explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1465: xkcd Phone 2

2014-12-26T22:01:07Z

Jamie: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1465
| date = December 26, 2014
| title = xkcd Phone 2
| image = xkcd_phone_2.png
| titletext = Washable, though only once.
}}

==Explanation==

This is a followup to [[1363: xkcd Phone]], which debuted the original xkcd phone. Like xkcd Phone "1", this comic parodies modern smartphone advertising with a promotional image for a fictional phone. Like the previous xkcd phone, the comic touts a variety of features which are either pointless, misleading, or physically impossible. They are clockwise, from the top left:

*'''MaxHD: Over 350 pixels per screen''': 350 pixels is not very impressive: Each would be about 0.5×0.5 cm. Even if it implies 350 pixels along the edge this is still less than standard definition TV (PAL gives 576 lines of horizontal resolution). Likely a reference to HD+, FullHD, QuadHD and other marketing expressions for screen resolutions, by which common users are often confused. In [[732: HDTV]] Randall has observered that HD is not an especially high resolution, when compared with computer monitors.
: ''Note:'' Retina display (high pixel density display) for smartphones is 326 pixels per '''''inch''''', not per '''''screen'''''.
*'''Always on Speaker''': An always on microphone is a genuine feature. It allows speech control software such as "Okay Google" or "Siri" to respond without having to be turned on. An always on speaker would be less useful especially if it implies the phone is always making noise.
*'''Blood Pressure reliever''': This appears to be where a real phone would have its front facing camera. This could imply that it's a sharp part that you can cut yourself on, thus '''''relieving''''' your blood pressure, or else implying that the other features of the phone are so frustrating that a feature was required to relieve the users' blood pressure.
*'''Auto-Rotating Case:''' Phones often feature an "auto-rotating screen", meaning that the display switches between portrait and landscape mode depending on its orientation with respect to gravity. But the case is a physical part of the phone, so making a case that did '''not''' "auto-rotate" with the phone would be the real challenge.
*'''Ribbed:''' A reference to ribbed {{w|condom}}s, which are often advertised as superior to standard ones because the texture can be more physically stimulating to the genitalia. Some other objects can be advertised with the word ribbed as well, but mostly in the context where it allows a firmer grip on the device when wet. Since phones are usually not meant to be used wet it is still a fairly useless feature.
*'''Waterproof (inside only)''': Waterproofing is done to the outside to prevent water from getting in, not to prevent water from escaping.
*'''Googleable''': Another non-feature. Advertising as ...able is a way for marketing to add features, without adding features. This may be (for example) a recyclable paper bag: paper is normally recyclable. Any term may be 'googled' so being "googleable" is not an actual feature.
*'''Cheek toucher''': The screen will touch your cheek when making a hand-held phone call.
*'''Cries if lost:''' Actually useful function, for it would help the owner find the cellphone in case it was lost. It refers to people's habit of calling their own cellphones to help find it. It also resembles the first xkcd phone's functions of 'Screaming when falling' and 'Saying hi when lit'.
*'''Bug drawer:''' This is most likely the cover for other ports, though looks like a small drawer, capable of only holding bug-sized items. Possibly a joke on software bugs, which would, being virtual rather than physical, easily fit inside this area. One might also introduce bugs to your phone in this way. May also be a reference to "Phone may attract/trap insects; this is normal" from the original ''xkcd Phone'' comic.
*'''Coin slot:''' In most phones, this would be the charging port. Payphones have coin slots.
*'''Scroll lock:''' A computer key on most keyboards which is practically never used. (Despite [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/978 a previous xkcd strip] it was not invented by {{w|Steven Chu}}.)
*'''OS by Stackoverflow®:''' [http://stackoverflow.com/ Stackoverflow.com] is a very useful and popular question/answer forum for programmers, and many recent software products probably have benefited from advice given there, so Randall may be giving credit where credit really is due. Or it may be a reference to the rampant problem of code reuse, where programmers use the pre-written code on StackOverflow rather than writing their own, regardless of the fact that the code on StackOverflow may contain bugs or otherwise cause problems for their specific program.
*'''3D Materials:''' All real materials are three-dimensional, so this feature is not special.
*'''Dog Noticer''': Alerts the user to nearby dogs.
*'''FitBit® Fitness Evaluator''': {{w|Fitbit}} make wristbands that measure heartrate, count user steps, and act as an aid to planning an exercise program. This comic is published on Boxing Day (26th December) 2014 and is relevant as Fitbits are a popular Holiday Gift at this time.
*'''Volume and density control:''' A play on words between {{w|volume (disambiguation)|volume}} as in speaker loudness, and {{w|volume}} as in a physical property inversely related to {{w|density}}. Apparently this would allow the user to change the size of the phone (which would indeed be a very useful feature, [[1422: My Phone is Dying|or a very worrying one]]), thus changing the volume and the density. Note that some computer mice have a feature where the user can put weights inside the case to customise the weight and thus affect the density in a different way.
*'''It is washable but only once''' (the title text): The phone can physically be washed, however after the first time doing this the phone will cease to function.

