https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=108.162.216.45&feedformat=atomexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2024-03-28T15:44:04ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2613:_Bad_Map_Projection:_Madagascator&diff=231719Talk:2613: Bad Map Projection: Madagascator2022-05-02T04:41:30Z<p>108.162.216.45: Remove vandal threads other than holave</p>
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<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
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Anyone else want to play this (and the other bad map projections) as maps in a 4X/Grand Strategy game? [[User:Mazz0|Mazz0]] ([[User talk:Mazz0|talk]]) 18:02, 29 April 2022 (UTC)<br />
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Clicking on the original comic brings up the actual projection used, it looks like.<br />
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I'm on an old machine here (because it usually doesn't matter), and clicked on the image on the xkcd site to get the image, to be told that ''Your browser does not support WebGL :'('' by the URL https://mrgris.com/projects/merc-extreme/#-4.64274,55.45253 - I will have to check from a less 'primitive' device, but it looks like it's got a special click-through, which might be worth mentioning in the Explanation. I can check myself in a few minutes, but noting here first in case I get delay. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.11|141.101.98.11]] 19:38, 29 April 2022 (UTC)<br />
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I have added the click. It opens an website app showing a Mercator with the North Pole set to wherever you want, with this one in particular set Mahé just as Randall said. [[User:Mapron01|Mapron01]] ([[User talk:Mapron01|talk]]) 19:40, 29 April 2022 (UTC)<br />
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Added a table, based upon some rapid pixel-analysis I did. No, I didn't include Indonesia, etc, and the "Africa size probably includes Madagascar" sort of thing could need sorting, but I mentioned that below so nobody is under misapprehension. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.34.221|162.158.34.221]] 22:04, 29 April 2022 (UTC)<br />
: I think having the official size also be a percent of the world (or at least another column like that) would make it easier to see how the distortion affects the size. And/or distortion from a normal Mercator projection {{unsigned ip|172.70.230.143}}<br />
:: That was my initial intention, or at least a percentage-of-reality column alongside (plus adding sorting to the columns), and maybe a differential between the two percentages just for fun. But I wanted to take time to make sure I was correctly counting how much area was (say) Eurasia but without Japan, etc. Maybe I'll actually get around to that shortly. There are other (formatting) tweaks I wasn't overly happy with in my original. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.11|141.101.98.11]] 19:00, 30 April 2022 (UTC)<br />
::Okey dokey. New table. Sortable, extra columns and 'real world' figures improved on. (e.g. "North America" is land-areas of Canada through to Panama minus all significant islands (though some of the Canadian archipelago might have been drawn in as contiguous, etc, etc, and I ''think'' I only included Alaska in my sums just the once). Which took a lot more effort than I'd have prefered, like including Peninsula Malaysia and not the offshore bits. I wish I could say I spent as much time on the initial image-analysis (at least include NZ N+S Islands as an entry, right?) and the raw data is now archived elsewhere.<br />
::I also augmented with footnote references, but not sure if I've done it right. Readable (defined in first instance, where used multiple times) in the source if anyone thinks there's any better ways of doing it (had my heart set on dagger/double-dagger/etc, but never mind). But there you are.<br />
::Enjoy! [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.63|172.70.90.63]] 23:11, 30 April 2022 (UTC)<br />
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== holave ==<br />
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exclamacioneve holave inefe eguntapre omoce uedope ayudareve ave esteve itiose inefe [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.43|108.162.245.43]] 02:53, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
:Does anyone know what language this is written in? I have no idea what this person is saying (asking?) and Google Translate wasn't much help. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.178|108.162.246.178]] 03:09, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
::eclaracionde oye one hablove ingleseve erope oye ieroque ayudareve esteve ikiwe inefe [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.143|108.162.216.143]] 04:01, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
:::My first thought was esperanto (or ido or interlingua, given lack of accents), certainly a latinesque-based language or conlang, but given the edits put onto this effort, it's possibly even sabotaged, or was written by someone for whom it most definitely not was their first language. (I even thought it was "Pig-esperanto"... This is that idiot who changed entire Explanations to Pig-Latin, I'm sure.)<br />
:::I've got no real affinity to languages but I can recognise the possible roots of a lot of that. Some use of "...speak(ing) English..." is obvious in the latter post, for example, at an educated guess.<br />
:::But I would say this is a prelude to some "I want you to wear bunny-ears when you revert stuff" thing, which I for one won't try to solve this puzzle for. (I'll just revert and revert and revert, if I'm around, and ignore the "trying to be clever" stuff. Nearly deleted this, actually, but restrained myself.) Otherwise, I leave it to those who know their conlangs better than me. Once it strays too far beyond technical English and its classical roots, I'm not really a linguistics person as I said, so it's useless to me whether it's an international message of friendship or extortion instructions. "Holave", whoever you are, but no thanks. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.155|172.70.162.155]] 10:10, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
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How will they shut down all their ports?<br />
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::::Yeah, it definitely looks like a conlang based on a Latinesque language, probably Spanish. "exclamacioneve" is probably "exclamacion" = "exclamation" (not sure why a sentence would begin with "exclamation"), holave=hola=hello, ayudareve=ayudar=help, hablove=hablo="I speak" (could actually be a different conjugation, but this is the most likely), and ingleseve=ingles=English. They seem to be saying "I speak English" (or "I don't speak English" if "one" means "no"). [[Special:Contributions/172.70.130.5|172.70.130.5]] 14:11, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
:::::"I don't speak English" seems more likely, so it's probably a good guess that "one" does mean "no." [[Special:Contributions/172.70.178.199|172.70.178.199]] 14:15, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
::::::It seems to be some sort of pig-Spanish, with punctuation written out. Decoded, it's “exclamacion hola fine pregunta como puedo ayudar a este sitio fine” and “declaracion yo no hablo ingles pero yo quiero ayudar este wiki fine”, meaning “exclamation hi end question how can i help on this site end” and “statement i dont speak english but i want to help this wiki end”. [[User:Kapostamas|Kapostamas]] ([[User talk:Kapostamas|talk]]) 15:15, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
How will they shut down all their ports?<br />
:::::::(Somehow the thread got duplicated; I merged the threads) That makes sense. It seems like if someone wanted to help, they would at least use a real language. Do you think this is the vandal? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.178.33|172.70.178.33]] 15:31, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
::::::::Definitely the vandal. These were some of the vandal edit summaries on the last comic: "Orpe avorfe one andalizarve esteve aginape" "ise eviertere estove eve incluyeve unve emojive ede a'rbolve ede avidadne enve use esumenre ede edicio'nve, one ole olvere've ave acerehve" "one incluyesteve uneve emojive ede a'rboleve ede avidadene" @Kapostamas can you understand those? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.178.33|172.70.178.33]] 15:42, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::“Por favor no vandalizar este pagina”; “Si revierte esto e incluye un emoji de árbol de navidad ne su resumen de edición, no lo volveré a hacere”; “No incluyeste un emoji de árbol de navidad”.<br />
:::::::::That is, “Please do not vandalize this page”; “If you revert this and include a Christmas tree emoji in the edit summary, I will not do it again”; “You haven't included a Christmas tree emoji”. Must be some earlier version of this “dialect”, since there is punctuation and diacritics are marked by apostrophes, making it somewhat easier to recognize as mangled Spanish. [[User:Kapostamas|Kapostamas]] ([[User talk:Kapostamas|talk]]) 16:08, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
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::::::::(Written before 172.70.178.33 got posted, just above.) I'd stake my bottom dollar/peso/euro/whatever on it. Still, marginally entertaining, but not in the intended way (which is good).<br />
::::::::As for the "Exclamation" start, two basic theories:<br />
::::::::* It's word-literal of "¡Some punctuation!" (partnered eith "inefe"=>"end), because the encoding system doesn't have punctuation, it reads it out (maybe literally, e.g. via screen-reader) and it's like a telegram convention "HAVE REACHED NORTH POLE STOP PLEASE ADVISE WHICH DIRECTION NOW STOP" (i.e. full-stop/period in word form).<br />
::::::::* It's a start that says "I exclaim (that)...", and the other "I declare (that)..." in a sort of grammatical necessity for this particular lingo. Similar to "Statement: I am a computer. Question: Are you a computer?" in (deliberately-?)bad scifi dialogue.<br />
::::::::Possibly a mix of both, and also some tertiary ideas I have. And the word-for-word translations make a sort of sense in either/both/all these contexts. Not that I'd respond to them, but I'll gladly talk about them and actually do something intellectually interesting with the mess. Silk purse from sow's ear, etc. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.63|172.70.90.63]] 15:55, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::What's the rule for "translating" into this "dialect"? It seems like it is very similar to pig Latin, but with a few changes? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.17|108.162.216.17]] 16:27, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::As far as I know:<br />
::::::::::# Write your message in Spanish.<br />
::::::::::# Enclose each of your sentences between ''declaración/exclamación/pregunta'' at the front (according to closing punctuation – ./!/? respectively) and ''fine'' at the end. Remove original punctuation. Probably do something about commas as well.<br />
::::::::::# Remove diacritics.<br />
::::::::::# For each word, move the initial consonant cluster to the end. If there is no initial consonant (or if it's silent, like H), instead add a V to the end of the word. Then append a final E to each word.<br />
::::::::::[[User:Kapostamas|Kapostamas]] ([[User talk:Kapostamas|talk]]) 17:29, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::::Okay, that makes sense, thank you! It also looks like if the word ends in a consonant, you add an e to the end both before and after the moved/new consonant (group), because otherwise exclamación would become "exclamacionve" when it is actually "exclamacioneve." It also looks like we've been successfully [[356]]ed by the vandal. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.126.65|172.70.126.65]] 17:50, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::::That supposes that they always applied their own rules perfectly. There are many places where this rule seems to be in effect and many where it doesn't; sometimes even the same word is transcribed in two different ways. Since my Spanish is rudimentary at best, I've simply included some of these E's in the transcription without noticing them. [[User:Kapostamas|Kapostamas]] ([[User talk:Kapostamas|talk]]) 19:28, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
:::::::::::::It looks like they added the e-between-consonants rule in later messages. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.131.106|172.70.131.106]] 19:40, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::::::That explains many of them, but there's still “eclaracionde” in the second message. [[User:Kapostamas|Kapostamas]] ([[User talk:Kapostamas|talk]]) 20:54, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::::::: eclaracionede esaseve eglasere eque ese esele ocurrieroneve onese orrectasece inefe eclaracionede itace eclaracionde inefe uefe uneve erroreve ipograficote yve eberiade erese itace eclaracionede inefe inefe [[Special:Contributions/172.70.126.65|172.70.126.65]] 21:04, 1 May 2022 (UTC)<br />
::::::::::::::::Hmm, more pig-Spanish.<br />
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::::::::::::::::After undoing the word changes, but leaving the grammar as-is, it says: "declaracion esas reglas que se les ocurrieron son correctas fine declaracion cita declaracion fine fue un error tipografico y deberia ser cita declaracion fine fine"<br />
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::::::::::::::::The first sentence appears to mean "Those rules that (either "they" or plural "you") came up with are correct."<br />
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::::::::::::::::The rest of it doesn't make much sense; there are even two "fine"s in a row. @Kapostamas do you know what this message means? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.130.161|172.70.130.161]] 02:57, 2 May 2022 (UTC)</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1110:_Click_and_Drag&diff=112491Talk:1110: Click and Drag2016-02-17T22:44:55Z<p>108.162.216.45: </p>
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<div>There is a crowbar in the right borehole in the pair of boreholes above the ufo cvern<br />
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It's a bit of a stretch, but I think the jellyfish is playing Super Mario Bros..<br />
[[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.105|173.245.54.105]] 11:36, 12 August 2015 (UTC)<br />
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I went all the way west, but when I tried going east when I got to the mario bit I went down and got lost :( [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.246|141.101.98.246]] 21:22, 8 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
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Newbie editor here (ducks abuse and fires back). When I saw the lighthouse with Megan and Ponytail @ 1 North, 13 West, I immediately went to [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=59:_Graduation]. --[[User:Philo Pharynx|Philo Pharynx]] ([[User talk:Philo Pharynx|talk]]) 18:23, 26 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
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This is great! Keep up the good work! The servers are melting, but keep refreshing if you get a 500 error. Let's get that chart filled out. --[[User:Jeff|Jeff]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 19:05, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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I've been dragging for ages, and it hasn't looped back on itself yet. Source diving tells me that it's freakin' massive, and it loads in a million separate tiles. Please, let me cry in a corner at the impossible majesty of it all. [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]] ([[User talk:Davidy22|talk]]) 06:59, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
:I'm source diving, and I've managed to extend the boundaries massively. Trying to find a way to remove the click and drag restriction on this monstrosity, think I've figured it out. Will have obscenely massive image uploaded within the next few hours. [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]] ([[User talk:Davidy22|talk]]) 07:24, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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I swear, it's like he found out about us, and is now saying "Oh, yeah? Well how about this?" Other than the gripes of how hard it's going to be to get this thing explained, this one is pretty epic. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 08:08, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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I started to comment some easter eggs. Come on, we can make it :-). -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 09:00, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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I found the left hand boundary of the page reasonably quickly. Once you cross the sea you get their pretty fast. I also found an X-Wing coming out of the ground quoting a line from just after the death star trench run. {{unsigned|Chrisnoise}}<br />
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==Different methods of viewing the world==<br />
For those who get impatient scrolling around (and are a little savvy): download the .html file for the comic ([http://xkcd.com/1110/index.html index.html]), and also the file [http://imgs.xkcd.com/clickdrag/1110.js 1110.js]. Edit the .html file to use your 1110.js instead of the one from xkcd.com. Then edit 1110.js:<br />
* remove the line "overflow: 'hidden',"<br />
* change the "1"s into "4"s in "for(var y=-1;y<=+1;y++)" and in "for(var x=-1;x<=+1;x++){"<br />
* optionally, remove the line "$remove.remove();" (warning: this will make it take up a lot of memory eventually!)<br />
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Then open the local copy in your web browser. Zooming out, scrolling, and zooming back in helps find the easter eggs.<br />
{{unsigned|75.111.63.192}}<br />
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The above can be done, without downloading, by putting Chrome or Chromium into developer mode by hitting F12, then altering the very same setting in the page, as you view it --[[User:Kazvorpal|Kazvorpal]] ([[User talk:Kazvorpal|talk]]) 22:28, 25 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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*This Page's instructions say to zoom in and out when browsing the modified local file. My browser skills are rusty. I have Firefox, and when I zoom in and out, it zooms the whole page, rather than just the interesting bit. However, seeing as how there are 16000+ panels, I don't think I want to zoom it out quite so very far anyway. Firefox is notoriously bad when there are lots of images on a page (and yes, it cratered while I was exploring the original page). In any case, can someone clarify the use of zoom? [[Special:Contributions/24.57.210.141|24.57.210.141]] 08:40, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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All is revealed here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4542367 - seriously. Links to downloads, full images, how to link directly to a point of interest and so on. {{unsigned|145.64.134.242}}<br />
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Another full view, with pan and zoom http://www.mrphlip.com/xkcd1110/ {{unsigned|207.114.139.254}}<br />
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For the pack rats, [http://www.mediafire.com/?u7dac458418phyn here] is a .tar.gz of all the pngs. You can use these to reference where in the comic you are. Files are named <tt><number><north/south><number><east/west>.png</tt>. So 1n8w.png is 1 north, 8 west. Let's get this thing done. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 09:12, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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I've made a full-screen version with cursor control: http://ares.aylett.co.uk/xkcd/ [[User:Axa|Axa]] ([[User talk:Axa|talk]]) 12:51, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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:Seems I'm really too slow, plus I have CSS problems (there are gaps between my rows) but I'll share what I did anyway. Create a file with <code>.html</code> extension with the following content (if you've downlaoded all the images already, you can change the code to use your local files) and you get a map of the world.<br />
