explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2054: Data Pipeline

2018-10-03T17:28:39Z

Grimreaperwithalawnmower:

tried my hand at transcipts again, hope i did ok. [[User:Nintendo Mc|Nintendo Mc]] ([[User talk:Nintendo Mc|talk]]) 15:32, 3 October 2018 (UTC)

Oddly prescient, as always. I've just finished writing a fully automated data pipeline that ingests multiple data sources (both manual and automated input), has API support, a frontend, and email dispatch capabilities entirely in Google Sheets. It was about 3x faster to code than doing it right. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.6|172.68.65.6]] 16:48, 3 October 2018 (UTC)

Just added a line about how this is a logical continuation of the Code Quality series - given it's the same two people, this should be uncontroversial. Is it worth adding a new category for "Code Quality" to group these (and likely subsequent comics) together? [[User:Grimreaperwithalawnmower|Grimreaperwithalawnmower]] ([[User talk:Grimreaperwithalawnmower|talk]]) 17:20, 3 October 2018 (UTC)

Talk:2054: Data Pipeline

2018-10-03T17:20:57Z

Grimreaperwithalawnmower:

tried my hand at transcipts again, hope i did ok. [[User:Nintendo Mc|Nintendo Mc]] ([[User talk:Nintendo Mc|talk]]) 15:32, 3 October 2018 (UTC)

Oddly prescient, as always. I've just finished writing a fully automated data pipeline that ingests multiple data sources (both manual and automated input), has API support, a frontend, and email dispatch capabilities entirely in Google Sheets. It was about 3x faster to code than doing it right. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.6|172.68.65.6]] 16:48, 3 October 2018 (UTC)

Just added a line about how this is a logical continuation of the Code Quality series - given it's the same two people, this should be uncontroversial. [[User:Grimreaperwithalawnmower|Grimreaperwithalawnmower]] ([[User talk:Grimreaperwithalawnmower|talk]]) 17:20, 3 October 2018 (UTC)

2054: Data Pipeline

2018-10-03T17:18:46Z

Grimreaperwithalawnmower: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2054
| date = October 3, 2018
| title = Data Pipeline
| image = data_pipeline.png
| titletext = "Is the pipeline literally running from your laptop?" "Don't be silly, my laptop disconnects far too often to host a service we rely on. It's running on my phone."
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Please direct all data pipelines to the explanation below and only mention here why it isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
In the first panel [[Cueball]] shows [[Ponytail]] and [[White Hat]] a Data Pipeline he has constructed that, as he puts it, <nowiki>'collects and processes all the data we need'</nowiki>. This implies that the three are running some sort of project that requires data processing. Ponytail assumes that this data pipeline is an unstable mess of scripts that will cease to function correctly should any unexpected input be received. Cueball responds by telling her reluctantly that this is very likely, although he seems to hope that it might not be. Ponytail then seems impressed and expresses this to him. She, however, gets interrupted by Cueball who tells her that the system just malfunctioned and collapsed. He, however, states that he can fix it, making it seem like this cycle of patching and collapsing could repeat infinitely, or until all problems have been patched. [[Code Quality|Knowing Cueball's code, though,]] it seems more likely he can't patch it.

In the title text, Ponytail proceeds to question how such an important system can run on such a small computer, however, Cueball makes it worse by saying he uses his phone due to the better connection. This is not only unsubstantial, but laughable.

This comic is a logical continuation of the Code Quality series ([[1513: Code Quality]], [[1695: Code Quality 2]] and [[1833: Code Quality 3]]), further highlighting Cueball's coding ineptitude and Ponytail's exasperation with it.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Cueball is standing with an open laptop, showing it to Ponytail and White Hat.]
:Cueball: Check it out - I made a full automated data pipeline that collects and processes all the information we need.

:Ponytail: Is it a giant house of cards built from random scripts that will all completely collapse the moment any input does anything weird?

:[Beat panel]

:[Cueball looks at his laptop.]
:Cueball: It... ''might'' not be.
:Ponytail: I guess that's someth-
:Cueball: Whoops, just collapsed. Hang on, I can patch it.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]