q_id stringlengths 6 6 | title stringlengths 4 294 | selftext stringlengths 0 2.48k | category stringclasses 1
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90iip8 | Why would Apple want to make their own chips for Macs? What is wrong with using Intel chips? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2qn7eo",
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"text": [
"Part of it is that Intel is profiting from chips that Apple buys from them. *If they have the up-front money to invest* and technical skill to produce them as cheaply as Intel can, they can keep the money that would otherwise be profit for Intel. Intel ch... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
90ij04 | What stops someone taking your open source software and selling it themselves? | For example, if I want to create a website that runs as a paid service (e.g. GitHub), what stops someone just running it on their own server and selling it themselves (potentially undercutting you)? I know there are various licenses like Apache, GPL and MIT, but they don't seem to say anything that would prevent this. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2qmv6n",
"e2qn1h7",
"e2qndu4"
],
"text": [
"If your license allows it then nothing stops them from doing so other than their own lack of desire.",
"Usually the fact that anyone looking to obtain that open source software is going to get it for free, because it's open source.",
... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
90jq2k | Why can crackers crack game keys but not voucher codes like amazon vouchers? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2qy688",
"e2qygy3"
],
"text": [
"Crackers can crack game keys because the only check on the key lives on the game itself. It just has an algorithm that looks at a particular alphanumeric string and says \"Yup, legit key\" or \"Nope, not legit key\". Once you find the bit of code on the d... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
90p1ln | How do big manufacturing companies like Apple trace who leaked information about future products to third parties? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2s8skp",
"e2s4dbh"
],
"text": [
"There have been cases where companies have played Tyrion Lannister's trick: tell a bunch of people slightly different things and see which version of the story leaks. Fire the guy you told that version to.",
"In many cases it’s the monitoring software... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
90p74o | What's the difference between HSRP and BGP? | Hello o/ - assuming this is the first time I've heard of these terms, what would be the simplest way to explain the difference between the two? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2s3ffu"
],
"text": [
"They are very different things. HSRP/VRRP is for having a backup router take over in the event of an equipment failure. BGP is the way that routers on the public internet exchange routing information."
],
"score": [
4
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90plac | How a one-time pad works (in cryptography) | I love reading Wikipedia articles and came across the article on one-time pads after reading about numbers stations. How do they work? The example the wiki page gives at the top of the article is confusing. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2s8ulj"
],
"text": [
"Imagine you have a pad of paper. Every page is just random numbers from 0 to 25. Your spy in the field has an exact copy of the pad. To send a message, you convert all the letters to numbers and add them to the numbers from the pad. Convert the sums back to letters and ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
90tw5o | If games can render near photo-realistic graphics in real-time, why does 3D animation software (e.g Blender) take hours or even days to render simple animations? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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90vm2r | If RAM (in typical computers) is memory used for temporary storage and is the fastest form of processor-storage transfer, what is Video RAM for? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2thdlo",
"e2tje21"
],
"text": [
"Same thing but for the graphics processor instead of the normal one. There are two primary processors in a computer, the GPU and the CPU. One is for graphics and one is for data, speaking simply.",
"Your assumption is incorrect. RAM is a very middle-o... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
90wac7 | Why do noise-cancelling headphones make people feel ill? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2tmh24"
],
"text": [
"It messes with their equilibrium. Your ears and the stuff in them help your body feel balanced. Slight vertigo can happen with those headphones causing some people to feel nauseous and/or dizzy. Even when people get ear infections it can cause vertigo."
