Examine individual changes

'{{DISPLAYTITLE:''xkcd''}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}} {{Use American English|date=December 2012}} {{Infobox comic strip | title = xkcd | italic title = no | image = [[File:xkcd philosophy.png]] | caption = Panel from "Philosophy"<ref group="‡" name="comic220">{{cite web|last= Munroe |first= Randall |work= xkcd |url= https://xkcd.com/220/ |title= Philosophy |date=February 7, 2007|accessdate=February 26, 2016}}</ref> | author = [[Randall Munroe]] | url = [https://xkcd.com/ xkcd.com] | status = Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays | first = {{start date and age|2005|09}}<ref name="telegraph1">{{cite web|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/6509550/The-10-best-webcomics-from-Achewood-to-XKCD.html | title =The 10 best webcomics, from Achewood to XKCD| work = [[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |last=Chivers|first=Tom|date= November 6, 2009|accessdate= December 7, 2015}}</ref> | genre = [[Geek]] humor }} '''''xkcd''''', sometimes styled '''''XKCD''''',<ref name="aboutxkcd" group="‡">{{cite web|last=Munroe|first=Randall|work=xkcd|title=About xkcd|url=https://xkcd.com/about/|date=September 11, 2010|accessdate=December 4, 2014}}</ref> is a [[webcomic]] created by American author [[Randall Munroe]]. The comic's [[tagline]] describes it as "A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language".<ref group ="‡">{{cite web|url= https://xkcd.com/ |title= xkcd |first= Randall |last= Munroe |work= xkcd |accessdate=October 7, 2014}}</ref><ref name=Boston.com>{{cite web |last1= Arthur |first1= Charles |last2= Schofield |first2= Jack |last3= Keegan |first3= Victor |title= 100 top sites for the year ahead |url= https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2008/dec/18/internet-websites |work= The Guardian |accessdate= December 4, 2014 |date= December 17, 2008 |display-authors= etal}}</ref> Munroe states on the comic's website that the name of the comic is not an [[initialism]] but "just a word with no phonetic pronunciation". The subject matter of the comic varies from statements on life and love to [[Mathematical joke|mathematical]], [[Programming language|programming]], and [[science|scientific]] [[in-joke]]s. Some strips feature simple humor or [[pop-culture]] references. Although it has a cast of [[stick figures]],<ref name = "Guzman">{{cite web|url= http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/article/What-s-Online-1237022.php |title=What's Online|work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] |first=Mónica|last=Guzmán|page=D7|date=May 11, 2007 | accessdate =May 30, 2008|quote=Created by math and programming geek Randall Munroe, the ''xkcd'' comic updates every Monday with a new adventure for its cast of oddball stick figures.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Ad Lib, Section: Ticket | work= Kalamazoo Gazette | publisher = [[Booth Newspapers]]| date = August 17, 2006}}</ref> the comic occasionally features landscapes and intricate mathematical patterns such as [[fractal]]s, graphs, and [[chart]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.ohnorobot.com/index.pl?s=%22parody+week%22&Search=Search&comic=56&e=0&n=0&b=0&m=0&d=0&t=0 |title=xkcd.com search: "parody week" |publisher=Ohnorobot | accessdate =December 21, 2011}}</ref> New cartoons are added three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.<ref name="aboutxkcd" group ="‡" /><ref name="redhat">{{cite web|url=https://www.redhat.com/magazine/025nov06/features/xkcd/ |title=xkcd: A comic strip for the computer geek |work=Red Hat Magazine |last=Fernandez |first=Rebecca |date=November 25, 2006 |accessdate=March 6, 2007 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070306204348/http://www.redhat.com/magazine/025nov06/features/xkcd/ |archivedate=March 6, 2007 }}</ref> Munroe has released two [[spin-off (media)|spinoff]] books from the comic. His 2014 book ''[[What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions|What If?]]'' is based on his blog of the same name that answers unusual science questions from readers in a light-hearted but scientifically grounded way.<ref group="‡">{{cite web| url= http://whatif.xkcd.com/book/| title= What If? – The Book | first = Randall | last = Munroe|website=whatif.xkcd.com|accessdate=December 7, 2015}}</ref><ref group="‡" name="whatifblog">{{cite web|url=http://blog.xkcd.com/2014/03/12/what-if-i-wrote-a-book/|title=What if I wrote a book?|last=Munroe|first=Randall|website=blog.xkcd.com|date=March 12, 2014|accessdate=October 7, 2014}}</ref><ref name="geekwhatif">{{cite web|url=http://www.geek.com/news/xkcd-what-if-book-announced-by-randall-munroe-1587613/|title=XKCD ‘What if?’ book announced by Randall Munroe |website=geek.com|first=Russell|last=Holly|date=March 12, 2014|accessdate=October 7, 2014}}</ref> The What If column on the site is updated with new articles from time to time. His 2015 book ''Thing Explainer'' explains scientific concepts using only the [[Basic English|one thousand most commonly used words in English]].