Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. XKCD updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Connoisseur |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/915/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/connoisseur.png [[A man in a white hat is standing with another man. They each hold a wine glass in one hand, in the man in the hat is holding a bottle of wine in the other. He looks at the label.]] Hat man: How do you stand this cheap wine? Man #2: Wine all tastes the same to me. [[Close-up of Hat Man.]] Hat man: You've just never had good wine. If you paid more attention, you'd realize there's a whole world here. [[Close-up on the other man, who spreads his arms, sloshing his wine slightly.]] Man #2: But that's true of anything! Wine, house ...

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Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. You can get xkcd shirts, prints, and posters in the store ! Is It Worth the Time? |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1205/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/is_it_worth_the_time.png How long can you work on making a routine task more efficient before you're spending more time than you save? (Across five years) [[A table, with the columns labeled "how often you do the task" and the rows labeled "how much time you shave off". The column headings are, from left to right, "50 day", "5 day", "daily", "weekly", "monthly", and "yearly". The row headings are, from top to bottom, "1 second", "5 seconds", "30 seconds", "1 minute", "5 minutes", "30 minutes", "1 hour", "6 hours", and "1 day"...

Prev What if I made a lava lamp out of real lava? What could I use as a clear medium? How close could I stand to watch it? Kathy Johnstone, 6th Grade Teacher (via a student) This is a surprisingly reasonable idea, by What If standards. I mean, it's not that reasonable. At the very least, I'm guessing you would lose your teaching license, and possibly some of the students in the front row. But you could do it. Just a warning: I'm going to be linking to a lot of videos of lava flowing and people poking it with sticks , so you may have a hard time getting to the end of the article without getting sidetracked into watching a bunch of them like I did while writing it. You have a few choices for transparent materials that could hold the lava without rupturing and splattering half the classroom with red-hot droplets. Fused quartz glass would be a great choice. It's the sa...

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Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Feedback |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1457/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/feedback.png http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=108489 Might be MIME dependent. Search comic titles and transcripts: RSS Feed - Atom Feed Comics I enjoy: Three Word Phrase , Oglaf (nsfw), SMBC , Dinosaur Comics , A Softer World , Buttersafe , Perry Bible Fellowship , Questionable Content , Buttercup Festival Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors). BTC 1FhCLQK2ZXtCUQDtG98p...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Functional |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1270/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/functional.png [[A figure in a hat stands behind someone sitting at a desk, who is working on his laptop.]] Hat figure: Why do you like functional programming so much? What does it actually *get* you? Sitting figure: Tail recursion is its own reward. {{Title text: Functional programming combines the flexibility and power of abstract mathematics with the intuitive clarity of abstract mathematics.}} http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=108489 Might be MIME dependent. Search comic titles and transcripts: RSS Feed - Atom Feed Comics I enjoy: Three Word Phrase...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Git Commit |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1296/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/git_commit.png [[A commit log is shown, each commit having a comment and a relative date.]] Created main loop & timing control - 14 hours ago Enabled config file parsing - 9 hours ago Misc bugfixes - 5 hours ago Code additions edits - 4 hours ago More code - 4 hours ago ((in a branch)) Here have code - 4 hours ago Aaaaaaaa - 3 hours ago ((branch merged)) Adkfjslkdfjsdklfj - 3 hours ago My hands are typing words - 2 hours ago Haaaaaaaaands - 2 hours ago {{Title text: Merge branch 'asdfasjkfdlas alkdjf' into sdkjfls-final}} http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=108489 Might be MI...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Data |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1429/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/data.png http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=108489 Might be MIME dependent. Search comic titles and transcripts: RSS Feed - Atom Feed Comics I enjoy: Three Word Phrase , Oglaf (nsfw), SMBC , Dinosaur Comics , A Softer World , Buttersafe , Perry Bible Fellowship , Questionable Content , Buttercup Festival Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors). BTC 1FhCLQK2ZXtCUQDtG98p6fVH7S6m...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Clumsy Foreshadowing |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1387/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/clumsy_foreshadowing.png TODAYS NEWS [[Little thumbnails accompany each headline.]] North Korea Threatens U.S. Over Upcoming Movie Shark Populations Booming Off East Coast SpaceX to Attempt New Rocket Launch Today [[A down arrow leads from the above headlines to this panel. A person walks away toward the edge of the panel, coat over arm. A TV in the background shows a talking head reading the news.]] Person: Bye! See you tonight! Out of Panel: Have a good day! TV: Researchers are reporting record numbers of sharks... To make news stories seem way more ominous, imagine you're hearing t...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Ballmer Peak |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/323/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/ballmer_peak.png [[A graph with "programming skill" on the X-axis and "blood alcohol concentration" on the Y one]] [[A man is making a presentation with the graph]] Presenter: Called the Ballmer Peak, it was discovered by Microsoft in the 80's. The cause is unknown but somehow a B.A.C between 0.129% and 0.138% confers superhuman programming ability. Presenter: However, it's a delicate effect requiring careful calibration--you can't just give a team of coders a year's supply of whiskey and tell them to get cracking. Man in public: ...Has that ever happened. Presenter: Remember Windows ME? Man: I k...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Pixels |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1416/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/pixels.png http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=108489 Might be MIME dependent. Search comic titles and transcripts: RSS Feed - Atom Feed Comics I enjoy: Three Word Phrase , Oglaf (nsfw), SMBC , Dinosaur Comics , A Softer World , Buttersafe , Perry Bible Fellowship , Questionable Content , Buttercup Festival Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors). BTC 1FhCLQK2ZXtCUQDtG98p6fV...

