explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

801: Golden Hammer

2021-02-12T17:06:19Z

Wikieditor431:

{{comic
| number = 801
| date = October 4, 2010
| title = Golden Hammer
| image = golden hammer.png
| titletext = Took me five tries to find the right one, but I managed to salvage our night out--if not the boat--in the end.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Java}} is a programming language touted for its Portability™ (the ability for software to run on many different systems "write once, run everywhere"), which sometimes leads to it being used in systems where it really just shouldn't be used. [[Cueball]] laments that the hardware he's tinkering with, despite being used for a single purpose, has its firmware written in Java; since the microprocessor is unknown, it's quite possible the {{w|Java Virtual Machine}} (JVM) had to be ported over to the processor before the hardware designers could write firmware for it. Presumably, they considered this worthwhile to be able to write the control code in a language they're comfortable with, even though it probably would have been much simpler to just write the control code in whatever language they used to port the JVM in the first place.

[[Black Hat]] explains that this is really an example of an age-old adage: "When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail", also referred to as the "{{w|law of the instrument}}" or, as in the title, the "golden hammer". The hardware developers probably only knew Java, and when they thought about how to write firmware for their new device, "Java" was the only solution that occurred to them.

Of course, instead of a hammer and a nail, Black Hat's analogy is about using bolt-cutters and vodka to get through the lock on {{w|Wolf Blitzer}}'s boathouse. Not-so-coincidentally, Black Hat is holding a pair of bolt-cutters and a bottle of vodka. The implication is that Black Hat ''did'', in fact, break into {{w|Wolf Blitzer}}'s boathouse the previous night, which is why he has just now entered the door at the start of the strip. The changes he makes to the adage implies that he believes vodka and boltcutters are designed specifically to be used on {{w|Wolf Blitzer}}'s boathouse, an interpretation that fits Black Hat's warped and anarchic disposition. As he is carrying both of these items, it also implies that he has just used those instruments for exactly that purpose. Cueball however, being extremely jaded by the (mis)use of Java (or possibly unfazed as he knows Black Hat well), can only bring himself to tell that he's glad that Black Hat had a nice night.

The title text implies that Black Hat had to break into a number of boathouses before he found Wolf's, and that his boat did not survive the evening. The use of the phrase 'our night' allows us to infer that Black Hat may have been with [[Danish]], his partner in crime.

==Transcript==
:[Black Hat is going through a door, a bottle in his hand. A voice speaks to him from off panel.]
:Cueball: Seriously? This thing runs ''Java?'' It's single-purpose hardware!

:[Cueball is sitting at a computer, holding some device which is wired to a box, and pointing at the screen.]
:Cueball: I bet they actually hired someone to spend six months porting this JVM so they could write their 20 lines of code in a familiar setting.

:[Black Hat has a pair of bolt cutters in the hand that had been obscured in the first panel.]
:Black Hat: Well, you know what they say— When all you have is a pair of bolt cutters and a bottle of vodka, everything looks like the lock on the door of Wolf Blitzer's boathouse.
:Cueball: I'm glad ''you ''had a nice night.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Programming]]
[[Category:Language]]

Talk:801: Golden Hammer

2021-02-12T17:04:22Z

Wikieditor431:

What is the title referencing? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.45|108.162.216.45]] 05:25, 12 December 2013 (UTC)

Isn't that one of the original intents of Java, that is embedded systems? Presumably Java does run in several PLC type devices, but I have no first had account on this; Java certainly is not popular or common there. I checked the Wikipedia page and smart TV's were mentioned, this for 1991. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.230.131|108.162.230.131]] 21:49, 12 December 2014 (UTC)
:Not all embedded systems are single-purpose hardware. Smart TVs use Java, so other developers can also easily create additional applications for them. [[User:Condor70|Condor70]] ([[User talk:Condor70|talk]]) 12:40, 15 July 2015 (UTC)

Does anybody know why Randall choose Wolf Blitzer for this comic? Does he have some relation to boats? [[User:Condor70|Condor70]] ([[User talk:Condor70|talk]]) 12:40, 15 July 2015 (UTC)
:Presumably Randall knows, though it could be something as simple as "He's wealthy enough to have a boat and most people would know who he is". -Pennpenn [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.162|108.162.250.162]] 06:39, 30 September 2015 (UTC)

Nobody outside America has heard of Wolf Blitzer. Just sayin'. [[User:Brenda|Brenda]] ([[User talk:Brenda|talk]]) 00:39, 29 June 2018 (UTC)

Golden hammer is also usual anti-pattern in software design. Means overkill. https://sourcemaking.com/antipatterns/golden-hammer
:A good, brief explanation of golden hammer is found here:
:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_instrument#Computer_programming
:[[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.49|173.245.54.49]] 02:28, 18 August 2020 (UTC)

I dont know who this Wolf Blitzer dude is so I will leave some links. [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 17:04, 12 February 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-02-11T02:56:07Z