<ref group="‡" name="things explainer blog">{{cite web | url=http://blog.xkcd.com/2015/05/13/new-book-thing-explainer/ | title=New book: Thing Explainer | last=Munroe | first=Randall | website=blog.xkcd.com | date=13 May 2015 | accessdate=7 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cnet.com/news/xkcd-cartoonists-new-book-thing-explainer/ | title=XKCD cartoonist's new book: 'Thing Explainer' | publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] | work=[[CNET]] | date=13 May 2015 | accessdate=28 September 2015 | author=Shankland, Stephen}}</ref> == History == [[File:XkcdMunroe.jpg|thumb|[[Randall Munroe]], the creator of ''xkcd'']] As a student, Munroe often drew charts, maps, and "stick figure battles" in the [[Margin (typography)|margins]] of his school notebooks, besides solving mathematical problems unrelated to his classes. By the time he graduated from [[university]], Munroe's "piles of notebooks" became too large and he started [[Image scanner|scanning]] the images.<ref name=digitalart>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/news/illustration/interview-xkcds-creator-tells-us-im-lucky-have-readers-at-all/?pn=3|publisher=''DigitalArts''|title=Interview: XKCD's creator tells us "I’m lucky to have readers at all"|last=Ryberg|first=Jonas|date=2013-11-13}}</ref> ''xkcd'' began in September 2005, when Munroe decided to scan his [[doodle]]s and put them on his personal [[website]]. According to Munroe, the comic's name has no particular significance and is simply a four-letter word without a phonetic pronunciation, something he describes as "a treasured and carefully guarded point in the space of four-character [[String (computer science)|strings]]." In January 2006, the comic was split off into its own website, created in collaboration with Derek Radtke.<ref name=nytimes>{{Cite news |last=Cohen |first=Noam |title=This Is Funny Only if You Know Unix |work=[[The New York Times]] |accessdate=September 25, 2008 |date=May 26, 2008 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/26/business/media/26link.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss }}</ref> In May 2007, the comic garnered widespread attention by depicting online communities in geographic form. Various websites were drawn as continents, each sized according to their relative popularity and located according to their general subject matter.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/were-looking-at-each-other-and-its-not-a-pretty-sight/article759732/page2/ | title=We're looking at each other, and it's not a pretty sight |work=Globe and Mail |location=Canada | date=May 18, 2007 | accessdate=April 21, 2011 | author=Tossell, Ivor | page=2}}</ref> This put ''xkcd'' at number two on the Syracuse [[The Post-Standard|''Post-Standard'']]'s "The new hotness" list.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://blog.syracuse.com/newstracker/2007/05/postscript_upstateblogroll.html | title=PostScript: Upstate Blogroll, New Hotness, and more | last=Cubbison | first=Brian | date=May 5, 2007 | accessdate=August 7, 2011}}</ref> By 2008, ''xkcd'' was able to financially support Munroe and Radtke "reasonably well" through the sale of multiple thousand T-shirts per month.<ref name=nytimes /> On September 19, 2012, "Click and Drag" was published, which featured a panel which can be explored via clicking and dragging its insides.<ref group="‡" name="comic1110">{{cite web|last=Munroe|first=Randall|work=xkcd|url=https://xkcd.com/1110/|title=Click and Drag|date=September 19, 2012|accessdate=May 18, 2013}}</ref> It immediately triggered positive response on social websites and forums.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/19/click-and-drag-xkcd-web-comic_n_1897617.html|accessdate=September 22, 2012|newspaper=Huffington Post|date=September 9, 2012 |title='Click And Drag,' XKCD Webcomic, Rewards Explorers (IMAGES)}}</ref> The large image nested in the panel measures 165,888 pixels wide by 79,822 pixels high.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.themarysue.com/xkcd-click-and-drag-comic/ |title=Everything You Need to Know About xkcd Comic "Click and Drag" |publisher=Geekosystem |date=September 19, 2012 |accessdate=December 15, 2012}}</ref> Munroe later described it as "probably the most popular one I ever put on the Internet", as well as placing it among his own favorites.