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| − | ==Explanation== | + | == Explanation == |
| − | This {{w|Comics|comic}} {{w|Illustration|illustrates}} the {{w|Problem|"problems"}} of {{w|information explosion}} coupled with a {{w|Density|dense}} {{w|World_Wide_Web|web}} of {{w|hypertext}} {{w|Hyperlink|links}}. Through most of human history, written media has been both slow and linear. Hypertext allows a new type of information consumption, through small chunks of information linked together in a web of related concepts, and by being digital, each new chunk can be retrieved quickly and effortlessly. Wikipedia applies this principle very strongly, and because it covers so many topics, it is common for a reader to skim an article about a topic they need or want to know about, and end up following a series of links out of curiosity. Since each new page also has several links, the overall navigation pattern resembles a tree that branches out, "exploding" in size with each new level of link-clicking, thus resulting in many trivia-filled hours (over three in this case) of reading stuff unrelated to the original goal, and lots of open browser tabs holding a wide variety of articles, which are seemingly unrelated, but have common "ancestors." (The problem, for [[Randall]], of wasting time on Wikipedia was later referenced in the title text of [[1501: Mysteries]], and the more general problem of getting trapped following a never-ending chain of interesting links was covered in [[609: Tab Explosion]].) The large diversity in end links may also be a reference to {{w|Wikipedia:Wiki Game|the Wikipedia game}}. | + | This comic illustrates the "problems" of {{w|information explosion|information abundance}} coupled with a dense web of {{w|hypertext}} links. Through most of human history, written media has been both slow and linear. Hypertext allows a new type of information consumption, through small chunks of information linked together in a web of related concepts, and by being digital, each new chunk can be retrieved quickly and effortlessly. Wikipedia applies this principle very strongly, and because it covers so many topics, it is common for a reader to skim an article about a topic they need or want to know about, and end up following a series of links out of curiosity. Since each new page also has several links, the overall navigation pattern resembles a tree that branches out, "exploding" in size with each new level of link-clicking, thus resulting in many wasted hours (three in this case) of reading stuff unrelated to the original goal, and lots of open browser tabs holding a wide variety of articles, which are seemingly unrelated, but have common "ancestors". |
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| − | One can also see this effect occur in other {{w|MediaWiki}}-powered wikis such as this very website, where one comic can lead to another of similar relation or category. In the [[#Table|table]] below, a possible route for each entry has been found.
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| − | Finding routes between the start and end points of the two pages above and the six below makes good challenges in {{w|Wikipedia:Wiki Game|the Wikipedia game}}.
| + | All of the articles and the depicted links between them existed when the comic was published, with the exception of there being no link from {{w|Batman}} to "Fatal hilarity" (a probable reference to {{w|The Joker}}). Fatal hilarity has since been renamed to {{w|Death from laughter}}. Whether each of these articles actually could, or presently can, be reached from {{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} is unknown, and would make good challenges in {{w|Wikipedia:Wiki Game|the Wikipedia game}}. |
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| − | The title text refers to two of the articles that were supposedly reached at the bottom. {{w|William Howard Taft}} was the 27th President of the U.S., in office from 1909 to 1913, who was notorious for being so overweight that when a White House chief usher [https://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/02/06/fact-or-fiction-taft-got-stuck-in-a-tub/ invented a story about him getting stuck in the White House bathtub], people took it seriously. A {{w|wet T-shirt contest}} ''is an {{w|Exhibitionism|exhibitionistic}} competition typically featuring young women contestants at a nightclub, bar, or resort.'' Clearly the combination of these two would be rather bizarre.
| + | Path for Batman (travellable Jan 23, 2007): {{w|Suspension bridge}} --> {{w|Japan}} --> {{w|United States}} --> {{w|American comic book}} --> {{w|Batman}} |
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| − | There is an online game that involves trying to get from one Wikipedia page to another in the shortest possible route: http://thewikigame.com/.
| + | The title text refers to two of the articles that were supposedly reached at the bottom. {{w|William Howard Taft}} was the 27th President of the U.S., in office from 1909 to 1913, who was notorious for being so overweight that he became stuck in the White House bathtub. A {{w|wet T-shirt contest}} "is an exhibitionistic competition typically featuring young women contestants at a nightclub, bar, or resort." Clearly the combination of these two would be rather bizarre. |
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| − | ;Table of paths
| + | One can also see this effect occur in other {{w|Media Wiki}} powered wikis such as this very website, where one comic can lead to another of similar relation or category. |
| − | Due to the ever changing nature of Wikipedia, the {{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} entry on Wikipedia no longer links to [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Structural_collapse&redirect=no Structural collapse], requiring an intermediate step via {{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}}, and since {{w|Structural collapse}} now redirects to {{w|Structural integrity and failure}}, most pages on Wikipedia that linked to Structural collapse have been changed to rename this link.
