explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2496: Mine Captcha

2021-07-31T09:12:53Z

172.69.63.143:

Mines at:

+----+
| |
|** |
| * *|
| |
+----+

[[User:Ezist|Ezist]] ([[User talk:Ezist|talk]]) 14:42, 30 July 2021 (UTC)

:+1234
:A2 1
:B??3
:C3? ?
:D 1 1
:concur.

AKA

. . . .
* * . .
. * . *
. . . .

Should be mentioned that it's most probably easier to run a script that solves this puzzle that to explain minesweeper to the majority of people, so this captcha seems pretty useless
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.92.72|162.158.92.72]] 15:56, 30 July 2021 (UTC)
: Writing a script to solve Minesweeper is a great exercise and helps to build a guaranteed-solvable game (which, IMO, is a good thing), but it won't usually start with image recognition. I'm not sure how hard it would be to write an image solver, especially if - unlike in this example - you'd need to dig some cells to finish solving it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.59|108.162.250.59]] 16:20, 30 July 2021 (UTC)

I think that it would be better to explain why there is mine in B3 and D3 (due to the ones) because you then have the full solution. I think that the curent explanation isn't complete enough for someone who don't know minesweeper to understand the solution
Maybe it is only me but I think that it would be less confusing to have column marked with letter and line with number. i don't know if there is any standard for that. I am used to excel way of doing it [[Special:Contributions/162.158.50.27|162.158.50.27]] 16:10, 30 July 2021 (UTC)

I am soooo disappointed that the cursed minesweeper game is not playable. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.79|108.162.221.79]] 16:13, 30 July 2021 (UTC)

Is something supposedto happen when I click on a box? I tried this in Chrome, IE, and Firefox, and nothing happens. --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.170|172.70.110.170]] 16:18, 30 July 2021 (UTC)

Hello. I have edited the image to include flags or bombs to mark the places. But as a new user I am not allowed to upload images.
If somebody is willing to receive them I could email them. [[User:Rps|Rps]] ([[User talk:Rps|talk]]) 17:10, 30 July 2021 (UTC)

The title is eerily similar to Mein Kampf

The explanation repeats "this is hard because in Minesweeper you're supposed to press the buttons without mines" a lot.[[Special:Contributions/172.70.130.108|172.70.130.108]] 18:23, 30 July 2021 (UTC)
:As a native German speaker I do not think the title sounds similar. The German Mein is a bit more open than the English Mine which is spoken a bit longer. Kampf has one syllable and ends with a triple consonant, captcha has two syllables and ends with a vocal. In Mein Kampf the emphasis is on Kampf, in Mine Captcha it is on Mine. Sebastian --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.128|162.158.89.128]] 22:26, 30 July 2021 (UTC)

I think that explanation misses the fact that images in captcha are in randomized order and do not match with actual position on real board and are actually, which can be deducted from fact it's using different colors and font, from multiple separate games. Therefore 'solving' it gives no actual information.
[[User:Kalumniatoris|Kalumniatoris]] ([[User talk:Kalumniatoris|talk]]) 20:39, 30 July 2021 (UTC)

Using the Excel numbering, here’s one verbose way of solving it:
If someone is confused, it may be helpful to draw a diagram and follow along, step by step.

Fact 1: C1 indicates that 1 of its 4 open neighbors is a mine.
Fact 2: A1 indicates that 2 of its 3 open neighbors are mines.
Conclusion 1: Looking at B1 and B2, Fact 1 says at most 1 is a mine and Fact 2 says at least 1 is a mine. Therefore exactly 1 is a mine.
Conclusion 2: Looking at the three open cells around A1, we now know from Conclusion 1 that B1 and B2 account for exactly one mine next to A1, so the other mine adjacent to A1 must be in A2.
Conclusion 3: Looking at C1, from Conclusion 1 we know that B1 and B2 account for the 1 mine next to C1, so there can be no mine in D1 or D2.

Fact 3: A3 indicates that 3 of its 4 originally open neighbors are mines.
Fact 4: B4 indicates that 1 of its 4 open neighbors is a mine.
Conclusion 4: Looking at A4 and B3, Fact 3 indicates that at most 1 is empty (or equivalently, that at least one is a mine) and Fact 4 indicates that at most one is a mine. Since these two contain at least 1 mine and at most 1 mine, they must contain exactly 1 mine.
Conclusion 5: Looking at Fact 4, we know that A4 and B3 account for the 1 mine adjacent to B4, so C3 and C4 must be empty.