<ref name=digitalart /> [[Time (xkcd)|"Time"]] began publication at midnight [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] on March 25, 2013, with the comic's image updating every 30 minutes until March 30, when they began to change every hour, lasting for over four months. The images constitute [[time lapse]] [[Film frame|frames]] of a story, with the [[mouseover]] text originally reading "Wait for it.", later changed to "RUN." and changed again to "The end." on July 26. The story began with a male and female character building a [[Sand art and play|sandcastle]] complex on a beach who then embark on an adventure to learn the secrets of the sea. On July 26, the comic superimposed a frame (3094) with the phrase "The End". Tasha Robinson of ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' wrote of the comic: "<nowiki>[...]</nowiki> the kind of nifty experiment that keeps people coming back to XKCD, which at its best isn't a strip comic so much as an idea factory and a shared experience".<ref>{{cite web|last=Dyess |first=Phil |url=http://www.avclub.com/article/check-outem-xkcdems-epic-multi-day-animation-comic-95486 |title=Check out XKCD’s epic multi-day animation comic · The A.V. Club |publisher=Avclub.com |date= |accessdate=November 20, 2013}}</ref> [[Cory Doctorow]] mentioned "Time" in a brief article on ''[[Boing Boing]]'' on April 7, saying the comic was "coming along nicely". The 3,099-panel "Time" comic ended on July 26, 2013, and was followed by a blog post summarizing the journey.<ref group="‡">{{cite web|url=https://blog.xkcd.com/2013/07/29/1190-time/|title=1190: Time|last=Munroe|first=Randall|website=blog.xkcd.com|date=July 29, 2013|accessdate=February 18, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Wired-20130802">{{cite web |last=Hudson |first=Laura |title=Creator of xkcd Reveals Secret Backstory of His Epic 3,099-Panel Comic |url=https://www.wired.com/2013/08/xkcd-time-comic/ |date=August 2, 2013 |work=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |accessdate=August 2, 2013 }}</ref> In 2014, it won the Hugo Award in the Best Graphic Story category. Around 2007, Munroe drew all the comics on paper, then scanned and processed them on a tablet computer (a [[Fujitsu Lifebook]]).<ref group="‡">{{Cite web|url=https://blog.xkcd.com/2007/03/15/in-which-i-lose-the-originals-of-the-last-three-months-of-comics-and-the-laptop-i-create-them-with/|title=In which I lose the originals of the last three months of comics and the laptop I create them with.|last=Munroe|first=Randall|website=blog.xkcd.com|date=March 16, 2007|accessdate=13 April 2017}}</ref> As of 2014, he was using a [[Cintiq]] graphics tablet for drawing (like many other cartoonists), alongside a laptop for coding tasks.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/xkcd-cartoonist-randall-munroe-what-if-20140902|title='XKCD' Cartoonist Randall Munroe Drops Mad Science|last=Edwards|first=Gavin|date=2014-09-02|work=Rolling Stone|access-date=2017-04-13}}</ref> ==Influences== [[File:Webcomic xkcd - Wikipedian protester.png|thumb|"Wikipedian Protester", with [[mouseover]] text "{{srlink|Wikipedia:Protection policy#Semi-protection|SEMI-PROTECT}} THE CONSTITUTION"<ref group="‡" name="comic285"/>]] <!--This mouseover text explicitly refers to WP Policy hence the use of srlink--> Munroe has been a fan of [[newspaper comic strips]] since childhood, describing ''xkcd'' as an "heir" to [[Charles M. Schulz]]'s ''[[Peanuts]]''. Despite this influence, ''xkcd''{{'}}s quirky and technical humor would have been difficult to syndicate in newspapers. In webcomics, Munroe has said that "one can draw something that appeals to 1 percent of the audience — 1 percent of United States, that is three million people, that is more readers than small cartoons can have." Munroe cited the lack of a need for editorial control due to the low bar of access to the Internet as "a salvation."<ref name=nytimes /> == Recurring themes == [[File:Malamanteau.png|thumb|"Malamanteau", with mouseover text "The article has twenty-three citations, one of which is an obscure manuscript from the 1490s and the other twenty-two are arguments on [[Language Log]]."<ref group="‡" name="comic739"/>]] While there is no specific storyline to the webcomic, there are some recurring themes and characters.<ref name="Gazette">{{cite news|url=http://www.usc.uwo.ca/gazette/archives/story.php?sect=arts&id=1837|title=Former NASA staffer creates comics for geeks|work=The Gazette|publisher=University of Western Ontario|first=Andrew|last=Moses|date=November 21, 2007|accessdate=November 22, 2007}}</ref> Recurring themes of ''xkcd'' include "technology, science, mathematics and relationships."<ref name=Boston.com /> ''xkcd'' frequently features jokes related to popular culture, such as ''[[Guitar Hero]]'', [[Facebook]], [[Vanilla Ice]], and [[Wikipedia in culture|Wikipedia]]. There are many strips opening with the words "My Hobby:", usually depicting the nondescript narrator character describing some type of humorous or quirky behavior. However, not all strips are intended to be humorous.