q_id stringlengths 6 6 | title stringlengths 4 294 | selftext stringlengths 0 2.48k | category stringclasses 1
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5lcl43 | Why do we fail to do realistic human CGI (like in SW Rouge One) yet we do it so great on non-human beings (like in Warcraft)? | Title pretty much, thanks for answers in advance! | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"It's more that we're really good at picking up subtle mistakes in humans, and fantasy beasts have no reference, so its a lot harder for them to look wrong.",
"Probably because we are so adapted to human skin/tone/etc. tha... | [
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5lcsyf | Why does 1080p on a 4k TV look better than 1080p on a 1080p TV? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"In a 1080p screen each pixel is represented by four individual points of light, one for each color and two for green. However when projecting 1080p video on a 4K screen you have 16 individual points of light for each pixel. This gives you a lot more room ... | [
"url"
] | [
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5ld14u | Why are internet speeds in America so slow | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"It mainly has to do with the monopoly that ISP's hold over different areas. Most people ha... | [
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5ldcnk | Why is ventilation needed for indoor or underground rooms? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbuum0h"
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"text": [
"If you were placed in a sealed room with no pipes to the surface it would be like placing a bag over your face and waiting to suffocate. Eventually through breathing the oxygen level would drop and carbon dioxide levels will rise, you will feel sick, possibly dying if y... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
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5ledy7 | How does Spotify and Apple Music pay artists? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"dbv646p"
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"text": [
"The streaming services collect all the money from subscriptions and ads, then each artist is paid their percent of the total streams. If there's only 100 streams that months, and Taylor Swift songs account for 10 of those, she gets 10% of the revenue that month. When yo... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5lf41k | Why can't devices (phones, laptops, etc) make our headphones noise-cancelling? | Noise-cancelling headphones record external noise and then creates sound waves that cancel these external noises. Why can we not use device internal microphones to record these external noises? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"Because you need the microphone to be right next to your ear for it to work. If the phone is in your pocket, it can't pick up the exact sounds it needs to cancel, because the sound at your hip is slightly different than at your ear. Additionally, there is the delay caus... | [
"url"
] | [
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5lf8ga | Why is Norton hated so much? What makes an antivirus/antimalware program good or bad anyway? | Follow up questions: Given it's so notoriously bad for some reason, how come sales reps at electronics stores push it so hard? And also, what's the best antimalware software? Edit: Oops, sorry, I just found a previous question about Norton. I *did* search for it so tbh I'm not sure what's going on there. Consider the f... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"Nobody likes Norton because it is a resource hog that slows your computer down. It doesn't effectivly do it's job. Norton's CEO even admits that it only gets 40% of ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
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5lg7s0 | How do Youtubers earn money? I mean, how is revenue generated by simply watching a video. I understand it has something to do with the advertisements, but that is my question, how do ads help Youtubers earn money. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"It's quite simple. Advertisers pay money to Google/Youtube for the rights to show an advertisement before (or during) a video. Google/Youtube takes a cut of the revenue, and the Youtuber earns the rest. The amount advertisers... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5lhaz8 | How do rebreathers work? | I'm watching a documentary on the USS Atlanta and they mention the world record for the longest dive was 30 hours. I've dived before a decent amount of time but never worked with rebreathers, how are they able to stay under for so long without adverse effects? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"If you're suffocated by being locked in a small box, it's not actually the lack of oxygen which is the problem. Normally the cycle is 20.9% oxygen, 0.04% CO2 in, then 16% oxygen 4% CO2 is exhaled. Inhaling 1% is very uncomfortable, \"stuffy... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
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5lhb8h | How do card readers know that a card has a chip? | When I see people use their cards at places like convenience stores, sometimes they'll swipe their card and then be asked afterword by the machine to insert the chip instead. How does the machine know the card has a chip, and how can it tell the difference? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbvoph3"
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"text": [
"When you swipe your card, the machine is reading information on the card. One of the things it reads is a little message that says \"Hey! I have a chip on me!\" Now the machine knows, so it tells you to use the chip."
],
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[... | [
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5lhdgq | Memory assignment in hardware | When I write a line of code in C like int x = 5; How is that value physically written into the computers memory? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbvom3m"
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"text": [
"The C compiler will craft a request to the operating system to assign an available memory location to hold an integer. When it's time to store a number there, the CPU will put an electric signal on its address bus pins equal to the binary address of that memory location... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
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5lhh73 | Why do mobile games suck, even though phones are more powerful than good handheld gaming systems like Gameboy? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"This might be a snarky response but: have you purchased any 30-40$ mobile games? If you can play a game for free, what you are playing is what someone could create on a fairly small budget, in a fairly small studio, and then sell to investo... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5li5dj | What is the pixel resolution of regular eyesight and what minimum resolution would be needed for VR glasses to match a normal person's vision? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbvvbzc"
],
"text": [
"Regular eyesight has a resolution equivalent to around __576 megapixels.__ This is the resolution that must be matched in order for VR to appear 100% real. (Although lower resolutions might suffice, too.)"