<pre class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><br />
<!doctype html><br />
<html><head><title>Click and Drag</title><br />
<style><br />
table {<br />
border-collapse: collapse;<br />
}<br />
td {<br />
padding: 0px;<br />
}<br />
td.s {<br />
background-color: black;<br />
}<br />
</style><br />
</head><body><table><script><br />
var x, y, src, cssClass;<br />
for (y = -13; y <= 18; y++) {<br />
document.write('<tr>');<br />
for (x = -33; x <= 47; x++) {<br />
src = (y>=0?(y+1)+'s':-y+'n')+(x>=0?(x+1)+'e':-x+'w');<br />
cssClass = y>=0?'s':'n';<br />
url = "http://imgs.xkcd.com/clickdrag/" + src + ".png";<br />
//url = src + ".png"; // Remove comment to use local files<br />
document.write('<td class=' + cssClass + '><a HREF="' + url + '"><img width="64" height="64" title=' + src + ' src="' + url + '"></a></td>');<br />
}<br />
document.write('</tr>');<br />
}<br />
</script><br />
</table><br />
</html><br />
</pre><br />
:--[[Special:Contributions/132.230.1.28|132.230.1.28]] 09:58, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
:: I've created a file which looks the very same :-) The gaps between the rows seem to come from the <code>&lt;img&gt;</code> elements being displayed as inline content, adding some whitespaces to the cells. I now use this css code:<br />
<pre style="margin-left:4em;">* {<br />
padding: 0;<br />
margin: 0;<br />
border: 0;<br />
}<br />
table {<br />
border-collapse: collapse;<br />
border-spacing: 0;<br />
table-layout: fixed;<br />
}<br />
td {<br />
width: 2048px;<br />
height: 2048px;<br />
}<br />
img {<br />
display: block;<br />
}</pre><br />
::--[[Special:Contributions/84.181.110.126|84.181.110.126]] 15:06, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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This is the best full-size view of the comic: http://xkcd-map.rent-a-geek.de/ [[Special:Contributions/77.191.21.108|77.191.21.108]] 15:02, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== ZIP upload ==<br />
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Hi,<br />
<br />
I’ve locally downloaded all the tiles (there is 225 PNG files) and made a ZIP file of them, but when trying to upload it here the [[Special:Upload]] page says: “Permitted file types: png, gif, jpg, jpeg.”<br />
Do I have to upload each tile one by one or is there a way to exceptionally bypass this restriction?<br />
Thanks. — [[User:Ethaniel|Ethaniel]] ([[User talk:Ethaniel|talk]]) 09:13, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
:Mh, seems I’m hours too late… — [[User:Ethaniel|Ethaniel]] ([[User talk:Ethaniel|talk]]) 09:14, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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:I'm not sure we should upload each individual frame for this one. Though, we do need to have a discussion about how we're going to handle/archive/explain this one, because it's going to be big and tedius. Maybe some adventurous and hardy soul can stitch together grids of this so that we don't have the problem of having too much image (a single terapixel image will kill anyone's PC if they try to load it) and having so little (while the grids Randall's created are nice and bite-sized, it's hard to see the whole thing). [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 09:20, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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::I’m going to upload the 225 tiles in few hours: which path is best?<br />
::* <nowiki>[[File:1n1e.png]]</nowiki><br />
::* <nowiki>[[File:1110/1n1e.png]]</nowiki><br />
::* <nowiki>[[File:1110: Click and Drag/1n1e.png]]</nowiki><br />
::There will be of course a template (<nowiki>{{1110|1n1e}}</nowiki>) allowing easy access to individual tiles. ;)<br />
::[[User:Ethaniel|Ethaniel]] ([[User talk:Ethaniel|talk]]) 10:36, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:::If you are really going to do this, then I think doing <nowiki>[[File:1110: Click and Drag/1n1e.png]]</nowiki> would be the best spot. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 13:53, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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::::Finally I only did the template: direct link to the original tiles is fine too.<br />
::::Thanks for the answer, it may be useful someday. — [[User:Ethaniel|Ethaniel]] ([[User talk:Ethaniel|talk]]) 14:04, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:::::Sorry for the late response, I had to go to bed (I only got 4 hours of sleep anyways) to be able to get up for work today. The template is massively helpful. I crown you champion. It might be interesting to split up each page into sub-pages of this, and then transclude in the first paragraph from the subpage. So, <nowiki>[[1110: Click and Drag/1n1e]]</nowiki> would have a full description, including links to adjacent/related tiles, but have another template transclude in the synopsis and transcript into the table on this page. That's pie-in-the-sky thinking, and definitely should not be done today while the server is being hammered like it is. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 17:08, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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It doesn't seem to be a terapixel. There are 225 images of 2048x2048 pixels. The full range is 81x32 tiles, resulting in a 165888x65536 images, at approximately 10 gigapixels. The naming conventions is numberlatitudenumberlongitude.png, where lat can be either n or s, and long can be either e or w. E.g. 1n1e.png, which is the starting image, and they are located at http://imgs.xkcd.com/clickdrag/. {{unsigned|Aufgehaben}}<br />
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There's far more than 225 images >> http://lebbeo.us/2012/09/19/not-bbq-fetching-component-images-of-xkcd-comic-1110/ [[Special:Contributions/114.79.57.76|114.79.57.76]] 11:17, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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Seems to me what should happen is that someone should setup a "slippy map" without having to use the browser's zoom in/out capabilities. Think openlayers. -- [[User:Anarcat|Anarcat]] ([[User talk:Anarcat|talk]]) 13:35, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Raptors==<br />
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I found two raptors. I couldn't even begin to tell you where they are. Follow the left side. Past the oceans and in some grass...somewhere. This is a lot to draw...I wonder how he did it. The shear size of each image, combined with the fact that they seamlessly transition together...when did he start? How much time did he put in? He should have waited one more to get comic 1111, I think. [[Special:Contributions/76.122.5.96|76.122.5.96]] 09:29, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
:The far right also quotes the very first xkcd comic ever. [[Special:Contributions/76.122.5.96|76.122.5.96]] 09:39, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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==Black hat==<br />
<br />
I found him in 2 locations, with a weapon both times. The Gatling gun he has on the building above the XKCD What if? cranes looks like he could be waiting to shoot something. Did anyone find anything he might be trying to shoot? [[Special:Contributions/171.161.160.10|171.161.160.10]] 13:09, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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Nevermind. There's nothing there. But there is a hot air balloon below the area I suspected. [[Special:Contributions/171.161.160.10|171.161.160.10]] 13:16, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
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<br />
==End of the JS file comment==<br />
<br />
At the end of the JavaScript file responsible for the map code, there's a comment "/* 50:72:6f:50:75:6b:65:20:69:73:20:61:77:65:73:6f:6d:65 */". Interpreted as hex codes for ASCII text, this reads "ProPuke is awesome". {{unsigned|134.102.219.116}}<br />
<br />
Interesting. Google tells me that ProPuke is the handle of a programmer from the UK. This morning, [http://twitter.com/ProPuke on his twitter feed], he posted "57:68:79:2c:20:74:68:61:6e:6b:20:79:6f:75:21". This translates from hex as "Why, thank you!" Also, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:ProPuke his Wikipedia user page] tells us a lot about him too. I wonder if he contributed to the code? [[Special:Contributions/71.201.53.130|71.201.53.130]] 23:24, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== ==<br />
<br />
I've been dragging and clicking for an hour, and I accidentally found the right edge. I started going left, and when I got to the island, I went into the Earth. I followed tunnels and caves down (at one point, there's a massive underground lake and a tree with a man sitting pensively by it (possibly Dawson?)) there until I found the tunnel that ends up going back to the surface in MarioWorld (complete with flag and castle), and went right from there. After the wind turbines, there's a bridge. On the other side of the bridge is a fencepost joke (If you're having fencepost problems, I feel bad for you son: I've got 99 problems but solved for 101). After that, there's a Burj Dubai reference (I assume the radio tower representing it is drawn to scale - it's very tall). After that, I went up a hill that had random farm callouts scattered on it, and on the other side of the hill is a large water tower. After that, there's grassland until the edge, which has Balloon Randall again saying, "I wonder where I'll float next." {{unsigned|67.52.249.244}}<br />
<br />
:I'm going to say this is a perfect example of what Randall wanted by creating a world so huge you can explore for hours, get lost, not care, and find yourself again, and keep wondering what you'll discover next. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 18:20, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==IRC logs or it didn't happen==<br />
When I get home I'll post the logs I have (didn't think to have logging turned on until after the discussion started) so that it won't seem like I'm crazy. I remember Randall saying that a full, uncompressed, single rectangular image would be near a terapixel (the figure was something like 800 gigapixels). [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 16:04, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== ICC sections ==<br />
<br />
The following files have ICC sections:<br />
<br />
<pre><br />
$ grep -l iCCPicc xkcd_grab/*.png<br />
xkcd_grab/11s11e.png<br />
xkcd_grab/11s11w.png<br />
xkcd_grab/16s1e.png<br />
xkcd_grab/17s1e.png<br />
xkcd_grab/19s7e.png<br />
xkcd_grab/1n30e.png<br />
xkcd_grab/1n39e.png<br />
xkcd_grab/2n3w.png<br />
xkcd_grab/3n25e.png<br />
xkcd_grab/4s17w.png<br />
xkcd_grab/6n2w.png<br />
xkcd_grab/8n1w.png<br />
</pre><br />
<br />
(source of the images for me: '<code>git clone "https://github.com/danielribeiro/xkcd_grab.git"</code>')<br />
<br />
At first I thought the white/black tiles were a hint to some steganography embedded in the images. Then I found those ICC sections and thought it was just a pun to add a color profile to a black image. But not all of the above are just black and having a color profile for white image parts can actually make sense, so maybe someone else has a clue, why those (and only those) tiles have color profiles...<br />
<br />
-- [[User:Xorg|Xorg]] ([[User talk:Xorg|talk]]) 19:55, 19 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Do a binary compare on the files.<br />
<br />
== Jesus ==<br />
Seems that the description insinuates that the "Jesus" reference (1n21w) is intended to be vocative, not expletive. Can somebody substatiate that conclusion, as opposed to the position that Randall meant s/Jesus/Cripe/... ? (I guess this is just a long-winded way of saying [Citation Needed].) -- [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 03:43, 20 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
Reference to 'footsteps in the sand'. Not expletive.<br />
<br />
== dot-code ==<br />
In [http://imgs.xkcd.com/clickdrag/1n7e.png 1 North 7 East] there are dots and lines. What do they mean?<br />
<br />
I think its a reference to Super Mario.--[[Special:Contributions/62.180.229.43|62.180.229.43]] 08:47, 20 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
This is a sad, sad day that this had to be explained to someone who reads this comic.<br />
<br />
No it's not! It's a Ten Thousand day http://xkcd.com/1053/. --[[User:Ohbejoyful|Ohbejoyful]] ([[User talk:Ohbejoyful|talk]]) 01:24, 22 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Bob Ross ==<br />
<br />
The reference on 1n 33w seems to be related to Bob Ross, he used similar expressions about where items should live on a canvas<br />
"You know, this is a nice spot. Let's just live here. "<br />
<br />
I would like to note that "Bob Ross" would be an excellent name for a ninja turtle.--[[Special:Contributions/98.225.182.131|98.225.182.131]] 08:23, 21 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
la raja amo a bjork y estoy demasiado feliz que venga, pero debeira venir con portishead, ella es la raja y seria un honor presenciar tan buena musica, y teniendo a dos exponentes del trip hop juntas..suerte ojala sea seguro y no se suspenda.ahh y smashing pumpkins es de las bandas que me aconpa;o en su creciemiento, en la adolescencia ojala venga, seria espectacular, por favor si hay que se pueda hacer, avinsen para hacer firmas y weas, ojala viniesen.gracias por los maravillosos conciertos que han estado en chile este ultimo anosuerte!!!<br />
<br />
== 48? ==<br />
<br />
How are we certain that the maximum radius of the world is only 48 tiles? If I'm reading everything correctly, didn't Randall say that it was much larger than everybody is measuring? Isn't one explanation for this that there may be more than we've found? Does anybody have a script running that is still exploring?<br />
<br />
Answer: This line in the 1110.js source file: "var size=[14,48,25,33];" That controls how far you can scroll. Having hit all the edges you know those are the limits too. There are no actual tiles as far down as 25 or as far up as 14, but it means the page just fills that with white or black as needed. It does mean you can't find the whales by simply going to the top left and going along the top to the right since they will be one tile further down. Same with the tunnel at the bottom. It is a number of tiles above the bottom edge of the image. [[User:Lsorense|Lsorense]] ([[User talk:Lsorense|talk]]) 18:12, 24 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Thanks for the answer. In a world filled with secrets, I still wonder if there's a file on the server in more outer-realm locations. :)<br />
: Would be an interesting little project to (lightly) hit the server with out-of-bounds requests, to see what comes back instead of 404s -- [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 14:10, 24 October 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== More Trivia ==<br />
* There is one (dark dark) green pixel in 9s7e.png. The remainder is all grayscale.<br />
* A number of the images have apparently been updated. Probably with a PNG optimizer, since the displayed data is unchanged.<br />
* The complete 10 gigapixel image, changed to grayscale, can fit into a 15 Megabyte PNG image. (Though having made it, I can't load it in my normal viewers.)<br />
--[[User:Divad27182|Divad27182]] ([[User talk:Divad27182|talk]]) 03:21, 21 September 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
== Updated ==<br />
<br />
How do you know the pictures are not uptdated or completed from time to time, adding or moving tiles?<br />
<br />
== Locked ==<br />
Will this be unlocked at some point? There are still a number of un-filled-in cells! [[User:Jerodast|- jerodast]] ([[User talk:Jerodast|talk]]) 11:07, 5 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: I think it was locked as a guard against spam. That was a while ago though, maybe the admins forgot about it. [[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]][[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 11:10, 5 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:: [{{fullurl:Special:Log|page=1110:_Click_and_Drag}} Special:Log] shows that the unlocking will occur automatically on December 7. Also, [{{fullurl:Special:ListUsers/Jerodast|limit=1}} Special:ListUsers] shows that your account was created on 3 December 2012 at 13:01 UTC. After 3 days and 10 edits, it will be automatcally promoted to autoconfirmed, so tomorrow by this time you will be able to edit semiprotected pages like this one. Only full protection prevents everyone except admins from editing the page (e.g. the main page). Hope this helps :) --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 14:51, 5 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
Is there really any need for the bolded Transcript sections for tiles where there is no dialogue? It seems like it just makes the chart heavier. And for example at 1N, 22W, is there any real distinction between the description used before the "'''Transcript'''" compared to the stage directions that come after? [[User:Jerodast|- jerodast]] ([[User talk:Jerodast|talk]]) 14:20, 22 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Edges connected==<br />
I found this: [http://baltixy.w.interia.pl/xkcd/1110.htm http://baltixy.w.interia.pl/xkcd/1110.htm]. Looks like the original, but the left and right sides are connected. Should we add this here? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.103|108.162.254.103]] 19:50, 29 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==You know what would be awesome?==<br />
if you could control one of the stick figures, and walk around and (possibly) interact with objects. Someone should really make that. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.56.180|173.245.56.180]] 01:23, 22 April 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== another click and drag browser ==<br />
hey,how about this?just basic html site,should someone add it here? http://geocities.ws/pluman/clickanddrag/ <br />
--[[Special:Contributions/103.22.200.222|103.22.200.222]] 14:54, 24 April 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== path to completeness? ==<br />
excuse me, I have no idea what would make it complete? - right now I would say: thumbnails to all listed artifacts (like "man-made structure") - just making screenshots and upload and link? Anything else? Thanks for advise -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.92.17|162.158.92.17]] 07:53, 3 August 2015 (UTC)<br />
: second: I guess each listed tile should have a short explanation what's to see there?<br />
** some tiles have "Transcript" while there is a full story like in a usual comic, e.g. {{1110|1|n|33|w}}<br />
** others have "transcript" and just describing static things, e.g. {{1110|6|s|17|w}}<br />
** and some more have just plain description, like "Water" e.g. {{1110|1|n|12|w}}<br />
:: what looks best in case 3? <br />
: third: I found incomplete-description : Some of the jokes in the larger world might benefit from an explanation ;-) thx, [[Special:Contributions/162.158.92.17|162.158.92.17]] 08:22, 3 August 2015 (UTC)<br />
** Something tells of What if #51 free fall. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.218.65|108.162.218.65]] 20:11, 5 August 2015 (UTC)<br />
At this point I am not sure what else we can add: The description of the completeness problem talks about jokes in the larger world, but without some clarification on what is meant by that I don't know how to add anything. Furthermore, I think at this point we need to move on to another comic as the incomplete explanation of the day: Click and Drag is just too difficult to add any more information to, and I think if a different comic was chosen you would see a much higher rate of participation in the project. [[User:Bbruzzo|Bbruzzo]] ([[User talk:Bbruzzo|talk]]) 23:37, 14 October 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Video Game Reference==<br />
This immediately brought to mind the game "Unfinished Swan". "The player is a young boy chasing after a swan who has wandered off into a surreal, unfinished kingdom. The game begins in a completely white space where players can throw paint to splatter their surroundings and reveal the world around them." [http://www.giantsparrow.com/games/swan/] The look of the comic is similar and the game has balloons throughout. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.236.223|108.162.236.223]] 13:47, 12 November 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Submarine? Perhaps not. ==<br />
<br />