<ref name="Gazette" /> Romance and relationships are frequent themes, and other ''xkcd'' strips consist of complex depictions of landscapes.<ref name="Gazette" /> Many ''xkcd'' strips refer to Munroe's "obsession" with potential [[velociraptor]] attacks.<ref name="thewhitonline">{{cite web| title=Geek humor: Nothing to be ashamed of| url=http://media.www.thewhitonline.com/media/storage/paper291/news/2007/04/05/Features/Geek-Humor.Nothing.To.Be.Ashamed.Of-2823945.shtml| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080203000441/http://media.www.thewhitonline.com/media/storage/paper291/news/2007/04/05/Features/Geek-Humor.Nothing.To.Be.Ashamed.Of-2823945.shtml| archivedate=February 3, 2008| last=O'Kane| first=Erin| work=The Whit Online|date=April 5, 2007| accessdate=April 23, 2007}}</ref> [[Wikipedia in culture|References to Wikipedia]] articles or to Wikipedia as a whole have occurred several times in ''xkcd''.<ref group="‡" name="comic285">{{cite web|last=Munroe|first=Randall|work=xkcd|url=https://xkcd.com/285/|title=Wikipedian Protester|date=July 4, 2007|accessdate=December 21, 2011}}</ref><ref group="‡" name="comic739">{{cite web|last=Munroe|first=Randall|work=xkcd|url=https://xkcd.com/739/ |title=Malamanteau|date=May 12, 2010 |accessdate=December 21, 2011}}</ref><ref group="‡" name="wiki related comics">Comics related to Wikipedia include: * {{cite web|last=Munroe|first=Randall|work=xkcd|url=https://xkcd.com/214/|title=The Problem with Wikipedia|date=January 24, 2007|accessdate=December 21, 2011}} * {{cite web|last=Munroe|first=Randall|work=xkcd|url=https://xkcd.com/978/|title=Citogenesis|date=November 16, 2011|accessdate=December 21, 2011}} * {{cite web|last=Munroe|first=Randall|work=xkcd|url=https://xkcd.com/446/|title=In Popular Culture|date=July 7, 2008|accessdate=December 21, 2011}} * {{cite web|last=Munroe|first=Randall|work=xkcd|url=https://xkcd.com/1167/|title=Star Trek into Darkness|date=January 30, 2013|accessdate=January 30, 2013}} * {{cite web|last=Munroe|first=Randall|work=xkcd|url=https://xkcd.com/1193/|title=Externalities|date=April 1, 2013|accessdate=April 1, 2013}} * {{cite web|last1=Munroe|first1=Randall|title=Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles|url=https://xkcd.com/1412/|work=xkcd|date=August 25, 2014|accessdate=August 25, 2014}}</ref> A facsimile of a made-up Wikipedia entry for "malamanteau" (a [[stunt word]] created by Munroe to poke fun at Wikipedia's writing style) provoked a controversy within Wikipedia that was picked up by various media.<ref>{{cite web | publisher = Slashdot | date= May 13, 2010 | accessdate = May 17, 2010 | url=https://slashdot.org/story/135596 | title = Wikipedia Is Not Amused By Entry For xkcd-Coined Word | author = ObsessiveMathsFreak}}</ref><ref name="globe">{{cite web |url = https://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/05/30/one_day_wonder/ |title = One-day wonder: How fast can a word become legit? |work = The Boston Globe |date = May 30, 2010 |accessdate = May 10, 2014 |author = McKean, Erin }}</ref> Another "Hobby" strip said that a donation between [[pro-life]] and [[pro-choice]] activists could be chosen by the word count in a Wikipedia article, which would probably cause huge controversy and the site to possibly crash. Almost all ''xkcd'' strips have a [[tooltip]] (specified using the <tt>title</tt> attribute in [[HTML]]), the text of which usually contains a secondary punchline or annotation related to that day's comic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1654&Itemid=56&issuedate=2007-09-14 | title=A comic you can’t pronounce|accessdate=September 16, 2007|first= Peter|last=Trinh|date=September 14, 2007|work=Imprint Online}}</ref> One of the only recurring characters is a man wearing a flat black hat. He is extremely [[Psychopathy|sociopathic]], and has dedicated his life to causing confusion and harm to others just for his own entertainment. He has no name, so most characters just call him "Black Hat". He got a girlfriend during the course of a small series called "Journal", and she is just as crazy as he is.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://xkcd.com/433/|title=xkcd: Journal 5|website=xkcd.com|access-date=2017-09-22}}</ref> One of the few other recurring characters is a man with a beret, sometimes, simply referred to as "Beret Guy." He seems to be naive, obsessed with bakeries, optimistic, and completely out of touch with reality. He runs a startup that makes incredible amounts of money, despite him not even knowing what they do. In one instance, he hired [[Lin-Manuel Miranda]] as an accountant and, in another instance, sprouted literal "endless wings."