XKCD Author's Unpublished Book Remains a Best-Seller For 5 Months

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XKCD Author's Unpublished Book Remains a Best-Seller For 5 Months

Posted by samzenpus on Sunday August 31, 2014 @11:59AM from the big-before-it-was-big dept.

destinyland writes Tuesday is the official release date for the newest book from the geeky cartoonist behind XKCD — yet it's already become one of Amazon's best-selling books. Thanks to a hefty pre-order discount, one blogger notes that it's appeared on Amazon's list of hardcover best-sellers since the book was first announced in March, and this weekend it remains in the top 10. Randall Munroe recently announced personal appearances beginning this week throughout the U.S. (including Cambridge, New York, Seattle, and the San Francisco Bay Area) — as well as a Google Hangout on Friday, September 12. Just two weeks ago he was also awarded the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story — and now many of his appearances are already sold out.

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Insert obligatory XKCD here by johnsnails · 2014-08-31 12:03 · Score: 5, Funny

Insert obligatory XKCD here
1. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by Kohenkatz · 2014-08-31 12:27 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  http://imgs.xkcd.com/store/tou...
2. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by johnsnails · 2014-08-31 12:40 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  And there it is
3. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 13:09 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  here
4. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by johnsnails · 2014-08-31 13:40 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Which is it? :P
5. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by binarylarry · 2014-08-31 14:03 · Score: 1
  
  The links do NOTHING.
  
  --
  Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
6. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by Kohenkatz · 2014-08-31 14:15 · Score: 2
  
  That's because I only posted the raw image. The links all went to http://blog.xkcd.com/2014/07/2...
7. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 15:18 · Score: 0
  
  Did anyone ever get the hang of image maps? I think 20 years ago I thought it was a great idea, but not worth the effort.
8. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 15:32 · Score: 0
  
  Heck yeah. I used image maps all the time twenty years ago. I had a boss who made a page that was just one big image map. I had to convince him to make it an interlaced gif to help load times, and even then it was too slow, so I made a purely black and white gif to act as a pre-load alternate image.
9. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by Mathinker · 2014-08-31 16:38 · Score: 1
  
  Didn't you forget some kind of reference to "my eyes"?
10. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by johnsnails · 2014-08-31 18:10 · Score: 2
  
  We have used it in addition with some indesign (or was it PS?) feature to get really nice detailed points of a country that we then used for state selection of a country. That has worked particularly well. But other then that I dont really like it.
11. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by sysrammer · 2014-09-04 11:27 · Score: 1
  
  Imposter alert! There is no stick-guy-in-a-hat pointing at the graph.
  
  --
  His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
Ummm.... by Savage-Rabbit · 2014-08-31 12:10 · Score: 4, Interesting

Just thought I'd express my opinion that Randall Munroe is a genius. The amount of work he puts into some of his comics really makes him unique.
Unrecognized command. Type "help" for assistance. guest@xkcd:/$ help That would be cheating!
Pure UNIX!

--
Only to idiots, are orders laws.
-- Henning von Tresckow
1. Re:Ummm.... by johnsnails · 2014-08-31 12:20 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Thats pretty cool. Just did a
  sudo shutdown -r now
2. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 12:46 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Yeah well, I disrespectfully disagree. Randall Munroe is giant asshole with a rabid following of brainless morons. He only seems smart to you because you're so incredibly stupid.
  You have issues... Fortunately for you one of them can be fixed by washing your mouth out with soap....
3. Re:Ummm.... by rasmusbr · 2014-08-31 12:50 · Score: 0, Flamebait
  
  Yeah well, I disrespectfully disagree. Randall Munroe is giant asshole with a rabid following of brainless morons. He only seems smart to you because you're so incredibly stupid.
  Both you and grandparent are wrong.
  Randal Munroe is evidence that if you draw stick figures for long enough you will eventually gain recognition.
4. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 12:55 · Score: 0
  
  If we take Randall as a reference, sure, most of us are stupid, including you.
5. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 13:24 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Yeah well, I disrespectfully disagree. Randall Munroe is giant asshole with a rabid following of brainless morons. He only seems smart to you because you're so incredibly stupid.
  Both you and grandparent are wrong.
  Randal Munroe is evidence that if you draw stick figures for long enough you will eventually gain recognition.
  In other words you are pissed at the fact that in these kinds of comics it's content that matters and not so much how good you are at drawing?
6. Re:Ummm.... by swillden · 2014-08-31 13:53 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Randal Munroe is evidence that if you draw stick figures for long enough you will eventually gain recognition.
  Sure, as long as your stick figures are saying and doing incredibly witty things.
  Actually, Munroe's success is really surprising to me in spite of the brilliance of his work, because so much of what he draws is accessible to a relatively narrow audience. Not all of it, not even the majority. But there's enough that is only understandable to people who know more than most about computers, mathematics, physics, etc., that none of the non-geeks I know really like it.
  
  --
  Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
7. Re:Ummm.... by swillden · 2014-08-31 13:57 · Score: 2
  
  Actually, Munroe's success is really surprising to me in spite of the brilliance of his work, because so much of what he draws is accessible to a relatively narrow audience. Not all of it, not even the majority.
  I should have qualified this to point out I'm talking about his comics, more than What If. HIs What If series is very accessible, by design.
  
