explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:3009: Number Shortage

2024-11-09T19:46:34Z

172.70.110.170: /* "None" */ new section

I bet there's plenty of 9s left. They obviously didn't get a proper range of digits at Benford's Discount Number Store. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.195.113|172.69.195.113]] 05:53, 9 November 2024 (UTC)

Is this not an error? "15 2s and 12 3s" uses up one 3. So shouldn't it next be 11 3s left, not 10? -- [[Special:Contributions/172.69.144.152|172.69.144.152]] 10:41, 9 November 2024 (UTC)

the consequences of our actions /ref [[User:CalibansCreations|'''Caliban''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 10:45, 9 November 2024 (UTC)

The above mentioned “error” is not an error. When she says there are 13 2s left, that uses up one 3. [[User:PedanticMan|PedanticMan]] ([[User talk:PedanticMan|talk]]) 11:13, 9 November 2024 (UTC)

: There's no pause, no "No wait" after "13 2s". Is she reevaluating numbers instantly realtime midsentence? Did she start the sentence planning to say one thing and instantly altered it partway through? I guess that's what Randall is going for. -- [[Special:Contributions/172.69.144.162|172.69.144.162]] 12:00, 9 November 2024 (UTC)
::That's what I assumed, and I already included it in the explanation. But I'm not sure if the title text is consistent with that interpretation. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 17:35, 9 November 2024 (UTC)

If anyone wants to see self-referentiality of numbers taken even further, here is a series of posts that I wrote on "self-describing numbers": https://atmos.warplight.dev/profile/1p8WCZnqqG6N3ZOsJxBgUTo/p1cNCw1OTsioTQBRk [[User:Fabian42|Fabian42]] ([[User talk:Fabian42|talk]]) 12:09, 9 November 2024 (UTC)

the first stage of grief is denial [[user talk:lettherebedarklight|youtu.be/miLcaqq2Zpk]] 12:19, 9 November 2024 (UTC)
: So you saw that the Harris banner is still up too, eh? There may be no shortage of absolute numbers, but numbers of things, yeah, there are shortages. Like, chances to act to avert disaster, like weren't taken in 2016, and we got lucky ... [[Special:Contributions/172.68.23.92|172.68.23.92]] 17:37, 9 November 2024 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure "15" uses up one 3 (3*5) and "12" uses up two 2's and one 3 (2*2*3) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.222.213|172.71.222.213]] 15:09, 9 November 2024 (UTC)

"Well? How many numbers do we have left?"
"Oh great! There's one more!"
(Yes, I know this goes against the logic of the original comic)
[[User:Turquoise Hat|Turquoise Hat]] ([[User talk:Turquoise Hat|talk]]) 17:36, 9 November 2024 (UTC)

== "None" ==

Instead of having to say "I don't know" in the title text, one could just say "none". [[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.170|172.70.110.170]] 19:46, 9 November 2024 (UTC)

2497: Logic Gates

2021-08-03T15:58:21Z

172.70.110.170: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2497
| date = August 2, 2021
| title = Logic Gates
| image = logic_gates.png
| titletext = In C, the multiocular O represents the bitwise norxondor gorgonax.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a SILICON LOGIC GATE TO A DIFFERENT DIMENSION. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

The comic lists logic gates. The first six are real, but the last six are made up and get increasingly absurd. The names for these last six are made up of the same letters and syllables as the first six so as to be consistent with their naming conventions.

An AND gate outputs true if and only if both inputs are true. (Inputs 1 '''and''' 2 must be true.) By convention it is a symbol with a flat input end leading to a semicircular output end.

An OR gate outputs true if one or the other or both of the inputs are true. (Input 1 '''or''' 2 may be true.) By convention it is a symbol with a concave input edge leading to an output end resembling a gothic pointed-arch, reorientated as required.

A NOT gate outputs true if and only if the input is false. (The sole input must '''not''' be true.) The convention for the isolated NOT gate is to be a triangle (reminiscent of a diode or op-amp comparitor), that conspiciously points in the direction of logical passage, tipped with the small circle that is considered a short-cut for ''not''ness in other relevent symbols. The XAND GORT gate could be considered a NOT gate with two wires shorted together connected to its input.

A NOR gate outputs true if and only if both inputs are false. (Neither 1 '''nor''' 2 must be true; alternately interpreted as it must '''n'''ot be true that either 1 '''or''' 2 are true.) The symbol is the OR shape with the NOT-circle at its tip.

A XOR (short for “eXclusive OR”) gate outputs true if one, or the other, but not both of the inputs are true. (Mutually e'''x'''cusively, either 1 '''or''' 2 must be true.) This symbol is the standard OR one but with a further concave line stood-off slightly from the usual one to connect to the input lines.

A NAND (short for “Not AND”) gate outputs true if one or the other or both of the inputs is false. (It must '''n'''ot be true that both 1 '''and''' 2 are true.) The symbol is the AND gate with the NOT-circle at its tip.

The only real-life logic gate that was omitted is the XNOR gate (short for “eXclusive Not OR”; it compares the inputs, and if and only if they are equal, it outputs true). Note that the "NORG XORT" gate would be logically equivalent to it if it were pointy, since it would then be an XNOR gate with NOT on both inputs, a modification that has no ultimate effect on the logic as it merely switches the case of which exclusivity it needs to be, and does not care which version of same-input it might be responding to.

A double-NOT on an input would produce the identical output again (...if the input is '''not not''' true). Two NOTs preapplied to a (N)AND or (N)OR would produce the same output as a (further-)NOTted version of the (N)OR or (N)AND, conversly (...if '''not'''-1 '''and''' '''not'''-2 then this also means that neither 1 '''nor''' 2). Normally this would would be shown, if necessary, as full NOT gates on the lead-in inputs but (see Transcript, below, and the NORG XORT description above) the shortcut element is occasionally used in further mix'n'match symbology (together with reinterpreting connectivity lines as partial shape-edges and vice-versa) in 'understandable' but definitely non-standard ways.

Along with the deliberate confusion of connector and shape-edge lines, directionality is also played with in several cases, with input 'ends' perhaps also at the (implied) output end and reversed sub-symbols implying a composite gate with substructural feedback or perhaps diode-rectification upon a bidirectional logic path.

Much like [[2360: Common Star Types]], as the list progresses, the names start to sound more like mythical creatures, closing with the "Norxondor gorgonax". As with the symbology, the names appear to be nonsensical recombinations of the standard ones (perhaps with off-subject inspirations, in some cases) but often do not match up with the symbolic (mis)use, such as an X in the name not implying/being implied by an XOR's unique drawn feature.