],
"score": ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
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90wmka | Why can’t a company fully charge a device before they send it through the mail? | Is it bad for the battery or does it just die in transit, even if it’s not being used? Or something else? Thank you! | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2top7x",
"e2tp3jx",
"e2ucphp"
],
"text": [
"A battery that isn't charged as much is going to burn for a shorter period of time if it fails during transit.",
"The higher the energy the battery has stored, the higher the potential damage when mishandled. In the case of Li Ion batte... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
90wpk2 | Why is that plastic-ey printed texture on T-shirts so annoying and why do they keep making them? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2ttvab"
],
"text": [
"None of the answers here are correct. I'm a printmaker, so here's the real deal. What you're desrcibing is plastisol ink, which is very commonly used for printing on t-shirts, tote-bags, hats, and other apparel. It's essentially PVC resin and pigment suspended in a liqu... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
90wsso | Why do batteries age quicker if you charge them wrong (i.e. newer smartphone batteries should only be used between 80% and 20%; older batteries had to completely charged and rundown to get the maximum lifetime) | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2trhaf",
"e2tuusw"
],
"text": [
"Older batteries had \"memory\" so if you stopped charging too soon, they would \"remember\" that as a new charging point and stop being able to fully charge. I don't remember the science behind it though.",
"The life span of modern cell phone batterie... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
90xo1k | Why is water so difficult for 3d animation? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2twtrx",
"e2twb5z"
],
"text": [
"Water presents a number of challenges. First off, since it's a liquid it can move in a huge variety of ways, which means it's difficult to simulate well, and the more accurate you want to get, the more computational time it's probably going to take. If yo... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
90xwml | How are tire changes so quick in Formula 1 cars? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2txhpr",
"e2tz2pr"
],
"text": [
"They've really optimized their wheel designs to make it fast On your car you have to jack it up, undo 4-8 lug nuts, remove the wheel, put on the new wheel, put on 4-8 lug nuts, then lower the jack In formula 1 they just have to jack it up, undo 1 big nut,... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
90yku2 | how do fingerprint scanners on mobile phones work and are they different from other scanners? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2ui1gg"
],
"text": [
"There are three primary types of fingerprint scanners on the market. The one used in smartphones is called a *capacitive scanner,* as it relies on a property called capacitance. Basically, the scanner plate (typically a pad somewhere on the phone, often built into the h... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
90z982 | Why is it so hard to get that old 'hand drawn' look in modern anime/cartoons using computer animation? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2u9hg5",
"e2up2rj"
],
"text": [
"It's not done very often because animating something that high quality would take a really long time. It's possible, just insanely time consuming.",
"There's a lot of reasons why old hand drawn animation looks different than today's computer animation... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
90z9sy | How can SD cards (or other storage devices like USBs, HDDs...) of the same physical size have a different storage? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2u8tss"
],
"text": [
"For many flash devices, even if the same manufacturing process is being used, the physical flash memory modules (which are only a portion of the final device size may be a different size, or a manufacturing process that results in a more dense chip may be used for large... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9120ob | How do vending/cash machines know what type of dollar bill that was just inserted? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2uwovz",
"e2uv2tn"
],
"text": [
"So I do not know it vending machines utilize all (or any if these) but I used to work for a company that made cash counting machines that banks use. Our machines used image sensors, magnetic detectors, and ultraviolet light to determine the denomination o... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
914nta | What are the buzzing sounds speakers make whenever a phone receives a call? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2vf17c"
],
"text": [
"Interference. Since speakers have magnetic coils they act as an antenna and receive the signals emitted by your phone. it converts this into sound. But since the transmitted signal is digital format and the speaker is analog thats what you hear a burst of very fast beep... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91546a | How is it that in some Sci-Fi movies/shows destroying the control panel of a door would lock it, while in others, it opens the door? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2vhola",
"e2vhp3z",
"e2vhrau",
"e2vjcem"
],
"text": [
"It depends on whether opening or locking the door is more useful to the plot at that specific moment. If the writers want the heroes to open the door, they will put that in the script and the actors and special effects people... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
915dib | how does torrent system work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2vk0o0",
"e2vkl1y",
"e2vkl7r",
"e2vtul4"
],
"text": [
"In a traditional situation, you have a Server and a Client. The Server is basically a big computer that handles the request of the Client, if you for example want to download a legal copy of a movie, the server would send it ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
916hsm | Why is the Android/iOS version of an app updated so much more frequently than the desktop versions? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2vpvx3"
],
"text": [
"Assuming you're talking about desktop programs, it's probably because it's easier to update through an app store than a standalone program. Google Chrome is an exception though, as it updates itself without any user intervention. The actual Windows OS itself does seem t... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
917hox | Why, when you’re on slow wifi, will ads load before the content you actually want to see? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2vwran"
],
"text": [
"The web site is programmed to send the ads before the content. Otherwise, you'd be less likely to see the ads, and their customers would be unwilling to pay for the ads. Remember, from a web site operator's perspective, the purpose of the site is to show the ads."