  --
  Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
8. Re:Ummm.... by time_lords_almanac · 2014-08-31 14:32 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  The comics are supposed to be for amusement. Yes, Science/Logic are used for that effect, but XKCD isn't trying to be a peer reviewed journal. They don't need to accurate as long as they are accurate enough to achieve a humorous effect. I thought 1235 was quite amusing. The XKCD Sucks critique on 1235 is weak, at best. Being smug is part of the humour. He even says the comic is good for the most part but complained the caption text was on the bottom. I have absolutely no idea what difference that's supposed to make. I get that everybody has a different sense of humour but I don't see comments like that as worthwhile critiques.
9. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 14:36 · Score: 0
  
  Yep. "Geeks" are a big market now.
10. Re:Ummm.... by jeffb+(2.718) · 2014-08-31 14:41 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  I have a different theory. His comic appeal to people who merely believe themselves to be above average.
  ...but it can't appeal to people who really are above average, because it doesn't appeal to you! Right?
  So, can you recommend any webcomics that appeal to people who bolster their own sense of superiority by accusing others of feeling superior, and then mocking them for it? Maybe something with "Projection" in the title...
11. Re:Ummm.... by lgw · 2014-08-31 14:45 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I'm sure there's an XKCD on that.
  
  --
  Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
12. Re:Ummm.... by I'm+New+Around+Here · 2014-08-31 15:23 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  And somehow you manage to find a way to feel superior to both.
  
  --
  If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
13. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 15:58 · Score: 0
  
  ...but it can't appeal to people who really are above average, because it doesn't appeal to you! Right?
  Correct. That is refreshingly honest of you, don't often see people admit they are so wrong.
14. Re:Ummm.... by Applehu+Akbar · 2014-08-31 16:13 · Score: 1
  
  So you're the one who thinks Microsoft is morally bound to hand over its Irish emails to the federosaurus!
15. Re:Ummm.... by Applehu+Akbar · 2014-08-31 16:15 · Score: 1
  
  When you display XKCD strips on an Apple device, then what happens? Does the universe crack through at that point and a black hole form?
16. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 16:39 · Score: 0
  
  You know, all of us ignorant assholes think you're a jealous moron so what does that make you? To top it off you didn't even manage to get a troll tag with your -1.
  pitiful
17. Re:Ummm.... by Urkki · 2014-08-31 17:11 · Score: 2
  
  He only seems smart to you because you're so incredibly stupid.
  Note that "smart" and "genius" are two different things. Also "smart" does not necessarily mean "intelligent". The comics he creates regularly are very smart, and to regularly create smart comics requires genius of some kind.
  And if you don't think many XKCD "strips" are rather smart... what are you doing at a "New for Nerd" website?
18. Re:Ummm.... by swillden · 2014-08-31 17:55 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  His comic appeal to people who merely believe themselves to be above average.
  Bah.
  It's got nothing to do with intelligence, or even knowledge in a general sense. It's that his comics so often rely on specialized knowledge. For example, a couple of my favorite strips are the "sudo" strip and the "Bobby Tables" strip. The former is only understandable to someone who has at least a passing acquaintance with *nix system administration, and the latter requires some knowledge of SQL and SQL injection attacks. Neither of those things is hard to understand. They don't require great intelligence. But they're not generally known. And to people who require an explanation, they're not funny (I have t-shirts of both, and I have never gotten so much as a chuckle from anyone to whom I have to explain the basis for the jokes).
  You'll note, of course, that I'm not actually addressing your real point, which is a snarky argument that only people who like to feel themselves smarter or more knowledgeable than most would enjoy the strip. That's because it's not worth addressing.
  
  --
  Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
19. Re:Ummm.... by narcc · 2014-08-31 18:03 · Score: 0
  
  And if you think many XKCD "strips" are rather smart... what are you doing at a "New for Nerd" website?
  Fixed that for you.
  
  --
  Required reading for internet skeptics
20. Re:Ummm.... by Urkki · 2014-08-31 18:31 · Score: 1
  
  And if you think many XKCD "strips" are rather smart... what are you doing at a "New for Nerd" website?
  Fixed that for you.
  No, I think you are actually wrong there. If you don't find some subset (different for different people, but still a sizeable subset) smart, you do not really fit what is considered "a nerd". You can still be intelligent, smart, interested in technology,whatever, but not a "nerd".
21. Re:Ummm.... by I'm+New+Around+Here · 2014-08-31 18:33 · Score: 1
  
  Please enlighten us.
  What online resources do you find funny? What is the funniest geeky/techy/sciencey thing you follow?
  
  --
  If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
22. Re: Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 19:02 · Score: 1
  
  I assume that was your intent. Unless you haven't realized that humor is subjective. A lot of people like physical comedy. I don't but it would be arrogant of me to think my sense of humor is better.
  Familiarity is a part of humor. If you can't relate to something you're unlikely to see any humor in it.
  I don't like every xkcd, but I tend to like them better than many other comics.
  I seriously doubt that you were unable discern that your comment had a tone of insult rather than being an informative critique.
23. Re:Ummm.... by narcc · 2014-08-31 19:21 · Score: 2
  
  I haven't found one.
  What makes you laugh at things merely because you recognize them?
  
