explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1282: Monty Hall

2013-10-25T19:08:28Z

193.67.17.36: /* Explanation */ grammatical fix

{{comic
| number = 1282
| date = October 25, 2013
| title = Monty Hall
| image = monty hall.png
| titletext = A few minutes later, the goat from behind door C drives away in the car.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is a reference to the {{w|Monty Hall Problem}}, a probability puzzle based on the US game show '{{w|Let's Make a Deal}}' and named after its original host, {{w|Monty Hall}}. The premise of the show was that Hall would offer "deals" to contestants pulled from the audience in which they could win cash and prizes. Some deals involved games/tasks the contestant had to perform, while others simply involved the contestant making choices between a series of doors or boxes. In such games of choice, there were often several prizes and typically at least one "zonk", the show's name for an undesirable "gag" prize, which on the original Monty Hall version of the show were frequently animals such as goats.

In the classic version of the Monty Problem, a contestant is offered a choice of three doors. Behind two doors is a goat, and behind one of them is a car. First, the contestant chooses a door, which remains closed. The host then opens one of the two remaining doors and reveals a goat. The contestant is then offered a final choice of whether to switch his choice to the remaining closed door, or keep the door they originally chose. The problem involves an analysis of the the probability of the contestant choosing the car given certain circumstances.

The problem assumes that a contestant would want to win a car, and would be disappointed to win a goat (a zonk), which most contestants would have no ability to house, and no use for. The comic shows that [[Beret Guy]], upon the host revealing that door B has a goat behind it, chooses to take the goat to keep as a pet, which makes them both very happy.

The title text references the car and the remaining goat, untouched behind the remaining doors.

===The Monty Hall Problem===
:''for an in-depth analysis of the Monty Hall Problem, see {{w|Monty Hall Problem|its article at Wikipedia}}''
The apparent "paradox" of the Monty Hall Problem is that many people's initial reaction once the host opens a door to reveal a goat, is that there are two remaining doors, one with a car and one with a goat; and therefore there is an equal probability the car is behind each door. Many people therefore believe that switching makes no difference to the odds of winning a car.

However, assuming that the host has knowledge of which doors contain goats, and that his choice of which door to open is always an unchosen door containing a goat, it is actually twice as likely that the contestant will win the car if they switch than if they keep their original choice. This is because the contestant initially had a one-in-three chance of choosing the car (and a two-in-three chance of choosing a goat). Switching always wins the car in those two-thirds of cases where the contestant initially chose a goat. The probability of winning by switching is therefore the same as the probability that the contestant initially chose a goat.

The switch essentially gives the contestant ''both'' remaining doors instead of just the ''one'' door originally chosen. Because the host ''always'' has at least one goat available, the fact that the host reveals a goat does not provide the contestant any new information about their initially chosen door. The initial door still has a two-in-three chance of being a goat, and switching still has a two-in-three chance of winning. Opening a goat-door simply shifts all of the probability of the remaining two doors being a car to the remaining unchosen door.

There has been great debate about the precise wording of the problem, and what assumptions or rules might apply. Variants of the problem have the host open one of the two remaining doors at random, which could result in the car being revealed, and the game ending. In that scenario, if a goat is revealed, there is in fact an equal probability of winning by switching or keeping the initial door.

==Transcript==
:[A game show presenter is standing in front of three doors, the left door labeled "A", the right door labeled "C", and the middle door presumably labeled "B". The "B" door is open. Beret Guy is walking away with a goat.]
:Beret Guy: ...And my yard has so much grass, and I'll teach you tricks, and...
:[There is an affectionate heart coming out of the goat's head, as if it likes this idea.]

==Trivia==
*The Monty Hall problem is strikingly similar to the {{w|Two envelope problem|Two Envelope Paradox}}, one of [http://blog.xkcd.com/2008/09/09/the-goddamn-airplane-on-the-goddamn-treadmill/ several notoriously provocative thought experiments] (some of which are "banned" on the xkcd forums). Admittedly, the Monty Hall problem has only one clear solution. Because of this, it is much less likely to spark the kinds of arguments like "the goddamn airplane on the goddamn treadmill" or the "Feynman sprinkler" incite.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]

1275: int(pi)

2013-10-16T18:23:26Z

193.67.17.36: Removed the sentence about round(n), which served no real purpose with regard to this comic.

{{comic
| number = 1275
| date = October 9, 2013
| title = int(pi)
| image = int pi.png
| titletext = If replacing all the '3's doesn't fix your code, remove the 4s, too, with 'ceiling(pi) / floor(pi) * pi * r^floor(pi)'. Mmm, floor pie.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic tells a simple, deadpan joke: the number "{{w|3 (number)|3}}" is cursed because it is used more than one time at the original equation volume(r)=(4/3)*pi*(r^3) and thus should not be used explicitly in programming. Instead there should be a constant defined like "THREE=3" so THREE could be used at the equation like as volume(r)=(4/THREE)*pi*(r^THREE). For a number "3" this is senseless but for many numbers, often used in a program, it is helpful. Changing the constant "THREE=3" to "THREE=300" would affect all uses of this constant by just a single edit.

In lack of this constant [[Randall]] does a workaround, recommending that programmers instead use <code>int(pi)</code>, which means the {{w|integer}} part of {{w|pi}}, without the {{w|fractional part}}. Pi, an {{w|irrational number}}, has a value starting <code>3.14159...</code>, making <code>int(pi)</code> equal to 3.

