1190: "Time"

[Helper]

Right I give up for the night. See you all in 14 newpix, and if you're not up to page 80 on here then I'll have a lot more free time than I expected tomorrow.

We've made 59 pages in 137 newpix, or about 0.43 pages per newpix. So you can expect 6 more pages when you wake up.

You can't simply divide. You also have to consider changing interest over time, and time of day, at a minimum.

[Stereo]

Where does that come from, any way? I haven't seen it on any twitter feeds or anything... Even if Randall actually did say that, he's hardly the most reliable source .

It's from a personal communication, as in, he asked me to post it.

[mojacardave]

Spoiler:

MULTI-BUMP (again - feel free to bump this post occasionally if I manage to tear myself away from here!)

Countdown to next update:

http://www.webcountdown.de/?a=gxMXfoy

Latest frame (auto updates):


Live updating GIF:

More complex program (with manual controls and a soundtrack!):

http://xkcd.aubronwood.com/

Explain XKCD (with a little more discussion on the comic, when the servers can take it):

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

If we're going to do the 915 thing, I suggest we go all the way and group certain frames into periods.
I suggest the following split:

000 - 009 : the debut or what? period: when nobody really knew what was going on
010 - 023 : the dark period: the darkness in the posts of the thread reached heights during these frames
024 - 044 : the sandcastle period: as the sandcastle started to appear, most of the darkness made disappeared.
045 - 074 : the period (second dark period): Initially, this was the 'female period' but I soon realised that would be a pleonasm. Also it was a pretty dark time on the thread.
075 - 087 : the happiness period: the couple is reunited and again the darkness fades.
088 - 105 : the male period: with a climax at frame 103: "the fall of man" frame
105 - 124 : the rebuild period (second sandcastle period).
125 - 136 : Age of the Slow Pixel
137 - NOW : The Great Expansion: Still in progress! How exciting!

Mojacar, I've been bumping an expanded version, as seen here.

Yeah I saw that one - I figured that Explain XKCD didn't really offer anything new, but I suppose it does have individual links to each picture in turn. The 'Time' picture from page one is pretty redundant. I'm sure everybody has access to the actual XKCD comic, and that image actually confuses a bit, when you look back through the thread, cos it's always up to date. And I didn't really think that the time periods were that useful. But I guess, within a spoiler tag, you might as well bump the whole block.

[buffygirl]

Wow, I leave the post for a day (checked last time at page 19) and this happens!
If anyone was wondering, my GIF was made so I could track all the updates without losing sleep. in the process I've been saving all the images I collect. (unix timestamp of when they were taken) the url is http://primis.org/time/ I have it check every 5 minutes for a new image, however, I think I'm going to have to speed that up soon... Any feedback on it would be nice too
the gif is still live updating:

Really? You've been absent since page 19???? Wow. Your .gif has been CENTRAL to my experience here! How awesome is that???

[buffygirl]

And one of my fav frames is just after he knocks down part of the castle and then throws a bit of sand in the air. I interpret that as a moment of frustration, like "dammit, look what I did! now I have to f***in fix it!"

That's just like you - praising a frame where something is broken!

no no no, not cuz it's broken. Cuz it's a human moment!

[buffygirl]

And one of my fav frames is just after he knocks down part of the castle and then throws a bit of sand in the air. I interpret that as a moment of frustration, like "dammit, look what I did! now I have to f***in fix it!"

That's just like you - praising a frame where something is broken!

no no no, not cuz it's broken. Cuz it's a human moment!

PS I'm a girl .... [BIG GRIN]

[Helper]

Where does that come from, any way? I haven't seen it on any twitter feeds or anything... Even if Randall actually did say that, he's hardly the most reliable source .

It's from a personal communication, as in, he asked me to post it.

