explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1757: November 2016

2016-11-10T11:01:23Z

198.41.242.242:

Ok transcript hopefully complete, but please check it over, as I did it while tired and staying up late waiting for the election results. [[User:Wyrme|Wyrme]] ([[User talk:Wyrme|talk]]) 05:43, 9 November 2016 (UTC)

: Spoiler alert: Trump won. --[[User:JayRulesXKCD|JayRulesXKCD]] ([[User talk:JayRulesXKCD|talk]]) 16:16, 9 November 2016 (UTC)

The main idea of the comic is stated in the first sentences "If they're [age], you say: "Did you know [thing] has been around for the majority of your life?"
The majority of your life means "more than half your life". For each of the age stated in the comic, something that happened more than half the age ago is stated.
As an example for the first two:
Grand Theft Auto IV was released in 2008, which is 8 years ago. More than 8 years is at the same time more than half of 16 years, which means "the majority of a 16 year old's life"
The next one goes for Rickrolling, which is "a prank and an Internet meme involving an unexpected appearance of the music video for the 1987 Rick Astley song 'Never Gonna Give You Up'. The meme is a type of bait and switch using a disguised hyperlink." according to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickrolling wikipedia]. Even if the first reference is from 2007, the same Wiki page says that 'By May 2008, the practice had spread beyond 4chan and became an Internet phenomenon'. May 2008 is more than 8 and a half years ago which is more than half of 17 years.
It goes on and on, with "Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters" which is a 2007 American Flash animated surreal comedy film", which again is more than 9 years ago and so on.
Sorry if I'm not clear enough but I hope you got it.
[[User:Anarhistu|Anarhistu]] ([[User talk:Anarhistu|talk]]) 11:19, 9 November 2016 (UTC)

: Yeah, the "majority part" is a bit confusing. I looked up 35 and saw "The Matrix" and I was like "wait, that didn't come out 35 years ago?!". Well, it didn't and that's not what the comic implys. However, it has been around for a MAJORITY (= more than half) of my life. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.202.141|162.158.202.141]] 12:37, 9 November 2016 (UTC)

I'm only 32, but saddened at the entry for 40. C&H was (and still is) one of my favorites. I say we all just take off today and play some Calvinball. Who's with me? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.69.100|162.158.69.100]] 12:48, 9 November 2016 (UTC)

There is this last thing "over 41, we don't care" which I cannot really explain. Maybe the 40+ year olds seen all of these later in their life but why stop at this point? (which is around 1996, according to the "rules")? The internet has been around since way before that and if we take the first popular browser this was about 1993 or so. That would take us to 46. Is there any specific event which might be a reason to stop at 41? [[User:Anarhistu|Anarhistu]] ([[User talk:Anarhistu|talk]]) 13:12, 9 November 2016 (UTC)
: No, people above 40 already feel old, no need for a chart --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.88.204|162.158.88.204]] 13:18, 9 November 2016 (UTC)
::Jurassic Park, Mrs. Doubtfire, Robin Hood Men In Tights [[Special:Contributions/162.158.69.100|162.158.69.100]] 13:21, 9 November 2016 (UTC)
:::He has previously stopped at a given age and stated that anyone older should feel old already --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:43, 9 November 2016 (UTC)

But if I look in x years, then the entry at current age + x will have been there for (current age +x)/2 + x years, so if I look at it again after my age has doubled, the thing has been there for my entire life.
--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.88.204|162.158.88.204]] 13:17, 9 November 2016 (UTC)
:Sorry your are completely wrong. If you are 20 now and look at something happening 10 years ago. Then when you are twice as old (40) you look at the same ting and that will then be 30 years old. It will always be 10 years younger than you. There was a mistaken explanation of the title text saying something like what you say, and now I have corrected it. He just means that if you show them this chart again when their age has doubles, you can say that this chart has now existed in the majority of your life. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:43, 9 November 2016 (UTC)

Heh. Randall isn't always prompt in posting new comics early on M/W/F, but this one went up promptly at 12:01am. He deserves to be embarrassed after the communist comic he posted on Monday. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.55.83|172.68.55.83]] 13:31, 9 November 2016 (UTC)
:How the hell did you make out Clinton to be a communist? It's Trump who likes Putin, where Clinton would be more against him... I guess he just thought people needed something that could distract them from the election, since most of his readers (especially after his previous comic) would have rooted for Clinton because of their fear that Trump won. On the other hand most people probably feels old today, after the election, so in that way the comic is a bit of a waste... --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:43, 9 November 2016 (UTC)

I don't understand how this is supposed to work. If I wanted to make someone feel old, I would pick an event that they think is fairly ancient and tell them: "do you realize you're *more* than twice as old as this?" Here, Randall does the opposite, he says: "did you know you're *less* than twice as old as this", so what? E.g. "Twitter has been around for a majority of your life" is true of anyone who is 0 to 20, so how is it supposed to make a 20-year-old feel old? Did Randall get his comic backwards or am I missing something?
Zetfr 14:26, 9 November 2016 (UTC)
:The idea is that you don't pick events that they think are ancient, you pick events that they think are recent. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.222.138|162.158.222.138]] 16:46, 9 November 2016 (UTC)

The explanation says "The titletext points out that the same chart can be used for the same person much later in their life. However, the major event shifts earlier and earlier into their life; when their age has doubled, the event in the chart has happend in the year of their birth."<br/>This makes no mathematical sense - the major event would shift earlier ''into their life'', but not ''in time'', and would remain the same distance from their birth year. What is probably intended is that now ''the chart itself'' will be around for a majority of their life (though I agree with the above commenter that it would probably make one feel young, not old). --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.10.90|172.68.10.90]] 14:54, 9 November 2016 (UTC)
:Exactly, what I wrote above to the other comment on this, and I have tried to correct it in the explanation. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:43, 9 November 2016 (UTC)

I fixed the rest of the blank explanations, such as Gmail, Nintendo Wii, and others. Please fill in the 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force', as I was not able to find information about it anywhere and I have not seen that show, nor the movie itself, so I cannot answer. --[[User:JayRulesXKCD|JayRulesXKCD]] ([[User talk:JayRulesXKCD|talk]]) 15:14, 9 November 2016 (UTC)

Actually Randall may be wrong with some of those entries at the current moment. Let's say that somebody is 19 years old, but their 20th birthday is on the 10th of November. The entry for their age is the Nintendo Wii which came 9 years, 11 months and 20 days ago (as of November 9), which is not more than half of the subject's age. I think this occurs on quite a few of those entries, so either the chart is intended to be addressed only to people during their birthdays, or one can make fun of any geek who parades this list for not being rigorous with their maths. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.35|108.162.246.35]] 15:38, 9 November 2016 (UTC)
: That's pretty pedantic. We're so close to the end of the year that we can reasonably assume it means "people who turned X years old in 2016" [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.165|141.101.98.165]]
::I think he just goes for events that is approximately half as old as the person. Only error he seems to have made is with the Matrix, which came when the 35 years old of today was 18, and it has thus only been in their life about 17 years. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:43, 9 November 2016 (UTC)
:Pedantic? This is xkcd we're talking about. Not only that there's a post commenting on this comic's timing regarding the MWF pattern, as on every other similar comic, a fact that should be taken even less seriously, but Randall has greatly shown his support of pedants partly by repeatedly depicting them as empowered in his comics. I think that pedants have to either take responsibility for their demeanour or admit to the fact that their peculiarity does not even have the tradeoff of accuracy it should have. In other words, anyone who bothers others with a list like this better have precise information to offer if they expect to have any reason not to waste others' time. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.35|108.162.246.35]] 05:25, 10 November 2016 (UTC)

36 years old: Half-life has been around half of your life.
18000 years old: Half of the curium-250 atoms have been around half of your life. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.82|108.162.219.82]] 17:58, 9 November 2016 (UTC)

You might be old if you remember watching the Berlin Wall being torn down on television.
You would be even older if you remember reading about the Berlin Wall at the time it was being built.
I remember both ... I read about the wall being built in elementary (primary) school current events. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 21:30, 9 November 2016 (UTC)
:Interesting, but not strange, to bring that wall up today. Since it is today the anniversary for it's destruction in 1989 (17 years ago so would have been good for the 34 years old). And very ironic that a man is then elected on this very day who has promised to build and even bigger wall between his country and another. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 22:14, 9 November 2016 (UTC)
: If you want to feel really old, just remember that The Hoff sang "Looking for Freedom" in front of the Berlin Wall. ;) [[Special:Contributions/198.41.242.242|198.41.242.242]] 11:01, 10 November 2016 (UTC)

Talk:1685: Patch

2016-05-25T06:44:54Z

198.41.242.242:

Hey, I'm first! Guessing the Bot only JUST created this, it was mere minutes after midnight EST when I landed on this page. Unfortunately this is a comic I'm less capable of explaining. From the looks of it, his Photoshop Patch turned what looks like C code into gobbledegook by filling in several of the spaces (and I think even changing some of the characters, possible with characters which fill more of the space). - NiceGuy1 [[Special:Contributions/108.162.218.77|108.162.218.77]] 04:24, 25 May 2016 (UTC)

This appears to be Python code. Note the "def" keyword, how "for i in [garbled]:" is used rather than C's for syntax, and how there are no semicolons or braces. --[[User:Sherlock9|Sherlock9]] ([[User talk:Sherlock9|talk]]) 05:03, 25 May 2016 (UTC)

Photoshop has a 'patch' tool but it has a very different function from a software patch.
:An explanation of Photoshop's patch tool might be helpful in identifying patterns in what pixels were changed by it, perhaps facilitating the identification of some likely characters. [[User:Dansiman|Dansiman]] ([[User talk:Dansiman|talk]]) 05:56, 25 May 2016 (UTC)

The first function looks like "isPrime" and seems to check if a number is prime. The last function looks like "quicksort". Both are common functions you create when learning programming. Not sure about the second one, but it looks like it uses regular expressions. -- [[Special:Contributions/198.41.242.242|198.41.242.242]] 06:44, 25 May 2016 (UTC)

1528: Vodka

2015-06-07T19:59:49Z

198.41.242.242: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1528
| date = May 22, 2015
| title = Vodka
| image = vodka.png
| titletext = Or whatever's handy! I'm pretty much pure alcohol and water, so it doesn't really matter!
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Vodka}} is a {{w|distilled beverage}} composed primarily of water and ethanol, sometimes with traces of impurities and flavorings. Traditionally, vodka is made by the distillation of {{w|fermented}} {{w|cereal}} grains or {{w|potatoes}}, though some modern brands use other substances, such as fruits or sugar.

When people say "maybe it's the vodka talking" (or similar phrases), they usually mean that they are speaking under the {{w|influence of alcohol}} and are saying things they probably wouldn't say when {{w|sober}}. This is similar to the {{w|Latin}} saying "{{w|in vino veritas}}" - in wine there is truth. However, in this comic, it appears that the vodka itself is ''literally'' speaking through Ponytail to discuss its origin, potatoes in this case. Other comics in which things have been taken too literally include [[1099: Tuesdays]] and [[1086: Eyelash Wish Log]].

In the [[title text]] the vodka is implying it can be made from many other things beside potatoes. Vodka can be manufactured from potatoes, grain, and most other plants. Most illegal distilled vodka is often made with whatever one has on hand. However, vodkas are often repeatedly distilled to remove the "foreshots" (the first few ounces of alcohol that drip from the condenser), the "heads" (the higher alcohols which are first to condense during distillation) and the "tails" (the lower fusel oils which are last to be distilled). Removal of these leaves a clear solution consisting almost entirely of ethanol and water. This is in contrast to other distilled beverages like {{w|whiskey}}, {{w|brandy}} and {{w|rum}}.

==Transcript==
:[Ponytail and Megan sit together at a table with two small shot glasses on the table. Ponytail is imbibing from a large bottle, while Megan is cradling what could be a cup of coffee, or a squarish bomb, or even a box of custom size condoms.]

:Ponytail: Maybe this is the vodka talking, but:
:Ponytail: ''Hi! I'm made from potatoes!''

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

1168: tar

2015-06-03T11:30:37Z

198.41.242.242: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1168
| date = February 1, 2013
| title = tar
| image = tar.png
| titletext = I don't know what's worse--the fact that after 15 years of using tar I still can't keep the flags straight, or that after 15 years of technological advancement I'm still mucking with tar flags that were 15 years old when I started.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Tar (computing)|tar}} ("tape archive") is a {{w|Unix|Unix}} application that creates (and extracts) archives in the ".tar" format. It is typically used through the text-based terminal, using cryptic single-letter arguments such as "<code>tar -cvf archive.tar *</code>". The comic alludes to the fact that despite years of use of the command, it's still hard to remember the arguments without searching for them, such as with Google.

The title text points out that while much of computing changes very quickly, the tar program, which is very old (originating ca. 1975), is still around and heavily used. And yet, [[Randall]] complains he still cannot type out a line of tar command with correct flags without having to look the flags up.

The joke here is that a "tar" command with perfect syntax on the first try without outside help is such a daunting task that even Rob can't overcome it with assuredness, and apologizes for not being able to prevent their imminent death.

The fact that [[Megan]] and [[White Hat]] assume that [[Rob]] can disarm the nuclear bomb because he uses Unix can be referring to an overgeneralization fallacy that a partaker in a practice is an expert of a practice. Not all people who use Unix necessarily know how to use tar commands. Then again, since he's the only person nearby who knows ''any'' Unix and thus their only hope, their fallacy is pretty justified.

There is probably also a pun on "{{w|tarbomb}}," a poorly created tar archive that, when extracted, dumps a load of files into the current directory that the user has to clean up.

Alternative explanation: Tar is a very common command that Unix users will come across regularly, much like Windows users will come across .zip files. Depending on the flavor of Unix, the order of the flags, or the lack or inclusion of a '-' could render the command incorrect. Most true Unixes (AIX, HPUX, Solaris) not using the GNU utilities would give an error on the above tar example. For such a simple command, it is one that most people need to look up references to use.

==Transcript==
:[Megan and White Hat wearing a white hat stand next to a nuclear bomb. The bomb has a hatch open on top, and a small blinking screen. The two people are shouting off-screen.]
:Megan: Rob! You use Unix!
:White Hat: Come quick!

:[Megan, White Hat, and Rob look at the screen. Rob peers closely. The screen reads:
:To disarm the bomb, simply enter a valid tar command on your first try. No Googling. You have TEN seconds.
:~# _]

:[They continue to peer.]

:White Hat: ...Rob?
:Rob: I'm so sorry.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Rob]]
[[Category:Puns]]

1171: Perl Problems

2015-06-03T10:50:17Z

198.41.242.242: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 1171
| date = February 8, 2013
| title = Perl Problems
| image = perl problems.png
| titletext = To generate #1 albums, 'jay --help' recommends the -z flag.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Perl}} is a scripting language that makes heavy use of {{w|Regular expression|regular expressions}}, which are good for dealing with large amounts of text quickly. In the comic, the man wearing sunglasses parodies the song "{{w|99 Problems}}" in which the rapper {{w|Jay-Z}} says:

:If you're havin' girl problems
:I feel bad for you, son-
:I got 99 problems,
:But a bitch ain't one.

In the comic however, the rapper tries to solve his problems with Perl's regular expressions, and ends up only creating another problem for himself, which is a reference to a [http://regex.info/blog/2006-09-15/247 famous quote by Jamie Zawinski] (whose name could also be shortened to "Jay-Z"): "Some people, when confronted with a problem, think 'I know, I'll use regular expressions.' Now they have two problems." (This quote was revisited in [[1313: Regex Golf]].)

"program --help" is a common way, originating with the GNU project, to ask a program to show documentation on its usage and supported parameters; which, for some program, could include a "-z" command-line argument ("flag"), so the command would read "jay -z". In this case, it is just an obvious play on the rapper's name. [http://www.cs.rit.edu/~ats/projects/lp/doc/jay/package-summary.html '''jay'''] is also an actual C program that is a compiler-compiler for java, but it doesn't have a "-z" flag.

==Transcript==
:[Man with sunglasses talking (or, alternatively, rapping) to Cueball.]
:Sunglasses: If you're havin' perl problems I feel bad for you, son-

:Sunglasses: I got 99 problems,

:Sunglasses: So I used regular expressions.

:Sunglasses: Now I have 100 problems.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Music]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Regex]]

1181: PGP

2015-06-03T10:30:19Z

198.41.242.242: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 1181
| date = March 4, 2013
| title = PGP
| image = pgp.png
| titletext = If you want to be extra safe, check that there's a big block of jumbled characters at the bottom.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Pretty Good Privacy|PGP}} (Pretty Good Privacy) is a program which can be used to encrypt and/or sign data, including messages sent as emails. Encrypting means encoding data in a way that requires a known key to decrypt and read; signing means that there is a code included in the data which can be used to verify both that the data is unaltered and to verify the true sender.

In the case of the email in this comic, it has only been signed; not encrypted (hence, the top of the first line of text can be seen and is legible in normal English). This is more common than encryption, as reading an encrypted message would require the recipient to already be a PGP user. In fact, the use of PGP even to sign email messages is so rare that most people have probably never seen a signed message. Because a signed email is so rare, and because it is already legible and unencrypted, [[Randall]] is making the tongue-in-cheek observation that few users, technical or otherwise, actually know how to use the signature to verify the authenticity of the sender using the PGP signature, and that such users assume the fact that there ''is'' a signature is good enough evidence that the message is authentic. Further, because PGP signatures are so rare and probably ignored by most recipients, he suggests one would not expect anyone to even bother creating a false PGP signature; therefore the mere existence of a PGP header would suggest authenticity.

The title text extends the joke by suggesting you confirm there's a bunch of random characters in the footer (this is the actual signature that PGP generates which can be used to verify the authenticity of the email). Again, Randall is humorously suggesting that the existence of the block is itself sure evidence of authenticity.

==Transcript==
:How to use PGP to verify that an email is authentic:
:Look for this text at the top
:[In mail header, light grey.] Reply
:[Highlighted, with arrow pointing to it from the text "Look for this text at the top" above.]
:-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
:[In mail message, light grey.]
:HASH: SHA256
:Hey,
:First of all, thanks for taking care of

:[After mail message.]
:If it's there, the email is probably fine

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Cryptography]]