In the title text, Randall takes the joke a step further, suggesting the usage of {{w|floor and ceiling functions}}: <code>ceiling(pi)</code> would be pi rounded ''up'' to the next integer, which is {{w|4 (number)|4}}; and <code>floor(pi)</code> is pi rounded ''down'' to the next integer, which is 3. (Note that <code>int(n)</code> and <code>floor(n)</code> have the same value when <code>n</code> is greater or equal to zero. For values less than zero, <code>int(n)</code> is equal to <code>ceiling(n)</code>.)

The joke here plays on the fact that basic rules of programming are confusing and novice programmers are often told to simply not do certain things without any explanation (see [[292: goto]]). This includes, in particular, a general proscription against "{{w|Magic number (programming)#Unnamed numerical constants|magic numbers}}" in the code. Replacing all significant magic numbers with named constants makes programs easier to read, understand and maintain. Randall takes this to an extreme by suggesting that certain numbers could be inherently problematic, but the general idea is perfectly believable.

The formula in the comic is for the {{w|Sphere#Enclosed_volume|volume of a sphere}}: (4/3)*pi*(r^3).

<i>Mmm... Floor pie.</i> is a reference to Homer Simpson. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnjzmdxTXGQ]

See also {{w|Cargo cult programming}}.

==Transcript==
:volume(r) = (4/int(pi))*pi*r^int(pi)
:Programming Tip: The number "3" is cursed. Avoid it.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Programming]]
[[Category:Math]]

Talk:1277: Ayn Random

2013-10-14T16:03:04Z

193.67.17.36:

I think that should be /(\b[plurandy]+\b ?){2}/i.

[[Special:Contributions/173.66.108.213|173.66.108.213]] 05:12, 14 October 2013 (UTC)

I agree. I was confused for a while about what the b's were doing.

[[Special:Contributions/99.126.178.56|99.126.178.56]] 06:57, 14 October 2013 (UTC)

Maybe it's time to have an Ayn Rand category? --[[Special:Contributions/141.89.226.146|141.89.226.146]] 07:34, 14 October 2013 (UTC)

Can someone explain to the mathematically challenged *how* the list of names fits the regular expression? [[Special:Contributions/141.2.75.23|141.2.75.23]] 09:14, 14 October 2013 (UTC)
: Agreed, I would like to understand what the hell is going on with that. --[[User:Zagorath|Zagorath]] ([[User talk:Zagorath|talk]]) 09:20, 14 October 2013 (UTC)
: How specific do you want it? Basically it matches two words consisting of the letters plurandy. The list of names is just a random selection of two part names that only consists of these letters. More specifically it matches: Two groups ({2}), each consisting of a word boundary (\b), followed by a non-empty sequence of the letters plurandy ([plurandy]+), followed by a word boundary (\b), finally followed by an optional space ( ?). [[User:Pmakholm|Pmakholm]] ([[User talk:Pmakholm|talk]]) 09:33, 14 October 2013 (UTC)
::Also, the /'s on the end delimit the regex proper, and the `i` on the end denotes case insensitivity. --[[Special:Contributions/75.66.178.177|75.66.178.177]] 09:39, 14 October 2013 (UTC)

[[Special:Contributions/209.132.186.34|209.132.186.34]] 09:26, 14 October 2013 (UTC)

I do not think Randal would make such mistake, he would probably use \< \> anyway... unless, he wants us
to think he did mistake, or that backslash was eliminated in html/javascript... thus poining ut to
source code of the page... is there something interesting?
: I skimmed over the source and didn't see anything unusual. The '\'s are absent from the source too. I think it's just that Randall (or a tool he's using) was so affraid of [[327|Bobby Tables]] that he stripped all backslashes from the alt text. {{unsigned|Jahvascriptmaniac}}

Can someone explain to me where "In their view, if some humans are born more capable of satisfying their desires than other people, they deserve to reap greater rewards from life than others" comes from? I'm somewhat familiar with objectivist philosophy and I've never heard this put forward as an actual principle. [[Special:Contributions/50.90.39.56|50.90.39.56]] 14:14, 14 October 2013 (UTC)

Most people would write the regexp as /(\b[adlnpruy]+\b ?){2}/i. Using "plurandy" makes it look like a word, which is more confusing than using the letters' natural order. --[[User:Ralfoide|Ralfoide]] ([[User talk:Ralfoide|talk]]) 15:58, 14 October 2013 (UTC)

Would it be better to identify Alan Alda not for his role as Hawkeye Pierce in MASH, but for his role in The West Wing as Arnold Vinick, a fiscally-conservative Republican presidential candidate? [[Special:Contributions/193.67.17.36|193.67.17.36]] 16:03, 14 October 2013 (UTC)

1245: 10-Day Forecast

2013-07-31T20:15:18Z

193.67.17.36:

{{comic
| number = 1245
| date = July 31, 2013
| title = 10-Day Forecast
| image = 10 day forecast.png
| titletext = Oh, definitely not; they don't have Amazon Prime.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete}}

The 10-day forecast is a prediction of the weather extending 10 days into the future (with varying degrees of accuracy). However, when [[Cueball]] checks the forecast for his local area, it predicts extreme lightning storms, a plague of insects, {{w|Rapture|The Rapture}}, and the appearance of what appears to be the anti-Christ. The anti-Christ appears on Tuesday, and then the world ends (hence why all forecasts after that are labeled "Tuesday"). When asked about this, [[Megan]] explains that Cueball put a minus (-) sign in front of his ZIP code, and that all negative ZIP codes are like that. A {{w|Zone Improvement Plan|ZIP code}} is a numeric postal code used in the United States, but many more countries use similar systems. And because you can identify the geographical location it is also often used to specify a local region for the purposes of weather reports.