Fact 5: D4 indicates that 1 of the 3 originally open neighbors must be a mine.
Conclusion 6: Looking at fact 5, we see that Conclusion 5 ruled out 2 of the 3 neighbors, so D3 must be the mine.

(We’ve now determined the state of all cells in columns C and D, as well as A2. We’ve also identified two pairs (B1+B2 and A4+B3) that each contain exactly one mine.)

Fact 6: C2 indicates that exactly 3 of its 5 originally empty neighbors contain mines.
Conclusion 7: From Conclusion 1 we know that exactly 1 of B1 and B2 is a mine, from Conclusion we know C3 is empty, and from Conclusion 6 D3 is a mine. Having accounted for 4 of the 5 neighbors, and 2 of 3 mines, we know that the remaining cell, B3, must be a mine.
Conclusion 8: Based on Conclusion 5 and Fact 3, we can see that exactly one of A4+B3 is a mine and therefore the other two cells adjacent to A3 must account for its other two mines. Therefore B2 is a mine.
[[User:Solid Kalium|Solid Kalium]] ([[User talk:Solid Kalium|talk]]) 00:30, 31 July 2021 (UTC)

I don't think it's that relevant that the captcha-solver shall click on the mines, opposite to the standard game. (The problem obviously is that if you were supposed to click on non-mines, you might simply click the number fields. Assuming that the number of the mines is given, 12 mines+B4:5,B2:8,D2:5 would be a uniquely solvable example, you'd have to infer D4 is free. But this sort of lacks elegance.) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.218|162.158.111.218]] 07:42, 31 July 2021 (UTC)

I guess no one thought to mention that it is possible to have technically unsolvable (by logic) minesweeper puzzle boards, either when there is a very high, or very low, concentration, usually at an edge or a corner. I was kinda disappointed that he didn't do that and make it interactive so that the (usually) 50/50 choice always came out wrong, or you had to trick it by clicking down on one (internally making it the mine) and releasing on the other (revealing the now safe square)... or maybe I'm just a sadist >.> [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.143|172.69.63.143]] 09:12, 31 July 2021 (UTC)

2496: Mine Captcha

2021-07-30T16:19:46Z

172.69.63.143: wikipedia thing's formatting, hope this works

{{comic
| number = 2496
| date = July 30, 2021
| title = Mine Captcha
| image = mine_captcha.png
| titletext = This data is actually going into improving our self-driving car project, so hurry up--it's almost at the minefield.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a LIVE MINEFIELD. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic, like [[1897: Self Driving]], references the approach of using {{W|CAPTCHA}} inputs to solve problems, particularly those involving image classification, which are not solvable by computers, specifically {{W|reCAPTCHA}} v2's fallback puzzle which is based on identifying road features and vehicles. A reCAPTCHA version of this puzzle might ask a user to "check all squares containing a STOP SIGN."

The CAPTCHA in this comic, however, asks the user to "Click all the pictures of MINES" by, ironically, clicking on squares that do not show anything more than a gray square, with the understanding that some of those gray squares are hiding 'mines' in a {{w|Minesweeper (video game)|Minesweeper puzzle game}}, hence the title Mine Captcha.

Furthermore, the CAPTCHA in this comic asks the user to click on the squares containing mines themselves, which is the opposite of the traditional goal in Minesweeper, which is to click on all boxes where there are *no* mines, and solving the puzzle is usually (although not in this case) impossible without revealing the information in those squares without mines. So the CAPTCHA in this comic would be especially difficult for a user who is familiar with how to play Minesweeper, in addition to being difficult for a user who is familiar with the normal CAPTCHA image-selection puzzle. But would be impossible for anyone that have never heard of the game/know the rules.

A captcha (also spelled CAPTCHA) is a challenge designed to be solvable by humans, but not by computer programs. It is used to protect websites from automated software. For example, editing the explain xkcd wiki without being logged in requires the user to solve a Captcha.

The captcha depicted in this comic is similar in layout to one of the challenges of ''reCAPTCHA'', a captcha system developed by Google. It requires the user to click on several of 16 tiles laid out in a 4x4 grid. 6 of the 16 tiles has a colored number, in blue font for the three number ones, green for the single instance of two and red for the two number three. Each number used a different font style disregarding the color.

