explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

2480: No, The Other One

2021-06-24T08:33:02Z

172.70.114.38: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2480
| date = June 23, 2021
| title = No, The Other One
| image = no_the_other_one.png
| titletext = Key West, Virginia is not to be confused with Key, West Virginia.
}}

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

This is a map of the United States, showing cities or towns with the same name as other more famous cities. For example, the map has a dot for a place called Los Angeles in Texas, not to be confused with Los Angeles, California.

Few place names are unique, and there may be {{w|List of the most common U.S. place names|many places with the same name}}. However, names can become associated with specific places on a national level, where the best-known example is usually the biggest or otherwise the most significant. The name of this comic indicates the contextualization required to specify one of the less-famous exemplars of a given name. Someone might say they are from "Los Angeles" and would have to say "no, the other one" since the listener would assume they are from Los Angeles, California.

The [[title text]] references {{w|Key, West Virginia}} and {{w|Key West, Virginia}}, two places that, when spoken aloud, are only distinguishable by the pause (comma) location. Neither are to be confused with {{w|Key West|Key West, Florida}}, which is a well-known national location.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Place name in comic
! Well-known place
! Notes
|-
| {{w|Albany, Georgia|Albany, GA}}
| rowspan="3" | {{w|Albany,_New_York|Albany, NY}}
| rowspan="3" | Albany is the capital of New York state.
|-
| {{w|Albany, Minnesota|Albany, MN}}


|-
| {{w|Albany, Wyoming|Albany, WY}}

|-
| {{w|Alexandria,_Louisiana|Alexandria, LA}}
| {{w|Alexandria,_Virginia|Alexandria, VA}}
| Alexandria, VA is known for being George Washington's hometown. It is not named after {{w|Alexandria|Alexandria, Egypt}}.
|-
| {{w|Anchorage, Kentucky|Anchorage, KY}}
| {{w|Anchorage,_Alaska|Anchorage, AK}}
| Anchorage is Alaska's most populous city.
|-
| {{w|Atlanta,_Delaware|Atlanta, DE}}
| rowspan="6" | {{w|Atlanta|Atlanta, GA}}
| rowspan="6" | Atlanta is the capital of Georgia, a center of the civil rights movement in the 1950's and 60's, and a major air transportation hub.
|-
| {{w|Atlanta,_Michigan|Atlanta, MI}}

|-
| {{w|Atlanta,_Idaho|Atlanta, ID}}

|-
| {{w|Atlanta,_Nebraska|Atlanta, NE}}

|-
| {{w|Atlanta, Texas|Atlanta, TX}}
|
|
|-
| {{w|Atlanta, Wisconsin|Atlanta, WI}}
|
|
|-
| {{w|Atlantic City, Wyoming|Atlantic City, WY}}
| {{w|Atlantic City, New Jersey|Atlantic City, NJ}}
| Atlantic City, NJ is a famous coastal resort town in New Jersey known for its casinos, boardwalk and beaches.
|-
| {{w|Austin, MN}}
| {{w|Austin, Texas|Austin, TX}}
| Austin is the capital of the state of Texas, and the 11th largest city (by population) in the US.
|-
| {{w|Baton Rouge, South Carolina|Baton Rouge, SC}}
| {{w|Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge, LA}}
| Baton Rouge is the capital of the state of Louisiana.
|-
| {{w|Beaumont, California|Beaumont, CA}}
| {{w|Beaumont, Texas|Beaumont, TX}}
| Beaumont is best known for the oil discovery that sparked the Texas oil boom of the early 1900s.
|-
| {{w|Beverly Hills, Illinois|Beverly Hills, IL}}
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Beverly Hills, California|Beverly Hills, CA}}
| rowspan="2" | Beverly Hills is a city in Los Angeles County, CA and is home to many celebrities, luxury hotels, and the Rodeo Drive shopping district.
|-
| {{w|Beverly Hills, Texas|Beverly Hills, TX}}

