q_id stringlengths 6 6 | title stringlengths 4 294 | selftext stringlengths 0 2.48k | category stringclasses 1
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7e7xm8 | Why does copying a timestamped video from youtube result in URL_1 instead of URL_0 ? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq33p9y"
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"text": [
"It's actually URL_2 . YouTube bought the domain URL_2 to make short URLs possible. This is actually no longer necessary, since services like Twitter (where short URLs were necessary) now use their own link-shortening services; but the option is still there. Basically, i... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7e83ec | If computers are lightning-fast at running calculations and performing tasks, why does "freezing" take seconds or even minutes? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq35qav",
"dq347y4",
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"text": [
"Think of a computer as a train station. The computer manages the programs (trains) as they move about the station. There are always more trains than there are platforms and tracks, but the computer manages the trains carefully so each train... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7e8f61 | why does ALT CTRL DEL sometimes fail? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq3929a"
],
"text": [
"A computer and all the things connected to it are managed by the operating system. When you're running a program that uses a keyboard, the operating system works as a translator of sorts that receives the button presses from a keyboard and then forwards that onto the pr... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ea8ea | Why do older video games look so angular, like they were pasting faces on the blocks of wood? What changed? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"dq3ktv4",
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"text": [
"Computers do 3D graphics with angular, pointy shaped polygons. If you wanna make something look smooth and rounded, you need to use **more** little polygons to approximate a rounded edge. Problem is, more polyg... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ebdxw | Why do fridges pop and bang (very loudly) | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq3th2t",
"dq3y1pz"
],
"text": [
"Cracks, pops and bangs (especially rare, kinda unpredictable ones) may be your ice maker. Ice forms in a mold and eventually gets ejected, often shattering in the process, then tumbling down onto it's cubey brethren. More \"mechanical\" noises might be th... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7eck14 | what physically changes in a computer when you save something? | If you were to look through microscope what is the physical change you would see in the components? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq40m1t"
],
"text": [
"It depends on what type of computer. If it is a conventional hard drive, or mechanical drive, with the right instruments you would be able to 'see' microscopic magnetic pits on the surface of the disk change from off to on. The mechanical drive is a magnetic storage dev... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7edja4 | How is music remixed? | I cant wrap my head around how people music so deeply. How can you isolate and edit/remove certain lyrics or instruments? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq49dqz",
"dq48hj0",
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"text": [
"When you record music in the studio, you record a bunch of different audio tracks (anywhere from 4 to over 100) and then mix those together to produce a final track. A proper remix starts with these raw unmixed tracks and then cuts them up,... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7efz23 | What stops pop up ads and viruses from simply making the "no" or "cancel" button take users to the same place as the yes button? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq4t4dc",
"dq4r2zr",
"dq4r2wg"
],
"text": [
"Nothing. Personally, I never click popups. You can easily get rid of them by: - F12 (open devtools) - click the \"Select Element\" button (top left of devtools, looks like a mouse cursor) - mouse over the popup so it is highlighted and clic... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7egb4u | Why does Apple not build its own manufacturing plants? | if Apple is having so much trouble sourcing enough iPhones to meet demand, and labor issues in third-party OEMs routinely cause bad press, why hasn't Apple already used it's massive cash reserves to build some insane mega-manufacturing plant where everything is in sheer white and Jony Ives' voice floats softly out of l... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq4s9tq",
"dq4t40e"
],
"text": [
"Money, it's all about money. They are not making products out of the goodness of their hearts. It's to make a profit, and so far they have ran the numbers and they would make more how it's currently operating.",
"Apple doesn't make anything that requi... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7egs4l | What’s the purpose of a distress signal on submarines, if we can’t locate them once it’s been used? | We've all heard the news about the Argentinian submarine which has gone missing. I am just wondering, as they have sent a distress signal, but we don't seem able to locate them, what the purpose of the distress signal is? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq4vxpd",
"dq4vhzu",
"dq50t3t"
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"text": [