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://xkcd.com/1099/|title=xkcd: Tuesdays|website=xkcd.com|access-date=2017-10-02}}</ref> == Inspired activities == <!-- NOTE: do not add the thing about a meet up here again, it is already in the article! --> [[File:Richard Stallman attacked by ninjas, October 17, 2007.jpg|thumb|Hoax attack on [[Richard Stallman]] by students dressed as [[ninja]]s. <br />Inspired by "Open Source"<ref group="‡" name="comic225">{{cite web|last=Munroe|first=Randall|work=xkcd|title=Open Source|url=https://xkcd.com/225/|date=February 19, 2007|accessdate=November 17, 2007}}</ref>]] On several occasions, fans have been motivated by Munroe's comics to carry out, in real life, the subject of a particular drawing or sketch.<ref name=Gazette /> Some notable examples include: * [[Richard Stallman]] was confronted by students dressed as ninjas before speaking at the [[Yale Political Union]]<ref>{{cite news |url = http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2007/10/18/stallman-trumpets-free-software/ |title = Stallman trumpets free software |work = The Yale Daily News |first = Victor|last = Zapana|date = October 18, 2007|accessdate = October 19, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.yale.edu/ypu/blog.html |title = Richard Stallman Debate |work = Blog of the YPU |date = October 18, 2007 |accessdate = October 21, 2007 }}</ref> – inspired by "Open Source".<ref group="‡" name="comic225"/> * On September 23, 2007, hundreds of people gathered at Reverend Thomas J. Williams Park, {{Coord|42.39561|N|71.13051|W|display=inline}}, in [[North Cambridge, Massachusetts]], whose coordinates were mentioned in "Dream Girl".<ref group="‡" name="comic240">{{cite web |last = Munroe |first = Randall |work = xkcd |url = https://xkcd.com/240/ |title = Dream Girl |accessdate = May 13, 2010 |date = March 26, 2007 }}</ref> Munroe appeared, commenting, "Maybe wanting something does make it real", reversing the conclusion he drew in the last frame of the same strip.<ref name=Gazette /><ref name="Phoenix">{{cite web |last = Cohen |first = Georgiana |title = The wisdom of crowds |work = The Phoenix |url = http://thephoenix.com/Boston/News/48208-wisdom-of-crowds/ |date = September 26, 2007 |accessdate = September 27, 2007 }}</ref> This park is recognized by NASA's Spot The Station program, which provides information on viewing opportunities for the [[International Space Station]].<ref>{{cite web|title=NASA Spot The Station|url=http://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/view.cfm?country=United_States&region=Massachusetts&city=Munroe_Park#.U8k6z1a0bnc|publisher=[[NASA]]|accessdate=May 20, 2016}}</ref> *When ''xkcd'' strip "Time" won a [[Hugo award]] in the [[Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story|"Best Graphic Story" category]] in August 2014, it was accepted by [[Cory Doctorow]] on behalf of Munroe, dressing as Munroe had drawn him in an earlier strip, "1337: Part 5".<ref name="Cory at Hugo">{{cite web | url =http://io9.com/all-the-most-exciting-moments-from-the-2014-hugo-awards-1623035065 | title = All The Most Exciting Moments From The 2014 Hugo Awards! | publisher = [[io9]] | first = Charlie Jane | last = Anders | date = August 17, 2014 | accessdate = August 17, 2014 }}</ref><ref group="‡" name="comic239">{{cite web|last=Munroe|first=Randall|work=xkcd|title=Blagofaire|url=https://xkcd.com/239/|date=March 23, 2007|accessdate=November 17, 2007}}</ref> * ''xkcd'' readers began sneaking [[chess]] boards onto roller coasters after "Chess Photo" was published.<ref>{{cite news |first = Chun |last=Yu |title = The man hiding behind the raptor |url = https://thetartan.org/2007/11/12/pillbox/xkcd |publisher = The Tartan |date = November 12, 2007 |accessdate = November 12, 2007 }}</ref><ref group="‡">{{cite web |title = People Playing Chess on Roller Coasters |url = https://xkcd.com/chesscoaster/ |work = xkcd |accessdate = August 20, 2007 }}</ref> – inspired by "Chess Photo".<ref group="‡" name="comic249">{{cite web |last = Munroe |first = Randall |work = xkcd |url = https://xkcd.com/249/ |title = Chess Photo |date = April 16, 2007 |accessdate = December 21, 2011 }}</ref> * The game of "[[geohashing]]"<ref>{{cite web |url = http://wiki.xkcd.com/geohashing/ |title = Geohashing wiki |website = wiki.xkcd.com |accessdate = April 17, 2012 }}</ref> has gained more than 1,000 players,<ref>{{cite web |url = http://wiki.xkcd.com/geohashing/Maps_and_statistics |title = Maps and statistics |publisher = wiki.xkcd.com|accessdate = April 17, 2012 }}</ref> who travel to random coordinates calculated by the algorithm described in "Geohashing".