|-
| {{w|Bloomington, Minnesota | Bloomington, MN}}
| {{w|Bloomington, Indiana | Bloomington, IN}}
| Bloomington is the location of Indiana University.
|-
| Boston, MO
| {{w|Boston|Boston, MA}}
| Boston is the capital of Massachusetts and the scene of several key events of the American Revolution.
|-
| Bowling Green, FL
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Bowling Green, Kentucky|Bowling Green, KY}}
| rowspan="2" | Bowling Green, KY is the largest city of this name, and the 3rd most populous city in Kentucky.
|-
| Bowling Green, OH
|-
| Bridgeport, WV
| {{w|Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport, CT}}
| Bridgeport is the most populous city in Connecticut and fifth most populous in {{w|New England}}.
|-
| Buffalo, TX
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Buffalo, New York|Buffalo, NY}}
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| Buffalo, WY
|-
| Cambridge, OH
| {{w|Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge, MA}}
| Cambridge, Massachusetts is a city in the Boston metropolitan area known as the home of {{w|Harvard University}} and {{w|Massachusetts Institute of Technology}} among others.
|-
| Cedar Rapids, NE
| {{w|Cedar Rapids, Iowa|Cedar Rapids, IA}}
|
|-
| Charlestown, NY (?)
|
|
|-
| Cleveland, UT
| {{w|Cleveland|Cleveland, OH}}
|
|-
| Columbus, GA
| {{w|Columbus, Ohio|Columbus, OH}}
|
|-
| Dallas, GA
| rowspan="4" | {{w|Dallas|Dallas, TX}}
| rowspan="4" |
|-
| Dallas, NC
|-
| Dallas, OR
|-
| Dallas, SD
|-
| Dayton, NV
| {{w|Dayton, Ohio|Dayton, OH}}
|
|-
| Des Moines, NM
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Des Moines, Iowa|Des Moines, IA}}
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| Des Moines, WA
|-
| {{w|Detroit,_Alabama|Detroit, AL}}
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Detroit|Detroit, MI}}
| rowspan="2" | Detroit is best known as the center of the U.S. automobile industry.
|-
| Detroit, KS
|-
| Disney, OK
|
|
|-
| Fayetteville, TN
|
|
|-
| Gettysburg, OH
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Gettysburg, Pennsylvania|Gettysburg, PA}}
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| Gettysburg, SD
|-
| Grand Rapids, MN
| {{w|Grand Rapids|Grand Rapids, MI}}
| The second most populous city in the state of Michigan
|-
| {{w|Houston,_Alaska|Houston, AK}}
| rowspan="6" | {{w|Houston|Houston, TX}}
| rowspan="6" | Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth-most populous in the United States.
|-
| {{w|Houston,_Alabama|Houston, AL}}
|-
| Houston, FL
|-
| Houston, IN
|-
| Houston, MO
|-
| Houston, OH
|-
| Indianapolis, IA
| {{w|Indianapolis|Indianapolis, IN}}
|
|-
| {{w|Jackson,_Alabama|Jackson, AL}}
| {{w|Jackson,_Mississippi|Jackson, MS}}
| Jackson is the capital of Mississippi, but there are {{w|Jackson|many other}} states with Jacksons. This one is likely particularly notable due to its proximity to Jackson, MS.
|-
| {{w|Jamestown,_California|Jamestown, CA}}
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Jamestown,_Virginia|Jamestown, VA}}
| rowspan="2" | Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.
|-
| Jamestown, ND
|-
| Jersey Shore, PA
|
|
|-
| Key West, VA
| {{w|Key_West|Key West, FL}}