  --
  Required reading for internet skeptics
24. Re: Ummm.... by narcc · 2014-08-31 19:26 · Score: 2
  
  More like an invitation to like-minded individuals. There's a lot of group-think on Slashdot and XKCD is, inexplicably, a darling to many users here. Some people feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions when they know that they're not alone.
  
  --
  Required reading for internet skeptics
25. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 19:28 · Score: 0
  
  Not GP, but SMBC is a better xkcd than xkcd, if only because the author realizes that 'science joke' needs an actual joke attached to it to be funny. Anyway, this is why xkcd sucks. Sure, there are some funny strips, but the issues pointed out in the parody are grating when taken as a whole.
26. Re:Ummm.... by wonkey_monkey · 2014-08-31 19:28 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  The "sudo make me a sandwich" one? Just not funny
  ... to you.
  
  I "get" the "joke", it's just not even a little bit funny
  ... to you.
  
  The "Bobby Tables" strip also isn't funny
  ... to you.
  
  I did notice. I don't blame you. Reality is very difficult to face.
  And apparently subjective opinion is a very difficult concept for you to grasp.
  
  --
  systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
27. Re:Ummm.... by narcc · 2014-08-31 19:55 · Score: 0
  
  You missed this bit:
  
  It's "Ha, ha! That's a thing that I know about! Familiarity for the win!"
  You can call that 'smart' and 'funny' if you like. Just don't expect everyone to agree with you.
  
  --
  Required reading for internet skeptics
28. Re:Ummm.... by serviscope_minor · 2014-08-31 20:29 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Wow, did I strike a nerve!
  Not really no. The downmod as flaimbait is entirely fair.
  You don't like XKCD (or apparently any other webcomic) and that's fine, you have different tastes to some people here.
  However, youre using that mere difference of opinion to hurl unwarranted and unjistified insults at people who do like it. In other words you're baiting people to flame you by insulting them over nothing more than a difference of taste.
  That's not striking a nerve and doen't justify your actions, it's slashdot's moderation system working exactly as designed.
  
  --
  SJW n. One who posts facts.
29. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 21:02 · Score: 0
  
  You must not have any friends for the same reason.
30. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 21:13 · Score: 0
  
  Wow, you are just so full of shit and yourself. Makes you wonder what the hell are you doing at Slashdot when you obviously have an irreparable holier-than-thou problem.
31. Re:Ummm.... by jeremyp · 2014-08-31 22:17 · Score: 1
  
  The "sudo make me a sandwich" one? Just not funny. I "get" the "joke", it's just not even a little bit funny. It's "Ha, ha! That's a thing that I know about! Familiarity for the win!"
  The "Bobby Tables" strip also isn't funny. For the same reasons.
  Wrong on both counts.
  
  --
  All I want is a secure system where it's easy to do anything I want. Is that too much to ask ~~ Randall Munroe
32. Re:Ummm.... by narcc · 2014-08-31 22:26 · Score: 1
  
  Then, please, enlighten me. How is either funny in any way other than the way I've stated?
  
  --
  Required reading for internet skeptics
33. Re:Ummm.... by jeremyp · 2014-08-31 22:28 · Score: 1
  
  Let me guess: You have a large collection of "nerdy" t-shirts? Most of those are about as funny, insightful, and entertaining as XKCD. You know this already, as I'm sure when you're shopping on whatever website sells that stuff you like some and reject others. The difference between those and XKCD, of course, is that the t-shirt shop doesn't come with a personality for you to worship.
  That's pretty insulting.
  
  --
  All I want is a secure system where it's easy to do anything I want. Is that too much to ask ~~ Randall Munroe
34. Re:Ummm.... by serviscope_minor · 2014-08-31 22:39 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Name one.
  You really want to do this?
  http://news.slashdot.org/comme...
  You said:
  I have a different theory. His comic appeal to people who merely believe themselves to be above average. Like the 'Big Ban Theory' or the bad joke that is new 'Cosmos' series. Presumably a show for 'geeks' that has broad consumer appeal because everyone wants to believe that they're smarter than the people around them.
  You're accusing people of ego stroking. That's simply throwing insults.
  
  --
  SJW n. One who posts facts.
35. Re:Ummm.... by narcc · 2014-08-31 22:42 · Score: 0
  
  What's insulting about it? The assumption that he owns t-shirts or that he uses his own judgement to discriminate between the good ones and bad ones while shopping for them?
  
  --
  Required reading for internet skeptics
36. Re:Ummm.... by wonkey_monkey · 2014-08-31 22:56 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  You missed this bit:
  No I didn't. It's funny (to me) not solely because I know what SQL injection is, since there's nothing inherently funny (to me) about SQL injection. It's the setting, the "characters" (such as they are), the conversation. "Little Bobby Tables, we call him," for example, is (to me) an amusingly colloquial interjection in itself, ironic in what would probably otherwise be a dry analysis of SQL injection, as is her stereotypically mom-like admonishment.
  
