33 comments on “Hourly Comics Day 2017”

  1. System update during a competition presentation yesterday. Then the program crashed and I needed to reboot. Yay!

  2. This is my new favorite comic entry!

    Questions:
    1) At 1000, can the Curtailed critters change at will, similar to Michael Bay’s version of Bumblebee in the first Transformers movie?
    2) 1300, you think computers don’t have an ulterior motive?! I read scientists had three units compete to see which could gather the most of an item or get dismantled, and the three machines worked together to have equal amounts.
    3) What is the service at 1500?
    4) 2100 Did you buy a new phone just to throw it away?
    Comments
    1) 1000-1800 That is what I call “Commitment to a bit!”
    2) At 1200, that was hilarious!
    3) Finally used to the new nose, and the first panel for 0800 is incredibly expressive with the feline mouth.
    4) 1900 I too am optimistic about the future.
    5) 2000 It looks like you are high-fiving the machine.

    2. #3: I’m guessing the name was supposed to be “Career Outfitters.” An outfitter is someone who sells clothing and equipment appropriate to a profession or pursuit. (E.g., someone who sells camping gear.)

  3. I had to turn off automatic updates on my phone because it kept deciding 10 minutes before I leave the house is a good time to update.

    1. I have automatic updates turned off on every piece of computing equipment I own. Notify me that there’s an update, then I’ll decide when is convenient to install it, thank you very much.

      1. Windows 10 will fight you on that point. Mine changed its own Windows update settings back to default.

        1. Yep, you can’t turn off updates on Windows 10, unless your computer is on a domain. Which is one reason I’ll never upgradedowngrade to Windows 10, and use Linux whenever possible.

  4. I loved the “everyone’s a capybara” thing, worked really well (and I’m sure it had nothing to do with avoiding picking species for all your co-workers!)

    IBTYComics: that science experiment’s less an ulterior motive, than a programmed one; link? Maybe I’m misunderstanding it.

    Personal favourites: 1300, 1900, 2000. 1900 pips it I think, far too relatable nowadays!

    1. Not sure on the link. Joking about ulterior motive. I thought it seemed interesting that an experiment making machines compete with risk of them not existing would result in cooperation so they could all exist.

  5. Ok, I’m an electrical engineer, but I don’t have Twitter. In response to Fox’s recent tweet in which he needs a momentary switch that only triggers when power is first applied:

    I think you should be able to use a relay, with its coil connected in series with a capacitor. You’ll need to choose the capacitor value to make the jolt last long enough to flip the relay on for a moment. If it’s too short, nothing noticeable will happen. The duration of the jolt will be proportional to the resistance of the coil times the capacitance of the capacitor.

    There will be some oscillation at the end of the pulse due to the inductance of the coil, and that will temporarily raise the voltage near the coil *above* the source voltage, but hopefully that won’t matter too much if the resistance is decently big, since the coil can probably tolerate a little overvoltage. I’d need to look at the datasheet for a specific relay to really get it perfect.

    Another option, if you don’t want to mess with that, would be to use a pair of relays though. Wire them so that relay A’s “off” switch position energizes relay B’s coil, while relay A’s “on” switch position energizes relay A’s own coil. Wire relay B’s “on” switch position to energize relay A’s coil as well (in parallel with the connection A already has from itself). Then, when power is applied, relay B will turn on (because relay A is initially off, which is the position that powers B) and that will cause relay A to turn on, so relay B will instantly turn off, and relay A will keep itself on until power is withdrawn. So if relay B is actually a double-pole switch, you can use its other pole to switch your load and it will do exactly what you want. Or you can just put a third relay in parallel with relay B to switch your load. Whatever.

    Re-reading that, I should probably draw a diagram or something. Or maybe you’ve already solved this yourself in the intervening 11 hours.

    1. Although I should probably really ask: what the hell are you trying to do?

      1. Yeah, I’m gonna post a video and some pix

        Basically there’s an IC with a single pin that needs 12v for a split second to set the ‘state’ I need it running in, then I don’t need to mess with it. I’d just short it, but it needs 12v, then 0.