The comic combines this with the game of Minesweeper, a logic puzzle game where the player must uncover tiles in a grid by clicking on them. Some of the tiles contain "mines", clicking on those means immediate defeat. When uncovering a tile without a mine, it shows how many of the 8 adjacent tiles contain a mine.

This comic expects users click on the mines in a minesweeper puzzle to proceed with their task. As the goal in minesweeper is to click on boxes where there are NOT mines, the puzzle would be especially difficult for anyone used to playing minesweeper.

The comic shows a 4x4 grid with mostly grey squares, and a few tiles showing colored numbers. The setup and colors suggest a gaming board of the popular minesweeper game, with a few tiles uncovered. Numbers would then show the number of mines in adjacent squares. Given the current board configuration, one can deduce that there are four mines (in squares A2, B2, B3 and D3, where letters (numbers) mark columns (rows)). For example, there are two mines within the squares A2,B1,B2, as signified by the 2 in A1, but only one of those can be in B1 or B2 (because of the 1 in C1). Therefore, A2 has to be a mine. The title suggests this as a CAPTCHA, where proving to be human involves first recognizing this as a minesweeper simile, and then solving for those squares with mines.

Traditionally, the goal in minesweeper is to click on boxes where there are NOT mines, and solving the puzzle is usually (although not in this case) impossible without revealing the information in those squares, so the puzzle could easily trip up anyone used to playing minesweeper.

The title text is similar to [[1897: Self Driving]] where the CAPTCHA solver is asked to "answer quickly – [the] self-driving car is almost at the intersection". In this case the car is actually driving into this minefield and can only avoid the mines if the user solves this CAPTCHA fast enough. Where the first would be realistic, although very dangerous, this time it is of course just a continuation of that old joke. Even if the car drove into a mine field, there would be no way to have the given information.

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

[A "CAPTCHA" box.]

To proceed, click<br>all the pictures of<br>MINES

[A 4 by 4 ''Minesweeper'' field, with some cells revealed with numbers. Each number is drawn in a different font/style.]

<pre>
2 . 1 .
. . 3 .
3 . . .
. 1 . 1
</pre>

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:CAPTCHA]]

2365: Messaging Systems

2020-09-29T01:02:25Z

172.69.63.143: /* Explanation */ dynatac!

{{comic
| number = 2365
| date = September 29, 2020
| title = Messaging Systems
| image = messaging_systems.png
| titletext = SMS is just the worst, but I'm having trouble convincing people to adopt my preferred system, TLS IRC with a local server and a patched DOSBox gateway running in my mobile browser.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by AN UNENCRYPTED SMS. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Messaging systems suffers from the {{w|Network effect}}, as in order to communicate, both parties need to have adopted the same system.
Though relatively ancient by modern standards, SMS is supported by most every mobile device (unless you're still on a {{w|DynaTAC}}) that has a phone number attached, which means if you want to send a message to someone, but aren't sure if they have insert messaging app here, you can be sure at least they have SMS.

The comic mentions many other communication systems, which offer various advantages in either security and or a bunch of general improvements filed under the label "vaguely modern", such as longer character limits and the ability to share media such as images in-service.

=== Vaguely Modern ===
==== Slack ====
Slack is a workplace messaging service which offers the ability for administrators to create channels in order to organize the discussion. It is asynchronous, which means that conversations can occur out of time, hours apart from each other. It also keeps track of every message, and everything in a public channel stays there forever for everyone to see. It is not encrypted, and has been moving towards being less privacy focused for end users over the years as corporate demand for employee surveillance has prompted the company to offer ever more invasive services to administrators. Overall, it is a popular service with some large companies and non-profit organisations, but does not yet have universal adoption.

==== Facebook Messenger ====
==== Hangouts ====
Google Hangouts is a messaging service which can be accessed through the online Gmail Client, as a separate web page, and a standalone app for the phone. While theoretically that means everybody has access to it, modern usage patterns means that most people do not use the attached web client and don't bother downloading the app. It allows users to upload significantly degraded images, links, and other media along with text with a copy-paste.

