explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:76: Familiar

2022-03-09T12:49:41Z

Blackhatter:

What do you reckon is missing from the explanation? ––[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 14:26, 2 July 2013 (UTC)
:I'm running through the first comics and when I feel that something is missing it just gets the incomplete tag. Everyone is welcome to fix and remove this tag. The most worse error here was :) instead of :(.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 15:22, 2 July 2013 (UTC)
::The happy smiley was ''after'' the sentence dryly ''explaining'' the fairly obvious thing that a sad smiley means sadness. It was totally intentional, meant as a joke, funny or not! It could have been ;) though. –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 07:55, 3 July 2013 (UTC)
:::The title text shows :( not more or less. If you have ideas beyond of this explain it, but do not change the original text.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:14, 7 July 2013 (UTC)
::::This is confused. How do you mean, I changed the original text? –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 09:36, 10 July 2013 (UTC)
:::::Go here: [[http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=76:_Familiar&diff=prev&oldid=43148]], you did change the ":(" to ";)" and a few edits before you did ":)". I just did edit this to the correct sadness symbol. When Randall talks about apples you can't explain bananas.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 10:44, 10 July 2013 (UTC)
::::::I'm removing the sentence. It was just a joke, but it wasn't appreciated. :( ––[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 19:19, 21 July 2013 (UTC)
:::::::What the hell you are doing? We need an explain for the title text, even when it's simple.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:32, 21 July 2013 (UTC)
::::::::No. You don't need to explain what a smiley is. Everybody knows. Especially on the internet. There's got to be a limit; we don't, for example, explain the meaning of common english words. –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 08:18, 22 July 2013 (UTC)
:: *worst, not 'most worst'. :) [[User:Beanie|Beanie]] ([[User talk:Beanie|talk]]) 14:17, 16 March 2021 (UTC)
Is this the shortest title text? [[User:Fabian42|Fabian42]] ([[User talk:Fabian42|talk]]) 10:56, 11 June 2018 (UTC)
:If you don't count comics without any title text at all, then yeah, I'm pretty sure it is. [[User:SuperSupermario24|<span style="color: #b000ff;">SuperSupermario24</span>]] 06:32, 1 June 2019 (UTC)

== Comic rotation ==

Anyone else notice the comic is rotated 90 degrees clockwise for them on the xkcd website? I’m using Safari on an iPhone. {{unsigned|172.68.142.209}}
:It's fine in Chrome on Android and Debian. [[User:Fabian42|Fabian42]] ([[User talk:Fabian42|talk]]) 01:13, 12 May 2019 (UTC)
::Exif.Image.Orientation is set to rotate the image. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.238|108.162.219.238]] 21:10, 13 February 2020 (UTC)
::Also rotated in Chrome on Mac as of May 2020
:::As well as for Chrome on PC as of July 2020.[[User:Blueshoes317|Blueshoes317]] ([[User talk:Blueshoes317|talk]]) 16:26, 3 July 2020 (UTC)
:Currently not rotated in Firefox on Debian. [[User:ExcarnateSojourner|ExcarnateSojourner]] ([[User talk:ExcarnateSojourner|talk]]) 02:47, 4 July 2020 (UTC)
::Rotated in Firefox on Ubuntu as of September 2020. [[User:LegionMammal978|LegionMammal978]] ([[User talk:LegionMammal978|talk]]) 18:37, 24 September 2020 (UTC)
:Rotated in Chrome on a Chromebook as of March 20, 2020. [[User:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)]] ([[User talk:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|talk]]) 17:45, 20 March 2021 (UTC)
As of 2021 it is roatated on chrome on iPad

2021-12-08, rotated on Chrome on a Windows 10 laptop. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.45|172.70.110.45]] 15:18, 8 December 2021 (UTC)

2022-Mar-09, rotated on Edge on a Windows 10 PC.