Wikieditor431:

This is my talk page. Howdy. Please say something. [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 22:16, 25 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

{{Welcome}}

I made it. I need a reason to use it. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 03:35, 25 January 2021 (UTC)

Wow! You have a lot of edits! What is your opinion on furries? [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 22:16, 25 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

Oh! Did you make the furry discussion page? Do you need a reason for it, or what? [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 22:25, 25 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

wh-wh-what the— Why did you delete the Welcome template!? — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 07:42, 26 January 2021 (UTC)

Sorry! I will put it back! I am a little new to all this! It looked like it was cluttering up the page! So sorry! [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 15:47, 26 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

Uh. . . How do you put the welcome template back? Again, I am so sorry! I did not mean to offend you! [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 15:49, 26 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

Yes! REALLY sorry, did I offend you? Please accept my apology. [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 15:51, 26 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

Omg, I must seem like a total asshole. Please forgive me for my rookie mistake! [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 15:56, 26 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

I am not offended or anything, I am just confused how you removed it if it was a mistake... anyway, I... did not make the furry discussion page, whatever you mean by that. (holy crap imagine someone reading all of this they would be so confused). Enjoy your stay at the explain xkcd wiki. None of the moderators are active, the site is broken as ever and hasn’t been updated in years. But this is the biggest catalogue of anything xkcd, and the only remaining place where people can discuss it’s comics (besides the reddit) since the forums shut down. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 05:32, 27 January 2021 (UTC)

Thank you! I will work on the last remaining unexplained comics to contribute. But what is your opinion on furries? [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 18:04, 27 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

Oh, and by "furry discussion page", I had an option to make it by editing the not existent, thereby making it, but that does not matter. [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 21:36, 27 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

If you insist so very much, my opinion is that {{w|furry fandom}} is weird af, but {{w|Furry_fandom#Sociological_aspects|furries}} less so. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 09:59, 28 January 2021 (UTC)

I am sorry I could not get back to you earlier, I have a lot of stuff going on. So you think that as a collective, furries are stranger? That is an interesting opinion! What about furries is weird? [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 23:19, 1 February 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

I find furry culture weird, just like some people have weird fetishes etc. but I think furries are normal people. Some of my friends are furries and 2 YouTubers I follow are furries too. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 13:56, 8 February 2021 (UTC)

That makes sense, but describing the fandom as a fetish is actually incorrect, if you will take a brief look at section 2.10 of this research study, [https://furscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Fur-Science-Final-pdf-for-Website_2017_10_18.pdf] It should only take a few minutes, very short. Just out of curiosity, what furry YouTubers do you follow? [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 02:55, 11 February 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

User talk:Thisfox

2021-02-02T20:52:34Z

Wikieditor431: Created page with "{{Welcome}} Welcome to explain xkcd. Enjoy your stay. ~~~~Wikieditor431"

{{Welcome}}
Welcome to explain xkcd. Enjoy your stay. [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 20:52, 2 February 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

User:Thisfox

2021-02-02T20:51:35Z

Wikieditor431: Created blank page

User talk:Godel Fishbreath

2021-02-02T20:50:33Z

Wikieditor431: /* Welcome */

{{Welcome}}
Welcome to explain xkcd. Enjoy your stay. [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 20:50, 2 February 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

User talk:Godel Fishbreath

2021-02-02T20:49:25Z

Wikieditor431: Created page with "==Welcome== Welcome to explain xkcd. Enjoy your stay."

==Welcome==
Welcome to explain xkcd. Enjoy your stay.

User:Godel Fishbreath

2021-02-02T20:47:17Z

Wikieditor431: Created blank page

Category talk:Furries

2021-02-02T17:12:57Z

Wikieditor431: Created page with "Welcome to the furry discussion page on explain xkcd. To start this off, I would like to counter a statement by a person who forgot to sign their name. "Within the furry fando..."

Welcome to the furry discussion page on explain xkcd. To start this off, I would like to counter a statement by a person who forgot to sign their name. "Within the furry fandom vore has it's own meaning that's neither a suffix nor a philia, sort of a convince the guardian spirit to take the being between you and the world thing literally thing. During the aversion fad time protecting the fandom's reputation and not mentioning the weird stuff was a big deal. Now that that is over, mentioning the weird stuff, particularly vore, is a furry in-joke." It is important to mention that while the furry fandom ''is'' strange, we must keep in mind that claims of sexual perversion in the fandom are false [https://furscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Fur-Science-Final-pdf-for-Website_2017_10_18.pdf], and often go hand-in-hand with comments like this. I am not trying to shame the person who commented this, I am just fighting disinformation. [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 17:12, 2 February 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-02-01T23:19:21Z

Wikieditor431:

2419: Hug Count

2021-02-01T22:59:10Z

Wikieditor431:

{{comic
| number = 2419
| date = February 1, 2021
| title = Hug Count
| image = hug_count.png
| titletext = I've never been that big of a hug person, but it turns out I'm not quite this small of a hug person either.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a HUGGABLE ROBOT. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
The joke is that in 2020, when the pandemic happened, everyone had to social distance and avoid contact with strangers. Giving out a hug would violate these protocols, and thus be violated by few.
==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{comic discussion}}

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-01-27T21:36:40Z

Wikieditor431:

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-01-27T18:05:03Z

Wikieditor431:

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-01-26T15:56:07Z

Wikieditor431:

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-01-26T15:51:51Z

Wikieditor431:

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-01-26T15:50:13Z

Wikieditor431:

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-01-26T15:49:31Z

Wikieditor431:

This is my talk page. Howdy. Please say something. [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 22:16, 25 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

I made it. I need a reason to use it. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 03:35, 25 January 2021 (UTC)

Wow! You have a lot of edits! What is your opinion on furries? [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 22:16, 25 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

Oh! Did you make the furry discussion page? Do you need a reason for it, or what? [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 22:25, 25 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

wh-wh-what the— Why did you delete the Welcome template!? — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 07:42, 26 January 2021 (UTC)

Sorry! I will put it back! I am a little new to all this! It looked like it was cluttering up the page! So sorry! [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 15:47, 26 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

Uh. . . How do you put the welcome template back? Again, I am so sorry! I did not mean to offend you! [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 15:49, 26 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-01-26T15:49:09Z

Wikieditor431:

This is my talk page. Howdy. Please say something. [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 22:16, 25 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

I made it. I need a reason to use it. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 03:35, 25 January 2021 (UTC)

Wow! You have a lot of edits! What is your opinion on furries? [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 22:16, 25 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

Oh! Did you make the furry discussion page? Do you need a reason for it, or what? [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 22:25, 25 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

wh-wh-what the— Why did you delete the Welcome template!? — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 07:42, 26 January 2021 (UTC)

Sorry! I will put it back! I am a little new to all this! It looked like it was cluttering up the page! So sorry! [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 15:47, 26 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

Uh. . . How do you put back? Again, I am so sorry! I did not mean to offend you! [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 15:49, 26 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-01-26T15:47:48Z

Wikieditor431:

This is my talk page. Howdy. Please say something. [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 22:16, 25 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

==WELCOME TEMPLATE==

I made it. I need a reason to use it. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 03:35, 25 January 2021 (UTC)

Wow! You have a lot of edits! What is your opinion on furries? [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 22:16, 25 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

Oh! Did you make the furry discussion page? Do you need a reason for it, or what? [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 22:25, 25 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

wh-wh-what the— Why did you delete the Welcome template!? — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 07:42, 26 January 2021 (UTC)

Sorry! I will put it back! I am a little new to all this! It looked like it was cluttering up the page! So sorry! [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 15:47, 26 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-01-25T22:25:35Z

Wikieditor431:

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-01-25T22:16:09Z

Wikieditor431:

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-01-25T22:15:35Z

Wikieditor431:

This is my talk page. Howdy. Please say something.

I made it. I need a reason to use it. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 03:35, 25 January 2021 (UTC)

Wow! You have a lot of edits! What is your opinion on furries?

Category:Furries

2021-01-22T18:12:48Z

Wikieditor431:

{{w|Furry|Furries}} are fans of anthropomorphic animals. They often express their interests by wearing ears and tails, sometimes even constructing elaborate full-body fursuits that embody their {{w|fursona}}. They often are accused of sexual perversion, with all evidence to the contrary. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furry_fandom Wikipedia:Furry Fandom] Randall's opinion on furries is currently unknown.

[[Category:Comics by topic]]

User talk:Wikieditor431

2021-01-22T17:08:16Z

Wikieditor431:

This is my talk page. Howdy. Please say something.

User:Wikieditor431

2021-01-22T16:47:56Z

Wikieditor431:

Mostly just trying to correct people about furries. Blame my dad for giving me a drive to correct everyone.

User:Wikieditor431

2021-01-22T16:47:26Z

Wikieditor431:

{{crickets}}
Mostly just trying to correct people about furries. Blame my dad for giving me a drive to correct everyone.

540: Base System

2021-01-21T20:55:49Z

Wikieditor431: Major inaccuracies solved.

{{comic
| number = 540
| date = February 6, 2009
| title = Base System
| image = base system.png
| titletext = I once got to second base with a basketball player. She was so confused.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic comes in two parts and is a pun on the {{w|Baseball metaphors for sex|baseball metaphor}} used to describe how far a date went regarding erotic actions. Many different versions of the baseball metaphor exist, with varying degrees of complexity. But it has rarely been described with as many details as the one drawn by [[Randall]] in this comic.