],
... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9196fa | How does "I'm not a robot" - captcha work? | Would not be a script able to just check the box? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2wa88s",
"e2wa4an"
],
"text": [
"Those checkboxes are doing more that just observing when you click the box. If it was a script doing so, it would have happened immediately after the page finished loading. So the captcha is watching how long it takes for the box to be checked. Its also w... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
91actn | how internet speed tests work | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2wjl4q"
],
"text": [
"URL_0 They use servers that specifically track how fast your connection is. A server that is physically located to you will, usually, present you with better speeds than a server that's located farther away (especially if that server's located overseas). For downloading... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91axfu | Why didn't anything happen after Telecom companies not build a fiber optic network, even though they got 400 billion from the gov't. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2wu2qj"
],
"text": [
"Phone companies: \"Relax rate restrictions. We'll build fiber!\" Government: \\*relaxes rate restrictions\\* Phone companies: ... Government: ... A small, vocal group on the Internet: \"So where's the fiber?\" Phone companies: \"What fiber?\" They built out a little. Mo... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91bosf | At recycling sorting facilities, how are tiny objects such as shredded paper sorted? | How do they make sure that every single bit of shredded paper is paper without wasting time checking every single bit? Also, if you put a CD or credit card in the shredder and mix it along with the paper, how are they going to make sure that none of that goes into the batch for paper recycling? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2wweca",
"e2wvw7y",
"e2wz9z1"
],
"text": [
"They use pretty advanced machines with different technologies like optical (camera) detection, magnets, air brushes, centrifuges or even chemical methods to sort different materials. Plastics for example can be separated by a optical spectr... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
91eyxt | From a CRT: What is an electron gun, and What exactly does it do? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2xjtx3",
"e2xk20h",
"e2xotzu"
],
"text": [
"An electron gun is a device that emits a continuous beam of electrons when powered on. In a CRT, electromagnetic coils bend the electron beam back and forth to scan across the screen like printed text, left to right then top to bottom. The ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91fist | Operating systems tend to throw very general errors at times. What are the complications behind making an OS tell you exactly where the bug is and how it can be solved? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2xocaq",
"e2xnc9j"
],
"text": [
"The OS observes the things it can observe. Things like accessing/modifying memory, opening/reading/writing to/closing files, interacting with devices, etc. There are many programming errors that can lead to one of those things going wrong. If you try to a... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91flac | How films that were filmed before 4k technology was around, can be re-released in 4k? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2xnscc",
"e2xnpev"
],
"text": [
"Film has its own inherent resolution based on gauge, emulsion, lens quality, etc., though not in a convenient pixel count like digital. Old films can be scanned at high resolution, and as long as the film is in good condition, and the film stock was good ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91idqg | Why don’t viruses in virtual machines effect the host computer? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2y6uc0",
"e2y84y3",
"e2y7vm4",
"e2yus7c"
],
"text": [
"A virtual machine is completely isolated from the host computer. In some cases virus can actually affect a host computers, but it doesn't happen often.",
"A virtual machine is just that— virtual. Your computer is basicall... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91kbdo | Why do some fighter jets need two "pilots" while other only need one while doing the same task? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2ymxar",
"e2ymyab",
"e2yqnhu"
],
"text": [
"The guy in the back is the weapons system officer. He frees up the pilot to focus on pilot things while he takes care of locking on to targets, dropping bombs, and firing missiles There are versions of the F/A-18 with one seat and two. The ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91lsj5 | Why when you turn off a light it emits a glow for a bit after? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2yyt89",
"e2z4h14"
],
"text": [
"The filament in the light bulb takes a few seconds to cool off, so it still appears red hot.",
"A traditional (old tech) incandescent bulb works by passing electricity thru a thin wire until it gets so hot it glows. Turn off the electricity and the wi... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91obsl | How do pitches for a video game work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2zk0eo"
],
"text": [
"It's pretty much a free market, especially with Indie Studios, so there is not one set answer to this really. Generally you wouldn't necessarily have to pitch this to an investor. A group of developers will form a studio, develop whatever they want, and try to get it pu... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91pfp5 | why are Android application updates as big as the size of the app, while on Windows/steam they are very small? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2zsfu5"
],
"text": [
"Android apps are packaged and treated as a single unit whereas on steam it is installed as a series of files. So on one hand you replace the whole unit (so technically you do reinstall the whole app), on the other you can replace individual files."