<ref group="‡" name="comic426">{{cite web |last = Munroe |first = Randall |work = xkcd |url = https://xkcd.com/426/ |title = Geohashing |date = May 26, 2005 |accessdate = April 17, 2012 }}</ref> * In October 2007, a group of researchers at [[University of Southern California]] [[Information Sciences Institute]] conducted a census of the Internet and presented their data using a [[Hilbert curve]], which they claimed was inspired by an ''xkcd'' comic that used a similar technique.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/20390?t51hb |title = Researchers ping through first full 'Internet census' in 25 years |accessdate = October 10, 2007 |first = Paul |last=McNamara |date = October 9, 2007 |work = Buzzblog |publisher = Networkworld.com }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.isi.edu/news/story/178 |title = 62 Days + Almost 3 Billion Pings + New Visualization Scheme = the First Internet Census Since 1982 |accessdate = October 10, 2007 |date = October 9, 2007 |publisher = Information Science Institute }}</ref><ref group="‡" name="comic195">{{cite web |last = Munroe |first = Randall |work = xkcd |title = Map of the Internet |url = https://xkcd.com/195/ |date = December 11, 2006 |accessdate = October 10, 2007 }}</ref> Inspired by the same comic, the [[Carna Botnet]] used a Hilbert curve to present data in their 2012 Internet Census.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://internetcensus2012.bitbucket.org/paper.html |accessdate = May 8, 2014 |title = Internet Census 2012: Port scanning /0 using insecure embedded devices |deadurl = yes |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20151013010243/http://internetcensus2012.bitbucket.org/paper.html |archivedate = October 13, 2015 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> * Based on "Packages",<ref group="‡" name="comic576">{{cite web |last = Munroe |first = Randall |work = xkcd |url = https://xkcd.com/576/ |title = Packages |date = May 1, 2009 |accessdate = December 21, 2011 }}</ref> programmers have set up programs to automatically find an item for sale on the Internet for $1.00 every day.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://shaunwagner.com/projects_cc.html |title = csKw:projects:cheepcheep |publisher = Shaunwagner.com |accessdate = December 21, 2011 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20131022191106/http://shaunwagner.com/projects_cc.html |archivedate = October 22, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://bieh.net/2010/11/08/xkcd-576/ |title = xkcd #576 |work = bieh.net |date = November 8, 2010 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110723024714/http://bieh.net/2010/11/08/xkcd-576/ |archivedate = July 23, 2011 |accessdate = December 15, 2012 }}</ref> * In response to "Password Strength",<ref group="‡" name="comic936">{{cite web |last = Munroe |first = Randall |work = xkcd |url = http://xkcd.com/936/ |title = Password Strength |date = August 10, 2011 |accessdate = August 21, 2013 }}</ref> [[Dropbox (service)|Dropbox]] shows two messages reading "lol" and "Whoa there, don't take advice from a webcomic too literally ;)" when attempting to register with the password "correcthorsebatterystaple".<ref>{{cite web |url = https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2012/08/13/correcthorsebatterystaple-dropbox-wit/ |title = Correcthorsebatterystaple – the guys at Dropbox are funny |work = Naked Security |publisher = Sophos |first = Graham |last = Cluley|date = August 13, 2012 |accessdate = March 12, 2013 }}</ref> [[ArenaNet]] recommended that ''[[Guild Wars 2]]'' users create passwords following the guidelines of the same comic.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/mandatory-password-change-is-coming/ |title = Mandatory Password Change is Coming |publisher = GuildWars2.com |first = Martin |last = Kerstein|date = January 31, 2013 |accessdate = March 12, 2013 }}</ref> The website https://howsecureismypassword.net/ says one's password would be cracked 'Instantly' if 'correcthorsebatterystaple' is entered.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://steemit.com/passwords/@truthnews-de/popular-secure-passwords-hard-to-remember-but-easy-to-guess-for-computers|title=Popular "secure" Passwords: Hard to remember, but easy to guess for computers|date=August 17, 2016|accessdate=August 19, 2017|work=steemit}}</ref> * Inspired by the xkcd comic "Online Communities 2",<ref group="‡" name="comic802">{{cite web |last = Munroe |first = Randall |work = xkcd |url = https://xkcd.com/802/ |title = Online Communities 2 |date = October 6, 2010 |accessdate = December 23, 2015 }}</ref> Slovak artist [[Martin Vargic]] created the "Map of the Internet 1.0."