  Just don't expect everyone to agree with you.
  I don't. That's why I don't go around saying "this isn't funny" as if it's an objective fact and getting all uppity because other people like things I don't*.
  -
  *except for Jersey Shore, because that is just shit.
  
  --
  systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
37. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 23:23 · Score: 0
  
  sudo rm -rf /
  works pretty much like expected too.
38. Re:Ummm.... by StripedCow · 2014-08-31 23:25 · Score: 1
  
  Xkcd is just the "modern" version of making new proverbs. That is, it just tags things that are happening in everyday (professional) life, so that these things can be referred to using a common "name".
  
  --
  If Pandora's box is destined to be opened, *I* want to be the one to open it.
39. Re:Ummm.... by StripedCow · 2014-08-31 23:27 · Score: 1
  
  But what is the command for jokes that are actually funny?
  
  --
  If Pandora's box is destined to be opened, *I* want to be the one to open it.
40. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 23:39 · Score: 0
  
  Xkcd is proof that being a geek can lead to wealth - if you hijack the geek culture fad for entertainment purposes. In other words, being a celebrity still gets you rich, while actually attempting to advance human knowledge is a great way to end up surviving on bootlace soup for your life. If you're an intelligent but introverted, and want to live confortably, then your best course of action is very simple: hit the reset button by killing yourself and hope God gives you better starting stats in your next life.
41. Re:Ummm.... by serviscope_minor · 2014-09-01 00:11 · Score: 1
  
  For example, if I were to say "you take pride in your work", you could also say that I was "accusing" you of "ego stroking". Would you find that insulting?
  No, because that means something different. Words mean stuff. If you pull a humpty-dumpty and simply invent the meaning to suit yourself then no one will have the faintest idea what you're talking about.
  I think you find it insulting because you believe it, and find that revelation uncomfortable.
  Not really no, I was trying to educate you. You asked which post was insulting. I answered telling you where and why. You're now accusing me of ego stroking and trying to make up the meaning of things to prove your point.
  Basically you tossed out some insults, seemed surprised that you were modded -1, asked for clarification then insulted the person providing it.
  Come to think of it I remember you trolling XKCD threads before. Maybe one day you'll learn that it is simply a matter of taste, and that yes, throwing around insults on slashdot will get you downmodded.
  Seems unlikely however.
  
  --
  SJW n. One who posts facts.
42. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 00:31 · Score: 0
  
  You must be a joy to be around.
43. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 01:07 · Score: 0
  
  We all stroke our egos in one way or another. For example, if I were to say "you take pride in your work", you could also say that I was "accusing" you of "ego stroking". Would you find that insulting?
  I think you find it insulting because you believe it, and find that revelation uncomfortable.
  Stroke stroke stroke the troll, stroke stroke stroke the troll.
44. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 02:06 · Score: 0
  
  Genius? Hardly. The spider-man comic you referenced it's funny, clever, witty, amusing, or entraining. You just kiss his ass because he's lame like you, except mildly famous.
45. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 02:07 · Score: 0
  
  But a lot of them aren't amusing, clever, witty, or funny. Just.... a façade of appearing to be those things.
46. Re:Ummm.... by Daniel+Hoffmann · 2014-09-01 02:15 · Score: 1
  
  The more niche your work are the easier it is to get traction because no one else will bother to cater to that niche.
47. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 03:18 · Score: 0
  
  Here's an insult from you:
  "Reality is very difficult to face."
  From: http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=5609581&cid=47798453
  This was directed at someone who disagreed with you - the implication is that they are delusional, simply because they had a different opinion.
48. Re:Ummm.... by Pinky's+Brain · 2014-09-01 03:18 · Score: 1
  
  One in a couple dozen strips has a fair bit of research behind it ... on the other hand stick figures.
  The kind of jokes he makes on those research strips is fairly unique, but overall the amount of work he puts into the strips isn't anything special.
49. Re:Ummm.... by swillden · 2014-09-01 03:37 · Score: 1
  
  The more niche your work are the easier it is to get traction because no one else will bother to cater to that niche.
  Traction, yes. Broad attention, no.
  
  --
  Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
50. Re:Ummm.... by swillden · 2014-09-01 03:40 · Score: 1
  
  I haven't found one.
  Ah, you have no sense of humor. That explains a great deal.
  
  --
  Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
51. Re:Ummm.... by I'm+New+Around+Here · 2014-09-01 04:12 · Score: 1
  
  I haven't found one.
  You haven't found a single thing online that is humorous? I'll let the amateur psychologists here analyze that, but it sounds quite sad to me.
  
  What makes you laugh at things merely because you recognize them?
  Who ever said that? I laugh at things I find funny or amusing. Whether it's something I recognize, or just something that only exists inside a comic, I laugh if it is funny to me.
  
  --
  If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
52. Re:Ummm.... by I'm+New+Around+Here · 2014-09-01 04:42 · Score: 1
  
  Never heard of SMBC, so googled it and read the last several comics. Boring, and fixated on sex. I could watch reruns of Frasier and Two and a Half Men for that.
  As for the 'critique' of XKCD, I don't recognize the assertion that is made.
  