],
"score": [
... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91qpd6 | Why is it that we can watch graphics-intensive videos of games on let’s say, our phones when they have a weaker processor compared to a desktop or without any graphics card at all? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e2zzd8f",
"e2zzgvd"
],
"text": [
"Playing a video and actually doing the work rendering the video games are two different things. It's similar to watching a video of ninja warrior vs actually competing and doing the work in the competition.",
"I’m able to hold a Mona Lisa and present ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91rmei | What is an IP and is it assigned to device or network? | What do each of the digits mean? Is IP assigned to device [ie phone or computer] or network connection? What is a static IP and a dynamic IP? In the absence of cview3 [cookie data], can a consistent IP identify a device? Thanks! | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e305klf"
],
"text": [
"An IP is like a phone number. It is assigned to your router much like a phone number is assigned to a phone. A Mac address is like a serial number for each device, ie your printer,photocopier etc. A static IP never changes. A dynamic IP is automatically assigned by the ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
91tp26 | How bad actually is it to plug in and turn on a freezer just after moving it? (People say wait 24 hours before turning it on) | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e30nrcw",
"e30opz5",
"e30tcas"
],
"text": [
"There's oil in the compressor part of the freezer (the engine bit) that can leak out if the freezer hasn't been kept upright during transport (which you don't know for sure it hasn't if you just bought it). Letting it stand upright lets thi... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91wic5 | How does antivirus software work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e31bl6r"
],
"text": [
"Yer not alone in askin', and kind strangers have explained: 1. [ELI5:How does Antivirus work? ]( URL_1 ) ^(_42 comments_) 1. [ELI5: How does anti \"virus\" software work? ]( URL_0 ) ^(_6 comments_) 1. [ELI5: How does an Antivirus work? ]( URL_3 ) ^(_2 comments_) 1. [ELI... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
91xwo4 | In the band The Eagles, one of the band's lead singers, Don Henley, is also the drummer. This is also the case during live shows. How could the mic setup for this ever work? How could a mic for vocals not pick up super loud drums that are < 4ft away? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e31lfu4"
],
"text": [
"The mic does pic up drums. The drums are a quick impulse sound, while the voice is a melodic average volume sound. By using noise gates and compressors it is possible to minimize the drum sounds while a drummer is singing. When the drummer is not singing his mic gets dr... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
921ine | How is it possible that my car keys unlock only my car and not all the others? Is it theoretically possible that my key could unlock a second car somewhere on the world (given I'm close by)? | Edit: Apologies for the poorly phrased question. While the mystery of mechanical keys is fairly interesting I always figured that there would be a limited amount of key/locks available. My question was particularly referring to the (new) wireless keys!! | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e32k0gn",
"e32gf3w",
"e32am2g",
"e32r8er",
"e32aoow",
"e32p9os",
"e32hfxo",
"e334qdr",
"e33fj7r",
"e32ieat",
"e32jsj1",
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],
"text": [
"Most modern cars have 3 layers of security when it comes to keys. Remote Identification, Physical Identif... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9237jx | How can a geothermal heating system take ground-cooled water that is 50 degrees F and turn it into 70 degree F heat for a building? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e32ou9z",
"e33kobb"
],
"text": [
"Heat pumps move heat from cold to hot or hot to cold. They're most efficient when the temperature is the same on both sides. If you're trying to heat a house in the winter then it might be 0 outside and you're trying to reach 70 F. This isn't going to be ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
925eq4 | why do a few of my iPhone apps say they are ‘cleaning’ sometimes? What does that mean? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e336oyx",
"e33eykm"
],
"text": [
"They say that?? I’ve used iPhones since, well, a while now and have never seen that. Now I’m curious if it’s something up w/your phone or I’m just lucky. Just out of curiosity, which apps? All or the same ones?",
"In order to speed up operation, your ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
925ev3 | why are videos recorded in 720, 1080 or 4k and not in megapixels? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3361u5"
],
"text": [
"One megapixel is 1 million pixels. 1080p has just over 2 million pixels per frame. 4k has about 9 million pixels per frame. So when you say 1080p, you could also say 2.07MP"
],
"score": [
10
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925krc | Why laptop screens or monitors almost always have clouding or light bleed on the edges while smartphones screen don't | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e337yz6"
],
"text": [
"Most computer screens take advantage of LCD technology, which have a backlight and liquid crystals. The backlight is the lightsource, and the liquid crystals make up the pixels. Each pixel is basically a mini electric circuit, and depending on the voltage you can change... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
925t6z | Why do some websites restrict the use of certain symbols and length of passwords? | Too often do I come across a website that only allows you to use certain symbols (ex. *, !, # only!) in your passwords. Not only that, but they also impose limits on the length you can use to some small number like 14 characters. What gives? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e33be35",
"e33e125",
"e339va2"
],
"text": [
"It's possible, in certain types of systems, to trick the server you are talking to to do things it's not supposed to (like print out a full list of usernames and their passwords, oops!) The way this works is that you include characters in s... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9280mh | How do greenscreens work, and why green over other colors? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e33qqdd"
],
"text": [
"You just use a computer to cut out the green shit & composite what's left over a new background. Green is used because it's a pretty bright color & not likely to match with the skin/clothes of the people you're filming. Pretty much any color that provides a good contras... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92ae2a | Why do some say that systemd is against the "Unix philosophy"? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3499vi",
"e349qs3"
],
"text": [
"In an ELI5 sense, the *Unix Philosophy* can be summed up by the idea that a piece of software should do one thing and do it well. *systemd* does lots of things and some argue it does some of them poorly. It's a single piece of software that is meant to be... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92b22f | How does internet work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e34dn4n",
"e34dbih",
"e34ejcn"
],
"text": [