In the title text, Megan agrees with Cueball's desire not to move to that ZIP code area, the punchline being that her reason is not to avoid the apocalypse, but to retain access to Amazon Prime, which shows that her priorities are amusingly warped. The service Amazon Prime is provided by {{w|Amazon.com|Amazon}}, where the user pays a flat by a yearly fee and in exchange he/she gets access a number of "enhanced" Amazon services, including free two-day shipping, free access to a library of streaming videos, and the ability to borrow books.

==Transcript==
:

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

Talk:1242: Scary Names

2013-07-24T16:23:39Z

193.67.17.36:

What is "A Zero Halliburton briefcase"?[[Special:Contributions/212.232.24.57|212.232.24.57]] 13:24, 24 July 2013 (UTC)

:Zero Halliburton is a luggage brand name, with a line of aluminum attache cases. Not connected to the big company Halliburton, associated with former US Vice President Cheney and the war in Iraq. [[User:Wrybred|Wrybred]] ([[User talk:Wrybred|talk]]) 13:57, 24 July 2013 (UTC)wrybred

::The history of Zero Halliburton luggage does intersect with the founder of Halliburton Company, Erle P. Halliburton. He needed rugged cases, so he started a company to produce them. He sold it to Zero Corporation. [http://www.zerohalliburton.com/about-our-company.html]. ''— [[User:Tbc|tbc]] ([[User talk:Tbc|talk]]) 14:26, 24 July 2013 (UTC)''

Isn't the nuclear football carried by a military aide, not a Secret Service agent? [[Special:Contributions/167.165.238.254|167.165.238.254]] 14:18, 24 July 2013 (UTC)

:Probably. I don't really know what I'm talking about. If you think you can improve on what I wrote, go for it! [[User:RouterIncident|RouterIncident]] ([[User talk:RouterIncident|talk]]) 14:24, 24 July 2013 (UTC)

::Yes. "Cheney noted that the president is accompanied at all times by a military aide carrying a 'football' that contains launch codes for nuclear weapons. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/21/AR2008122100869.html] ''— [[User:Tbc|tbc]] ([[User talk:Tbc|talk]]) 14:26, 24 July 2013 (UTC)''

:::I assume it's called 'football' because in the USA footballs are usually carried by hand. --[[User:Chtz|Chtz]] ([[User talk:Chtz|talk]]) 15:16, 24 July 2013 (UTC)

::::Early plans for nuclear war against the Soviets were codenamed "Dropkick". [[Special:Contributions/193.67.17.36|193.67.17.36]] 16:23, 24 July 2013 (UTC)

I think the "Helvetica Scenario" explanation is wrong, but I don't know enough about it to feel comfortable editing. Here's an article I found that makes more sense. http://enigmauniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Helvetica_Scenario (I didn't watch the Youtube clip since I'm at work, so maybe that's what the clip refers to. It should be explained in the article instead.) [[User:Trek7553|Trek7553]] ([[User talk:Trek7553|talk]]) 14:45, 24 July 2013 (UTC)

:To the best of my knowledge, the page you linked to is a work of fiction on a role-playing wiki. The references to calcium imply that it is based off of the Look Around You segment, but with its own added elements for the sake of role-playing. [[User:RouterIncident|RouterIncident]] ([[User talk:RouterIncident|talk]]) 14:53, 24 July 2013 (UTC)

I have a slight issue with the artificial percentage scale given for entries in the chart. First of all it assumes a linear chart that is measured in percentages. Secondly, it assumes Flesh-eating Bacteria is 100% scariest thing and scariest-sounding thing existant. Just because it's the highest on the chart doesn't make it "100%" (again, percentage seems like an arbitrary scale to assign) [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 16:22, 24 July 2013 (UTC)

1239: Social Media

2013-07-17T18:57:17Z

193.67.17.36: /* Explanation */ Bill Nye/global warming paragraph

{{comic
| number = 1239
| date = July 17,2013
| title = Social Media
| image = social_media.png
| titletext = The social media reaction to this asteroid announcement has been sharply negative.Care to respond?
}}

==Explanation==
This comic parodies how the media tends to focus on social networking. Specifically in the case of revolutions, social media is given a lot of weight, even in countries with limited internet access. A direct parallel is made to the so called Twitter revolution. Obviously, twitter comments don't change the orbit of an asteroid. <strike>Or do they?</strike> No they don't.

People who are not on social media tend to react like Cueball and come to the conclusion that twitter makes press coverage more stupid.

The comic may also parody an actual interview [http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/02/12/deb_feyerick_to_bill_nye_is_asteroid_2012_da14_connected_to_global_warming.html] in which {{w|Bill Nye}} was asked if an approaching asteroid was a result of global warming.

