegum|bubblegum]]-[[User_talk:Bubblegum|talk]]|[[Special:Contributions/Bubblegum|contribs]] 06:33, 12 December 2020 (UTC)
::I say it in only two words: YOU FIRST[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 18:37, 12 December 2020 (UTC)
:::William Shakespeare was the second person to be given the vaccine, is that good enough for you? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.100|162.158.159.100]] 03:47, 13 December 2020 (UTC)

There's obviously also some reference about the fantastical idea of 'microchip' injections, which the more Conspiracy Theorising anti-vaxxer will try to suggest. Right now there's nothing in the Explanation about that, but it agrees with the particular fervency of the statement made (before the bait-n-switch, at least). But what currently ''is'' said is "Bats, which are unhygeinic (sic) disease-carrying animals rather than rational humans." I'd like to add a real (non-injoke) [Citation Needed] to that 'unhygienic' bit. They do a lot of personal (and social) grooming, and its not lack of hygiene that means they can't handle viral transmission (probably the opposite). Maybe reword it as more obviously tongue-in-cheek, if that was the intention?. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.30|162.158.159.30]] 02:59, 12 December 2020 (UTC)

There actually _are_ some web pages that would work as a "citation" for lethal things that are "natural", for example, I started one (at <http://map.map-ne.com/Rants/natural.html> for reference) but I'm not really maintaining it, because in researching the info I kept running across other sites that had already done it (and I link to the relevant TVtropes page). [[User:MAP|MAP]] ([[User talk:MAP|talk]]) 06:16, 12 December 2020 (UTC)
:Were you trying for Markdown-style italics? Those are ''…'' ''double apostrophes (not quotation marks)'' or … HTML tags.[[User:Bubblegum|bubblegum]]-[[User_talk:Bubblegum|talk]]|[[Special:Contributions/Bubblegum|contribs]] 06:33, 12 December 2020 (UTC)
::Well, I was habitually typing that because when _I_ started on the net (1974, long before it was the "Internet") that was the way you emphasized things. [[User:MAP|MAP]] ([[User talk:MAP|talk]]) 15:34, 12 December 2020 (UTC)
:::Well, Kahn and Cerf coined the term ''in'' 1974, though it wasn't regularly called that for a while, probably had to wait for TCP/IP (easier than X.25, IMO). But, yeah, the good old days where text ''was'' text (and email wasn't bulked out with MIME sections) when you could make things _underlined_, /italics/ or in *bold* ''in the reader's mind'' and everyone was happy about this! I couldn't even spot the 'markup' you hadn't used in the above, because I think I read it as intended. ;) And nice to meet someone maybe a little more senior than me. I believe the young 'uns would say something about kudos. (Well, maybe 20 years ago they would. Not sure what the rad lingo is these days, daddyo!) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.100|162.158.159.100]] 03:47, 13 December 2020 (UTC)
:Suggested citation for natural is not always healthful. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava#Hazards]

"While it is usually true that what is "natural" is also "healthy", this is not the case anymore in many modern scenarios that have become more commonplace. Of course, far far more modern things are lethal, than natural things are." Oh, come on. Most plants are poisonous, wood fire is very bad for your lungs. Also, what exactly does 'natural' mean. Is it natural or not that some people die from viral disease?
:I refer you to the George Carlin quote from my page. Everything in existence is, in fact, "natural"! [[User:MAP|MAP]] ([[User talk:MAP|talk]]) 15:34, 12 December 2020 (UTC)
:::If everything(..)is natural, it proves my point that the word 'natural' is useless. (If every color were green, we would not need the word color.)
::Natural is definitely wide term. All {{w|Baryon#Baryonic_matter|baryonic matter}} is natural. Most {{w|black hole}}s are natural. {{w|Neutrino}}s are natural. If you really happen to have something unnatural, give it to scientist - it can enhance our understanding of universe by centuries. Also, I believe you need some unnatural (also called {{w|exotic matter|exotic}}) matter to create wormholes. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 03:22, 13 December 2020 (UTC)
::The 'best' thing I've heard from that side is someone promoting Natural Products (sic) because "Natural products don't have side-effects". I really wanted to say that the only things that have no side-effects are the ones with absolutely no effects at all... (In light of Hkmaly's comment... Dark matter?) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.100|162.158.159.100]] 03:47, 13 December 2020 (UTC)
::All raw material may be natural, but what's artificial is the way it's organized. There's plenty of silicon laying around in sand on beaches, but it takes humans to rearrange it into microchips. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 06:07, 13 December 2020 (UTC)

I believe aluminum salts, formaldehyde, mercury, and nanoparticles all are or were used in vaccines, and are toxic in higher amount. The idea is that the amount present in vaccine is small enough to be safe. Also, at least mercury is being phased out. Generally, vaccines are not supposed to be completely safe - they are supposed to be safer than the illness they are against. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 03:22, 13 December 2020 (UTC)
:They need to be a ''little'' unsafe (traditional types with adjuvants, that is) to better prime the body against the thing they're trying to show it. But it shouldn't be a problem in itself because of the miniscule amounts. These days they're (wrongly) complaining about DNA being re-written, of course. And then being far more reckless 'free' from the perceived threat than they otherwise would be even by being a guinea-pig. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.100|162.158.159.100]] 03:47, 13 December 2020 (UTC)

One of my YouTube addictions is watching wild bat rescue and rehabilitation channels from Australia. (Sky Puppies!) The rescuers warn about not handling bats without the proper training, inoculations, and precautions, but possible COVID-19 transmission is rarely mentioned. This might be due to the separation from Asian bat populations. [[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 07:21, 13 December 2020 (UTC)

Not having followed the COVID-19 vaccine development that closely and having just watched Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 6 the title text gives an eerie flashback to the shrikes. Being bat-like (even though they were called birds I always thought they looked more bat-like) creatures which infect the host through the mouth, taking over their lungs and eventually making them erupt into spikes. I can't really figure out if that was intended or not? [[User:Silwing|Silwing]] ([[User talk:Silwing|talk]]) 09:39, 14 December 2020 (UTC)

[[Special:Contributions/162.158.167.70|162.158.167.70]]so I was just wondering if this was a reference to BATs the tobacco giants, and their attempt to develop a vaccine...
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.167.70|162.158.167.70]]

Almost Midday Tuesday, and this is still showing. I am certain he's getting later and later in actually posting content each day. It has got to be Tuesday in America soon too right? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.146.162|172.68.146.162]] 00:21, 15 December 2020 (UTC)