Prev Next What would be the most expensive way to fill a size 11 shoebox (e.g. with 64 GB MicroSD cards all full of legally purchased music)? Rick Lewis A shoebox full of valuable stuff seems to top out at about $2 billion. Surprisingly, this turns out to be true for a wide range of possible fillings. The MicroSD cards are a good idea. iTunes songs cost about $1 each, and MicroSD cards have a capacity of about 1.6 petabytes per gallon. A men's size 11 shoebox is about 10-15 liters, depending on the brand and type of shoe, which means it can hold up to 1.5 billion 4 MB songs (at about a dollar each). (That's about 20 times as many songs as the iTunes store offers, so you'll have to buy some of the songs more than once.) Expensive software like Adobe®©™ Photoshop®©™ CS®™ 5™ has a slightly higher cost-to-megabyte ratio, since it retails for several hundred dollars and ...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Loop |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1411/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/loop.png http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=108489 Might be MIME dependent. Search comic titles and transcripts: RSS Feed - Atom Feed Comics I enjoy: Three Word Phrase , Oglaf (nsfw), SMBC , Dinosaur Comics , A Softer World , Buttersafe , Perry Bible Fellowship , Questionable Content , Buttercup Festival Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors). BTC 1FhCLQK2ZXtCUQDtG98p6fVH7S6m...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Is It Worth the Time? |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1205/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/is_it_worth_the_time.png How long can you work on making a routine task more efficient before you're spending more time than you save? (Across five years) [[A table, with the columns labeled "how often you do the task" and the rows labeled "how much time you shave off". The column headings are, from left to right, "50 day", "5 day", "daily", "weekly", "monthly", and "yearly". The row headings are, from top to bottom, "1 second", "5 seconds", "30 seconds", "1 minute", "5 minutes", "30 minutes", "1 hour", "6 hours", and "1 day". Row values ("how long you can work") are as follows (hea...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Automation |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1319/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/automation.png "I spend a lot of time on this task. I should write a program automating it!" [[Panel titled "Theory:" at the top contains a line plot, with "work" on the y-axis and "time" on the x-axis. Two curves indicate "work on the original task" eventually being permanently reduced by temporarily spending more work on coding, and then having the produced automation take over.]] [[Panel titled "Reality:" at the top contains a similar line plot, but the line for "work on the original task" does not decrease. The second curve, which starts out as "writing code", becomes "debugging", "rethinkin...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Query |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1409/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/query.png http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=108489 Might be MIME dependent. Search comic titles and transcripts: RSS Feed - Atom Feed Comics I enjoy: Three Word Phrase , Oglaf (nsfw), SMBC , Dinosaur Comics , A Softer World , Buttersafe , Perry Bible Fellowship , Questionable Content , Buttercup Festival Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors). BTC 1FhCLQK2ZXtCUQDtG98p6fVH7S...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Standards |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/927/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/standards.png HOW STANDARDS PROLIFERATE (See: A C chargers, character encodings, instant messaging, etc.) SITUATION: There are 14 competing standards. Geek: 14?! Ridiculous! We need to develop one universal standard that covers everyone's use cases. Fellow Geek: Yeah! Soon: SITUATION: There are 15 competing standards. {{Title text: Fortunately, the charging one has been solved now that we've all standardized on mini-USB. Or is it micro-USB? Shit.}} http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=108489 Might be MIME dependent. Search comic titles and transcripts: RSS Fe...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Ballmer Peak |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/323/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/ballmer_peak.png [[A graph with "programming skill" on the X-axis and "blood alcohol concentration" on the Y one]] [[A man is making a presentation with the graph]] Presenter: Called the Ballmer Peak, it was discovered by Microsoft in the 80's. The cause is unknown but somehow a B.A.C between 0.129% and 0.138% confers superhuman programming ability. Presenter: However, it's a delicate effect requiring careful calibration--you can't just give a team of coders a year's supply of whiskey and tell them to get cracking. Man in public: ...Has that ever happened. Presenter: Remember Windows ME? Man: I k...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Darkness |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1391/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/darkness.png http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=108489 Might be MIME dependent. Search comic titles and transcripts: RSS Feed - Atom Feed Comics I enjoy: Three Word Phrase , Oglaf (nsfw), SMBC , Dinosaur Comics , A Softer World , Buttersafe , Perry Bible Fellowship , Questionable Content , Buttercup Festival Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors). BTC 1FhCLQK2ZXtCUQDtG98p...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Rocket Packs |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1382/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/rocket_packs.png Rocket packs are easy. [[Someone is lying on the ground wearing a rocket pack, with heat waves coming from their lower legs and feet.]] Someone: Ow. The hard part is inventing the calf shields. {{Title text: Every year: 'It's <year>--I want my jetpack [and also my free medical care covering all my jetpack-related injuries]!'}} http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=108489 Might be MIME dependent. Search comic titles and transcripts: RSS Feed - Atom Feed Comics I enjoy: Three Word Phrase , Oglaf (nsfw), SMBC , Dinosaur Comics , A Softer Wor...