2279: Symptoms

2020-03-12T13:02:58Z

Blackhatter: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2279
| date = March 11, 2020
| title = Symptoms
| image = symptoms.png
| titletext = This medicine says it may cause lightheadedness, dry mouth, and blurred vision, but my head feels incredibly heavy, water is pouring from my mouth, and I can see individual hummingbird wingbeats, so I think I'm fine.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a PERSON WITH ICY SKIN. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic is the fifth comic in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] (with at least five in a row) about the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} - {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}.

The comic states that the symptoms of a disease are shortness of breath, fever, fatigue and dry cough. These are the top 3 and 5th most {{w|Coronavirus_disease_2019#Signs_and_symptoms|common symptoms}} reported for {{w|COVID-19}}, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. This is thus the fifth comic in a row about this disease, released on the day that the {{w|World Health Organization}} declared the outbreak a {{w|pandemic}}.

[[Cueball]] reads these symptoms up from his phone to [[Megan]] who acts as if reassured that she doesn't have it, since her symptoms are the opposite. She has powerful lungs, thus no shortness of breath. This is a good thing. She also has icy skin, normally not a fever symptom, although heavy sweating caused by fever can lower temperature. She describes her self as having frenzied energy, the opposite of fatigue. These two symptoms could be a bit weird, but maybe she just works her self up so she sweats alot, and if running around sweating your skin can become really cold.

But her last symptoms is an incredibly wet cough, and although that is the opposite of a dry cough it sounds quite bad, compared with her other two strange symptoms. So while she might not have COVID-19, she might wish to see a doctor nevertheless. (There are still other diseases out there although most of the world only talks about Corona virus these days, see the first of this row of comics: [[2275: Coronavirus Name]].)

An alternative is that Megan is being sarcastic, considering that these could be symptoms of a whole host of medical situations, specifically any kind of flu, many of which are not concerning at all.

The title text expands on this joke. Cueball reads up from the note on some medicine about the side effects. Here [[Megan]] again doesn't have the common side effects of the medicine but the exact opposite so she thinks she is fine. In such a situation they should see a doctor as soon as possible, because they obviously have some rare side effects that could be serious.

It also reflects on the whole concept of symptom/side effect warnings themselves as often people have no good frame of reference for when a particular symptom is actually abnormal. It is often easy for one to believe they match some or all of a list of symptoms because for someone to be absolutely sure they do not have the a specific symptom, they would need an almost comic level of "normality".

The medicine is supposed to make the user:
#Lightheaded, but Megan's head feels heavy.
#Have a dry mouth, but water is pouring out of Megan's mouth.
#Have blurred vision, but Megan sees so clearly that she can spot individual {{w|hummingbird}} wingbeats.

Having a heavy head, is not a good sign, even though the opposite is also not good. Dry mouth can be anoying but her condition sounds dangerous. And although blurred vision is a bad thing, it is impossible for a human eye to follow the 12-80 beats a second of a hummingbird. {{Citation needed}}

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Megan stand facing each other, with Cueball looking down at his smartphone held up in one hand.]
:Cueball: It says here common symptoms include shortness of breath, fever, fatigue, and a dry cough.
:Megan: That's reassuring to me, a person with powerful lungs, icy skin, frenzied energy, and an '''''incredibly''''' wet cough.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:COVID-19]]

2277: Business Greetings

2020-03-06T11:46:53Z

Blackhatter: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2277
| date = March 6, 2020
| title = Business Greetings
| image = business_greetings.png
| titletext =
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an EYEBALL LICKER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic is the third comic in a row about the outbreak of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The first being [[2275: Coronavirus Name]] and the second [[2276: Self-Isolate]]. This thus makes all comics of that week about the corona outbreak.

As a reaction to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, people are refraining from personal contact. This leads to conflicts with customs in the workplace - e.g. shaking hands at the beginning of a meeting etc.

The comic shows [[Beret Guy]] addressing his employers in his company [[Ponytail]], [[Hairy]] and [[Hairbun]]. He states that they should not overreact to the coronavirus. But at least they should now quit their usual startup procedure at meetings where everyone is "licking each others eyeballs". Virus or not, it is not normal to lick anyone's eyeballs at meetings - or in any other normal situation... ever!