  We hold science in high regard, yet all we can do is make nerdy inside jokes. In a snide manner, at that. We are nothing more than that, when we are supposed to be making the world a better place, through pure science.
  Makes it seem like Randall personally shut down NASA, Bell Labs, HP, Xerox PARC, and the LHC, just to put more resources into the server that hosts xkcd.com, and free up thousands of real scientists so they can research Star Trek references and new mathematical applications of stick figures.
  The parody doesn't seem to realize that XKCD is simply a comic, written by a math geek, and some people enjoy it. Nothing more complicated or sinister than that.
  For that matter, the comic that won the Hugo Award wasn't funny. It was a months-long story that had clues to itself based on history, astronomy, geography, linguistics, and a few other areas of science. Hundreds of people who had knowledge in those fields, whether at the professional or amateur level, worked together to figure out the clues. A community formed online, which in the words of that inapt parody, meant they decided to "take part in this culture of inclusion".
  
  --
  If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
53. Re:Ummm.... by I'm+New+Around+Here · 2014-09-01 04:44 · Score: 1
  
  Some people find it funny, and not because of familiarity. Therefor, it must be funny to them because of some other factor as yet unnamed.
  
  --
  If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
54. Re:Ummm.... by I'm+New+Around+Here · 2014-09-01 05:23 · Score: 1
  
  If narcc truly has no sense of humor, that would be quite sad.
  Maybe he isn't simply a troll, but an old curmudgeon that truly hates everything around him.
  
  --
  If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
55. Re:Ummm.... by I'm+New+Around+Here · 2014-09-01 05:49 · Score: 1
  
  Went back and read a few more of the SMBC comics. For some reason half of the recent ones focused on sex, but much fewer before that. I still don't find most of them funny, or even amusing. But I wanted to clear up this perspective on them.
  
  --
  If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
56. Re:Ummm.... by narcc · 2014-09-01 05:53 · Score: 1
  
  You haven't found a single thing online that is humorous?
  A lot of things online are funny. I just haven't found a "geeky/techy/sciencey" that's funny that I "follow".
  Context.
  
  --
  Required reading for internet skeptics
57. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 06:33 · Score: 0
  
  You missed this bit:
  
  And apparently subjective opinion is a very difficult concept for you to grasp.
58. Re:Ummm.... by I'm+New+Around+Here · 2014-09-01 06:35 · Score: 1
  
  Fair enough. But the first question in my post was more general. And in all honesty, I think several people here would love to know what you do find funny or amusing online. It doesn't have to be a continuous site like XKCD; maybe it's a youtube video or random lolcat image.
  Please, just give us two links to things you think are funny.
  
  --
  If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
59. Re:Ummm.... by ToddInSF · 2014-09-01 06:55 · Score: 1
  
  Art and graphics ARE "content".
60. Re: Ummm.... by TimMD909 · 2014-09-01 07:38 · Score: 1
  
  SOAP? Use REST for washing his mouth out. All the cool kids do
61. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 09:52 · Score: 0
  
  $ make me a sandwich
  What? Make it yourself.
  $ sudo make me a sandwich
  Okay.
62. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 11:56 · Score: 0
  
  But what is the command for jokes that are actually funny?
  \
  fortune
63. Re:Ummm.... by david_thornley · 2014-09-02 05:22 · Score: 1
  
  SMBC varies in quality. Some of them I've found really funny, others, meh. I find it worth reading. The only way you're going to get consistent quality is mediocrity. Similarly, much as I like XKCD, there's times that just don't grab me. I think Munroe keeps trying different things, which is generally good, but if you know something's going to work it's hardly an experiment.
  
  --
  "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
64. Re:Ummm.... by david_thornley · 2014-09-02 05:26 · Score: 1
  
  Putting something familiar into an unexpected context can be funny, particularly in the "twist at the end" sense of humor. If you don't get it, that's unfortunate, but lots of people do find that sort of thing funny.
  
  --
  "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
65. Re:Ummm.... by david_thornley · 2014-09-02 05:41 · Score: 1
  
  Those are the most expressive stick figures I've ever seen. Draw ordinary stick figures all you want, and nobody who doesn't know you will care.
  When I went to a Monet exhibit, I was able to observe his technique closely. He painted with little arches of color, so there were no fine details. You saw the colors and the placement to create a painting of something. It struck me that Monet's style forced me to see things as he wanted me to, by removing other things I might concentrate on. Similarly, Munroe's stick figures show body attitude very well while removing other details.
  
  --
  "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
66. Re:Ummm.... by phorm · 2014-09-02 06:06 · Score: 1
  
  Umm, I know lots of people who are not geeks in any way, don't think themselves above-average that I've been able to tell, and love "Big Bang Theory".
  In fact, I'd say that average people enjoy BBT more than the uber-geeks. The uber-geeks think it's poking fun at them and find it insulting.
Gateway drug by lucm · 2014-08-31 12:21 · Score: 2

Dilbert -> XKCD -> Red Meat -> Plastic Brick Automaton -> obscene graffiti in the bathroom of a rest area in Idaho.