===First part - the comic strip===
In the first part, a four frame strip along the top, [[Ponytail]] and [[Cueball]] discuss how Cueball's date went. When Cueball answers Ponytail's question with "second base", Ponytail asks what that means exactly. They fumble around with the definition in panel two where Ponytail ask ''is that Below the waist, but... not under the clothes?'' Cueball tries to put this into the base system and suggest that this could be compared to the difficult {{w|shortstop}} fielding position in baseball, between 2nd and 3rd base. This fits with the position of [[#The diamond|Hands on the pants]] metaphor from the picture below the comic strip. Then Ponytail begins with yet another base analogy by mentioning crossing the {{w|Baseball_field#Pitcher.27s_mound|pitcher's mound}}, but then suddenly she brings two more, very different, sports into the metaphor: {{w|American football}} (with the 50 yard line) and {{w|bowling}} (with the {{w|ten-pin}}). It certainly sounds tricky, as Cueball says. Ponytail then brings up a ''third'' sport in her elaboration; her reference to getting a "red flag" could refer to different sports, as {{w|Flag#In sports|many sports use flags}}, some of them red. It is, however, most likely a reference to {{w|Racing_flags#Red_flag|racing in motor sport}} as the red flag is displayed when conditions are too dangerous to continue the session. This makes sense when looking at the "translation" here below. Cueball, however, has not got a clue which he expresses when Ponytail asks him ''If you know what I mean.''
(Note that this comic came out less than a week after {{w|Super Bowl XLIII}}, the final game of the {{w|2008 NFL season}}, which was played on 2009-02-01).

Here is a possible '''translation''' of Ponytails comment:
::Original: You should try crossing the '''pitcher's mound'''. Then down the '''50-yard line''', and right past her '''ten-pin'''.
::Translation: You should try crossing her '''{{w|Mons pubis|pubic mound}}''', then down the '''{{w|Bikini_waxing#The_Landing_Strip|landing strip}}''', and right past her '''{{w|clitoris}}'''.
:::Original: Last time I tried it, '''I got a red flag'''.
:::Translation: Last time I tried it, '''she had her {{w|Menstruation|period}}'''.

This would mean that Ponytail was about to {{w|Cunnilingus|go down}} on another girl, while this girl had her period. Many people would find it disgusting to go down on a girl while she was menstruating, explaining why Ponytail brought it up when Cueball said ''Sounds tricky''. However, Cueball doesn't seem to understand Ponytail's metaphors, explaining his replies of ''Sounds tricky'' and ''I really don't''.

===Second part - the baseball diamond===
The second part, the diagram, depicts a much more complex version of the baseball metaphor, where baseball terms and jargon are used to describe the many and varied things human beings like to do in the bedroom. Explanations have been separated by position. In order to understand the terms used, one may want to consult this picture:

[[File:540baseballdiamond.jpg|The baseball diamond and surrounding areas]]
:Note that Randall did not include any features from within the diamond; the pitchers mound or plate.

====The diamond====

The "{{w|Baseball field|diamond}}" is the geometric pattern formed by the four bases - first, second, third, and {{W|Baseball_field#Home_plate|home plate}}. After the ball is hit by the batter, and is in the air, players have a chance to move to the next base in line, from first, to second, to third, and finally to home plate (scoring only if they make it to home plate), only being removed from play if they are touched by a player carrying the ball in an attempt to move between bases. Thus there is a "progression" from one base to the next of sexual activity in the metaphor, until climax is achieved (getting to 'home plate' and 'scoring a run')

The entries in this section are ordered roughly from home plate to first, to second, to third, and then to home plate again, in the counterclockwise direction that the players move.