"Most of the Internet is not wireless. The only wireless bits are usually the wifi in your home/office/coffee shop or the connection between your phone and the nearest cell tower. All the connections in the middle use wires. Even between con... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92df7y | How 3D movies work in theaters? | All my local places works with passive glasses that costs around 1$. With the LED TV screens we have it is quite obvious it is something to do with little LED lights. What about the light coming out of a projector and hitting to screen? Does it keep its polarization? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e34whhq"
],
"text": [
"There are a number of different technologies used over the years. On that used to be popular in the past gave you glasses with one red lens and a green/blue one and projected an image onto the screen that was a combination of the red image for one eye and the green one ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
92ebvf | Why do the levels of security for online transactions differ so much? | For example, some websites require me to get a one-time password from a token device that requires me to put my card into the device and enter the PIN, while some only need my card number, expiration date and security code. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e352gvp"
],
"text": [
"Online vendors have agreements with credit card processors that determine their degree of liability when fraud occurs. The more security, the less liability. Those vendors have to make a business decision, how many sales will they lose for making customers jump through ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
92enwr | If GPS relies on satellites and not internet, why do you need internet for smartphone map apps? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e354m93",
"e354mx4",
"e354n4v",
"e354jxs",
"e3586ms"
],
"text": [
"The GPS coordinates are able to be received without a phone signal, but the map itself has to be downloaded from the internet. If the map app you are using has a cache system (most have a limited form), then yo... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92f72x | why do movies played at 24 frames per second (the industry standard) look silky smooth, yet games played at 30 FPS feel “off” | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e359rvu",
"e359x4a",
"e35bb62"
],
"text": [
"Movies at 24 fps don't look silky smooth. They have motion blur after all. But a big reason is that video games render a single frame, which represents a single instance in time. It's a series of pictures, with no way to represent the time ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92fd5o | Is cloud seeding not a decent method of fighting forest fires? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e35awru",
"e35anr3",
"e35bcrt"
],
"text": [
"> We have the technology to make it rain (within tolerances) when and where we want it too; No, we don't. It's never been really proven to work, and if it works at all, it requires there to be rain clouds in the first place. What are you go... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92hg0c | Why does it seem that every company that updates their user interface makes it worse? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e35qmpl"
],
"text": [
"Because it changes from what you're used to, I'm sure if reddit changed from the new version to the old version there would be a lot more complaints."
],
"score": [
5
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92l01w | How does not charging your phone to 100% allow your battery to last longer? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e36h413"
],
"text": [
"this is bs. doesn’t mean something like SOT will increase, as there is simply less charge in the battery than if it were charged to 100% however, very marginal decreases in battery wear (ie. the amount of charge it can store) might occur - but these are too small to not... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92qeoa | Will a house actually burn down if an oven is left on? If so, how? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e37lipp"
],
"text": [
"An oven is a source of heat. If it's dirty, you leave something in it that overcooks or you put something flammable on top (normally, they have vents coming out one of the burners), there is a chance of something catching on fire. Small fires, left unattended, tend to g... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92r3wo | Why is it that someone I'm on the phone with cannot hear the media I am playing on my phone, even if both the phone call and the media are on loud speaker? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e37x47k"
],
"text": [
"The phone knows what sound it is putting out and uses a special circuit to cancel out that sound from what it detects coming in. This is most often used when the speakerphone mode is used and the phone is both producing and recording different sides of the conversation.... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92rwk1 | Why do commercial radio stations only go from 80.x to 107.x FM and 530 to 1600 AM? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e37xj2e",
"e37xjyb",
"e37xvm4"
],
"text": [
"Those are the frequencies the government has designated open for public radio transmission and issue the radio station licenses. They reserve other frequencies for air traffic control. CB radio. Ham radio. And other purposes (including bann... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92vbll | Can someone explain how the law of accelerating returns works? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e38sthr",
"e38zto9"
],
"text": [
"The more technology you have, the more you can create. Consider how crucial the invention of writing has been for technological progress. The ability to write down what you have learned into a book or into a letter. Now with the internet in your pocket, y... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92x5ye | What is exactly does Amazon Web Services do? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3914n4",
"e3917bb",
"e39cfth"
],
"text": [
"AWS is a cloud hosting service \"There is no such thing as the Cloud, it's just someone else server.\" Basically AWS is a huge farm of servers and storage. People and companies pay monthly fees to rent the hardware. Hosting websites is the ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92xe0v | Why are US $10 bills a yellowish color compared to the usual green of the other bills? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e392y2f"
],
"text": [
"Just throwing it out there, but $50 bills have a pinkish tint to me. (cashier here, I don't personally own a $50 bill)"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
92yer2 | In newest wifi standard, how can encrypted data become invalidated after 1 bruteforce attempt? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e39emsk",
"e39b4mn",
"e39m9qd"
],
"text": [
"It's a misinterpretation of the author, captured data will stay there and another attack will be able to be used later on the same data. What does WPA3 have then? WPA3 implemented Forward Secrecy, where the key used to encrypt the current b... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
930gjk | Audio Signals | I can't wrap my head around how headphones or speakers work. Please explain how a Dac works and what an analog signal is. Is it pulsing electricity? How does it create sound? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e39rlw4"