The fun thing is that his employers state that they will miss this human contact, but that they at least understand.

Contact between saliva and eyes are a very common way to get the virus spread. But usually this occurs from one person sneezing, not by licking the other persons eye.

It is possible that this is the same company of which Beret Guy has previously been shown as the boss, in one of his many [[:Category:Beret Guy's Business|Businesses]].

This comic does not appear to have a title-text. This has almost exclusively occured previously with special interactive or dynamic comics. Absence of title-text is so unusual that it broke at least one xkcd client ([https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.floern.xkcd Browser for xkcd by Floern]). It is possible that the absence is to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.

==Transcript==

[Single frame where Beret Guy is standing on the left, with three people sitting at a table to the right (from left to right: Ponytail, Hairy and Hairbun)]

Beret Guy: I don't think we should overreact to the coronavirus, but it might be time to put an end to the custom of starting business meetings by everyone licking each other's eyeballs.

Hairy: I'll miss the human contact, but that's fair.

Hairbun: Gotta change with the times.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:No title text]]

2277: Business Greetings

2020-03-06T10:09:18Z

Blackhatter: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2277
| date = March 6, 2020
| title = Business Greetings
| image = business_greetings.png
| titletext =
}}

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

The COVID-19 coronavirus is a big deal{{Citation needed}}. As a reaction, people are refraining from personal contact. This leads to conflicts with customs in the workplace - e.g. shaking hands at the beginning of a meeting.

This comic parodies that by claiming people are reacting to the virus by avoid "licking eyeballs" at start of meetings. Virus or not, it is not normal lick eyeballs at meetings{{Citation needed}}. However, eyeball licking was a teen fad in Japan and other countries during the early 2000s, suggesting something else is going on{{Citation needed}}.

It is possible that this is the same company Beret Guy has previously been shown as the boss ([https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Beret_Guy%27s_Business Beret Guy's Business]).

This comic does not appear to have a title-text. It is possible that this is to prevent further spread of the coronavirus {{Citation needed}}. Absence of title-text is so unusual that it broke at least one xkcd client ([https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.floern.xkcd Browser for xkcd by Floern]).

==Transcript==

[Single frame where Beret Guy is standing on the left, with three people sitting at a table to the right (from left to right: Ponytail, Hairy and Hairbun)]

Beret Guy: I don't think we should overreact to the coronavirus, but it might be time to put an end to the custom of starting business meetings by everyone licking each other's eyeballs.

Hairy: I'll miss the human contact, but that's fair.

Hairbun: Gotta change with the times.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:No title text]]

2277: Business Greetings

2020-03-06T10:08:42Z

Blackhatter: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2277
| date = March 6, 2020
| title = Business Greetings
| image = business_greetings.png
| titletext =
}}

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

The COVID-19 coronavirus is a big deal{{Citation needed}}. As a reaction, people are refraining from personal contact. This leads to conflicts with customs in the workplace - eg shaking hands at the beginning of a meeting.

This comic parodies that by claiming people are reacting to the virus by avoid "licking eyeballs" at start of meetings. Virus or not, it is not normal lick eyeballs at meetings{{Citation needed}}. However, eyeball licking was a teen fad in Japan and other countries during the early 2000s, suggesting something else is going on{{Citation needed}}.

It is possible that this is the same company Beret Guy has previously been shown as the boss ([https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Beret_Guy%27s_Business Beret Guy's Business]).

This comic does not appear to have a title-text. It is possible that this is to prevent further spread of the coronavirus {{Citation needed}}. Absence of title-text is so unusual that it broke at least one xkcd client ([https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.floern.xkcd Browser for xkcd by Floern]).

==Transcript==

[Single frame where Beret Guy is standing on the left, with three people sitting at a table to the right (from left to right: Ponytail, Hairy and Hairbun)]

Beret Guy: I don't think we should overreact to the coronavirus, but it might be time to put an end to the custom of starting business meetings by everyone licking each other's eyeballs.

Hairy: I'll miss the human contact, but that's fair.

Hairbun: Gotta change with the times.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:No title text]]

2150: XKeyboarCD

2019-05-15T14:46:45Z

Blackhatter:

{{comic
| number = 2150
| date = May 15, 2019
| title = XKeyboarCD
| image = xkeyboarcd.png
| titletext = The key caps use LCD displays for all the vowels, so they can automatically adjust over the years to reflect ongoing vowel shifts while allowing you to keep typing phonetically.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a KEY BOAR USING AN XKEYBOARCD. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

In the same vein as the xkcd Phone series, the XKeyboarCD seems to be an overly inventive and borderline ludicrous keyboard intended for some unknown audience. It has an assortment of features (some fairly normal, some more exotic) which give it a..."diverse skill set".

*'''54 Configurable Rubik's Keys'''
The smaller cubes on a {{w|Rubik's cube}} resemble computer keys, so this feature makes fun of that by adding a spinnable Rubik's cube above the keyboard.

*'''Hardcoded Plastic Keys for the 5 Most Useful Emoji'''
This feature parodies the feature of some laptop-keyboards where it is possible to dynamically assign emojis to a small touchscreen area. Which Emojis would be "the most useful" is highly subjective. For example in the comic it shows the quite popular laughing with tears emoji, along the octopus emoji and others.
The large size and central position of the keys make their usefulness even more questionable.

*'''Serif Lock'''
{{w|Serifs}} are small lines on the ends of certain characters in fonts such as Times New Roman and Georgia. It is dependant on the font, not on the key pressed; "A" is represented by the same code regardless of its font. Since a given font almost always either has or doesn't have serifs, this key seems challenging to implement. This key could be implemented, however, by simply changing between a pair of fonts when it is pressed.

*'''Unlimited Key Travel'''
On a keyboard, key travel refers to the distance the key moves between its unpressed and pressed states. In reality, laptop keys only move a few millimeters before bottoming out, and conventional keyboards up to about a centimeter. An increased key travel may make typing more comfortable. However, the usefulness of having unlimited key travel is unclear, and the question of how this would be physically possible in the keyboard depicted remains unanswered.

*'''Diagonal Spacebar'''
A diagonal spacebar wouldn't be very useful, as many typists are used to having a spacebar at the bottom, and there's no reason to change it.

*'''Arrow Key (Rotate to Adjust Direction)'''
Most computers have four arrow keys: up, left, right, and down. However, the XKeyboarCD just has one that can be rotated. This has the added bonus of allowing the arrow keys to point more than four different directions.

*'''15 Puzzle-Style Numberpad'''
A 15 Puzzle is a square containing fifteen smaller squares and one blank spot, which allows the squares to be moved around. The squares are shuffled and then reassembled as a game or pastime, and are usually labelled 1-15 (as is the case here) or, when assembled properly, create a picture. A numberpad in this style would be frustrating to use for typing numbers, as they could shift (or be shifted) around, but could provide a fun feature to use as a game.

*'''Ergonomic Design'''

The cylindrical portion of the keyboard is advertised as being an ergonomic design. Ergonomic keyboards do tend to be curved, to follow natural arm and finger movements more closely, and some ergonomic keyboards come in unconventional form factors, such as vertical keyboards, to allow the user's hands to rest in more neutral positions or to change positions throughout the day. However, the cylinder shape presented here requires the user to lift and twist his arms to reach certain keys, which would be an even more strenuous motion than typing on a standard keyboard.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
Introducing the
XKeyboarCD
A keyboard for powerful users and their powerful fingers

[Arrow to the various features of a keyboard labelling them.]

54 Configurable Rubik's Keys

Hardcoded Plastic Keys for the 5 Most Useful Emoji

Serif Lock

Unlimited Key Travel

Diagonal Spacebar

Arrow Key (Rotate to Adjust Direction)

15 Puzzle-Style Numberpad

Ergonomic Design
{{comic discussion}}