Prev Did WWII last longer than the total length of movies about WWII? For that matter, which war has the highest movie time:war time ratio? —Becky World War II was longer than the movies about it. To tally up World War II movies, you could start with Wikipedia. The site lists about 400 unique titles across their various lists of World War II films . Wikipedia is often the best place to find obsessive list-makers and categorizers. However, in the area of movie categorization, they have nothing on the people who tag plots on IMDb. Before we finish answering Becky's question, let's take a brief side trip into the strange IMDb tagging world. IMDb categorizes films with plot keywords. These words (or phrases) can be extremely specific, and cover a bizarre range of topics. For example, say you want to find all movies whose plot contains the following elements: "Nun", "la...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Free Speech |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1357/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/free_speech.png http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=108489 Might be MIME dependent. Search comic titles and transcripts: RSS Feed - Atom Feed Comics I enjoy: Three Word Phrase , Oglaf (nsfw), SMBC , Dinosaur Comics , A Softer World , Buttersafe , Perry Bible Fellowship , Questionable Content , Buttercup Festival Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors). BTC 1NfBXWqseXc9rC...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Heartbleed Explanation |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1354/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/heartbleed_explanation.png http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=108489 Might be MIME dependent. Search comic titles and transcripts: RSS Feed - Atom Feed Comics I enjoy: Three Word Phrase , Oglaf (nsfw), SMBC , Dinosaur Comics , A Softer World , Buttersafe , Perry Bible Fellowship , Questionable Content , Buttercup Festival Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors...

Archive What If? Blag Store About A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. Heartbleed |< < Prev Random Next > >| |< < Prev Random Next > >| Permanent link to this comic: http://xkcd.com/1353/ Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding): http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/heartbleed.png http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=108489 Might be MIME dependent. Search comic titles and transcripts: RSS Feed - Atom Feed Comics I enjoy: Three Word Phrase , Oglaf (nsfw), SMBC , Dinosaur Comics , A Softer World , Buttersafe , Perry Bible Fellowship , Questionable Content , Buttercup Festival Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors). BTC 1NfBXWqseXc9rCBc...