I saw the entry for [http://imgs.xkcd.com/clickdrag/17s5e.png 17 South, 5 East] listed as a submarine. However when I first saw it I immediately thought of a project called the "[https://www.google.com/search?q=blur+building+plan&tbm=isch Blur Building]".<br />
<br />
Reasons I don't think it's a sub:<br />
* No rudder<br />
* No propeller<br />
* Not teardrop shaped<br />
* dual conning towers (subs typically have one)<br />
<br />
Before editing it I thought I would ask for comment here first. So what do you think? Is it a submarine or the blur building? Or neither?<br />
--[[User:Tsdorsey|Tsdorsey]] ([[User talk:Tsdorsey|talk]]) 17:19, 30 November 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Definitely not a Submarine. ==<br />
<br />
It's a {{w|Ross Winans|Winans}} Cigar Boat! Even for xkcd this reference is truly arcane! I recently managed to find these things myself based a vague, twenty year old memory of seeing a strange illustration as a child. Thank god (or the devil, whatever) for Google.<br />
[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.153|108.162.245.153]] 02:49, 23 December 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Some notes on missing entries ==<br />
<br />
As I don't have an account here, I'm going to go ahead and assume I can't add this information myself. But as a Nerd Sniping victim I just went through the entire chart to explore all the elements (primarily the elements I missed on my exploring the actual comic), and I noticed some gaps in the chart:<br />
* 1N3E: There's no mention that Cueball and Megan (I think that's Megan) are attempting to use a small sapling to bridge a gap in this quadrant.<br />
* 17S5E: I feel I must disagree that this thing is a Winans Cigar Boat. I initially took it as a UFO, with the implication that it's being kept secret quite effectively by keeping it underground, the surrounding thatched roofed structures being left over from some ancient tribe which encountered the UFO. I maintain this belief because it has feet/landing gear. I see what I took for a bottom hatch of a UFO could be the bottom part of a ring which a Google Image Search shows looks to be the exposure for a Cigar Boat's large propeller. The top edge matches the second result of this search quite well, the computer rendered image, but the bottom looks like permanently installed feet, useless on such a seafaring vessel.<br />
* 8N6E: Misses the meaning of "canon". Canon, with one N, refers to facts established for a universe - usually one with considerable content establishing a detailed world, like Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars, or even Harry Potter - in a way where it counts as part of the "history" of that universe. For example, an official Star Wars novel saying Joe Blow was born November 17th, the book being official makes this fact "canon", meaning all future things (books, movies) should refer to Joe Blow's birthday as November 17th, nothing should say otherwise (or must have an explanation as to the discrepancy). This fact can be counted on in discussions. Conversely, if a fan fiction declares Jill Thrill was born July 20th, this is NOT "canon", as the source isn't an official one which can adjust the universe. The line in this comic appears to be making fun of the similar spellings of "cannon" and "canon", that he is both free from being shot at and from having to stick to known facts of the Star Wars universe.<br />
* 17S6E: Next to the Winans Cigar Boat/UFO are a bunch of thatched roof huts/structures, which isn't mentioned in the table.<br />
* 1N8E: My impression was that these turbines were a reference to xkcd 556: Alternative Energy Revolution (one of the few comics which appear on every comic page). The comic listed, 1378: Turbine, came well after 1110, while 556 had already been released in the past. Also, 556 features several turbines, like here (1378 only shows one), being watched, like here (both times the observer is even the same character, Megan).<br />
* 11S11W and 11E: I find the explanation "This PNG file contains an ICC section which means that the blackness in this image is properly color-coded" to be severely lacking. Firstly, while I have done a lot of image editing, it has all been in JPG and GIF files (okay, some PCX and BMP way back when), I've never used or edited an "ICC section", I don't know what an "ICC section" is or what it does, other than what it says here. I'm sure I'm not alone in this. What does "ICC" even stand for? Secondly, the Wikipedia link is to an article which describes doing color-correction for lighting, for photography and television, things like that, like by using gels. This gives about no clue as to how this is achieved for or applies to a digital image or what effect this should have, especially on black, a decidedly LACK of light and colour. (I know I couldn't see any difference between these tiles and the other black tiles nearby)<br />
* 9S7E: The Trivia says there is a very dark green pixel in here, but I don't see it anywhere. I even saved that tile locally - the tile containing a couple of people mining - to open it in an image editor to zoom better, nothing. I went to the coordinates specified, I still saw no green, even zoomed in to I think 14:1. Finally, using the dropper tool, I found it at the coordinates specified, it says the RGB colour is 0,2,0. It would be best to mention that, that the difference is too infinitesimal to see with the naked eye, even for someone with perfect vision! LOL!<br />
<br />
Just trying to contribute how I can. :) - NiceGuy1 (Previously contributed to the Princess Bride comic) [[Special:Contributions/198.41.235.209|198.41.235.209]] 09:06, 21 January 2016 (UTC)</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:37:_Hyphen&diff=108970Talk:37: Hyphen2016-01-09T23:12:21Z<p>108.162.216.45: fixed glitch in wikitext</p>
<hr />
<div>the later Randall would have used regular expression... {{unsigned ip|141.101.93.203}}<br />
<br />
There is a [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#Merge_Cueball_.26_Rob|community portal discussion]] of what to call Cueball and what to do in case with more than one Cueball. I have added this comic to the new Category:Multiple Cueballs. Since Cueball has the hobby, I have listed the other as Cueball-like. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:32, 25 April 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Should this be in [[:Category:Substitutions]]? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.45|108.162.216.45]] 23:10, 9 January 2016 (UTC)</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:37:_Hyphen&diff=108969Talk:37: Hyphen2016-01-09T23:10:21Z<p>108.162.216.45: </p>
<hr />
<div>the later Randall would have used regular expression... {{unsigned ip|141.101.93.203}}<br />
<br />
There is a [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#Merge_Cueball_.26_Rob|community portal discussion]] of what to call Cueball and what to do in case with more than one Cueball. I have added this comic to the new Category:Multiple Cueballs. Since Cueball has the hobby, I have listed the other as Cueball-like. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:32, 25 April 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Should this be in [[Category:Substitutions]]? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.45|108.162.216.45]] 23:10, 9 January 2016 (UTC)</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1602:_Linguistics_Club&diff=1049011602: Linguistics Club2015-11-11T14:28:29Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1602<br />
| date = November 11, 2015<br />
| title = Linguistics Club<br />
| image = linguistics_club.png<br />
| titletext = If that's too easy, you could try joining Tautology Club, which meets on the date of the Tautology Club meeting.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
A "[[wiktionary:sesquiannual|sesquiannual]]" meeting is one that occurs one and a half times every year, or once every 8 months. It comes from the Latin root "[[wiktionary:sesqui|sesqui-]]", which means "half and...", and "[[wiktionary:annual|-annual]]", which is "...one per year". A linguist or Latin scholar, the joke suggests, should be able to figure that out as "half-plus-one every year". This is an extension of the common confusion between "biannual," meaning "twice a year", and "biennial", meaning "once every two years". Compare with the {{w|Sesquicentennial Exposition}} celebrating the first 1&frac12; centuries of the United States.<br />
<br />
On the other hand [and the crux of the comic in general], 'sesqui' can be interpreted as a prefix meaning '1.5'. For example, the US sesquicentennial was celebrated on July 4, 1926 (after 150 years), so the confusion comes from people who think the meetings would be every 8 months (as above) or every 18 months (here). The confusion is related to the distinction between 'biweekly' (once every two weeks) and 'semiweekly' (once every half-week, i.e., twice a week). 'Biannual' and 'biennial' only furthers this confusion (as in this case, 'biannual' and 'semiannual' are synonymous when the prefixes usually are not).<br />
<br />
Regarding the title text, a {{w|tautology (rhetoric)|tautology}} is a statement that is true because of its logical form, such as "all birds are birds" or "A = A." As such, the statement "the Tautology Club meets on the date of the Tautology Club's meeting" is itself tautological.<br />
<br />
While the membership requirement for the original club is merely to know the intended frequency (presumably then a successful applicant to be told at least one meeting date in the cycle so that an attendance can be made; or perhaps the member is supposed to guess that by reasoning that every third meeting must extend across the beginning of a new year), Tautology Club's stipulation appears to require an eligible member to derive a valid meeting date from thin air without any clue at all (and no indication that there is even a regular cycle of any kind). This would definitely be more of a challenge.<br />
<br />
The title text has a connection to [[703: Honor Societies]] in which Cueball announces that "the first rule of Tautology Club is the first rule of Tautology Club."<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
Megan: You should come to our Linguistic Club's sesquiannual meeting. Membership is open to anyone who can figure out how often we meet. <br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Language]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:424:_Security_Holes&diff=65104Talk:424: Security Holes2014-04-10T11:31:31Z<p>108.162.216.45: </p>
<hr />
<div>Could the Slackware one imply that harder nerds/geeks are more fond of this specific Linux distro? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.196|108.162.212.196]] 01:00, 4 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
Perhaps he's also implying aliens use OLPC?</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1031:_s/keyboard/leopard/&diff=62178Talk:1031: s/keyboard/leopard/2014-03-08T05:58:06Z<p>108.162.216.45: </p>
<hr />
<div>My mechanical leopard's been working out for me, just the feeling of my fingers hitting it is amazing. '''[[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 08:35, 21 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Why does it say "s/leopard/leopard/" in the url of this page, but title of this comic is "s/leopard/leopard/"?[[User:DiEvAl|DiEvAl]] ([[User talk:DiEvAl|talk]]) 17:57, 15 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
:Now I see "s/leopard/leopard/" twice in my previous comment. I forgot that I have an extension installed that was inspired by this comic. :) [[User:DiEvAl|DiEvAl]] ([[User talk:DiEvAl|talk]]) 18:00, 15 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I swear I read every instance of leopard as leopard. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.89|173.245.54.89]] 23:33, 14 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Shouldn't the title of the comic end in "g" since it's a global replace, like "s/leopard/leopard/g"? [[User:Kroq-gar78|Kroq-gar78]] ([[User talk:Kroq-gar78|talk]]) 18:56, 23 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
:I have no idea, but I do know that the current title matches the one on xkcd. We're not changing it, even if there was an error. [[User:NealCruco|NealCruco]] ([[User talk:NealCruco|talk]]) 03:50, 19 February 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:I just bought my new leopard today! It's working great, but it's a bit hard to use. Is there such a thing as a leopard-repair shop? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.47|108.162.219.47]] 21:03, 3 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
some[http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-leopards-keypads] leopards even have touch screens[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.45|108.162.216.45]] 05:58, 8 March 2014 (UTC)</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=297:_Lisp_Cycles&diff=56288297: Lisp Cycles2013-12-31T22:38:00Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 297<br />
| date = August 1, 2007<br />
| title = Lisp Cycles<br />
| image = lisp_cycles.png <br />
| titletext = I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the MIT computer science program permamently.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
Lisp is one of the oldest high level programming languages. Despite being ahead of its times, it never got enough traction and is not widely used. However, it is considered to be a very powerful language even on the present day. [https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lisp_programming_language Quotes on Lisp] shows that several big names of computer science field hold Lisp in very high esteem. [https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Eric_S._Raymond Eric S. Raymond] goes as far as to say:<br />
<br />
:Lisp is worth learning for the profound enlightenment experience you will have when you finally get it; that experience will make you a better programmer for the rest of your days, even if you never actually use Lisp itself a lot.<br />
<br />
Lisp is also famous for its use of fully parenthesized Polish prefix notation.<br />
<br />
In the first panel, [[Cueball]] praises Lisp, noticing that no other language can still match the awe that it strikes despite the age that Lisp has. In the second panel, Cueball wonders that new programmers will continue learning the "Lisp arts" that make better programmers.<br />
<br />
The third panel rerferences ''Star Wars: A New Hope''. Obi Wan Kenobi said these lines when he gave a lightsaber to Luke Skywalker:<br />
<br />
:Your father's lightsaber. This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as random or as clumsy as a blaster; an elegant weapon for a more civilized age.<br />
<br />
The title text is also a reference to Star Wars lines:<br />
<br />
:The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.<br />
<br />
The {{w|Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT}} mentioned in the title text is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an institute fundamental to the development of Lisp (and its derivation, Scheme).<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is sitting at a computer, and Megan is standing behind the desk.]<br />
:Cueball: Lisp is over half a century old and it still has this perfect, timeless air about it.<br />
:Cueball: I wonder if the cycles will continue forever. A few coders from each new generation rediscovering the Lisp arts.<br />
<br />
:[Man in Jedi robes carrying an armload of parentheses, speaking to Hairy.]<br />
:Jedi: These are your father's parentheses. Elegant weapons. For a more... civilized age.<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]<br />
[[Category:Star Wars]]<br />
[[Category:Programming]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=412:_Startled&diff=56287412: Startled2013-12-31T22:34:57Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 412<br />
| date = April 18, 2008<br />
| title = Startled<br />
| image = startled.png<br />
| titletext = ...<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
[[Black Hat]] is one of the most cool-headed characters in the comic. [[Megan]] notices Black Hat facing away from [[Cueball]] and her, and decides to play a simple, childish prank on him: sneaking up from behind and shouting "Boo!".<br />
<br />
Not only does she succeed in startling Black Hat, he is so terrified that he hides himself completely in his hat. For a moment, it looks like Black Hat has disappeared altogether. But then his hat inches away, showing that he's still underneath, despite the obvious size difference.<br />
<br />
The title text is really only "...". But Black Hat will come back.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball and Megan standing to one side, looking and pointing at Black Hat who is facing away.]<br />
<br />
:[Megan sneaks up on Black Hat.]<br />
<br />
:[Close-up of Megan with hands raised.]<br />
:Megan: Boo!<br />
<br />
:[Black Hat looks shocked, and his hat jumps.]<br />
<br />
:[The hat falls down over his head.]<br />
<br />
:[The hat keeps falling, with only his legs still visible.]<br />
<br />
:[The hat hits the ground.]<br />
:''FWUMP''<br />
<br />
:[Cueball and Megan look at the hat.]<br />
<br />
:[The hat scurries away.]<br />
:''SCOOCH SCOOCH SCOOCH''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=499:_Scantron&diff=56286499: Scantron2013-12-31T22:30:24Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 499<br />
| date = November 3, 2008<br />
| title = Scantron<br />
| image = scantron.png<br />
| titletext = Also, after all the warnings about filling in the bubbles completely, I spent like 30 seconds on each one.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is a take on the instructions "Remember to use a #2 pencil on the Scantron" that most modern students have heard something approaching a hundred times. {{w|Scantron}}s are standardized {{w|Machine-readable data|machine-readable papers}} used by students to answer multiple-choice tests. Often, the instructor will remind students to use a #2 pencil, which is the US term for the {{w|pencil hardness}} HB. HB pencils use a medium-hardness graphite considered ideal for Scantron use because the graphite is soft enough to leave a dark mark but hard enough to not smudge, both aspects that improve the performance of machine-readable paper.<br />
<br />
The joke is that the student used a #3 pencil, which has a slightly harder graphite rating, on the Scantron as opposed to a #2 pencil, causing the grading machine to explode and harm some characters off-panel.<br />
<br />
The title text refers to the instruction to "fill in all the bubbles completely." This again improves the performance of machine-readable paper. [[Randall]] states that he spent an inordinate amount of time making sure his markings were perfect because he had been warned so many times to do so (five seconds is usually enough).<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[A classroom scene. There are two desks, and the front one is occupied by the student. Miss Lenhart stands panel right facing the student.]<br />
:Miss Lenhart: Okay class, I've turned in your exams for grading. Now—<br />
:Student: Miss Lenhart?<br />
<br />
:[View is now simply student in desk and teacher. Teacher looks horrified.]<br />
:Student: I used a #3 pencil instead of a #2. Will that mess anything up?<br />
:Miss Lenhart: You '''WHAT?'''<br />
<br />
:[Teacher stands, covering her head, in front of an off-panel right explosion. The unseen speaker is off-panel right.]<br />
:''AIEEE''<br />
:'''''BLAM'''''<br />
:Unseen speaker: OH GOD!<br />
<br />
:[The student and teacher are left-panel, both looking shocked. The unseen speaker is still off-panel right.]<br />
:Unseen speaker: OH GOD! I've never seen so much blood!<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Miss Lenhart]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=178:_Not_Really_Into_Pokemon&diff=56285178: Not Really Into Pokemon2013-12-31T22:28:01Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 178<br />
| date = October 11, 2006<br />
| title = Not Really Into Pokemon<br />
| image = not_really_into_pokemon.png<br />
| titletext = As of this writing, Ubuntu 6.10 and Firefox 2.0 have left my computer a complete mess.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{w|Pokémon}} is a widely popular, animated, children's television show; {{w|collectible card game}}; and videogame series that involves a young trainer going out to explore the world to catch Pokémon, creatures of wild variety (ranging from [http://www.veekun.com/dex/pokemon/rhydon/ armoured dinosaurs that have drills for horns] to [http://www.veekun.com/dex/pokemon/genesect robotic bugs that change their type depending on the items that they are holding]). When the trainer comes across wild Pokémon or other trainers, they use their Pokémon to fight the other.<br />