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gizmodo.com/this-beautiful-map-of-the-internet-is-insanely-detailed-1512236854 |title=This Beautiful Map of the Internet Is Insanely Detailed |accessdate=2014-02-21 |last=Condliffe |first=Jamie |date=2014-01-30|publisher=''[[Gizmodo]]''}}</ref> * In 2008, Munroe posted a parody of the [[Discovery Channel]]'s ''[[I Love the World]]'' advertising campaign on ''xkcd'',<ref group="‡" name="comic442">{{cite web|last=Munroe|first=Randall|work=xkcd|url=https://xkcd.com/442/ | title=xkcd Loves the Discovery Channel | date=June 27, 2008|accessdate=June 27, 2008}}</ref> which was later reenacted by [[Neil Gaiman]], [[Wil Wheaton]], and [[Cory Doctorow]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://comicsalliance.com/neil-gaiman-wil-wheaton-reenact-xkcd-strip/ |title=Neil Gaiman, Wil Wheaton Reenact ‘XKCD’ Strip |publisher=''[[Comics Alliance]]'' |date=February 8, 2010 |accessdate=November 20, 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110232103/http://comicsalliance.com/neil-gaiman-wil-wheaton-reenact-xkcd-strip/ |archivedate=November 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> == Awards and recognition == [[File:Cory Doctorow @ eTech 2007.jpeg|thumb|first|[[Cory Doctorow]] wearing a red cape and a pair of goggles based on his appearance in ''xkcd''. Doctorow later wore the costume again while accepting a Hugo Award on Munroe's behalf.<ref name="Cory at Hugo" />]] ''xkcd'' has been recognized at various award ceremonies. In the 2008 [[Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards]], the webcomic was nominated for "Outstanding Use of the Medium", "Outstanding Short Form Comic", and "Outstanding Comedic Comic", and won "Outstanding Single Panel Comic".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ccawards.com/2008finalists.html |title=2008 List of Winners and Finalists |accessdate=January 6, 2009 |publisher=[[Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards]] |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310200607/http://www.ccawards.com/2008finalists.html |archivedate=March 10, 2009 }}</ref> ''xkcd'' was voted "Best Comic Strip" by readers in the 2007 and 2008 [[The Weblog Awards (Wizbang)|Weblog Awards]]<ref>{{cite web| url=https://2007.weblogawards.org/news/the-2007-weblog-award-winners.php| accessdate=January 6, 2009| title=The 2007 Weblog Award Winners| date=November 11, 2008| first=Kevin| last=Aylward}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://2008.weblogawards.org/news/the-2008-weblog-award-winners/| accessdate=July 9, 2009| title=The 2008 Weblog Awards Winners| date=January 15, 2009| first=Kevin| last=Aylward}}</ref> The webcomic was nominated for a 2009 [[NewNowNext Awards|NewNowNext Award]] in the category "OMFG Internet Award".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.logoonline.com/shows/newnownext_awards/vote.jhtml?qn=nnn_poll_13 |title=2009 NewNowNext Awards |accessdate=June 14, 2009 |publisher=Viacom International Inc. |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520172958/http://www.logoonline.com/shows/newnownext_awards/vote.jhtml?qn=nnn_poll_13 |archivedate=May 20, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=Sarah | last=Warn | date=May 21, 2009 | title=Photos: 2009 NewNowNext Awards | url=http://www.afterellen.com/people/2009/5/nnn-awards-red-carpet-photos | work=[[AfterEllen.com]] | accessdate=June 14, 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090712104952/http://www.afterellen.com/people/2009/5/nnn-awards-red-carpet-photos|archivedate=July 12, 2009 }}</ref> Randall Munroe was nominated for the [[Hugo Award]] for Best Fan Artist in both 2011 and 2012,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.renovationsf.org/hugo-intro.php |title=Hugo Awards Page |accessdate=April 25, 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429050214/http://www.renovationsf.org/hugo-intro.php |archivedate=April 29, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2012-hugo-awards/ |title=Hugo Awards Page |accessdate=April 20, 2014 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/66nnsGGRI?url=http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2012-hugo-awards/ |archivedate=April 9, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and he won a Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story in 2014, for "Time".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.thehugoawards.org/2014/08/2014-hugo-award-winners/ | title = 2014 Hugo Award Winners | accessdate=August 19, 2014}}</ref> == Books == On September 2009, Munroe released a book, entitled ''xkcd: volume 0'', containing selected ''xkcd'' comics.