1190: "Time"

[franko553]

Looking back through the archived frames...

For a few frames right before he left, the guy looked off to the right, over the water.
The girl did the same thing before she left.

Any theories as to what they saw?

[hdhale]

So basically the poor bastard finished the castle, was in the process of climbing down from it, slipped/tripped and fell and manage the damage it, including destroying one of the original towers. Now he's making repairs and changing the design a bit as he goes...I can see I'm going to have a distraction all day today.

[Grepus]

I am an idiot who didn't read the confirmation message which stated that my post needed approving, so I posted it again further down... I hang my head in shame.

[Fitzypyro]

How developed would it have to be to draw stick figures and sand castles in various states of building? The algorithm could do the bulk of the work, and Randall could manually draw bits and pieces here and there to make it seem more "human".

Or perhaps this comic is the product of a number of years of work? There could still be hundreds of unserved hand-drawn images 'in the queue'.

Perhaps (even) it was lovingly constructed in the form of a .gif, one layer of which is served up to us every half hour, only to be stuck back into another .gif - now there's poetry!

Oh dear don't start pulling inception things on us. I like the idea of it being a long time project. As many people have tried to pin it to his wife's cancer it could very well be a story of what has happened in his life. As always though we are left wondering what the future will hold.
Wait for it.
EDIT: Ooooh Page 40!

[davidy22]

<plug>Or you could come see our archived records on the explainxkcd wiki, lovingly hand-crafted and time-stamped for your convenience!

http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.p ... 1190:_Time</plug>

YEAH!! AWESOME!!!!

Well... if they actually worked. (*COUGH* http://xkcd.aubronwood.com/ *COUGH*)

Nah, ours isn't the product of a script. We do the image collection manually, and write narration and discussion of the comic on the side. It's a complete archive, and I can't help but notice that we tend to be at least half and hour ahead of aubronwood with our updates. Our servers are getting thrashed though, probably as a result of all the people typing "explain newest xkcd" into Google and coming up with us.

[mojacardave]

<plug>Or you could come see our archived records on the explainxkcd wiki, lovingly hand-crafted and time-stamped for your convenience!

http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.p ... 1190:_Time</plug>

YEAH!! AWESOME!!!!

Well... if they actually worked. (*COUGH* http://xkcd.aubronwood.com/ *COUGH*)

I'm just not 100% how Aubron is ripping the image data. If it's set to read the URL from the XKCD page and then link to it, it's possible that the latest twerk to the comic page will damage the algorithm, and we may end up with multiple identical frames at the end of the sequence. The comic for 1190 now just has an image URL of time.png - I'm fairly certain that it was originally linking to the obscured image URLs directly.

[belliott4488]

I probably spent a half-day wandering around in the Click and Drag comic. This one has had me going for more than two days, now ... and who knows how much longer this will go on??

(I'm loving every minute of it, too. )

[hdhale]

Looking back through the archived frames...

For a few frames right before he left, the guy looked off to the right, over the water.
The girl did the same thing before she left.

Any theories as to what they saw?

Humans tend to stare off into the distance when near a large body of water. Something hard wired in us I think. Indeed, at times its difficult not to look.

[SWuh]

Nah, ours isn't the product of a script. We do the image collection manually, and write narration and discussion of the comic on the side. It's a complete archive, and I can't help but notice that we tend to be at least half and hour ahead of aubronwood with our updates. Our servers are getting thrashed though, probably as a result of all the people typing "explain newest xkcd" into Google and coming up with us.

Yeah I get that, and would probably prefer yours if I could ever actually view it at the moment (which I totally can't - servers!) - so for me at this moment in time? Aubronwood is my goto

I'm just not 100% how Aubron is ripping the image data. If it's set to read the URL from the XKCD page and then link to it, it's possible that the latest twerk to the comic page will damage the algorithm, and we may end up with multiple identical frames at the end of the sequence. The comic for 1190 now just has an image URL of time.png - I'm fairly certain that it was originally linking to the obscured image URLs directly.

I have my fingers crossed that he's ripping and storing, I really do. He's done everything else right!!

EDIT: How sexist, assuming 'he', sorry if you're female, Aubron!

[belliott4488]

... The comic for 1190 now just has an image URL of time.png - I'm fairly certain that it was originally linking to the obscured image URLs directly.

When I go to "http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/time.png" I get redirected to http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/time/3c3566 ... 299036.png

Is that what you see?

[Fitzypyro]

... The comic for 1190 now just has an image URL of time.png - I'm fairly certain that it was originally linking to the obscured image URLs directly.