<br />
The Pokémon universe currently contains {{w|List_of_Pok%C3%A9mon|over 700}} different types of Pokémon, and new ones are being added every so often (much like new releases of computer software). Also, the names can sound very strange or silly to someone not familiar with them. In this comic, [[Black Hat]] is dismissing {{w|Ubuntu}}, an open-source computer operating system, as a Pokémon because it has a strange/silly name. The "condescension" comes from the fact that usually only children are "into" Pokémon.<br />
<br />
The title text refers to the complications that new software releases can have on computers, especially if either the release is a(n) alpha/beta release or if the computer is rather old. After all, said title text does paint a picture of 2 computer programs physically fighting each other inside the computer and making a mess in the process.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:I have found the perfect phrase for condescendingly dismissing anything:<br />
:Cueball: Have you seen the new Ubuntu release?<br />
:Black Hat: Nah, I'm not really into Pokémon.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]<br />
[[Category:Linux]]<br />
[[Category:Pokémon]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=345:_1337:_Part_5&diff=56283345: 1337: Part 52013-12-31T21:30:35Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 345<br />
| date = November 16, 2007<br />
| title = 1337: Part 5<br />
| image = 1337 part 5.png<br />
| titletext = This digital music thing will probably reach its endgame sometime in the next decade or so. These are very exciting times.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{w|Richard Stallman}} is the ardent defender of freedom and believer in {{w|copyleft}}, he also founded the {{w|GNU Project}}.<br />
<br />
{{w|Cory Doctorow}} is a blogger, journalist, and science fiction author who serves as co-editor of the weblog {{w|Boing Boing}}. He is an activist in favour of liberalising copyright laws and a proponent of the {{w|Creative Commons}} organization.<br />
<br />
{{w|Bram Cohen}} is the founder of {{w|BitTorrent}}, a distributed method of downloading files.<br />
<br />
The {{w|Dread Pirate Roberts}} is a fictional character from the book and movie {{w|The Princess Bride}}. Roberts is the most feared pirate on the seas. But, "Dread Pirate Roberts" is merely a title that has been passed down as previous "Roberts" have gained enough money (from piracy) to retire comfortably. Wesley, one of the main characters from The Princess Bride, becomes the Dread Pirate after being taken prisoner by the preceding Pirate Roberts. If Elaine became Dread Pirate Roberts, she would be a true Dread Pirate Roberts.<br />
<br />
{{w|Ubuntu}} is probably the most well known {{w|Linux}} distribution. A Linux distribution is any operating system that is based on the Linux {{w|kernel}}.<br />
<br />
All comics in "[[:Category:1337|1337]]" series:<br />
*[[341: 1337: Part 1]]<br />
*[[342: 1337: Part 2]]<br />
*[[343: 1337: Part 3]]<br />
*[[344: 1337: Part 4]]<br />
*[[345: 1337: Part 5]]<br />
<br />
This series was released on 5 consecutive days (Monday-Friday) and not over the usual Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Two RIAA agents attack Elaine and Stallman. Elaine breaks RIAA #1, while Stallman disarms RIAA #2 in a flying manouvre.]<br />
:Elaine: Thanks, Stallman!<br />
:Stallman: 'Tis my pleasure.<br />
<br />
:Elaine: So, wait - how did you know we were in trouble?<br />
:Stallman: My friend here was tracking these thugs from his balloon. He called me and I thought I'd stop by<br />
:[Doctorow slides down a rope in red cape & goggles.]<br />
:Doctorow: -Hi! Cory Doctorow - It's a pleasure to meet you.<br />
<br />
:Elaine: Balloon?<br />
:Stallman: Aye. They're up there constructing something called a "Blogosphere."<br />
:Doctorow: Yup! It's twenty kilometers up, just above the tag clouds.<br />
<br />
:Bobby: Mom, I'm hungry.<br />
:Mrs. Roberts: Hush! I'm coding. You ate yesterday.<br />
:Stallman: You know, Roberts, GNU could use a good coder like you. Ever thought of joining us?<br />
:Elaine: Maybe someday. Right now I've got an industry to take down. Music doesn't need these assholes.<br />
:Doctorow: Begone! And never darken our comment threads again!<br />
<br />
:Stallman: Well, you won't fix the industry with random exploits. You need to encourage sharing in the public mind.<br />
:Doctorow: Hey; With your music and coding backgrounds, you should get into building better p2p systems.<br />
<br />
:Elaine: What? Straight-up piracy?<br />
:Doctorow: Sure- have you ever considered it? You'd make a wonderful dread pirate, Roberts<br />
<br />
:<u>Epilogue</u><br />
:Elaine shared her ideas with Bram Cohen, who went on to develop BitTorrent.<br />
:Mrs. Roberts spends her time developing for Ubuntu, and defacing the websites of people who make "your mom" jokes to her daughter. Elaine still stalks the net. She joins communities, contributes code or comments, and moves on. And if, late at night, you point a streaming audio player at the right IP at the right time - you can hear her rock out.<br />
:~Happy Hacking.~<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Elaine Roberts]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Richard Stallman]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cory Doctorow]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Mrs. Roberts]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:1337|05]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=804:_Pumpkin_Carving&diff=56282804: Pumpkin Carving2013-12-31T21:27:25Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 804<br />
| date = October 11, 2010<br />
| title = Pumpkin Carving<br />
| image = pumpkin carving.png<br />
| titletext = The Banach-Tarski theorem was actually first developed by King Solomon, but his gruesome attempts to apply it set back set theory for centuries.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is a reference to the American custom of carving pumpkins to set out on porches and front steps for the American holiday of {{w|Halloween}}, which occurs on October 31. The pumpkin has the inside emptied out and a face or design carved in the side. Then a light in placed inside (usually a candle). These are called "{{w|Jack-o'-lantern|Jack-O'-Lantern}}s". The Jack-O'-Lantern in the 3rd frame is the typical and standard design for a carved pumpkin.<br />
<br />
[[Beret Guy]], naturally, stays oddly on-topic by carving a pumpkin in his pumpkin.<br />
<br />
In the 2nd frame, [[Black Hat]] is putting {{w|Nitroglycerin}} (an explosive) into his carved pumpkin in the hopes that someone will attempt to smash it and it will explode. His note would most likely only serve to encourage the intended targets (teenage vandals). His chest pain reference is because Nitroglycerin is used to open blood vessels to quickly improve blood flow when someone has chest pains.<br />
<br />
In the 3rd frame, [[Megan]] is our typical emotional xkcd comic character. She is projecting herself onto the jack-o'-lantern as she tries to distract herself with holiday traditions that won't work to distract her.<br />
<br />
In the 4th frame, [[Cueball]] is referencing the {{w|Banach-Tarski}} paradox, a theorem which states that if you carve up a 3-dimensional ball, in this case a pumpkin, into a finite number of pieces, you can then reassemble the pieces into two different balls identical to the original. This paradox has been proven for just about anything... except objects made of atoms, which our universe is comprised of. The person off-screen in that frame references the {{w|Axiom of choice}} which is a mathematical axiom that says that given a set of buckets or bins (each that contain one or more object(s)) it is possible to select exactly one object from each bucket. The Banach-Tarski rests on several axioms which are fairly well respected, but also requires the Axiom of Choice to work correctly. So a person who does not believe in the Axiom of Choice would not have been able to do what [[Cueball]] managed to do.<br />
<br />
The title text says that {{w|Solomon|King Solomon}} developed the Banach-Tarski theorem first. This is a reference to the story of two women being brought before him. Both were arguing that a particular child was their own. Solomon said that the solution was to cut the child in half and give each woman one of the halves. One of the two women said that the other should have the baby whole. Solomon then knew she was the true mother, and gave her the child. The joke is that Solomon, may not have intended to kill the child, but knowing that two whole children could be made from the one, intended give a baby to each woman, and the Banach-Tarski paradox states that, were the baby not made of atoms, it should be possible.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Beret guy stands next to a pumpkin with a picture of a pumpkin carved into it.]<br />
:Interlocutor: So what did you—<br />
:Beret Guy: I carved a pumpkin!<br />
:Interlocutor: ...<br />
<br />
:[Black Hat stands next to a pumpkin and a box labeled "Nitro-glycerin. Do not shake."]<br />
:Interlocutor: Taking on teen vandals, I see.<br />
:Black Hat: Heavens, No. My pumpkin simply has chest pains. In fact, I'll leave a note ''warning'' them not to smash it.<br />
<br />
:[Megan stands next to a jack-o' lantern.]<br />
:Megan: My pumpkin's name is Harold. He just realized that all the time he used to spend daydreaming, he now spends worrying. He'll try to distract himself later with holiday traditions, but it won't work.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball stands next to two pumpkins and a knife.]<br />
:Cueball: I carved and carved, and the next thing I knew I had ''two'' pumpkins.<br />
:Interlocutor: I ''told'' you not to take the axiom of choice.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Axiom of Choice]]<br />
[[Category:Math]]<br />
[[Category:Logic]]<br />
[[Category:Set theory]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=835:_Tree&diff=56281835: Tree2013-12-31T21:23:53Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 835<br />
| date = December 17, 2010<br />
| title = Tree<br />
| image = tree.png<br />
| titletext = Not only is that terrible in general, but you just KNOW Billy's going to open the root present first, and then everyone will have to wait while the heap is rebuilt.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{w|Binary tree}}s are data structures in computer science, based on two simple rules:<br />
<br />
* A binary tree starts at a single node, called its root.<br />
* Each node in a binary tree has two spaces for its children, each of which may be empty or occupied by another node. (Of course, that node may have its own children, and so forth.) As a bit of trivia, a node with no children is called a "leaf node."<br />
<br />
The "Christmas tree" is a basic representation of a binary tree - the star at the top is the root node, and the lights running down indicate the connections between parent and child. Contrary to what the terms "root" and "leaf" might imply, trees in computer science are typically represented upside-down, with the root on top and the leaves fanning out below.<br />
<br />
The Christmas tree is constructed based on no apparent rules, but the main power of binary trees comes in organizing them according to specific rules. Because code that runs later can assume the data are organized in this specific way, it can use different algorithms that make things run faster. One way of doing this is with a heap. A {{w|Heap (data structure)|heap}} is a special kind of tree, subject to one additional rule:<br />
<br />
* For every node in the tree, ''everything'' beneath that node - both of its children, all of its children's children, all of ''their'' children, and so on - are "less than" the node itself.<br />
<br />
"Less than" in this case can refer to any comparison that can be made between two nodes - in this case, it's based on the size of the presents. Of course, there's a cost to all this; the heap must first be placed in that order. Not only that, but if a node gets removed from the heap, the heap has to be "rebuilt" to put it back in the right order. This is referenced in the title text - if Billy opens the root present, several comparisons must be done to shift other presents in its place to preserve the heap rule.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[There is a binary Christmas tree, with each node a ball, and lights strung between parent and child nodes. Beneath it is a heap of presents - sorted with the largest on top, smaller presents connected to it with string. Next to the tree is Cueball and his parents.]<br />
:Cueball: It's a Christmas tree with a heap of presents underneath!<br />
:Mother: ... We're not inviting you home next year.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Christmas]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=157:_Filler_Art&diff=56280157: Filler Art2013-12-31T21:19:24Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 157<br />
| date = September 15, 2006<br />
| title = Filler Art<br />
| image = filler_art.png<br />
| titletext = Maybe I should let up on Megatokyo a little?<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
There are times in which the owner of a webcomic can not make a comic on time for the next scheduled update (for example, needing to attend to a family emergency). Some deal with these situations by creating a "buffer" of comics (that is, making several comics ahead of time) in anticipation for these events. However, if the buffer runs out (or if there was no buffer in the first place), the owner might have to resort to uploading whatever is available (e.g. concept art, random sketches, a draft of the planned comic, etc.). Many webcomic owners prefer to upload filler art so that their more fickle fans can see that they have not abandoned the comic.<br />
<br />
Here, [[Randall]] parodies this situation with two separate punchlines. First, he tells us that he has to go to the doctor to get his thighs rotated which is medically unnecessary. Second, he refers to "new character art" for his comic. The punchline here is that, since the characters are drawn in a [[stick figure]] style, there are no distinguishable features between the man here and most other males in the comic series. In addition, the fact that this stick figure should not have taken more than 10 seconds to draw makes the notion that Randall has been "working on" it ridiculous.<br />
<br />
[http://www.megatokyo.com/ Megatokyo] is a popular webcomic that has become widely known for its use of filler art. People often put down webcomic writers and artists for not being able to keep a set schedule and having to resort to the use of filler. In the title text, somewhat facetiously, Randall muses that perhaps we should be nicer to them.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:Sorry guys no comic today. I've gotta go to the doctor to get my thighs rotated. But here's some new character art I'm working on!<br />
:[Cueball.]<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=841:_Audiophiles&diff=56279841: Audiophiles2013-12-31T21:18:15Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 841<br />
| date = December 31, 2010<br />
| title = Audiophiles<br />
| image = audiophiles.png<br />
| titletext = For years, I took the wrong lesson from that Monster Cable experiment and only listened to my music through alligator-clipped coat hangers.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
The joke centers around the fact that the higher the data stream rate of the sound, the better the sound will, well, sound. This is obvious when it comes to video files, but less so when it comes to audio files. Almost everyone knows that a 1080p video picture has better resolution than a 480p picture, because the 1080p image has thousands and thousands more pixels in it. And with this higher picture resolution or "quality" there's a direct relationship to the amount of data contained in the picture. For this reason, online video pictures are generally of much worse quality than your HD-TV, because streaming all that data is hard work for the internet, so they stream a lousy quality picture in order to move all that picture information in a timely manner. Cell phones are to sound what a bad website is to video; it moves just enough information to get the point across without being a stunning reproduction of standing next to the action. For reference, the data rate from listening to an audio CD is 1411 kbps, over 117 times better than a cell phone.<br />
<br />
The title text is referring to a [http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/15412-post28.html forum post] from audioholics.com, where a user did a blind audio test using monster cable and coat hangers with soldered on alligator clips and the audiophiles were unable to discern any difference.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball and Megan are talking over the telephone. The first two panels are split diagonally. Cueball is at a store, holding a box, and Megan is consulting with him.]<br />
:Cueball: Do we have an RCA-to-3.5mm female-female plug? I'm getting some speakers for the new Xbox, since the monitor doesn't have any.<br />
:Megan: Are they crappy laptop speakers? ''Ugh.''<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is standing next to a sale rack.]<br />
:Cueball: Does it matter? I just want to hear if I'm getting shot at, not savor every detail of a beautiful musical soundscape.<br />
:Megan: You've never ''heard'' a beautiful musical soundscape. You listen to 96kbps flv rips from YouTube.<br />
<br />
:[Megan is walking.]<br />
:Cueball: Whatever. I'm just going to get these $20 speakers. Five watts will be plenty. <br />
:Megan: Five watts for a living room sound system? Is that a joke?<br />
<br />
:Cueball: No, this is a joke: How many audiophiles does it take to change a lightbulb?<br />
:Megan: How many?<br />
:Cueball: I'll tell you later—you wouldn't appreciate the punchline over this 12kbps cell phone codec.<br />
:''click''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Video games]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1300:_Galilean_Moons&diff=562701300: Galilean Moons2013-12-31T15:24:19Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1300<br />
| date = December 6, 2013<br />
| title = Galilean Moons<br />
| image = galilean_moons.png<br />
| titletext = I'm SO glad I escaped. They almost had me caught in their weird ... thing.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
Megan has somehow acquired a set of {{w|Galilean moons}} similar to the four primary moons of {{w|Jupiter}}. The positions of the moons in the successive panels are reminiscent of the observations made by {{w|Galileo Galilei|Galileo Galilei}} in 1610, which proved for the first time that objects in the heavens could orbit something other than the Earth (today these observations can be reproduced on successive nights by anyone looking at Jupiter with binoculars). As each of Megan's moons passes close to Cueball, it says something different. {{w|Io (moon)|Io}}, the innermost and smallest, always says "Hi!" {{w|Europa (moon)|Europa}}, the second-innermost and second-smallest, always uses the phrase "What's your name?" {{w|Ganymede (moon)|Ganymede}}, the third moon from Jupiter but the largest in size, interrupts Europa by shouting "MOOOOOON!" Callisto expresses its annoyance at the antics of the other three moons. <br />
<br />
Because the inner moons orbit Jupiter faster (due to {{w|Kepler's laws of planetary motion#Third law|Kepler's Third Law}}), they pass by Cueball more often: Io ten times, Europa five times, and Ganymede twice over the course of the comic. In fact, the outermost crater-scarred moon {{w|Callisto (moon)|Callisto}} appears to have passed its closest approach to Cueball just before the first panel (perhaps before Megan and her retinue had walked up to Cueball) and does not approach Cueball again until the tenth panel. At that point, due to some apparent exertion on Callisto's part, it leaves Megan's orbit and begins to orbit Cueball instead. This process could be seen as analogous to the capture of moons from one planet to another, which can happen in less stable systems than our solar system if two planets were to pass close to each other, but is mostly just whimsical. <br />
<br />
[[File:Galilean moon Laplace resonance animation.gif|thumb|365px|The 1:2:4 {{w|orbital resonance}} of {{w|Ganymede (moon)|Ganymede}}, {{w|Europa (moon)|Europa}}, and {{w|Io (moon)|Io}}]] <!-- DO NOT set the width to anything lower than 365px, as this breaks the animation for some --><br />