],
"text": [
"So it's best to start with what sound is. It's just a series of high and low pressure waves in air. How would we go about generating it? One way is just by pushing on it. That's exactly what the membrane on a speaker does. It pushes on the air really hard and creates a ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
932svu | why does old movies (just before and right after colored movies) often seem to be in way better quality than movies from the late 70s or 80s? And sometimes even better than videos from the early 2000s | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3a711x",
"e3aqqll"
],
"text": [
"Because when things like colour were first introduced the technology wasn’t very good so there were lots of artefacts like grain which decreased quality. In the 2000s when digital video became popular, resolution was low so things were grainy and pixelate... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
938dsf | - 3D printable guns. What’s the deal? These things will be able to be printed and then shoot an actual bullet?? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3bdanb",
"e3bdpv8",
"e3bdbfp"
],
"text": [
"Technically yea they can. It's generally the thought of untracked printed guns then the actual guns themselves. In practise due to the way they are made and the materials, they are generally brittle and prone to breaking before the gun is f... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
939pt1 | how does the internet’s wayback machine work? | Sidenote; How much data do the servers need to handle? Context: [The wayback machine]( URL_0 ) is a website where you can visit previous versions of websites/ deleted threads. Type a site in the search bar, say of a youtube user, choose a time, and see what the page looked like on that day/time | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3bntbb"
],
"text": [
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is how previous projects that were similar worked. They have bots (automated software) that crawl the web looking at different webpages and archiving them. Every time it takes a snapshot of a webpage (usually including its source code a... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
93clx7 | Why can't we just use MAC addreses instead of the IP addreses? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3c9i8n",
"e3ca6if"
],
"text": [
"A MAC address is unique identifier, but it doesn't tell you anything about *where* a device is. IP addresses are structured, routers can infer from the address which way it needs to send the message to get it towards its destination, without needing a gia... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
93cw61 | How does a sewage system and the recycling of the sewage water work? | People throw everything that fits in a toilet and flushes it, almost every bodyfluid can be found in sewage water and dead animals etc. How do they clean that water? How does it work in general? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3caxss"
],
"text": [
"Screens remove everything larger than ~1\". The water goes to a primary clarifier where solids sink, grease floats, and the cleaner water is siphoned from the middle. That water is sent to an aeration basin where the activated sludge (good microorganisms) is introduced ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
93fg6s | Why is biological warfare considered illogical/ineffective as a military strategy? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3ct1mn",
"e3ctf41",
"e3ct5pe"
],
"text": [
"Biological weapons aren't considered ineffective. They are *far too effective*, potentially moreso than nuclear weapons. Releasing a supergerm into an enemy country is a great way to kill lots of people, but once you do, it could be very di... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
93jr7m | How did DVD's continue to be a mainstream product along side Blu Rays? Why didn't they die out like VHS tapes did when new technology hit the market? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3ds1xg"
],
"text": [
"Because of compatibility I would say. When we switched to DVD from vcr there was no backwards compatibility due to completely different form factors. Since dvd and bluray use the same form factor a bluray player can also play a DVD. So dvds didn't become immediately obs... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
93lm4e | How do stethoscopes work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3e9w9z"
],
"text": [
"Avast ye! Yer not alone in askin', and kind strangers have explained: 1. [ELI5: How does a stethoscope work? ]( URL_3 ) ^(_4 comments_) 1. [ELI5: How do stethoscopes work? ]( URL_2 ) ^(_4 comments_) 1. [ELI5:How do stethoscopes work? ]( URL_1 ) ^(_4 comments_) 1. [ELI5:... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
93o407 | what does the /16, -/24, -/28, -/32 at the end of IP addresses do? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3en7vy",
"e3enbw9",
"e3er0jx"
],
"text": [
"When an ip address is written in the format you’re showing here, with / and number of bits, the number such as 24 is a notation if how many bits of the address are masked off and can’t change. An IPv4 address is 32 bits long. If you have 19... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
93pmlp | what is the difference between general purpose, business, and gaming laptops? How is the hardware/ tasks they perform different? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3eyvcg",
"e3f5uwg",
"e3f3rbm"
],
"text": [
"General purpose laptops are made up of cheap materials. Business laptops are made of better materials,have modular parts like RAM,SSD and have a lot of Ports,along with having special business features like a TPM chip and This intel technol... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
93r474 | Phones, how do they work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3fb69o",
"e3fc1mz",
"e3fbc1v"
],
"text": [
"> If you buy a phone from the internet, is it god to go straight out the box or is there various contracts you need to sign? There are of course various contracts you need to sign. If you are talking about a landline phone (those do still e... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
93t0m0 | What are computer program installers actually doing while a program is being installed? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3fssla",
"e3fqdbh"
],
"text": [
"In Windows they mostly just decompress the files and put them in the right place after checking there's enough space, then they tell Windows the software has been installed. If the program relies on other software it may also check you have it, and if you... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
93t5d8 | Why are some slow-motion videos low pitched and some normal pitched ones that are simply slower? What is the difference between their creation processes? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3frizj"
],
"text": [
"The ones that are low pitched basically ‘stetch’ the audio file to fit the slowdown, whilst the normal pitched ones basically duplicate the tiny bits of audio to fit the slowdown"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
93uhtq | How do old movies get HD quality? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3g2oal"
],
"text": [
"They were shot on film. Film is a super-high quality medium, with much more than 4K UHD resolution. It's simply a matter of running the film through a scanner and scanning it at higher resolution."
