Topic: WCDT: 18-22 Oct 2010 (1776-1780) (Read 93215 times)

Dliessmgg · « **Reply #50 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 02:00 »

I sense some QC/Dresden Codak crossover possibilities with this strip, but they will probably stay only possibilities due to the completely different update schedule.

pendrake · « **Reply #51 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 02:06 »

Someone call for a sexy robotic elohim for guidance...?

snubnose · « **Reply #52 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 02:16 »

Quote from: westrim on 19 Oct 2010, 00:53

GOOGLE IT

What did you think was the first thing I tried ?????

westrim · « **Reply #53 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 02:31 »

Quote from: snubnose on 19 Oct 2010, 02:16

What did you think was the first thing I tried ?????

Then perhaps you should have said so. The wikipedia definition was the second link for me.

snubnose · « **Reply #54 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 02:47 »

Err.

I know what a singularity is.

I dont need to look that one up ...

But what I dont know is what kind of singularity happened yesterday. LHC didnt have any, for example. Thats why I'm confused.

Dliessmgg · « **Reply #55 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 03:36 »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularity

zagraf · « **Reply #56 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 03:37 »

I don't think the comic is referencing any specific thing that happened in A.I. research or what have you that supposedly brings us all closer to the event. Because there doesn't appear to have been any new breakthrough in that area in the last week, let alone the last day (yes, I Googled. Google Newsed, to be precise, since I was already familiar with the "singularity" concept).

Rather, given Jeph's tweets, which showed he was having trouble coming up with a script until quite late, I figure he just went with an all-AnthroPC strip because they're faster to draw. Save himself the trouble. I don't blame him.

Olymander · « **Reply #57 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 04:26 »

Quote from: Akima on 19 Oct 2010, 01:48

Yeah. I know what the Singularity is of course, but I had to google (and wikipedia) elohim. A Hebrew word for god apparently. Eh? I still don't think I'm getting the joke.

I believe the Elohim Jeph is referring to here is more in the category of "angel", as in one of the ranks of angels, among the cherubim and seraphim. Still admittedly a bit esoteric.

raoullefere · « **Reply #58 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 04:26 »

I didn't have to look up either singularity or elohim. I got the joke: the Robotic Rapture* has come and gone, and Pintsize has nothing to show for it, not even a lousy t-shirt.

But for some reason I started thinking of Neon Genesis Evangelion and the 'intelligent soup' the Human Instrumentality Project is supposed to want to turn people into. And there you go; another obscure bit of humor only less of both.

(Oh, and it's spelled 'Signularity' on Winslow's screen 'cuz it ain't really, yet, if you follow me. Have I stomped the humor flat out of this yet?)

*Some folks might not get this. Google The Rapture. The article is very important.

Olymander · « **Reply #59 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 04:32 »

Or we could go with the e-cake, complain that it's a lie, and go find GLADOS with her song .

Near Lurker · « **Reply #60 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 04:48 »

Does this mean tomorrow will be a cybertronically-enhanced Angus cybergroping Faye's thought-boobs?

pwhodges · « **Reply #61 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 05:18 »

We all know different things, so a series of jokes that everyone gets straight off is liable to become somewhat anodyne. I often have to look things up to get everything in QC (not today, though!), and generally feel that I have benefited from the extra info rather than been inconvenienced by needing to look it up.

zadojla · « **Reply #62 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 06:19 »

It doesn't even have to be jokes. QC is populated by 20-something characters, written by a 20-something author (where "something" = "10"), and I've learned ~~alot~~ many things about 20-something culture, enabling me to surprise my 22-year-old daughter more than once since I started reading QC. (And, incidentally, leaving my wife dumbfounded.) And, yes, I've had to resort to Google.

jwhouk · « **Reply #63 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 06:29 »

What OTHER things should you not mix?