<br />
The title text refers to the unusual {{w|orbital resonance}} among the three inner Galilean moons: Io has an orbital period of about 1.78 Earth days, Europa 3.55 days, and Ganymede 7.15 days, putting them into a 1:2:4 resonance. Callisto, with an orbital period of 16.69 days, is not part of the resonant system. This is illustrated in the animated picture at right, where you may notice that all conjunctions between Io and Europa take place at the "12 o'clock" position and all conjunctions between Europa and Ganymede take place at "6 o'clock" position. You may also notice at the animated picture that, unlike in the fifth and ninth panels of the comic, the three moons are never on the same side of Jupiter at the same time. It is thought that this resonance came about as the moons migrated outward due to {{w|tidal acceleration}}; because the inner moons migrated more quickly, first Io caught up with the 2:1 resonance with Europa and then the two of them evolved outward in lockstep until Europa caught up with the 2:1 resonance with Ganymede. If the Jupiter system were to continue its current evolutionary path for long enough (several billion years), Ganymede would eventually catch up to the 2:1 resonance with Callisto and Callisto would also be trapped in the resonance, becoming the fourth member of a 1:2:4:8 system. The title text expresses Callisto's relief at escaping such a fate, describing the relationship among the other three moons as "their weird ... thing." And Callisto escapes from annoying greetings like humans do a couple of times to the same counterpart by using meaningless phrases.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Megan approaches Cueball, orbited by four small floating balls.]<br />
:Megan: Check it out!<br />
:Cueball: What?<br />
:Megan: I've got Galilean moons!<br />
<br />
:[Io is at the point in its orbit closest to Cueball.]<br />
:Io: Hi!<br />
<br />
:[Io, which completes a full orbit in each panel, is again near Cueball, as is Europa this time.]<br />
:Io: Hi!<br />
:Europa: What's your name?<br />
<br />
:[Io alone again.]<br />
:Io: Hi!<br />
<br />
:[Europa returns to its position near Cueball with Io, and Ganymede joins them.]<br />
:Io: Hi!<br />
:Europa: What's your—<br />
:Ganymede: '''''MOOOOOON!'''''<br />
<br />
:[Io alone again.]<br />
:Io: Hi!<br />
<br />
:[Europa and Io again.]<br />
:Io: Hi!<br />
:Europa: What's your name?<br />
:Callisto: [on the other side of Megan] ''Ugh''.<br />
<br />
:[Io alone again.]<br />
:Io: Hi!<br />
:Callisto: ''So annoying''.<br />
<br />
:[Europa, Ganymede, and Io again.]<br />
:Io: Hi!<br />
:Europa: What's y—<br />
:Ganymede: '''''MOOOOOON.'''''<br />
<br />
:[Io alone again. Callisto nudges toward Cueball.]<br />
:Io: Hi!<br />
:Callisto: ...''almost''... ...''almoooost''...<br />
<br />
:[Io and Europa again. Callisto enters an orbit around Cueball.]<br />
:Io: Hi!<br />
:Europa: What's your name?<br />
:Callisto: ''Yessss!''<br />
<br />
{{clear}}<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Astronomy]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1000:_1000_Comics&diff=562541000: 1000 Comics2013-12-31T05:44:52Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Trivia */ The characters aren't put in any specific order.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1000<br />
| date = January 6, 2012<br />
| title = 1000 Comics<br />
| image = 1000 comics.png<br />
| imagesize = 800px<br />
| titletext = Thank you for making me feel less alone.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is the 1000th comic shown on xkcd, containing 1000 characters from previous comics arranged in the shape of the number "1000". [[Megan]] is clearly excited as she screams "Wooooo!", but [[Cueball]], in true nerd fashion, thinks in base 2, saying that there are "just 24 to go until a big round-number milestone", as 1024 is a round number in base 2 (2<sup>10</sup>) where 1000 is a round number in base 10 (10<sup>3</sup>).<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[1000 characters, numerous of which have appeared previously in other comics, are arranged to create the number "1000". Two more people stand in the foreground commenting on the formation]<br />
:Megan: ''WOOOO!''<br />
:Cueball: Wow - Just 24 to go until a big round-number milestone!<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*There is a [[:file:1000 comics binary.png|hidden image]], in the shape of a heart, that shows if you connect the binary signs in the center of the image with lines in (binary) numerical order - 0,1,10,11,100,101,110,111,1000,1001 and back to 0. <br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Large drawings]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Mrs. Roberts]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cory Doctorow]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Nathan Fillion]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Richard Stallman]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]<br />
[[Category:Computers]]<br />
[[Category:Math]]<br />
[[Category:Politics]]<br />
[[Category:Religion]]<br />
[[Category:Romance]]<br />
[[Category:Science]]<br />
[[Category:Star Wars]]<br />
[[Category:Video games]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=294:_Bookstore&diff=56253294: Bookstore2013-12-31T05:14:37Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number =294<br />
| date =July 27, 2007<br />
| title =Bookcase<br />
| image =bookstore.png<br />
| titletext =You can search it if you want, but you may want to skip the memories of your mom.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
[[Cueball]] starts reading a book off the shelf as he considers buying it, but gets so engrossed in it that he accidentally reads the entire thing, eliminating his reason for buying it in the first place. Quietly putting it back, he turns to leave the store, only to have the book (which exists in his brain as information) set off the store's anti-theft sensor. This is a satire of copyright as it pertains to digital copies, because when you download a game or music file (or read a book, in this case), you are merely making an identical copy of the source material.<br />
<br />
The title text suggests that if the security guard wants to do a brain search, he might want to skip over all the, probably sexual, encounters Cueball has had with the security guard's mom, thus inducing a maternal insult (or commonly referred to as a "yo mama" joke.)<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is standing in a bookstore, looking at a book.]<br />
:Cueball: This book looks interesting. Maybe I'll buy it.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball reads the book; a clock appears above showing the passage of time.]<br />
<br />
:Cueball: Oops, I read the whole thing.<br />
:Cueball: I'll just quietly put it back and go.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball walks through a security scanner to exit the bookstore.]<br />
:''BEEP BEEP BEEP''<br />
<br />
:Voice from off-frame: Hey! Your brain set off the sensor!<br />
:Cueball: I, uhh...<br />
:Voice from off-frame: You have a book in there, don't you!<br />
:Cueball: Crap.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=423:_Finish_Line&diff=56246423: Finish Line2013-12-31T02:36:49Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number =423<br />
| date =May 14, 2008<br />
| title =Finish Line<br />
| image =finish_line.png<br />
| titletext =The question with Lucy and the football was always whether, on some level, she believed the things she said.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
[[Cueball]] and [[Megan]] are playing {{w|Mario Kart}}, with Cueball's {{w|Luigi}} character ahead of Megan's {{w|Mario}} towards the end. Megan begins waxing philosophically on how winning a video game isn't really important, and how by speeding through a racing level like the game asks you to do, you sometimes miss the fun of simply exploring the level and enjoying the extraordinary level of detail and work that went into it. In other words, she wants him to rebel against the system with her, and not act like a mouse going through a laboratory maze in pursuit of cheese.<br />
<br />
It's enough to convince Cueball to halt his pursuit of the finish line, just long enough for Megan to speed past him and win, much to her glee. "It's more fun than a blue shell", she says, referring to the Mario Kart item that, when fired, will inevitably hit the race leader and cause him to crash. Randall has [[290: Fucking Blue Shells|rather adamantly expressed his opinion]] about blue shells before.<br />
<br />
The title text refers to the comic strip ''{{w|Peanuts}},'' and the running gag where fussbudget Lucy would hold the football for lovable loser Charlie Brown and he'd come running at it full speed, only to have Lucy pull the football away at the last moment and send Charlie Brown crashing to the ground. What made it funny was that each time, Lucy would find some way to convince Charlie Brown that ''this'' time, she wouldn't pull the football away, and he'd try again — but lo and behold, of course she did.<br />
<br />
Although minor, Luigi's face in the first panel appears to be modeled after [http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs40/f/2009/011/3/a/Weegee_Revamp__by_MrL345.png "Weegee"], [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/weegee a memetically infamous piece of vector art].<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Mario and Luigi in go carts, Luigi in the lead.]<br />
:Megan (playing Mario): Sometimes I stop right before the finish line.<br />
:Cueball (playing Luigi): Why?<br />
:[Cut to Cueball and Megan playing the video game.]<br />
:Megan: 'Cause I know I've won.<br />
:Megan: It proves I'm playing for fun, on my own terms. That I don't need validation from the machine.<br />
:Megan: That I'm not a rat pulling a lever.<br />
<br />
:Cueball: ...Man. Good Call. Let's stop and explore the course for a-<br />
:''Player Two wins''<br />
:Cueball: Hey!<br />
:Megan: Ha ha!<br />
:Cueball: Dammit, I'm a sucker for your "Be a Rebel" speech.<br />
:Megan: It's more fun than a blue shell.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Video games]]<br />
[[Category:Mario Kart]]<br />
[[Category:Philosophy]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=702:_Snow_Tracking&diff=56245702: Snow Tracking2013-12-31T02:26:29Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 702<br />
| date = February 15, 2010<br />
| title = Snow Tracking<br />
| image = snow_tracking.png<br />
| titletext = I suppose that's more accurately a hare dryer.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{Incomplete|Incomplete}}<br />
This comic is a guide to recognizing various animals by their footprints. However, the comic typically detours into strange, ridiculous or pop-culture-referencing footprints. In order:<br />
<br />
*"Moose and squirrel" is a reference to the cartoon ''{{w|Rocky and Bullwinkle}}''. Rocky and Bullwinkle were a flying squirrel and a moose, respectively, and were frequently referred to as "moose and squirrel" by the show's antagonist Boris Badenov.<br />
*[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/longcat Longcat] is an internet {{w|meme}} from pictures of cats all stretched out that make them look very tall (or long).<br />
*Mouse riding Bicycle is a reference to ''{{w|Ralph S. Mouse}}'', a series of novels by {{w|Beverly Cleary}}.<br />
*The title text is a pun on the Rabbit with a hair dryer frame.<br />
*{{w|Legolas}} is a reference to the character by the same name in the ''{{w|Lord of the Rings}}'' trilogy of books and movies. Legolas, as an elf, was able to walk on top of snow, while the other races in his party were forced to trudge through it.<br />
*The "Bobcat on pogo stick" panel is a possible reference to the character Bonkers D. Bobcat from {{w|Bonkers (TV series)}}<br />
*The "Knight" panel is a {{w|chess}} reference, as the tracks move just like the knight piece in chess.<br />
*The two "Kid with" frames are a reference to the comic strip ''{{w|Calvin and Hobbes}}''. In it, Calvin would crawl in a cardboard box to do various things. When upside down, he pretended the box was a "transmogrifier" and could turn him into something else, in this case a tiger like his friend Hobbes, whereas when on its side, the box was a duplicator and could produce multiple clones of Calvin.<br />
*{{w|Prius}} is a reference to current events in which Toyota Prius's pedals have allegedly malfunctioned causing accidents. [http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/business/global/04prius.html]<br />
*The {{w|Higgs Boson}} is an {{w|elementary particle}} which, at the time this strip was posted, had not yet been detected. It was tentatively detected in March 2013 in the {{w|Large Hadron Collider}}.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:BACKYARD SNOW TRACKING GUIDE<br />
<br />
:[Each panel contains an overhead view of tracks through the snow, with a caption indicating the apparent source.]<br />
<br />
:[Standard paw prints through the snow.]<br />
:CAT<br />
<br />
:[Large split-toe tracks and smaller rodent tracks.]<br />
:MOOSE AND SQUIRREL<br />
<br />
:[Cat prints, but with more space between the pairs of prints.]<br />
:LONGCAT<br />
<br />
:[Two similar careening tire tracks.]<br />
:MOUSE RIDING BICYCLE<br />
<br />
:[Longer rodent tracks, with a large melted ring surrounding a point in the middle of the frame.]<br />
:RABBIT STOPPING TO USE HAIR DRYER<br />
<br />
:[No visible tracks.]<br />
:LEGOLAS<br />
<br />
:[Single deep holes with cratering.]<br />
:BOBCAT ON POGO STICK<br />
<br />
:[Round prints that suddenly turn to the right halfway into frame.]<br />
:KNIGHT<br />
<br />
:[Human footprints up to a square melting pattern, turning into animal prints.]<br />
:KID WITH TRANSMOGRIFIER<br />
<br />
:[Human footprints up to a rectangular melted area, which are then doubled to another rectangular area, which are then doubled again up to another rectangular area, which are then doubled.]<br />
:KID WITH DUPLICATOR<br />
<br />
:[Right curve on a road, with tire tracks careening out of frame.]<br />
:Out of Frame Garden Owner: MY VEGETABLE GARDEN!<br />
:PRIUS<br />
<br />
:[A series of spiraling and outwardly traveling lines extend from a point in the middle of the frame.]<br />
:HIGGS BOSON<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Calvin and Hobbes]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=144:_Parody_Week:_A_Softer_World&diff=56244144: Parody Week: A Softer World2013-12-31T02:22:31Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 144<br />
| date = August 17, 2006<br />
| title = Parody Week: A Softer World<br />
| image = a_softer_robot.jpg<br />
| titletext = The robot is pregnant. It isn't mine.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is a parody of Joey Comeau and Emily Horne's {{w|A Softer World}} webcomic. The first panel references the {{w|Kill (command)|Kill command}} which would be used to turn off the robot every morning. This joke is a reference to the classic {{w|Science Fiction}} theme of robots taking over and killing humans.<br />
<br />
The second and third panels then turn the comic to a more introspective thought per A Softer World's usual style. There are two possible meanings of these panels.<br />
<br />
The first reference human's natural reaction to be afraid of love because it requires vulnerability and honesty, which is very difficult. In the comic, they are afraid to tell it to love, because then it would experience these same difficulties and fears.<br />
<br />
The second meaning deals with {{w|Artifical Intelligence}}; specifically {{w|strong AI}}. The idea is that the {{w|Intelligent agent|AI agent}} would not only act as if it was intelligent, but truly BE intelligent and have emotions and feelings as well. There has been much debate over whether an {{w|Intelligent agent|AI agent}} could actually feel {{w|Emotion|emotions}} in the same manner as humans, as well as much consternation over the ethical concerns and moral ramifications it would have. Thus the comic's "We're afraid to tell it to love."<br />
<br />
The title text takes {{w|love}} to be an act of love-making instead of an emotional feeling, thus why the robot is pregnant.<br />
<br />
<br />
This comic is a part of the Parody Week, just joking about other webcomics.<br />
*[[Parody Week: Achewood]]<br />
*[[Parody Week: Megatokyo]]<br />
*[[Parody Week: TFD and Natalie Dee]]<br />
*'''Parody Week: A Softer World'''<br />
*[[Parody Week: Dinosaur Comics]]<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:when we open the lab each morning, we tell the robot to kill<br />
:it's our little joke<br />
<br />
:but secretly<br />
:we're just afraid<br />
<br />
:to tell it to love<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Romance]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=508:_Drapes&diff=56242508: Drapes2013-12-31T02:19:15Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 508<br />
| date = November 24, 2008<br />
| title = Drapes<br />
| image = drapes.png<br />
| titletext = Wait, what?<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
For those not familiar, this comic is a play on the classic question guys ask red-heads, where drapes=head hair and carpet=pubic hair. The assumption is that some people artificially dye their head hair red, but typically would not dye other body hair. The question is essentially asking "Are you a 'natural' red head?". The classic question doesn't mention upholstery, hence [[Cueball]]'s confusion. There is some speculation about other body/arm/leg/arm-pit hair interpretations for [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=upholstery upholstery].<br />
<br />
This comic could also be a [[917|self-referential joke]] where the furniture is a double entendre to the art of the comic itself. The "carpet" is the white background of the comic, which matches the black "drapes" of Cueball, the woman, and the words. The "upholstery", in this case, is the woman's hair, which is orange and heavily bordered to create a 3D effect, which does not at all match the rest of this comic. The fact that Cueball seems confused (as per the last panel and title text) suggests the {{w|fourth wall}} may have been broken.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:Cueball: So, does the carpet match the drapes?<br />
<br />
:Woman: Yeah. But not the upholstery.<br />
<br />
:[Woman walks away.]<br />
<br />
:[Cueball scratches his head, confused.]<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Language]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=560:_Lithium_Batteries&diff=56239560: Lithium Batteries2013-12-31T00:06:28Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */ I didn't see Randall in the comic.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 560<br />
| date = March 25, 2009<br />
| title = Lithium Batteries<br />
| image = lithium_batteries.png<br />
| titletext = I'm normally a pretty frugal person, but I still compulsively buy any R/C aircraft that's less than $30. In the last few years, this has become a problem.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
[[Randall]] muses that his life would have been better if he aged in reverse based on a timeline of the usage of {{w|Lithium-ion battery|lithium-ion batteries}}. Presumably, the reason is that each of these uses would come to realization when he most needed it (i.e. cheap RC aircraft as a child, a pacemaker when he is old, a phone when he is a rich businessperson, etc.). It might also be a shout-out to "{{w|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (short story)|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button}}", by {{w|F. Scott Fitzgerald}} or "{{w|The Once and Future King}}" by {{w|T. H. White}} where {{w|Merlin}} is described as a man living backwards through time as shown in this comic: [[ 270: Merlin ]].<br />
<br />
Lithium-ion batteries have one of the best energy densities and are common in most modern electronic devices like laptops, smartphones, and also air-planes like the {{w|Boeing 787 Dreamliner}}. The batteries have a serious risk of fire and in January 2013 the world wide Boeing 787 fleet was grounded for more than three months after such an incident.<br />
<br />
In the title text Randall states that he is a big fan of cheap {{w|Radio-controlled aircraft|radio-controlled aircraft}} (powered by cheap lithium-ion batteries), which he direly wished he would have had as a child (as the main comic expresses). As such, he has an uncontrollable, instinctive urge to make up for his childhood lack of RC aircraft by buying every cheap one he sees, which is becoming a huge financial problem as RC aircraft get cheaper and cheaper.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:Timeline of Commercial Uses of Lithium Batteries:<br />