"Think of the distress signal as someone yelling out \"Help\" really loadly into the night, someone hears them and calls the police. The call doesnt tell you exactly where they are, but it does tell people to start searching and gives an app... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7ehdo9 | Could someone explain network encapsulation and how data is split up into frames and packets? | I've recently been set an assignment where one of the questions goes along the lines of "how is data encapsulated and split into packets and frames?". The teacher hasn't really given a answer to this so can someone give a simple explanation for me to base my answer off? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq50kig"
],
"text": [
"So in general when people talk about the network stack they use the [OSI model]( URL_0 ). You can think about it this way, at one point you have a piece of data on your computer and you want to send it to another computer. In order to do so, your data has to traverse th... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7ejt7j | Entities - Databases | I'm starting a computing course and cant get my head round the concept of entities in databases. If i had a flat database that i needed to turn into a relation database with the headers: Surname, Firstname, Venue, Price, and Length of stay what would the entities be and why? I'm pretty sure 'Customers' would be an enti... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq5fsrl"
],
"text": [
"An entity is a thing. You make tables in a database out of entities, each row ideally represents an individual entity. In your case, what is the table storing? Customer information? Order information? Venue names? It's not clear. Ideally you'd have a table to represent ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7ekxr0 | What's the difference from an Ethernet Switch and the extra Ethernet Ports on the back of my router? | I know what a switch does, and why its useful, but on the back of my router/modem provided by my ISP, there are other Ethernet ports that I can hook up my computers to for wired connection. Is that a "built-in" switch? Also, do most home networks not use switches? when does a switch become necessary? when 5+ devices ar... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq5odui"
],
"text": [
"Exactly, it's a built-in switch. Your home router/modem is actually a router, a modem, and a 4-port or whatever switch in a single unit. Most people don't have that many things that need or benefit from a wired connection nowadays, with wifi being so popular. So those 4... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7emc0f | How can I get electroshocked while building a computer, even when it's all turned off? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq5zbn6"
],
"text": [
"Capacitors are things that hold a charge after the computer is turned off. Capacitors slowly lose their charge, but it takes a while. Some capacitors can be deadly."
],
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10
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7en65q | How do (usually paid for) fake social media likes, favorites, and followers actually happen? | I often see advertisements for tools to rapidly gain likes, followers, plays (on soundcloud), or additional methods of clout on various social media sites. What methods do these programs use to make this happen? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq66jaf"
],
"text": [
"It's actually generally not controlled by a computer program, but sadly but people in countries with low wages, typically like Indonesia or sometimes the Philippines. Companies hire people and pay them very little to click \"like\" or \"follow\" or whatever on thousands... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7end7k | Why is the Internet governed the way it is? .... How did it become controlled by a handful of companies? And also isn’t there a way to get internet without these big companies and their contracts? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq67kc9",
"dq674cw",
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],
"text": [
"Its more or less always been that way because the Physical infrastructure needed for the internet is very expensive. This causes something called a natural monopoly where very few companies can pay the needed cost to start up an ISP. Natura... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7engdb | I'm told that if you delete data from a computer, it isn't *actually* gone, and is recoverable - so if the freed up memory can be used for new data, how is it possible given storage capacity limits? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq67zx0",
"dq6cdnv",
"dq67qrb"
],
"text": [
"Imagine it like a whiteboard. You write information on it, and anything you want to keep you write next to it 'do not delete'. When you finally dont need this data anymore you just remove the 'do not delete' message. This doesnt mean the in... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7enrdx | How do "text x to xxxxx" numbers work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq6d9x2",
"dq6a6i4"
],
"text": [
"at least in the US, these are called shortcodes, and you buy them from [this company]( URL_0 ) which has agreements with all the telecoms to support these numbers. as to 'how do they work,' well it's no different than a normal phone number as far as how y... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ep6x2 | I thought the internet was a series of interconnected routers and computers that communicate however they want. How does one institution in one state control this communication even for people in other parts of the world? | see title | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq6j6v1"
],
"text": [
"The internet is mostly run by companies who own infrastructure (like wires and shit). The institution you're talking about (assuming the FCC) gets to decide what these types of companies are allowed to do. Right now they are FORCED by the FCC to treat all traffic equall... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7epz9n | In networking, what is the difference between a router and a hub? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq6onx7",