In the title text [[Randall]] claims that in the {{w|C (programming language)|programming language C}} the {{w|multiocular O}} (ꙮ) character is used to represent the bitwise version of the last operator Norxondor gorgonax (presumably ꙮꙮ represents the non-bitwise version), fitting as the multiocular O is used to refer to "many-eyed {{w|seraphim}}" (i.e. angels) in some religious literature. {{w|Gorgon}}s (beige or otherwise) have heads covered with snakes instead of hair, and so possess multiple eyes, the most famous was known as {{w|Medusa}} (which was [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/e/e5/1608_1088x1074y_Medusa_and_floating_earth.png depicted] in [[1608: Hoverboard]]).

C is a low level programming language, and as such, it has many operations that correspond to logical (i. e. bitwise) operations. These contrast with operations that work in a non-bitwise way. For example, "&&" is the non-bitwise "AND" operator that takes the operands as a whole, while "&" is the bitwise "AND" that combines the respective bits of its two inputs independently before spitting out the new single composite value the output bits represent. In non-bitwise operations, 0 always represents "FALSE", while any non-zero value means "TRUE" for inputs, and 1 is used to represent TRUE for outputs. Thus, "14 && 3" gives the result 1: TRUE AND TRUE -> TRUE. In the bitwise operation, using the same values, the decimal value 14 has the binary value 1110 and the decimal value 3 has the binary value 0011, and for this example we get:

1110 = 14
& 0011 = 3
0010 = 2

==Transcript==
:[The comic shows a chart with twelve electronic logic gates arranged in three rows of four. Each gate is depicted as a schematic symbol, with a label underneath. Above them is a header:]
:Common logic gate symbols

:[Here below follows a description of the 12 gates in the three rows, with their label given beneath each description:]

:[A standard gate symbol used in real life. Two inputs on the left lead to the vertical left edge of a solid D-shaped symbol. From the right side of the D there is one output.]
:AND gate

:[A standard gate symbol used in real life. Two inputs on the left lead to a convex-crescent left edge of a crescent-shaped symbol. The right side of the crescent symbol's shape forms a point at its output. From the right side of the crescent there is one output.]
:OR gate

:[A standard gate symbol used in real life. One input leads to a triangular symbol pointing to the right. There is a small bubble symbol connected to the triangle on the output, which leads right.]
:NOT gate

:[A standard gate symbol used in real life. This is identical to the OR GATE, except the output has a bubble attached, like the NOT GATE's output.)
:NOR gate

:[A standard gate symbol used in real life. This is identical to the OR GATE, except the left-hand arc at the input has a double-stroked line.]
:XOR gate

:[A standard gate symbol used in real life. This is identical to the AND GATE, except the output has a bubble attached, like the NOT GATE's output.]
:NAND gate

:[An unusual symbol. This symbol has one input on the left leading to a convex-crescent left edge, like the OR GATE. The output side as a smooth crescent like the AND GATE but has two outputs.]
:NORX gate

:[An unusual symbol. This symbol has two inputs on the left leading to a vertical left edge input, like the AND GATE. The output side has a convex-crescent double-stroked output like the mirror image of the XOR GATE's input. There are two outputs.]
:GAND ate

:[An unusual symbol. This resembles the NOT GATE except there are two inputs instead of one leading into the left side.]
:XAND gort

:[An unusual symbol. This has a double-stroked convex-crescent input like the XOR GATE, but the two inputs have bubbles attached. The single output has a smooth crescent shape with a bubble, like a NAND GATE.]
:NORG xort

:[An unusual symbol. Two inputs lead to a convex-crescent edge, and the two lines of this symbol now enter a double-stroked convex-crescent input like the XOR GATE. The two lines of -this- symbol have bubbles placed half way across their horizontal length, and are presumably the outputs.]
:ANDORX gant

:[An unusual symbol. The symbol is identical to the NOR GATE, except the upper and lower horizontal parts of the symbols hull have a NOT GATE placed on them - one pointing to the left on the upper line, and to the right on the lower line. There is one output to the symbol, with a bubble attached.]
:NORXONDOR gorgonax

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Programming]]

2496: Mine Captcha

2021-07-30T22:33:33Z

172.70.110.170: /* Explanation */

{{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 WITH HUGE NUMBER CUBES SKEWED AROUND. 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 all solvable by computers now, 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 could be a bit of a trap 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. Painfully, getting familiar with doing this captcha would result in clicking habits that produce immediate death when playing minesweeper.

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 owned by Google. reCAPTCHA requires the user to click on several of 16 tiles laid out in a 4x4 grid.

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 (up to 8) adjacent tiles contain a mine.

This comic expects users click on the mines in a minesweeper puzzle to proceed with their task. 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. 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. In addition, as long as a computer could be made to read and understand the task (presuming there is no obfuscation of the instruction or grid), a logic puzzle such as this is a case where an automated spambot could actually be prepared to more easily solve the puzzle than most people.

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)), see [[#Trivia|trivia section]]. 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.

<pre>
A B C D

1 2 . 1 .
2 * * 3 .
3 3 * . *
4 . 1 . 1
</pre>

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", as a parody of the current tendency for CAPTCHAs to apparently be used to provide training information in order to improve automatic identification of traffic signals, pedestrian crosswalks, bicycles, buses and other potential road hazards. In this case the car is apparently driving into this minefield and can only avoid the mines if the user solves this CAPTCHA fast enough for immediate application of the input. 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 limited 'clue' information (with typically just the one complete and unambiguous solution) and yet somehow not already be able to have more knowledge of the 'answer' than the CAPTCHA user.

Still, computer vision is driven by machine learning models nowadays, which are internally composed of small logical and arithmetic relations, some of which are likely similar to a minesweeper puzzle.

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

[A "CAPTCHA" box.]