==Transcript==
:[An image of a smartphone. Coming off from it are many labels. Clockwise, from the top left they are:]
:MaxHD: Over 350 pixels per screen
:Always-on speaker
:Blood pressure reliever
:Auto-rotating case
:Ribbed
:Waterproof (interior only)
:Googleable
:Cheek toucher
:Cries if lost
:Bug drawer
:Coin slot
:Scroll lock
:OS by Stackoverflow®
:3D materials
:Dog noticer
:FitBit® fitness evaluator
:Volume and density control

:[Below the phone:]
:Introducing
:'''The xkcd phone 2'''
:A phone for your other hand®

{{comic discussion}}

1409: Query

2014-08-18T18:37:52Z

Jamie: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1409
| date = August 17, 2014
| title = Query
| image = query.png
| titletext = SELECT * FROM GHOSTS
}}

==Explanation==
[[Megan]] picks up a strange device that mysteriously asks her to enter a query after stating "LOADED TABLE: PEOPLE / ENTER QUERY." In computer databases, "{{w|Table (database)|tables}}" are groups of similar information consisting of records each having certain attributes. Databases are generally made up of many tables, each containing different types of records. A database for a traditional library might have a "Books" table and a "Cardholders" table with records of all of the books in the library, and all of the people who have library cards. Each table will have different columns for certain attributes for every record. For example, the "Books" table might have columns for "title", "author", "date", etc.

A request from a database by a user from a computer database is called a "query". {{w|SQL}} (Structured Query Language) is a programming language designed for databases, and has a certain syntax for its queries. A common query is a "select" which requests certain information from the database. In the library example, one might select (in plain English) all books written by a certain author or published after a certain date, etc.

In this comic, Megan tests the device by entering a SQL query into it: "SELECT * FROM PEOPLE WHERE AGE > 30" (show all the people older than 30). In appears that the actual people around her who are over 30 are basked in a yellow light. Megan then tries other experimental queries, presumably to determine whether the results are correct. First, she queries for people with a high annual income (a group that does not include her), then for those who are afraid of flying (which she is). Because the results for herself are valid both times, she then indulges her curiosity by asking who has watched porn in the preceding twelve hours. This suggests that whatever "database" she is accessing is extremely thorough as it contains ongoing records of people's day-to-day activities.

Finally, she types "DROP TABLE PEOPLE". Drop is an SQL command to delete a table. When she enters the command, everybody, including herself, disappears. The implications are unclear. It may be a suggestion that all of reality is a computer program, all of the people are merely "data" in the program, and Megan was somehow granted access to the database for the program.

The title text suggests the possibility that when the people disappeared or "died", their records were moved to a table called "GHOSTS." The query would then, presumably, see all the people that were deleted. In some implementations of SQL, when records are deleted, they are hidden but remain in the database until a "Ghost Cleanup Process" removes the data permanently. The title text may also allude to this process.