"dq6npki",
"dq6uhf3"
],
"text": [
"A router operates at layer 3 of the OSI model. It handles IP addresses, and decides where packets go based on the IPs store in the TCP or UDP packet headers. A switch operates at layer 2. It handles packet movement based on MAC addresses, w... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7eq094 | How is it possible that ISP's can see what your up to online? I thought HTTPs encrypted your traffic so it can't be read? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq6ndyy",
"dq6nsj3",
"dq708r3",
"dq7fgsl",
"dq6z1w5",
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"text": [
"Sorta. The ISP is your mailman. They need to get packages to... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7erm40 | Off Camera flash Duration and Shutterspeed | I've been reading about off camera flashes for a while now, but can't seem t figure out the whole logic behind the flash duration and it's relationship with the shutterspeed. I understand that t0.5 (t0.1) means the amount of time it takes for the flash to lose 50% (90%) of it's power, so if you want to freeze action it... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq6zz4v",
"dq70exj"
],
"text": [
"The flash duration and shutter speed are independent. However, many cameras use a double-curtain shutter, or electronic rolling shutter. The effect of these shutter systems is that at slow shutter speeds, the whole sensor is active, but at faster shutter ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7escds | How do Car Keys hold their charge? Do they get charged by the car? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq72k1w",
"dq72lps",
"dq72lih",
"dq73lew"
],
"text": [
"The battery holds charge like any other battery, it just lasts a long time because it uses so little electricity. You can open your key fob and change the battery if it runs out.",
"It's just a normal battery, it just doe... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7eupo2 | How can different image file types differ so much in size for the same content even though visually there is no difference? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq7kcyy"
],
"text": [
"The difference is how they store and compress the data. One format may use 24 bits per color per pixel. Another may use 24 bits per pixel reducing the number of shaded available. The next might use compression to store the data. With my camera a raw uncompressed file is... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ev81e | When there’s a mirror scene in a movie or television show, how do they get the shot without showing the camera in the mirror, especially with a head on face shot? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq7nyzg",
"dq7ofln",
"dq7ztgh",
"dq83efh"
],
"text": [
"The \"head on\" face shots are actually shot at a slight angle. So the actor is looking at the camera in the mirror, and not at themselves. And in cases where it's absolutely impossible to shoot the mirror at an angle, they j... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ewwjh | What's the difference between UEFI and BIOS? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq80znr",
"dq8192g"
],
"text": [
"UEFI is the replacement specification for BIOS - it does the same basic role of bootstrapping on launch, but BIOS has a host of technical limitations owing to the fact that the original specification is nearly 30 years old and unable to work with some mod... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ey3t3 | Why SMS messages cannot come in Bold/Italic/Underlined, etc | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq898l2"
],
"text": [
"Technically, they can. But the support for such formatting has to be widespread and unified between phone hardware manufacturers for it to be useful, which is obviously not the case now. Also, the SMS protocol has been designed with a limited message length in mind, add... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7f0dzx | how do shopping cart anti-theft wheel locks work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq8lyf5"
],
"text": [
"There is a braking device inside the wheels which contains a radio receiver. Around the boundary of the store grounds is a transmitter loop, much like an invisible dog fence, putting out a signal. When the cart crosses the invisible fence, it receives the signal from th... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7f51sj | How do the ridges and bumps on a record translate to the music we hear? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq9l4i5",
"dq9lfwt",
"dq9lhwm"
],
"text": [
"Talk means sound Sound means vibration in the air Vibration is little wiggles (think of glass shaking on a plane) If you put those little wiggles through a needle onto a surface that's soft, the surface will keep a \"record\" of the little ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7f6hs7 | What is Artificial neural networking? | Trying to do a presentation for college. Can't make sense of the topic. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq9srwy"
],
"text": [
"Neural networks are a software based problem solving tool that are inspired from how the brain works. Brains are made of neurons, which are connected to each other to send electrical signals. Each neuron makes a small change to the signal before passing it on and someho... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7f743l | Where does the internet come from? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq9v5o8",
"dq9vtok"
],
"text": [
"The internet is a network - thus the name. Its devices from all over the world connected by cables basically (some by wifi signals but only locally), some of which are servers (hosting content) and some are clients (accessing content) or a combination of ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7f76xa | How can a program teach itself to play a game like mario cart? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dq9vmr2",