To proceed, click all the pictures of 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>

==Trivia==
*Here is where the mines are in this comic, and thus the fields that needs to be pushed in this Captcha to prove you are human:
:[[File:2946_Mine_Captcha_With_Bombs.png]]
*Here are the solved puzzle as it would look if played as a real minesweeper game, except the mines would be represented by flags. (The empty square top right corner has 0 bombs next to it. This is not written in the game but indicated as this field has been pushed down):
:[[File:2946_Mine_Captcha_Solved.png]]
*The original game can be played here: [https://minesweeper.online/ World of Minesweeper]
**It is possible to build a 4x4 CAPTCHA game there:
:[[File:2946_Mine_Captcha_Example_of_4x4_game.png]]

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:CAPTCHA]]
[[Category:Self-driving cars]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

Talk:2496: Mine Captcha

2021-07-30T16:18:22Z

172.70.110.170:

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)

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)

2483: Linked List Interview Problem

2021-07-01T12:49:01Z

172.70.110.170: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2483
| date = July 1, 2021
| title = Linked List Interview Problem
| image = linked_list_interview_problem.png
| titletext = I'd traverse it myself, but it's singly linked, so I'm worried that I won't be able to find my way back to 2021.
}}

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

{{w|Linked_list|Linked lists}} are a common way of working with data pointers in what's called a graph, making it a common interview question involving manipulating or otherwise interacting with a linked list. Possibly because programmers in the current day rarely work with a linked list directly, Randall suggests that such structures belong in a "technology museum," and thinks it would be more beneficial to mankind to email the list to such a museum rather than perform any useful work with it. Low-level software development is slowly getting replaced by automated code generation, but it is still very important to understand how it works.

A linked list is a way to store data in a computer. Each piece of data is stored with a pointer to the next piece. This makes it very easy to add new data in the middle, since only one existing pointer must change to point to the new data. The drawback of a naive implementation can be that finding data may require following the entire chain. Technical programming interviewers like to see if applicants are familiar with the structure and the computational complexity concept itself.

Linked lists are, historically, one of the two main data structures that represent sequential data, along with arrays. Unlike arrays, they have the theoretical advantage of O(1) insertions and deletions thanks to not needing to reallocate the entire structure, but have O(n) random access (see {{w|Linked_list#Linked_lists_vs._dynamic_arrays|comparisons}}). However, modern processors' cache structure favors data that are located next to each other, pre-fetching the adjacent items, and modern processors can perform bulk memory moves, making resize operations faster. Finally, using linked lists usually implies dynamic allocation of each list member, which adds overhead, particularly for smaller data items; many small allocations also tend to fragment memory, which can lead to it being wasted and unavailable to the app later, particularly in long-running processes such as web servers. These properties tend to make linked lists poorly suited for most system programming applications in which a programmer might write algorithms to manipulate data structures, instead of using existing libraries.

Modern programming languages usually provide abstractions (often named "array," "vector" or "list") which interact with the sequential data at the memory level, providing access to this data while using arrays, linked lists, hybrids of the aforementioned technologies, or other approaches, and the programmer doesn't necessarily need to care one way or another. Knowing the underlying concepts is still useful, however, when creating fast running code which scales well to large data, avoiding (e.g.) traversing the list over and over again, or performing particularly inefficient operations.

In the title text, a {{w|Linked_list#Singly_linked_list|singly linked list}} contains pointers to traverse the list in only one direction; namely, from the head to the end. By contrast, each element in a {{w|Linked_list#Doubly_linked_list|doubly linked list}} contains pointers to both the "next" and "previous" elements, enabling traversal in either direction. Randall continues the implication that such lists are obsolete by implying that traversing such a list would be akin to time travel to the past. Without the "previous element" pointers, Randall is concerned he would not be able to reverse the time travel, as he could not traverse the list in the reverse direction.

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

[Cueball is seen writing on a whiteboard, Ponytail is standing next to him. Above it, a piece of code is written, which apparently is what Cueball is writing on the whiteboard. The text reads:]

define traverseLinkedList(headPointer):
myId="<illegible scribbling probably containing a user ID>"
authToken="<illegible scribbling containing an auth token>"
museumAddress="<illegible address>@<illegible domain>.<illegible tld>"
client=mailRestClient(myID,authToken)
client.messages.send(to=museumAddress,
subj = "Item donation?", body="Thought you
might be interested: "+str(headPointer))
return

Ponytail: Hey.

[Caption beneath the panel:]
Coding interview tip: Interviewers get really mad when you try to donate their linked lists to a technology museum.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]

2483: Linked List Interview Problem

2021-07-01T12:44:40Z

172.70.110.170:

{{comic
| number = 2483
| date = July 1, 2021
| title = Linked List Interview Problem
| image = linked_list_interview_problem.png
| titletext = I'd traverse it myself, but it's singly linked, so I'm worried that I won't be able to find my way back to 2021.
}}

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

{{w|Linked_list|Linked lists}} are a common way of working with data pointers in what's called a graph, making it a common interview question involving manipulating or otherwise interacting with a linked list. Possibly because programmers in the current day rarely work with a linked list directly, Randall suggests that such structures belong in a "technology museum," and thinks it would be more beneficial to mankind to email the list to such a museum rather than perform any useful work with it. Low-level software development is slowly getting replaced by automated code generation, but it is still very important to understand how it works.

A linked list is a way to store data in a computer. Each piece of data is stored with a pointer to the next piece. This makes it very easy to add new data in the middle, since only one existing pointer must change to point to the new data. The drawback of a naive implementation can be that finding data may require following the entire chain. Technical programming interviewers like to see if applicants are familiar with the structure and the computational complexity concept itself.

Linked lists are, historically, one of the two main data structures that represent sequential data, along with arrays. Unlike arrays, they have the theoretical advantage of O(1) insertions and deletions thanks to not needing to reallocate the entire structure, but have O(n) random access (see {{w|Linked_list#Linked_lists_vs._dynamic_arrays|comparisons}}). However, modern processors' cache structure favors data that are located next to each other, pre-fetching the adjacent items, and modern processors can perform bulk memory moves, making resize operations faster. Finally, using linked lists usually implies dynamic allocation of each list member, which adds overhead, particularly for smaller data items; many small allocations also tend to fragment memory, which can lead to it being wasted and unavailable to the app later, particularly in long-running processes such as web servers. These properties tend to make linked lists poorly suited for most system programming applications where data structures of this sort might actually be used.

It is highly unlikely that anyone using a modern programming language will interact with sequential data at the memory level, and such languages will provide an abstraction usually termed "array" or "list" that provides optimized access to sequences that may use under the hood arrays, linked lists, something else entirely, or a hybrid of the aforementioned technologies. Knowing the underlying concepts is anyway still useful to create fast running code which scales well to large data, avoiding e.g. traversing the list over and over again.

In the title text, a {{w|Linked_list#Singly_linked_list|singly linked list}} contains pointers to traverse the list in only one direction; namely, from the head to the end. By contrast, each element in a {{w|Linked_list#Doubly_linked_list|doubly linked list}} contains pointers to both the "next" and "previous" elements, enabling traversal in either direction. Randall continues the implication that such lists are obsolete by implying that traversing such a list would be akin to time travel to the past. Without the "previous element" pointers, Randall is concerned he would not be able to reverse the time travel, as he could not traverse the list in the reverse direction.