Oil with water.    - 0 (0%)
Cats and dogs.    - 3 (6.8%)
Lions and lambs.    - 2 (4.5%)
Sven and anything blonde with a skirt.    - 16 (36.4%)
Hanners and garbage cans.    - 2 (4.5%)
Faye and Miss Manners.    - 6 (13.6%)
Penelope and Rick Warren.    - 5 (11.4%)
Waffles and worms.    - 6 (13.6%)
Acid and alkali.    - 3 (6.8%)
Asps and burgers.    - 1 (2.3%)

Total Voters: 44

raoullefere · « **Reply #64 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 07:22 »

Should be "Computers will make Jeph draw QC for them."
All strips will thereafter feature Pintsize, Winslow, Momo-tan, PT410x, and sometimes Deathbot 9000. The annoying humans who serve them will make occasional appearances when nothing important is occurring within the existences of these superior beings.

I, for one, will welcome our new AI overlords—at least until I find a way to reprogram them with a very large axe.

Carl-E · « **Reply #65 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 07:30 »

Quote from: zadojla on 19 Oct 2010, 06:19

It doesn't even have to be jokes. QC is populated by 20-something characters, written by a 20-something author (where "something" = "10"), and I've learned ~~alot~~ many things about 20-something culture, enabling me to surprise my 22-year-old daughter more than once since I started reading QC. (And, incidentally, leaving my wife dumbfounded.) And, yes, I've had to resort to Google.

It's been like a fountain of youth for me, too. OK, well, at least it's kept me more in touch than my kids and their friends ever would. Or my students.

I've also gained a great deal of respect for Wikipedia!

Oh yeah, and I knew both singularity and Elohim. I think they both show up in the Illuminatus! trilogy, along with a lot of intellectual puns, John Dillinger, and the Leviathan. I think it's pretty dated now, but could be a good read still - I haven't seen it since I read it as a teenager in the 70's.

LeGrande · « **Reply #66 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 07:56 »

Between QC, xkcd, LICD, iTunes' free offerings each Tuesday, and a BingMusic app for my iPhone, I am able to surprise my music appreciation students by being somewhat up to date on styles and trends.

That said, my favorite internet radio station is still www.rootsofrock.us

I'd heard of the singularity, but was unaware that yesterday was supposed to be *the* day it happened.

ColonyShipForSale_Cheap · « **Reply #67 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 08:17 »

I desperately want a Happy Singularity! e-cake t-shirt. I'm broke as hell, but I'll figure out a way to buy 2!

laizeohbeets · « **Reply #68 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 08:21 »

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the Sexy Robot Elohim has to be Six. It just makes sense.

Carl-E · « **Reply #69 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 09:24 »

Wait, what was that conference Jeph spoke at? Maybe that's what triggered the singularity.

Or at least the comic.

Heliphyneau · « **Reply #70 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 09:39 »

Quote from: raoullefere on 19 Oct 2010, 04:26

I didn't have to look up either singularity or elohim. I got the joke: the Robotic Rapture* has come and gone, and Pintsize has nothing to show for it, not even a lousy t-shirt.

THANK YOU. I got it right away and was surprised others didn't -- Pintsize sort of explains it in his rant in panel 3 anyway. Even without knowing what "elohim" means, he's fairly descriptive. I'm gonna guess that the reason for the misspelling on Winslow's e-cake is due to the influence of the ubiquitous lolcats. I love Pintsize's angry face in the last panel, heh heh.

And yay, we finally get to see Winslow again!

Quote from: Near Lurker on 19 Oct 2010, 04:48

Does this mean tomorrow will be a cybertronically-enhanced Angus cybergroping Faye's thought-boobs?

YES. The sensation will go on for infinity, in binary. And the front window of CoD will become the Donkey Kong win screen . . .

Quote from: laizeohbeets on 19 Oct 2010, 08:21

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the Sexy Robot Elohim has to be Six. It just makes sense.

Not my type, but by all means enjoy.