The title text continues the joke. The negativity on twitter concerning an earth bound asteroid has nothing to do with twitter but rather with the negativity of wiping out life on earth in general. Again, undue weight is given to social media.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball at a press conference]
:Cueball: NASA has confirmed that the asteroid is heading directly for us.
:Cueball: ...Yes, a question?

:Audience member 1: What role has social media played in this asteroid's orbit?

:Cueball: *''sigh''*

:Audience member 1: Has twitter changed the way we respond to asteroid threats?
:Cueball: Well, it's made the press conference questions stupider.
:Audience member 2: Fascinating!
:Audience member 3: What about Facebook?

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:1238: Enlightenment

2013-07-17T18:37:20Z

193.67.17.36:

Did anyone else notice the (most likely intentional) typos in that sentence they told her to type? "... and THEIR DEFINATELY good" (they're definitely) {{unsigned ip|‎115.30.33.36}}

Didn't you notice "you're" and "idea's" as well. I would assume it is highly improbable that these were not intentional. [[Special:Contributions/74.125.16.2|74.125.16.2]] 04:51, 15 July 2013 (UTC)GusGold

Of course those were intentional. That was the joke. The exercise for INTERNET enlightenment and getting rid of insecurities is to make typos and grammatical errors freely. You may also notice them saying on the last panel "wasnt" and "its", instead of "wasn't" and "it's".
Megan just wasn't able to do this task of making intentional mistakes, which would result in people online thinking she's dumb (insecurities), so she broke the laptop and left. [[Special:Contributions/95.35.58.179|95.35.58.179]] 05:20, 15 July 2013 (UTC)
:Why do we think she broke the laptop and left? What's the circle on the ground for? (Looks like a StarTrek Transporter pad. And the pedestal just appeared as needed, must be virtual. Rather, I think she got UN-enlightened and zapped away into nothing-ness. [[Special:Contributions/12.234.99.131|12.234.99.131]] 16:41, 16 July 2013 (UTC) Zake

There's a huge difference between accepting others' misspellings and repeating them yourself...not commenting on someone typing "definately" is completely different than being told to spell it that way yourself. [[User:Wotpsycho|Wotpsycho]] ([[User talk:Wotpsycho|talk]])

I read you're explanation's and their definately helpful! --[[Special:Contributions/129.187.90.96|129.187.90.96]] 09:07, 15 July 2013 (UTC)

Having your ideas "approved" by someone who can't even spell might feel much worse than having them simply shot down.{{unsigned ip|89.31.118.161}}

Does anyone else think Ponytail appears to be levitating? --[[User:DanB|DanB]] ([[User talk:DanB|talk]]) 16:07, 15 July 2013 (UTC)

Someone deleted my edit, so I'm bringing it up here on the discussion page. The sentence contains more than just common misspellings; it also contains a common grammatical error. "I read your ideas and they're definitely good" is a run-on sentence. Joining two independent clauses requires BOTH a comma and a coordinating conjunction ("I read your ideas, and they're definitely good"). The sentence omits the comma. While certain style guides allow the comma to be left out when the two clauses are short enough, Megan's obstinate grammar-nazism is the entire point of the comic. It is unlikely she would let it slide. [[Special:Contributions/193.67.17.36|193.67.17.36]] 16:49, 15 July 2013 (UTC)
:"they're" refers to "ideas", the sentences are not independent.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 17:59, 15 July 2013 (UTC)
::That's not what an independent clause means. Can they be separated into two sentences? "I read your ideas. They're definitely good." Yes - it still makes sense as two sentences, thus the two clauses are independent. (An example of a dependent clause would be "I read your ideas while I was driving home." "While I was driving home" cannot stand on its own as a sentence, so it is not an independent clause.)[[Special:Contributions/193.67.17.36|193.67.17.36]] 18:17, 15 July 2013 (UTC)
:::I'm not a native English speaker, and I have learned only British English at school. But your statement makes sense. My first sentence is correct?--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:59, 15 July 2013 (UTC)
::::Yep, your first sentence is fine. I'm going to add the note about run-on sentences back into the Explanation; I hope nobody has any more objections. [[Special:Contributions/193.67.17.36|193.67.17.36]] 19:35, 15 July 2013 (UTC)
:::"...''whilst'' I was driving home"? ;) (And bear in mind as well that "while" can more commonly mean "until", instead of "during", in certain English-speaking dialects. Ok, I'm being picky, now.) [[Special:Contributions/178.98.50.23|178.98.50.23]] 05:40, 16 July 2013 (UTC)
::::Gr8 example of Internet forum tangental one-upmanship! [[Special:Contributions/12.234.99.131|12.234.99.131]] 16:41, 16 July 2013 (UTC) Zake
:This explanation makes a lot of sense. It helped me to stop being angry at the sentence they wanted her to type, and to pay attention to the bigger picture, especially when combined with the alt-text. Randall, I heard you're idea's and their definately good. (Also, I'm assuming that Internet Enlightenment allows me to be disgusted with myself for writing that, as long as I was willing to do so.) [[Special:Contributions/68.231.138.149|68.231.138.149]] 04:49, 16 July 2013 (UTC)
::It is perfectly correct to join two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction and no comma. In fact it is often considered bad style (if not actually incorrect) to include both a comma and a conjunction when joining only two clauses.[[Special:Contributions/129.22.117.158|129.22.117.158]] 17:50, 16 July 2013 (UTC)
:::I'm not native English, as I explained before, but please give some more background information and not only a statement of your mind. And consider: This is American English, there are some odd commas. I'm still not sure what's correct.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:24, 16 July 2013 (UTC)
::::I'm not native either. What I've found on several sites [http://pages.uoregon.edu/munno/Writing/ClausesandCommas.html], [http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/writing/comma?09] is ''two independent clauses connected by "and" or "but" are separated by a comma''—basically, because you would make a little pause at that point when used in speech. Contradicting this on {{w|simple:Run-on sentence}} I currently see ''"I looked over the hill and I saw the bear." is a complete sentence.'' (not two independent clauses—although grammatically possible), so simple-wikipedia could be wrong, or there is some tolerance, when two clauses are actually connected. In the end, I'd say this comma is not really worth that discussion, and I would suggest making some kind of neutral statement, e.g. ''and there might be a {{w|Run-on sentence|comma}} missing''. --[[User:Chtz|Chtz]] ([[User talk:Chtz|talk]]) 22:52, 16 July 2013 (UTC)
:::It is not perfectly correct to omit the comma. Chtz cited two sources above, here are a few more: [http://www.towson.edu/ows/conjunctions.htm], [http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm], [http://www.getitwriteonline.com/archive/020204WhenCommaBfAnd.htm]. There is a little leeway for stylistic reasons, but as I mentioned above, the entire point of the comic is that Megan does not give leeway when it comes to grammar nazism. The corrected sentence in the explanation should be actually correct, not mostly-correct-but-given-a-little-stylistic-leeway.[[Special:Contributions/193.67.17.36|193.67.17.36]] 18:37, 17 July 2013 (UTC)