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

[Cueball is seen writing on a whiteboard, Ponytail is standing next to him. Above it, a piece of code is written, which apparently is what Cueball is writing on the whiteboard. The text reads:]

define traverseLinkedList(headPointer):
myId="<illegible scribbling probably containing a user ID>"
authToken="<illegible scribbling containing an auth token>"
museumAddress="<illegible address>@<illegible domain>.<illegible tld>"
client=mailRestClient(myID,authToken)
client.messages.send(to=museumAddress,
subj = "Item donation?", body="Thought you
might be interested: "+str(headPointer))
return

Ponytail: Hey.

[Caption beneath the panel:]
Coding interview tip: Interviewers get really mad when you try to donate their linked lists to a technology museum.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]

2482: Indoor Socializing

2021-07-01T00:38:25Z

172.70.110.170: More hygiene overexpression

{{comic
| number = 2482
| date = June 28, 2021
| title = Indoor Socializing
| image = indoor_socializing.png
| titletext = The problem with learning about biology is that everyone you meet is it.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an INHALED PHLEGM DROPLET. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
[[Cueball]] is meeting [[White Hat]], who is probably not in the same household. White Hat asks how Cueball is, which is normal small talk, but Cueball responds by expressing his anxiety that they're inhaling one another's "gross lung air". Cueball then repeats a common joke regarding how impossible it is to connect with people when our conversation norms discourage honest communication, switching to a more socially acceptable "fine".

"Gross" here may be a pun on the term {{w|gross anatomy}} (i.e. anatomy at the macroscopic level) and "gross" as a synonym for "disgusting."

A recurring theme in xkcd is characters expressing an uncomfortable awareness of realities that most people tend to ignore, particularly for experts in a particular field (examples include [[2057: Internal Monologues]], [[913: Core]], [[203: Hallucinations]], and [[1839: Doctor Visit]]). In this strip, likely as a result of being primed by awareness of the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}}, Cueball finds it difficult to be in the same building with other people without being aware of the fact that they're breathing the same air, meaning that particles of biological material are being freely exchanged. In an earlier era, such concerns might have been dismissed as being extreme, but the pandemic has demonstrated that there's very real reason to be concerned. Even if everyone involved is vaccinated, that doesn't entirely remove the risk, nor does it protect against other diseases, which can spread in similar ways.

The title text reinforces the idea that knowing more about any subject increases the likelihood that you'll become disturbed by some constant and basic reality of life. In this case, studying biology tends to be disturbing, since the field involves in depth knowledge of our own bodies, as well as all other organisms we encounter, and which makes one uncomfortably aware of all the risks and flaws basic to being alive.

Normally, inhaling unfamiliar biological organisms from the bodies of others is one way the immune system learns its environment, to prepare for possible diseases like seasonal colds. With the advent of common distant travel, culture has adapted to the onslaught of new organisms people are exposed to, giving us strong senses of hygiene to protect our health beyond the adaption of our immune systems. Diverse cultures of hygiene have evolved deadly superbacteria, produced sets of people with very good hygiene and very weak immune systems, as well as saving millions of lives, providing for treatments like safe open surgery and normalising novel piercings. Often learning of the realities of the pervasiveness of micro-organisms and the details of biology can clash with one's culture of hygiene.

==Transcript==
:[White Hat and Cueball are having a conversation.]
:White Hat: How are you?
:Cueball: Excruciatingly aware of how much of each other's gross lung air we're breathing.
:Cueball: I mean, fine! How are you?

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Social interactions]]
[[Category:Biology]]

Talk:2482: Indoor Socializing

2021-06-30T10:40:34Z

172.70.110.170:

I think he's not afraid of getting COVID, he's just now aware he's inhaling the respiratory particles that everyone else is exhaling, which pre-COVID he never thought about. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.142.162|162.158.142.162]] 05:38, 29 June 2021 (UTC)
:Mitigated that in my own edit. (And wait 'til he learns how many water molecules may have been through dinosaur guts, etc!) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.79|141.101.99.79]] 06:23, 29 June 2021 (UTC)
::Just for context for others, this comment I think is based on [https://what-if.xkcd.com/74/ this what if]. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 12:37, 29 June 2021 (UTC)

[[Special:Contributions/141.101.69.205|141.101.69.205]] 20:20, 29 June 2021 (UTC) exec
Check this http://www.vendian.org/envelope/dir2/breath.html

Earlier on, the explanation suggested that this might not be ''at'' an Indoor Sociali[s|z]ing moment, which I found quite convincing, but has been edited out. White Hat (already a known close contact who has been shown as a being in the presence of Cueball in an obvious inside situation) could be trying to psyche up Cueball to go indoors to meet people. Or the question isn't a bland social-nicety (over-reacted to) but an actual question of concern when Cueball has had to flee/avoid an indoors situation. If the latter, Cueball is actually giving a correctly ''contextual'' response to the far-from-rhetoric question, but then consciously toning it down to the non-commital response that over-sensitive people might retreat to if they're in denial about their internal strifes. - Randall should have helped by adding a little extra detail, like internal furniture, the porch/doorway to a house (either side) trees and plants to establish this as a public green-space setting. Without that, I'm unable to tell which interpretation to actually apply to the words in use - which words to stress in the question ("How ''are'' you?", "How are ''you''?", maybe "''How'' are you?") included... But maybe that's just me? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.79|141.101.99.79]] 21:37, 29 June 2021 (UTC)
:You know, whether you write 'socializing' or 'socialising' is up to personal preference (or rather, which country you grew up/are growing up in). You don't need to do both. [[User:Beanie|Beanie]] [[User talk:Beanie|talk]] 10:19, 30 June 2021 (UTC)
::sounds like some people argue about it. I sometimes write it both ways by accident, but it looks like it was intentional here. I think Randall was more interested in the specific joke environment here, and was leaving it up to the reader to interpret the context as they chose, but only Randall knows. In my opinion "how are you" is pretty much always a social nicety when no context is provided, for now. I really like how you're able to describe sharing one's feelings as normal. It's really easy to fall into copying what one thinks everyone else is doing. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.170|172.70.110.170]] 10:40, 30 June 2021 (UTC)

Talk:2479: Houseguests

2021-06-22T04:21:11Z

172.70.110.170:

I interpreted this comic completely differently than what is written in the explanation (though I can agree that the explanation as written is plausible). When I first read the comic, I assumed Megan and Cueball were hesitant to have guests come over because they would have to clean up after the guests left. Presumably their house would be spotlessly neat and tidy after more than a year of no visitors, and having someone visit would spoil that. Speaking personally, it will be great to have guests staying with me again, but there is a twinge of regret that the much simpler and easy pace of pandemic life is over now that I’m vaccinated.[[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.170|172.70.110.170]] 04:21, 22 June 2021 (UTC)

2477: Alien Visitors

2021-06-17T10:21:35Z

172.70.110.170: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2477
| date = June 16, 2021
| title = Alien Visitors
| image = alien_visitors.png
| titletext = Stay right there, we'll be back in a minute. We've just gotta brainstorm some new wonders. Have you all figured out gears yet? Yes? Crap.
}}

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

This is a reference to the idea (which [[Randall]] satirizes) that {{w|Extraterrestrial life|aliens}} built (or helped humans build) the {{w|pyramids}} and the {{w|Stonehenge}}. If new aliens came to us today and tried to help us build these things, they would be met with general incredulity.

In the comic, aliens arrive with the intention of building such monuments with their highly advanced technology, including some sort of tractor beam to lift the heavy stones and another beam that can depict a pyramid. They are shocked to hear from [[Cueball]] that humans accomplished the same thing thousands of years earlier with such simple tools as ramps, and even in more than one location on Earth (Pyramids in0{{w|Egyptian pyramids|Egypt}} and {{w|Mesoamerican pyramids|Mexico}}). Thus they proceed to suggest a stone circle to predict the solstice, but before they can finish this sentence [[Megan]] says this is like Stonehenge.

The aliens' reaction is frustration as they cannot learn us anything new. So in the title text they have regrouped and would now present another wonder - {{w|gears}}. But oh crap, humans has already invented those as well. But it can be inferred that Randall thinks gears are a pretty neat idea, as the aliens present them as a wonder on the line with the pyramids.

==Transcript==
:[A flying saucer is hovering high above Cueball and Megan, drawn very small standing on the ground beneath it. The aliens inside speak to them from inside their space craft, indicated with zigzag lines between it and the text.]
:Aliens: Greetings, humans!
:Megan: Whoa, aliens!
:Aliens: We bring you technological wonders!

:[Zoom in on the flying saucer which has two beams below it, the left showing an outline of a pyramid and the right is shown lifting a large stone. Cueball replies off-panel.]
:Aliens: We will help you lift great stones and build towering monuments.
:Cueball (off-panel): Oh, pyramids?

:[Zoom in on Cueball and Megan looking up, the Aliens reply from above the panel.]
:Aliens (off-panel): ...Yes.
:Cueball: Yeah, we have those. In Egypt.
:Megan: And Mexico.
:Cueball: I think they used ramps?

:[Zoom back out, as in first panel]
:Aliens: Then we shall build a ring of stones aligned with the stars, so at the solstice-
:Megan: Oh, like Stonehenge?
:Aliens: '''''Dammit, humans.'''''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Space]]

2473: Product Launch

2021-06-10T00:33:08Z

172.70.110.170: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2473
| date = June 7, 2021
| title = Product Launch
| image = product_launch.png
| titletext = "Okay, that was weird, but the product reveal was normal. I think the danger is pas--" "One more thing." "Oh no."
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an IMPENDING FOREBODING COMPLETELY NON-THREATENING UNEXPECTEDLY SMART DEVICE. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
Three people are discussing the upcoming public announcement of their company's new product, apparently an electronic device shown on the pedestal between them. Hairy mentions that smart devices can make people uncomfortable. Common reasons include:

* It is impossible for consumers to know what the device is really doing (since it is a "black box" with inaccessible software).
* The device could stop working in the future due to poor quality or software problems;
* The device could be used to spy on its owner or others, including ones who did not consent to this by purchasing the device.
* The device could represent a security or even safety risk by allowing hackers or other groups access to the network or any systems that the device controls.
* The device could significantly alter the life of the user via digital addiction.

To allay these concerns, the device should be presented as non-threatening. Cueball asks to confirm the '''non''', implying that this was not clear to him before. In fact, it even appears he thought he was being asked to put together a ''threatening'' presentation, but does not explain.

Later, Cueball presents the device on-stage, with statements that have been styled to sound positive but carry double meanings. The subtlety of the changes in tone could make them harder to discuss for many.

* He confirms that the product can "change the world for good or evil" (most would merely claim that their new product is good, or will change the world).
* The "plaintive cries of [the company's] customers"; those cries may be because of the company's actions rather than customer demands for a new product.
* The company wants to "give [customers] what they deserve," a phrase often associated with judgments that are as likely to punish as to reward.
* Instead of being merely uncovered, the product is being exposed to the atmosphere (implying a chemical or physical reaction) and is to affect customers within five city blocks (nearly 1 km). This is further than common smart devices (using wireless technologies such as WiFi or Bluetooth) would reach. Worse, this event is supposed to be surprising, unlike, for example, the sudden availability of a new long-distance radio network.
* When someone in the audience decides to leave in the middle of the presentation, Cueball reassures them that a "staggering" large number of people will survive; this is usually considered true of non-military fair-trade product launches{{fact}}, but this is also not a reassuring way to phrase that fact. Plus, there is no assertion that the "staggering" number is in fact 100%, which would typically be the survival rate for most product launches{{fact}}.

In the title text, someone is saying that the actual reveal was uneventful. Cueball interrupts, implying that there is one last feature to demonstrate, at which point the first speaker assumes the worst (that the product's most threatening aspect was saved for last).

Besides the main joke of a product that is likely so unsafe as to be illegal, the comic could also be poking fun at the desire of tech companies to make their products sound important, which can undermine the message of benign safety.

This comic was released on the day of Apple's 2021 WWDC (Worldwide Developer Conference) keynote, at which the company traditionally announces new features and products. "One more thing" is a tagline famously associated with Steve Jobs' product announcements and something of an Apple tradition.

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

:[Hairy and Ponytail are standing to the left of a wrapped object. Cueball is standing on the right.]
:Hairy: The press is here for the product launch!
:Hairy: Remember, people are wary of smart devices, so we want to strike a non-threatening tone.

:[Pan over to just Cueball; Hairy and Ponytail are off of the left side of the panel.]
:Cueball: Hang on, did you say '''''non'''''-threatening?
:Hairy: Yes. Why-
:Cueball: Nothing. It's probably fine.