When I go to "http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/time.png" I get redirected to http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/time/3c3566 ... 299036.png

Is that what you see?

Well we see what we see. I am seeing the same image on that and the actual comic page. and its definitely the most recent one.

[mojacardave]

... The comic for 1190 now just has an image URL of time.png - I'm fairly certain that it was originally linking to the obscured image URLs directly.

When I go to "http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/time.png" I get redirected to http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/time/3c3566 ... 299036.png

Is that what you see?

Yes, absolutely, but if Aubron is just storing a link to 'time.png', then every frame from this point onwards will always update to match the latest image.

[daef]

is he fapping?

[Fitzypyro]

New Page!
Goodnight everyone. Im going to go crazy if i dont leave.

[SWuh]

RANDALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did I seriously just wait half an hour to see him raise his head a little? For God's sake!!

<addict>But now I have suffered through a crappy frame the next one will surely be the big hit I've been waiting for!!</addict>

[mojacardave]

Nah, ours isn't the product of a script. We do the image collection manually, and write narration and discussion of the comic on the side. It's a complete archive, and I can't help but notice that we tend to be at least half and hour ahead of aubronwood with our updates. Our servers are getting thrashed though, probably as a result of all the people typing "explain newest xkcd" into Google and coming up with us.

Yeah I get that, and would probably prefer yours if I could ever actually view it at the moment (which I totally can't - servers!) - so for me at this moment in time? Aubronwood is my goto

I'm just not 100% how Aubron is ripping the image data. If it's set to read the URL from the XKCD page and then link to it, it's possible that the latest twerk to the comic page will damage the algorithm, and we may end up with multiple identical frames at the end of the sequence. The comic for 1190 now just has an image URL of time.png - I'm fairly certain that it was originally linking to the obscured image URLs directly.

I have my fingers crossed that he's ripping and storing, I really do. He's done everything else right!!

EDIT: How sexist, assuming 'he', sorry if you're female, Aubron!

I assumed that Aubron was female, based on the (somewhat ambiguous) name, but I've been avoiding definitive pronouns!

I can occasionally access Explain XKCD, but I prefer the interface that Aubron has built, even though it updates slightly less quickly. Explain XKCD requires manual clicking on each individual image link to access - the stepthrough approach works better. Plus, some of the images on that page seem to have been slightly distorted by the process.

UPDATE: Latest image (so similar to the previous it's unfair!)

[Grepus]

I was sure I had an account here, but can't seem to find it or any of the details... perhaps I dreamt it once. Anyways, a very long time lurker!

Just wanted to ask... does nobody else find it odd that when he left, they said goodbye to each other, but when she left she simply walks away?

[franko553]

I'm just not 100% how Aubron is ripping the image data. If it's set to read the URL from the XKCD page and then link to it, it's possible that the latest twerk to the comic page will damage the algorithm, and we may end up with multiple identical frames at the end of the sequence. The comic for 1190 now just has an image URL of time.png - I'm fairly certain that it was originally linking to the obscured image URLs directly.

I have my fingers crossed that he's ripping and storing, I really do. He's done everything else right!!

If you peek at Aubron's source page or check the request log, you can see that he is indeed linking to the images on the xkcd server instead of storing local copies.

He links to the full <hash>.png image file though, and not the time.png redirector so the past images remain visible.

I am assuming that he is grabbing and storing the location header from the 302 redirect at http://c.xkcd.com/redirect/comic/time. That is the easiest way to get the new hashes as they are released and is how I would have done it.

[Ayriannah]

Add me to the new-reg horde.

I've been reading this comic since I was ...twelve? I read the forums whenever I get particularly interested in a specific comic, and finally, after 39 pages, I've run out of patience at not being able to post. I've been ignoring the giant pile of legos I dug out of storage two days ago, and the massively engaging plot twist of my other favorite webcomic, all because this one is eating my life. It's spring break! I should not be sitting in my living room, watching pixels update on the half-hour.

And yet...new update! (no pics/links, it's my first post)

[SWuh]

I assumed that Aubron was female, based on the (somewhat ambiguous) name, but I've been avoiding definitive pronouns!

I can occasionally access Explain XKCD, but I prefer the interface that Aubron has built, even though it updates slightly less quickly. Explain XKCD requires manual clicking on each individual image link to access - the stepthrough approach works better. Plus, some of the images on that page seem to have been slightly distorted by the process.