==== Discord ====
==== Various DMs ====
=== Vaguely Modern & E2E Encrypted ===
==== Signal ====
==== iMessage ====
==== WhatsApp ====
=== E2E Encrypted ===
==== PGP Email ====
==== Various Obscure Projects ====
==== Skype I Think ====
==== Jabber + TLS ====
=== Supported By Everyone ===
==== SMS ====

SMS is a text messaging service formally defined in the {{w|GSM}} standard in 1985 and first used in 1992. It limits users to being able to send up to 160 characters, and only text.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
A Venn Diagram is shown, framed in a box. It has three components:

Vaguely Modern, E2E Encrypted, Supported By Everyone

Solely in the Vaguely Modern category are:

Facebook Messenger, Hangouts, Discord, Various DMs

In both 'Vaguely Modern' and 'E2E Encrypted' categories are:

Signal, iMessage, Whatsapp

Solely in the E2E Encrypted category are:

PGP Email, Various Obscure Projects, Skype I think, Jabber + TLS

Solely in the 'Supported By Everyone' category is:

SMS

All other categories are empty.

:[Caption Below the Comic]: Why SMS refuses to die

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:2365: Messaging Systems

2020-09-29T01:01:08Z

172.69.63.143:

I guess ordinary email should be in the same section as SMS as well. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.158.171|162.158.158.171]] 00:20, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

The comic should mention MMS, which is well integrated into SMS, so that it's supported by not quite as much as SMS but still by almost everybody, and counts as vaguely modern in that you can attach images and have no length limit. ―[[User:TobyBartels|TobyBartels]] ([[User talk:TobyBartels|talk]]) 00:46, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

My DynaTAC doesn't get SMS. --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.22.150|172.69.22.150]] 00:56, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

Okay, got a basic explanation up; The comic is missing a bunch of different messaging services I feel. Also, I knew that somebody would say that their phone doesn't support SMS, I guess that habit of hedging writing with mostly is paying off.
[[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.143|172.69.63.143]] 01:01, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

2365: Messaging Systems

2020-09-29T00:58:23Z

172.69.63.143: /* SMS */

{{comic
| number = 2365
| date = September 29, 2020
| title = Messaging Systems
| image = messaging_systems.png
| titletext = SMS is just the worst, but I'm having trouble convincing people to adopt my preferred system, TLS IRC with a local server and a patched DOSBox gateway running in my mobile browser.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by AN UNENCRYPTED SMS. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Messaging systems suffers from the {{w|Network effect}}, as in order to communicate, both parties need to have adopted the same system.
Though relatively ancient by modern standards, SMS is supported by most every mobile device that has a phone number attached, which means if you want to send a message to someone, but aren't sure if they have insert messaging app here, you can be sure at least they have SMS.

The comic mentions many other communication systems, which offer various advantages in either security and or a bunch of general improvements filed under the label "vaguely modern", such as longer character limits and the ability to share media such as images in-service.

=== Vaguely Modern ===
==== Slack ====
Slack is a workplace messaging service which offers the ability for administrators to create channels in order to organize the discussion. It is asynchronous, which means that conversations can occur out of time, hours apart from each other. It also keeps track of every message, and everything in a public channel stays there forever for everyone to see. It is not encrypted, and has been moving towards being less privacy focused for end users over the years as corporate demand for employee surveillance has prompted the company to offer ever more invasive services to administrators. Overall, it is a popular service with some large companies and non-profit organisations, but does not yet have universal adoption.

==== Facebook Messenger ====
==== Hangouts ====
Google Hangouts is a messaging service which can be accessed through the online Gmail Client, as a separate web page, and a standalone app for the phone. While theoretically that means everybody has access to it, modern usage patterns means that most people do not use the attached web client and don't bother downloading the app. It allows users to upload significantly degraded images, links, and other media along with text with a copy-paste.

==== Discord ====
==== Various DMs ====
=== Vaguely Modern & E2E Encrypted ===
==== Signal ====
==== iMessage ====
==== WhatsApp ====
=== E2E Encrypted ===
==== PGP Email ====
==== Various Obscure Projects ====
==== Skype I Think ====
==== Jabber + TLS ====
=== Supported By Everyone ===
==== SMS ====

SMS is a text messaging service formally defined in the {{w|GSM}} standard in 1985 and first used in 1992. It limits users to being able to send up to 160 characters, and only text.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
A Venn Diagram is shown, framed in a box. It has three components:

Vaguely Modern, E2E Encrypted, Supported By Everyone

Solely in the Vaguely Modern category are:

Facebook Messenger, Hangouts, Discord, Various DMs

In both 'Vaguely Modern' and 'E2E Encrypted' categories are:

Signal, iMessage, Whatsapp

Solely in the E2E Encrypted category are:

PGP Email, Various Obscure Projects, Skype I think, Jabber + TLS

Solely in the 'Supported By Everyone' category is:

SMS

All other categories are empty.