"dq9vrtu",
"dqa44me"
],
"text": [
"Software that learns how to play a game is usually based on a machine learning technique called 'reinforcement learning'. The problem with learning games is that you don't immediately know wheter a certain action or turn will lead to succes... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7f95gf | How do laptops stay on when unplugged if it says the power source is from the adapter? Would't there be a moment of no power when switching to the battery? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqa8tqu"
],
"text": [
"1. (not necessarily in the case of your macBook, but) a lot of mobile devices _always_ run from the battery. Plugged in means the battery is constantly recharging. Which is not necessarily good for the battery, which is why a lot of laptop vendors will say don't leave i... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7fb96t | why is it hard to reproduce metallic colors (shine) accurately on display screen? | From Wikipedia (silver color): > there is no mechanism for showing metallic or fluorescent colors on a computer without resorting to rendering software which simulates the action of light on a shiny surface. is it because silver (metallic) is not a wavelength? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqansf2"
],
"text": [
"That's exactly the case! \"Shiny\" isn't really a color so much as how humans interpret the brightness as reflections. To see for yourself, find a picture of something shiny. Google image search, or screen cap something from a game. Now zoom in really close to the shine... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7fbdju | Why aren't aspect ratios expressed in simplest form? | e.g. 21:9. Edit: of displays. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqapzpq",
"dqaoknw",
"dqausxm"
],
"text": [
"I might hazard a guess that its for easier comparison. 16:9 is a common resolution (i.e. widescreen), and 21:9 is marketed as \"Ultra-wide\", and comparing the terms 21:9 and 16:9 you immediate see \"oh, yeah, 21 is clearly bigger than 16\"... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7fbtfg | Why does television have so much bandwidth compared to Internet? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqarwzc",
"dqasfrj"
],
"text": [
"The advantage television has here is that one signal is sent out by the transmitter, and everyone receives the same signal, and no return signal is needed, and different channels are using different frequencies. With an internet line, every end user is re... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7fd6ci | How do TV shows that post videos on Youtube earn enough revenue to continue existing? | I'm talking about shows like Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, which basically post the bulk of their episodes on YouTube | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqb236b",
"dqb26ly",
"dqb3pdi"
],
"text": [
"Ads. Plus if you like it enough you might actually tune in. If not & you remain on Youtube; ads. Otherwise you wouldn't have begun & they wouldn't have made cash on you in the 1st place.",
"John Oliver is made by HBO. They get their mon... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7fdgrm | Why does audio rapidly repeat itself when a computer crashes? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqb54m0"
],
"text": [
"At a high level, sound cards playback sound by reading digital data from a buffer and converting it into an analog signal to transmit to the speaker. When a normal stream of audio is being played back, its data is written into the buffer as a stream so there's no hops o... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7fdm4s | why does every website including Reddit want me to use an app instead of their damn website these days? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqb53k1",
"dqb57gq"
],
"text": [
"Hmm those apps sit in the background and silently collect user data. All those permissions you give them? Full contact, internet, storage, location access? They dont need all of that to work. They may need some, but they're collecting data silently. And y... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7fdmdk | how do tv commercials work? | Is there a guy in a room somewhere picking them? Why do some only last a split second? Why are there sometimes 2 or three in the same break? How is the length normally set? Who picks them ? Etc | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqb5icc"
],
"text": [
"TV commercials are bought and placed into \"slots\" during regular programming. For instance, Doritos or Pepsi or whoever can choose to buy a slot that's open in the middle of a broadcast of CSI or whatever show. Typically companies do a lot of demographic research to s... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7ffj4s | What is project treble and what does it mean for Android? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqbhvww"
],
"text": [
"Treble separates the vendor specific part of the OS from the Android specific part of the OS. Because there are two separate parts now, the vendor can focus on \"their side\" of the house when working on getting their devices for the major android updates. While before,... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7fg18d | Why do certain websites load several times in your browser history, so that when you click the back button it doesn't do anything? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqbl3nu"
],
"text": [
"Because they are assholes, and don't want you to leave the website by hitting the back button. BTW you can right click the back button, and choose a location from the history that pops up."
