Clearly, the kid on the chair won’t hear anything.
He’ll have to call Tech Support, who will ask, “Have you restrung the cans?” After 2-3 more questions, he’ll ask, “Does the string go over the chair or is straight?”
Today one of my 3 email accounts stopped recognizing the password I’ve had in place for some time. I tried everything to reconnect, no luck. I’m getting ready to call tech support tomorrow….ATT or Yahoo…..arrrrrgggghhhh. really dreading this.
“The internet is a series of tubes!” – 2 minutes 11 seconds of a rather painful speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f99PcP0aFNE&ab_channel=bluefalcon561
I actually got “took” with one of those ads at the back of the comic-book: “Talk to your friends, without WIRES. Kit only $5.00 postage paid.” The kit was half a xeroxed (remember xeroxing?) typewritten page explaining how to use to soup cans, holes punched in the middle. They DID send about 20 feet of kite string.
Mom had tried to talk me out of it, but I was adamant. And she figured I’d learn something, which was absolutely true. I did make the can-phone and it did work, maybe. Hard to say because at 20 feet apart, you can hear the other person with OR without the two cans…
This has nothing to do with today’s strip but I felt so strongly when I posted it on Wednesday, that I would share it with all. "1/20/2021-1/20/2021-To take a line from Grace Slick and The Jefferson Airplane from the opening set on the Sunday of Woodstock, 50 years ago, “Good morning people-it’s a new dawn and a new day!” Welcome President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Vice President Kamala Harris!!! And to former Vice President Mike Pence-thank you for your presence today. YOU have class!!!
I thought the origin of the internet was in the jungle drums of darkest Africa. …or the “twilight bark” of course. I watched a lot of movies back in the day.
The tech support kid needs to have a book of typical problems that he searches for the exact phrase the caller used. They have no real understanding of what you are actually telling them.
3 Childhood memories: Finding out the string phone did not work. Zero degrees + iron railing + tongue = pain. Tyler telling me unless you sneezed into a corner the germs would bounce around until they hit a person.
Let’s skip the lame jokes and look at the Reality of the Internet.
It was invented to be a way for Researchers and Scientists to share information openly to foster collaboration by DARPA. They assumed that the information was always going to be based on facts to solve complex problems.
As it became available to the general public, first it became a source of entertainment. But quickly it was weaponized to spread misinformation and become the preferred method for Criminals to perpetrate con schemes.
Now there’s no real way to separate fact versus fiction there.
Speaking of party lines, here’s something that I used to have fun with as a kid. Back in the ‘50s I discovered that the “busy” signal you hear on the phone is produced by a sound generator on a special trunk line in the switching station. Each caller that gets a busy number is switched to this tone generator, and they usually just hang up afterward. But it turns out that multiple callers might be connected to that line at the same time, creating a party line configuration. So, if you call your own number to get the busy signal and then listen carefully you might hear some other kid (usually) speaking in between the tones, trying to find someone else doing it too. "Hey BUZZ my BUZZ name BUZZ is BUZZ Jim BUZZ what’s BUZZ yours? BUZZ Where BUZZ do BUZZ you BUZZ go BUZZ to BUZZ school?", for example. Then you listen for someone to answer. Sounds silly? That’s what kids do. Has anyone else ever heard of this?
When our phone system went down at work, I, as IT manager, connected a string to a tin can and presented it to the HR manager as a “stopgap” repair. I also attached an old antenna to another can and gave it to her as a “cell phone”. Hilarity ensued…
Of course that wouldn’t work at all. The audio-induced vibrations in the first string do not travel into the second string in this scenario. The proper way to do it is to use two cans held together in the middle, after cutting the string and fastening each end to each of the two cans. Also, this has nothing to do with the Internet which is based on networking, not point-to-point communications.
kaffekup over 3 years ago
Clearly, the kid on the chair won’t hear anything.
He’ll have to call Tech Support, who will ask, “Have you restrung the cans?” After 2-3 more questions, he’ll ask, “Does the string go over the chair or is straight?”
saobadao over 3 years ago
Today one of my 3 email accounts stopped recognizing the password I’ve had in place for some time. I tried everything to reconnect, no luck. I’m getting ready to call tech support tomorrow….ATT or Yahoo…..arrrrrgggghhhh. really dreading this.
Say What Now‽ Premium Member over 3 years ago
“The internet is a series of tubes!” – 2 minutes 11 seconds of a rather painful speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f99PcP0aFNE&ab_channel=bluefalcon561
artsyguy65 over 3 years ago
Almost but not quite… just replace “Tech Support” with ”Data Monetization”.
Concretionist over 3 years ago
I actually got “took” with one of those ads at the back of the comic-book: “Talk to your friends, without WIRES. Kit only $5.00 postage paid.” The kit was half a xeroxed (remember xeroxing?) typewritten page explaining how to use to soup cans, holes punched in the middle. They DID send about 20 feet of kite string.
Mom had tried to talk me out of it, but I was adamant. And she figured I’d learn something, which was absolutely true. I did make the can-phone and it did work, maybe. Hard to say because at 20 feet apart, you can hear the other person with OR without the two cans…
eastern.woods.metal over 3 years ago
Am I allowed one last Trump joke?