:[Caption Below the Comic]: Why SMS refuses to die

{{comic discussion}}

2365: Messaging Systems

2020-09-29T00:57:55Z

172.69.63.143: /* SMS */

{{comic
| number = 2365
| date = September 29, 2020
| title = Messaging Systems
| image = messaging_systems.png
| titletext = SMS is just the worst, but I'm having trouble convincing people to adopt my preferred system, TLS IRC with a local server and a patched DOSBox gateway running in my mobile browser.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by AN UNENCRYPTED SMS. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Messaging systems suffers from the {{w|Network effect}}, as in order to communicate, both parties need to have adopted the same system.
Though relatively ancient by modern standards, SMS is supported by most every mobile device that has a phone number attached, which means if you want to send a message to someone, but aren't sure if they have insert messaging app here, you can be sure at least they have SMS.

The comic mentions many other communication systems, which offer various advantages in either security and or a bunch of general improvements filed under the label "vaguely modern", such as longer character limits and the ability to share media such as images in-service.

=== Vaguely Modern ===
==== Slack ====
Slack is a workplace messaging service which offers the ability for administrators to create channels in order to organize the discussion. It is asynchronous, which means that conversations can occur out of time, hours apart from each other. It also keeps track of every message, and everything in a public channel stays there forever for everyone to see. It is not encrypted, and has been moving towards being less privacy focused for end users over the years as corporate demand for employee surveillance has prompted the company to offer ever more invasive services to administrators. Overall, it is a popular service with some large companies and non-profit organisations, but does not yet have universal adoption.

==== Facebook Messenger ====
==== Hangouts ====
Google Hangouts is a messaging service which can be accessed through the online Gmail Client, as a separate web page, and a standalone app for the phone. While theoretically that means everybody has access to it, modern usage patterns means that most people do not use the attached web client and don't bother downloading the app. It allows users to upload significantly degraded images, links, and other media along with text with a copy-paste.

==== Discord ====
==== Various DMs ====
=== Vaguely Modern & E2E Encrypted ===
==== Signal ====
==== iMessage ====
==== WhatsApp ====
=== E2E Encrypted ===
==== PGP Email ====
==== Various Obscure Projects ====
==== Skype I Think ====
==== Jabber + TLS ====
=== Supported By Everyone ===
==== SMS ====

SMS is a text messaging service formally defined in the {{w|GSM}} standard in 1985 and first used in 1992. It limits users to being able to send up to 160 characters.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
A Venn Diagram is shown, framed in a box. It has three components:

Vaguely Modern, E2E Encrypted, Supported By Everyone

Solely in the Vaguely Modern category are:

Facebook Messenger, Hangouts, Discord, Various DMs

In both 'Vaguely Modern' and 'E2E Encrypted' categories are:

Signal, iMessage, Whatsapp

Solely in the E2E Encrypted category are:

PGP Email, Various Obscure Projects, Skype I think, Jabber + TLS

Solely in the 'Supported By Everyone' category is:

SMS

All other categories are empty.

:[Caption Below the Comic]: Why SMS refuses to die

{{comic discussion}}

2365: Messaging Systems

2020-09-29T00:57:45Z

172.69.63.143: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2365
| date = September 29, 2020
| title = Messaging Systems
| image = messaging_systems.png
| titletext = SMS is just the worst, but I'm having trouble convincing people to adopt my preferred system, TLS IRC with a local server and a patched DOSBox gateway running in my mobile browser.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by AN UNENCRYPTED SMS. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Messaging systems suffers from the {{w|Network effect}}, as in order to communicate, both parties need to have adopted the same system.
Though relatively ancient by modern standards, SMS is supported by most every mobile device that has a phone number attached, which means if you want to send a message to someone, but aren't sure if they have insert messaging app here, you can be sure at least they have SMS.

