explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1361: Google Announcement

2014-05-01T02:21:22Z

Chexwarrior:

"The service was announced on 3 December 2009" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Public_DNS [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.179|108.162.254.179]] 05:31, 28 April 2014 (UTC)

'''ubuntu one?'''
Isn't this a reference to Ubuntu shutting down Ubuntu One "focus our efforts on our most important strategic initiatives and ensure we are not spread too thin" http://blog.canonical.com/2014/04/02/shutting-down-ubuntu-one-file-services/
Randall mentions using Linux quite a bit. U1 was a pretty convenient service for linux users. Many users complain about Ubuntu depreciating various important features. U1 was something that made Ubuntu practical for people using Mac and windows because of the cloud sharing so may be seen as part of a core mandate for ubuntu. The joke is that this is foolish to shut down, it would be akin to Google shutting down all their important services to focus on the DNS core because technically it is more important. (but obviously not to most google users who have no idea what 8.8.8.8 is)

I was pretty sure this was about ubuntu because it seems like a strong parallel... but then I thought that was a bit obscure... so I came here to check it out and I suppose maybe I am the only one who sees the connection?
[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.11|108.162.245.11]] 07:51, 28 April 2014 (UTC)

For some reason I thought 8.8.8.8 was a reference to the Penfield Mood Organ in ''Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep''. I have no clue why I thought this because it has nothing to do with Google. Maybe its because dialing 888 gives people the desire to watch TV no matter what's on. Either way, I realize that my idea would be too obscure and have nothing to do with the original comic.[[Special:Contributions/173.245.48.90|173.245.48.90]] 09:19, 28 April 2014 (UTC)

I'll start panicking only after Google switches its public DNS server to 6.6.6.6 - [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.185|108.162.254.185]] 09:21, 28 April 2014 (UTC)

:That would really be scary - I mean, any event which causes Google to use IP address currently allocated to {{w|Army_Network_Enterprise_Technology_Command|U.S. Army Information Systems Command}}, {{w|Fort Huachuca}} would certainly be reason to panic. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 10:31, 28 April 2014 (UTC)

I thought that the comment criticised Google's critics, because they usually say Google should not be working on Google Plus but, instead, on its "core business". So Google goes hardcore in order to abide by that and shuts down everything that is not "core" enough - what can be more central to any internet's business than DNS, right? It's kind of a troll reductio ad absurdum, IMO. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.194|108.162.212.194]] 11:29, 28 April 2014 (UTC)

I would be crushed if 8.8.4.4 were shut down. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]_a ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 14:14, 28 April 2014 (UTC)

This is also a parody on how such rumors spread and extrapolate ludicrously. Because some VP left a company doesn't mean the product he/she was working on will be shutdown. That's not how large companies work -- another VP will just lead that effort. Saying that G+ will be shut down because Vic left is quite a stretch, and the parody is to stretch it further until you hit the "core", with an additional layer on the parody as for most people the core business that Google is known for is its search engine, not a DNS service. [[User:Ralfoide|Ralfoide]] ([[User talk:Ralfoide|talk]]) 15:57, 28 April 2014 (UTC)

I speculate that because all of Google's other services are basically loss leaders, basically to just support it's adsense program, this is just harping on it by saying google is focusing on an obscure free service it provides. 17:21, 28 April 2014 (UTC)

Try "dig +short TXT google-public-dns-a.google.com" [[Special:Contributions/141.101.89.204|141.101.89.204]] 08:56, 29 April 2014 (UTC)
:Awesome!! For those without a "dig" command, the response is "http://xkcd.com/1361/" [[User:Nealmcb|Nealmcb]] ([[User talk:Nealmcb|talk]]) 12:11, 29 April 2014 (UTC)

I figured it may have to do with the game "2048" mentioned in strip 1344 four 8s in a row would put the player in a pretty good position, two 8s and two 4s is good but not great. Or maybe I just got nerd sniped. [[User:Chexwarrior|Chexwarrior]] ([[User talk:Chexwarrior|talk]]) 02:21, 1 May 2014 (UTC)