==Transcript==
[Megan picks up device]

Device: LOADED TABLE: PEOPLE

Device: ENTER QUERY

[Megan looks at the people around her]

[Megan types into device]: SELECT * FROM PEOPLE WHERE AGE > 30

[5 people are highlighted]

[Megan types into device]: SELECT * FROM PEOPLE WHERE ANNUAL_INCOME > 100000

[1 person is highlighted]

[Megan types into device]: SELECT * FROM PEOPLE WHERE AFRAID_OF_FLYING = TRUE

[4 people, including herself, are highlighted]

[Megan types into device]: SELECT * FROM PEOPLE WHERE HOURS_SINCE_WATCHING_PORN < 12

[3 people highlighted]

Megan: Neat

Megan: ...

[Megan types into device]: DROP TABLE PEOPLE

[Everyone disappears; the items they were holding drop to the ground]

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

1346: Career

2014-08-08T18:04:37Z

Jamie: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1346
| date = March 24, 2014
| title = Career
| image = career.png
| titletext = They'd convince me to come out of retirement for one last job: biting into a giant lump of slightly soft wax a couple of times.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] is presumably asked to answer the typical {{w|Career_counseling|career counselor}} question: What is your dream job? Rather than going with the more common answers that are designed to increase the chances of landing that particular job, Cueball talks about unrealistic jobs that are whimsical, and so well compensated that a little over one hour on the clock would provide enough wealth for a luxurious retirement; of course, you can have such a job only in your dreams. He makes jobs out of tasks that people do when they are bored, whether the tasks needed to be done or not. Therefore, if he did not get the job he probable would have done them at some point anyway.

Peeling lint off {{w|Clothes_dryer#Tumbler_dryers|dryer traps}} can relieve boredom, but it gets tedious soon, so Cueball wants to do that only for 5 minutes, followed by an hour of holding the handle of a {{w|lightsaber}} against things and switching it on. The energy emitted by this fictional weapon will probably burn, melt or cut the object it is touching as demonstrated in a scene from {{w|Star_Wars_Episode_I:_The_Phantom_Menace|Star Wars Episode I}}, where Jedi {{w|Qui-Gon Jinn}} uses his lightsaber to cut through a wall. In Cueballs mind these are probably high paying jobs, because after this he would like to retire to a life of luxury.

The title text is poking fun at Hollywood films, particularly stories about violent professions (like mobsters, hitmen, detective or spies) where the hero is retired, but some unforeseen circumstance has forced them out of retirement to do "[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OneLastJob one last job]." Usually in these films, the jobs are overtly, improbably dangerous, often with the suggestion that they may lose their lives doing it, but the reward for doing the job (saving the world, a tonne of cash, an unresolved debt) is just too great to refuse. However, in this comic the joke is that his "one last job" is also a mildly amusing task designed to relieve boredom.

Biting in slightly soft wax will create a {{w|dental impression}} that can be used to form {{w|dentures}}, which is often associated with old age (and therefore retirement).

==Transcript==
:[Cueball stands facing a desk, behind which another person is sitting in a desk chair.]
:Cueball: It would start with five minutes of peeling lint from dryer traps, followed by an hour of pressing a lightsaber handle against things and switching it on. Then I'd retire to a life of luxury.

:When people ask me to describe my dream job, I'm never sure how realistic to be.

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

1387: Clumsy Foreshadowing

2014-06-29T21:06:20Z

Jamie: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1387
| date = June 27, 2014
| title = Clumsy Foreshadowing
| image = clumsy_foreshadowing.png
| titletext = '... hosts were unexpectedly fired from ABC's 'The View' today. ABC will likely announce new ...'
}}

==Explanation==
Many action/thriller movies, during the first few minutes, have a background [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChekhovsNews news] [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CoincidentalBroadcast report] that foreshadows the onset of some kind of danger, such as shark attacks, nuclear warfare etc.

[[Randall]] suggests taking the same approach to random news stories from real life, in order to make them more ominous.

In this case we see three random headings from news stories. Which could all be made even more interesting if the setting is correct. The middle one is about ''[http://dailydigestnews.com/2014/06/north-atlantic-ocean-great-white-shark-population-booms/ Shark populations booming off east coast]''. The news in the link is from a week before this comic was released, and is about the preservation of the {{w|Great white shark|Great white sharks}}. Not that terrifying, especially since sharks are way less dangerous than people tend to fear, in part due to movies like {{w|Jaws (film)|Jaws}}.