Trump is caught speeding
Cop asks him " Why were you speeding and why wouldn’t you stop? Didn’t you see the flashing lights ? "
Trump replies " A cop ran off with my wife. I thought he was giving her back "
KenseidenXL over 3 years ago
Not “tech support”. That would be the NSA…Project Echelon….
j.p.wright Premium Member over 3 years ago
This has nothing to do with today’s strip but I felt so strongly when I posted it on Wednesday, that I would share it with all. "1/20/2021-1/20/2021-To take a line from Grace Slick and The Jefferson Airplane from the opening set on the Sunday of Woodstock, 50 years ago, “Good morning people-it’s a new dawn and a new day!” Welcome President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Vice President Kamala Harris!!! And to former Vice President Mike Pence-thank you for your presence today. YOU have class!!!
fredd13 over 3 years ago
More like a “Man in the Middle" attack
dot-the-I over 3 years ago
Three comic book characters in a police lineup.
One is drawn with a large forehead and glasses.
Guess which one is suspected to be the smartest.
(The same suspicion sort of applies with real people.)
Qiset over 3 years ago
So the NSA is calling itself Tech Support now.
SusieB over 3 years ago
I wonder if tech support is in India, and his name is Bob. They seem to always be named Bob
c141starlifter over 3 years ago
I’m a country boy and my Mom did all of her own canning, Mason Jars didn’t work too well but I broke a few trying.
bryce.gear over 3 years ago
They are about the right age to be tech support. If you don’t understand it, ask a kid.
phredturner over 3 years ago
Sorry, I still can’t hear you
pathamil over 3 years ago
The hardware (can) is working fine. It must be a software (string) problem…
MichaelHelwig over 3 years ago
They should just unplug it for 5 seconds.
vaughnrl2003 Premium Member over 3 years ago
I thought the origin of the internet was in the jungle drums of darkest Africa. …or the “twilight bark” of course. I watched a lot of movies back in the day.
HappyDog/ᵀʳʸ ᴮᵒᶻᵒ ⁴ ᵗʰᵉ ᶠᵘⁿ ᵒᶠ ᶦᵗ Premium Member over 3 years ago
The tech support kid needs to have a book of typical problems that he searches for the exact phrase the caller used. They have no real understanding of what you are actually telling them.
thelordthygod666 over 3 years ago
3 Childhood memories: Finding out the string phone did not work. Zero degrees + iron railing + tongue = pain. Tyler telling me unless you sneezed into a corner the germs would bounce around until they hit a person.
sandpiper over 3 years ago
A recent ex-chief executive’s idea of communicating with his constituents.
WGillete over 3 years ago
And there’ll be another kid with his ear to a can with no string, who’ll complain about censorship.
JosephShriver over 3 years ago
Old tech support commercial
https://youtu.be/F8L2cI8brzQ
Richard S Russell Premium Member over 3 years ago
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” —George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Irish writer
Flatlander, purveyor of fine covfefe over 3 years ago
Gotta ask. Is anyone here old enough to remember making a set?
rhpii over 3 years ago
Or the Origin of the NSA.
mistercatworks over 3 years ago
Doesn’t work unless the string is free to vibrate. Physics 1a.
b95954297b48a54fcff8fddbcdef6b2f over 3 years ago
Wait a minute, tech support is not in another country and he looks like he can speak English.
COL Crash over 3 years ago
Let’s skip the lame jokes and look at the Reality of the Internet.
It was invented to be a way for Researchers and Scientists to share information openly to foster collaboration by DARPA. They assumed that the information was always going to be based on facts to solve complex problems.
As it became available to the general public, first it became a source of entertainment. But quickly it was weaponized to spread misinformation and become the preferred method for Criminals to perpetrate con schemes.
Now there’s no real way to separate fact versus fiction there.
mitchel.farr over 3 years ago
no, that is a typical party line. I know most of you have no idea what I am talking about.
DCBakerEsq over 3 years ago
Gotta plug it in.
HappyDog/ᵀʳʸ ᴮᵒᶻᵒ ⁴ ᵗʰᵉ ᶠᵘⁿ ᵒᶠ ᶦᵗ Premium Member over 3 years ago
Speaking of party lines, here’s something that I used to have fun with as a kid. Back in the ‘50s I discovered that the “busy” signal you hear on the phone is produced by a sound generator on a special trunk line in the switching station. Each caller that gets a busy number is switched to this tone generator, and they usually just hang up afterward. But it turns out that multiple callers might be connected to that line at the same time, creating a party line configuration. So, if you call your own number to get the busy signal and then listen carefully you might hear some other kid (usually) speaking in between the tones, trying to find someone else doing it too. "Hey BUZZ my BUZZ name BUZZ is BUZZ Jim BUZZ what’s BUZZ yours? BUZZ Where BUZZ do BUZZ you BUZZ go BUZZ to BUZZ school?", for example. Then you listen for someone to answer. Sounds silly? That’s what kids do. Has anyone else ever heard of this?
Frank_Lecanto over 3 years ago
When our phone system went down at work, I, as IT manager, connected a string to a tin can and presented it to the HR manager as a “stopgap” repair. I also attached an old antenna to another can and gave it to her as a “cell phone”. Hilarity ensued…
pekenpug over 3 years ago
Just because his can still has the lid attached, he gets to be tech support?
keenanthelibrarian over 3 years ago
Wiley kids – love ’em.
LeslieAnn Premium Member over 3 years ago
Made me chuckle, Wiley.
Cactus-Pete over 3 years ago
Of course that wouldn’t work at all. The audio-induced vibrations in the first string do not travel into the second string in this scenario. The proper way to do it is to use two cans held together in the middle, after cutting the string and fastening each end to each of the two cans. Also, this has nothing to do with the Internet which is based on networking, not point-to-point communications.
saobadao over 3 years ago
As tech support in another strip says “how may I hinder you”?
bakana over 3 years ago
We used to make these when I was a kid. They actually Worked if you kept the Tension on the string just right.