That just makes it that much more suspect. Why can't he communicate with us directly? Is his line tapped? What the hell is going on? </tinfoil>

[Wraithlord]

And one of my fav frames is just after he knocks down part of the castle and then throws a bit of sand in the air. I interpret that as a moment of frustration, like "dammit, look what I did! now I have to f***in fix it!"

That's just like you - praising a frame where something is broken!

no no no, not cuz it's broken. Cuz it's a human moment!

Aka, because you like to break things.

[Fitzypyro]

When did "newpix" come about as a frame of time? I still like my half hours... newpix is more catchy though I must admit

[inhalvast]

Ok, related to the happenings of the thread, but completely unrelated to the comic.

Newpix sounds like it should be plural. So, a single unit I suggest should be a "newpic", retaining "newpix" as the plural.

Begin the discussion.

[Lord Cathbad]

Where does that come from, any way? I haven't seen it on any twitter feeds or anything... Even if Randall actually did say that, he's hardly the most reliable source .

It's from a personal communication, as in, he asked me to post it.

And I'm sorry if it sounds rude but... Who are you? Why does Randall talk to you specifically?

[Helper]

Ok, related to the happenings of the thread, but completely unrelated to the comic.

Newpix sounds like it should be plural. So, a single unit I suggest should be a "newpic", retaining "newpix" as the plural.

Begin the discussion.

We'll need to consult SI. And how long before we'll need to start using kilonewpix?

[TheMulattoMaker]

I humbly submit that we begin measuring time in "newpix", equal to thirty standard minutes.

Okay, right, it's hard to "humbly" quote myself, but gol-dang. I'm happy just to have been here during this magnificent thread. I have maybe 10-20 websites that I normally check daily- plus I'm a news junkie- and I have no frickin' idea what's going on in the world. I've been here all week. But wow... I think I accidently a meme.

Also that whole newpix thing had me ON THE FLOOR laughing. Bloody hilarious. Honestly. Give that man (or lady, don't wanna start another war ) a medal!!

Thanks! I do believe this is my first Intarwebz Medal!

Is there a wiki article on the unit of newpix yet?

Lemme know if somebody starts one. I can point to it when my wife says I never accomplish anything.

...I knew there was a reason I force myself to keep catching up on this thread. Somebody make a "COMIC 1190: I WAS THERE" shirt.

EDIT: Okay, I guess this is why the forum gives you that "hey other people have posted, read theirs first?" before letting me submit my comment. "Newpix" was under discussion while I was fishing out those old comments. For the record, I approve of the singular "newpic". But it's up to the committee.

[bouer]

English is confusing as it is, if newpic is singular I think the plural should be newpics.

[inhalvast]

Ok, related to the happenings of the thread, but completely unrelated to the comic.

Newpix sounds like it should be plural. So, a single unit I suggest should be a "newpic", retaining "newpix" as the plural.

Begin the discussion.

We'll need to consult SI. And how long before we'll need to start using kilonewpix?

Most likely in 1000 newpix, or one kilonewpix.

[Helper]

Ok, related to the happenings of the thread, but completely unrelated to the comic.

Newpix sounds like it should be plural. So, a single unit I suggest should be a "newpic", retaining "newpix" as the plural.

Begin the discussion.

We'll need to consult SI. And how long before we'll need to start using kilonewpix?

Most likely in 1000 newpix, or one kilonewpix.

Possibly. Unless it goes binary on us, like bits did. Or octal. Eeep.

[patzer]

[inhalvast]

Ok, related to the happenings of the thread, but completely unrelated to the comic.

Newpix sounds like it should be plural. So, a single unit I suggest should be a "newpic", retaining "newpix" as the plural.

Begin the discussion.

We'll need to consult SI. And how long before we'll need to start using kilonewpix?

Most likely in 1000 newpix, or one kilonewpix.

Possibly. Unless it goes binary on us, like bits did. Or octal. Eeep.

I'd rather not have that happen for our own sanity's sake.

[plumander]

Ugh, barely changed.

[riverssong]

Ugh, barely changed.