:[The panel has a timeline that goes from Past to Present. The timeline has 4 notches on it.]<br />
:Past<br />
:[the first notch, closest to the past side, has a picture of an old man with a walking stick.]<br />
:Pacemakers<br />
:[The second notch has an image of a man in a car, who is talking on his cell phone.]<br />
:Phones for Rich Business People<br />
:[The third notch, has a teen taking on his cellphone.]<br />
:Phones for Teenagers<br />
:[The forth notch, closest to the present on the timeline, and an image of a toy plane box with $10 written on it.]<br />
:Really cheap r/c planes and helicopters<br />
:Present<br />
:[Below the main panel.]<br />
:Life would be so much better if I was one of those people who aged backward.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=914:_Ice&diff=56163914: Ice2013-12-30T06:21:04Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 914<br />
| date = June 20, 2011<br />
| title = Ice<br />
| image = ice.png<br />
| titletext = On the plus side, she wrote "Welcome to the AAA Club!" in lipstick on the bathroom mirror, and left me a membership/roadside assistance card on the counter.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is a reference to an old urban legend: a guy is drugged, then he awakes in an ice-filled bathtub only to discover one (or both) of their kidneys has been harvested by organ thieves [http://www.snopes.com/horrors/robbery/kidney.asp].<br />
<br />
In the comic, the situation is reversed: [[Beret Guy]] (who has just bought some ice for a party) is drugged, and he awakes in a bathtub filled with kidneys, only to discover that his ice has been harvested by a thief.<br />
<br />
The title text refers to a similar story where the victim is left a note by their captor or one-night stand that says "Welcome to the AIDS club". Rather than having been involuntarily infected with HIV/AIDS, the victim ([[Beret Guy]]) has been involuntarily enrolled in the {{w|American Automobile Association}} (AAA).<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Beret Guy and Megan are setting up a party, with a snack table and a big banner reading "PARTY!"]<br />
:Megan: Everything's ready...<br />
:Megan: Except we're out of ice.<br />
:Beret Guy: I'll get some!<br />
<br />
:[Beret Guy is walking down the street past a building marked Save Mart, with a bag of ice over his shoulder. Danish is standing on the sidewalk calls to him.]<br />
:Danish: Hey sexy. Where're you headed with all that ice?<br />
:Beret Guy: A party!<br />
:Danish: There's a ''better'' party up at my place.<br />
:Beret Guy: But I—<br />
:Danish: C'mon, one drink.<br />
<br />
:The next morning...<br />
:[Beret Guy rubs eyes groggily.]<br />
:Beret Guy: ...ugh... Where am I?<br />
:Beret Guy: I was supposed to—<br />
:Beret Guy: —where's all my ice!?<br />
<br />
:[Beret Guy looks down to find himself in a bathtub full of kidneys.]<br />
:Beret Guy: '''AAAAAAA'''<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*Kidney-harvesting schemes were also discussed in [[749: Study]].<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Danish]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=418:_Stove_Ownership&diff=56162418: Stove Ownership2013-12-30T06:19:50Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number =418<br />
| date =May 2, 2008<br />
| title =Stove Ownership<br />
| image =stove_ownership.png<br />
| titletext =Although maybe it's just a phase, like freshman year of college when I realized I could just buy frosting in a can.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
Bacon is generally considered one of the most delicious foods on earth, particularly in popular culture, where it's praised by such characters as Homer Simpson from ''The Simpsons'' and Vincent Vega from ''Pulp Fiction.'' It's also ''very'' bad for you.<br />
<br />
Hence, the moment Randall realized he could cook bacon whenever he wanted, his overall health took a dramatic turn for the worse.<br />
<br />
The title text implies that he went through a phase (a temporary fascination with a subject) when he was in college in which he reacted much the same to frosting, a sugary topping (usually for cakes) when he realized he could buy an entire can of it! He wonders if the current fascination with bacon will only turn out to be a phase like that.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Hand-drawn graph is shown. On the Y axis, My Overall Health, on the X axis, Time. Graph is generally steady through 3/4 of the X axis, where it begins a steady decline, with the label 'The Day I Realized I Could Cook Bacon ''Whenever I Wanted.''']<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Charts]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=810:_Constructive&diff=56126810: Constructive2013-12-29T22:08:16Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 810<br />
| date = October 25, 2010<br />
| title = Constructive<br />
| image = Constructive.png<br />
| titletext = And what about all the people who won't be able to join the community because they're terrible at making helpful and constructive co-- ...oh.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
For every online community to thrive and for constructive discussions to be had, it needs to have a certain number of friendly, polite and helpful people. Spammers are opposite of that; they are people or organizations trying to sell certain products, with no regards to the rules of community or any discussions being made. In fact, some of them use automated scripts to simulate human beings, allowing them to quickly post identical "advertising posts" in multiple threads under multiple names, flooding the forums and stifling real discussions. Therefore, it is vital to prevent them from posting non-sequitur posts with links towards their websites and to prevent bots from registering.<br />
<br />
{{w|Captcha}} is one of the methods used to prevent lots of automated registering of fake user names used by bots and spammers. It consists of asking a person to prove that they are human before registering them as user and allowing them to post on sites or forum topics. That is done by using pictures of words and letters that humans may recognize, but bots and OCR software have trouble with.<br />
<br />
Now, artificial intelligence (AI) of bots have advanced so far, that [[Cueball]] has invented a new system. It asks of the users to rate a slate of comments as constructive or not, then asks them to reply with comments of their own. [[Megan]] asks what will happen when spammers find a way around his system, such as making bots that make constructive and helpful comments? Well, it turns out that is what he is trying to accomplish in first place, a thriving community helping its members with constructive and helpful comments.<br />
<br />
The title text investigates the consequences of such system further by thinking of people unable to give constructive and helpful comments, which are sort of people you don't want in your online community anyway.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is talking to Megan.]<br />
:Cueball: Spammers are breaking traditional Captchas with AI, so I've built a new system. It asks users to rate a slate of comments as "Constructive" or "Not constructive."<br />
<br />
:[Close up of Cueball.]<br />
:Cueball: Then it has them reply with comments of their own, which are later rated by other users.<br />
<br />
:[Megan standing next to Cueball again.]<br />
:Megan: But what will you do when spammers train their bots to make automated constructive and helpful comments?<br />
<br />
:[Close up of Cueball again.]<br />
:Cueball: ''Mission''. ''Fucking''. ''Accomplished''.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=551:_Etch-a-Sketch&diff=56125551: Etch-a-Sketch2013-12-29T21:59:05Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 551<br />
| date = March 4, 2009<br />
| title = Etch-a-Sketch<br />
| image = etch-a-sketch.png<br />
| titletext = Surrounded by boring mysteries.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
Cueball notices that if you draw enough on an {{w|Etch_A_Sketch|Etch-a-Sketch}}, the aluminum powder in it gets removed from the screen, allowing one to see the interior of the device (as seen [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/EtchASketch_Inside_Shown.jpg here]).<br />
<br />
Cueball then proceeds to clear a window into the interior of the device, which shows him that there's a little girl inside the device, whose job is being the stylus for the Etch-a-Sketch. She suggest that they be friends, and little hearts pop up.<br />
<br />
We then proceed to see that this was just a fantasy, and that in fact, the drawings get drawn by a stylus moving on two rods inside the Etch-a-Sketch. Sighing, Cueball proceeds to shake the Etch-a-Sketch, to draw something else.<br />
<br />
The title text notes that the mysteries surrounding us are much more boring than we dream they are.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is playing with an Etch-a-Sketch.]<br />
:Cueball: Hey. If I draw enough lines, I can see what's behind the screen.<br />
<br />
:[Close up on the Etch-a-Sketch's screen.]<br />
:Cueball: Oh man, almost...<br />
<br />
:Etch-a-Sketch: Hi!<br />
<br />
:[Head of Megan appears behind the Etch-a-Sketch screen.]<br />
:Megan: You're cute!<br />
<br />
:Cueball: Wha—<br />
:Megan: I'm the one who draws when you turn the knobs. It's lonely in here.<br />
<br />
:Cueball: It's lonely out here too.<br />
:Megan: I'm glad you found me, then!<br />
<br />
:[Panels start to break away into thought bubbles.]<br />
:Megan: Let's be friends, and never be lonely again.<br />
<br />
:[Three hearts are shown, one of which looks like it was drawn with an Etch-a-Sketch.]<br />
<br />
:Cueball: *sigh*<br />
<br />
:[Etch-a-sketch shows what is behind the glass; it is just the mechanics of the machine.]<br />
<br />
:[Cueball shakes etch-a-sketch.]<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Romance]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=552:_Correlation&diff=56124552: Correlation2013-12-29T21:45:20Z<p>108.162.216.45: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 552<br />
| date = March 6, 2009<br />
| title = Correlation<br />
| image = Correlation.png<br />
| titletext = Correlation doesn't imply causation, but it does waggle its eyebrows suggestively and gesture furtively while mouthing 'look over there'.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic focuses on the difficulty of many people to grasp the difference between {{w|Correlation and dependence|correlation}} and {{w|Causality|causation}}. When two variables (like death and age) are highly correlated, many often make the assumption that one is leading to the other. However, this is not always the case.<br />
<br />
Take for example a scenario where a number of people are wearing sunglasses and a number of people are getting sunburned are highly correlated. Here it would seem silly to believe that wearing sunglasses causes sunburns or that getting sunburned causes wearing sunglasses. In this case, both are caused by a third factor (specifically that it is sunny).<br />
<br />
This is because when two variables are correlated it does not provide evidence that one variable has caused the other. They are merely correlated, or their trends move in relation to each other. A positive correlation would mean that as one variable increases so does the other, while a negative correlation means that as one variable increases the other decreases.<br />
<br />
In this situation [[Cueball]] is explaining to Megan his realization that correlation is not the same thing as causation. He further explains that his belief changed after taking a statistics class. [[Megan]], however, then makes the seemingly obvious leap and declares that his realization was the result of taking the statistics course. Cueball’s final response of “Well, Maybe.” is fitting because there is no way to know if the statistics class caused his opinion to change or, instead, the two are merely correlated, as many variables would have changed during that semester, each of which could have potentially influenced his view of the topic. In order to determine causation a control group is required, which experiences all of the same variables as the experimental group minus the one variable that you believe is responsible for the change.<br />
<br />
The image text is referring to the idea that while {{w|correlation does not imply causation|correlation does not mean causation}}, it does often enough that correlated events are often useful clues as to underlying causations. In this case the statistics course is a likely candidate for leading to his change in knowledge.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is talking to Megan.]<br />
:Cueball: I used to think correlation implied causation.<br />
<br />
:Cueball: Then I took a statistics class. Now I don't.<br />
<br />
:Megan: Sounds like the class helped.<br />
:Cueball: Well, maybe.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Statistics]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=481:_Listen_to_Yourself&diff=56123481: Listen to Yourself2013-12-29T21:40:57Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 481<br />
| date = September 26, 2008<br />
| title = Listen to Yourself<br />
| image = listen_to_yourself.png<br />
| titletext = Man, I just wanted to know how babby was formed.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{w|YouTube}} is a website for video sharing where anyone can upload and view videos. It is notorious for having some of the most ridiculous, hateful, mean-spirited, nonsensical comments of any mainstream website (a reputation touched upon earlier in [[202: YouTube]]).<br />
<br />
[[Danish]] tells [[Black Hat]] that her computer virus reads a YouTube user's comments back to them before it is submitted. Upon hearing their own ridiculous comments read aloud to them, they will realize the stupidity of it and not submit the comment. YouTube later made this a real feature, although it has since been removed again.<br />
<br />
The title text is in reference to a post left on the Yahoo! Answers website in 2006 by a submitter known as “kavya,” who asks “[http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090213024341AAXmAfL how is babby formed / how girl get pragnent].” The post picked up internet popularity and spawned several flash animations.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Black Hat approaches Danish tying at a computer.]<br />
:Black Hat: What are you writing?<br />
:Danish: Virus.<br />
:Black Hat: What's it do?<br />
<br />
:Danish: When someone tries to post a YouTube comment, it first reads it aloud back to them.<br />
<br />
:Soon. everywhere:<br />
:[Cueball is commenting on YouTube.]<br />
:''type type type''<br />
<br />
:[Youtube comment is read back.]<br />
<br />
:Cueball: ...I'm a moron.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball leaves desk.]<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is seen sitting on steps, depressed.]<br />
<br />
:[Cueball has head in hands.]<br />
:Cueball: I... I didn't know.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Danish]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]<br />
[[Category:YouTube]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1123:_The_Universal_Label&diff=561221123: The Universal Label2013-12-29T21:38:48Z<p>108.162.216.45: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1123<br />
| date = October 19, 2012<br />
| title = The Universal Label<br />
| image = the universal label.png<br />
| titletext = Works for any grocery or non-grocery. Even thyme is just H and time.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
All matter in the universe was created through {{w|nuclear fusion}} of hydrogen atoms over billions of years. A well written, detailed explanation of this process is available [http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/3280.html here]. In many countries, food products must have their ingredients displayed somewhere on their packaging. Because all matter was originally created through stellar nuclear fusion from hydrogen over time, the ingredients of any item (food or otherwise) can technically be described fully as only being made from hydrogen and time.<br />
<br />
The title text is a pun on the words {{w|thyme}} (a herb) and time, as the two words are homophones. Also, the H is the chemical symbol for hydrogen. Of course, the word "thyme" can also be made by adding the letter "h" to the letters "tyme".<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:'''Ingredients:'''<br />
:Hydrogen, Time<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Physics]]<br />
[[Category:Language]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1142:_Coverage&diff=560951142: Coverage2013-12-29T01:09:17Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1142<br />
| date = December 3, 2012<br />
| title = Coverage<br />
| image = coverage.png<br />
| imagesize = <br />
| titletext = My resonant tunneling diode phone has limited range but a short enough wavelength to penetrate even the densest cages. This gives me a major combat advantage, hopefully.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
A {{w|Faraday cage}} is a cage of conducting material that interferes and blocks out {{w|electromagnetic radiation}} like cell phone signals, provided the material is of the appropriate thickness and the gaps between the "bars" are significantly smaller than the wavelength of the radiation. A {{w|cage match}} is a type of wrestling match in which the participants fight in a ring enclosed by a metal cage. The comic caption is a play on the two terms, putting [[Cueball]] into a cage match in the Faraday cage that is blocking his reception.<br />
<br />
The title text is a play on a rule in cage matches that states that a participant wins if they are first to escape the cage. {{w|Tunneling_diode|Tunneling diodes}} are capable of fast operation, allowing a device to generate high frequency signals, which are more capable of penetrating the mesh openings in a Faraday cage.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is looking at a phone.]<br />
:Cueball: Man, the coverage here is ''awfu—''<br />
<br />
:[Another man punches Cueball.]<br />
:Faraday cagematch<br />
{{comic discussion}} <br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Physics]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=736:_Cemetery&diff=56073736: Cemetery2013-12-28T10:57:10Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 736<br />
| date = May 5, 2010<br />
| title = Cemetery<br />
| image = cemetery.png<br />
| titletext = Three headstones down, I got a call from my mom and it went from bad to worse.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
Here, [[Cueball]] appears to be putting blame on someone who died. This could be a result of...<br />
:...the deceased insisting on a font that was not sans-serif for his tombstone, but the results were typographically unappealing but permanent, not the least because the deceased is "no longer available" to change his mind.<br />
:...the deceased having died because he used a font that was not sans-serif.<br />
:...Cueball being "forced" to kill that who is now deceased due to him giving Cueball something that was in a font that was not the sans-serif font for which Cueball asked.<br />
<br />
In any way, the onlookers seem horrified at this sight. What they do not know is that Cueball is arguing with his still-alive co-worker who got into quite a bit of trouble due to using a font that was not sans-serif, despite Cueball having the knowledge that a sans-serif font was better. Cueball is actually using a Bluetooth headset that allows one to speak without actually touching the cell phone. The problem is that, since the headset is a small object attached to the user's ear while the phone is out of sight, someone using a Bluetooth headset may give the impression that he is talking to himself, or again, to a person who happens to be in front of him (even if the "unintended recipient" is dead).<br />
<br />
The title text suggests that Cueball is not on good terms with his mother, thus meriting a worse argument. The problem is that Cueball was in front of a different tombstone, thus giving the impression that he had an even worse grudge against the "new" deceased person, said impression thrusting worse problems into Cueball.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is in a cemetery, near a gravestone. Other people stand around staring.]<br />