:[Caption: Soon...]
:[Cueball is standing on a platform next to the previously seen wrapped object.]
:Cueball: They say technology can change the world, for good or for evil. Our new product will show how true that is.
:Cueball: We hear the plaintive cries of our customers. We want to give them what they deserve.

:[Zoom in on Cueball, who has his hand up in a gesture.]
:Cueball: Now, let us expose our product to the atmosphere for the first time, surprising and delighting customers within a five-block radius.
:(Voice off-panel): I'm leaving.
:Cueball: No, don't worry! A staggering number of people will survive!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Artificial Intelligence]]

1518: Typical Morning Routine

2021-06-10T00:23:38Z

172.70.110.170: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1518
| date = April 29, 2015
| title = Typical Morning Routine
| image = typical_morning_routine.png
| titletext = Hang on, I've heard this problem. We need to pour water into the duct until the phone floats up and ... wait, phones sink in water. Mercury. We need a vat of mercury to pour down the vent. That will definitely make this situation better and not worse.
}}

==Explanation==
Waking up to an alarm can be annoying, especially when it is your partner's alarm, and they are slow to wake up and even then have difficulty figuring out how to turn the alarm off. This comic takes this situation to a ridiculous extreme, from whence the comic derives its humor, especially when paired with the title describing this situation as a "Typical Morning Routine". Of course the typical could refer only to the part of the "routine" until the phone is dropped into an air vent.

In this comic, [[Hairy]] with morning hair is shown using his smartphone as his alarm clock. Another unseen person is sharing the bed with Hairy and growing more irate as Hairy's alarm continues beeping.

Even simple actions like turning off a {{w|}} alarm can be easily fumbled by a just-awakened groggy person. In this case, Hairy accidentally exited the alarm app without stopping the alarm. In some OSes, simply exiting the app doesn't close it, requiring you to use the app switcher to close it.

After giving up on shutting down the alarm the usual way, Hairy, in annoyance, decides to remove the battery, which will disable the phone's entire operation. However, while trying to remove the battery in the dark, he accidentally drops his device down a floor {{w|air vent}} (most likely part of {{w|forced air}} {{w|central heating}} common in North America) next to the bed. While the vent is covered by a grille, it is apparently coarse enough (or perhaps missing a few pieces, creating a large hole) to allow the phone to pass through if it falls at a particular location and angle. Also, the vent apparently does not descend very far before bending, allowing the phone to survive the fall intact.

As of when this comic was posted, [[Randall]] uses both iOS and Android according to [[1508: Operating Systems]]—although there is no reason to be certain that the character in this comic is using the same operating systems as Randall. However, the fact that Hairy tries to remove the battery strongly suggests it cannot be an iOS device, given that all iOS devices have non-removable batteries.

If he were a little handy, Hairy might be able to open the vent and retrieve the phone—or perhaps not, if the phone slid further into the ventwork or Hairy lacked the necessary tools. Instead of trying to physically recover the phone, Hairy attempts to remotely {{w|Brick (electronics)|brick}} the phone from his laptop, permanently disabling all its functions (including the alarm app).

This attempt fails because Hairy had accidentally put the device into {{w|airplane mode}} before dropping his phone, thereby cutting off all {{w|wireless}} communications with the device and preventing any attempt at remote control. Airplane mode also has the unfortunate (in this situation) side effect of increasing the phone's battery life (though playing loud sounds incessantly should still limit it to a day or so, notwithstanding the pessimistic assessment of Hairy's companion).

Rather than finding a solution to the problem with the phone, Hairy proposes that they just move out instead.

Relevant for the title text: There is a semi-common logic puzzle involving a ping-pong ball falling down a pipe with a kink in it. In this puzzle, the solution is to pour water into the pipe until the ping-pong ball floats up.

In the title text, one of the two characters remembers this problem and attempts to apply it to this situation. Since phones do not float in water, a modified version is proposed using {{w|Mercury (element)|mercury}} instead. The phone would certainly float on mercury, as it is a very dense liquid (the only metal that is liquid at room temperature).

The extremely toxic nature of mercury makes pouring it into the air supply a very dangerous idea. Also the required amount of mercury would be extremely expensive. The weight of the mercury would also be substantial (13.5 kg/liter or 113 lb/gallon), and would likely break something in the air duct system. Both mercury and water could also push the phone further into the duct system instead of bringing it back. The end of the title text, declaring that the mercury idea would ''definitely make this situation better and not worse'' could be either a sarcastic commentary on these problems or a desperate attempt to bolster confidence that this extreme solution will work when everything else has failed.

Given that Hairy was willing to sacrifice the phone anyway (by attempting to brick it), he would probably be better off pouring water down the vent—it wouldn't bring the phone within reach, but it would disable and thereby silence it (unless the phone is completely waterproof (and the waterproofing layer wasn’t damaged by the fall), which most phones aren't, especially those where the battery can be removed).

Of course, Hairy probably wouldn't have gotten into this mess if he had not just been awakened brutally by a very loud alarm, making it difficult to think clearly (or, alternatively, if he just had a standard alarm clock that he could have unplugged or even a mechanical one that he could, say, hit with a hammer until it broke; or just flip the off switch).

Fortunately, they do not go to the extreme of using a nuclear bomb to generate an electromagnetic pulse to disable the phone.

==Transcript==
:[The panel is completely black, with white text. Small lines indicate from where the two voices are coming, and also from where the alarm goes off. A small broken square surrounds the first word spoken.]
:Alarm: '''Bleep Bleep'''
:Voice (right): Urgh
:Voice (left): Your alarm is going off
:Voice (right): Huh?
:Voice (left): Make it stop.
:Voice (right) Urrgh

:[The panel is completely black, with white text. Small lines indicate from where the two voices are coming. Several small lines surrounds the last "sound" which is not spoken. The alarm noise is continued from the previous panel and continues over the top of the frame directly into the next panel.]
:Alarm: '''Bleep Bleep Bleep B'''
:Voice (left): Hit snooze.
:Voice (right): I'm ''trying''. I closed the alarm app and I can't... I'll just pop out the battery.
:Voice (right): Whoops!
:Clang

:[The lights have turned on so it is now a white panel with black text. The voice to the right came from Hairy with morning hair. He is leaning over the side of the bed, looking down the air vent through which he has dropped the phone. The other person to the left is not shown. The alarm noise (now coming from the air vent as visualized by the lines coming out of the vent) still continues from the previous panel and continues over the top of the frame directly into the next panel.]
:Alarm: '''eep Bleep Bleep Ble'''
:Off-Screen voice: Make it stop!
:Hairy: It... fell down the vent.