The comic mentions many other communication systems, which offer various advantages in either security and or a bunch of general improvements filed under the label "vaguely modern", such as longer character limits and the ability to share media such as images in-service.

=== Vaguely Modern ===
==== Slack ====
Slack is a workplace messaging service which offers the ability for administrators to create channels in order to organize the discussion. It is asynchronous, which means that conversations can occur out of time, hours apart from each other. It also keeps track of every message, and everything in a public channel stays there forever for everyone to see. It is not encrypted, and has been moving towards being less privacy focused for end users over the years as corporate demand for employee surveillance has prompted the company to offer ever more invasive services to administrators. Overall, it is a popular service with some large companies and non-profit organisations, but does not yet have universal adoption.

==== Facebook Messenger ====
==== Hangouts ====
Google Hangouts is a messaging service which can be accessed through the online Gmail Client, as a separate web page, and a standalone app for the phone. While theoretically that means everybody has access to it, modern usage patterns means that most people do not use the attached web client and don't bother downloading the app. It allows users to upload significantly degraded images, links, and other media along with text with a copy-paste.

==== Discord ====
==== Various DMs ====
=== Vaguely Modern & E2E Encrypted ===
==== Signal ====
==== iMessage ====
==== WhatsApp ====
=== E2E Encrypted ===
==== PGP Email ====
==== Various Obscure Projects ====
==== Skype I Think ====
==== Jabber + TLS ====
=== Supported By Everyone ===
==== SMS ====

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
A Venn Diagram is shown, framed in a box. It has three components:

Vaguely Modern, E2E Encrypted, Supported By Everyone

Solely in the Vaguely Modern category are:

Facebook Messenger, Hangouts, Discord, Various DMs

In both 'Vaguely Modern' and 'E2E Encrypted' categories are:

Signal, iMessage, Whatsapp

Solely in the E2E Encrypted category are:

PGP Email, Various Obscure Projects, Skype I think, Jabber + TLS

Solely in the 'Supported By Everyone' category is:

SMS

All other categories are empty.

:[Caption Below the Comic]: Why SMS refuses to die

{{comic discussion}}

2365: Messaging Systems

2020-09-29T00:57:19Z

172.69.63.143: /* Hangouts */

{{comic
| number = 2365
| date = September 29, 2020
| title = Messaging Systems
| image = messaging_systems.png
| titletext = SMS is just the worst, but I'm having trouble convincing people to adopt my preferred system, TLS IRC with a local server and a patched DOSBox gateway running in my mobile browser.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by AN UNENCRYPTED SMS. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Messaging systems suffers from the {{w|Network effect}}, as in order to communicate, both parties need to have adopted the same system.
Though relatively ancient by modern standards, SMS is supported by most every mobile device that has a phone number attached, which means if you want to send a message to someone, but aren't sure if they have insert messaging app here, you can be sure at least they have SMS.

SMS is a text messaging service formally defined in the {{w|GSM}} standard in 1985 and first used in 1992. It limits users to being able to send up to 160 characters.

The comic mentions many other communication systems, which offer various advantages in either security and or a bunch of general improvements filed under the label "vaguely modern", such as longer character limits and the ability to share media such as images in-service.

=== Vaguely Modern ===
==== Slack ====
Slack is a workplace messaging service which offers the ability for administrators to create channels in order to organize the discussion. It is asynchronous, which means that conversations can occur out of time, hours apart from each other. It also keeps track of every message, and everything in a public channel stays there forever for everyone to see. It is not encrypted, and has been moving towards being less privacy focused for end users over the years as corporate demand for employee surveillance has prompted the company to offer ever more invasive services to administrators. Overall, it is a popular service with some large companies and non-profit organisations, but does not yet have universal adoption.

==== Facebook Messenger ====
==== Hangouts ====
Google Hangouts is a messaging service which can be accessed through the online Gmail Client, as a separate web page, and a standalone app for the phone. While theoretically that means everybody has access to it, modern usage patterns means that most people do not use the attached web client and don't bother downloading the app. It allows users to upload significantly degraded images, links, and other media along with text with a copy-paste.