],
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5lj9ns | Why is the HD quality that comes out of my $25 indoor antenna better than what I used to get through a cable box? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbw4z5c"
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"text": [
"Your cable company is compressing the signal. Over-the-air transmissions are 100% pure, uncompressed video signals."
],
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8
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5ljevu | why credit cards are safer than debit cards? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"The key difference: With a credit card, the *card issuer* must fight to get *its* money back. With a debit card, *you* must fight to get *your* money back. If you report your card lost or stolen before any fraudulent transactions occur, you... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5ll7i3 | Why are floppy discs called "Floppy" if they're not floppy? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"They were floppy when they were first created. If you look at URL_0 , which has the three most common sizes of floppy disks, the largest (8-inch) and the middle (5.25-inch) ones are housed in flexible plastic. By the time the smallest (3.5-... | [
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5llbaq | What happens with plane after emergency landing on water? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"Pilot here. Landing on water is quite possibly the worst scenario a pilot can face when a forced landing is on the cards. It's a lot worse for some aircraft than it is for others, but regardless of the aircraft your in, it's a bad day no ma... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5lle8u | Why "flare" effects in game actually feel blinding. | Like in a game when I look into a sun, it feels like it's actually blinding my eyes, even if it isn't real sunlight. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbwjtzv"
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"text": [
"For two reasons. 1. Your mind associates the game visual with known experiences. So it triggers the memories of being blinded by sunlight 2. Your autonomic nervous system learns to react based on previous experience. So your pupils will constrict to minimise light intak... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5lllev | Why does slow motion video of car headlights look like they are blinking rapidly? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbwlxfd"
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"text": [
"A lot of modern cars use LEDs, now LEDs don't really dim, they actually just flash on and off really fast to give the perception of them being dimmer. So, if the same bulb is used for the high beams, then the regular headlight brightness will be achieved by dimming."
... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5llu3a | Church-Turing thesis and tests | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"There were once some smart guys that realized that math problems that can be solved by humans can also be solved by machines if we can come up with some kind of sequence of steps to tell the machine what to do to carry out the computation. ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5lny4t | Why does holding down the power button on devices work even when the system is frozen? | Asking specifically about devices where the power button is not a physical switch, but simply a button. If the operating system isn't responding to other input, why does it respond to holding down the power button? Is there some other hardware/software sitting around waiting for you to hold down the button so it can ta... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"dbx529r",
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"text": [
"You are thinking of your operating system being frozen. YOu might have windows. This is a layer of 'computer'. But you can do a fun experiment. Disconnect your hard drive. Turn on your computer. You will then find a whole level of 'computer' that exists b... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5lnyei | When they say "we didn't have the technology then," what does that specifically refer to? Why were USB sticks only able to hold 500 MB a few years ago but are now able to hold hundreds of GB? What specifically changes in that time frame? | I'm just thinking like, all the same materials are there; the silicon, the metal, everything, but what *specifically* made us able to fit that amount of storage on a USB stick-sized chip then, and the current amount we can now? Or some other comparable application. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"Lego blocks have many different sizes. So let's say the smallest piece the machines can make is a 2x8 brick. You can only fit so many of those on a big flat plate. That's your 500 mb stick. Now technology improves and the machines get better and can now m... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5lo3nm | What stops us from getting cell phone interference? | AFAIK, all cell phones send and receive voice data on the same wavelength channel. So then, what stops me from hearing interference from other peoples' cell phones, like I would if I was using a walkie-talkie? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbx71ib"
],
"text": [
"Time division multiple access. Each user gets a time period on that frequency to talk and no one else is allowed to use it during that time period. If you split a second into 100 chunks then each person gets a 10 millisecond window to transmit a second's worth of data f... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5lou75 | Why do so many websites let you use gmail/facebook as login information | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"dbxbasj",
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],
"text": [
"Because it's cheap (in that they don't have to maintain this data themselves) and easy (because Facebook and Google made it so), and it means they might get some additional information about you. Facebook and Google, on the other hand, *definitely* get mo... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5lqwz9 | Why is it called 4K (3840x2160) resolution when its only 3x the regular HD/720p (1280x720) | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbxs8te",
"dbxsbe3",
