Difference between revisions of "530: I'm An Idiot"
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| title = I'm an Idiot | | title = I'm an Idiot | ||
| image = im_an_idiot.png | | image = im_an_idiot.png | ||
| − | | titletext = Sadly, this is a true story. | + | | titletext = Sadly, this is a true story. At least I learned about the OS X 'say' command. |
}} | }} | ||
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
| − | + | [[Cueball]], locked out of his dorm/apartment, is trying to get his roommate's attention. Being the typical xkcd computer geek, he tries various ways of reaching her, by calling her cell phone, IRC, the window, and SSH'ing into a Mac computer to make it shout at her. [[Ponytail]] informs him of the most obvious solution — the doorbell. | |
| − | [[Cueball]], locked out of his dorm/apartment, is trying to get his roommate's attention. Being the typical xkcd computer geek, he tries various ways of reaching her, by calling her cell phone, IRC, the window, and SSH'ing into a Mac computer to make it shout at her. [[Ponytail]] informs him of the most obvious solution | ||
This is a general geek issue, exercising one's technical skills to the maximum while overlooking the simplest way. | This is a general geek issue, exercising one's technical skills to the maximum while overlooking the simplest way. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
| − | :[Ponytail approaches Cueball, who is sitting on porch steps, laptop in lap and backpack open] | + | :[Ponytail approaches Cueball, who is sitting on porch steps, laptop in lap and backpack open.] |
:Ponytail: Should I ask? | :Ponytail: Should I ask? | ||
:Cueball: I'm locked out, and I'm trying to get my roommate to let me in. | :Cueball: I'm locked out, and I'm trying to get my roommate to let me in. | ||
| − | :[ | + | :[Unplugged cell phone on table.] |
:Cueball: First I tried her cell phone, but it's off. | :Cueball: First I tried her cell phone, but it's off. | ||
| − | :[Cueball sitting on steps, laptop in lap and gesturing] | + | :[Cueball sitting on steps, laptop in lap and gesturing.] |
:Cueball: Then I tried IRC, but she's not online. | :Cueball: Then I tried IRC, but she's not online. | ||
| − | :[Cueball standing in front of house and looking up at window] | + | :[Cueball standing in front of house and looking up at window.] |
:Cueball: I couldn't find anything to throw at her window, | :Cueball: I couldn't find anything to throw at her window, | ||
| − | :[ | + | :[Living room with couch easy chair and computer set up.] |
| − | :Cueball: | + | :Cueball: So I SSH'd into the Mac Mini in the living room and got the speech synth to yell at her for me. |
:Computer: Hey I'm locked out downstairs | :Computer: Hey I'm locked out downstairs | ||
| − | :[Megan sitting at table with laptop open] | + | :[Megan sitting at table with laptop open.] |
| − | :Cueball: But I think I left the volume way down, so I'm reading the OS X docs to learn to set the volume via command line. | + | :Cueball: But I think I left the volume way down, so I'm reading the OS X docs to learn to set the volume via command line. |
:[Ponytail facing Cueball, who is still sitting on the porch with his laptop.] | :[Ponytail facing Cueball, who is still sitting on the porch with his laptop.] | ||
| Line 38: | Line 37: | ||
:Ponytail: I take it the doorbell doesn't work? | :Ponytail: I take it the doorbell doesn't work? | ||
| − | :[Ponytail remains in place, Cueball tilts head back slightly, as if staring in realization] | + | :[Ponytail remains in place, Cueball tilts head back slightly, as if staring in realization.] |
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
Revision as of 06:24, 14 April 2013
| I'm an Idiot |
 Title text: Sadly, this is a true story. At least I learned about the OS X 'say' command. |
Explanation
Cueball, locked out of his dorm/apartment, is trying to get his roommate's attention. Being the typical xkcd computer geek, he tries various ways of reaching her, by calling her cell phone, IRC, the window, and SSH'ing into a Mac computer to make it shout at her. Ponytail informs him of the most obvious solution — the doorbell.
This is a general geek issue, exercising one's technical skills to the maximum while overlooking the simplest way.
Transcript
- [Ponytail approaches Cueball, who is sitting on porch steps, laptop in lap and backpack open.]
- Ponytail: Should I ask?
- Cueball: I'm locked out, and I'm trying to get my roommate to let me in.
- [Unplugged cell phone on table.]
- Cueball: First I tried her cell phone, but it's off.
- [Cueball sitting on steps, laptop in lap and gesturing.]
- Cueball: Then I tried IRC, but she's not online.
- [Cueball standing in front of house and looking up at window.]
- Cueball: I couldn't find anything to throw at her window,
- [Living room with couch easy chair and computer set up.]
- Cueball: So I SSH'd into the Mac Mini in the living room and got the speech synth to yell at her for me.
- Computer: Hey I'm locked out downstairs
- [Megan sitting at table with laptop open.]
- Cueball: But I think I left the volume way down, so I'm reading the OS X docs to learn to set the volume via command line.
- [Ponytail facing Cueball, who is still sitting on the porch with his laptop.]
- Ponytail: Ah.
- Ponytail: I take it the doorbell doesn't work?
- [Ponytail remains in place, Cueball tilts head back slightly, as if staring in realization.]
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refresh comments!Discussion
Does this count as a self-nerd-snipe? 108.162.218.101 02:44, 9 February 2014 (UTC)
Anyone have an idea how he made his Mac Mini speak? 199.27.133.129 19:46, 24 September 2014 (UTC)
- Yes. Read the title text. 108.162.216.83 03:36, 29 January 2015 (UTC)
osascript -e "set volume 7", if anybody is curious --Okofish (talk) 17:34, 1 May 2015 (UTC)
I like how the doorbell pops out real obviously in the last panel. like 0_0... 173.245.54.24
Explanation seems a bit complicated for such a simple joke. Even the description of a beat panel seems convoluted. flewk (talk) 02:44, 4 January 2016 (UTC)
Why is this comic confused with Five Thirty? Halo422 (talk) 05:16, 18 December 2017 (UTC)
- Because it's comic five hundred thirty or "five thirty". 162.158.150.82 20:50, 9 March 2019 (UTC)
I could be wrong, but to connect to something via SSH, it needs a static ip, right? Why would their laptop have a static ip? 23:10, 5 August, 2020 EST
- No static IP necessary. A name will work just fine. However, if the device is on a LAN that is hidden behind a router, finding it could be hard.
- Continuing my string of really late comments: Luckily it is not a laptop. As mentioned above, it's a Mac Mini. Nitpicking (talk) 17:32, 29 August 2021 (UTC)