*Eye contact is placed just alongside the initial stage where the 'player' has just stepped off the home plate and is starting to move towards first. This is a deliberate setup for the 'thigh contact' pun later just before home plate. First eye, then thigh contact. First then can the sex begin and you have finally scored by reaching the home plate.
*Passing notes refers to a common method of communication in the classroom in school, often used by students as a form of courtship. It is placed halfway between the start and first base - the point at which communication has begun.
*First base is kissing. This is one of the most common assigned meanings for what the 'first base' is in the baseball metaphor - as in, "getting to first base".
*The boring zone is the point between kissing and sexual teasing or activity - the point where intimacy has become normal but sexual behaviors have not been accepted yet. This is boring for many (stereotypically this goes especially for men). It can also be the point at which a workup is attempted from kissing to gentle stroking and finally to the overt sexual teasing that is found by the time you have gotten to second base.
*Second base is licking or hands under the shirt. Overt sexual teasing, in an attempt to get the other person aroused.
*'Hands on the pants' and 'hands in the pants' are two activities that happen in a very short distance of each other during an average sexual encounter. They are also separated by the 'orgasm line', indicating that teasing has stopped and actual sexual activity has begun.
*Third base is oral sex. Oral sex is often used to prepare or arouse another person in preparation for intercourse, although it can be performed until one or both climax. In older versions of the baseball metaphor, third base was "hands in the pants" instead, which has been moved to earlier on the line in this new, "modern" version - or at least, Randall's conception of it.
*The Virginity line, which is also named, in brackets, after the {{w|Maginot Line}}, a series of French fortifications that were thought to be impenetrable during the lead-up to {{w|World War II}}. This line provides a direct "barrier" to the path between third base and a home run. The Maginot Line was thought to be completely impenetrable until it was bypassed by the German army during WW2 through the {{w|Ardennes forest}}, whereupon it was encircled and destroyed. Virginity is often seen as an impenetrable barrier, or an unwillingness, up until arousal and desire conspire to make it go away rapidly.
*Teens, naturally, having a propensity for hormone-driven sex, bypass the Virginity line with ease.
*Sharing root PWs (passwords) is placed very close to home plate. As a {{w|system administrator}}, the one thing you never, ever do is give anyone the {{w|root password|root (core) password}} to an operating system, because anyone with the password is able to get unlimited access to the system to do whatever they please. Sharing a root password with another person is a nerdy way of saying that you trust them on an intimate, deep level. In other words, it requires more trust than oral sex.
*Finally, there is home plate. In this diagram, it is unlabelled, but in all versions of the baseball metaphor, the home plate signifies sexual intercourse and climax. Scoring a "home run" with a sexual partner means you "took it all the way" and "scored a point"; i.e. got laid. Close to the home plate, the virginity line and orgasm line cross, as penetrative sex is rarely the most effective way for a woman to reach orgasm.

====Within the diamond and around the orgasm line====
Inside the diamond, at the center of the mound, is the pitcher. Several odd positions are placed here in Randall's diagram.
*The Orgasm Line, which passes through almost every other play field, seems to be a divider that runs throughout the entire map that separates teasing and arousing behavior from overt sexual behavior intended to pleasure others.
**Using the scroll thingy on that one Apple mouse is presumably here because the small, rounded scroll button can be imagined to be a clitoris. But it does not even get close to cross the orgasm line. (See also [[243: Appropriate Term]].) The Apple mouse mentioned is presumably the {{w|Apple Mighty Mouse}}, which has a small scrolling trackball instead of a scroll wheel, which is the usual method on most computer mice.
**Fursuits (arousing, to some) become crotchless fursuits (overtly a sexual tool) when they cross the orgasm line.
**Hands on the pants and hands in the pants are two related but different activities - hands on the pants is arousing but not past the orgasm line, whereas hands in the pants can give pleasure enough to cross the orgasm line.
**Dry humping is the activity of humping (thrusting against) a partner without one or both of them removing their clothes, in order to arouse or gain sexual satisfaction. The location is probably a combination of the fact that it lies somewhere between hands on/in the pants, is definitely not an activity that is considered "out there" (in the outfield), hasn't quite made it to 3rd base, but at least it crosses the orgasm line.

====Infield====

The {{w|Infield#Baseball|infield}} is a series of catchers stationed immediately outside or just within the diamond, with the goal of receiving the ball from the outfield (or catching it themselves) and using it to tag any running opposing teammates to foil their attempts at moving to the next base on the diamond. Players within the diamond, such as the shortstop, will also be doing this as well - they often receive the ball from the infield. As such, the infield is still "out there", away from the "usual" sexual interactions in the diamond, but they are things you might pass upon the way.

*Napoleon's Forces is a cartography joke, suggesting that all of this complicated positioning makes the image look like a map depicting military maneuvers (and also evoking the comical image of Napoleon's army marching through a land of sexual behaviors). The specific reference is probably to {{w|Charles Joseph Minard}}'s famous [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Joseph_Minard#/media/File:Minard.png diagram of Napoleon's 1812 Russian campaign], often cited as the best statistical graphic ever. It's mentioned in the title text of [[731: Desert Island]].
*Fursuits are anthropmorphic animal costumes worn by some members of the {{w|Furry Fandom}}, people who are fans of anthropomorphized (human-like) animals. Fursuiters are a small fraction of the entire fandom,(though most furries have expressed interest in owning one, being unable to due to the high cost involved in commissioning one [https://www.furscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Fur-Science-Final-pdf-for-Website_2017_10_18.pdf IARP]), and are rarely used in sexual play.
*Fursuits (crotchless) are fursuits with no fabric or covering on the groin (crotch) of the wearer, and as such are specifically intended for sexual play. They are placed slightly further "out there" on the field due to this being more unusual, and across the orgasm line.
*Standing anywhere near Peaches is referring to the musician {{w|Peaches (musician)|Peaches}} who is known for her heavy use of sexual imagery. 

====Outfield====

The "{{w|Outfield#In_cricket_and_baseball|outfield}}" is a group of players who are there to catch the ball if it goes away from the main play area (anything outside the upper curving line) and return it to play in a manner advantageous to their team. As they separated away from the main play area, the things in the outfield are often references to sexual behaviors that are "kinky" and "out there".