:[Hairy is sitting in his bed with a laptop. The person to the left is still off-screen. The alarm noise still continues from the previous panel and continues over the top of the frame out of the comic the the right.]
:Alarm: '''ep Bleep Bleep Bleep Ble'''
:Off-Screen voice: Can you brick it remotely?
:Hairy: Trying... I think I fumbled it into airplane mode?
:Off-Screen voice: The battery could last for weeks.
:Hairy: You know, maybe we should just move.

==Trivia==

This comic follows a similar storyline to [[349: Success]] and [[530: I'm An Idiot]], where [[Cueball]], like Hairy here, encounters an issue and attempts progressively more absurd solutions.

There is a callback to this in the title text of [[1946: Hawaii]].

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Sarcasm]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Phones]]

Talk:2359: Evidence of Alien Life

2021-06-08T23:19:19Z

172.70.110.170:

[https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/phosphine Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal] also did a special issue this morning in honor of this announcement. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 20:02, 14 September 2020 (UTC)

I don't think the bottom left panel fits. If you read it as left side is jumping to wild conclusions, center having an appropriate conclusions, and the right said as avoiding coming to any conclusions, then 8/9 panels fit. The bottom left doesn't really fit. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.249|162.158.74.249]] 20:33, 14 September 2020 (UTC)mcstatz
: Definite Evidence means there's no need to be leaping to wild conclusions as to their existence, it's already "definite". In this case, the wild conclusion would be the assumption that they are friendly and that touching them has no potential to be harmful. [[User:N0lqu|-boB]] ([[User talk:N0lqu|talk]]) 21:18, 14 September 2020 (UTC)
: Even if the aliens are initially friendly, are they going to interpret a hug as a hostile action? There's no way to know without understanding their culture. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.42.50|172.69.42.50]] 22:27, 14 September 2020 (UTC)
:: I travel 10 parsecs to a planet so primitive that they still think the digital watch is a neat idea and then somebody wraps their body around me, damn right I'm going to respond with force [[User:Kev|Kev]] ([[User talk:Kev|talk]]) 00:50, 15 September 2020 (UTC)
'''''BOOK/TV SHOW SPOILER''''' I wonder if the first panel (asteroid is probe) is a reference to the first season/book of ''The Expanse''? Or maybe I'm just thinking that because I've been watching the show myself haha. As an aside, if there is a proper spoiler feature here that will hide the comment, please edit this. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.186.136|162.158.186.136]] 23:08, 14 September 2020 (UTC)
:I'm pretty sure it's a reference to this: https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/oumuamua-interstellar-visitor-1.4454180#:~:text=%27Weird%27%20rock%20Astronomers%20have%20discovered%20%27Oumuamua%20resembles%20worlds,%27Oumuamua%2C%20for%20example%2C%20has%20a%20significant%20carbon%20content. -monte [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.148|108.162.216.148]] 01:44, 15 September 2020 (UTC)

It's just possible that the top-right panel references the British(/Irish, by setting) sitcom Father Ted, where the eponymous Father is trying to explain to Father "Two aspects short of a Trinity" Dougal that ''these'' cows (indicates models of cows) are very small, but ''those'' cows (gesturing out of the 'holiday caravan' window) are ''far away...''. And even if it isn't, I commend you to go and watch it anyway as it's a truly classic series... [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.173|162.158.154.173]] 04:22, 15 September 2020 (UTC)
:Is there a category for "alien encounters"? Should we create one? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.29|172.69.33.29]] 17:05, 16 September 2020 (UTC)

can someone make the explanation into a table. it is hard to understand .

Talk:1192: Humming

2021-06-08T21:34:02Z

172.70.110.170:

406 Not Acceptable
The requested resource is only capable of generating content not acceptable according to the Accept headers sent in the request
[[Special:Contributions/76.93.158.8|76.93.158.8]] 05:14, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Makes me think of [[wikipedia:Close Encounters of the Third Kind|Close Encounters of the Third Kind]] --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 12:39, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

That reminds me of the QR-Codes that by decoding it say things like: "And for that you take out your smartphone?" or "It's a stupid Avatar!"... [[Special:Contributions/80.154.105.130|80.154.105.130]] 16:44, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

:I read somewhere that an old man once wore a t-shirt with a QR-Code, which redirected to a naked picture of this man... [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.18|108.162.212.18]] 03:42, 26 February 2014 (UTC)

Today's comic is late and it's April 1. I'm worried. [[User:Alpha|Alpha]] ([[User talk:Alpha|talk]]) 06:10, 1 April 2013 (UTC)

I was thinking that maybe HTTP error 406 meant "Not acceptable" as in the server can't find a acceptable way to respond to what Randall just input, as in shock or disgust. [[Special:Contributions/45.31.246.235|45.31.246.235]] 10:58, 15 October 2019 (UTC)

I think "not acceptable" might mean that he is so bed at humming that the app is unable to identify the tune

2471: Hippo Attacks

2021-06-03T14:16:11Z

172.70.110.170: /* Explanation */ I didn't check the history if someone's work was erased, but usually we include derivations of numbers here

{{comic
| number = 2471
| date = June 2, 2021
| title = Hippo Attacks
| image = hippo_attacks.png
| titletext = It's cool how, when there's a number lots of people are curious about, but which isn't easy to measure, some random guess will get cited everywhere and become the universally quoted value. Unrelatedly, did you know there are 850 trillion waves in the ocean?
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a HIPAA-VIOLATING HIPPO. I think we have managed to capture the broad strokes of the comic, but it could use some copy-editing (especially my words), and I am not confident I am not missing some finer details. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

The first part of this comic deals with unreliable sources on the internet. Neither "viral posts" nor "random listicles" are usually very reliable sources of information. They rarely cite their sources, and they are often published without much fact-checking, as published volume and impressive-sounding numbers are far more important for ad-revenue than actual facts.

The viral post appears to be [https://www.facebook.com/clickhole/photos/a.1461385317435063/2945077732399140/?type=3 this Facebook post.] The relevant source is unknown. There are a number of listicles Cueball may be referring to, but they all appear to be citing [https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/Most-Lethal-Animal-Mosquito-Week the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.]

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ({{w|HIPAA}}, pronounced ''HIP-uh'') is an American healthcare law enacted in 1996. One of the most commonly cited provisions from HIPAA is the HIPAA Privacy Rule, which regulates the use and disclosure of protected health information.

In this comic, Cueball and Megan are discussing the number of {{w|hippopotamus}} attacks, which is unverified. Megan proposes an alternative explanation as to why this particular number is hard to come by: it would be violating the patients' privacy to create statistics of a very specific and unusual cause of death. The punchline comes with the pun on "hippo violation" ("HIPAA violation").

The title text amplifies the criticism of listicles. They sometimes provide factoids with regards to ill-defined, hard-to-measure numbers, and these factoids might end up in common circulation between such articles. One extreme example would be the number of waves in the ocean. Some problems with this definition would be:

* In which ocean/oceans?
* What is the smallest ripple that counts as a wave?
* When does one count two interacting waves as separate, and when does one count them as one?

With different replies to these questions, wildly different answers could be reached. But, counting every body of water on the planet, this obviously works out as around 400 (unique) waves per square meter, which is — to put it bluntly — a very agitated, complex and non-coherent surface.

The answer arrived at in the above paragraph is a joke.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is sitting in an office chair at his desk. He has liftet both arms with palm up towards the screen of his laptop in front of him. Megan stands behind him to the right, looking over his shoulder at the screen.]
:Cueball: I hate unsourced statistics.
:Cueball: ''This'' viral post says hippos kill 2,900 people a year, but ''this'' random listicle says 500.
:Megan: Makes sense.
:Megan: Publishing the real number would be a HIPPO violation.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Statistics]]
[[Category:Puns]]

550: Density

2021-05-28T02:56:28Z

172.70.110.170:

{{comic
| number = 550
| date = March 2, 2009
| title = Density
| image = density.png
| titletext = If only I had asked 4chan for ideas for what I should do to prevent this!
}}

==Explanation==
This comic depicts a sex scene with [[Cueball]] in bed together with [[Megan]], and a sentence being spoken by Cueball. The sentence's overt meaning suggests Megan doesn't wish to become pregnant, but Cueball has prematurely or unintentionally {{w|ejaculated}} inside her. The sentence contains five popular (at the time) {{w|Internet meme|memes}}:
*'''[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/xzibit-yo-dawg Yo Dawg]''': With the full meme having the form "Yo Dawg, I herd you like (noun X), so I put an (noun X) in your (noun x) so you can (verb y) while you (verb y)", this is the largest meme used in the sentence, and lays out the overall structure of the sentence. The greeting at the beginning can be changed to "Sup Dawg" as in this comic.
*'''[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-herd-u-like-mudkips I herd u liek Mudkips]''': The misspelling of words "herd" (heard) and "liek" (like) come from this meme. While this meme is usually used with {{w|Mudkip}} (a {{w|Pokémon}}), in this case the noun has been replaced by something she didn't like.
*'''[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/how-is-babby-formed How is babby formed?]''': The expression "forming babby" (with the misspelling of "baby") comes from this meme. This meme comes from a question that was originally asked on Yahoo! Answers. The full question was "how is babby formed / how girl get pragnent". This meme was also referenced in the title text of [[481: Listen to Yourself]] and in [[522: Google Trends]].
*'''[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-accidentally I Accidentally]''': This meme carries the pattern of omitting an important verb, leaving the reader wondering what had happened accidentally. In this case the omitted verb is presumably "came" or "ejaculated". This meme was referenced again in [[997: Wait Wait]].
*'''[https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/in-ur-base In your base]''': This references the Starcraft meme "im in ur base, killing ur d00ds." It also might be used for its relation to {{w|baseball metaphors for sex}}, which was also referenced in [[540: Base System]]).

In plain English, the sentence roughly means:
: ''Hey girl, I heard that you don't want to have a baby but I accidentally came inside you.''

The comic then goes to describe the pros and cons of the situation. "Ruined life" is listed as a major downside, as he may have caused a girl to become pregnant against her wishes, and may have to father a child with her. The usage of memes in response to the situation also conveys an uncaring attitude that is likely to put a damper on their relationship even if she did not get pregnant. On the other hand, it is noted that the sentence could set a new record for the density of memes (most memes packed into the fewest number of words) which can be considered a positive. This explains the title of the comic, though it will be a very superficial and meaningless record, especially when weighed against the downsides.

The reason Cueball chose to construct the sentence with so many memes is not clear. Since the comic lists "ruined life" as one of the cons of this scene, it would seem that the accident, as well as the subsequent use of memes, were not planned. It's possible that Cueball had too many memes in his head and couldn't think of anything else to say amid the nervous tension. If this were another character, say Black Hat, then it would be easier to believe that the entire night could have been staged just to give him an opportunity to use the sentence and set a record.

The title text references {{w|4chan}}, a site known for its memes, {{w|Troll (Internet)|trolls}} and other assorted Internet clutter, and sarcastically implies that any advice they might give would in any way be at all helpful. Due to its population of trolls and other unhelpful sorts, advice given by 4chan would normally be useless at best and actively detrimental at worst; however, the title text implies that Cueball regrets that he did not ask 4chan for advice, and maybe have used them for this earlier.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is in a bed with Megan.]
:Cueball: Sup dawg, I herd you didn't liek forming babby, but I accidentally in your base.
:[Below the frame:]
:Cons: Ruined life.
:Pros: Sentence set the new meme density record.

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

2468: Inheritance

2021-05-26T16:41:00Z

172.70.110.170:

{{comic
| number = 2468
| date = May 26, 2021
| title = Inheritance
| image = inheritance.png
| titletext = People ask me whether I feel any moral qualms about the source of the points, but if he hadn't introduced factory farming to Agricola, someone else would have.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an AGRICOLA FACTORY FARMER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic is in reference to strategy board games, which often have players collect some type of point system used as "currency". The joke in this comic is that cueball's grandfather (a tycoon in the board game {{w|Agricola_(board_game)|Agricola}} according to the title text) handed down a massive sum of points. This is like in real life where people grow wealthy by inheriting vast sums of money from ancestors.

==Transcript==

[Ponytail, White Hat, Megan, and Cueball are playing a board game. There are drinks on the table. Ponytail is writing something]

Ponytail: Let's see...I got 31, you have 28, 35 for you, and-

Cueball: -I've got 10,019.

Ponytail: *Sigh*

Cueball: Hey, add another 20 to everyone, on me!

White Hat: ''I hate this''.

[Caption beneath the panel:]
No one wants to play board games with me ever since I inherited 4,000,000 victory points from my grandfather.

{{comic discussion}}