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],
"text": [
"Other than with Full HD (1080p/i) or regular HD (720p/i) which describe the amount of vertical pixels, 4K describes the approximate amount of horizontal pixels in the image. There is also another 4K standard that is mostly used in movies an... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5lrdsf | With all the fancy digital and video audio effects on media devices these days, why is it so hard to get a "Make the action scenes the same volume as the dialogue scenes" button? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"Arguably there is no interest. The action scenes are *meant* to be loud for the purpose of sensory overload. Such a feature will simply... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5lrqlj | I've seen posts before about our limited colour receptors (3) compared to a Mantis Shrimp (16). My question is how do cameras & computers process this information? Are they programmed based on our own limitations? Can a camera capture ALL colours, some of which we can't see? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbxxf05",
"dby3bpq"
],
"text": [
"Most cameras are set up with three different color sensors because that makes most sense if you are to watch it with your eyes. However the colors the camera sensors detect is not the exact same as the ones humans detect but is close enough. And you have ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5lrvwi | What has made our internet faster over the last 20 years? | Is it better wiring like fiber optic or more efficient encoding of the data? Lots of things? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"dbxyabc"
],
"text": [
"Better wiring, but also better equipment between the wires. Faster routing, faster decision making. Comes down to both efficiency through iteration (engineers have been thinking about better ways to solve the same problem for twenty years), and technological improvement... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5ls08e | How come things like turn signals and windshield wipers initially seem like they'll align with a beat of a song but then steadily fall off pace? Is there a certain time signature that can consistently match these items? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbxyxul",
"dby1bef"
],
"text": [
"What happens when you have two different patterns at a very close frequency, is that at some times, they will line up perfectly, but then slowly drift off until they are in opposite phase, and then drift back to lining up, and so on. Now if you had two pa... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5lsmy3 | Why can't a car give more details with a dashboard warning light? | Assuming that a mechanic can hook to your car to get the code, why can't the car just output the code, or even better, the cause associated with the code? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dby43lk",
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],
"text": [
"They can do it if they want. However the car companies makes money to train and certify car mechanics and to provide them with the correct codes. Codes can often change between similar cars and be totally different for the same model with d... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5lu2wt | Why does YouTube, a website which such high account security, have so many spam bots while Reddit, a website that seems to have low account security, has almost none? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbyg6ua",
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"dbykqqd"
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"text": [
"I would assume dedicated volenteer moderators. Probably also why they have implemented the \"youtube hero\" plan, to use their user base to improve the site for them. On a side note, thank you to the silent moderators for mak... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5luxlk | People Say Keeping the Lights on Drives up the Electric Bill, but Isn't It Simply Using the Electricity That Is Already on Standby? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbynixe"
],
"text": [
"There is no such thing as \"Electricity on Standby\". Electricity is the flow of electrons, much the same way that water from a faucet flows out. You experience electricity doing work as it flows through your light bulb. Until that flow starts there is no electricity. T... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5lvlzr | How much power does the computer need to fully emulate human's brain? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbysurz",
"dbyuamb",
"dbz501w",
"dbyu2u7",
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],
"text": [
"since we don't have anywhere near enough knowledge of how the human brain works to be able to make a computer emulate one, the correct answer is: No one has a clue.",
"We don't know, but using the deep thin... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5lvqsu | What is the difference between (for example) URL_0 as opposed to URL_1 ? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbyu1nk",
"dbyw661",
"dbyvefs"
],
"text": [
"URL_0 has a different IP address than URL_1 . When enter that address into your browser, it goes directly there, without every going to URL_1 . The part after the slash is information the website used to figure out what to do with your requ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5lwz7p | How do people in war zones have access to Internet? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbz46gn"
],
"text": [
"One of the design goals for what became the Internet was to be tolerant of failure. If some lines get cut, the Internet just routes around them. As long as there is still power and one intact line connecting that area to the rest of the world (whether it's a physical ca... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5lxub1 | How can airport scanners see through leather but not through skin? | I understand that the waves are not powerful enough or too short to not pass through human skin as to not hurt us. But how can they pass through leather? Is it part of the treating process of the cow hide that allows it to be seen or is leather not common enough to be an issue? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbzae9h"
],
"text": [
