explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

937: TornadoGuard

2013-06-28T13:26:34Z

Hwacha: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 937
| date = August 12, 2011
| title = TornadoGuard
| image = tornadoguard.png
| titletext = The bug report was marked 'could not reproduce'.
}}

==Explanation==
This is a comic with a take on an application store - the most common app stores are for iPhones and Android devices. App stores take all the reviews and average the ratings for the overall star rating. In this comic, we see why this is sometimes a bad idea. In this case, there are three 5 star reviews about the stability and user interface features of the app, left by users who actually never experienced its core functionality (simply because they never had a tornado since they got it); however, the only review related to whether the app really works is given the same weight as the others. Also see future comic [[1098: Star Ratings]].

The image text is funny because it is a note from the developer's bug report, which said they could not reproduce the error. Of course, they could only reproduce such a failure if there were a tornado coming towards their area. This is a fairly rare situation, especially in certain areas of the world. This lack of suitable testing conditions explains why the actual tornado-prediction portion of their code appears to be faulty.

==Trivia==
*The "could not reproduce" reason was also dealt with in [[583: CNR]].

==Transcript==
:[The comic is a single panel which resembles a reviews page for a mobile phone application]

:Application name: Tornado Guard
:Author: DroidCoder2187
:Description: Plays a loud alert sound when there is a tornado warning for your area.
:Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. (Based on 4 reviews)
:User Reviews:
:Reviewer 1: ''Rated 5 stars'' Good UI! Many alert choices.
:Reviewer 2: ''Rated 5 stars'' Running great, no crashes
:Reviewer 3: ''Rated 5 stars'' I like how you can set multiple locations
:Reviewer 4: ''Rated 1 star'' App did not warn me about tornado.

:The problem with averaging star ratings

{{comic discussion}}

937: TornadoGuard

2013-06-28T13:25:37Z

Hwacha: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 937
| date = August 12, 2011
| title = TornadoGuard
| image = tornadoguard.png
| titletext = The bug report was marked 'could not reproduce'.
}}

==Explanation==
This is a comic with a take on an application store - the most common app stores are for iPhones and Android devices. The creator of this app is "DroidCoder2187", which implies that the app may be for Android devices. However, it says "App Store" at the top of the screen, implying that it may be for iOS devices. Or this is a petty detail and we should get on with our lives.

App stores take all the reviews and average the ratings for the overall [[1098|star rating]]. In this comic, we see why this is sometimes a bad idea. In this case, there are three 5 star reviews about the stability and user interface features of the app, left by users who actually never experienced its core functionality (simply because they never had a tornado since they got it); however, the only review related to whether the app really works is given the same weight as the others. Also see future comic [[1098: Star Ratings]].

The image text is funny because it is a note from the developer's bug report, which said they could not reproduce the error. Of course, they could only reproduce such a failure if there were a tornado coming towards their area. This is a fairly rare situation, especially in certain areas of the world. This lack of suitable testing conditions explains why the actual tornado-prediction portion of their code appears to be faulty.

==Trivia==
*The "could not reproduce" reason was also dealt with in [[583: CNR]].

==Transcript==
:[The comic is a single panel which resembles a reviews page for a mobile phone application]

:Application name: Tornado Guard
:Author: DroidCoder2187
:Description: Plays a loud alert sound when there is a tornado warning for your area.
:Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. (Based on 4 reviews)
:User Reviews:
:Reviewer 1: ''Rated 5 stars'' Good UI! Many alert choices.
:Reviewer 2: ''Rated 5 stars'' Running great, no crashes
:Reviewer 3: ''Rated 5 stars'' I like how you can set multiple locations
:Reviewer 4: ''Rated 1 star'' App did not warn me about tornado.

:The problem with averaging star ratings

{{comic discussion}}

684: We Get It

2013-06-21T05:41:42Z

Hwacha: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 684
| date = January 4, 2010
| title = We Get It
| image = we_get_it.png
| titletext = The most brutal way I've ever seen someone handle this was 'Oh, you have a girlfriend. Are you going to get married?' 'I, uh, don't know--' 'Well, do you love her?' '...' 'Anyway, what were you saying about the movie?'
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Avatar (film)|Avatar}} is a 2009 movie that was very popular in theaters, becoming the highest-grossing of all time.

The comic illustrates how someone in a new relationship tends to be overly eager and giddy to let everyone know about it, while others tend to not be all that interested. The character on the left is so excited to let everyone know, that he goes off panel to get a ladder and a loudspeaker. The second character thinks it should be legal to murder him for this annoyance if he acts like this for more than a week. The first character is so giddy that he doesn't notice what he has done and even tries to mention his girlfriend again.

The title text describes a very harsh way to respond to this annoyance. Since someone in the position of the first character is so excited about the new romantic commitment in their life, their friend brings up the much greater and more serious commitment of marriage. If they have only been dating for a week or less, it is probably much too early for them to seriously think about marriage. The friend then implies that if they aren't already excited to marry her, then he doesn't really love her. The end result is that the first character doesn't want to talk about his relationship anymore.

==Transcript==
:[Two people are talking.]
:Cueball: Avatar? Yeah, I saw it last week with ...

:[Cueball walks out of the panel.]

:[Cueball returns with a ladder.]

:[Cueball stands on top of the ladder, shouting through a megaphone.]
:Cueball: '''...MY GIRLFRIEND.'''

:Friend: You know, if this phase of your relationship lasts more than a week, I'm legally allowed to stab you both.
:Cueball: What phase?
:Cueball: So, did I mention I'm seeing someone?

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