Talk:1213: Combination Vision Test

2013-05-17T06:43:05Z

Chexwarrior:

Number is "42".
The 4 is composed of 2's and 3's and 7's.
The 2 is composed of 3's and 7's and 9's.
--[[User:RainbowDash|RainbowDash]] ([[User talk:RainbowDash|talk]]) 05:16, 17 May 2013 (UTC)
:What about 7s? --[[Special:Contributions/81.23.24.34|81.23.24.34]] 06:13, 17 May 2013 (UTC)

Also both have 5's. I'm not very good at this counting thing. That link below is way better, anyhow. --[[User:RainbowDash|RainbowDash]] ([[User talk:RainbowDash|talk]]) 05:28, 17 May 2013 (UTC)

http://i.imgur.com/BLIQR6w.png

Credit: http://www.reddit.com/user/silly-moose

I'm not confident enough about this to write up an explanation, but given that synesthesia is a sensory experience where the senses blend into each other (hearing colors, tasting sounds, etc...) that a round shape or black and white (why is it not in color? that would help the joke imho) give the sense of a number to the synesthete. The alt text at least makes sense, seeing two big numbers fits with diplopia (double vision) and the squinting covers myopia (nearsightedness) so it is consistent with the main joke, but I feel like I'm really missing something in the main joke. [[User:Chexwarrior|Chexwarrior]] ([[User talk:Chexwarrior|talk]]) 06:43, 17 May 2013 (UTC)

1202: Girls and Boys

2013-04-23T04:06:37Z

Chexwarrior: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1202
| date = April 22, 2013
| title = Girls and Boys
| image = girls and boys.png
| titletext = To get more knowledge
}}

==Explanation==

This comic is a play on the popular school-yard taunt: "Girls go to college, to get more knowledge; boys go to Jupiter, to get more stupider." The comic subverts the original rhyme by having both girls and boys go to college to gain knowledge, and then using that knowledge to go to Jupiter as part of a space program.

The schoolyard taunt embodies the competitiveness and separation commonly seen between young boys and girls, taunts about the superiority of one's gender, and superstitions about what happens if you touch or associate with someone of the other gender (you get "cooties"). This comic subverts that mentality and emphasizes learning and cooperation free of gender bias/separation; the title text further emphasizes learning and intellectual improvement because the purpose of "going to Jupiter" is "to get more knowledge."

==Transcript==
:Girls go to college
:To get more knowledge
:[Megan studying at a table.]

:Boys go to college
:To get more knowledge
:[Cueball studying at a table.]

:Girls and boys
:[Space launch control room.]

:Go to Jupiter
:[Rocket launch.]

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

Talk:1161: Hand Sanitizer

2013-01-16T10:31:29Z

Chexwarrior: Created page with "Does anyone think the "peak" referred to in the title text could be the 1918 flu pandemic? Or even the bird flu outbreak?~~~~"

Does anyone think the "peak" referred to in the title text could be the 1918 flu pandemic? Or even the bird flu outbreak?[[User:Chexwarrior|Chexwarrior]] ([[User talk:Chexwarrior|talk]]) 10:31, 16 January 2013 (UTC)

1161: Hand Sanitizer

2013-01-16T10:23:48Z

Chexwarrior: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1161
| date = January 16, 2013
| title = Hand Sanitizer
| image = hand sanitizer.png
| titletext = Hipster CDC Reports Flu Epidemic Peaked Years Ago
}}

==Explanation==
200 million times .01% (or the remainder of germs that would be left after using the hand sanitizer) equals 20000 germs, which is still a a surprisingly large number of germs.