| Key West is an island off the tip of Florida that is popular with tourists and contains the southernmost point of the continental states.
|-
| Knoxville, IA
| {{w|Knoxville,_Tennessee|Knoxville, TN}}
|
|-
| Las Vegas, NM
| {{w|Las_Vegas|Las Vegas, NV}}
|
|-
| {{w|Lincoln,_California|Lincoln, CA}}
| rowspan="4" | {{w|Lincoln,_Nebraska|Lincoln, NE}}
| rowspan="4" | Lincoln is the capital of Nebraska.
|-
| Lincoln, IL
|-
| Lincoln, MT
|-
| Lincoln, RI
|-
| Lisbon, ME
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Lisbon,_Portugal|Lisbon, Portugal}}
| rowspan="2" | Lisbon is the capital of Portugal, in Europe
|-
| Lisbon, NH
|-
| Long Beach, NJ
|
|
|-
| Los Angeles, TX
| {{w|Los_Angeles|Los Angeles, CA}}
|
|-
| {{w|Louisville, Colorado|Louisville, CO}}
| {{w|Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville, KY}}
| Louisville is the largest city in Kentucky
|-
| Manhattan, KS
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Manhattan|Manhattan, NY}}
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| Manhattan, MT
|-
| Memphis, NE
| {{w|Memphis,_Tennessee|Memphis, TN}}
|
|-
| {{w|Mesa,_California|Mesa, CA}}
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Mesa,_Arizona|Mesa, AZ}}
| rowspan="2" | Mesa is a suburb of Phoenix, and the largest suburban city by population in the United States.
|-
| Mesa, CO
|-
| {{w|Miami,_Arizona|Miami, AZ}}
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Miami|Miami, FL}}
| rowspan="2" | Miami is the seventh largest city in the United States and a major tourism hub.
|-
| Miami, TX
|-
| Mountain View, HI
| {{w|Mountain_View,_California|Mountain View, CA}}
| Mountain View is the birthplace of Silicon Valley, and is the location of many high technology companies, such as Google.
|-
| {{w|Nashville,_Arkansas|Nashville, AR}}
| {{w|Nashville,_Tennessee|Nashville, TN}}
| Nashville is the capital of Tennessee and a major center for the country music industry.
|-
| New England, ND
|
|
|-
| New Haven, KY
| {{w|New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven, CT}}
| New Haven is the second largest city in Connecticut, and is known for its distinctive {{w|New Haven-style pizza|pizza}}. It also home to {{w|Yale University}}
|-
| New York, TX
| {{w|New_York_City|New York, NY}}
|
|-
| Newark, DE
|
|
|-
| North Pole, NY
| {{w|North_Pole|North Pole}}
| North pole is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface.
|-
| Oakland, OR
| {{w|Oakland,_California|Oakland, CA}}
| Oakland, CA is currently the home to three professional sports teams including the {{w|Oakland_Athletics|Oakland Athletics}} and is the former home of several more, including the {{w|History_of_the_Oakland_Raiders|Oakland Raiders}}, now in Las Vegas.
|-
| Orlando, OK
| {{w|Orlando,_Florida|Orlando, FL}}
|
|-
| Ottawa, KS
| {{w|Ottawa| Ottawa, Ontario, Canada}}
| Ottawa is the capital of Canada
|-
| Pasadena, MD
| rowspan="2" | {{w| Pasadena, CA}}
| rowspan="2" | Pasadena, California is the home of {{w|California Institute of Technology}} and the NASA {{w|Jet Propulsion Laboratory}}
|-
| Pasadena, TX
|-
| {{w|Peoria,_Arizona|Peoria, AZ}}
| {{w|Peoria, Illinois|Peoria, IL}}