However, if you put this headline into a news report running in the background, as when [[Cueball]] leaves the house with a bathing towel in the main frame of the comic, then it suddenly become a very ominous story, that will not bode well for Cueball and his friends...

The first of the three stories mentioned above the frame ''[http://www.northkoreannews.net/index.php/sid/223255811/scat/08aysdf7tga9s7f7/ht/Angry-North-Korea-threatens-war-if-US-shows-film-mocking-its-leader North Korea threatens U.S. over upcoming movie]'' comes from {{w|North Korea|North Korea's}} official {{w|Korean Central News Agency}} who a few days before this comic was released threatened the US with war over the {{w|Seth Rogen}} movie {{w|The Interview (2014 film)|The Interview}}, promising "stern" and "merciless" retaliation if the film is released. The threat has generated some hype for the yet unreleased movie. No one, however, really takes North Korea's threat seriously... But if you put this into such a news report at the beginning of a film, this could be a film about a film leading to a new war with North Korea.

The last of the three stories is about ''[http://www.orbcomm.com/networks/og2-launch SpaceX to attempt new rocket launch today]''. {{w|SpaceX}} is a space transport services company and on March 13 2014 they reported a launch date for their first {{w|Orbcomm_satellites#Orbcomm-OG2|OG2}} mission containing 6 satellites on a dedicated {{w|Falcon 9}} rocket. This date was April 30, 2014 as can be read at the bottom of the news link, which is the news list for this OG2 mission. The launch continued to be postponed several times, and the last date given before this comic was released was June the 24th, three days before this comic was released. This launch was canceled on the 23rd and the day before this comic was released it was yet again postponed, this time until July the 14th (almost three weeks, after the previous four proposed launch dates had been the 20th, 21st, 22nd and 24th of June). So at this point in time, any news regarding SpaceX attempting to launch a rocket, will not generate much fuss, as they are most likely postponing again... But if you put the news bite into the start of a movie, then the launch would probably stay on schedule - but would then go horribly wrong, setting the action packed story in progress.

The title text news ''[http://nypost.com/2014/06/26/sherri-shepherd-jenny-mccarthy-leave-the-view/ hosts were unexpectedly fired from ABC's 'The View' today]'' references {{w|American Broadcasting Company|ABC's}} ''{{w|The View (U.S. TV series)|The View}}'' where two of the co-hosts, {{w|Sherri Shepherd}} and {{w|Jenny McCarthy}}, were simultaneously reporting leaving the program (fired or resigned? -- sources vary), the day before this cartoon appeared. Sherri after seven years, Jenny after less than one year as co-host. According to the news link above there were "no word on who will be replacing the hosts, but the network says they will have a team together when the show launches its new season this fall." Again a not very interesting news story. The title text though continues the news by saying: ''ABC will likely announce new ...'' The humorous suggestion is that the movie, you could imagine here, will go on to feature the protagonist starring on The View, a comical premise for an action/thriller movie.

==Transcript==
:[Heading and text above the comics only panel:]
:'''Today's News'''
:North Korea threatens U.S. over upcoming movie
:Shark populations booming off east coast
:SpaceX to attempt new rocket launch today
:[Arrow pointing down towards the comics only panel]

:[Cueball, holding a towel, walks past a TV with a news report shown on-screen.]
:Cueball: Bye! See you tonight!
:Offscreen person: Have a good day!
:TV: ''Researchers are reporting record numbers of sharks...''

:[Text below the panel:]
:To make news stories seem way more ominous, imagine you're hearing them from a background TV in a movie as the main character leaves.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Sharks]]

390: Nightmares

2014-05-24T20:32:16Z

Jamie: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 390
| date = February 29, 2008
| title = Nightmares
| image = nightmares.png
| titletext = Well, *I* think I'm real. Look at me. Look at my face. Cut me and I'll bleed. What more do you want? Please don't go.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic shows [[Cueball]]'s plight with {{w|nightmare}}s. Since he's gotten used to normal nightmares, his subconscious has begun giving him dreams where he sees his loved ones imploring him to not wake up, lest they perish, as they only exist in his dream.