*2outfielders1glove is a reference to the infamous {{w|2girls1cup}} scatological site and associated meme.
*The [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=retrograde%20wheelbarrow Retrograde Wheelbarrow] is a sex position, one referenced previously in [[300: Facebook]], making this a callback.
*Eye contact from {{w|Janeane Garofalo}} is a tie-in to the "eye contact" entry positioned near home base. It's possible that this is placed in the outfield because fantasizing about celebrities like Janeane Garofalo is a behavior that is often considered unusual, even though many people do it.

====Foul ball====

A {{w|foul ball}} occurs when a ball ends up in foul territory which is outside the foul line extending from either side of the diamond, the area is "out of play". Anyone who takes the ball into this area has committed a foul, and as such breached one of the acceptable rules of sexual conduct in the metaphor.

*Anal sex is a pun on the term "foul ball", as the anus is where fecal matter collects. The position is placed just outside the foul line.
*Downloading Star Trek fanfiction and replacing Riker's name with your crush is a reference to {{w|Star Trek: The Next Generation}}. Riker, the First Officer of the Enterprise-D, is often a subject of sexual desire among the fandom, and so taking a piece of fanfiction (fan-written, noncanon stories written about a piece of fiction) and replacing Riker's name with that of your crush is an ultra-nerdy way of indicating that they are attractive - so ultra-nerdy, it's creepy.
*The binary (i.e. base 2) numbers are an {{w|ASCII}} representation of the characters "base 2". The base of a number system is the number of unique digits required to represent numbers in that system. Binary is therefore a "base 2" system. This seems to be a little nerd sniping: wasting the time of anyone familiar enough with computing to know how to decode it.
*"Your base" is a reference to the original "base" metaphor mixed with a reference to the Zero Wing {{w|All Your Base}} meme. It is most likely a reference to {{w|masturbation}} (i.e. solo sex or you-sex and is in the foul area). First you make eye contact with a gorgeous girl (boy) and then you go home and satisfy yourself with a fantasy about all the things you would like to do with her (him). It's possible that this being here is also a stealth insult towards the reader - the reader's own base (him/herself) is "out of play" and thus undesirable.

====Title text====
If you are together with a {{w|basketball}} player and then tell her that you are now ''at second base'', she might become very confused as bases are not an element in basketball. Also there is the joke that basketball players never get laid because they always jump before they score.

==Transcript==
:[At the top there is a four panel regular comic strip.]
:[Cueball and Ponytail are talking; Ponytail is sitting on the back of a chair with her feet on the seat, and Cueball is sitting on the floor facing her.]
:Ponytail: So how far did you get with her?
:Cueball: Second base?

:[Zoom in on Ponytail on the chair.]
:Ponytail: Wait, which one is that? Below the waist, but... not under the clothes?
:Cueball (off-panel): I think that's... shortstop?

:[Cueball now almost lies down and Ponytail is sitting on the armrest of the chair.]
:Ponytail: You should try crossing the pitcher's mound. Then down the 50-yard line, and right past her ten-pin.
:Cueball: Sounds tricky.

:[Again a zoom in on Ponytail now on the armrest.]
:Ponytail: Yeah. Last time I tried it, I got a red flag. If you know what I mean.
:Cueball (off-panel): I really don't.

:[Below the strip there is a large frame with a diagram of a baseball diamond.]
:[At the bottom left there is a box with tis text:]
:'''The "Base" Metaphor Explained'''

:[Bases are pointed too with thick black arrows (except home plate) and there are also arrows pointing to different parts of the diagram. All arrows and points marked with "x" have a description, as do the dashed lines covering the field. Below they will be listed anti-clockwise from the home plate.]

:[Along the line towards first base is the following five items in the order they appear:]
::[x slightly right of home plate:]
::Eye contact
::[Black arrow pointing to a base half way to first base outside the line:]
::Your Base
::[x inside the line opposite your base]
::Passing notes
::[Black arrow pointing to a base further along and outside the line:]
::0110 0010 0110 0001
::0111 0011 0110 0101
::0010 0000 0011 0010
::[x Slightly before first base:]
::Downloading Star Trek fanfiction and replacing Riker's name with your crush's.

:[Black arrow pointing to first base:]
::First base: Kissing

:[Further along the line past the first base is one x point in the right outfield:]
::Eye contact from Janeane Garofalo.