Are you kidding??? It visibly moved! By MORE THAN ONE PIXEL!!!!!




...so it has come to this.

[Helper]

I'd rather not have that happen for our own sanity's sake.

That ship ship sailed 140 newp-- er, three days ago.

[stupidtimesuck]

I really, really hate this comic now.

"Time" refers to the collective years Randall has stolen from all of us people who obsessively wait for each half-hour for the stupid thing to update.

Tossing out some wild numbers: I've probably wasted 3 or 4 hours watching the comic and reading forum posts, so let's surmise that the "average" xkcd fan has wasted 1 hour. Let's say there are 100,000 fans who've wasted that much time. That would be over 11 person-years so far! (I wouldn't be surprised if the actual number of hits times a few seconds to watch isn't near that by now...)

Theory: Randall is actually dead HIMSELF, and left instructions in his will to post this comic to slowly torture all of us as it updates for the next 20 or 30 years!

[Goggalor]

And also this thread must win the award for highest number of people looking at it, 443 guests plus 30-40 members I'd wager.

Randall controlling all of them by changing a couple of pixels once per newpix. The amount of productivity lost must reach millions of dollars by now

I think it was yesterday there was about 1000 people on the thread. ~950 guests and ~50 members.

I wonder how much money is being lost per newpix (or newpic)?

[stupidtimesuck]

English is confusing as it is, if newpic is singular I think the plural should be newpics.

Newpic is both the singular and plural; it's like sheep. One newpic, two newpic, three newpic...139 stupid newpic.

[BJ Nemeth]

It's a shame that the wrong image slipped thru to spoil the upcoming frames. It totally killed all the excitement that would be filling this forum right now with talk of flags and such.

[NoEdge]

I'd rather not have that happen for our own sanity's sake.

That ship ship sailed 140 newp-- er, three days ago.

Days? What are those?
From your 140 newp(ix, I'm assuming) comment, I'll assume that one day is... 46 2/3 newpix. What an impractical unit of measurement. Why would you use days?

[Helper]

I'd rather not have that happen for our own sanity's sake.

That ship ship sailed 140 newp-- er, three days ago.

Days? What are those?
From your 140 newp(ix, I'm assuming) comment, I'll assume that one day is... 46 2/3 newpix. What an impractical unit of measurement. Why would you use days?

Alas, it is a throwback to the time of ancient Mesopotamia; a godless, primitive people. That is say, they existed in the days before Randall and importantly, the rise of the great Time.

[TheMulattoMaker]

I'd rather not have that happen for our own sanity's sake.

That ship ship sailed 140 newp-- er, three days ago.

Days? What are those?
From your 140 newp(ix, I'm assuming) comment, I'll assume that one day is... 46 2/3 newpix. What an impractical unit of measurement. Why would you use days?

[buffygirl]

And one of my fav frames is just after he knocks down part of the castle and then throws a bit of sand in the air. I interpret that as a moment of frustration, like "dammit, look what I did! now I have to f***in fix it!"

That's just like you - praising a frame where something is broken!

no no no, not cuz it's broken. Cuz it's a human moment!

Aka, because you like to break things.

THBBBBT!!!!

[bouer]

I'd rather not have that happen for our own sanity's sake.

That ship ship sailed 140 newp-- er, three days ago.

Days? What are those?
From your 140 newp(ix, I'm assuming) comment, I'll assume that one day is... 46 2/3 newpix. What an impractical unit of measurement. Why would you use days?

I think days have something to do with the Outside. I don't know why anyone would care about the Outside when they could be inside watching a virtual sandcastle though.

[NoEdge]

I'd rather not have that happen for our own sanity's sake.

That ship ship sailed 140 newp-- er, three days ago.

Days? What are those?
From your 140 newp(ix, I'm assuming) comment, I'll assume that one day is... 46 2/3 newpix. What an impractical unit of measurement. Why would you use days?