--
lucm, indeed.
1. Re:Gateway drug by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 12:52 · Score: 0
  
  Dilbert -> XKCD -> Red Meat -> Plastic Brick Automaton -> obscene graffiti in the bathroom of a rest area in Idaho.
  Do you have a link for the fifth one in your list?
2. Re:Gateway drug by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 14:24 · Score: 0
  
  get(5)
3. Re:Gateway drug by the+eric+conspiracy · 2014-08-31 14:44 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Far Side >> all of the above.
4. Re:Gateway drug by i.r.id10t · 2014-08-31 16:21 · Score: 1
  
  And Bloom County, Calvin & Hobbs, etc.
  
  --
  Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos
5. Re:Gateway drug by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 16:22 · Score: 0
  
  Nope.
6. Re:Gateway drug by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 17:22 · Score: 0
  
  I was doing Red Meat years ago, back in college, long for XKCD exist.
7. Re:Gateway drug by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 19:05 · Score: 0
  
  C&H > PBF > all
8. Re:Gateway drug by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 23:23 · Score: 0
  
  Farscape >> Far Side >> all of the above
  This is the Sci-fi convention right?
9. Re:Gateway drug by alci63 · 2014-09-01 01:42 · Score: 2
  
  ArrayOutOfBoundException !
10. Re:Gateway drug by used2win32 · 2014-09-01 07:02 · Score: 2
  
  Far Side = Calvin and Hobbes > XKCD > Cul De Sac > Everything else.
  Honorable Mention: The first several years of "User Friendly"
  
  --
  Procrastination; I'll think of a sig tomorrow.
right on! by resfilter · 2014-08-31 12:26 · Score: 5, Insightful

i haven't really read xkcd in a few months, but i do love it.
his odd medium of stick figures seemed lazy the first time i read his comic, but now it seems almost purpose-picked for the kind of readership he has. it's the comic strip equivalent of a command line interface. no flash, all function.
slashdot has never motivated me to purchase anything before. i was unaware he was releasing a book. so this is a first, a slashvertisement got me.
i wish randall the most incredible success in his new book, he deserves to make many millions from it. he seems like the kind of guy that would start xkcd scholorships or something if he became wealthy.
1. Re:right on! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 05:42 · Score: 0
  
  no flash, all function.
  I know Randall. The guy is not a big fan of Adobe. So there you go..
German version is cheaper?! by h3lix · 2014-08-31 12:30 · Score: 3, Insightful

Okay, so why is the german version cheaper?

I sense a conspiracy.

German Version

English Version
1. Re:German version is cheaper?! by resfilter · 2014-08-31 12:41 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  the german version should cost more. making things funny in german is REALLY hard.
2. Re:German version is cheaper?! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 14:35 · Score: 0
  
  Harder than making XKCD funny in English? Even Randall hasn't puzzled that one out.
  Then how come he is so funny? Is it just pure random chance every single time he makes us (us, not you obviously) laugh out loud?
3. Re:German version is cheaper?! by sconeu · 2014-08-31 15:35 · Score: 1
  
  That's true. You can only have each translator write one word. Otherwise, you risk killing them all.
  http://youtu.be/8gpjk_MaCGM
  
  --
  General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
4. Re:German version is cheaper?! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 16:27 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  the german version should cost more. making things funny in german is REALLY hard.
  Fwiw: This isn't an opinionated observation from outsiders, as some might think (and I once thought); the German people seem to be well aware of this characteristic that seems to be "missing" from within their society.
  Years ago, in an interview on German television, Robin Williams was asked what he felt was the cause of Germany's lack of comedians or a comedy scene in general. His response, done in jest, was: "Maybe it's because (you) killed all the people with a sense of humor."
  Ironically, the host took it seriously and reacted as if it was a bit of a revelation — maybe it was — but it was funny also.
5. Re:German version is cheaper?! by tysonedwards · 2014-08-31 17:07 · Score: 1
  
  Wenn ist das Nunstück git und Slotermeyer?
  Ja! Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!
  
  --
  Thirty four characters live here.
6. Re:German version is cheaper?! by I'm+New+Around+Here · 2014-08-31 17:52 · Score: 1
  
  My first thought too. :^)
  
  --
  If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
7. Re:German version is cheaper?! by drkim · 2014-08-31 21:00 · Score: 1
  
  Okay, so why is the german version cheaper?
  
  Ve haf ways uf making you read!
8. Re:German version is cheaper?! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 21:47 · Score: 0
  
  Ironic that Robin later killed a very funny man himself :/
9. Re:German version is cheaper?! by the+grace+of+R'hllor · 2014-09-01 00:03 · Score: 1
  
  They should make a book called 125 Years of German Humor. That would be the best two pages in comedic history.
10. Re:German version is cheaper?! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 03:20 · Score: 0
  
  That is exactly the reason the version is cheaper ...
11. Re:German version is cheaper?! by PReDiToR · 2014-09-01 03:31 · Score: 1
  
  Not all Germans are without a sense of humour ... Hennig Wehn.
  