I still always assume male for almost everything ever. It's terrible but I just can't help it!! (my apologies again, Aubron)

... I definitely prefer the interface, too. I like the step through and sometimes, when I am getting crazy with everything, I like to switch on the soundtrack. Also being able to see the numbers of the panels helps me to realise that there is (and has been, and will be) progress. I find it hard to look at the comic page or the gif because I never feel like we're getting anywhere. With numbers, I do.

EDIT: Double Double Post Post

If you peek at Aubron's source page or check the request log, you can see that he is indeed linking to the images on the xkcd server instead of storing local copies.

He links to the full <hash>.png image file though, and not the time.png redirector so the past images remain visible.

I am assuming that he is grabbing and storing the location header from the 302 redirect at http://c.xkcd.com/redirect/comic/time. That is the easiest way to get the new hashes as they are released and is how I would have done it.

In that case my fingers are still very much crossed!! It would be a shame for it to break now, after so much 'Time' has passed and all has gone so well. I am sure it will be fixed if it ever breaks, anyway. Not sure what I would do now without that page!! (what an embarrassing thing to have to say!)

[Jonas79]

Hi all *waves*. I've been reading xkcd since 2007, but never registered on the forums.

Anyway, Cueball was gone somewhere for 24 frames and Megan has been gone for a total of 30 frames now. Any guesses on when Megan will be back (if she will be back?). My guess is that she'll be back after 36 frames, so six more frames with Cueball alone.

[willyshop]

Is anyone else bothered by the fact that there are no tides? They must be on some kind of lake.

[davepermen]

Aubron Wood is male. How to find out? Just check out his website by removing the xkcd part..

[morgothcr]

If Randall had a highly developed artificial intelligence under his control, I suspect he'd be using it for more devious purposes than drawing an eternal comic.

More devious than the thousands of man-hours wasted* monitoring this comic, and all the mental anguish caused by the theories that have been created from it? I fail to see how could he top that

*Not really "wasted", as this comic has been an exciting and emotional experience, but seen from the outside, people could say the time invested by us on it has been, in fact, gone to waste...

[Magdiragdag]

EDIT: How sexist, assuming 'he', sorry if you're female, Aubron!

I assumed that Aubron was female, based on the (somewhat ambiguous) name, but I've been avoiding definitive pronouns!

Maybe Aubron's gender could be established by visiting http://aubronwood.com and look at the about-page?

[Fredski]

We all know the level of work Randall has put into previous projects, be it Click and Drag, or some of the more intense graphs. If he applied a similar amount of time on this project as he has a graph like Money, this animation could well go on for more than a month, even more.

Everybody is assuming he might be drawing this as it unfolds, whereas I think its much more plausible he has been preparing and drawing this on and off for a very long time already.

Regardless, I am loving the simplicity and beauty of the story - Up to everybody's personal interpretation of every frame.

[mojacardave]

If you peek at Aubron's source page or check the request log, you can see that he is indeed linking to the images on the xkcd server instead of storing local copies.

He links to the full <hash>.png image file though, and not the time.png redirector so the past images remain visible.

I am assuming that he is grabbing and storing the location header from the 302 redirect at http://c.xkcd.com/redirect/comic/time. That is the easiest way to get the new hashes as they are released and is how I would have done it.

In that case my fingers are still very much crossed!! It would be a shame for it to break now, after so much 'Time' has passed and all has gone so well. I am sure it will be fixed if it ever breaks, anyway. Not sure what I would do now without that page!! (what an embarrassing thing to have to say!)

Yep: it definitely works. The latest images are represented by hashes, just like every image before them. No worries. (Phew!)

[SWuh]

Aubron Wood is male. How to find out? Just check out his website by removing the xkcd part..

Yeah, that was too much research for me to do!! I was too busy looking at the never-changing xkcd comic page

Maybe Aubron's gender could be established by visiting http://aubronwood.com and look at the about-page?

Well HELLOOOO Mr Aubron. Wonder if he's single?

Yep: it definitely works. The latest images are represented by hashes, just like every image before them. No worries. (Phew!)

Praise the Lord! Very happy bunny here right now!!

[davidy22]

Nah, ours isn't the product of a script. We do the image collection manually, and write narration and discussion of the comic on the side. It's a complete archive, and I can't help but notice that we tend to be at least half and hour ahead of aubronwood with our updates. Our servers are getting thrashed though, probably as a result of all the people typing "explain newest xkcd" into Google and coming up with us.

Yeah I get that, and would probably prefer yours if I could ever actually view it at the moment (which I totally can't - servers!) - so for me at this moment in time? Aubronwood is my goto.