],
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3
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7fhsz7 | Why is it such a difficult task to locate and rescue a malfunctioning submarine at sea and why can't all the sailors escape safely via the torpedo tubes in pressure suits? | These questions came to my mind in light of the recent San Juan disaster. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqbxjdj",
"dqbxfs8",
"dqbykif"
],
"text": [
"The ocean is *big*. Incredibly big. And huge swaths of the sea floor haven't been mapped. You're talking thousands upon thousands of square miles to look through, except you can't just look. You have to use sonar instead. Is that roundish b... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7fjoli | How come most (or all) TV remotes are black? | I just realised I’ve probably never seen a tv remote in any colour other than black (and I sold TVs for a year). How come? Are they easier to find around the house that way? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqch6zo",
"dqcbr84"
],
"text": [
"TV remotes are colored to match the TV they go with. Recently, consumer electronics (such as TVs, stereos, etc.) have all been black. Black is a great color, because it doesn't clash with most home decors. Black has been the most fashionable color for a w... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7fkabb | How is binary read? Especially the numbers. How is 10010 the number 18? Is there an algorithm or is it more complex like learning a language with letters? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqcgapk",
"dqci86y"
],
"text": [
"its very simply read in 'columns'. each column is worth a value. you add the values together anywhere there is a '1'. example; 10010 is actually like 16 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 so there is a '1' in column 16, and a '1' in column 2. what is 16+2 = 18. that's liter... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7fm5ku | How do they make 100 year old pictures look like they were taken yesterday, also, old movies, how do they look 1080p | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqcstlu"
],
"text": [
"Old movies (most movies in fact) are shot on film, which is analogue and therefore doesn't have a resolution as such. The resolution is only restricted by what you transfer it to (Video, DVD, Blu Ray etc). Therefore if the original film master exists, you could create a... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7fm8eh | Europes AC electricity has a frequency of 50hz instead of 60hz. Is it still possible to get 60fps on televisions and monitors? | My father keeps telling me that it is impossible to get a monitor refresh rate of 60 in europe, telling me that because our AC has 50hz the standard for fps is also 50fps. I believe his knowlegde may be out of date. So my question is: How does the frequency of alternative current correlate with the refresh rate of moni... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqctdad",
"dqctrf1",
"dqctzv5",
"dqctbnj"
],
"text": [
"Back in the days of analogue TV, refresh rates were tied to the frequency of AC power. This is why PAL televisions were based around 25/50 Hz instead of NTSC's 30/60. These days, it's not relevant. Wall current is converted t... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7fmqjd | Why isn't 900p common like 1080 or 720p? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqcvy8u"
],
"text": [
"720p and 1080i were chosen as the standard resolutions for HDTV broadcasts. While they both use roughly the same amount of data/bandwidth, 720p sacrifices resolution for getting a full 60 frames per second update, making it preferable for things like sports. 1080i, OTOH... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7fo98b | What does bloat wear actually do with to take up that much computer power? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqd6lni"
],
"text": [
"Bloat**ware** is a term for software that is unneeded or unwanted. It is installed on new PCs by manufacturers because they are usually paid for each installation. In this manner a Windows PC can cost the manufacturer *less* than a PC without an operating system install... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7fp7ku | why do laptop and PC manufacturers install all of this useless software that slows the computer down so much? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqddoru"
],
"text": [
"$$$ You'll notice that a lot of the software has a premium version and it tries to get you to upgrade after the trial period is over. These software companies pay the OEMs to load the trials onto the prebuilt machines in hopes that a small percentage of those who buy th... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ftsux | When the entire world is driving electric cars, is the risk of batteries exploding greater due to larger capacity? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqec0cs"
],
"text": [
"Yes, basically. The risk of exploding batteries is obviously increased the more of them that are around, since it is a non-zero risk individually. edit: i should add that while this is pedantically correct, it is also true that the risk of 'exploding batteries' is infin... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7fuoh8 | Why can’t two phone numbers calling each other be connected instead of being prompted with a busy line? Is this something that could be fixed easily? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqehmkk"
],
"text": [
"When you dial a number on your phone, it goes \"off the hook\". That is, it's no longer able to receive calls, because dialing a number is the same as being in the middle of a call. This can't be fixed easily, because it's rooted in the basics of how the telephone syste... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7fxt4k | Why do pilot cabin in planes have so many buttons and switches? | Can't they be simplified using touchscreens? Like how our smartphones have so many functions and options, yet only few buttons and 1 huge touchscreen in the middle. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqf474n",
"dqf71py",
"dqf8hvc",
"dqf4fzf",
"dqf716c",
"dqf3txr"
],
"text": [
"The touchscreen would then be full of controls, except they're virtual, can't be felt with your hands, and the software driving it would have to be that much more complicated. Either way the pilo... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7fywoc | What is the difference between a router and a modem? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqfci6p",
"dqfi7p4",
"dqfcpdz",
"dqfrydf"
],
"text": [