The title text continues this, with [[Megan]] claiming that she is really real, and begging Cueball to stay with her. 'Cut me and I'll bleed' is possibly a reference to Shylock's 'I am a Jew' monologue in The Merchant of Venice, in which he argues that Jews ought to be treated equally to Christians.

==Transcript==
:When I got used to the regular nightmares, my subconscious got creative.
:[Megan is standing with her hand on Cueball's shoulder.]
:Megan: Please don't wake up. I don't want to die.

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

426: Geohashing

2014-05-12T20:07:35Z

Jamie: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 426
| date = May 21, 2008
| title = Geohashing
| image = geohashing.png
| titletext = Saturday is game night
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Geocaching}} is a sport where you have to find things hidden by other people based on geographical coordinates. Randall has had a similar idea before in [[201: Christmas GPS]].

[http://wiki.xkcd.com/geohashing/ Geohashing] is a sport created by Randall based on reaching a random location determined by an [http://wiki.xkcd.com/geohashing/Algorithm algorithm] that uses a {{w|hash function}} that involves the current date, location and {{w|Dow Jones Industrial Average|Dow}} opening price.

The algorithm is built in a way that:
*Makes it impossible to plan a meeting in advance - because of the Dow.
*Changes every day.
*Gathers people that are nearby - everyone within the same 1°×1° grid square gets the same position.

The algorithm works as follows:
# Take the current date in the format yyyy-mm-dd- and append the most recent opening value for the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
# Pass this sting through the MD5 algorithm.
# Divide the hash value into two 16 character halves, and convert each half to a decimal.
# Take the integer portions of your current current coordinates and append the decimal hash values.

{{w|MD5}} is a cryptographic hashing algorithm, and converts plaintext data into a seemingly random 128-bit (32 character) string. A good hashing algorithm should have three main properties: it is non-reversible (you cannot generate any plaintext data from the hash), a given sample of data will always produce the same hash value, and even a tiny change to the original plaintext should produce an entirely different hash.

The example co-ordinates are for the Google headquarters in California.

Originally intended as a joke, there are people which do geohashing regularly. Please see the link to the xkcd wiki above.

==Transcript==
:Date (example): 2005-05-26
:That date's (or most recent) DOW opening: 10458.68
:[Concatenate, with a hyphen: 2005-05-26-10458.68]
:md5: db9318c2259923d08b672cb305440f97
:[Split it up into two pieces:]
:0.db9318c2259923d0, 0.8b672cb305440f97
:To decimal: 0.857713..., 0.544544...
:Your location (example): 37.421542, -122.085589
:[Combine integer part of location with fractional part of hash:]
:Destination Coordinates: 37.857713, -122.544544
:Sample Implementation: [http://xkcd.com/geohashing/ http://xkcd.com/geohashing/]

==Trivia==
*In response to comic [[353: Python]], the Python developers implemented the module <code>antigravity</code> in version 2.7+. This module contains a reference geohashing function.

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

1364: Like I'm Five

2014-05-05T08:36:23Z

Jamie: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1364
| date = May 5, 2014
| title = Like I'm Five
| image = like_im_five.png
| titletext = 'Am I taking care of you? I have a thesis to write!' 'My parents are at their house; you visited last--' 'No, no, explain like you're five.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|}}
ELI5, or Explain Like I'm Five (e.g. [http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/ on Reddit]), is a way of asking for a simpler explanation of some difficult topic. In this comic, Cueball asks Megan for a simple explanation of her thesis. Megan takes it literally by acting as if Cueball is an actual five year old. A five-year-old kid standing miles away from home without his parents talking to a strange woman is worrying, so Megan pretends to panic and asks where his parents are.

The title text is a continuation of the conversation. When Cueball attempts to respond to Megan's questions, she asks him to also speak as if he is five.

==Transcript==
:Cueball: What've you been up to?
:Megan: Doing tons of math for my thesis.
:Cueball: Can you explain it like I'm five?
:Megan: "Oh my god, where are your parents?"