        1. Done (ish)
          Basically I don’t want to run (more) wires through the firewall of the cruiser, especially for something that won’t normally be there. The PA is already constant, but the lights in the grill will only be there during private events.
          They do have a little control box that you can use to change the way the lights flash, and while that’d be cool to have access to in the cruiser, it’s not necessary, since only one of the patterns is really the one I’d use. (Unless I made them cycle, which is a possibility for later)
          So rather than running any lines, I figure I’ll just leave all of it, control box included, under the hood at the time of the event, plug it into a relay exactly for this that’s already up there and not in use. (cuz it’s a cop car and so comes with cop relays)
          The problem presented itself when I realized “Oh…it doesn’t blink as soon as it gets power…dammit.”
          Yeah, I could pop the hood and hit the button every time I wanted them to flash, but…that’s lame. 🙂

          1. You could make a small board with a 555 timer in monostable mode so that it only gives one pulse when energized by the main circuit. Just omit (bridge instead of a switch) the momentary pushbutton. This will let you give the circuit the pulse you are looking. Cheers and good luck. 🙂

      2. In response to your Youtube clarification, you can probably just use a capacitor and a resistor. Connect the capacitor between power and the IC terminal you care about. Connect the resistor between the IC terminal and ground. Done.

        Something like a 1-MΩ resistor and a 10-nF capacitor ought to work. Use a bigger capacitor if that’s not long enough.

        1. Awesome. Was kinda wondering if that’d work, or if the delay wouldn’t be great enough.
          I’ve a few caps laying around from mobo replacements, so I’ll see if those work first.
          Thanks!

          1. This may be moot. I believe I misunderstood the upfitter’s guide.
            I thought the internal wires were the signal line to the relay under the hood, where I could turn power to said relay on or off.
            It looks like those relays are simply enabled by the ignition (I assume?) and are providing power to the inside of the vehicle.
            Basically I just ran 12 new lines into the console of my car to power components, and Dodge had already given me 6, already at 20 amps each.
            *sigh* Live and learn…

            Although I guess the saying, as illustrated here, should be “Learn and live”

      3. In response to your Youtube clarification, you can probably just use a capacitor and a resistor. Connect the capacitor between power and the IC terminal you care about. Connect the resistor between the IC terminal and ground. Done.

        Something like a 1-MΩ resistor and a 10-nF capacitor ought to work. Use a bigger capacitor if that’s not long enough.

        1. Will a flux-capacitor be okay? And, how much power do I need?? 🙂

  6. A great comic, high intensity of jokes. At the moment 0900 is my favorite but others are nipping at its heels (notably 0800 and 2000). Is it at all reality-inspired? I’ve never had tiredness or craving after donating, but I probably have more blood to spare.
    1000 reminded me that there’s such a thing as a Mandylion: the Image of Odessa, a now-lost holy relic, a cloth with a portrait of Christ. Probably not workable into a strip.

  7. Use a 555 timer set up as a one-shot. If that can’t handle the amperage, a MOSFET will switch whatever you need.

  8. Loved this Mandy!

    My work has a training package called “Write Right” which is supposed to help you deal with those challenging communications. The basic premise seems to be to not write when you’re angry and if you’re dealing with a difficult reply to write it, go away for a bit, then come back and read it and edit it if necessary to smooth out any angry edges! It doesn’t work in practice but the ideas sound good!

  9. 2000: I had the same problem with my new printer (wifi) and I said the same thing to my laptop. (that’s next to the printer and router)

  11. Hey, props on donating blood! I literally just donated platelets today.

  12. This strip awoke ancient memories for me… “Cappyboppy”… Didn’t even know what I was remembering until a bout with google.

  14. Civil way of telling someone to go eff themselves:
    Goeth and Fucketh Thyself

    1. Nah…
      The civil way is to say “Vacate this place and perform fornication upon oneself with rusty barbed wire.”

  15. I’m not quite on board with how at work, everyone is the same animal. It’s difficult to differentiate multiple people.

    1. Everyone is the same kind of animal because they’re all a bunch of copy-baras.

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