:[On the way towards second base there are the following two items:]
::[A region along the line from first to second has been marked off by a dotted line. It has the following text written inside:]
::The boring zone.
::[x some way inside the line next to the boring zone:]
::Using the scroll thingy on that one Apple mouse

:[Black arrow pointing to second base:]
::Second base: Hands under the shirt and/or licking

:[On the route from second to third base are eight items:]
::[A dotted line traveling from near the outfield above second base, then crossing the second baseline about 1/3 of the way to third base, snaking its way almost down to the home plate ending close to the third baseline. The following text is written along the dotted line inside the diamond:]
::The orgasm line
::[Above second base a large black arrow crosses the orgasm line near the outfield:]
::Napoleon's forces
::[x below the Napoleon arrow right before crossing the orgasm line:]
::Fursuits
::[Two arrows points to the second base line on each side of the orgasm line:]
::Hands on the pants
::Hands in the pants
::[x some way into the diamond just past the orgasm line:]
::Dry humping
::[x same distance down the second base line as dry humping, but equally far outside the line still infield:]
::Fursuits (crotchless)
::[x almost at the extension of the 3rd base line close to the outfield:]
::Standing anywhere near Peaches

:[In the left outfield there are two x points:]
::[x in the outfield halfway along the second base line:]
::Retrograde wheelbarrow
::[x in the outfield almost at the extension of the third base line:]
::2outfielders1glove.

:[Foul of the third base line just left of where the grass line divides the in- and outfield:]
::Anal sex (fill in your own "foul ball" pun here.)

:[Black arrow pointing to third base:]
::Third base: Oral sex (formerly "hands in the pants")

:[On the route from third to home plate there are four items:]
::[Between third base and home there is a dotted line that makes a curve from right outside the third base line and ends right afer it has crossed the orgasm line. The text is written inside the diamond with the first word above and the other two below the dotted line:]
::"Virginity" (Maginot) line
::[A large black arrow curves around the end of the "Virginity" line outside of the diamond:]
::Teens
::[A large black arrow points from outside the diamond to a point right between home plate and the virginity line:]
::Sharing root PWs
::[x just before home plate at the end of the orgasm line inside the diamond:]
::Thigh contact

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Sex]]
[[Category:Furries]]
[[Category:American football]]
[[Category:Sport]]
[[Category:Basketball]]
[[Category:Star Trek]]

Category:Furries

2021-01-21T20:49:07Z

Wikieditor431: Major inaccuracies solved.

Category:Furries

2021-01-21T20:45:45Z

Wikieditor431: Minor inaccuracies solved.

Talk:471: Aversion Fads

2021-01-21T19:15:31Z

Wikieditor431: /* What is a furry? */

The inclusion of a Fox is notable, within the Furry community foxes are the most populous species [Citation: https://sites.google.com/site/anthropomorphicresearch/home ] and subjected to a degree of derision from other furs.

[[Special:Contributions/78.40.152.129|78.40.152.129]] 10:45, 12 January 2013 (UTC) Feefers (A Furry)

:Your mention of fox-morphism reminds me of {{w|Lady into Fox}}, from the 1920s... Probably not relevent, but perhaps interesting as a pre-Internet example that is not itself an ancient fable, legend or allegory. (No Rule 34ing, though, that I recall). [[Special:Contributions/178.107.249.215|178.107.249.215]] 22:22, 11 June 2013 (UTC)
::At that novel a lady suddenly turns into a real fox, this is not true for this comic. It's just the Furry community.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:02, 12 June 2013 (UTC)

Does anyone know if this is Randall's actual opinion of furries? I've wondered that ever since I first read this comic. [[User:Leafy Greens|Leafy Greens]] ([[User talk:Leafy Greens|talk]]) 15:37, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

It's possible that the "Hey, kid" line is a reference to the "Hey, kid, wanna yiff?" meme (possibly based on another, "hey kid, wanna see a dead body") which was made 4 months -1 day prior to this strip release, apparently for a furry pick-up line contest on FurAffinity [got this from knowyourmeme]. Also, the title " Aversion Fad" might be suggesting that the anti-Furry attitude/meme/whatever is just a fad or meme. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.158|108.162.237.158]] 19:27, 6 September 2015 (UTC)

It should be noted that Randall has particularly picked up on the furry stereotype than what furries actually are. [[User:International Space Station|International Space Station]] ([[User talk:International Space Station|talk]]) 01:45, 9 October 2015 (UTC)

I've been wanting to fix this for over a year. This comic is written about furries, so I only think it's fair that the explain is written by someone who actually knows about the furry fandom--you know, an *actual* furry who, you know, isn't into the sexual stuff, i.e. me. [[User:International Space Station|International Space Station]] ([[User talk:International Space Station|talk]]) 02:02, 9 October 2015 (UTC)

Fair, but the explanation is now much too long. Added incomplete tag as such. I really appreciate you trying to bring this more in line with reality, but we're not here to discuss culture, we're here to explain xkcd. If you disagree, feel free to remove the tag. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.91|199.27.128.91]] 04:22, 9 October 2015 (UTC)

I kept the explanation regarding furries, but moved it to a seperate section so it wouldn't interfere with the people who are here soley to look for an explanation of the actual comic. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.154|108.162.215.154]] 23:07, 11 October 2015 (UTC)