Mad Cat · « **Reply #71 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 10:48 »

The Singularity will not be televised.

haikupoet · « **Reply #72 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 11:00 »

The Singularity is just nerd messianism. A couple of months ago PZ Myers took on Ray Kurzweil's ideas about the singularity, including his belief that strong AI is within the foreseeable future of computing technology. Since PZ happens to specialize in neural development, he's somewhat more qualified than most to talk about the possibility of strong AI, and to say that we don't know what we don't know about the matter is perhaps being overly polite about the matter.

The downside is that we won't be getting Winslow or Momo any time soon. The upside: no Pintsize either.

Tormuse · « **Reply #73 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 11:18 »

Quote from: westrim on 19 Oct 2010, 00:53

...*facepalm* I can only respond with two words:

GOOGLE IT

Seriously guys... When you've looked it up and come back, then we'll talk.

And no, no one tell them. If they can't make that minuscule effort they don't need to know.

Quote from: akronnick on 19 Oct 2010, 01:08

...no, it's so much more satisfying to display you're ignorance and self-importance by getting all butt-hurt because you didn't get the joke.

Okay, can I request that we stop directing such hostility at people who ask questions? Especially since the knowledge of what a singularity is doesn't invalidate the question of what "the" singularity is in this case. The above-quoted posts are just mean-spirited, uncalled-for, and make for an uncomfortable atmosphere on the forum.

Even with the help of Google, the meaning of today's comic is unclear and even if it wasn't, there's no reason to belittle people for stating that they don't get it. I don't come on this forum very often, but it would be nice if I could visit without fear of being insulted for asking what I consider to be innocuous questions.

Google is an excellent resource for knowledge of anything and everything you can imagine, (and some things you'd rather not imagine)

but there's no reason this forum can't be treated as a resource for knowledge about the comic. I mean why wouldn't it be?

westrim · « **Reply #74 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 11:21 »

Quote from: Akima on 19 Oct 2010, 01:48

Yeah. I know what the Singularity is of course, but I had to google (and wikipedia) elohim. A Hebrew word for god apparently. Eh? I still don't think I'm getting the joke.

A joke that requires an encyclopaedia to understand, is arguably less successful than one that tickles the funny-bone immediately. XKCD walks this tightrope every strip, but I find it more accessible than today's QC, having studied more mathematics and science than Hebrew.

First, damn you for linking to TV Tropes. Second, yeah it's pretty much another term for god, although I've mostly seen it used in reference to Jesus in The Salvation War (Google will just link you to the TV Tropes page for that, too, so damn me, I guess.

) But even if the term wasn't familiar, it was pretty obviously something messianic from context, so I guess he was leaning on that.

Quote from: no one special on 19 Oct 2010, 01:56

Yeah, I really didn't even LQTM.

I read it... and nothing. So I looked up "the singularity" theory... and I guess if you're really into hardcore science-fiction it means something? I dunno. I'm only into sci-fi melodrama (Star Trek, Star Wars), so I guess I don't count. I don't even really "The Singularity" as being possible - but I'm sure I'm thinking about it too much, so I shan't go on about it.

But yeah, the only thing I found humorous was Winslow's nonplussed reaction to such a momentous event.

And the purposeful misspelling? Can someone explain that? I'm honestly just stumped about the whole thing, as this THE FIRST qc comic that I really just don't get, not even a little bit.

WELL anyway, it's only one comic, life goes on.

Really, anything that isn't far future (or past) with spaceships is "hardcore scifi?" Much scifi dealing with near future changes brings up the singularity, if often not by name. It's especially popular with people interested in technology and it's evolution, since so far there's been a clear progression with no signs of slowing. Everything you needed to know to get the gist was in the third panel anyway.

I dunno about the typo, though.

I guess this kind of lack of clarity is bound to happen occasionally when he starts so late.

EDIT: Crap, I wrote the above last night, but I apparently posted only part of it. Posting, then reading the thread.

someone1074 · « **Reply #75 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 11:27 »

Thank you, Tormuse. Beat me to it.

That giant "GOOGLE IT" is so fucking ostentatious too...

westrim · « **Reply #76 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 11:45 »

Quote from: snubnose on 19 Oct 2010, 02:47

But what I dont know is what kind of singularity happened yesterday. LHC didnt have any, for example. Thats why I'm confused.