:Cueball: Frankly, you deserve this. You ''knew'' I wanted a sans-serif font, and you ''ignored'' me. So really, this is ''your'' fault.<br />
:I've discovered the worst place to wander while arguing on a hands-free headset.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=954:_Chin-Up_Bar&diff=56072954: Chin-Up Bar2013-12-28T10:51:52Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 954<br />
| date = September 21, 2011<br />
| title = Chin-Up Bar<br />
| image = chin up bar.png<br />
| titletext = Those few who escaped found the emergency cutoff box disabled. The stampede lasted two hours and reached the bottom three times.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
[[Black Hat]] is blocking traffic on the {{w|Escalator#Escalators: superlatives|longest escalator}} in the {{w|western hemisphere}}, the escalator in the {{w|Wheaton (WMATA station)|Wheaton station}} in {{w|Washington D.C.}}'s {{w|Washington Metro}}.<br />
<br />
An {{w|escalator}} is a motorized stairway. Black Hat installs a {{w|chin-up bar}} at waist height. Chin-up bars are typically capable of holding up a 300&nbsp;pound (130&nbsp;kg) person without moving. Being at waist height makes it hard to duck under, and hard to hurdle. Either way, on a crowded escalator during a high traffic period, avoiding the bar will be extremely difficult. The first people would probably stumble backward to avoid it, which would collide them into the passengers behind them, creating a {{w|domino effect}} all the way down. As the escalator continues to move people forward, the wave of falling people is moving backward, however its {{w|Theory of special relativity|apparent speed}} will be slower than its actual speed.<br />
<br />
That is the joke in the title text, that over two hours the wave can reach the bottom only three times, whereas if this were a simple staircase the event would only last once and be over as quickly as people can fall down.<br />
The people that actually made it to the bottom were unable to use the emergency shutdown because Black Hat had disabled it.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Black Hat is standing on an escalator as it ascends. He is carrying a pole with what looks like a bracket on each end, resting on his shoulder. In front of him is Ponytail, and in front of her is a punk with spiked hair and pimples. Behind Black Hat is Cueball. Behind Cueball is a man wearing glasses with a goatee standing next to someone with short hair.]<br />
<br />
:[The view closes on Black Hat and Cueball. In the background a girl can be seen standing on the descending escalator.]<br />
:Cueball: This is a long escalator.<br />
:Black Hat: 70 meters. Longest in the country.<br />
<br />
:[In the background the girl from the last panel has now passed the group and a few other people can be seen descending.]<br />
<br />
:Cueball: Why're you carrying a chin-up bar?<br />
:Black Hat: Why aren't you wearing a hat?<br />
<br />
:[The view opens up a bit more to show the two riders ahead, and the two behind.]<br />
:Cueball: I'm not really a hat person.<br />
:Black Hat: And I'm not really a not-carrying-a-chin-up-bar person.<br />
<br />
:[Close up on Cueball.]<br />
<br />
:[The view opens up to show the same people in the first panel. They're near the top of the escalator now and Ponytail is beginning to step off.]<br />
:Cueball: Seriously, why did you bring it?<br />
:Black Hat: How should I know? I'm not a psychologist.<br />
<br />
:[As Black Hat steps off the escalator he turns and installs the chin-up bar such that it blocks people from leaving the escalator, about waist height. Cueball turns to observe what Black Hat is doing.]<br />
:''Twist''<br />
:''Click click''<br />
<br />
:[They get onto the descending escalator. The man with glasses and a goatee and his companion are blocked from leaving the escalator by the chin-up bar.]<br />
<br />
:[The view shows an extended section of the escalator, the top right has become a pile of people all squished together and on top of each other. One person has grabbed another by the hair and is standing on a third person in an attempt to not fall. Someone is falling off the pile and another person is running down the escalator to avoid them. People closer to the bottom of the escalator are looking horrified at the scene ahead of them. In the background hat man and his companion are visible. Black Hat is looking toward the bottom of the escalator, not caring or noticing the chaos unfolding. Cueball looks back pensively.]<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*It would appear that the goatee'd man behind Cueball is the psychologist from [[435: Purity]], and that the person he is with is the sociologist from the same comic.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=954:_Chin-Up_Bar&diff=56071954: Chin-Up Bar2013-12-28T10:51:39Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 954<br />
| date = September 21, 2011<br />
| title = Chin-Up Bar<br />
| image = chin up bar.png<br />
| titletext = Those few who escaped found the emergency cutoff box disabled. The stampede lasted two hours and reached the bottom three times.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
[[Black Hat]] is blocking traffic on the {{w|Escalator#Escalators: superlatives|longest escalator}} in the {{w|western hemisphere}}, the escalator in the {{w|Wheaton (WMATA station)|Wheaton station}} in {{w|Washington D.C.}}'s {{w|Washington Metro}}.<br />
<br />
An {{w|escalator}} is a motorized stairway. Black Hat installs a {{w|chin-up bar}} at waist height. Chin-up bars are typically capable of holding up a 300&nbsp;pound (130&nbsp;kg) person without moving. Being at waist height makes it hard to duck under, and hard to hurdle. Either way, on a crowded escalator during a high traffic period, avoiding the bar will be extremely difficult. The first people would probably stumble backward to avoid it, which would collide them into the passengers behind them, creating a {{w|domino effect}} all the way down. As the escalator continues to move people forward, the wave of falling people is moving backward, however its {{w|Theory of special relativity|apparent speed}} will be slower than its actual speed.<br />
<br />
That is the joke in the title text, that over two hours the wave can reach the bottom only three times, whereas if this were a simple staircase the event would only last once and be over as quickly as people can fall down.<br />
The people that actually made it to the bottom were unable to use the emergency shutdown because Black Hat disabled it.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Black Hat is standing on an escalator as it ascends. He is carrying a pole with what looks like a bracket on each end, resting on his shoulder. In front of him is Ponytail, and in front of her is a punk with spiked hair and pimples. Behind Black Hat is Cueball. Behind Cueball is a man wearing glasses with a goatee standing next to someone with short hair.]<br />
<br />
:[The view closes on Black Hat and Cueball. In the background a girl can be seen standing on the descending escalator.]<br />
:Cueball: This is a long escalator.<br />
:Black Hat: 70 meters. Longest in the country.<br />
<br />
:[In the background the girl from the last panel has now passed the group and a few other people can be seen descending.]<br />
<br />
:Cueball: Why're you carrying a chin-up bar?<br />
:Black Hat: Why aren't you wearing a hat?<br />
<br />
:[The view opens up a bit more to show the two riders ahead, and the two behind.]<br />
:Cueball: I'm not really a hat person.<br />
:Black Hat: And I'm not really a not-carrying-a-chin-up-bar person.<br />
<br />
:[Close up on Cueball.]<br />
<br />
:[The view opens up to show the same people in the first panel. They're near the top of the escalator now and Ponytail is beginning to step off.]<br />
:Cueball: Seriously, why did you bring it?<br />
:Black Hat: How should I know? I'm not a psychologist.<br />
<br />
:[As Black Hat steps off the escalator he turns and installs the chin-up bar such that it blocks people from leaving the escalator, about waist height. Cueball turns to observe what Black Hat is doing.]<br />
:''Twist''<br />
:''Click click''<br />
<br />
:[They get onto the descending escalator. The man with glasses and a goatee and his companion are blocked from leaving the escalator by the chin-up bar.]<br />
<br />
:[The view shows an extended section of the escalator, the top right has become a pile of people all squished together and on top of each other. One person has grabbed another by the hair and is standing on a third person in an attempt to not fall. Someone is falling off the pile and another person is running down the escalator to avoid them. People closer to the bottom of the escalator are looking horrified at the scene ahead of them. In the background hat man and his companion are visible. Black Hat is looking toward the bottom of the escalator, not caring or noticing the chaos unfolding. Cueball looks back pensively.]<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*It would appear that the goatee'd man behind Cueball is the psychologist from [[435: Purity]], and that the person he is with is the sociologist from the same comic.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=166:_Misusing_Slang&diff=56070166: Misusing Slang2013-12-28T10:44:40Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 166<br />
| date = October 4, 2006<br />
| title = Misusing Slang<br />
| image = misusing_slang.png<br />
| titletext = It slowly dawns on us that our parents knew exactly what they were doing.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
[[Randall]] expresses excitement for the time in the future where he can intentionally misuse modern-day slang in order to make nearby teenagers feel uncomfortable. He illustrates the using the word "pwned", the past tense of "pwn" (from "own", as in to defeat completely): "The new player was pwned by the veteran."<br />
<br />
Many teenagers believe their parents to be not "with the times", but Randall suggests that parents actually ''do'' know what the words mean, but are acting otherwise in order to mess with their heads. The title text reinforces this, as every generation has had some form of slang that they used, and it could be possible that this practice has been continued for a good while. It also suggests that the parents of teenagers may be "pwning" their children by intentionally misusing these modern-day slang.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:The best part of getting older is gonna be intentionally misusing slang around teenagers just to watch them squirm.<br />
:Cueball: Oh man, that song is so pwned!<br />
:''twitch''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Language]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=410:_Math_Paper&diff=56042410: Math Paper2013-12-27T20:25:54Z<p>108.162.216.45: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 410<br />
| date = April 14, 2008<br />
| title = Math Paper<br />
| image = math_paper.png<br />
| titletext = That's nothing. I once lost my genetics, rocketry, and stripping licenses in a single incident.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is a set up to use the joke about {{w|imaginary friend}}s by taking the concept of "friendly numbers" into the complex plane, which comprises numbers that have both a real and an imaginary part.<br />
<br />
An {{w|imaginary number}} is a number that can be written as a real number multiplied by the imaginary unit ''i'', which is defined by its property ''i<sup>2</sup> = -1'' (an impossibility for regular, "real" numbers, for which all squares are positive).<br />
<br />
An imaginary number ''bi'' can be added to a real number ''a'' to form a complex number of the form ''a+bi'', where ''a'' and ''b'' are called, respectively, the real part and the imaginary part of the complex number.<br />
<br />
The name "imaginary number" was coined in the 17th century as a derogatory term, since such numbers were regarded by some as fictitious or useless, but over time many applications in science and engineering have been found.<br />
<br />
Joel Bradbury has a wonderful explanation of {{w|friendly number}}s on [http://joelbradbury.net/notes/friendly_numbers his site]:<br />
<br />
:What are Friendly Numbers? <br />
:We need first to get define a divisor function over the integers, written σ(n) if you’re so inclined. To get it first we get all the integers that divide into n. So for 3, it’s 1 and 3. For 4, it’s 1, 2, and 4, and for 5 it’s only 1 and 5.<br />
<br />
:Now sum them to get σ(n). So σ(3) = 1 + 3 = 4, or σ(4) = 1 + 2 + 4 = 7, and so on.<br />
<br />
:For each of these n, there is something called a characteristic ratio. Now that’s just the divisors function over the integer itself ( σ(n)/n . So the characteristic ratio where n = 6 is σ(6)/6 = 12/6 = 2.<br />
<br />
:Once you have the characteristic ratio for any integer n, any other integers that share the same characteristic are called friendly with each other. So to put it simply a friendly number is any integer that shares its characteristic ratio with at least one other integer. The converse of that is called a solitary number, where it doesn’t share it’s characteristic with anyone else.<br />
<br />
:1,2,3,4 and 5 are solitary. 6 is friendly with 28; σ(6)/6 = (1+2+3+6)/6 = 12/6 = 2 = 56/28 = (1+2+4+7+14+28)/28 = σ(28)/28.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:Lecturer: In my paper, I use an extension of the divisor function over the Gaussian integers to generalize the so-called "friendly numbers" into the complex plane.<br />
:[Lecturer points to equations on the board.]<br />
:Guy in room: Hold on. Is this paper simply a giant build-up to an "imaginary friends" pun?<br />
:[Lecturer stands speechless.]<br />
:Lecturer: It MIGHT not be.<br />
:Guy in room: I'm sorry, we're revoking your math license.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Math]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Banned from conferences]]<br />
[[Category:Public speaking]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=704:_Principle_of_Explosion&diff=56041704: Principle of Explosion2013-12-27T20:23:34Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 704<br />
| date = February 19, 2010<br />
| title = Principle of Explosion<br />
| image = principle_of_explosion.png<br />
| titletext = You want me to pick up waffle cones? Oh, right, for the wine. One sec, let me just derive your son's credit card number and I'll be on my way.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
[[Cueball]] explains the {{w|principle of explosion}}, a classical law of logic, that says that if you start out with premises ({{w|axiom}}s) that are contradictory, it is possible to derive (prove) any statement in the language you are working in, true or false. (In math for example, if you assume that √2 is a rational number, you can prove things that are obviously false. Consequently you draw the conclusion that √2 is an irrational number. This is how {{w|proof by contradiction}} works.)<br />
<br />
His friend misinterprets this to mean that you can derive any fact about the physical world. He starts with a formula of {{w|propositional logic}} that says "P and not-P", where P is a proposition. To say that P is both true and false is a contradiction, it's false regardless of whether P is true or false. To Cueball's bewilderment he then successfully derives his mom's phone number. His mom turns out to be [[Miss Lenhart]] (now a Mrs?), and to his vexation she asks his friend out.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is talking to his friend.]<br />
:Cueball: If you assume contradictory axioms, you can derive anything. It's called the principle of explosion.<br />
:Friend: ''Anything?'' Lemme try.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball's friend is writing on a piece of paper on a desk.]<br />
<br />
:[Cueball's friend is holding up a piece of paper to Cueball, while holding a phone.]<br />
:Friend: Hey, you're right! I started with '''P∧<sup>¬</sup>P''' and derived your mom's phone number!<br />
:Cueball: That's not how that works.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is looking at the piece of paper, while his friend is talking to someone on a phone.]<br />
:Friend: Mrs. Lenhart?<br />
:Cueball: Wait, this ''is'' her number! How—<br />
:Friend: Hi, I'm a friend of— Why, yes, I ''am'' free tonight!<br />
:Cueball: ''Mom!''<br />
:Friend: No, box wine sounds lovely!<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Miss Lenhart]]<br />
[[Category:Math]]<br />
[[Category:Logic]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1309:_Infinite_Scrolling&diff=560141309: Infinite Scrolling2013-12-27T09:38:00Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1309<br />
| date = December 27, 2013<br />
| title = Infinite Scrolling<br />
| image = infinite_scrolling.png<br />
| titletext = Maybe we should give up on the whole idea of a 'back' button. 'Show me that thing I was looking at a moment ago' might just be too complicated an idea for the modern web.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
Infinite scrolling is a technique in web design where a large data set is displayed as a seemingly infinite list, but in reality only the visible part of the list (and the surrounding data) is rendered. This is done to work around memory limitations of old browsers and mobile devices or to save on data transfer size.<br />
<br />
The problem with this technique is that if you navigate from this page to a different page and go back the location of the scrolled data set is often lost and the top of the data set is displayed again. Also it is usually not possible to point a URL directly to a certain section of the infinite list.<br />
For these reasons, many prefer the almost old-fashioned pagination over infinite scrolling.<br />
<br />
In this comic [[Megan]] is handling the book as if it were a device with a touchscreen where the book is displayed as an infinite scrolling text. Touching a link would navigate away from the list and the current reading position would be lost.<br />
<br />
In the title text it is even suggested that the "Back" button used in navigation should be removed since web browsers are not good at determining what a user would like to go back to.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is standing behind Megan, who is turning the pages of a book.]<br />
:Cueball: Why are you turning the pages like that?<br />
:Megan: If I touch the wrong thing, I'll lose my place and have to start over.<br />
:If books worked like infinite-scrolling webpages.<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1308:_Christmas_Lights&diff=559561308: Christmas Lights2013-12-26T03:04:58Z<p>108.162.216.45: Undo revision 55938 by 173.245.53.176 (talk) Seriously? Just the title text? I would've preferred the template over that.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1308<br />
| date = December 25, 2013<br />
| title = Christmas Lights<br />
| image = christmas_lights.png<br />
| titletext = Merry Christmas from xkcd!<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Check grammar, check spectra and reference good fits to what is here}}<br />
Each light in this Christmas scene is represented by its {{w|electromagnetic spectrum}}, which shows in a graphical form how much energy is radiated by each wavelength of light.<br />
<br />
These graphs cover only the visible radiation plus some infrared and some ultraviolet. There are 4 distinct spectra in this comic:<br />
<br />
In the center of the image, between Beret Guy and the couple Cueball and Megan appears a light spectrum of a fire, notable because it emits a lot of energy in the infrared band (The left zone of the spectrum), emitted typically from hot sources, and in the red and orange zone (typical colors of a fire). The spike toward the left hand side of the spectrum is probably the 4.3 µm resonance frequency of hot CO<sub>2</sub> characteristic of burning hydrocarbons (see [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flame_detection#Emission_of_radiation here)]. <br />
<br />
In the right of the comic appear some spectra arranged in the form of a Christmas tree. There are 3 different spectra in this "Christmas tree":<br />
<br />
At the top appears a complex spectrum, possibly that of a white LED (see [http://led-brdf.wikispaces.com/Introduction+to+LEDs here]), representing the tradition in some cultures of putting a star at the top of the Christmas tree.<br />
<br />
In the branches there are two simpler spectra, one with a peak in the green zone, representing a green light source, and other with a peak in the red zone, representing a red light source. Both of these represent the tradition of putting colorful decoration in the tree, in this case apparently red and green colored Christmas lights.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=298:_Tesla_Coil&diff=55955298: Tesla Coil2013-12-26T02:41:05Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 298<br />