==== Discord ====
==== Various DMs ====
=== Vaguely Modern & E2E Encrypted ===
==== Signal ====
==== iMessage ====
==== WhatsApp ====
=== E2E Encrypted ===
==== PGP Email ====
==== Various Obscure Projects ====
==== Skype I Think ====
==== Jabber + TLS ====
=== Supported By Everyone ===
==== SMS ====

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
A Venn Diagram is shown, framed in a box. It has three components:

Vaguely Modern, E2E Encrypted, Supported By Everyone

Solely in the Vaguely Modern category are:

Facebook Messenger, Hangouts, Discord, Various DMs

In both 'Vaguely Modern' and 'E2E Encrypted' categories are:

Signal, iMessage, Whatsapp

Solely in the E2E Encrypted category are:

PGP Email, Various Obscure Projects, Skype I think, Jabber + TLS

Solely in the 'Supported By Everyone' category is:

SMS

All other categories are empty.

:[Caption Below the Comic]: Why SMS refuses to die

{{comic discussion}}

2365: Messaging Systems

2020-09-29T00:38:22Z

172.69.63.143: /* Explanation */ added explanation

2362: Volcano Dinosaur

2020-09-23T18:31:12Z

172.69.63.143: /* Explanation */ The comic does not indicate that Megan’s question was facetious, and the humor does not depend on that. Actually, it’s probably funnier if the question was not facetious.

{{comic
| number = 2362
| date = September 21, 2020
| title = Volcano Dinosaur
| image = volcano_dinosaur.png
| titletext = Phylogeneticists are working on identifying and notifying its next of kin.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a SLOWLY RECOVERING DINOSAUR. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic is a reference to [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/new-dinosaur-discovered-china-volcano-b511774.html this discovery] of [https://peerj.com/articles/9832/ fossils of dinosaurs that were buried and killed by a volcanic eruption].

Megan asks if the dinosaur was okay. As living things typically don't survive being fossilized in volcano debris{{Citation needed}}, the answer to the question would obviously be "no", but Cueball replies that he is unsure. Even if the dinosaur somehow survived the initial burial, it would be very difficult for it to survive being buried for 125 million years. 2020 probably wouldn't be the best year to dig it up and potentially let it free.

Megan's response is natural and expected in many situations when hearing of a person or creature experiencing misfortune. The humour here comes from the inaptness of asking the question millions of years after the event. Rather than responding to the ridiculousness of Megan's question, Cueball takes it seriously, and deadpans that he can't tell.

The title text suggests contacting its "{{w|next of kin}}", which usually means a nearest living relative, e.g. a brother or a sister. The process of identifying and contacting next of kin is a standard step performed by authorities in the event of a death being discovered. In this case, dinosaurs are extinct{{Citation needed}}, so it is the job of {{w|Phylogenetics|phylogeneticist}}s (those who study evolutionary relationships) to determine which living animal (presumably a bird of some kind) is the "nearest relative" to the deceased dinosaurs.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Megan is standing facing right, talking to Cueball who is sitting at a computer desk and also facing right, looking at a computer screen.]
:Cueball: Oh cool, they just found a dinosaur that was buried by a volcanic eruption 125 million years ago.
:Megan: Wow.

:[Pause. Megan is still facing right. Panel closes in on Megan and Cueball is not shown. This panel has no dialogue.]

:[Megan has stepped closer to Cueball, who is still looking at the screen.]
:Megan: Was it okay?
:Cueball: Hmm, it doesn't say.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Volcanoes]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs]]
[[Category:Biology]]

Talk:2278: Scientific Briefing

2020-03-09T22:22:06Z

172.69.63.143:

Reference to COVID-19?
[[Special:Contributions/172.69.70.173|172.69.70.173]] 20:42, 9 March 2020 (UTC)
:Seems closer to global warming to me. [[User:LegionMammal978|LegionMammal978]] ([[User talk:LegionMammal978|talk]]) 21:01, 9 March 2020 (UTC)
::Given the title text, it could plausibly be about either of those, or just about anything else (ocean acidification, deforestation, wireless spectrum congestion...) --[[User:NotaBene|NotaBene]] ([[User talk:NotaBene|talk]]) 21:25, 9 March 2020 (UTC)
::: Or at least, like, half of them. -- [[User:KarMann|KarMann]] ([[User talk:KarMann|talk]]) 21:29, 9 March 2020 (UTC)
::::I read it as an analysis of actionable analytics...
::::[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 22:10, 9 March 2020 (UTC)

I've heard that President Trump feels that the coronavirus will "blow over."