Side note - Recently scientists have shown that it only takes 20 virus particles to infect someone [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2257098/Larry-projectile-vomiting-robot-helping-British-team-learn-stop-spread-norovirus.html]

"Hipster CDC" is a combination of the acronym for the Centers for Disease Control and prevention: an organization dedicated to studying infectious diseases and limiting their spread, with the label hipster: a cultural group associated with a distaste for popular culture often talking about how bands, authors, etc... were better before they went "mainstream" and proclaiming that they liked a certain thing "before it was cool"

==Transcript==
:Poster: An invisible sneeze droplet can contain ''200 million'' germs!
:Product label: Our hand sanitizer kills 99.99% of germs!
:Cueball (thinking): 200 000 000 × 0.01% =
:Cueball: Ew.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Math]]

User:Chexwarrior

2012-11-01T18:17:46Z

Chexwarrior: Created page with "Longtime XKCD reader, occasional commenter on the old explain site."

Longtime XKCD reader, occasional commenter on the old explain site.

Talk:1128: Fifty Shades

2012-11-01T18:09:39Z

Chexwarrior:

Considering dogs can only see in black and white (and all the grays in between), ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' would be a great book for Wishbone to reenact IMO! --[[User:Dangerkeith3000|Dangerkeith3000]] ([[User talk:Dangerkeith3000|talk]]) 14:32, 31 October 2012 (UTC)

:That's not correct, see [[:wikipedia:Dog#Vision]]. --[[User:Kronf|Kronf]] ([[User talk:Kronf|talk]]) 16:43, 31 October 2012 (UTC)

::I stand corrected! However, I'll still leave up my comment because it gave me a chuckle thinking of it.--[[User:Dangerkeith3000|Dangerkeith3000]] ([[User talk:Dangerkeith3000|talk]]) 18:02, 31 October 2012 (UTC)

Didn't Wishbone get discontinued in 1998? There can't be a Fifty Shades of Grey episode. [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]][[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>(talk)</tt>]] 06:29, 31 October 2012 (UTC)

:Maybe it got moved to "Adult Swim"? :) --[[User:Bpothier|B. P.]] ([[User talk:Bpothier|talk]]) 07:47, 31 October 2012 (UTC)

:According to Wikipedia, you are correct and Wishbone ended in 1998, but if xkcd had to adhere to such a rigorous use of real life elements such as the proper time period in which a TV show used to air, then today's comic would have been impossible. You must be at least a little flexible. Also, I'm certain there isn't such an episode, that would be impossible, as you pointed out. The main thing here is that Randall combined both the nature of Wishbone with the nature of Fifty Shades of Grey to produce a hilarious concept which concludes in a magnificent explosion of laughter. I for one can look the other way in regards to the fact that Wishbone ended in 1998. I'm curious. Were you trying to troll the comments section? (no offence) --[[User:DelendaEst|DelendaEst]] ([[User talk:DelendaEst|talk]]) 09:52, 31 October 2012 (UTC)

::That doesn't really seem like a troll post. He probably just doesn't get the comic. --[[User:SuspendedPhan|SuspendedPhan]] ([[User talk:SuspendedPhan|talk]]) 23:02, 31 October 2012 (UTC)

:::Oi, check the history of the explanation page. I wrote the explanation, I was just nitpicking here. [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]][[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>(talk)</tt>]] 23:06, 31 October 2012 (UTC)

Yes, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifty_Shades_of_Grey Fifty Shades of Grey] is a "novel featuring large quantities of sex," but it is the kind of sex that is important; it is the fetish nature of the sexual exploits in the novel that set it apart from your every day harlequin romance novel, making it the fastest selling paperback. The novel is about a woman that agrees to be a sex slave for a wealthy man for a few months. She signs a lengthy contract that explains what's expected of her, and what he can do to her. The sexual acts involve combinations of BDSM fetishes, including restraints, submission, and inflicting/receiving pain for sexual pleasure. It is the inflicting/receiving pain detail that makes the noises from the TV "inappropriate" and not just someone disciplining/abusing a dog (which could also be inappropriate, just for very different reasons). {{unsigned|24.123.40.78}}