I wonder if there's an additional level of meaning here. To me, the <i>most</i> striking thing about the sentence Megan won't type is not the bad spelling, but the fact that it involves agreeing with someone. On the Internet, people are always arguing with other (as in, for example, http://xkcd.com/386/). Maybe what Megan had to do to become "enlightened" was not just to ignore the rules of spelling, but actually to agree with someone for a change?{{unsigned ip|134.226.254.178}}
:Well, that's why I wrote the third paragraph, about how important agreement can be. Do you have any suggestions as to how we could emphasize this point more? [[User:PinkAmpersand|PinkAmpersand]] ([[User talk:PinkAmpersand|talk]]) 22:03, 16 July 2013 (UTC)

Be associated with bad grammar, Yoda would not. [[User:Alcatraz ii|Alcatraz ii]] ([[User talk:Alcatraz ii|talk]]) 08:22, 17 July 2013 (UTC)
===Incomplete or not?===
I did add the tag again because there are too many edits at this page and also the discussion is still not clear. I would like to see the grammar issue solved by more explain, even when it's not easy.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:16, 16 July 2013 (UTC)

I'm not sure if it's worth mentioning any more comparisons, but I'd put it don't here at least: It reminds me of Schindler's List when Schindler tries to convince Amon Goeth, a commander of a Nazi concentration camp, that true power is when you have the power (and justification) to kill someone, but you spare them. This is an attempt to change the behaviour of Amon, who has a habit of killing random camp internees (and _believes_ he has the right to do so).{{unsigned ip|Svend}}
:Hey, you compared something to the Nazis! I invoke Godwin's Law! http://xkcd.com/261/{{unsigned ip|134.226.254.178}}

1238: Enlightenment

2013-07-15T19:45:57Z

193.67.17.36: Reinstated the "grammatical error" text. See discussion page.

{{comic
| number = 1238
| date = July 15, 2013
| title = Enlightenment
| image = enlightenment.png
| titletext = But the rules of writing are like magic spells. If you never acquire them, then not using them says nothing.
}}

==Explanation==


This comic is a reference to a scene from {{w|Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace}} in which {{w|Yoda}} expresses doubt in a young {{w|Anakin Skywalker|Anakin}}'s potential to join the {{w|Jedi}} order. Yoda delivers a speech similar to the one that [[Ponytail]] gives here, except that the end of the sequence he presents is {{w|Dark side (Star Wars)|the dark side}}. (Yoda is ultimately correct; Anakin's fears lead him to join the dark side so that he may keep his loved ones from dying; this is at the expense of the stability of the galaxy, however, and his actions are in vain, as {{w|Padmé Amidala|his wife}} dies nonetheless.)

Here, [[Randall]] compares Anakin's decision to join the dark side to the propensity of many Internet commenters to correct others on their spelling and grammar. Randall's point is that correcting people, like joining the dark side, ultimately stems from insecurity.

Ponytail and [[Cueball]] challenge [[Megan]] to type the sentence "I heard you're idea's and their definately good", which contains four {{w|Commonly misspelled words|common misspellings}} and a grammatical error: ''{{w|wikt:you're|you''''re'''}}'' instead of ''{{w|wikt:your|you'''r'''}}''; ''{{w|possessive|idea'''''''s}}'' instead of ''{{w|wikt:ideas|ideas}}'' (see {{w|greengrocers' apostrophe}}); ''{{w|wikt:their|the'''ir'''}}'' instead of ''{{w|wikt:they're|the'''y're'''}}''; ''{{w|wikt:definately|defin'''a'''tely}}'' instead of ''{{w|wikt:definitely|defin'''i'''tely}}'', and {{w|run-on sentence|a missing comma}} before the word "and". Megan, however, can't bring herself to do it, having spent so much time judging others for their trivial errors, even when they're saying helpful things like the sentence in question. Instead, she smashes the computer and runs away. Cueball and Ponytail remark on this, both failing to use {{w|apostrophe}}s. (Or, since you don't use apostrophes when you talk, you could think of it as Randall himself who's dropping them, to put his money where his mouth is.)