"The scanners would be dangerous to humans, if you went through the machine. That is why they make you put your carry on bags on the belt and walk you through the metal detector without bags. Different technologies. Trust me, they would rather just stick you on the belt.... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5lyfmr | Why do we expect technologically advanced extraterrestrial life to broadcast radio signals into space? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbzfws2"
],
"text": [
"Of all the artificial methods we know to transmit information through a vacuum, the electromagnetic spectrum is pretty much what we can both send and receive; there may be other theoretical concepts, but radio, and light, and various other points along the electromagnet... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m08ey | Why are theatrical movies 2.40:1 or a similar aspect ratio but our TVs are only 16:9? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbzqut9",
"dbzruh1"
],
"text": [
"The 16:9 size was chosen as a compromise between the wider shape of most movies, and the narrower shape of older TV shows. This way neither one looks ridiculous.",
"In the beginning, Edison decided that movies should be 4:3. Then television was develo... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m0n4w | Why is it impossible (very difficult) to reverse a password hash? | I understand that a lot of sites store password hashes rather than actual plain text passwords. And when the user types in their password, the plain text is put through a hashing process (like MD5 or SHA-256) and then the output (the hash) of that process is actually used to authenticate the user. So when someone hacks... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"dbzvem9",
"dc0ubfs",
"dbzxbzm",
"dc0c2bv",
"dbzuk9a",
"dc0c1uv"
],
"text": [
"Hashing is destructive. To take an easy example that's easier to wrap your head around, we can make our own hashing algorithm. For simplicity, imagine we have a password system where users have 4... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5m0r94 | The difference between hacking and guessing a password | I didn't really get the comments on the Shower Thoughts post | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbzvmih"
],
"text": [
"Hacking generally means using a computer to gain unauthorized access to data in a system. So anything where you steal files from someone's computer is hacking. In most cases when people hack passwords from a database, they steal what are called the hashed passwords. To ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5m0sah | Why do the web addresses for subreddits need an /r/ before them? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dbzvd05"
],
"text": [
"They don't \"need to\" necessarily, but that's just how Reddit has their site mapping set up"
],
"score": [
3
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} | [
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5m18de | Why would a computer replace a simple character (') into a complicated series of nonsense ( & #39;) when copying and pasting certain text? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc02hjf",
"dc01k0z",
"dc03jb6"
],
"text": [
"Because the simple characters have special meaning in certain contexts. In a web page, for example, you use < > to tell the browser about the structure of the page. If I wanted to make a paragraph with red text, I would write < p style=\"co... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m1d7t | What is the point of SMS Short Codes? | I have read the basic about them [here]( URL_0 ). Is there any reason companies use them other than having a 5-6 digit number? Do they send bulk messages any faster? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc00j2h"
],
"text": [
"They're a lot easier for people to remember and to key in. Which are you more likely to do: text \"FREEGIFT\" to 66066, or text it to 2068794482?"
],
"score": [
4
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5m1mdt | Why is Facebook advertising it's "Facebook Live" feature so heavily? | It seems like it's on TV a bunch and I get notifications for it all the time. & nbsp; It doesn't seem like they are currently monetizing it, are they setting it up to do that in the future? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc044yt",
"dc031wv"
],
"text": [
"If the social media market starts to gravitate towards Snapchats or livestreams, etc it means users could use other platforms to share content and information which means they become less relevant. They are also working on different ways to monetize the l... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5m1pi5 | How does internet speed affect online gaming experience | Been online gaming for years, but never really understood what , ping, upload and download really mean, and how it affects online. Currently, on speedtest, my ping is 15, download 37.18 Mbps, and upload 9.04 Mbps. How do each these numbers affect online gaming, mainly CoD, which is the most influential number. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc051c5",
"dc03rit"
],
"text": [
"Long story short, bandwidth gets you fast downloads, low latency gets you fast gaming, and packet loss hurts both. Bandwidth is a limit of the network capacity, and data caps placed on your account by your network provider so that you get the speed you pa... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5m1w0k | How comedy YT channels can find and piece together words from people or movies to make a song | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc05hls"
],
"text": [
"You get the transcript and search them (or better yet, the captions for a video, since it's already time tagged). There are commercial services that have the transcripts for practically everything and there is software that can DVR shows and stuff with closed captions w... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m2zcx | Why are some video games or updates released with major problems instead of being delayed? | Even with a deadline, surely they would understand that releasing what they've got will only hurt, no? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc0eaop",
"dc0tyaj"
],
"text": [