],
"score": [
10
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
93v1uh | How does a casset to auxiliary adapter work? | Keep seeing this insane feat of technology in my buddies old cars, a casset that gets shoved in to the tape deck with a cord that connects to their phone. I can't fathom how this can work? Help. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3g7nxh"
],
"text": [
"Assuming you already understand the ELI5 answer for 'how does an audio cassette tape work?': Then the cassette adapter basically transmits the electronic signals from the headphone port through the wires into the fake cassette. Instead of being actual magnetic tape insi... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
93vd6j | How does a Turing machine work?? | I've always wondered what a Turing machine is, and what it does. Obviously I looked it up before posting this and all I know right now is that it's a machine that executes things... lol. Thanks in advance! | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3gb5cb",
"e3g949l",
"e3gnv8z"
],
"text": [
"The most important thing to remember about a Turing machine is that it's *an abstract idea*, not really a plan for making a practical functional computer. Some people have built them but they're not really useful for doing anything *other t... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
93vrc2 | Why are receipt printers so much quicker than "normal" printers you find in offices? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3gc4ts",
"e3guc8r"
],
"text": [
"They use a whole different technology to print to paper, called \"thermal printing\". It has it's pros and cons. For example, you can *only* print to thermal paper using a thermal printer. Also, you trade quality for velocity.",
"They have a printhead... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
93vzvj | [deleted by user] | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3gftl0"
],
"text": [
"It was a growth of what humans had to do by hand, each level increasing the complexity slightly until we got our operating systems. The first computers could only run one program, and they were physically built using physical wires and often mechanical components. To ch... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
93xl0z | HTTPS:// vs HTTP:// | As the title. Why is HTTPS better? How is it encrypted? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3gqt0l",
"e3gpipj"
],
"text": [
"You want to give Bob a letter, you don't really know anything aside from his name/address. So a guy opens the door, says \"yea, I'm Bob\" and you give the letter away - That's HTTP A guy opens the door says \"yea, I'm Bob\" and you say \"prove it\", and h... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
93y1hh | On the old CRT TV sets, why/how did smacking the TV fix the picture? | I remember when we were younger, anytime the TV would get a bit shaky you'd give it a good whack on the side and it would magically work. Same with other electronics like the radio. How did this actually work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3gsl4k"
],
"text": [
"Since this era's electronics was made up of discrete components, probably hand-soldered into the board, dry solder joints were more likely that for modern surface-mount, flow-soldered boards. There were also more daughter boards, cables and valves / tubes all plugged in... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
94094s | What sustains Moore's law? Why is it exponential and not linear? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3h8rhe",
"e3h93ex"
],
"text": [
"It's exponential because each new technological advance builds upon the gains of the last technological advance. What keeps it going though is probably just competition between technological powerhouse companies. The technology is going to have to jump pl... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
944fan | How did Game Genies work for nes/Sega Master System? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3i842p",
"e3i7n5s"
],
"text": [
"Game Genie's worked a little different depending on each system because each system treated cartridges a little different. In general a Game Genie was designed to sit between the console and the cartridge and when the console asked the cartridge for data ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
944ksn | [deleted by user] | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3i8fpg"
],
"text": [
"For a good dishwasher, they do not. I saw an interview with a dishwasher designer who was visibly upset that people keep rinsing their dishes before using his machine."
],
"score": [
8
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
94a0sb | Difference in block level and file level backups | What’s the difference between these two types of backups? And how would the restore process differ depending on which type of backups you used? Is one seen as superior to the other? And is there a third option other than these two I’m unaware of? Thanks. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3jdtd1"
],
"text": [
"A block level backup doesn't have any notion of files or directories, those are just another use of the blocks on a drive. If the drive fails, you can put all the blocks back and get a drive identical to the one before the backup. File backups preserve the relationships... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
94c38v | How do volunteer computing companies/labs use my CPU time? | I’ve ran some software which donates some CPU time that I don’t use to help with research projects that require many resources. I’m stuck with a (probably) basic question about all this. How does the process look like? What are they doing with my CPU time and how can they use it? What is my computer actually doing and ... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3jutr2",
"e3jw0oq"
],
"text": [
"They send your computer data through whatever tunnel you setup for them. So they send data that tells your pc \"hey pc#1234 whats 1x2?\". Your cpu then calculates the answer and sends it back. Be careful doing this has this can easily open you up to malic... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
94eov9 | what is the purpose of those robocalls where no one is on the other end | I get the calls that say “This is the IRS, you are going to be arrested. Please call us immediately to take care of the problem, etc.” because they are an attempt to get your financial and personal information. But what value could a call be that gets no information other than you picked up so it’s a live number? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3kj2rw",
"e3kj3u9"
],
"text": [
"> But what value could a call be that gets no information other than you picked up so it’s a live number? That information is useful to reduce the calling list to numbers that at least work. Robo-calling outfits operate by having a call center full of wor... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
94g9ke | Why does proximity to my hand/body seem to focus the sound from my radio transmitter. | A transmitter like this [car transmitter ]( URL_0 ) . The music coming from it always is less fuzzy when my hand is closer or closed around it. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3ktipj"
],
"text": [
"You're acting as an antenna, the large inductance of your body gathers the radio waves and then re-radiates them. The same principle as putting rabbit ear antennas on an old broadcast tv."
],
"score": [
4
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
94h6kr | How do logic gates work? | I already know their truth table etc. I'd like to know how they "physically" work, like what happens inside them. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3l0ek0",
"e3lbi8a"
],
"text": [
"MOSFET Transistors have 3 Pins, the source, drain and gate. When a voltage is applied across the gate, the area between the drain and source is depleted of electrons, creating “hole” charge carriers. Basically, imagine a highway between two cities jammed ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
94ht9j | [deleted by user] | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3l3p8a",
"e3l67va",
"e3l4etz",
"e3liko0"
],
"text": [
"an automated system cannot solve the captcha codes and convert them to text. they usually give tasks that cannot be done by artificial intelligence to prove that you are a human.",
"Suppose I create, say, a bot that mimic... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
94i8uu | How do hundreds of users access files on one server simultaneously without the server crashing? | For example, each school in the school district I work at has it's own server. With hundreds of teachers and students all accessing their data at the same time, how does the server keep up with this? With solid state storage it makes a little bit more sense how this is possible since SSDs are so much faster, but with m... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3l77n4",
"e3la90s"
],
"text": [
"There’s several things at play: 1: computers are really fast these days, if used efficiently. As an end user it might often seem like things are sluggish and slow but that’s often due to inefficient apps. Server side software is often much more optimized ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
94ji8e | [deleted by user] | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3lfhgp"
],
"text": [
"No, the delays don't add up this way. If it's 3 seconds at the beginning of the interview, it's generally going to remain about 3 seconds throughout the course of the interview, unless there's some sort of latency issues in the connection. It might be easier to understa... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
94kxmu | Why does the storage capacity on hard drives keep increasing rapidly as the years go on? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3lr6o3",
"e3m5mr8"
],
"text": [
"Basically a combination of technical advances and dropping prices that allowed to include more Magnet Discs in one single Drive and to dense Up the amount of Data written on each disc",
"Moore's Law was about transistor's in a circuit becoming smaller... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
94ovzz | - why are so many Windows programs installed in "users\AppData" instead of "Program Files"? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3mnudx",
"e3monwk"
],
"text": [
"It's easier to let different users have different customizations in the program if there are individual working directories for everyone instead of just the one.",
"The program isn't installed there, it's just a folder with the same name that is used ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
94qazj | Why is every website I go to on my mobile browser desperate to get me to download their dedicated app? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3myfqr"
],
"text": [
"Also installed apps can gather more data from your phone and can also push notifications. In the end installing and never opening is still a win for them."
],
"score": [
3
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
94qvka | During WW2 why didn't the Allies replicate the MG42 when it was superior to their variants of machine guns | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3n25q6",
"e3ndnl2",
"e3ne0p2",
"e3nwski"
],
"text": [
"Time, money, resource management, getting them to the front lines would be a pain. Also, it wasnt necessarily better than the American weapons used at the time. But it shot with a fast rate of fire, a large caliber, and its a... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
94veki | Why can the sound volume of commercials on internet TV be double the actual show's volume? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e3o4ezj",
"e3o4p2q",
"e3o3vf5"
],
"text": [
"The commercials are allowed to be as loud as the shows. That means if the show has a gunshot, or an explosion, or a big dramatic music swell, then the commercial is allowed to be as loud as that. Thing is, the loudest sound in the show last... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
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