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| − | The table below lists one valid route for each destination article, though it is not necessarily the most efficient route. ''And that these routes may become invalid as articles are edited.'' They all have been updated on March 21, 2015. All links then could be found directly on the page. This was not the case in the original version of the paths, where some links were in hidden parts of the page.
| + | == Transcript == |
| − | | + | :The Problem With Wikipedia: |
| − | {| class="wikitable"
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| − | !Target
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| − | !Wikipath
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| − | |-
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| − | |{{w|William Howard Taft}}
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| − | |{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension bridge}} > {{w|George Washington Bridge}} > {{w|Washington Heights, Manhattan}} > {{w|George Washington}} > {{w|President of the United States}} > {{w|William Howard Taft}}
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| − | |-
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| − | |{{w|24-hour analog dial}}
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| − | |{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension bridge}} > {{w|Steel rope}} (now redirecting to ''Wire rope'') > {{w|Steel}} > {{w|Watch}} > {{w|24-hour analog dial}}
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| − | |-
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| − | |{{w|Lesbianism in erotica}}
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| − | |{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension bridge}} > {{w|Fausto Veranzio}} > {{w|Zagreb}} > {{w|Animation}} > {{w|Anime}} > {{w|Hentai}} > {{w|Cartoon pornography}} > {{w|Pornography}} > {{w|Lesbianism in erotica}}
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| − | |-
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| − | |{{w|Fatal hilarity}} via {{w|Batman}}
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| − | |{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension Bridge}} > {{w|New York City}} > {{w|Washington Irving}} > {{w|Batman}} > {{w|Batman (1989 film)}} (this extra link now needed to go to the final page) > {{w|Fatal hilarity}} (this page now redirects to ''Death from laughter''. On the previous page the link to that page is called ''die laughing'')
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| − | |-
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| − | |{{w|Taylor Hanson}}
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| − | |{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}} (this extra link now needed to go to the next page) > {{w|Structural collapse}} (this page now redirects to ''Structural integrity and failure'' and is also called this on the previous page) > {{w|Burj Khalifa}} > {{w|Chicago}} > {{w|Baseball}} > {{w|Baseball rules}} > {{w|Hit by pitch}} > {{w|Homer Simpson}} > {{w|Namesake}} > {{w|Taylor Hanson}}
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| − | |-
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| − | |{{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}} via {{w|T-Shirt}} and {{w|Cotton}}
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| − | |{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}} (this extra link now needed to go to the next page) > {{w|Structural collapse}} (this page now redirects to ''Structural integrity and failure'' and is also called this on the previous page) > {{w|Maharashtra}} > {{w|Cotton}} > {{w|T-Shirt}} > {{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}}
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| − | |}
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| − | | |
| − | ==Transcript== | |
| − | :[Heading above the chart:]
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| − | :The PROBLEM with WIKIPEDIA: | |
| − | | |
| − | :[Text in a frame below the heading:]
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| | :Tacoma Narrows Bridge | | :Tacoma Narrows Bridge |
| − | | + | :[Lines Lead to] Suspension Bridge [and] Structural collapse |
| − | :[Lines lead down both left and right to two new frames with the following entries:] | + | :Three hours of fascinated clicking later |
| − | :Suspension bridge
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| − | :Structural collapse
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| − | | |
| − | :[Two more lines lead down from the left frame and one from the right frame, and all lines end on a wiggling line from left to right. Below this wiggled line in square brackets it reads:]
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| − | :Three hours of fascinated clicking | |
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| − | :[Further below there is a similar wiggling line, from where six lines lead to new frames below:]
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| | :William Howard Taft | | :William Howard Taft |
| − | :24-hour analog dial | + | :24-Hour Analog Dial |
| − | :Lesbianism in erotica | + | :Lesbianism in Erotica |
| − | :[This frame is followed by a second:] | + | :Batman [leads to] Fatal Hilarity |
| − | :Batman; Fatal hilarity
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| | :Taylor Hanson | | :Taylor Hanson |
| − | :[This frame is followed by a chain of two others:] | + | :Cotton [leads to] T-Shirt [leads to] Wet T-Shirt Contest |
| − | :Cotton; T-Shirt; Wet T-shirt contest | + | |
| | + | ==Trivia== |
| | + | *This comic is very similar to [[609: Tab Explosion]], which refers to a similar effect caused by another reference site, [http://www.tvtropes.org TVTropes]. |
| | + | *See also the title text of [[903: Extended Mind]]. |
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| | {{comic discussion}} | | {{comic discussion}} |
| | [[Category:Wikipedia]] | | [[Category:Wikipedia]] |
| − | [[Category:Flowcharts]]
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