The particular sentence choice is also interesting: In {{w|software development}} (a frequent topic in ''xkcd'') an initial "{{w|wikt:+1|+1}}" can make a big difference. For instance, if a developer posts somewhere asking for input on how to design part of a software, and an end-user or a volunteer programmer posts some suggestions, it can really make that user feel validated if the developers follow up and say "yeah, that's a good idea"; if they just shoot it down, then the user feels discouraged, and next time might not be as likely to share their ideas. So, in other words, the sentence "I heard your ideas and they're definitely good" can be a very meaningful one in some circles; to care about whether or not the sentence is spelled right is to focus solely on its superficial elements, ignoring its meaning. Randall is saying that, if we spend more time appreciating what people say, and less time complaining about how they say it, ultimately we'll help make the Internet a more friendly place.

The title text specifically refers to {{w|Terry Pratchett}}'s novel {{w|Equal Rites}}, in which the characters discover that the most powerful magic is not using magic-- with the distinction that not using magic because you don't know how is not the same as not using magic because you can but refrain. This, in turn, is a more general reference to the common situation in fantasy stories where the powerful wizards etc. refrain from using magic except when they need to — often because overuse corrupts or similar, again with the idea that simply not using magic because you don't know magic is not at all the same. Randall is making this comparison with use/misuse of the rules of English: he is saying that people should still learn the rules — he is not condoning ignorance.

==Transcript==
:Ponytail: To achieve '''internet enlightenment''', you must free yourself from insecurity.
:Megan: But insecurity keeps me humble!
:Ponytail: No. Insecurity leads to conceit. Conceit leads to judgment. Judgment leads to being an asshole.
:[They are in front of a computer.]
:Megan: I'm ready. How do I begin?
:Ponytail: Type this sentence.
:[White text on black background.]
:I heard you're idea's and their definately good.
:[Megan is absent at the last panel and the computer lies broken on the floor.]
:Ponytail: She wasnt ready.
:Cueball: Its a difficult road.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Internet]]
[[Category:Language]]

Talk:1238: Enlightenment

2013-07-15T19:35:10Z

193.67.17.36:

Talk:1238: Enlightenment

2013-07-15T18:24:06Z

193.67.17.36:

Talk:1238: Enlightenment

2013-07-15T18:17:58Z

193.67.17.36:

Talk:1238: Enlightenment

2013-07-15T16:49:43Z

193.67.17.36:

1238: Enlightenment

2013-07-15T15:23:41Z

193.67.17.36: /* Explanation */ Reworded the previous edit

{{comic
| number = 1238
| date = July 15, 2013
| title = Enlightenment
| image = enlightenment.png
| titletext = But the rules of writing are like magic spells. If you never acquire them, then not using them says nothing.
}}

==Explanation==


This comic is a reference to a scene from {{w|Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace}} in which {{w|Yoda}} expresses doubt in a young {{w|Anakin Skywalker|Anakin}}'s potential to join the {{w|Jedi}} order. Yoda delivers a speech similar to the one that [[Ponytail]] gives here, except that the end of the sequence he presents is {{w|Dark side (Star Wars)|the dark side}}. (Yoda is ultimately correct; Anakin's fears lead him to join the dark side so that he may keep his loved ones from dying; this is at the expense of the stability of the galaxy, however, and his actions are in vain, as {{w|Padmé Amidala|his wife}} dies nonetheless.)

Here, [[Randall]] compares Anakin's decision to join the dark side to the propensity of many Internet commenters to correct others on their spelling and grammar. Randall's point is that correcting people, like joining the dark side, ultimately stems from insecurity.

Ponytail and [[Cueball]] challenge [[Megan]] to type the sentence "I heard you're idea's and their definately good", which contains four {{w|Commonly misspelled words|common misspellings}} and a grammatical error: ''{{w|wikt:you're|you''''re'''}}'' instead of ''{{w|wikt:your|you'''r'''}}''; ''{{w|possessive|idea'''''''s}}'' instead of ''{{w|wikt:ideas|ideas}}'' (see {{w|greengrocers' apostrophe}}); ''{{w|wikt:their|the'''ir'''}}'' instead of ''{{w|wikt:they're|the'''y're'''}}''; ''{{w|wikt:definately|defin'''a'''tely}}'' instead of ''{{w|wikt:definitely|defin'''i'''tely}}''; and is {{w|Run-on sentence|missing a comma}} before the "and". Megan, however, can't bring herself to do it, having spent so much time judging others for their trivial errors, even when they're saying helpful things like the sentence in question. Instead, she smashes the computer and runs away. Cueball and Ponytail remark on this, both failing to use {{w|apostrophe}}s. (Or, since you don't use apostrophes when you talk, you could think of it as Randall himself who's dropping them, to put his money where his mouth is.)

The particular sentence choice is also interesting: In {{w|software development}} (a frequent topic in ''xkcd'') an initial "{{w|wikt:+1|+1}}" can make a big difference. For instance, if a developer posts somewhere asking for input on how to design part of a software, and an end-user or a volunteer programmer posts some suggestions, it can really make that user feel validated if the developers follow up and say "yeah, that's a good idea"; if they just shoot it down, then the user feels discouraged, and next time might not be as likely to share their ideas. So, in other words, the sentence "I heard your ideas and they're definitely good" can be a very meaningful one in some circles; to care about whether or not the sentence is spelled right is to focus solely on its superficial elements, ignoring its meaning. Randall is saying that, if we spend more time appreciating what people say, and less time complaining about how they say it, ultimately we'll help make the Internet a more friendly place.

The title text possibly refers to the common situation in fantasy stories where the powerful wizards etc. refrain from using magic except when they need to — often because overuse corrupts or similar. However, simply not using magic because you don't know magic is not at all the same. Randall is making this comparison with use/misuse of the rules of English: he is saying that people should still learn the rules — he is not condoning ignorance.

==Transcript==
<pre>
Ponytail: To achieve *internet enlightenment*, you must free yourself from insecurity.
Megan: But insecurity keeps me humble!

Ponytail: No. Insecurity leads to conceit. Conceit leads to judgment. Judgment leads to being an asshole.

[They are in front of a computer]
Megan: I'm ready. How do I begin?
Ponytail: Type this sentence.
[White text on black background]
I heard you're idea's and their definately good.

[Megan is absent from the last panel, and the computer is on the floor, the stand on which the computer was is broken]
Ponytail: She wasnt ready.
Cueball: Its a difficult road.
</pre>

:

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Internet]]
[[Category:Language]]

1238: Enlightenment

2013-07-15T15:10:24Z

193.67.17.36: /* Explanation */ The sentence also contains a grammatical error - it is a run-on.

{{comic
| number = 1238
| date = July 15, 2013
| title = Enlightenment
| image = enlightenment.png
| titletext = But the rules of writing are like magic spells. If you never acquire them, then not using them says nothing.
}}

==Explanation==


This comic is a reference to a scene from {{w|Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace}} in which {{w|Yoda}} expresses doubt in a young {{w|Anakin Skywalker|Anakin}}'s potential to join the {{w|Jedi}} order. Yoda delivers a speech similar to the one that [[Ponytail]] gives here, except that the end of the sequence he presents is {{w|Dark side (Star Wars)|the dark side}}. (Yoda is ultimately correct; Anakin's fears lead him to join the dark side so that he may keep his loved ones from dying; this is at the expense of the stability of the galaxy, however, and his actions are in vain, as {{w|Padmé Amidala|his wife}} dies nonetheless.)

Here, [[Randall]] compares Anakin's decision to join the dark side to the propensity of many Internet commenters to correct others on their spelling and grammar. Randall's point is that correcting people, like joining the dark side, ultimately stems from insecurity.

Ponytail and [[Cueball]] challenge [[Megan]] to type the sentence "I heard you're idea's and their definately good", which contains four {{w|Commonly misspelled words|common misspellings}}: ''{{w|wikt:you're|you''''re'''}}'' instead of ''{{w|wikt:your|you'''r'''}}''; ''{{w|possessive|idea'''''''s}}'' instead of ''{{w|wikt:ideas|ideas}}'' (see {{w|greengrocers' apostrophe}}); ''{{w|wikt:their|the'''ir'''}}'' instead of ''{{w|wikt:they're|the'''y're'''}}''; and ''{{w|wikt:definately|defin'''a'''tely}}'' instead of ''{{w|wikt:definitely|defin'''i'''tely}}''. Additionally, the sentence is a {{w|Run-on sentence|run-on}}, missing a comma before the "and". Megan, however, can't bring herself to do it, having spent so much time judging others for their trivial errors, even when they're saying helpful things like the sentence in question. Instead, she smashes the computer and runs away. Cueball and Ponytail remark on this, both failing to use {{w|apostrophe}}s. (Or, since you don't use apostrophes when you talk, you could think of it as Randall himself who's dropping them, to put his money where his mouth is.)

The particular sentence choice is also interesting: In {{w|software development}} (a frequent topic in ''xkcd'') an initial "{{w|wikt:+1|+1}}" can make a big difference. For instance, if a developer posts somewhere asking for input on how to design part of a software, and an end-user or a volunteer programmer posts some suggestions, it can really make that user feel validated if the developers follow up and say "yeah, that's a good idea"; if they just shoot it down, then the user feels discouraged, and next time might not be as likely to share their ideas. So, in other words, the sentence "I heard your ideas and they're definitely good" can be a very meaningful one in some circles; to care about whether or not the sentence is spelled right is to focus solely on its superficial elements, ignoring its meaning. Randall is saying that, if we spend more time appreciating what people say, and less time complaining about how they say it, ultimately we'll help make the Internet a more friendly place.

The title text possibly refers to the common situation in fantasy stories where the powerful wizards etc. refrain from using magic except when they need to — often because overuse corrupts or similar. However, simply not using magic because you don't know magic is not at all the same. Randall is making this comparison with use/misuse of the rules of English: he is saying that people should still learn the rules — he is not condoning ignorance.

==Transcript==
<pre>
Ponytail: To achieve *internet enlightenment*, you must free yourself from insecurity.
Megan: But insecurity keeps me humble!

Ponytail: No. Insecurity leads to conceit. Conceit leads to judgment. Judgment leads to being an asshole.

[They are in front of a computer]
Megan: I'm ready. How do I begin?
Ponytail: Type this sentence.
[White text on black background]
I heard you're idea's and their definately good.

[Megan is absent from the last panel, and the computer is on the floor, the stand on which the computer was is broken]
Ponytail: She wasnt ready.
Cueball: Its a difficult road.
</pre>

:

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Internet]]
[[Category:Language]]

1211: Birds and Dinosaurs

2013-05-13T15:39:58Z

193.67.17.36: /* Explanation */ Changed "150 mio years" to "150 million years" - unneeded and obscure abbreviation

{{comic
| number = 1211
| date = May 13, 2013
| title = Birds and Dinosaurs
| image = birds and dinosaurs.png
| titletext = Sure, T. rex is closer in height to Stegosaurus than a sparrow. But that doesn't tell you much; 'Dinosaur Comics' author Ryan North is closer in height to certain dinosaurs than to the average human.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Bird}}s are commonly considered to be a separate {{w|class (biology)|class}} of {{w|tetrapods}}. However, this classification is false according to {{w|phylogenetic taxonomy}}. Taking into account that birds developed around {{w|Late Jurassic|150 million years ago}} out of small {{w|theropod}} dinosaurs, birds are indeed the last representatives of the {{w|Archosauria|dinosaur clade}}. (This premise appeared also in comic [[867]].)

This relation between birds and dinosaurs is depicted in the comic in a {{w|cladogram}} which shows that ''{{w|Tyrannosaurus rex}}'' is closer related to the common {{w|sparrow}} than to ''{{w|Stegosaurus}}''. Not only do the former share a phylogenetic branch, but ''T. rex'' also lived around 80 million years ''after'' ''Stegosaurus''. (In popular culture, the concurrence of both species is a widespread error.) ''T. rex'' is also much more alike to modern birds than to other dinosaurs in terms of physiognomy.

The comic draws the conclusion that if birds must in fact be considered modern dinosaurs, the hunting practice of birds of prey (specifically, the {{w|Peregrine Falcon}}) is consequently a dinosaur fight. For an inveterate dinosaur aficionado like [[Randall]], this fact must make the modern world much more attractive.

The line "This is a good world." could also possibly refer to a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znxFrgql5dc famous scene] from the {{w|Serenity (Firefly episode)|pilot episode}} of the television series ''{{w|Firefly}}'' featuring two plastic dinosaurs in a somewhat philosophic dialogue. Randall is known to be a {{w|Browncoat}}, i.e., a fan of the series.

The title text is a sidesweep to the webcomic [http://www.qwantz.com Dinosaur Comics] drawn by Ryan North, who stands 6" 6' (198 cm) tall. The title text of the May 13th Dinosaur Comics also refers to Randall and XKCD.

==Transcript==
:By any reasonable definition, ''T. rex'' is more closely related to sparrows than to ''Stegosaurus''.
:[Diagram showing that ''Stegosaurus'' came earlier than ''T. rex'', along with it showing that ''T. rex'' came closer in time to sparrows. Evaluation criteria "separation by time", "phylogenetic distance" and "physical similarity" are highlighted in red.]
:Birds aren't ''descended'' from dinosaurs, they ''are'' dinosaurs.
:Which means that the fastest animal alive today is a small carnivorous dinosaur, ''Falco peregrinus''.
:[A picture of two birds is shown.]
:It preys mainly on other dinosaurs, which it strikes and kills in midair with its claws.
:[In red:] This is a good world.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Charts]]

1183: Rose Petals

2013-03-11T14:52:39Z

193.67.17.36: /* Explanation */ changed "and autonomous robotic vacuum..." to "an autonomous robotic vacuum..."

{{comic
| number = 1183
| date = March 8, 2013
| title = Rose Petals
| image = rose petals.png
| titletext = Joke's on you--the Roomba and I had a LOVELY evening.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic strip is playing with romantic movies and gestures used in them. In such movies, one often used romantic gesture is spreading rose petals in the house or apartment, making a way towards the bedroom in which a romantic interest/lover is waiting surrounded by roses for the love-making session. The joke is that petals don't lead from the front door to the bedroom and [[Cueball]]'s lover, but in the opposite direction instead from the bedroom out onto the street. It appears that someone has set up a box of rose petals and an electric fan atop a {{w|Roomba}} (an autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner) as a method of automatically creating such a trail. The title text suggests that despite the other party's intentions of setting this up as a joke to trick Cueball, Cueball ended up having a lovely time with the Roomba.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball enters a living room, to see a line of rose petals on the floor.]
:[Cueball follows the line of rose petals.]
:[Cueball observes that the line of rose petals leads out the front door, onto the street, and along the sidewalk.]
:''WHIRRRRRR''
:[The panel shows a table fan behind what appears to be an inverted mailbox filled with rose petals with its back removed. Both are sitting on a Roomba which is motoring down the sidewalk. The fan is on, and is blowing the rose petals out the slit in the front of the mailbox.]
{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]