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| | {{comic | | {{comic |
| | | number = 903 | | | number = 903 |
| − | | date = May 25, 2011 | + | | date = 2011-05-25 |
| | | title = Extended Mind | | | title = Extended Mind |
| − | | image = extended mind.png | + | | image = extended_mind.png |
| | + | | imagesize = |
| | | titletext = Wikipedia trivia: if you take any article, click on the first link in the article text not in parentheses or italics, and then repeat, you will eventually end up at "Philosophy". | | | titletext = Wikipedia trivia: if you take any article, click on the first link in the article text not in parentheses or italics, and then repeat, you will eventually end up at "Philosophy". |
| | }} | | }} |
| | | | |
| | ==Explanation== | | ==Explanation== |
| − | This comic refers to the fact that the narrator has become so dependent on Wikipedia as a source of information that although it gives him the great advantage that he appears learned on any topic with a remarkable degree of specificity, the downside is that whenever Wikipedia goes offline, the limitations of his actual knowledge are revealed. Note: if he had downloaded Wikipedia using a tool like [https://kiwix.org/ Kiwix], he could have appeared smarter even when Wikipedia was down.
| + | I'm a little late getting this post up, but I think you all can get the gist of it. When Wikipedia is down, everyone is considerably dumber. This comic, obviously takes that to the extreme. |
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| − | The title, {{w|Extended_mind_thesis|"Extended Mind"}}, refers to a theory proposed by philosophers Andy Clark and David Chalmers, which postulates that the mind not only includes what can be found in the skull, but also incorporates external things, like Wikipedia. Others have connected this sort of thing to the innate biological intelligence, or knowledge, but still consider it a different phenomenon under a label such as "{{w|Extelligence|''ex''telligence}}".
| + | Trust me when I tell you, if Wikipedia was down your explainxkcd explanations would be less explainy. (That's not a word, I know.) |
| | | | |
| − | The title text refers to an observed phenomenon that many of Wikipedia's page links eventually lead to the {{w|Philosophy}} page, though he incorrectly states that this happens on all articles. This may be due to the fact that the first few links in any article tend to reference more general or abstract ideas, which eventually gravitate towards philosophy. This is only true for around 95% of Wikipedia pages: the rest end up in infinite loops, missing pages, or pages without links. | + | The only Wikipedia outage I can find recently in the news is from March 2010. |
| − | | |
| − | More info on this bizarre characteristic of the encyclopedia can be found {{w|Wikipedia:Getting to Philosophy|on their page about it}} or on [http://matpalm.com/blog/2011/08/13/wikipedia-philosophy/ this blog].
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| | | | |
| | ==Transcript== | | ==Transcript== |
| − | :[An IM window is open over a Chrome window with tabs for Spark Plug, Feeler Gauge, and Wikipedia.]
| + | <pre>[An IM window is open over a Chrome window with tabs for Spark Plug, Feeler Gauge, and Wikipedia.] |
| − | :Message with Mike1979
| + | Message with Mike1979 |
| − | :Mike1979: I replaced my spark plugs and now my car is running weird.
| + | Mike1979: I replaced my spark plugs and now my car is running weird. |
| − | :Me: The spark gap might be off.
| + | Me: The spark gap might be off. |
| − | :Me: You can check with a feeler gauge.
| + | Me: You can check with a feeler gauge. |
| − | :Mike1979: What should the gap be?
| + | Mike1979: What should the gap be? |
| − | :Me: Usually between 0.035" and 0.070".
| + | Me: Usually between 0.035" and 0.070". |
| − | :Me: But it depends on the engine.
| + | Me: But it depends on the engine. |
| − | | |
| − | :[An IM window is open over a Chrome window with a single Wikipedia tab, marked ERROR. The page says: "Wikipedia has a problem. Try waiting a few minutes and reloading (can't contact the database server: unknown error (10.0.0.242))]
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| − | :Message with Mike1979
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| − | :Mike1979: I replaced my spark plugs and now my car is running weird.
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| − | :Me: What is a spark plug??
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| − | :Me: Help
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| − | :Me: What is a car??
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| − | | |
| − | :When Wikipedia has a server outage, my apparent IQ drops by 30 points.
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| | | | |
| − | ==Trivia==
| + | [An IM window is open over a Chrome window with a single Wikipedia tab, marked ERROR. The page says: "Wikipedia has a problem. Try waiting a few minutes and reloading (can't contact the database server: unknown error (10.0.0.242))] |
| − | *The error code shown in the right panel (10.0.0.242) caused a [https://lists.archive.carbon60.com/wiki/wikitech/236027 bit of a discussion] from the wiki techs. Randall replied with:
| + | Message with Mike1979 |
| − | ::Randall: "I drew it based on an older error message where the IP was 10.0.0.243. I changed it to 242 (a) because I try not to get too specific with those things, and didn't want people poking the actual machine at .243 (if it was still there) - I actually considered putting .276 and seeing how many people noticed, but figured they'd just think I made a dumb mistake. and (b) as part of this ancient inside joke involving the number 242 ..." | + | Mike1979: I replaced my spark plugs and now my car is running weird. |
| | + | Me: What is a sparky plug?? |
| | + | Me: Help |
| | + | Me: What is a car?? |
| | | | |
| − | *For a few weeks after this comic came out, following the links as explained in the title text would actually lead only to the Science page, due to someone/someones altering the links. The alterations could have been coincidental, good-faith edits, but were much more likely to be vandalism to break this trick. The edits were eventually reverted, and, as of July 2016, all first links lead to the ocean. Er, Philosophy. At least, when they're not stuck in endless loops.
| + | When Wikipedia has a server outage, my apparent IQ drops by 30 points. |
| | + | </pre> |
| | | | |
| − | {{comic discussion}} | + | {{comic discussion}} |
| − | [[Category:Internet]]
| + | <!-- Include any categories below this line--> |
| | [[Category:Wikipedia]] | | [[Category:Wikipedia]] |