| Peoria is known for being considered an "Average American Town", in the phrase {{w|Will_it_play_in_Peoria%3F|"Will it play in Peoria?"}} It is actually smaller than Peoria, AZ.
|-
| Philadelphia, MS
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA}}
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| Philadelphia, NY
|-
| Phoenix, MD (?)
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Phoenix,_Arizona|Phoenix, AZ}}
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| Phoenix, OR
|-
| {{w|Plano,_Illinois|Plano, IL}}
| {{w|Plano,_Texas|Plano, TX}}
| Plano is part of the {{w|Dallas–Fort_Worth_metroplex|Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex}}, and the home of many corporate headquarters.
|-
| {{w|Plymouth,_California|Plymouth, CA}}
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Plymouth,_Massachusetts|Plymouth, MA}}
| rowspan="2" | Plymouth was the site of the colony founded in 1620 by the Mayflower Pilgrims.
|-
| Plymouth, IN
|-
| {{w|Portland,_Maine|Portland, ME}}
| {{w|Portland,_Oregon|Portland, OR}}
| Portland, OR was {{w|Portland,_Oregon#Establishment|named after}} Portland, ME
|-
| Princeton, ID
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Princeton, New Jersey|Princeton, NJ}}
| rowspan="2" | Princeton, NJ is famous for being the home of the eponymous {{w|Princeton University}} and the {{w|Institute for Advanced Study}}
|-
| Princeton, MA
|-
| {{w|Richmond, Vermont|Richmond, VT}}
| {{w|Richmond, Virginia|Richmond, VA}}
| The Virginian Richmond was named after {{w|Richmond,_London|the suburb of London, UK}} due to an observed similarity of the river. London's Richmond was named for the palace built there by Henry VII, itself named after the {{w|Richmond,_North_Yorkshire|market town}} and castle in the north of England that was a childhood home. That was in turn named for the {{w|Richemont,_Seine-Maritime|Normandy}} area from which the noble family came who were gifted this land for their part of the Norman Conquest of England in the 11<sup>th</sup> century. There are more than fifty settlements called Richmond across the world, directly or indirectly taking their names from one or other of the English 'originals'.
|-
| Roswell, GA
| Roswell, NM
| Roswell, New Mexico is the site of one of the most famous “alien coverups” in American history, and is well known for its alien-themed tourism.
|-
| Saint Louis, MI
| rowspan="2" | {{w|St._Louis|St. Louis, MO}}
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| Saint Louis, OK
|-
| rowspan="2" | Salem, CT
| {{w|Salem,_Oregon|Salem, OR}}
| Capital of Oregon
|-
| {{w|Salem,_Massachusetts|Salem, MA}}
| Location of the {{w|Salem_witch_trials|Salem witch trials}}
|-
| San Diego, TX
| {{w|San_Diego|San Diego, CA}}
|
|-
| Santa Fe, TX
| {{w|Santa_Fe,_New_Mexico|Santa Fe, NM}}
|
|-
| Savannah, MO
| {{w|Savannah|Savannah, GA}}
|
|-
| South Bend, TX
| {{w|South_Bend|South Bend, IN}}
| South Bend, IN is the location of {{w|University_of_Notre_Dame|Notre Dame}}.
|-
| Texas, NY
| State of Texas
| Located in Mexico township, NY. North of the village of Mexico. No plans for a wall.
|-
| Vienna, ME
| {{w|Vienna, Austria}}
| Vienna is the capital and largest city of Austria
|-
| Washington, NC
|
|
|-
| White House, TN
|
|
|}