I changed the explanation to "Great Illustrated Classics" rather than "Classics Illustrated" as the graphic novels are probably too old for Randall to have read extensively, but Illustrated Classics is right in his age range (speaking from personal experience). Also omitting the "great" from the title seemed more likely than reversing the words. By the way does anyone know how to add non Wikipedia links I want to link to http://www.facebook.com/pages/No-I-havent-Read-that-Great-Literary-Classic-but-Ive-seen-the-Wishbone/162079210527833 but just dumping
the url in the explanation breaks the prose and when I tried to use the ref tag it failed miserably --[[User:Chexwarrior|Chexwarrior]] ([[User talk:Chexwarrior|talk]]) 18:09, 1 November 2012 (UTC)

1128: Fifty Shades

2012-11-01T18:00:37Z

Chexwarrior:

{{comic
| number = 1128
| date = 31 October 2012
| title = Fifty Shades
| image = fifty shades.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = Wishbone and the Illustrated Classics series have gotten me through every conversation I've ever had about Dickens, Treasure Island, The Anarchist's Cookbook, and Our Bodies, Ourselves.
}}

==Explanation==
''{{w|Fifty Shades of Grey}}'' is a best-selling novel featuring large quantities of BDSM sex. {{w|Wishbone (TV series)|Wishbone}} was a children's TV show about a dog who draws parallels between literature and real life in his dreams, reenacting many literary classics. The show was especially praised in its time for refusing to censor the more unpleasant aspects of its source work. Many people within Randall's age group have experienced more literary classics through wishbone than by actually reading them; this phenomenon lead to the creation of a facebook group dedicated to that idea.

In the comic, Cueball claims to have learned all that he knows about ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' from the Wishbone adaptation of the book. Knowing the faithful nature of Wishbone's adaptations, an episode on the book would likely involve age-inappropriate material for children, as the sounds emanating from the TV would suggest.

{{w|Great Illustrated Classics}} is a series of easy to read adaptations of literary classics, including works by {{w|Charles Dickens}} and Stevenson's ''{{w|Treasure Island}}''.

''{{w|The Anarchist Cookbook}}'', first published in 1971, is a book that contains instructions for the manufacture of explosives, rudimentary telecommunications phreaking devices, and other items. It was written by William Powell to protest United States involvement in the Vietnam War.

''{{w|Our Bodies, Ourselves}}'' is a book about women's health and sexuality produced by the nonprofit organization Our Bodies Ourselves (originally called the Boston Women's Health Book Collective). First published in 1971, it contains information related to many aspects of women's health and sexuality, including menopause, birth control, childbirth, sexual health, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental health and general well-being.

Part of the title text joke is that the latter two works would not likely be the subject of Great Illustrated Classics or ''Wishbone''.

==Transcript==
:As with most famous books, I've never actually '''read''' ''Fifty Shades of Grey.''
:I only know the plot from watching the ''Wishbone'' version
:TV: Bark!
:TV: Bark!
:TV: ''Smack!''
:TV: Bark!

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

Talk:1125: Objects In Mirror

2012-10-25T20:38:44Z

Chexwarrior:

Anyone else think that the smallness of this comic is unusual? I can barely read the mirror. [[User:TheHYPO|TheHYPO]] ([[User talk:TheHYPO|talk]]) 14:41, 24 October 2012 (UTC)
:Agreed. The key part of the "punchline" is the word "bluer", and it's '''really''' hard to read. [[Special:Contributions/67.51.59.66|67.51.59.66]] 18:43, 24 October 2012 (UTC)

:The drawing has a different feel too. It seems to have been done with a pressure sensitive pen. Maybe Randall is trying out a new method. A galaxy note maybe? [[User:Fanboix|Fanboix]] ([[User talk:Fanboix|talk]]) 19:40, 24 October 2012 (UTC)

:Text on the mirror is larger than it appears.