When you see a familiar term used in an unfamiliar way, look it up. And why are you assuming that a fictional comic in a fictional universe is going to respond to real world events?

Quote from: Dliessmgg on 19 Oct 2010, 03:36

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Techno logical_singularity

Hey, I said no telling!

Quote from: zagraf on 19 Oct 2010, 03:37

I don't think the comic is referencing any specific thing that happened in A.I. research or what have you that supposedly brings us all closer to the event. Because there doesn't appear to have been any new breakthrough in that area in the last week, let alone the last day (yes, I Googled. Google Newsed, to be precise, since I was already familiar with the "singularity" concept).

Rather, given Jeph's tweets, which showed he was having trouble coming up with a script until quite late, I figure he just went with an all-AnthroPC strip because they're faster to draw. Save himself the trouble. I don't blame him.

Plus, they live in an alternate universe. And yes, that seems to me a plausible explanation.

Quote from: Near Lurker on 19 Oct 2010, 04:48

Does this mean tomorrow will be a cybertronically-enhanced Angus cybergroping Faye's thought-boobs?

Right before they finally have cyber coitus?

Quote from: pwhodges on 19 Oct 2010, 05:18

We all know different things, so a series of jokes that everyone gets straight off is liable to become somewhat anodyne. I often have to look things up to get everything in QC (not today, though!), and generally feel that I have benefited from the extra info rather than been inconvenienced by needing to look it up.

And lets not forget that the strip used to regularly reference indie bands that a large majority of its readers had probably never heard of. Come to think of it, why did he stop doing that?

Quote from: Carl-E on 19 Oct 2010, 07:30

Quote from: zadojla on 19 Oct 2010, 06:19
It doesn't even have to be jokes. QC is populated by 20-something characters, written by a 20-something author (where "something" = "10"), and I've learned ~~alot~~ many things about 20-something culture, enabling me to surprise my 22-year-old daughter more than once since I started reading QC. (And, incidentally, leaving my wife dumbfounded.) And, yes, I've had to resort to Google.

It's been like a fountain of youth for me, too. OK, well, at least it's kept me more in touch than my kids and their friends ever would. Or my students.

I've also gained a great deal of respect for Wikipedia!

Oh yeah, and I knew both singularity and Elohim. I think they both show up in the Illuminatus! trilogy, along with a lot of intellectual puns, John Dillinger, and the Leviathan. I think it's pretty dated now, but could be a good read still - I haven't seen it since I read it as a teenager in the 70's.

Welcome, older denizens! In the name of younger folk, I greet you!

Quote from: laizeohbeets on 19 Oct 2010, 08:21

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the Sexy Robot Elohim has to be Six. It just makes sense.

It could be Baltar too, if you want a different gender of messiah.

Quote from: Tormuse on 19 Oct 2010, 11:18

Okay, can I request that we stop directing such hostility at people who ask questions? Especially since the knowledge of what a singularity is doesn't invalidate the question of what "the" singularity is in this case. The above-quoted posts are just mean-spirited, uncalled-for, and make for an uncomfortable atmosphere on the forum.

Even with the help of Google, the meaning of today's comic is unclear and even if it wasn't, there's no reason to belittle people for stating that they don't get it. I don't come on this forum very often, but it would be nice if I could visit without fear of being insulted for asking what I consider to be innocuous questions.

Google is an excellent resource for knowledge of anything and everything you can imagine, (and some things you'd rather not imagine) but there's no reason this forum can't be treated as a resource for knowledge about the comic. I mean why wouldn't it be?

Nope. I mean, you can ask, but I won't comply I'm fine with people asking questions, but asking questions while clearly showing that you did not put the slightest effort into finding the answer before asking is rightfully ridiculed. If they were asking about the comic, that would be okay. It would also be fine if they asked about it saying "I don't get it and google didn't help. Wth are they talking about?" But this, asking us about a term obviously not native to the comic, is annoying and should be treated as such.