I think days have something to do with the Outside. I don't know why anyone would care about the outside when they could be inside watching a virtual sandcastle though.

Outside? Is that like Mesopotamia? Isn't Mesopotamia gone? Has Outside been destroyed without our noticing?!
Oh well. At least we still have our sandcastle.

[Amida]

If only to break away from just simply lurking for a while, I will weigh in on the newpix vs newpic. I would go with the singular being newpic.

[buffygirl]

And one of my fav frames is just after he knocks down part of the castle and then throws a bit of sand in the air. I interpret that as a moment of frustration, like "dammit, look what I did! now I have to f***in fix it!"

That's just like you - praising a frame where something is broken!

no no no, not cuz it's broken. Cuz it's a human moment!

Aka, because you like to break things.

THBBBBT!!!!

Oh, and PS ..... It's the expression of frustration (the sand bits in the air) that I found expressive. Frustration is not destruction. Frustration is a natural response after having messed up.

[Helper]

Outside? Is that like Mesopotamia? Isn't Mesopotamia gone? Has Outside been destroyed without our noticing?!
Oh well. At least we still have our sandcastle.

I don't know. Nobody does. There is a large silicate-based piece of translucent material behind me that supposedly allows one to view the Outside, although I have never cared to look through it. And on occasional, the rooms feels warmer and is illuminated and I see what I can only assume to the Outside in the glare of my laptop screen, but I have always been similarly to frightened to look at the glare directly. From whence does the glare emerge, anyway?

EDIT: Also, sigged.

[TheMulattoMaker]

0.1 newpix until the new pic.

Wait. Did I just divide by zero?

[bouer]

I'd rather not have that happen for our own sanity's sake.

That ship ship sailed 140 newp-- er, three days ago.

Days? What are those?
From your 140 newp(ix, I'm assuming) comment, I'll assume that one day is... 46 2/3 newpix. What an impractical unit of measurement. Why would you use days?

I think days have something to do with the Outside. I don't know why anyone would care about the Outside when they could be inside watching a virtual sandcastle though.

Outside? Is that like Mesopotamia? Isn't Mesopotamia gone? Has Outside been destroyed without our noticing?!
Oh well. At least we still have our sandcastle.

It's no wonder Mesopotamia and the Outside are destroyed. The inhabitants don't seem very smart; they had units to measure time before Time even existed.

[Wraithlord]

Outside? Is that like Mesopotamia? Isn't Mesopotamia gone? Has Outside been destroyed without our noticing?!
Oh well. At least we still have our sandcastle.

I don't know. Nobody does. There is a large silicate-based piece of translucent material behind me that supposedly allows one to view the Outside, although I have never cared to look through it. And on occasional, the rooms feels warmer and is illuminated and I see what I can only assume to the Outside in the glare of my laptop screen, but I have always been similarly to frightened to look at the glare directly. From whence does the glare emerge, anyway?

EDIT: Also, sigged.

This Outside you speak of must be a strange and wonderful place. I would like to journey to it to see this illumination you talk about.

[NoEdge]

Outside? Is that like Mesopotamia? Isn't Mesopotamia gone? Has Outside been destroyed without our noticing?!
Oh well. At least we still have our sandcastle.

I don't know. Nobody does. There is a large silicate-based piece of translucent material behind me that supposedly allows one to view the Outside, although I have never cared to look through it. And on occasional, the rooms feels warmer and is illuminated and I see what I can only assume to the Outside in the glare of my laptop screen, but I have always been similarly to frightened to look at the glare directly. From whence does the glare emerge, anyway?

EDIT: Also, sigged.

Maybe it's fire. The world is burning. It's dark behind me. Maybe the fires have been put out. Maybe it's all gone.
Now there is nothing to distract us from watching a sandcastle change, one pixel at a time.

[Sappharos]

Meanwhile, the scene pans to bring into view... MORE SAND!!!

[patzer]