"Money. They need the income to fund the continued development of the game. This is a practice that software developers have been using for a very long time. It is not just games either but OS and network gear. They all do some amount of 'sell to fund' and... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5m301z | How did Humans create perfectly flat objects prior to the invention of advanced tools/machinery? | If they used necessary contemporary tools, how did they create those tools to be flat? EDIT: How were these primitive methods of getting a flat surface applied to large-scale constructions and objects? (i.e. furniture, construction materials, etc.) | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc0en27"
],
"text": [
"There are no *perfectly* flat objects being made today. Even the mirrors on giant telescopes have fluctuations on the surface. If one wanted to make a fairly flat stone surface with only stone tools available one could use water in a bucket and grind a disk (or whatever... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5m3w4r | How long should one use bulb mode to get a good picture of the stars in a completely dark setting? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc0mra5"
],
"text": [
"There is the 500/600 rule. Basically take 600 (500 to be safe) and divide it by your lens' focal length, that will tell you how many seconds you can expose for without getting star trails (where you see the stars move). Now, that is for full frame (35mm) sensors, I beli... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m3x63 | How can Sony make an XBONE equivalent while being significantly smaller AND without a power brick? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc0mmtw"
],
"text": [
"Look up Ben Hecks ps4 and xbox teardowns on YouTube, the main difference as I remember is the xbox has an oversized heat sink as a precaution against the overheating issues of the 360"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m43bf | What are each programming language's real-world function? | Why use Java over C# or C++ in a specific scenario? This applies to even Python and Pascal as well Edit 1: I understand how software works and how a language is a different way to communicate to the computer. I understand that you can connect software languages to real-world languages (i.e. Grammar = Syntax) But I am w... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc0ocmb",
"dc0zd5o"
],
"text": [
"Programming languages are like real-life languages. There are times one may be easier to communicate in - like speaking French when you're in France - but for the most part they all communicate the same things. If you want to program a sensor to detect wh... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5m473n | How does SSL Certificates work exactly? | How do they encrypt the data exactly and couldn't eventually be "crackable" Also, without the S. How would someone be able to gather the data once they're on your network / Host? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc0x5ih",
"dc0upwf",
"dc11lhw"
],
"text": [
"Say a website is using an SSL certificate. That certificate is just something that says something like \"I am reddit and nobody can impersonate me\". Now obviously SSL certificates websites offer up can simply be copied, so to authenticate ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5m474v | What is a Deep Space Radio Wave And How Does It Effect Us As A Species? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc0upky"
],
"text": [
"A deep space radio wave is just what the name describes - a radio wave coming from deep space (one has recently been pinpointed to come from another galaxy some 3 billion light years away, which I assume is why you're asking this question). They're short, they're rare, ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m4lnt | Where are everyone's passwords stored in websites? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc0secu"
],
"text": [
"If you're asking about when your browser asks you if you want to save a password, it's saving it inside your browser's memory or inside your browser company's cloud-based databases. If you're asking about when you have an account on some website, they store all of your ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m4mzf | How does an LED change colors? | Is there any mechanical or physical change? Are there multiple different colored LEDs in each "bulb" that are illuminated in various configurations to produce each color (similar to an RGB display)? Or can one unit actually produce light of variable wavelengths? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc0tofc",
"dc0u2jt",
"dc1buyc",
"dc10e9v",
"dc0v6c4"
],
"text": [
"A color changing LED isn't one LED in a package but three LEDs along with a small computer to drive them. The LED is made up of red, green and blue LEDs each of which can be controlled by a microcontroller. Sin... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5m4w2u | We have vast fields dedicated to satellite dishes listening for signals in outer space. Why can't they install dishes on the moon for both listening to space and for bouncing signals back? | My theory is that it's less domestic interference. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc0ulfs",
"dc0ulsf"
],
"text": [
"How would you get it there? Pound for pound, going to the moon is expensive. Really expensive. How would you service them? Getting a technician up there is really really expensive. How would you protect them? Earth has mild temperatures and magnetic prote... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5m52yt | How does a OLED TV work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc0xxhq"
],
"text": [
"An OLED tv is a tv made up OLEDs - Organic LEDs. It works basically like a regular LED tv. To explain the significance of LEDs, I'll have to explain LCD displays first. Liquid Crystal Displays work by having a screen-wide backlight, and crystals in front of that backlig... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m58wm | popular apps terms and conditions | I'd like to explain to mis kids what they are agreeing to for apps such as snapchat, Facebook, instagram, etc... so I'm wondering if there is a website that explains these in a way a teenager can understand | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc113s1"
],
"text": [
"This website is great at breaking down what you need to know URL_0"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text_urls": [
[
"https://tosdr.org/?branch_used=true#"
]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5m7fh5 | Why can the human eye not see infrared light? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc1ceht",