  --
  
  Do not meddle in the affairs of geeks for they are subtle and quick to anger
12. Re:German version is cheaper?! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 07:50 · Score: 0
  
  Ironic that Robin later killed a very funny man himself :/
  What's truly ironic is that two users on Slashdot can correctly use the word ironic correctly within the same thread.
13. Re:German version is cheaper?! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 08:27 · Score: 0
  
  Perhaps you get a discount because they only translated the text, and not the humour.
Sorry what? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 12:35 · Score: 0

What is the book even about? 5/5 gold post once again /.
1. Re: Sorry what? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 12:39 · Score: 0
  
  Hey, this ain't the New York Times Book Review. Ya gets what ya pay for.
2. Re:Sorry what? by gmuslera · 2014-08-31 15:05 · Score: 1
  
  What If, not exactly the classic xkcd comics, but worthy a book even if he don't expand even more the articles over what was posted in that site.
I like how... by Bartles · 2014-08-31 12:42 · Score: 2

...Cambridge, New York, Seattle, and the San Francisco Bay Area, has now become "throughout the US". And yet Slashdot thinks it can comment on social issues. Are all 4 of those areas in the top ten wealthiest metropolitan areas? Probably pretty close.
1. Re:I like how... by turkeydance · 2014-08-31 12:56 · Score: 2
  
  "throughout the US" in PR-speak is a blue state blitz.
2. Re:I like how... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 12:59 · Score: 0
  
  You must be a loser from flyover country. Keep fucking your grandma, chief.
3. Re:I like how... by lucm · 2014-08-31 13:01 · Score: 1
  
  They tried to book events in Laramie, Muskogee, Tupelo and Pine Bluff, but even if a few people tore off the vertical phone numbers on the ads posted in the community centers in those cities, nobody reached out to the local organizers so the events were cancelled.
  
  --
  lucm, indeed.
4. Re:I like how... by Nyder · 2014-08-31 13:28 · Score: 1
  
  ...Cambridge, New York, Seattle, and the San Francisco Bay Area, has now become "throughout the US". And yet Slashdot thinks it can comment on social issues. Are all 4 of those areas in the top ten wealthiest metropolitan areas? Probably pretty close.
  I live in Seattle and I am very poor.
  
  --
  Be seeing you...
5. Re:I like how... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 13:58 · Score: 0
  
  I live in Seattle and I am very poor.
  Seattle is in fact one of the moste expensive places on the West Coast to live. So, maybe you are "poor" by Seattle standards. Maybe you ought to move someplace else, or quite whining like a bitch?
6. Re:I like how... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 21:51 · Score: 0
  
  Maybe he would be equally relatively poor everywhere else, then why not be poor in a rich area instead of that trailerpark you live in?
7. Re:I like how... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 03:34 · Score: 0
  
  Cambridge and New York are on the East Coast.
  San Francisco and Seattle are on the West Coast. ...if you link them, the line is going pretty much going to cross the US (with the possible exception of Alaska and Hawaii). ...put Miami in the mix and you get a nice X over your country
Re:Munroe is a cunt by lucm · 2014-08-31 12:47 · Score: 1

Too bad for you, 1335 was pretty good. Look it up in your non-Google search engine, you'll see.

--
lucm, indeed.
Re:Munroe is a cunt by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 13:23 · Score: 0

Wow. A butthurt microsoft bing engineer.
Such a really genuine nice guy. by popoutman · 2014-08-31 13:49 · Score: 4, Interesting

I've had the pleasure to meet Randall for a few days during one of his very rare conference visits, where he was the keynote speaker at our university computer society's computing conference. As I was one of the group organising the conference we had drinks with him and his wife back at the hotel, and chatted until the wee hours. He's a genuine nice guy, and he is someone that intensely protects the privacy of his private life and those close to him, from the weirdness that internet fame can bring.
He did find it really refreshing to be able to go on a proper touristy roadtrip a few days after the conference was over to see a few of the prettier places in the nearby area and to see those from a local's perspective instead of the standard stereotypical locations, where his wife (who is a really lovely lady and someone I've kept up some contact with since) was able to pursue some of her interests. All this without people fawning over him or being weird around him. I got the impression that the more his internet fame grows, the harder it is for him to lead a normal life and that is something that I hope he is able to work with as the years go by.
I think it's really cool that he is being recognised for his hard work, and he does work hard that's for sure.

--
- This sig deliberately left blank. Nothing to see, move along.
amount of work by students · 2014-08-31 14:39 · Score: 1

If you look at the bottom of the page, you will see that it says he did not do the programming. He only drew the comics.

--
Simon's Rock College
Affiliate link in the submitter's blog by Dzimas · 2014-08-31 15:41 · Score: 5, Insightful

The summary includes a link to the submitter's blog, with a shortened link -- tinyURL.com/XKCDAuthor -- that expands to an Amazon link with his affiliate code embedded. While I am a huge fan of XKCD, I am not a huge fan of masked links that earn up to 8% for completely unrelated bloggers. Perhaps the summary should be edited to include a direct link to the Amazon product page?
Re:Munroe is a cunt by Mathinker · 2014-08-31 16:49 · Score: 1

Might be good, certainly wasn't very funny... or does it need Javascript?
Anyway, 1336 was much funnier...
XKCD by tsa · 2014-08-31 16:52 · Score: 1

What does XKCD stand for actually? I always wondered.

--
-- Cheers!
1. Re:XKCD by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 17:40 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  On the sites "About" page is the official answer:
  What does XKCD stand for?
  It's not actually an acronym. It's just a word with no phonetic pronunciation -- a treasured and carefully-guarded point in the space of four-character strings.
2. Re:XKCD by stjobe · 2014-08-31 17:51 · Score: 1
  
  It's not actually an acronym. It's just a word with no phonetic pronunciation -- a treasured and carefully-guarded point in the space of four-character strings.
  http://xkcd.com/about/
  
  --
  "Total destruction the only solution" - Bob Marley
3. Re:XKCD by tsa · 2014-08-31 19:14 · Score: 1
  
  Cool, thanks!
  
  --
  -- Cheers!
4. Re:XKCD by tsa · 2014-08-31 19:14 · Score: 1
  
  Cool, thanks! :)
  
  --
  -- Cheers!
5. Re:XKCD by Sanians · 2014-08-31 19:19 · Score: 2
  
  Probably just one of the few remaining unregistered four-letter .com domains, from back in the day when there were unregistered four-letter .com domains. They're all taken now. Everybody wants a short domain name, especially the domain squatters.
6. Re:XKCD by cellocgw · 2014-09-01 03:10 · Score: 1
  
  What does XKCD stand for actually? I always wondered.
  The Xavier Kenneally College of Dentistry, natch!
  (disclaimer: GLR wrote that somewhere, not me)
  And if yr not an OTTer, you probably don't care anyway.
  
  --
  https://app.box.com/WitthoftResume Code: https://github.com/cellocgw
7. Re:XKCD by I'm+New+Around+Here · 2014-09-01 05:12 · Score: 1
  
  Hey, I care, and I'm not an OTTer. Not officially anyway. Can anonymous lurkers be OTTers? I guess not. :(
  
  --
  If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
8. Re:XKCD by CmdrTamale · 2014-09-01 13:26 · Score: 1
  
  Somehow I think you're doing t wrong.
  Try pronouncing it backwards.
  --
  If you think this universe is bad, you should see some of the others - P K Dick
Good Grief by Art3x · 2014-08-31 16:59 · Score: 3, Informative

Just in case anyone else but me is having a hard time finding out what the book actually is, it's called What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions.
Slashdot: home of the best comment moderation system and the worst article summaries.
1. Re:Good Grief by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 21:55 · Score: 0
  
  But we make up for it with biased moderators and reposts
2. Re:Good Grief by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-05 00:02 · Score: 0
  
  Google: home of the best search engine
Randall Munroe by jandersen · 2014-08-31 17:31 · Score: 3, Funny

I looked him upo in Wikipedia and ironically, he is in fact quite thin and has a big, round head...
1. Re:Randall Munroe by Keyboard+Rage · 2014-08-31 19:51 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Hint: Being near-circular in body shape is not the normal human shape. It's called obesity.
  Other hint: Being quite thin and have a big, round head is (or should be) the normal condition of at least 50% of the human population (men + prepubescent children). The remaining 40-something % is (or should be) also quite thin with a big, round head, but often includes two lumps on the chest area. Then, for about 50% of the human population, at certain points in their lives they will sport another, smaller thin object with a round head.
2. Re:Randall Munroe by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 22:10 · Score: 1
  
  Then, for about 50% of the human population, at certain points in their lives they will sport another, smaller thin object with a round head.
  Only at certain points? Um, hate to break this to you, but despite being female I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be detachable regardless of what the song says... ;-)
3. Re:Randall Munroe by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 00:31 · Score: 0
  
  He's referring to a child. Those should be detachable after round about 9 months. There are surgical procedures to detach them if the natural process fails.
4. Re:Randall Munroe by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 05:14 · Score: 0
  
  No, it was a penis reference.
  And I loved the song.
5. Re:Randall Munroe by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 08:31 · Score: 0
  
  It's what humans looked like before the 'obesity epidemic', kid.
6. Re:Randall Munroe by Martian_Kyo · 2014-09-01 23:48 · Score: 1
  
  I like your ironic use of ironic.
Re:Munroe is a cunt by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-31 21:19 · Score: 0

You must have an acute case of Asperger's Syndrome if you can't look past the generalization.
how... by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-01 00:40 · Score: 0

is this news? seems more like free publicity.
mod this up. by Grog6 · 2014-09-01 04:08 · Score: 1

:)

--
Truth isn't Truth - Guliani
Re:Munroe is a cunt by I'm+New+Around+Here · 2014-09-01 04:58 · Score: 1

No, even Asperger's couldn't explain it. Someone with Asperger's would simply figure he "doesn't get it", and read another one later. To completely stop reading the comic because of one comic about search engine results, is just infantile learned-response behavior.
"That lamp was hot. Never touch lamps again."
"Strained peas taste bad, never eat green mush again."
"XKCD made fun [pet peeve], never read XKCD again."

--
If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
How well does xkcd work in book form? by braindrainbahrain · 2014-09-01 06:19 · Score: 1

It's an honest question. I've seen many of these on the web over the years but some of the (IMHO) better ones use the web in some clever way, use long contiguous panels, or feature odd page layouts (3099 panels anyone?). How well does xkcd translate to book form?