Quote from: someone1074 on 19 Oct 2010, 11:27

Thank you, Tormuse. Beat me to it.

That giant "GOOGLE IT" is so fucking ostentatious too...

But it got your attention, didn't it? I dislike people messing with font sizes/colors (there's someone here that makes every post yellow), but occasionally it's useful for emphasis.

Mad Cat · « **Reply #77 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 12:06 »

At least no one's done this yet.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=technological+singularity

Edit: Oh darn. Now I have.

Steve the Pocket · « **Reply #78 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 12:23 »

Quote from: akronnick on 19 Oct 2010, 01:08

but no, it's so much more satisfying to display you're ignorance and self-importance by getting all butt-hurt because you didn't get the joke.

I very much would like to know how you managed to extrapolate "self-importance" OR "butt-hurt" from a person not bothering to Google something.

And speaking of displaying ignorance, "you're".

Carl-E · « **Reply #79 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 12:26 »

westrim · « **Reply #80 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 12:53 »

Quote from: Mad Cat on 19 Oct 2010, 12:06

At least no one's done this yet.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=technological+singularity
Edit: Oh darn. Now I have.

I always forget about that site.

Quote from: Steve the Pocket on 19 Oct 2010, 12:23

I very much would like to know how you managed to extrapolate "self-importance" OR "butt-hurt" from a person not bothering to Google something.

Self importance because they expect others to do the explaining for them rather than seeking it themselves, butthurt because any joke they don't get is automatically bad or less worthy somehow.

Quote from: Carl-E on 19 Oct 2010, 12:26

image

Lol, as if desktops will be around for the singularity.

Though I'm actually not one of the ones looking forward to it, first because it's still hypothetical and there are enormous boundaries to overcome, and second because it is inevitable that some people will still get left behind if it does happen (even if of their own volition). The divide between rich and poor is already a pain in the ass- what about a divide between immortal and mortal or physical and virtual?

jwhouk · « **Reply #81 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 13:31 »

Major technological changes are always thirty years away.

Carl-E · « **Reply #82 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 14:21 »

Quote from: westrim on 19 Oct 2010, 12:53

Lol, as if desktops will be around for the singularity.

Actually, that's a pretty old comic.

Quote

Though I'm actually not one of the ones looking forward to it, first because it's still hypothetical and there are enormous boundaries to overcome, and second because it is inevitable that some people will still get left behind if it does happen (even if of their own volition). The divide between rich and poor is already a pain in the ass- what about a divide between immortal and mortal or physical and virtual?

Quote from: jwhouk on 19 Oct 2010, 13:31

Major technological changes are always thirty years away.

Nothing goes the way we imagine it will. Some things go the way some people imagine - Gene Roddenberry imagined flip open communicators and look, we got flip phones. People work on medical scanners because they saw tricorders when they were kids, and so some things will come true. But the stuff that makes it is only the practical stuff. No flying cars - we're having enough trouble with the grounded ones. Jet packs? They can go so wrong. The stabilizer control goes out, and you wind up slammed headfirst into the pavement. No thanks.

But look at what's being done with nerve control of artificial limbs, and you'll find that the singularity's a lot closer than you thought. But it's for people who need it. We'll continue to be born human, and as Westrim points out, there will always be the have-nots and the want-nots, regardless of the potential of "mecha-me" or floating clouds of intelligence.

So don't hold your breath!

haikupoet · « **Reply #83 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 14:25 »

Quote from: westrim on 19 Oct 2010, 12:53

Lol, as if desktops will be around for the singularity.

No reason to assume they won't. There will be a lot fewer in the future, and most of the ones you will see will look like Mac minis (or thinner), but gamers, media people, and HPC are keeping the desktop form factor alive despite the dominance of laptops in the market because such people need the expandability and interchangeability of parts.