"dc1d0wn"
],
"text": [
"Your eye has photoreceptive cells that respond to certain wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation striking them. This occurs because those photons are absorbed by proteins in the cell, which trigger a change, that generates a signal sent to the brain. Th... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m7kfr | If autonomous vehicles are to be the future of transportation, what steps are being taken to ensure they function in extreme weather conditions such as blizzards or black ice? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc1dfrx",
"dc1e6s4"
],
"text": [
"Extensive testing of these systems on all terrain has been conducted and will continue to be conducted. There are standard responses to certain situations that we should all do. For example if you're skidding, you turn into it to regain control. The car c... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m8187 | How come there are so many companies offering free web hosting? What's the catch? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc1j0yg",
"dc1hxad",
"dc1nb8h",
"dc1kpgr",
"dc1kiyg",
"dc1iwcx",
"dc1jhhm"
],
"text": [
"Like /u/donsterkay said, such companies usually make their money through advertising. It's worth noting, though, that not all of them do shady stuff like cramming ads on all your p... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m8rt9 | Why does a company want to sell my personal info? To whom? For how much? What's the data even look like? | I keep reading that companies like Facebook, Google, and so many others like to collect our personal information to sell it. But to whom? What's that information even look like? Is it an Excel document that has my name and some columns with checkmarks confirming I watch porn and love video games? Who would buy that dat... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc1nwzu",
"dc1oucn",
"dc1oxn0"
],
"text": [
"So the big common misunderstanding is that Facebook, Google, and most large companies **don't** actually sell your personal information. Yes they collect it, but they don't sell it. Smaller and more unscrupulous companies will sell your dat... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5m96vr | Why do we have different sizes for audio jacks (like 2.5mm and 3.5mm)? Does it make any difference other then the size of the plug? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc1rgx3"
],
"text": [
"The larger size audio jacks are preferred in pro-level gear because it can be built much sturdier, and with high end beefy metal parts withstand thousands and thousands of plug/unplug cycles. Functionally, there isn't a big difference. But since for musicians this stuff... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m9bcw | Why do sites like Youtube and Facebook (but especially Youtube) continuously modify their interface with new skin, color, and features, despite the negative reception of their userbase? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc1sxyo"
],
"text": [
"Because everybody hates change. Week 1-4 of a UI overhaul, everyone hates it. It's all different and you have to find the stuff you want again. Once you figure it out you stop caring and usually whatever new/optimized feature gets a jump in usage, which is why they made... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5m9sah | Whats the difference between Computer Engineers, IT, and Computer Scientists? | A teacher had a great explanation explaining their roles with a car analogy. I can't remember it , it was something like one designs the cars internal parts and how they relate, ones a master mechanic that works on the car parts, and one drives the fully built/tuned up car to its destination, I'm not sure if it's how h... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc1wxzd"
],
"text": [
"Computer Engineering is about the hardware and making of a computer. answer the question: how does it work? and how do i make a new functioning one? how do i make a better one? IT is about using existing devices in an environment. answer the question: how do i deploy th... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5mbs3o | Why does prolonged screen time make me feel so drained? | I loooove reading stuff on Reddit and the interwebs. I'm constantly looking things up and reading on my smart phone or computer. You can learn so many things with the internet. The more time I spend in front of a screen reading,gaming or whatever, the more I feel like complete shit. If I have a really slow day at work ... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc2eqgt",
"dc2gs3g"
],
"text": [
"A lot of the tiredness comes from your posture. When we sit in front of a screen (or lay down in the same posture for a long time), our muscles strain and tense up. There needs to be movement in our muscles for proper blood flow. The strain in muscles is ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5mbt5s | How come soldiers today don't wear full armour that covers their entire body? Knights were able to move easily and with todays technology making a soldier bulletproof should be easy. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc2du1x",
"dc2gn76"
],
"text": [
"You are incredibly mistaken on how easy it would be to make a soldier bulletproof. When you shoot someone they suffer bruised and/or broken ribs even with the hugeass vest and ceramic plates in it. This is assuming the bullet doesn't go through and cause ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5md4gs | Can't you simply guess a PaySafeCard pin since it only contains numbers? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc2mqug"
],
"text": [
"In principle, yes. But how many valid PINs exist at any time? Let's be very optimistic and guess 1 billion. There are 10 quadrillion possible 16-digit PINs, so you have a 1 in 10 million chance of guessing a valid PIN. That puts it in the same ballpark as guessing the w... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5mdqhe | If a nuclear missile is launched, why can't someone just shoot it down while it is still high in the air? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc2qq4m",
"dc3152a",
"dc2qqx7",
"dc2so1n",
"dc2qq9o"
],
"text": [