{{comic discussion}}

1364: Like I'm Five

2014-05-05T08:32:39Z

Jamie: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1364
| date = May 5, 2014
| title = Like I'm Five
| image = like_im_five.png
| titletext = 'Am I taking care of you? I have a thesis to write!' 'My parents are at their house; you visited last--' 'No, no, explain like you're five.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|}}
ELI5, or Explain Like I'm Five (e.g. [http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/ on Reddit]), is a way of asking for a simpler explanation of some difficult topic. In this comic, Cueball asks Megan for a simple explanation of her thesis. Megan takes it literally by acting as if Cueball is an actual five year old. A five-year-old kid standing miles away from home without his parents talking to a strange woman is worrying, so Megan pretends to panic and asks where his parents are.

The title text is a continuation of the conversation. When Cueball attempts to respond to Megan's questions, she asks that he, too, speak as though he is five.

==Transcript==
:Cueball: What've you been up to?
:Megan: Doing tons of math for my thesis.
:Cueball: Can you explain it like I'm five?
:Megan: "Oh my god, where are your parents?"

{{comic discussion}}

1120: Blurring the Line

2014-04-25T16:49:02Z

Jamie: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1120
| date = October 12, 2012
| title = Blurring the Line
| image = blurring the line.png
| titletext = People into masturbatory navel-gazing have a lot to learn about masturbation.
}}

==Explanation==
A {{w|metaphor}} is a comparison which may be used to emphasize, explain or embellish a point, as seen in this comic when [[Cueball]] likens himself to Michael Jordan. {{w|Michael Jordan}} is a famous {{w|basketball}} player who is well known for being one of the very best basketball players.

[[White Hat]] is analyzing a movie about movies when Cueball compares White Hat's description of the movie to masturbatory {{w|Omphaloskepsis|navel-gazing}}, a comment combining two expressions used to refer to a pointless activity or effort, but also specifically self-referential activity. "Mental masturbation" and "navel gazing" are relatively common terms to dismiss work that is regarded as self-indulgent, overly introspective, and self-referential. Calling navel gazing, or introspection, "masturbatory" is a metaphor speaking of it in terms of the physical act of {{w|Masturbation|masturbation}}.

White Hat then defends the movie by saying that it is about blurring the line between metaphor and reality, commenting that Cueball doesn't understand art. To this Cueball retorts by likening his ability to meld metaphor and reality by using a metaphor comparing himself to Michael Jordan. He then proceeds to actually blur the line by throwing a basketball at White Hat. This can also be understood as another reality metaphor, passing the "conversational ball" to White Hat, or acting like Michael Jordan by playing basketball.

The last frame is also a graphic illustration of blurring the line between metaphor and reality, where a much more "real" depiction of a basketball intrudes into the colorless stick-figure world which serves as an abstraction of our shared reality.

The title text blurs the line between metaphor and reality by dragging both metaphors in the term "masturbatory navel-gazing" into reality and pointing out that literally staring at your navel is not going to be very effective at physical sexual self arousal, which is the goal of masturbation.

==Transcript==
:[White Hat and Cueball are walking.]
:White Hat: ...No, but see, it's a movie ''about'' movies.
:Cueball: Sounds like masturbatory navel-gazing.
:[Close-up of White Hat.]
:White Hat: No, it's about blurring the line between metaphor and reality.
:White Hat: You just don't know much about art.
:Cueball: ''Seriously?''
:[White hat and Cueball are standing.]
:Cueball: I know ''all'' about blurring the line between metaphor and reality. I'm the goddamn ''Michael Jordan'' of blurring the line between metaphor and reality.
:[White hat now standing alone in the panel.]
:White Hat: ...Huh?
:[Basketball appears from nowhere and hits White Hat in the head.]
:''Bonk''

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Language]]

1209: Encoding

2014-03-15T15:54:24Z

Jamie:

{{comic
| number = 1209
| date = May 8, 2013
| title = Encoding
| image = encoding.png
| titletext = I don't see how; the C0 block is right there at the beginning.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] and [[Megan]] hired a skywriter to write some text provided in Unicode. {{w|Skywriting}} is using an airplane to write words in the sky with controlled releases of smoke. {{w|Unicode}} is a standard for encoding text which supports an incredible variety of characters and modifiers. An {{w|interrobang}} (‽) is a combination question mark and exclamation mark. A {{w|diacritic}} is any symbol added to a character ( ´ , ˘ , ˇ , ¨ , etc.), usually an accent mark being added to a letter. In Unicode, {{w|Combining character|combining diacritics}} are represented as separate characters, but are rendered graphically as modifications to the previous one. The request appears to be particularly strange, given that diacritics are supposed to go over ''letters'' and not punctuation marks.

Apparently the skywriter got so confused about their instructions that he not only rendered the text incorrectly, but also lost control of the plane. The skywriter's errors and the phrase "Unicode support" play off the common issue of {{w|Mojibake|software rendering Unicode symbols incorrectly}}.

The title text refers to the {{w|C0 and C1 control codes|C0 Block}}, the name for the first 32 character codes in Unicode (and ASCII), traditionally called control characters. Cueball wonders how the plane could have lost "control" when the "control characters" are easily found.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Megan are holding two-way radios.]
:Cueball talking into radio: "No, the combining diacritics go ''over'' the interrobang!"
:Megan, with radio lowered: "Oh jeez, I think he's lost control."
:The skywriter we hired has terrible Unicode support.

{{comic discussion}}
[[category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[category:Comics featuring Megan]]

419: Forks and Spoons

2014-03-11T20:37:26Z

Jamie: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 419
| date = May 5, 2008
| title = Forks and Spoons
| image = forks and spoons.png
| titletext = Their biggest mistake was bringing Rachael Ray and Emeril to tour the lab and sign off on the project. That's when Spielberg caught wind of it.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic shows scientists testing a new technology: the ability to cross a spork (a mix between a spoon and a fork) with either a spoon or a fork to make a new implement that was three quarters fork and one quarter spoon or vice versa. By blending these new fork-spork hybrids and their results together, the scientists could create any mix between a spoon and a fork. In the second panel, the amounts of spoon and fork are shown with fractions, the number on the left representing the amount of fork and the right the amount of spoon. The "fork-spoon spectrum" in between the third and fourth panels shows the complete spectrum of fork to spoon with some of the intermediate steps labeled, the numbers representing how much fork each contains. (so in the middle is a even 1/2-1/2; a spork, in between the spork and the spoon a 1/4-3/4 mix, in between that and the spoon a 1/8-7/8 mix, and so on)
The comic begins like standard sci-fi fare, where amoral scientists request funding from mysterious benefactors. The dialogue of "You're toying with powerful forces here" and "We know what we're doing" is a (warning: TV Tropes links) [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow classic trope], foreshadowing that things will soon [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GoneHorriblyWrong go horribly wrong]. It inevitably leads to the humorous incongruity of a sentient {{w|spork}} on a murderous rampage.

{{w|Rachael Ray}} and {{w|Emeril}} are celebrity chefs, and {{w|Steven Spielberg}} is a famous movie director. The joke seems to be that if the laboratory hadn't hired the two renowned chefs, Spielberg wouldn't have made a movie in which Rachael's and Emeril's characters are killed off horribly. The plot in the comic is very similar to the story in Spielberg's {{W|Jurassic_Park_(film)|Jurrasic Park}}.

==Transcript==
:Megan: A spoon crossed with a fork is a spork.
:Off-panel Megan's voice: Our lab has successfully crossed a <u>spork</u> with a spoon. [Diagram showing the fractions of fork and spoon in each item.]
:[Chart showing possible combinations of spoons a forks.]
:Megan, facing audience: With your funding, we could create hybrids in proportions corresponding to ''any binary fraction''.
:[Fork-Spoon Spectrum.]
:Audience member: You're toying with powerful forces here.
:Megan: We know what we're doing.
:Two weeks later:
:[Picture of a destroyed lab with two dead bodies, blood everywhere and a spoon-fork hybrid hopping away.]
:''Hop hop hop.''

{{comic discussion}}
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