<ref group="‡">{{cite web|url=http://blog.xkcd.com/2009/09/10/book/ |title=Book! |last=Munroe |first=Randall |website=blog.xkcd.com |date=September 10, 2009 |accessdate=May 13, 2010}}</ref> The book was published by [[breadpig]], under a [[Creative Commons license]], CC BY-NC 3.0,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://breadpig.com/collections/everything/products/xkcd-volume-0 |title=Sidekick for Hire — xkcd: volume 0 |publisher=Breadpig |date= |accessdate=November 20, 2013}}</ref> with all of the publisher's profits donated to [[Room to Read]] to promote literacy and education in the developing world. Six months after release, the book had sold over 25,000 copies.{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}} The book tour in New York City and [[Silicon Valley]] was a fundraiser for Room to Read that raised $32,000 to build a school in [[Salavan Province]], [[Laos]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://breadpig.com/blog/2010/03/15/the-xkcd-school-in-laos-is-complete-rejoice/ |title=The xkcd school in Laos is complete! Rejoice! |publisher=Breadpig |first=Alexis |last=Ohanian |authorlink=Alexis Ohanian|date=March 15, 2010 |accessdate=May 13, 2010 |archiveurl=https://archive.is/20100322214135/http://breadpig.com/blog/2010/03/15/the-xkcd-school-in-laos-is-complete-rejoice |archivedate=2010-03-22}}</ref><ref group="‡">{{cite web|url=http://blog.xkcd.com/2009/10/11/school/ |last=Munroe |first=Randall |title=School |website=blog.xkcd.com |date=October 11, 2009 |accessdate=February 10, 2013}}</ref> On October 2012, ''xkcd: volume 0'' was included in the [[Humble Indie Bundle|Humble Bundle]] [[E-book|eBook]] Bundle. It was available for download only to those who donated higher than the average donated for the other eBooks. The book was released [[Digital Rights Management|DRM]]-free, in two different-quality [[Portable Document Format|PDF]] files.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://blog.humblebundle.com/post/33714074132/humble-ebook-bundle-is-now-five-times-more-hilarious |title=Humble eBook Bundle is Now Five Times More Hilarious! |publisher=[[Humble Indie Bundle]] |date=October 16, 2012 |accessdate=November 5, 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121101015947/http://blog.humblebundle.com/post/33714074132/humble-ebook-bundle-is-now-five-times-more-hilarious |archivedate=November 1, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> On March 12, 2014, Munroe announced the book ''[[What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions]]''. The book was released on September 2, 2014. The book expands on the ''What If?'' [[blog]] on the ''xkcd'' website.<ref group="‡" name="whatifblog"/><ref name="geekwhatif"/> On May 13, 2015, Munroe announced a new book titled ''Thing Explainer''. Eventually released on November 24, 2015, ''Thing Explainer'' is based on "Up Goer Five" and only uses the thousand most commonly used words to explain different scientific devices.<ref group="‡" name="things explainer blog"/> == References == {{Reflist|30em}} ===Primary sources=== In the text these references are preceded by a double dagger (‡): {{Reflist|30em|group="‡"}} == Further reading == * {{cite web |url= https://xkcd.com/207/ |title= What xkcd means|last=Munroe|first=Randall|work=xkcd |date= Jan 8, 2007 }} * {{cite web|url=http://www.iop.org/careers/working-life/profiles/page_57846.html|title=Once a Physicist: Randall Munroe|author=Munroe, Randall|first=|authorlink=Randall Munroe|date=February 2007|work=[[Physics World]]|page=43|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}} * {{cite web|url=http://comixtalk.com/talking_xkcd_with_randall_munroe |title=Talking ''xkcd'' with Randall Munroe |work=Comixtalk.com |author=Erg |date=March 26, 2007 |accessdate=May 12, 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421184953/http://comixtalk.com/talking_xkcd_with_randall_munroe |archivedate=April 21, 2008 }} * {{cite web |url=http://www.commacommacrash.net/2009/12/what-i-learned-from-xkcd-effect.html |title=What I learned from the xkcd effect |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225154123/http://www.commacommacrash.net/2009/12/what-i-learned-from-xkcd-effect.html |archivedate=2013-12-25}} An article on the impact of ''xkcd'' topics on Google searches. == External links == {{Commons|xkcd}} {{wikiquote|xkcd}} * {{Official website}} * [http://what-if.xkcd.com/ xkcd What-If] * [http://www.explainxkcd.com/ Explain xkcd], a wiki dedicated to explaining the references found in each comic {{Randall Munroe}} [[Category:2000s webcomics]] [[Category:2010s webcomics]] [[Category:American webcomics]] [[Category:Comedy webcomics]] [[Category:Creative Commons-licensed comics]] [[Category:Computer humor]] [[Category:Hacker culture]] [[Category:Humble Bundle books]] [[Category:Nerd culture]] [[Category:Web Cartoonists' Choice Award winners]] [[Category:Webcomics in print]] [[Category:Short form webcomics]] [[Category:Infinite canvas webcomics]] [[Category:2005 webcomic debuts]]'