The obvious use being, of course, so you don't have to remove the suit to use the restrooms. ...Sexual purposes aside, there probably really are people who buy/make them for that particular convenience instead. [[User:Nyperold|Nyperold]] ([[User talk:Nyperold|talk]]) 07:07, 3 July 2016 (UTC)

Our purpose here is to explain the comic, not to defend against slights to one community or another. If the reader wants to learn more about furries direct them to wikipedia or some other source. The paragraph was intrusive and needless, it added nothing to the comic. A short, emphasis on short, explanation of what a furry is may be appropriate, anything more than that is just a diatribe more suitable for the discussion page.--[[User:Lackadaisical|Lackadaisical]] ([[User talk:Lackadaisical|talk]]) 15:28, 26 May 2017 (UTC)

"your fetish"... *Sigh* - [[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.58|162.158.214.58]] 08:56, 9 August 2017 (UTC)

I will add a short explanation of furries, but I will be mindful of complaints that the old one was too long. I have tired to contact Randall about furries before, but no answer so far. [[User:Wikieditor431|Wikieditor431]] ([[User talk:Wikieditor431|talk]]) 18:58, 21 January 2021 (UTC)Wikieditor431

471: Aversion Fads

2021-01-21T19:15:11Z

Wikieditor431:

{{comic
| number = 471
| date = September 3, 2008
| title = Aversion Fads
| image = aversion_fads.png
| titletext = Hey, are you friends with any hamsters? This kite needs a passenger.
}}

==Explanation==

Here, we see [[Cueball]] and his Cueball-like friend, who are grossed out that there is a {{w|furry}} (noted by the kid's fox ears and tail) near them. These people most likely have bought into the stereotype of furries, and as such, are showing their disgust towards what they perceive the fandom to be. [[Megan]] then calls for the furry to help her with her kite. The way this turns out, she also thinks that furries are “weird as hell”, but she is also irritated by the fact that a lot of people on the Internet are involved with a lot of weird things that may gross out or otherwise offend the general population, yet the Internet in general frequently mocks furries for engaging in essentially the same things. This hypocrisy bothers her, so she takes whatever opportunity she has to defend furries, who are, after all, people of the Internet.

Hearing this, the furry brings up {{w|The Lion and the Mouse|the fable of the lion and the mouse}} (from {{w|Aesop}}). This fable talks about a lion who spares a mouse from being eaten, since the mouse's promise that he would repay the lion gave the lion a good laugh. In the story, the lion later gets caught in a trap and the mouse chews through the cords, freeing the lion. The furry now has a debt to repay Megan, but before we can get to that Megan curtails the simile. She assumes that the furry will perceive the story to be about animal bondage relationships, and be aroused by this.

In the title text, Megan realizes that her kite needs a passenger. So, she asks the furry if he has any hamster friends. This likely refers to real hamsters, which could be tied to the kite. However, this being a furry, it could also refer to people who have hamster “fursonas” — a “fursona” is the type of animal that a furry pretends to be. Such a person would still have the weight of a regular person and therefore unsuitable for flying on the kite after tied (given the kite's size as depicted and assumptions about usual kite materials). This may be a reference to [[20: Ferret]].

== What is a furry? ==

A furry is a person interested in anthropomorphic animal characters. They are often accused of perverted sexual behavior, despite all evedence to the contrary. For more information, see [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furry_fandom Wikipedia]

==Transcript==
:[Two Cueball-like guys stand together as a young guy dressed up with small ears and a tail approaches.]
:Cueball: Oh God, a furry. Don't let it touch you.

:[The furry hears someone call out to him.]
:Off-screen: Hey, kid.

:[Megan is seen preparing a kite to be flown.]
:Megan: Forget those assholes. Come help me.

:[The furry begins to help Megan set up the kite.]
:Furry: Thanks. So you're cool with furries?

:[The two are now standing far appart the furry with the kite and the line going over to Megan.]
:Megan: Well, I think your fetish is weird as hell. It just bothers me how you're this designated Internet punching bag among people who are otherwise down with weird fetishes. So I stick up for you when I can.

:[The kite now successfully up in the air and Megan pulls the line with both hands moving backwards.]
:Furry: Well, thanks. I owe you one.
:Megan: It's no big deal.

:[Megan stops some distance from the fury holding the line with one hhand. The fury lift one hand up apologising.]
:Furry: No, this is like the lion and the mouse.
:Megan: ...Listen, can we pick a comparison less likely to turn you on?
:Furry: Sorry.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Furries]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

Talk:471: Aversion Fads

2021-01-21T19:11:51Z

Wikieditor431: /* What is a furry? */

Talk:471: Aversion Fads

2021-01-21T19:05:59Z

Wikieditor431: /* What is a furry? */ new section

Talk:471: Aversion Fads

2021-01-21T18:58:21Z

Wikieditor431: