3113: Fix This Sign

Fix This Sign

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Title text: We're building on our earlier success getting web developers to pay to change the backslashes in our displayed payment URL to forward slashes.

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Explanation

This is one of 52 incomplete explanations: This page was created by a MISALIGNED COLUMN. Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page!

The comic depicts a sign with a number of issues, such as bad kerning and alignment, that graphics designers might be disturbed by. Fortunately these graphics designers can donate money to have the sign's issues fixed.

Fix kerning: Kerning refers to the spacing between letters in a typeface, previously addressed in 1015: Kerning. Kerning issues can result in letters text appearing too far apart, as if there were a space in between, or too close as if the letters were merged. In some instances combinations of letters can appear like other letters. A well known example of this is the r and n in kerning merging into "keming", which is depicted in the comic with the R and N close together, although in uppercase this merging doesn't happen. The N and I in this word are also very close together, and the I and S in "THIS" in the sign's title are too far apart.

Align columns: Here the dollar amount and the text itself are not aligned with the rest of the entries.

Fix text size: The size of this entry is smaller than the rest of the other entries. As with the misaligned columns, such variances could be displeasing to the eye or distracting.

Fix typo: The title of the sign says "doanate to fix this sign!" Someone who is easily annoyed by random typos could be compelled to donate just to get the typo fixed.

Fix centering: The title of the sign of off-center, being slightly to the right.

Fix rotation: The title of the sign is tilted slightly, with "doanate" being higher than "sign", and the rest of the sign is also off-kilter a bit.

The title text refers to another common annoyance seen in signs: the use of backslashes in URLs. URLs are defined to use forward slashes (/) rather than backslashes (\), which are instead used in Windows pathnames. Due to the widespread usage of both URLs and Windows pathnames, it is not uncommon for someone to instinctively use backslashes in URLs, which isn't always supported. (Forward slashes in Windows paths, however, are supported via Win32-to-NT path conversion.) This annoyance was also discussed in 727: Trade Expert.

Transcript

This is one of 27 incomplete transcripts: Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page!

A single panel containing a large, elevated sign with Ponytail in front of it.

The sign has a large title reading "Doanate to fix this sign!". Below that on the left is a faux QR code with a link https://[illegible].com, and on the right a list of donation requests:

$10 fix kerning

$20 align columns [this entry is mis-aligned]

$20 fix text size [this entry is in a smaller font than the others]

$50 fix typo

$50 fix centering

$100 fix rotation

Ponytail, looking at her phone, is saying "Grrr..." and possibly going to the sign's website to donate.

Text below panel: "My new company's business model is based on extorting graphic designers."

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Discussion

I'm not certain, but this feels like Black Hat's doing (who's doing this for the irritation factor, not the money). 2001:1C02:1A9D:9700:9DCE:6FD1:E813:D91B 20:15, 9 July 2025 (UTC)

He could easily be doing it for both. Putting up this sign and then not fixing it when people actually pay sounds like the stunt he would pull. 2601:647:8500:1E09:8424:D57A:75C9:D207 20:38, 9 July 2025 (UTC)

The caption says "my," so it seems this would be Randall.--2600:100F:B13F:CB34:0:1E:BAC1:7001 22:02, 9 July 2025 (UTC)

What happens when everything is bought? Does the sign just stay up? Does it reset after a while? Is it removed? 2601:647:8500:1E09:8424:D57A:75C9:D207 20:40, 9 July 2025 (UTC)

the s and the i in "SIGN" are also too close to each other An user who has no account yet (talk) 22:00, 9 July 2025 (UTC)

This feels like a continuation of My Hobby, or perhaps a sequel series. Also, how do we know that the prices aren't typos? The true value could be WAY more expensive. Redacted II (talk) 00:18, 10 July 2025 (UTC)

This business model is reminiscent of their.™ from SMBC https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/their which would suggest that once the fixes have all been bought the sign is simply replaced with a worse one. 169.150.208.130 04:22, 10 July 2025 (UTC)

Where can we donate to fix the explainxkcd server? Also, those are not donations, as you get clear value for it. $1000: Change "Do(a)nate" to "Pay us". --Coconut Galaxy (talk) 05:22, 10 July 2025 (UTC)

My limited experience with the printing industry is that the graphic designers are not the object but the subject of the verb 'extorting' because they will bill you a lot for trivial changes even if it's to fix tgeir own mistakes. 109.37.229.249 11:06, 10 July 2025 (UTC)

"Tgeir"... Can I PayPal you $50? --174.174.4.79 14:06, 10 July 2025 (UTC)

Shouldn't fixing the typo be the most expensive? You don't even need to be a graphic designer, lots of ordinary people should be bothered by it. Surely it's more annoying than non-centered text. Barmar (talk) 14:19, 10 July 2025 (UTC)

Most to least annoying: Typo/column alignment (equal); text size; use of exclamation point; excessive whitespace; rotation/centring (equal); kerning. I'm also bothered by how far past the posts the sides of the sign extend. 82.13.184.33 15:37, 10 July 2025 (UTC)

Honestly, I think Randall missed a trick - the posts are equidistant from their respective sides of the sign. Putting one post closer to its edge than the other would be yet another design annoyance that might prompt pedants such as I to pay up!

I think Randall is also trying to get pedantics upset by using the term "forward slashes" instead of just "slashes" - Just like a mouse doesn't have a "left click" button, only a "click" or "right click"

I definitely use "left click" when talking to the less-informed users. Also, pedantic of me, but you mean "pedants", not "pedantics". SDSpivey (talk) 15:08, 12 July 2025 (UTC)

I'm sure you've also come across situations where you've said "And now you left-click on that...", and the person you're trying to help goes "which one's Left Click?". ;)

PS. "pedant" is the third-person present active indicative plural of the Latin singular "pedō" (to 'give feet'/'prop up'), which I think is interestng. :P 92.23.2.228 20:42, 12 July 2025 (UTC)

I had some time when I have to call slash and backslash by ‘丿-slash’ and ‘乀-slash’ (See Chinese character strokes#Basic strokes). 物灵 (talk) 08:46, 13 July 2025 (UTC)

Pedanticically, it doesn't have a "right click" either - it (usually) has a left button and a right button, which can be assigned to a primary click and a secondary click. If, like me, you have your mouse configured left handed, then the right button is the (primary) "click", and the left button is the secondary. 82.13.184.33 08:18, 14 July 2025 (UTC)

Donate to fix mkdocstrings!!! https://mkdocstrings.github.io/insiders/ (this is just a stupid joke, mkdocstrings is AWESOME!!!) 76.143.181.203 15:04, 28 September 2025 (UTC)
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