| date = August 3, 2007<br />
| title = Tesla Coil<br />
| image = tesla_coil.png<br />
| titletext = For scientists, this can be the hardest thing about dreams.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
<br />
[[Cueball]] diligently creates a {{w|Tesla coil}}, a {{w|high voltage}} device producing artificial electrical lightings and more. <br />
<br />
After that show by Cueball, [[Black Hat]] magically shoots electricity from his fingertips. When Cueball asks how he did that, he says that science doesn't really work, then hovers in mid-air, further proving his point. There is simply no apparent explanation for Black Hat's abilities, which means science is still woefully incomplete or, as Black Hat said, simply doesn't work.<br />
<br />
The title text indicates that this was all actually a dream, explaining Black Hat's abilities and pointing out how dreams can be difficult for scientists as they will attempt to analyse and understand everything in the dream according to the laws of science, which wouldn't apply in dreams.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball and Black Hat stand near a tesla coil mounted on a table.]<br />
:Cueball: I finally finished my Tesla Coil!<br />
<br />
:[The room is dark; the characters appear as faint blue outlines on black background. Cueball turns on the Tesla Coil and it sparks white static electricity.]<br />
:''click''<br />
:Black Hat: Cool, but—<br />
<br />
:[Lightning shoots out of Black Hat's hands, Cueball appears to be in shock <!-- get it --> and awe.]<br />
:Black Hat: Check <u>this</u> out!<br />
<br />
:[The lights are back on, Cueball's arms are raised in amazement.]<br />
:Cueball: How did you do that?<br />
:Black Hat: The world doesn't actually make any sense. Science doesn't work. No one told you because you're so cute when you get into something.<br />
<br />
:[Black Hat floats up the frame, and Cueball is pointing towards Black Hat.]<br />
:Black Hat: Still, neat toy.<br />
:Cueball: Now you're hovering!<br />
:Black Hat: I guess you're still not getting this.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1139:_Rubber_and_Glue&diff=559541139: Rubber and Glue2013-12-26T02:31:32Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1139<br />
| date = November 26, 2012<br />
| title = Rubber and Glue<br />
| image = rubber and glue.png<br />
| titletext = I'm rubber. You're rubber. We contemplate the reality of our existence in mute, vulcanized horror.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
"I'm rubber, you're glue; whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you" is a schoolground retort used by children to suggest that one's insults are being ignored by the intended recipient of the insult and counter that the insult rather refers to the insulter. On a deeper level, it may imply that a person insulting others is an indication of their own insecurity and weakness.<br />
<br />
In this comic, a young [[Black Hat]] is reading a chemistry and physics handbook, which leads to a literal and graphic visualization of the phrase. He uses the retort to frighten the children bullying him, into calling for their mothers. The book is the {{w|CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics}}. It is also nicknamed the 'Rubber Bible' or the 'Rubber Book', as CRC originally stood for "Chemical Rubber Company".<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Playground. Young Megan is balancing on a swing, two kids are swinging and two more kids, Cueball and a boy are approaching a reading Black Hat.]<br />
:Hairy: Whatchya reading, hatboy?<br />
:Black Hat: The CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics.<br />
:Cueball: You are such a loser, it's ''painful''.<br />
:Black Hat: I'm rubber, you're glue.<br />
<br />
:Hairy: Yeah, well—<br />
:Black Hat: ''Glue can't speak.''<br />
:Black Hat: You try to scream, but your mouth fills with glue.<br />
:Black Hat: Your face is glue. Your body is glue.<br />
<br />
:Black Hat: I wrap my rubber arms around your sticky bulk.<br />
:Black Hat: Your neoprene base bonds instantly with my surface.<br />
:Black Hat: Never to let go.<br />
<br />
:Black Hat: You are glue. I am rubber.<br />
:Black Hat: Staring at you with my dead, rubber eyes-<br />
:Black Hat: ''Forever.''<br />
:[Off-screen]: ''MOOOOM!''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Language]]<br />
[[Category:Physics]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=357:_Flies&diff=55932357: Flies2013-12-25T18:43:06Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 357<br />
| date = December 14, 2007<br />
| title = Flies<br />
| image = flies.png<br />
| titletext = I don't know about houseflies, but we definitely caught a lot of fruit flies with our vinegar bowl. Hooray science!<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
The saying "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar" means that people are more likely to be won over with persuasion than force.<br />
<br />
When [[Cueball]]'s friend tells him this after he replies to a "{{W|noob}}" using swear words, he then says that the saying is literally false by saying that {{w|balsamic vinegar}} attracts more flies than honey. He then tells his friend to try it with his own fruit flies.<br />
<br />
When Cueball's statement is found true (because balsamic vinegar has a higher sugar content than white vinegar or honey), his friend complains to his mother that she lied to him. He then says that another saying, "a watched pot never boils", is also literally false. That saying means that an event that is monitored with impatient attention will seem to take longer.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is typing on a computer, and his friend is lying on the floor.]<br />
:Cueball: *$@#!<br />
:Friend: Hey, ease up on the noobs. Like my mom always said, you catch more flies with honey then with vinegar.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball has turned his chair around.]<br />
:Cueball: No, you don't.<br />
:Friend: You don't?<br />
:Cueball: Nope, set out a bowl of balsamic and a bowl of honey. The vinegar gets more.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball's friend is now sitting on the floor.]<br />
:Friend: ...Seriously?<br />
:Cueball: You have fruit flies. Try it yourself.<br />
<br />
:Later:<br />
:[Cueball's friend is standing in front of a table, talking into a phone, and on the table, there are two bowls, and the bowl on the left seems to be surrounded by flies.]<br />
:Friend: Mother! You ''lied'' to me! And it gets worse. I was watching a pot yesterday, and guess what it did? It ''boiled,'' mother.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Language]]<br />
[[Category:Science]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=169:_Words_that_End_in_GRY&diff=55918169: Words that End in GRY2013-12-25T11:53:54Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 169<br />
| date = October 11, 2006<br />
| title = Words that End in GRY<br />
| image = words_that_end_in_gry.png<br />
| titletext = The fifth panel also applies to postmodernists.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This is a reference to a mistelling of a (fairly stupid) joke. The original, correct telling of the joke is:<br />
*''Think of words ending in "-gry". "Angry" and "Hungry" are two of them. There are only three words in the English language. What is the third word? Hint: The word is something that everyone uses everyday. If you have listened carefully, I have already told you what it is.''<br />
Phrased this way, the answer is "language" because "There are only three words in (the phrase)'' 'the English language' ''."<br />
<br />
However, this joke is often mistold by misphrasing the original riddle as it is in the comic. By instead saying, "There are three words in the English language that end in '-gry,'" the teller of the joke has actually removed ANY chance of determining the correct answer. Many people who were stumped by the original joke and would ask their friends for help, but when they did so, they would tell the joke incorrectly as they were unaware of what the answer was.<br />
<br />
As such, when [[Cueball]] attempts to say the answer is "language" and act smugly about it, [[Black Hat]] is unimpressed and cuts off Cueball's hand.<br />
<br />
The title text refers to {{w|postmodernism}}, a philosophy and corresponding art movement. Postmodern music is often {{w|minimalist}}, as exemplified by the weird sounds of {{w|Philip Glass}} and {{w|Steve Reich}}, and {{w|Postmodern art#Movements in postmodern art|postmodern visual art}} saw trends such as lowbrow and installation art gain attention. Apart from a rejection of modernism, however, it is difficult to outline postmodernism to justify the strange works of art. {{w|Deconstruction}} is another important concept, but it is difficult to describe the process. In short, postmodernists make art and may act smugly about it, but do not adequately explain what their art means. Thus, Black Hat's statement that such practice is not "cleverness" applies to them as well.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Black Hat and Cueball are standing next to each other.]<br />
:Cueball: There are three words in the English language that end in "gry". "Angry" and "Hungry" are two. What's the third?<br />
<br />
:Black Hat: I don't think there is one, unless you count really obscure words.<br />
:Cueball: Ha! It's "language"! I said there are three words in "the English--" Hey!<br />
:''GRAB''<br />
:[Black Hat grabs Cueball's hand, with a knife in hand.]<br />
<br />
:Cueball: What th--AAAAAAAAAA<br />
:[Black Hat slices off Cueball's hand with the knife.]<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is bleeding profusely.]<br />
:Black Hat: Ok, listen carefully.<br />
:Cueball: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA<br />
<br />
:Black Hat: Communicating badly then acting smug when you're misunderstood is not cleverness.<br />
:Cueball: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA<br />
<br />
:Black Hat: I hope we've learned something today.<br />
:Cueball: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*Wikipedia has an entire page devoted to the -GRY joke {{w|-gry}}.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Language]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=461:_Google_Maps&diff=55885461: Google Maps2013-12-25T04:33:13Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 461<br />
| date = August 11, 2008<br />
| title = Google Maps<br />
| image = google_maps.png<br />
| titletext = Apparently Google assumes you're traveling during the ferry's normal operating hours. We lost two hours circling that damn lake (to say nothing of the Straw Man).<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete}}<br />
{{w|Google Maps}} is a web mapping service application, which among other things, offers a route planner. The comic pokes fun at Google Maps for occasionally giving suboptimal directions, taking it to the logical extreme of giving directions that resemble the plot of a badly-scripted horror/action movie or an old {{w|text adventure}} game.<br />
<br />
Luckily Cueball's brother realizes that the directions are weird when he notices that they're supposed to take a ferry after midnight. However, the title text implies that despite the bizarreness of the directions, the brothers still took them. They also apparently woke the Straw Man.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:My road trip with my brother ran into trouble around page three of the Google Maps printout<br />
<br />
:[Google Maps printout.]<br />
::← 70. Slight '''left''' at '''RT-22''' - go 6.8 mi<br />
::→ 71. Turn '''right''' to stay on '''RT-22''' - go 2.6 mi<br />
::← 72. Turn '''left''' at '''Lake Shore Rd''' - go 312 ft<br />
::→ 73. Turn '''right''' at '''Dock St''' - go 427 ft<br />
::[An icon of water] 74. Take the '''ferry''' across the '''lake.''' - go 2.8 mi<br />
<br />
:[A car is driving in the dark.]<br />
:Brother: Okay, now take Dock St toward the ferry.<br />
:Cueball: We're supposed to take a ferry? It's past midnight, and these woods are creepy.<br />
:Brother: Google Maps wouldn't steer us wrong.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball and his brother stand outside the car. The ferry has a sign on it reading CLOSED.]<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is standing next to his brother, who is holding a Google Maps printout.]<br />
<br />
:[Cueball motions towards his brother.]<br />
:Cueball: Let me see those directions.<br />
<br />
:[Google Maps printout.]<br />
::[An icon of water] 74. Take the '''ferry''' across the '''lake.''' - go 2.8 mi<br />
::↗ 75. Climb the '''HILL''' toward '''Hangman's Ridge,''' avoiding any '''mountain lions.''' - up 1,172 ft<br />
::↷ 76. When you reach an '''old barn,''' go around back, knock on the '''second door,''' and ask for '''Charlie.''' - go 52 ft<br />
::[An icon of a van] 77. Tell '''Charlie''' the '''Dancing Stones''' are '''restless'''. He will give you his '''van'''. - Careful<br />
::[An icon of a straw man] 78. Take '''Charlie's van''' down '''Old Mine Road'''. Do not wake the '''Straw Man'''. - go π mi<br />
::← 79. Turn left on '''Comstock'''. When you feel the '''blood''' chill in your '''veins''', stop the van and '''get out.''' - go 3.2 mi<br />
::↓ 80. Stand very still. Exits are '''north''', '''south''', and '''east''', but are block by a '''Spectral Wolf'''. - go 0 ft<br />
::[An icon of a menacing face] 81. The '''Spectral Wolf''' fears only '''FIRE'''. The '''Google Maps Team''' can no longer help you, but if you master the '''wolf''', he will guide you. '''Godspeed.''' - go ?? mi<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Incomplete_transcripts&diff=55878Category:Incomplete transcripts2013-12-25T00:23:21Z<p>108.162.216.45: </p>
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<div>This is the category page for pages with incomplete transcripts. To add pages to this category, add {{[[:Template:incomplete transcript|incomplete transcript]]}} to their source text.<br />
<br />
[[Category:explain xkcd]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=654:_Nachos&diff=55821654: Nachos2013-12-23T19:47:54Z<p>108.162.216.45: /* Explanation */</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 654<br />
| date = October 26, 2009<br />
| title = Nachos<br />
| image = nachos.png<br />
| titletext = Hey, gaming on wifi? You have only yourself to blame.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
[[Megan]] and [[Ponytail]] are playing an online shooter game. Ponytail calls [[Cueball]], who is living with Megan, and "subtly" persuades him to make {{w|nachos}}. {{w|Wi-Fi}} and {{w|microwave oven}}s both use {{w|ISM band|radio frequencies around 2.4 GHz}}, so Cueball's cooking disrupts her connection and allows Ponytail to kill Megan's online character.<br />
<br />
The title text points out that Megan has only herself to blame, as gaming on wifi is more susceptible to such issues than gaming with a wired connection (e.g. {{w|Ethernet}}).<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is on the phone with Ponytail, who's on her computer in the other half of a split panel.]<br />
:Cueball: Hello? ... Oh, hey. Looking for Megan? She's gaming.<br />
:Ponytail: I know. You know what's delicious? Nachos.<br />
<br />
:[Ponytail clicks on her computer while talking.]<br />
:Ponytail: When you layer the cheese so it gets on every chip... then smother them in sour cream and salsa...<br />
<br />
:Cueball: Mm, that IS delicious. And I've got the ingredients, too!<br />
:Ponytail, on phone: You should make some!<br />
:Cueball: I will!<br />
:Ponytail, on phone: Hurry.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is making nachos in the microwave.]<br />
:Microwave: ''beep beep whirrrr''<br />
<br />
:Megan, at her computer: My wifi signal!<br />
<br />
:[Ponytail who called is at her computer.]<br />
:Computer: Boom! Headshot.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Incomplete_transcripts&diff=55781Category:Incomplete transcripts2013-12-23T03:52:22Z<p>108.162.216.45: Created page with "This is the category page for pages with incomplete transcripts. To add pages to this category, add {{incomplete transcript}} to their sour..."</p>
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<div>This is the category page for pages with incomplete transcripts. To add pages to this category, add {{[[:Template:incomplete transcript|incomplete transcript]]}} to their source text.</div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Template:incomplete_transcript&diff=55780Template:incomplete transcript2013-12-23T03:49:45Z<p>108.162.216.45: </p>
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<div>{{notice|'''This transcript is incomplete.''' Please help [{{fullurl:{{{target|{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}}|action=edit}} editing] it! Thanks.}}<includeonly>[[Category:Incomplete transcripts]]</includeonly></div>108.162.216.45https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:388:_Fuck_Grapefruit&diff=55779Talk:388: Fuck Grapefruit2013-12-23T03:48:32Z<p>108.162.216.45: </p>
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<div>Why are seeded grapes deemed more tasty than seedless grapes? Them seeds taste awful and bitter when you accidentally bite into them. [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]] ([[User talk:Davidy22|talk]]) 12:22, 14 October 2012 (UTC)<br />
*Yeah! And red apples are clearly more tasty than green (unless you're using them for cooking), and bananas are the tastiest fruit ever! In other words, it's all subjective. (You might argue that the seeds add to the flavour, much like a small amout of fat in meat; obviously the fact that they're less easy implies pulling all the seeds out first to make sure you don't bite one.) [[Special:Contributions/94.0.161.247|94.0.161.247]] 10:34, 28 November 2012 (UTC)<br />
*Seedless grapes (and seedless versions of other fruits) are often considered to be slightly less tasty than their seeded counterparts because a compromise was made: putting all efforts toward being tasty and easy to grow, versus dividing the effort between those and making them seedless. Additionally, some seedless fruits (including certain brands or breeds) are simply less mature versions of their seedless equivalent (this is part of why some bunches of seedless grapes have seeds in many of the fruits, albeit smaller and/or fewer seeds than the seeded equivalent). It's also possible that the y-axis difference between the two was unintentional, but there's enough of a difference that I'm strongly in favor of interpreting it as intentional. [[User:JET73L|JET73L]] ([[User talk:JET73L|talk]]) 17:34, 8 February 2013 (UTC)<br />
I disagree with the placement of bananas and pears. They are both really easy and reasonably tasty (although taste is a matter of personal preference).[[Special:Contributions/75.69.96.225|75.69.96.225]] 21:54, 11 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
*Problem is, pomegranates burn calories instead of adding to them. Unless you get pre-picked. There should be a third axis, but alas, with a webcomic, it is not possible. {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.45}}<br />
Fyi to open a coconut, do not smash a rock against the coconut, smash the coconut against the rock! [[Special:Contributions/193.188.240.138|193.188.240.138]] 14:30, 26 July 2013 (UTC)<br />
:A rock? Is this a deserted island scenario you're describing? Most households have something called a hammer. [[User:Tharkon|Tharkon]] ([[User talk:Tharkon|talk]]) 03:24, 23 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
Is there a program do make charts looking like these? With the little pictures in the chart. [[User:RecentlyChanged|RecentlyChanged]] ([[User talk:RecentlyChanged|talk]]) 13:26, 26 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
:Yes. The program is called "Paper and Pencil; and something to color them."[[User:SarcasticMoe|SarcasticMoe]] ([[User talk:SarcasticMoe|talk]]) 25:61, 26 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
The transcript needs fixing. It is currently inaccurate in places, like, for example, strawberries in the comic are placed below seeded grapes on the tastiness axis, but the transcript says that strawberries are tastier than seeded grapes. Also, the transcript is missing seedless grapes. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.45|108.162.216.45]] 03:48, 23 December 2013 (UTC)</div>108.162.216.45