explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1383: Magic Words

2020-10-24T17:08:15Z

172.69.63.61:

In this comic, Mr. Munroe makes a joke. As of yet, it is unclear what this joke IS, specifically, but it can be assumed that it's a funny one. {{unsigned ip|‎108.162.215.120}}
:In the comment above, a user makes some statements about a web-comic. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.37|141.101.104.37]] 14:12, 24 June 2014 (UTC)
::Yo dawg, I heard you like jokes in comments about web-comics... [[User:Orazor|Orazor]] ([[User talk:Orazor|talk]]) 09:28, 9 October 2014 (UTC)
:::In the comment above, a user makes an old meme about the post above. [[User:Halo422|Halo422]] ([[User talk:Halo422|talk]]) 20:19, 14 February 2018 (UTC)

the clue was in "anapest"... for those more ambitious to explain and understand [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_%28prosody%29] [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.83|108.162.221.83]] 04:13, 18 June 2014 (UTC)

Each sequence has four words with the same stress pattern, which makes them the same type of poetic foot (the first group is all iambs, the second is all trochees, the third is bacchius). Basically it's a pun. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.185|173.245.54.185]] 04:25, 18 June 2014 (UTC)

Is Cueball really as much of a ''cunning linguist'' as Megan makes him out to be? If not, she is going to be extremely unsatisfied in bed. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.208.25|108.162.208.25]] 08:36, 18 June 2014 (UTC)

Ha! Cunning linguist! *snicker* [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.157|108.162.254.157]] 08:42, 18 June 2014 (UTC)
:I found this just as funny as the comic itself. (Maybe I am 13 years old at heart) [[User:Rfd|Rfd]] ([[User talk:Rfd|talk]]) 18:17, 23 June 2014 (UTC)

Before the explanation, I was wondering where "correct horse battery staple" was... {{unsigned ip|141.101.98.219}}

Hmmm - surely there is some role the choice of words plays in this, beyond having a particular meter. Any ideas? [[User:Nealmcb|Nealmcb]] ([[User talk:Nealmcb|talk]]) 12:19, 18 June 2014 (UTC)

What about Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious? =8o) [[User:Jarod997|Jarod997]] ([[User talk:Jarod997|talk]]) 12:44, 18 June 2014 (UTC)

I did not initially state that "a-na-'''pest''' is an anapest. But now I have tripple checked amongst other with a school teacher and the dictionary that I link to in the link. I have thus correct this back again. Please do not change it back! [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 15:01, 18 June 2014 (UTC)
:There seem to be some '''disagreement''' about the '''pronunciation''' of the word '''anapest''' - or at least what it means to stress a syllable. I'm no expert, but had two other hear the word from the link to the pronunciation given in the explain. There is now two different people who have written that anapest is an anapest (I'm one of them) and two others who have changed it back to being a dactyl, without commenting down here... The last who did it wrote that I had misread how the stress was in the dictionary. But I cannot see where this is defined? I just listened to the word. If someone can post a link to how the word is pronounced, and can explain to me how to read it, (so it can be made clear what is correct instead of starting an editing war...) that would be great. In case it is the first syllable that is stressed then the two definitions on Wikipedia for what an anapest is will give two different conclusions for the word. This I have now included in the anapest explanation. [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:18, 19 June 2014 (UTC)
:: The primary stress is marked with an apostrophe BEFORE the stressed syllable. Secondary stress, which isn't important here, is marked with an inverted apostrophe (ie, at the bottom of the line) before the stressed syllable. You almost certainly don't pronounce it with the last syllable stressed, because it would sound very clearly and definitely like "er-ner-pest". [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.12|141.101.99.12]] 19:28, 20 June 2014 (UTC)
::'Anapest' is definitely an anapest, by BOTH definitions, when I pronounce it. What's more, when I intentionally try to pronounce it as a dactyl, it is very difficult for me to do so--it feels unnatural. California-raised with a Master's in English from an Ivy League school, if anyone cares. Anyway, my experience in both the world and the classroom lead me to believe that 'anapest' is an anapest for American English. If it can also be a dactyl, I'd say that's a British pronunciation. I'm pretty sure whatever any of us think, Randall thinks 'anapest' is an anapest... [[Special:Contributions/173.245.48.196|173.245.48.196]] 14:34, 19 June 2014 (UTC)
:::Thanks for the input. From this I have rephrased the anapest discussion an moved it into a trivia section. [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:14, 19 June 2014 (UTC)
::'Anapest' is a dactyl because the stress is on the first syllable, according to [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/anapest Dictionary.com] (in bold), [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anapest Merriam-Webster], and [http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/anapaest?q=anapest Oxford Dictionaries] (notice the accent mark at the beginning of the word). The inflection of the pronunciation also indicates stress on the first syllable. For example, compare the way you say "'''an'''apest" to "an '''ap'''ple", and how your voice rises at the beginning of the former but the middle of the latter. I haven't seen any examples showing the stress on the last syllable, so unless someone has one, I'm going to revert back to the correct explanation. [[User:Prometheusmmiv|Prometheusmmiv]] ([[User talk:Prometheusmmiv|talk]]) 00:39, 20 June 2014 (UTC)
::As an addenda to the above; if anapest were an anapest, the first syllable would be reduced to schwa in most english-speaking accents and you'd get uh-nuh-pest - specifically, the first "a" would sound like the second "a" does. If you pronounce it with an audible, clear "aaaa", you're stressing the first syllable. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.12|141.101.99.12]] 19:25, 20 June 2014 (UTC)
:::I, too, believe it is a dactyl, based on the links above and a tenth-edition Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary I had lying around the house[[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.20|173.245.54.20]] 20:26, 7 November 2015 (UTC)

Also, note that all these phrases are grammatically correct, but semantically nonsensical, Chomsky-style: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorless_green_ideas_sleep_furiously [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.13|141.101.104.13]] 09:17, 21 June 2014 (UTC) Georgy

I don't think "story water paper doorway" is gramatically correct. Whether you take water or paper to be the verb, both the noun and the object would need to be plural and they're not.

Also, there's nothing nonsensical about "strawberry scorpion poetry"

The strawberry scorpion's sweet 
Though juicy you never should eat- 
In case you get stung 
Just call 911 
And try your best to stay upbeat {{unsigned ip}}

:If you try hard enough, you can give meaning to Chomsky's example as well: "It can only be the thought of verdure to come, which prompts us in the autumn to buy these dormant white lumps of vegetable matter covered by a brown papery skin, and lovingly to plant them and care for them. It is a marvel to me that under this cover they are labouring unseen at such a rate within to give us the sudden awesome beauty of spring flowering bulbs. While winter reigns the earth reposes but these colourless green ideas sleep furiously." [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.13|141.101.104.13]] 09:17, 21 June 2014 (UTC) Georgy

:Since it's in all caps, we can't tell if "story" and "paper doorway" are proper names; if they are, a single comma would make that string grammatically correct - an imperative instructing Story to water Paper Doorway. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.12|141.101.99.12]] 19:25, 20 June 2014 (UTC)
:: To me, it looks grammatically correct even without that comma. Suppose there is such a thing called Story Water™, which can be potentially used for producing paper. A "story water paper doorway" is then simply a doorway made of paper that is made from story water. A bit clumsy, though perfectly correct. Also, much less clumsy than "U.S. Air Force aircraft fuel systems equipment mechanics course". The article is missing, but that should be okay for titles. Also, we may assume that the word "doorway" has an additional meaning for which it becomes an uncountable noun. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.13|141.101.104.13]] 09:17, 21 June 2014 (UTC) Georgy

Does anyone else think these words were chosen because they have whispering qualities would produce an 'autonomous sensory meridian response'? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_sensory_meridian_response {{unsigned ip|199.27.128.207}}

This is certainly contro-verse-ial. {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.6}}

As a linguist who dreams word-play, this comic is fantastic on so many levels. Thanks, Randall! [[User:Clumsy|Clumsy]] ([[User talk:Clumsy|talk]]) 21:34, 18 June 2014 (UTC)

Holy crap, I had no freaking idea what was going on in this one. The cool thing is it's funny enough to still give me a chuckle after reading the explanation. Most jokes die a painful death if they have to be explained. Also, I have no idea how to properly sign my posts so I'm ignorantly copying others, likely incorrectly. [[User:jakeepooh|jakeepooh]]

I read the comic and the explanation, and I still have no clue. Guess no poetic foot fetish action for me. {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.34}}

I agree with the opinion that anapest is an anapest, and I've seen no comments to the contrary so unless there's other evidence to support it being a dactyl, it should remain anapest.
Also, apparently the last person to change it didn't even read the entire sentence, because they left it as an autological word and not a heterological word. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.60|108.162.216.60]] 19:46, 19 June 2014 (UTC)

Though almost nobody in America has heard the word "anapest" spoken aloud in our entire lives, I think most of us would assume, since words like "analog" and "Everest" are both dactyls, that "anapest" is obviously a dactyl unless there is some special cited reason that it's not. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.90|199.27.128.90]] 00:51, 20 June 2014 (UTC)

"Anapest" has been in my usage vocabulary since high school (about fifty years), and it's always been a dactyl for me. [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anapest Merriam-Webster] agrees: Their written pronunciation, '''\ˈa-nə-ˌpest\''', has primary stress on the first syllable and secondary stress on the third, which is just how I pronounce it. [[User:Thnidu|Thnidu]] ([[User talk:Thnidu|talk]]) 06:03, 20 June 2014 (UTC)

Interesting side note: the Wikipedia link to "foot fetishism" is blocked on my current Mobile Internet connection (pending an Adult Verification-type process that I'm not too bothered about engaging with, despite being very much elegible). Considering the things that ''aren't'' blocked (on Wikipedia and elsewhere), I thought this would amuse some of you, at least. ;) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.57|141.101.99.57]] 15:25, 20 June 2014 (UTC)

Rhythm Method: Trochee starts things rolling, then Iambe's humor rouses Demeter, the goddess of fertility. [[User:Nathan Hillery|Nathan Hillery]] ([[User talk:Nathan Hillery|talk]]) 14:47, 21 June 2014 (UTC)
::Randall missed this. "Rhythm Method" is a much better name than "Magic Words". [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.61|172.69.63.61]] 17:08, 24 October 2020 (UTC)

Talk:2341: Scientist Tech Help

2020-08-09T19:08:08Z

172.69.63.61:

First. [[User:Unpopular Opinions|Goodbye, world!]] ([[User talk:Unpopular Opinions|talk]]) 23:19, 3 August 2020 (UTC)

But more importantly, I added a transcript and added definitions for a Polaroid and Excel. Also, how should I deal with multiple Cueballs in the transcript? [[User:Unpopular Opinions|Goodbye, world!]] ([[User talk:Unpopular Opinions|talk]]) 23:35, 3 August 2020 (UTC)
: I don't think it is 2 Cueballs. I think the one on the right is Cueball and I don't recognise the other one. He is drawn slightly differently, he's got a bit of a butt-head (crack-head?). [[User:Xseo|Xseo]] ([[User talk:Xseo|talk]]) 07:23, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

I know of a team whose data was in the form of images - tens of thousands of them. Somehow during a pre-processing step they lost the exif data for the image files - which held the only digital link between the image file which had names assigned by the cameras like Img237856.png and their science which needed things like date and time of the image..... Fortunately the image itself had the date and time in a banner across the bottom 100 pixels. Managed to read the banner using OCR and tesseract. Not so very far off the thrust of this comic! [[Special:Contributions/162.158.126.134|162.158.126.134]] 00:08, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

I feel old when I know that Polaroid was not a disposable camera; it was an instant camera, meaning that the picture was taken, the film was slowly ejected from the camera body and you held the picture as it developed before your eyes. There were one-time use cameras, or "disposable" cameras, that were made cheaply and the camera was sent in for processing. Yes, probably incomprehensible to one so young to not know what a rotary dial desk phone (or wall phone) was. [[User:Doubting Thomas|Doubting Thomas]] ([[User talk:Doubting Thomas|talk]]) 00:41, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

I think the resentment stems from the ugly truth that such tool is needed in the first place? Is that a possibility? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.134.229|172.69.134.229]] 01:48, 4 August 2020 (UTC)
:Don't the scientists own the data since they collected it on their own equipment?[[User:Nk1406|Nk1406]] ([[User talk:Nk1406|talk]]) 13:51, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

"As you can see from the graphs, we detected significant Gravity Wave events on average once every 30-40 days for the whole two years of the observations, except for ''this'' short period where we seemed to get a consistently low level of background noise hum, that we have yet to fully connect with any of our existing astrophysical theories..." [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.131|162.158.154.131]] 10:17, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

A serious suggestion: instead of webplotdigitizer, if you want to grab data off a chart image, get the java-based DataThief, https://datathief.org/ . It's fast, very customizable, can handle a certain amount of image distortion, i.e. X and Y axes not perpendicular in the crappy image your uncle sent you. [[User:Cellocgw|Cellocgw]] ([[User talk:Cellocgw|talk]]) 10:42, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

I thought that the title text meant that webplotdigitizer is being recommended in this sintuation, and that past recommendations for similar problems were ignored. They irrationally hold out hope that the software will be used and remembered by the scientists. Operating the software is also not the interesting challenge the tech people were hoping to be presented to them. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.155|162.158.74.155]] 18:10, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

Very shortly after this comic published I started seeing several articles about how geneticists recently renamed several genes so they would stop auto-formatting as dates in Excel. I wonder if Randall knew this before he drew the comic, and it was commentary on that, or if by amazing coincidence the world spewed out the perfect example of the scenario he was pointing out after the fact. For example, [https://www.engadget.com/scientists-rename-genes-due-to-excel-151748790.html this Engadget article]. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.61|172.69.63.61]] 19:07, 9 August 2020 (UTC)

Talk:2341: Scientist Tech Help

2020-08-09T19:07:21Z

172.69.63.61:

First. [[User:Unpopular Opinions|Goodbye, world!]] ([[User talk:Unpopular Opinions|talk]]) 23:19, 3 August 2020 (UTC)

But more importantly, I added a transcript and added definitions for a Polaroid and Excel. Also, how should I deal with multiple Cueballs in the transcript? [[User:Unpopular Opinions|Goodbye, world!]] ([[User talk:Unpopular Opinions|talk]]) 23:35, 3 August 2020 (UTC)
: I don't think it is 2 Cueballs. I think the one on the right is Cueball and I don't recognise the other one. He is drawn slightly differently, he's got a bit of a butt-head (crack-head?). [[User:Xseo|Xseo]] ([[User talk:Xseo|talk]]) 07:23, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

I know of a team whose data was in the form of images - tens of thousands of them. Somehow during a pre-processing step they lost the exif data for the image files - which held the only digital link between the image file which had names assigned by the cameras like Img237856.png and their science which needed things like date and time of the image..... Fortunately the image itself had the date and time in a banner across the bottom 100 pixels. Managed to read the banner using OCR and tesseract. Not so very far off the thrust of this comic! [[Special:Contributions/162.158.126.134|162.158.126.134]] 00:08, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

I feel old when I know that Polaroid was not a disposable camera; it was an instant camera, meaning that the picture was taken, the film was slowly ejected from the camera body and you held the picture as it developed before your eyes. There were one-time use cameras, or "disposable" cameras, that were made cheaply and the camera was sent in for processing. Yes, probably incomprehensible to one so young to not know what a rotary dial desk phone (or wall phone) was. [[User:Doubting Thomas|Doubting Thomas]] ([[User talk:Doubting Thomas|talk]]) 00:41, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

I think the resentment stems from the ugly truth that such tool is needed in the first place? Is that a possibility? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.134.229|172.69.134.229]] 01:48, 4 August 2020 (UTC)
:Don't the scientists own the data since they collected it on their own equipment?[[User:Nk1406|Nk1406]] ([[User talk:Nk1406|talk]]) 13:51, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

"As you can see from the graphs, we detected significant Gravity Wave events on average once every 30-40 days for the whole two years of the observations, except for ''this'' short period where we seemed to get a consistently low level of background noise hum, that we have yet to fully connect with any of our existing astrophysical theories..." [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.131|162.158.154.131]] 10:17, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

A serious suggestion: instead of webplotdigitizer, if you want to grab data off a chart image, get the java-based DataThief, https://datathief.org/ . It's fast, very customizable, can handle a certain amount of image distortion, i.e. X and Y axes not perpendicular in the crappy image your uncle sent you. [[User:Cellocgw|Cellocgw]] ([[User talk:Cellocgw|talk]]) 10:42, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

I thought that the title text meant that webplotdigitizer is being recommended in this sintuation, and that past recommendations for similar problems were ignored. They irrationally hold out hope that the software will be used and remembered by the scientists. Operating the software is also not the interesting challenge the tech people were hoping to be presented to them. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.155|162.158.74.155]] 18:10, 4 August 2020 (UTC)

Very shortly after this comic published I started seeing several articles about how geneticists recently renamed several genes so they would stop auto-formatting as dates in Excel. I wonder if Randall knew this before he drew the comic, and it was commentary on that, or if by amazing coincidence the world spewed out the perfect example of the scenario he was pointing out afterwards. For example, [https://www.engadget.com/scientists-rename-genes-due-to-excel-151748790.html this Engadget article]. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.61|172.69.63.61]] 19:07, 9 August 2020 (UTC)

1828: ISS Solar Transit

2020-01-09T13:46:08Z

172.69.63.61: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 1828
| date = April 24, 2017
| title = ISS Solar Transit
| image = iss_solar_transit.png
| titletext = I guess it's also the right setting for pictures of the Moon at night.
}}

==Explanation==
This is the first comic in a [[:Category:ISS Solar Transit|two comic series]], released during the same week on Monday and Friday. This comic thus continues in [[1830: ISS Solar Transit 2]].

[[Cueball]] is trying to take a photograph of the {{w|International Space Station}} moving in front of the sun ([https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/international-space-station-transits-the-sun example]). He has his camera with a long lens set up with a fixed setting to keep it still while he contemplates the best way to get the photographs he wants.

A normal camera is not able to take a photograph of the sun due to the extreme brightness. This is why Cueball is using a {{w|Astronomical_filter|solar filter}}, which makes the sun look orange instead of white, as shown in the second panel.

Digital cameras need to determine the color temperature of a photograph to correctly display colors. This is done using the {{w|Color_balance|white balance}} setting. The joke here is that Cueball selects the "direct sunlight" option, as he feels it is the option that best suits his unusual situation of directly photographing the sun, even though the "direct sunlight" setting is intended to be used for photographing objects directly illuminated by the sun and not for the sun itself.

The light from an object illuminated by "direct sunlight" is, in fact, ''indirect'' sunlight when it reaches the camera sensor; so when photographing the sun itself, the camera receives sunlight that is even more direct than "direct".

The use of a solar filter influences the color temperature, so "custom" would probably be the correct option here. A camera using the "custom" option usually requires you to focus on a white or gray object first to determine the correct setting. Most high-end cameras, like the {{w|Bridge camera|superzoom}} camera that is likely depicted here, are able to capture in {{w|raw image format}}, allowing the user to adjust the white balance afterwards in software.

The title text is pointing out that the sunlit side of the moon is also in direct sunlight, which is why we are able to see it, and so "direct sunlight" would actually be the correct setting in this case.

It is the second comic within a week where Cueball is using a camera, similar to the one he used in [[1719: Superzoom]]. The previous comic was [[1826: Birdwatching]] two comics before this one.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is kneeling in front of a small platform while operating a camera with a very long objective. The camera is angled sharply upward toward the sky as it is attached to a tripod standing on the platform. An off-panel voice calls out to him.]
:Off-panel voice: What's going on?
:Cueball: ISS solar transit. From this spot, the space station should briefly line up with the sun.
:Cueball: I got a sun filter and I'm trying to take a picture of it crossing.

:[Two half height panels above each others follow. The first shows an image of the very orange sun on a black background, as seen through the camera.]

:[The second of the two half height panels shows Cueball making further adjustments tot he camera, as in the first panel.]
:Cueball: Perfect. Hmm, I should set the white balance.

:[Once gain there are two panels above each other. The top is black with white text and icons from the ''white balance'' menu. It has the following options shown after each of the icons as mentioned below in the square brackets:]
:[Shining light bulb]: Incandescent
:[Shining fluorescent lamp]: Fluorescent
:[Shining sun]: Direct sunlight
:[Lightning]: Flash
:[Cloud]: Cloudy
:[A house that cast a shade]: Shade
:[Two triangles with a circle between them]: Custom

:[In the panel below Cueball still operates the camera as before]

:[A frame-less but full height panel follows where Cueball leans back from the camera with his hands on his thighs.]

:[The last two panels are again above each other. It is almost the same panels as before the frame-less panels, except that the direct sunlight option has been selected as shown with a blue selection band across that option.]
:Incandescent
:Fluorescent
:Direct sunlight
:Flash
:Cloudy
:Shade
:Custom

:[In the bottom panel Cueball again operates the camera.]

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:ISS Solar Transit]]
[[Category:Comics sharing name|ISS Solar Transit 01]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Space]]

Talk:118: 50 Ways

2020-01-04T14:32:07Z

172.69.63.61:

Might there also be a cultural reference to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? In the books, characters can learn to hover or fly by perfecting the art of managing to miss the ground when falling.
[[User:Gleyshon|Gleyshon]] ([[User talk:Gleyshon|talk]]) 01:04, 8 December 2012 (UTC)
: You are so right, perhaps the key is 42, lets try to use it to figure out ultimate questions around us, such as what doesn't make since to us as society as a whole? - [[Special:Contributions/98.211.199.84|98.211.199.84]] 13:58, 3 March 2013 (UTC)

The date of this one seems to be wrong. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.80.120|141.101.80.120]] 12:01, 6 May 2016 (UTC)

Talk:1707: xkcd Phone 4

2019-11-13T22:24:23Z

172.69.63.61:

The current explanation seems to assume a constant current draw of 1A without explicitly stating it.
[[Special:Contributions/141.101.95.117|141.101.95.117]] 14:04, 15 July 2016 (UTC)

The 12 headphone jacks is probably referring to the rumor that the iPhone 7 may not have a headphone jack. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.90|141.101.104.90]] 14:58, 15 July 2016 (UTC)

The 12 Jacks will support Dolby Surroundissimo. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.86.11|162.158.86.11]] 10:57, 17 July 2016 (UTC)

Fun fact: the Walkman II (the most popular variant) had 2 headphone jacks, so that two people could listen to music at the same time, but the second jack was removed from later designs. This has a few more than that, perhaps there is one for each voice assistant to make it "usable". {{unsigned ip|141.101.98.119}}

An alternative explanation of "onboard cloud" could be a file server that serves over WIFI, Bluetooth, and NFC, turning the phone into an effective NAS sneakernet [[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 15:30, 15 July 2016 (UTC)

The "certified" feature probably refers to various certifications being used as marketing features. [[User:Joedetode|Joedetode]] ([[User talk:Joedetode|talk]]) 15:33, 15 July 2016 (UTC)

The Julian calendar is used by Orthodox Christians, but not astronomers. Astronomers use something called {{w|Julian day}}. --[[User:Mlv|Mlv]] ([[User talk:Mlv|talk]]) 16:27, 15 July 2016 (UTC)
:Its also used in banking and finance. I have to do the conversion every time we do a direct debit collection at work to verify that the dates in the file are what we need, so that switch would actually be useful to me. {{unsigned ip|141.101.70.103}}
::No, Julian dates in banking and finance (eg. day 47 being February 16) are a variation of Julian days (a serial number of days since some epoch), and has nothing to do with the Julian calendar.--[[User:Mlv|Mlv]] ([[User talk:Mlv|talk]]) 02:59, 21 July 2016 (UTC)

"Did you know '4' is 'IV' in Roman numerals?" is probably a dig on "Mac OS X", which is supposed to be pronounced "Mac OS 10". Apparently it used to annoy Steve Jobs that it was pronounced "Mac OS EX" by many people. {{unsigned ip|108.162.210.214}}

It could be also a reference to the Samsung Galaxy Smartphones, as they were called Galaxy S (1st Version), Galaxy S II (2nd Version), Galaxy S III (3rd Version) and Galaxy S4 (fourth version, which does not use Roman numerals anymore) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.85.249|162.158.85.249]]

"The nickel–iron battery does exist, but it's terrible for most applications. Worse, this battery is non-rechargeable, meaning that it would have to be replaced to use the phone again after it is exhausted." is not supported by the link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel%E2%80%93iron_battery. The first line of which begins "The nickel–iron battery (NiFe battery) is a rechargeable battery ... ".--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.11|108.162.219.11]] 17:11, 15 July 2016 (UTC)

The comment about the Nickel-Iron battery being non-rechargable is referring not to the Wikipedia article, but the battery annotation on the picture, which states clearly that the included battery is non-rechargable. Perhaps the explanation should be amended to clear up this ambiguity. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.132|141.101.98.132]] 18:07, 15 July 2016 (UTC)

This explanation would be easier to read if put in a table, with the term on the left and description on the right {{unsigned|4jonah}}

The drawing may be interpreted as if "software defined" applies to part of the case (or the whole case). That would be... interesting, if useless. Doable - although probably impractical and not worth the price - with e-paper for graphical motives, for actual textures or other material characteristics maybe Nobel-worthy (and still quite useless in this application). {{unsigned ip|162.158.201.6}}

The inclusion of a parallel port may be a stab at Apple products such as iPhones. Apple seems to insist on avoiding otherwise standard connectors such as Micro USB, in favor of their own proprietary ones. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.168|108.162.237.168]] 06:02, 16 July 2016 (UTC)

Note that the parallel port on image doesn't look at all like {{w|Parallel port}} (IEEE 1284). Of course, it can still be parallel port in general sense, similarly as {{w|USB}} is serial (that's what the S in USB stands for) without being {{w|Serial port}} (RS-232). -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 11:57, 16 July 2016 (UTC)
: It does look like "micro-centronics" (IEEE 1284 type C) female connector used on some printers - my old good Laserjet 1100 has such a connector. It may indicate that XKCD Phone 4 may be used as a printer by connecting it to a (fairly old) computer. What the phone would do with the data sent to it in this way is a mystery. [[User:Malgond|Malgond]] ([[User talk:Malgond|talk]]) 18:28, 16 July 2016 (UTC)

Judging by the connectors present on the lower edge the xkcd Phone 4 is a fairly large device, like a tablet - 3.5 mm headphone jacks shall be spaced about 1 cm apart or a typical plugs won't fit into neighbouring jacks. This makes ~13 cm edge space. The micro-Centronics connector (parallel port) is approx. 4.5 by 1 cm. So I would say the shorter edge of the phone is at least 18 cm and the longer edge may be 24 cm or longer. {{unsigned|Malgond}}

It seems as if "Certified" may be a reference to [https://xkcd.com/1096/ #1096]
[[Special:Contributions/141.101.91.223|141.101.91.223]] 13:49, 16 July 2016 (UTC)

I'm surprised there is no mention of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel%E2%80%93cadmium_battery Nickel–cadmium] (a fairly common rechargeable type) as a possible component for the nickel-lithium-iron combination. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.88|108.162.221.88]] 17:49, 18 July 2016 (UTC)

Another possible meaning for "Software-defined" might be that the entire phone was designed entirely by a computer. Such things exist, but are uncommon and still very difficult to accomplish, but the idea is that a program is given a general guideline for a circuit or object to design, and then it comes up with all the details (including circuit layouts) on its own. A coworker of mine told me of such a program having designed a working transistor radio entirely out of a single wire trace that would have been virtually impossible to build in real life. The program determined that electrical properties in certain wire layouts with extremely precise tolerances would mimic the behavior of basic electronic components (e.g. resistors and diodes). In any event, such a thing would be pretty pointless here, as is most of this "phone". :) {{unsigned|KieferSkunk}}

If the resemblance to sanitary towels is intentional, maybe it's supposed to be used together with the previous three? One phone for each hand, one for the wrist and one for down there... it is water resistant, non-porous and washable after all :P --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.50.106|172.68.50.106]] 13:52, 7 March 2018 (UTC)
:Don't forget the stinging jellyfish proteins built into the screen! That would make an xkcd Phone very stimulating for "down there". I wonder if the stinging sensation intensity is controlled by the phone?

would -> should; calenders -> calendars; will -> shall; Christians -> [Hæretics]. "onboard cloud" is not contradictory; it means the phone is a server. i.e. -> ; i.e.; nice < niais < nescius := not-skilled -> well, ass; Google -> Google,; while -> whiles; EX -> Ex; own proprietary: pick one; large -> great; 3.5 mm -> 3.5mm; 13 cm -> 13cm; 18 cm -> 18cm; longer -> further, greater [[User:Lysdexia|Lysdexia]] ([[User talk:Lysdexia|talk]]) 19:03, 25 July 2019 (UTC)

Talk:Disappearing Sunday Update

2019-08-05T20:33:06Z

172.69.63.61: Image still up

This comic isn't a numbered comic. The ephemeral ghost comic has broken explainxkcd! [[Special:Contributions/162.158.34.64|162.158.34.64]] 22:23, 4 August 2019 (UTC)
: Fair point. Probably the page should be renamed to 2184.5 or something. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.133.12|172.68.133.12]] 08:52, 5 August 2019 (UTC)

Well, it broke the xkcd client I use. (Easy xkcd, Android) Just crashes on start. I hope it will fix itself when the normal one comes out. I also hope that this comic will remain here when it is taken down. [[User:Fghsgh|Fghsgh]] ([[User talk:Fghsgh|talk]]) 22:43, 4 August 2019 (UTC) fghsgh

Previous then Next on xkcd.com 404's... Trivia! [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.83|141.101.104.83]] 22:59, 4 August 2019 (UTC)

It's not rendering for me on the uni.xkcd.com portal, could anyone else verify? I'm excited in seeing what else this comic will break. [[User:Kirdneh|Kirdneh]] ([[User talk:Kirdneh|talk]]) 23:11, 4 August 2019 (UTC)

: This works for me now. —[[User:TobyBartels|TobyBartels]] ([[User talk:TobyBartels|talk]]) 08:59, 5 August 2019 (UTC)

I wonder what will happen tomorrow! Oh the antici- pation!
[[Special:Contributions/172.69.68.153|172.69.68.153]] 00:01, 5 August 2019 (UTC) Sam

Others had the same idea I did, this comic has been archived to https://web.archive.org/web/20190805000153/https://xkcd.com/ For posterity(?) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.57|162.158.74.57]] 02:52, 5 August 2019 (UTC)

I only noticed this on Monday morning, so was surprised to find that there isn't more detail about the various things the comic mentions possibly breaking. It got me wondering how many people on the site (especially the younger ones) aren't even aware of IP over Avian Carriers, Gopherspace, or lynx. This is one of those comics that could easily be a forest of links to interesting things you might never have thought to look for. -- [[User:Angel|Angel]] ([[User talk:Angel|talk]]) 07:47, 5 August 2019 (UTC)

: I added a list; you should add more explanation to it. —[[User:TobyBartels|TobyBartels]] ([[User talk:TobyBartels|talk]]) 08:59, 5 August 2019 (UTC)

Has the comic been changed since it was posted, to stop breaking things? Because it's appearing as #2185 for me and the link to that number from #2184 works. (Also, I love that--Internet Archive notwithstanding--we're almost certainly going to keep a well-explained copy of this comic alive for posterity. What will we number it, though? Has Randall broken explain xkcd too?) -- [[User:Peregrine|Peregrine]] ([[User talk:Peregrine|talk]]) 08:52, 5 August 2019 (UTC)
:Seems so. It now has 2185 on the xkcd website and it is to be found in the archive at the current moment, before the Monday comic comes out. Probably Randall found out it would give too much trouble not numbering it. Wonder if he really deletes it... It will still be here and in the web-archive forever. But of course if he does delete it and names the next comic 2185 then this comic will have to be moved to a special page like his [[Radiation]] sheet etc. I have taken some screen dumps that I will post in a trivia here. To show that it is now currently a normal comic with number 2185. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:02, 5 August 2019 (UTC)

It's also possible that Randall could use the whatever mechanism was used for http://xkcd.com/404/ for this comic. --Xuth

;It's Monday
It's Monday, and the comic is still on the front page of xkcd.com. [[User:WhiteDragon|WhiteDragon]] ([[User talk:WhiteDragon|talk]]) 13:48, 5 August 2019 (UTC)
:Nothing strange about this. It is not unusual for Randall to post a comic later in the day. And for this day he may even have reason to do so. Anyway this is a advertisement stunt, and by breaking the different viewers he has gotten more focus on his page than usual. Maybe this comic will just stay until Wednesday and not disappear at all. I would not be surprised. Also removing it will probably make trouble for Randall's own page now... But interesting if it disappears when the next comic arrives. Until it does, he has promised this comic would stay, so it being here on Monday is not against his promise that it should go away... --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 15:16, 5 August 2019 (UTC)

;Ascii-art comics
When my computer was still too slow for doing real work in graphics mode (and my monitor didn't like any decent graphics mode my Ruby VGA card could produce) I actually had configured my lynx to show images using aview. For comics that method is too low-res. But when you stand back from your monitor for about 3 meters you get fairly good approximations of most images without having to switch to graphics mode.[[User:Gunterkoenigsmann|Gunterkoenigsmann]] ([[User talk:Gunterkoenigsmann|talk]]) 15:13, 5 August 2019 (UTC)

Now there's https://xkcd.com/2185/ followed by https://xkcd.com/2185/# . . . when will it end? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.136|162.158.214.136]] 15:32, 5 August 2019 (UTC)

:2185 is now here http://xkcd.com/2185. It looks like this one really disappeared.
:: The comic's page may be gone, but its image is still accessible: https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/disappearing_sunday_update.png [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.61|172.69.63.61]] 20:33, 5 August 2019 (UTC)

2149: Alternate Histories

2019-05-13T16:31:52Z

172.69.63.61:

{{comic
| number = 2149
| date = May 13, 2019
| title = Alternate Histories
| image = alternate_histories.png
| titletext = "So their universe wouldn't have the iconic photo of a screaming Truman being hoisted aloft by the newspaper-printing machinery..."
}}

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

Common sense, man. Just enjoy the comic and forget the explanation.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
[Megan and Cueball are walking together]
Megan: In alternate history stories where the allies lost WWII, sometimes they have their own fiction with the premise "what if the allies had ''won''?" which differs from our world since they'd be speculating and wouldn't predict everything.

Cueball: Yeah, I think they do that in ''Man in the High Castle''.

Megan: But within those stories, they should have "What if the allies had lost?" fiction which is even more removed from our world.

Cueball: Uh oh.

Megan: So how deep does it go?

[Caption:] 500 levels in:

[Cueball and Megan, presumably from some alternate history, are walking together]

Megan: In my alternate history, Scotland never develops hovercraft, so Canada's cybernetic horses defeat the Belgium-Madagascar-New Jersey alliance.

Cueball: Then who becomes God-Emperor of Missouri if not Laura Ingalls Wilder?

Megan: Senator Truman!

Cueball: He survives the accident?!

Megan: Yeah, the pajama craze never catches on, so he's wearing normal clothes when he walks by the printing press...

{{comic discussion}}