That's actually a thing that bothers me about futurists -- they have all these great ideas (arcologies, digital radio replacing analog, frequency-hopping radio broadcasts, "smart" kitchens) but they never stop to think that a) their target audience may not be interested or able to afford them or b) that they have to compete with immense installed bases for a lot of older technologies that are still perfectly suitable for their needs. After all, I could get a smart kitchen, but I don't have to worry about DRM or power outages with a cookbook. The arcology thing is another idea -- okay, which city do we tear down first? (See Boston, 1960s for what happens when people try to do ground-up urban renewal.) I mean, I can come up with a pretty good idea for what an ideal 21st century city would look like, but where would I build it, who would fund it, and how would I get people to move there in the first place?

Quote

Though I'm actually not one of the ones looking forward to it, first because it's still hypothetical and there are enormous boundaries to overcome, and second because it is inevitable that some people will still get left behind if it does happen (even if of their own volition). The divide between rich and poor is already a pain in the ass- what about a divide between immortal and mortal or physical and virtual?

See, this is why I think the Singularity fundamentally is a meaningless concept. If you want to look at a reasonable approximation of what the future might look like, Star Trek ain't it. Think "My Life as a Teenage Robot". Think "Babylon 5". Think "Star Wars". Hell, even QC is a pretty good approximation of what the near future is likely to be like.

It's all fun and such to speculate about transhumanism, but it's meaningless to make any predictions about it without any real knowledge of how to get there. The researchers who work on things that might lead down that path are mostly doing it because it's cool, and it appears in so much SF because it's cool. The only people who treat it as Serious Business are futurists, and they're kind of dumb.

haikupoet · « **Reply #84 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 14:33 »

Quote from: Carl-E on 19 Oct 2010, 14:21

Some things go the way some people imagine - Gene Roddenberry imagined flip open communicators and look, we got flip phones. People work on medical scanners because they saw tricorders when they were kids, and so some things will come true. But the stuff that makes it is only the practical stuff. No flying cars - we're having enough trouble with the grounded ones. Jet packs? They can go so wrong. The stabilizer control goes out, and you wind up slammed headfirst into the pavement. No thanks.

Except the flip phone was an intentional mimicking of the Star Trek communicator, just like you said about tricorders. Giving Roddenberry credit for the prediction is a little off.

Quote

But look at what's being done with nerve control of artificial limbs, and you'll find that the singularity's a lot closer than you thought. But it's for people who need it. We'll continue to be born human, and as Westrim points out, there will always be the have-nots and the want-nots, regardless of the potential of "mecha-me" or floating clouds of intelligence.

So don't hold your breath!

I don't think artificial limbs are Singularity-related at all, at least no more than Deep Blue's victory over Garry Kasparov. They're interesting from a biomechanical perspective, but all they do is restore function that's been lost. If you want to think in more transhumanist terms, think about what it would take to install a tail. Not only would the beginning of the tail have to be clamped to your coccyx (and probably sacrum as well), but in order to have a functioning prehensile tail, you'd also have to attach some pretty heavy-duty anchoring to the pelvic bone to keep from ripping your spine out when you're hanging from the roof truss of a high school gym. A permanent augmentation is transhumanist, but an artificial limb isn't.

Mr_Rose · « **Reply #85 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 14:41 »

The thing about singularities is that people always seem to misunderstand what they're about. Realise this: one of the first singularities (there have been several) humanity experienced was the development of agriculture.

Universal streaming comms and instantaneous access to off-brain knowledge might well be our singularity, but no-one will be sure until a couple generations down the line.

AsinineAxioms · « **Reply #86 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 15:01 »

I don't think there's a need to psychoanalyze any potential deep, hidden meaning of today's strip. As far as I understand it, this comic is simply an allusion to the video game Portal, in which the player is told several times that "the cake is a lie." So the irony here would simply be that Winslow does not realize that the so-called "singularity" that supposedly occurred was actually a fictional event, or more likely, a prank. It would also explain why the word "singularity" is misspelled in the fourth panel, which according to Jeph's newspost, is intentional.

westrim · « **Reply #87 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 16:23 »

Quote from: Carl-E on 19 Oct 2010, 14:21

Actually, that's a pretty old comic.

Quote from: haikupoet on 19 Oct 2010, 14:25

No reason to assume they won't. There will be a lot fewer in the future, and most of the ones you will see will look like Mac minis (or thinner), but gamers, media people, and HPC are keeping the desktop form factor alive despite the dominance of laptops in the market because such people need the expandability and interchangeability of parts.

I thought my next words made it clear that that wasn't my perspective. It's one of the tenets of belief in the singularity that among many things, desktops will die out in the next ten years or so (yes, I'm intentionally making it sound religious). It wasn't something to (over)analyze.

That said,I do agree with most of your analysis. There will be cyborgs, but they'll be unfortunates that got a limb accidentally lopped off, not willing subjects, for example.

haikupoet · « **Reply #88 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 16:47 »

Quote from: westrim on 19 Oct 2010, 16:23

Quote from: Carl-E on 19 Oct 2010, 14:21
Actually, that's a pretty old comic.
Quote from: haikupoet on 19 Oct 2010, 14:25
No reason to assume they won't. There will be a lot fewer in the future, and most of the ones you will see will look like Mac minis (or thinner), but gamers, media people, and HPC are keeping the desktop form factor alive despite the dominance of laptops in the market because such people need the expandability and interchangeability of parts.

I thought my next words made it clear that that wasn't my perspective. It's one of the tenets of belief in the singularity that among many things, desktops will die out in the next ten years or so (yes, I'm intentionally making it sound religious). It wasn't something to (over)analyze.

That said,I do agree with most of your analysis. There will be cyborgs, but they'll be unfortunates that got a limb accidentally lopped off, not willing subjects, for example.

But I loooooove overanalysis

And you know how I know you're right? I don't see too many track and field athletes getting their legs chopped off so they can use running prostheses.

You know what else is fun to overanalyze? Supersoldiers. They gotta retire sometime...

Random Wanderer · « **Reply #89 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 17:04 »

Quote from: westrim on 19 Oct 2010, 11:45

Nope. I mean, you can ask, but I won't comply I'm fine with people asking questions, but asking questions while clearly showing that you did not put the slightest effort into finding the answer before asking is rightfully ridiculed. If they were asking about the comic, that would be okay. It would also be fine if they asked about it saying "I don't get it and google didn't help. Wth are they talking about?" But this, asking us about a term obviously not native to the comic, is annoying and should be treated as such.
Quote from: someone1074 on 19 Oct 2010, 11:27
Thank you, Tormuse. Beat me to it.

That giant "GOOGLE IT" is so fucking ostentatious too...

But it got your attention, didn't it? I dislike people messing with font sizes/colors (there's someone here that makes every post yellow), but occasionally it's useful for emphasis.

But your response was not even suited to the question they were asking. No amount of Google-searching would have answered their question, because it was not "what is a singularity" but "what was the specific event that Winslow and Pintsize are talking about, which happened yesterday, and qualified as the singularity?" So not only were you insulting, you were incorrect, because you were insulting them over asking a question they hadn't even asked.

In short you made a fool of yourself by making a big deal about a topic that no one else was even talking about at the time. That is another reason why one shouldn't resort to outbursts like that. If you don't accept politeness as a reason, at least you should accept self-interest.

laizeohbeets · « **Reply #90 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 17:24 »

Quote from: westrim on 19 Oct 2010, 11:45

It could be Baltar too, if you want a different gender of messiah.

Mmmm, Gaius. Nothing of consequence to add, other than he was the only reason I watched any amount of BSG.

But since Pintsize leans hetero, it's probably Six.

Border Reiver · « **Reply #91 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 18:49 »

Quote from: haikupoet on 19 Oct 2010, 16:47

You know what else is fun to overanalyze? Supersoldiers. They gotta retire sometime...

Captain America and Nick Fury will only retire when the Red Skull and Hatemonger are finally dead.

St.Clair · « **Reply #92 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 19:30 »

Hannelore can't be the Cybernetic Princess Queen, that's Kimiko's job/destiny.

Carl-E · « **Reply #93 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 19:47 »

Can she be a cyborg-in-waiting?

jwhouk · « **Reply #94 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 20:01 »

Quote from: St.Clair on 19 Oct 2010, 19:30

Hannelore can't be the Cybernetic Princess Queen, that's Kimiko's job/destiny.

I forgot the exact quote, thanks for reminding me.

Tormuse · « **Reply #95 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 22:13 »

Quote from: westrim on 19 Oct 2010, 11:45

Quote from: Tormuse on 19 Oct 2010, 11:18

Okay, can I request that we stop directing such hostility at people who ask questions? Especially since the knowledge of what a singularity is doesn't invalidate the question of what "the" singularity is in this case. The above-quoted posts are just mean-spirited, uncalled-for, and make for an uncomfortable atmosphere on the forum.

Even with the help of Google, the meaning of today's comic is unclear and even if it wasn't, there's no reason to belittle people for stating that they don't get it. I don't come on this forum very often, but it would be nice if I could visit without fear of being insulted for asking what I consider to be innocuous questions.

Google is an excellent resource for knowledge of anything and everything you can imagine, (and some things you'd rather not imagine) but there's no reason this forum can't be treated as a resource for knowledge about the comic. I mean why wouldn't it be?

Nope. I mean, you can ask, but I won't comply I'm fine with people asking questions, but asking questions while clearly showing that you did not put the slightest effort into finding the answer before asking is rightfully ridiculed. If they were asking about the comic, that would be okay. It would also be fine if they asked about it saying "I don't get it and google didn't help. Wth are they talking about?" But this, asking us about a term obviously not native to the comic, is annoying and should be treated as such.

I disagree. I don't find it annoying. In fact, I'd say it's a perfectly logical question to ask, considering this is a thread specifically designed for discussing the comic. I guarantee you that the people who posted those questions weren't the only ones who didn't get the comic. Someone has to be the first one to ask the question in order to get the ball rolling in terms of discussion. Why would you ridicule someone simply for being the first person to ask it? For that matter, why do you find the question so annoying?

Quote from: westrim on 19 Oct 2010, 11:45

Quote from: someone1074 on 19 Oct 2010, 11:27
Thank you, Tormuse. Beat me to it.

That giant "GOOGLE IT" is so fucking ostentatious too...

But it got your attention, didn't it? I dislike people messing with font sizes/colors (there's someone here that makes every post yellow), but occasionally it's useful for emphasis.

It did get people's attention, but useful for what exactly? It certainly created an air of irritation and discomfort as I indicated above, but it didn't answer the question or prove that you had the answer or means of finding it. The way I see it, all it did was insult people without contributing any useful information.

Quote from: westrim on 19 Oct 2010, 11:45

Quote from: Dliessmgg on 19 Oct 2010, 03:36
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Techno logical_singularity

Hey, I said no telling!

What a coincidence! I also made a request today that wasn't complied with. Life's unfair, eh?

Kugai · « **Reply #96 on:** 20 Oct 2010, 00:13 »

Great mental imagery Tai.

That's gonna cramp Marten's style tonight.

srpilha · « **Reply #97 on:** 20 Oct 2010, 00:20 »

my, how crude the comic today, eh?

I'm a little surprised at Tai's comment; I mean, Dora wouldn't be the first bi or straight woman she'd go down on, would she?
(Also surprised Marten hadn't thought of it before. Has any guy not thought of that? And why is it / should it be a problem?)

If you're going to be haunted by the ghosts of jizzes past, you're in for a difficult sex life.

Promethean Sky · « **Reply #98 on:** 20 Oct 2010, 00:24 »

[insert deity here]DAMMIT JEPH! The comic was bad enough, but did that really have to be the title text. I was eating a bagel with cream cheese!

peterh · « **Reply #99 on:** 20 Oct 2010, 00:26 »

There must be a reason why Tai is the character that I like least. She does seem to be rather self-centered. Today's comic doesn't make it any easier to think otherwise.

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