"Conceptually that is possible. However most of the time when we talk about \"nuclear missiles\" we are referring to the concept of an \"ICBM\" or intercontinental ballistic missile. That type of missile fires b... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5mdxu3 | Why is it that major internet service providers are starting to add bandwidth limits? Shouldn't service get better and less restrictive as infrastructure improves? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc2t54a"
],
"text": [
"Major internet service providers are just like any corporation, they're out to make as much money as possible. They charge as much as they can for their product, and spend as little as possible on infrastructure. So, while prices have continued to go up, and new ways ar... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5me209 | How can a touchscreen project black in a power saving way (details on the screen inside)? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc2tdgf"
],
"text": [
"An LCD element is made so it is transparent unless you apply a voltage. When you apply a voltage to the element it is going black. It does not take much power to do this as you only need a voltage and no current. The electricity does not pass through the elements but st... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5metlf | Please explain the Star Trek Stardate calendar system. Is it nonsense or based on something scientifical? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc30ilg",
"dc3dsbr",
"dc2zqiz"
],
"text": [
"In the original series the stardates were made up just to sound futuristic. There have been some attempts to explain them, but the original writers didn't have a secret code. Starting with The Next Generation, they standardized them. The fi... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5mf68e | Why do some websites say it takes 72 hours to remove you from their mailing list? Why isn't it instantaneous? | Surprised that in 2017 it still takes so long to process a removal of an email, i always feel like they're buying some time to send you a few more promo emails | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc3385j",
"dc331rp",
"dc32vrt"
],
"text": [
"It's mostly CYA. You are probably removed from the \"get new email\" list quickly, but they can't guarantee there isn't an already sent email sitting in a mail servers queue somewhere you haven't received yet. Easier to give you a few day b... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5mf7ik | Why is it that some phone apps which use the camera have horrible focus and take crappy pictures compared to the stock camera app? | Edit: Wow! A big 'thank you' to all those who replied! | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc33xax",
"dc39slf",
"dc3ly62",
"dc3ajw2"
],
"text": [
"Android? It's a popular topic that Snapchat on iOS produces much better images than on Android, and an answer I saw was because the Android version only screencaps your live-preview and actually doesn't use the camera to take... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5mgqe1 | Now that we're seeing 10 gigabit USB and even faster Thunderbolt on laptops, how come we dont have any laptops with 10 gigabit ethernet? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc3gko7"
],
"text": [
"From what I've seen on some Linus videos, many servers use 10GBit but the cost is so high that most consumers can't really justify the premium cost."
],
"score": [
6
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5mgr6y | How do computers restart? | How can a computer run code when it is turned off? Are they still on to some degree? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc3h1cm"
],
"text": [
"Many computers do momentarily power off when restarting. However the capacitors on the motherboard have not been lacking power for long enough to completely discharge their power and so can still hold some things in memory. Sort of like when you unplug a power adapter f... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5mh1k0 | How do Internet Routers transmit data from a PC through their device and then to the internet? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc3jul1"
],
"text": [
"First, the program using the data takes data and chops it up into reasonable chunks called packets. Each packet has an IP address and port number where it is destined to, in addition to the data. It's kind of like the address on an envelope. It gives this packet to the ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5mhc0w | Why does the login page for Google or Microsoft accounts separate the username and password fields into different screens? | Say you're trying to login to Facebook or Twitter, the username and password fields are both on the same screen. However, with microsoft ( URL_0 ) or google you enter your email first, click Next and then you enter the password. Why can't the password field be on the same page as the email? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc3oy54",
"dc3tuwg",
"dc3yky4"
],
"text": [
"I don't know why Microsoft does it, but when Google switched they specifically stated their reasoning. They want to make it possible in the future to support alternatives to passwords. For example, you put in your email and Google asks you ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5mirkg | Why do most current-gen games on consoles require you to wait until it's fully installed, while last-gen games could be played immediately? | XCOM 2, Fallout 4 and Dishonored 2 just name a few games where you can't play it, at least not the entirety of the game, until it's been completely installed from the disc. Whereas on the Xbox 360 I could pop in a game I'd never played before and the whole thing would be accessible. Why is this? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc3y6z0",
"dc42nwq"
],
"text": [
"At a guess I would say that new games are bigger then a disc can hold, my battlefield 1 digital game was 43 GB (rip my data cap :( ). Im willing to bet that if everything has to be read off the discs the load screens would be all over the place and, with ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5mj5nz | why do speeds given to me by speed tests never actually accurately represent my internet speed? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc401o7"
],
"text": [
"Lots of people confuse internet speed (measured in megabits) with file transfer speed (measured in megabytes). One megabyte is eight megabits."
],
"score": [
7
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5mjbbf | How do we connect a prosthetic limb so that it can "feel"? | And on top of that, how can we connect the brain to the limb allowing for our brain to control said limb? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc42qz7"
],
"text": [
"We don't need to. If the brain interprets that limb as our own, it will go on to fabricate sensations based on other sensory input. [Watch this]( URL_0 ). > And on top of that, how can we connect the brain to the limb allowing for our brain to control said limb? Cyberne... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5mjtzl | Why do cities offer free internet? What's the catch? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc4410o",
"dc444gm",
"dc4ealq",
"dc466bc"
],
"text": [
"The 'catch' is getting more people into the areas with net. Those areas will have all kinds of things that mean more taxes going to the city, like business revenue or land ownership.",
"City-wide internet usually either m... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5mk574 | how do touch screens work that they can be manipulated by my hand, but not accidentally by my sleeve? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc45y9k",
"dc47dmw"
],
"text": [
"They are capacitive touchscreens. They rely on human skin or a special conductor to sense where you pressed, instead of just registering a press like older touchscreens. URL_0",
"Small layer of fraction hair thin wires are Layn across your screen. The... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5ml4k1 | How can carshows like roadkill build vehicles with literally no exhausts while at the same time brands like Volkswagen are being sued over air pollution because of their cars? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc4dzea",
"dc4e1n4"
],
"text": [
"Volkswagen isn't being sued over the pollution that the cars are putting out, they're being sued because they altered their emissions standards testing to report that the vehicles they produce are more efficient and create fewer carbon emissions. It's a c... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5mllc2 | How is a piece of software like "Scan/Check Disk" able to fix a piece of hardware being your "Hard Drive"? What is going on behind the scenes here and why can't the OS just fix these errors on-the-fly? | So my UPS just crashed and thus my Win10 desktop PC turned off midway without properly shutting down. After restarting, windows was unable to load properly and I had to restart again using check/scan disk before the OS loaded. It ran the scan and fixed whatever problems were there and touch wood all is well again. But ... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc4g5um",
"dc4h3cc"
],
"text": [
"Check/scan disk is not fixing hardware. It's fixing bad data on the hard drive. The OS was in the middle of writing data when it lost power, and that put the data on the disk in a bad state that makes the OS unable to boot normally. Check/Scan disk is one... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5mlv5d | what happens if you leave the microwave door open and it's turned on? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc4ikd2"
],
"text": [
"Microwaves are electromagnetic radiation with fairly large wavelength. If you take away the spinning mechanism and put in something like a block of cheese, you'll pretty reliably be able to see that the heat will most be applied in certain sections. If you measure the d... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5mn1bl | How does a game like Call of Duty have practically no online delay at all while when playing a game like NBA 2K17, multiplayer modes experience about a full second of delay between when the button is pressed and when the game responds? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc4teq1"
],
"text": [
"Err. I haven't noticed this to happen in any online game so thought I'd start with that. Video games online don't use much bandwidth so getting a faster connection doesn't really impact them that much. (Unless it comes with better latency) Games are mostly impacted by l... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5mnprp | Why can phones make such a loud noise for an amber alert? Why can't they normally go this loud? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc4zjhv",
"dc4xttn",
"dc58mq4",
"dc5e4xy",
"dc4zm8c",
"dc5cilv",
"dc5ijbx",
"dc5j7m6",
"dc5j5lr",
"dc5k1ab"
],
"text": [
"What you may be refering to is the Pitch Tone of the message. High pitch notfication sounds are going to sound higher than lower pitch ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
5mqxco | How does a plan detect that missiles have been 'locked on'? What does this mean? | Is it just something they have in movies or does it happen in real life? If so, how does that work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc5n5pu"
],
"text": [
"A lock-on is an act of focusing the sensor system on a single target so that the target can be automatically tracked. With the sensors in our case being the missile's seeker. Now, in case with an infrared missile such as an AIM-9 Sidewinder, FIM-92 Stinger or R-73, ther... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
5mssue | What's a byte (gigabyte, megabyte) made of and how big is it? | I feel like this requires a lot of explaining but if anyone can explain basically just what any little byte is made of, how large it is, and how it can exist without changing the weight of a hard drive...or does it? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dc621vs",
"dc647tk",
"dc62gyr",
"dc6henx"
],
"text": [
"It's not \"made up\" anything in particular. It's just a concept. A byte is a string of eight bits, and a bit is just a binary digit. A number. And it doesn't make much sense to ask \"what is a number made of, and how big is ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
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