:It's probably from the viewpoint of the driver.--[[User:Castriff|Jimmy C]] ([[User talk:Castriff|talk]]) 16:49, 24 October 2012 (UTC)

I think title text refers to the expansion of the universe and the speed of light. The observable universe is viewed from light that originated in the past. The further away the object, the further back in time we observe it. In an expanding universe, the universe we observe today is actually how it looked in the past (smaller) and we are unable to observe it's present size (larger) due to the great distances and the time it takes for the light to arrive. Thus, the universe is larger than it appears, no matter if you view it traveling towards or away from any object. --[[User:Bpiltz|Bpiltz]] ([[User talk:Bpiltz|talk]]) 15:47, 24 October 2012 (UTC)

If the object in the mirror were another car overtaking this one, it would actually be redder than it appears. --[[User:Prooffreader|Prooffreader]] ([[User talk:Prooffreader|talk]]) 17:51, 24 October 2012 (UTC)

My first thought was that the title text refers to the fact that objects appear to be in different directions, as well as colors, from a moving viewpoint. So objects in front of a moving car will appear to be closer together than if the car were stopped.
See http://www.fourmilab.ch/cship/aberration.html
But objects seen in the rear-view mirror will appear more spread out, so maybe not.
 [[Special:Contributions/75.36.234.236|75.36.234.236]] 18:58, 24 October 2012 (UTC)
: Naw, you're thinking too much about this. Randall is just commenting that the universe, (as visible through the relatively small aperature of a windshield or mirror) is much bigger than it appears in either viewport. "There are more things in heaven and earth than are visible through your view-portal, Horatio!" (to paraphrase the Bard.) If that's what he was trying to say in Click and Drag, too, so be it. -- [[Special:Contributions/207.225.239.130|207.225.239.130]] 21:44, 24 October 2012 (UTC)
::That would be "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than..." but the point is apt. -- [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 14:21, 25 October 2012 (UTC)

I agree, I reckon it just means there is whole lot of universe out there that you can't see, regardless of what direction you're looking or what you're looking at it through. [[User:Brendan|Brendan]] ([[User talk:Brendan|talk]]) 05:57, 25 October 2012 (UTC) BK

One thing confuses me: isn't the point that the scenery in the mirror is moving AWAY from the viewer - and hence would be red-shifted?? --[[User:Brahmafear|Brahmafear]] ([[User talk:Brahmafear|talk]]) 13:31, 25 October 2012 (UTC)

:If he were moving quite fast, the scenery in the mirror '''WOULD''' be red-shifted. But since he's not moving very fast, he doesn't see the expected red-shift, and thus things look bluer than they normally would.--[[User:Joehammer79|Joehammer79]] ([[User talk:Joehammer79|talk]]) 14:54, 25 October 2012 (UTC)

:That's a good question. He does appear to be in the passing lane (dashed lane to the right, unless he's driving on the wrong side of the road ;p but it wouldn't make sense to have a right-hand drive car with the warning on the driver side mirror), so he would ostensibly be going faster than slower traffic. Interesting conundrum. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 15:21, 25 October 2012 (UTC)

:The scenery is red shifted and as such appears red, but is truly bluer than it currently appears in the mirror. This is just like the actual safety warning that the mirror makes things appear smaller (farther away) than if you were looking at them directly (I suspect this is to increase the field of view), so the objects are actually closer than they appear in the mirror. --[[User:Chexwarrior|Chexwarrior]] ([[User talk:Chexwarrior|talk]]) 20:38, 25 October 2012 (UTC)

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Objects_in_the_Rear_View_Mirror_May_Appear_Closer_than_They_Are Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer than They Are], anyone? --[[Special:Contributions/137.132.22.191|137.132.22.191]] 07:42, 25 October 2012 (UTC)
:Commenting the same legal notice. There are several pop-culture references to objects-in-mirror. -- [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 04:33, 25 October 2012 (UTC)
:: "Squares may look distant in her rear view mirror but they're actual size as she drives away" -- They Might Be Giants, "She's Actual Size" --[[User:Prooffreader|Prooffreader]] ([[User talk:Prooffreader|talk]]) 11:08, 25 October 2012 (UTC)