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

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:US maps]]

Talk:2479: Houseguests

2021-06-22T18:49:43Z

172.70.114.38:

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)
:I can see what you mean, but if you also read the title text is it clear that it is their house that is not clean enough for guest. I can totally relate. We always get the house tidy when we invite guest over, and apart from very close family, which do not need this tidiness, we have not had any visitors for over a year... It is thus for sure the problem that the house is a mess, and they have got used to live in this since no one came around to look at it. But now, if they wish to have friends over, they have to make a big effort to not be embarrassed. And having gotten used to not seeing people the effort may bot be worth it (obviously). --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:53, 22 June 2021 (UTC)

Regarding the title text, the explanation reads, ". . . and assumes that this is an assignment of one state from the other that is commutative (i.e. reversible) from the simplistic idea of readiness arising from status." Can someone translate this for me, please? I've only completed two years of college English, so it baffles me! [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.117|162.158.74.117]] 11:12, 22 June 2021 (UTC)
:Not sure it's the right word, but a function "A => B" (read that as 'leads to', 'produces', 'implies', etc) need not imply "B => A" (commutative functions, such as matrix multiplication, also give different results depending upon the order attempted).
:In reality, "House Readiness <= Vaccination Status + Pre-Pandemic Standards" (reversing the cause/effect sides) so "Vaccination Status => House Readiness" is already wrong, without even considering how the accepted nature of Vaccinatedness is not going to change between rooms (unless your house crosses a state boundary/whatever, with different enforcements?
:I'd have explained it differently from the start. Maybe the typical programming confusion between equality and assignment operators, and why it's good practice to habitually produce intended boolean outputs from "CONST equ VAR" (however the code dialect demands) rather than the other way round, for the compiler to catch accidental assignments/non-comparisons, that you may have mis-typed, from the off - but that could be even more confusing for readers. ;) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.177|141.101.99.177]] 12:13, 22 June 2021 (UTC)

"2020-21 pandemic of the SARS-CoV-2 virus". I like the optimism that the pandemic will be over in 2021. 😁
[[User:Gpk|Gpk]] ([[User talk:Gpk|talk]]) 14:36, 22 June 2021 (UTC)

xkcd 78 is slowly starting to look like irony, in the face of strips like this one. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.114.38|172.70.114.38]] 18:49, 22 June 2021 (UTC)

Talk:2477: Alien Visitors

2021-06-17T12:21:31Z

172.70.114.38:

Good point, for those believing aliens help build the pyramids, if those aliens had already encountered say the MGM pyramid in Las Vegas, would they have helped people build a different kind of monument? Or it's1 stone pyramids regardless of the level of development? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.34.164|172.70.34.164]] 01:08, 17 June 2021 (UTC)
: I'm surprised we don't have a [[:Category:Aliens]]. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.35.143|172.69.35.143]] 01:55, 17 June 2021 (UTC)
::Maybe we should? I found [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:Search&limit=500&offset=0&profile=default&search=aliens 37 pages] when searching for Aliens... But who should put in the link on the relevant of those? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:40, 17 June 2021 (UTC)

But.. but.. everyone[citation required] knows that the pyramid shape is ideal for landing alien Mother Ships on top of! [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.244|141.101.98.244]] 07:04, 17 June 2021 (UTC)
: Thank you! Someone who knows what's up. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 07:29, 17 June 2021 (UTC)

Could the "gears" in the title text be a reference to the Antikythera mechanism or something similar? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.187|162.158.89.187]] 09:32, 17 June 2021 (UTC)
:I just think that Randall thinks gear is a pretty neat invention, that Aliens could have taught us. But these came too late --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:00, 17 June 2021 (UTC)

I think the lines emitting from the UFO in the second panel are not tractor beams but something like holographic projection. The pyramid and the stone cube are shown at different scales which indicates that these are not the real thing but images. Panel two depicts a "sneak preview" for the humans.
:I think the pyramid is a picture (hologram) and the stone seems real and is held up by the tractor beam. I have amended the explanation and transcript with this. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:59, 17 June 2021 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure the ancient Egyptians had a ''secret technology'' called "scaffold" to help raise the uppermost blocks where a sufficient ramp becomes impractical/impossible... but I'm not about to do the research to prove it to anyone, at 6am. I could be wrong, but I think it's just the "controversial" but obvious answer?
[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 12:00, 17 June 2021 (UTC)

I'm very surprised by the lack of imagination among these aliens. The most advanced tech they can think to offer us is ''gears''? How about a printing press, or electricity, or the combustion engine? Something else is going on here that no one yet has mentioned. Is Randall telling us that the aliens are restrained from giving us too much because of the Prime Directive or something? --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.114.38|172.70.114.38]] 12:21, 17 June 2021 (UTC)

2473: Product Launch

2021-06-10T00:24:25Z

172.70.114.38: /* 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 by the company to spy on people, 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.

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]]

2473: Product Launch

2021-06-09T16:44:35Z

172.70.114.38: /* 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 a NON-THREATENING 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 by the company to spy on people, 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.

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.

* 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]]