We've put up a donate button and a single unobtrusive AdSense ad, and we plan on upgrading our servers soon to deal better with heavier loads. Good god, the latest comic is brutal.

I can occasionally access Explain XKCD, but I prefer the interface that Aubron has built, even though it updates slightly less quickly. Explain XKCD requires manual clicking on each individual image link to access - the stepthrough approach works better. Plus, some of the images on that page seem to have been slightly distorted by the process.

Our current interface is a WIP. We're going to form the whole thing into a table on the page, but it's just too heavy on our server to do right now. We were also notified of the distortion, and have since dealt with the issue.

[squonk]

I predict that they will jump the shark ten frames from now. Literally.

[Magdiragdag]

Shall I wait for the next update another half halfhour or shall I go out?

[peewee_RotA]

(my apologies again, Aubron)

#1 English lacks a neutral personal pronoun, the traditional approach is to use the male pronoun in place of a neutral option. This is not assuming gender, it is the opposite.

#2 Assuming that a dude is a girl based on his name is a lot more insulting than following proper English.

[Dracomax]

I predict that they will jump the shark ten frames from now. Literally.

no, no, no. The shark will jump them, thus proving the entire thing takes place in a 1990s comedian's version of Soviet Russia. This whole thing is just a setup to an obscure and dated joke.

[SWuh]

(my apologies again, Aubron)

#1 English lacks a neutral personal pronoun, the traditional approach is to use the male pronoun in place of a neutral option. This is not assuming gender, it is the opposite.

#2 Assuming that a dude is a girl based on his name is a lot more insulting than following proper English.

So basically I am on the right side of etiquette? Awesome. No more worries. Also he's a dude, so it all worked out fine in the end anyway *PHEW*

[higgs-boson]

Hum.... Another idea.

Spoiler:

From this Friday on (until September) Weston super Mare hosts the sand sculpture festival (official slow loading page here). Maybe we can pin Megan's current location to England. This year's motto: Hollywood.

No, that does not put Minas Tirith into play by default.
And it does not look like Hogwarts, either.
And Erebor is completely out of scope.

I should attend my cinematic lessons a bit more often.

[SWuh]

Shall I wait for the next update another half halfhour or shall I go out?

Go out. I am on the verge of making a decision to go and pack my bag for the night. I am thinking another *checks* 9mins and 17secs and I will do

[davidy22]

Also, a little trivia from the page hits rankings on the explainxkcd wiki:

1. Main Page‏‎ (877,791 views)
2. 1110: Click and Drag‏‎ (116,301 views)
3. 1190: Time‏‎ (74,809 views)
4. List of all comics‏‎ (58,092 views)
5. 1094: Interview‏‎ (34,641 views)
6. 1090: Formal Languages‏‎ (32,214 views)
7. 1143: Location‏‎ (30,364 views)

This is all-time rankings. Yep. Time is a *pretty* big deal. Also, donate to us if you want us to buy better servers! We don't earn any money from the wiki, so we're kinda reliant on outside income (our jobs) or donations to keep the wiki running smoothly.

[mojacardave]

(my apologies again, Aubron)

#1 English lacks a neutral personal pronoun, the traditional approach is to use the male pronoun in place of a neutral option. This is not assuming gender, it is the opposite.

#2 Assuming that a dude is a girl based on his name is a lot more insulting than following proper English.

Hence why I avoided gender-specific pronouns altogether. 'He' as an 'unknown-gender' alternative is perhaps accepted, but maybe a little outdated. 'They' is probably a better choice, if not quite as pleasant grammatically.

Assuming that Aubron was a girl and actually using 'she' as my pronoun would have maybe been a little insulting, but I don't think: not recognising the name Aubron, guessing the wrong gender but not being sure, and avoiding pronouns for that reason, is particularly bad.

[norcimo]

Just another poor addict delurking (*wave*) to say how awesome this comic is. And that my life is now split into neat, half hour chunks (mainly punctuated by reading this thread). I'm beginning to seriously worry that this thing is going to keep going to April 1, which will make my long Easter weekend a bit trickier

[SWuh]

Hence why I avoided gender-specific pronouns altogether. 'He' as an 'unknown-gender' alternative is perhaps accepted, but maybe a little outdated. 'They' is probably a better choice, if not quite as pleasant grammatically.

Assuming that Aubron was a girl and actually using 'she' as my pronoun would have maybe been a little insulting, but I don't think: not recognising the name Aubron, guessing the wrong gender but not being sure, and avoiding pronouns for that reason, is particularly bad.

I think we should both just say that we both did the right thing and as a result are both in the clear?

Especially since he's a guy anyway