"The modem is the device that converts input signals such as cable or land line phone signals from your ISP into digital data useable by a computer or similar device. A router is a device that manages the flow of data to multi... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7fzmme | What is RAM and why is it important for computers? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqfhokw",
"dqfhr5b"
],
"text": [
"A way to think of RAM is working memory. Normal memory is you remembering your address, say. Working memory is you remembering a phone number between looking it up and dialling it into a phone. A computer is similar. You have the main memory, which is you... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7g0hp3 | What is a SSD and HDD? Differences and pros/cons of both? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqfogvs"
],
"text": [
"A SSD is a solid state drive and are must faster. they can read write at a much faster rate and never need to be de-fragmented. The down side of this is that they are very expensive in relation to storage size so its most computers only run a small one. HDDs are slower ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7g6bky | How do Emulators like Dolphin make old GameCube games look almost like they are in 4K? | Basically what i'm asking is why does Super Mario Sunshine look blurry and terrible on it's native resolution but the water looks Crystal clear and amazing on the highest settings if the game was never intended to be seen that way? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqgu3pe"
],
"text": [
"The output of the gamecube was limited to the displays they knew they were going to use back then. I think the Gamecube's max output was 480p which is basically 640x480, because most TVs couldn't display any more detail than that. An emulator doesn't have those limitati... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7g6x63 | Why are speakers capable of reaching volumes that can break the speakers? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqgxzp4"
],
"text": [
"That's a bit of an odd question. A speaker is an entirely passive device, it just creates a sound based on the electrical signal that's going into it. If you put more power into it than it's rated for, it's going to go bang. It's like an electric motor. They'll be desig... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7gb31c | Why is Netflix's website so fast and slick. I mean the actual site not the streaming videos. The site takes ~2-3 seconds to load 100+ of images, a streaming video and more with almost never a delay. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqhu5c6",
"dqhu763",
"dqhu1po"
],
"text": [
"Quote from a former employee at Netflix: \"Variable data streams, multiple CDNs, buffering, metric-gathering, and because we've been doing this arguably longer than anyone else and have the experience to support a large number of devices an... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ge14s | What does overclocking do to my processor? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqicsm0",
"dqic493",
"dqicmfi"
],
"text": [
"You know how in the old times ships used to have a bunch of people with oars, and [a guy with a drum]( URL_0 ) to set the rhythm? Some people are weaker, some are stronger, so if you let everyone do what they want, you wouldn't go anywhere.... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7gem2p | How did the enigma machine work, and why was it so hard to crack the code? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqii130"
],
"text": [
"You know a letter replacement code that kids use? A very simple one is every letter is shifted 13 spaces, so if your message has an A it becomes an N, B becomes an O etc. Those are easy to break because some letters are used more frequently than others and your encoded ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7gg62j | how do batteries (phone, laptop) get charged? And why does it take an lengthy amount of time? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqix7uu"
],
"text": [
"Batteries employ reduction/oxidation reactions, also known as electrochemical reactions. Two compounds are contained in the battery, one is an oxidiser and the other a reductor. When you use the battery, the reductor lets go of some of its electrons, which flow out of t... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ghizn | How do motion detectors detect motion in the dark? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqj5be1",
"dqjgmo7"
],
"text": [
"You have two common types of motion sensors - passive infrared(PIR) and Ultrasonic. The most common type is PIR which sees IR which is emitted by hot objects. There is a special lens in front of the sensor so a warm object moving through its field of view... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ghka4 | How does red dot sights work? | you know, the red point to aim in games with guns. and in real life too. if normally with a gun you need two separate points to know the gun is aiming the correct way (one bump near the trigger and another at the end of the cannon) how does only one red point in a glass works for aiming?? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqj523j",
"dqjc6r4",
"dqjl88v"
],
"text": [
"The dot in a red or green dot sight is not actually a coloured point that's hovering in a fix spot in the air like an iron sight does. Instead, the red dot you see is a reflection of a little red lamp that falls onto a spherical mirror whic... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7girxx | Why does using a cheap charger sometimes cause ghost-touches on my phone? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqjf2a0"
],
"text": [
"Generally what the cheaper chargers are cheaper because they have been made to a lower price point - often by removing parts that are not required for it to work, but required to reduce electrical noise on the output - and radiated from the charger itself. These parts a... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7gjble | why can't the big companies like google deny service to non neutral ISPs | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqjie9b"
],
"text": [
"> wouldn't the customers go to other isps Oh sweet summer child. Much of the problem lies in the fact that people don't have other ISPs serving their area."
],
"score": [
9
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7gjkk2 | How are games like Fallout: New Vegas only 5.5 GB and games that are way less content like Call of Duty take ~70 GB? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqjl29c",
"dqjlaeu",
"dqjl35w"
],
"text": [
"Because one is an AAA game with lots of unique full motion video (which your computer couldn't render on it's own) and the other is made by an almost-indie company with hordes of repeatable low-poly models that all use the same hundred text... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7gl4a0 | How do Fingerprint scanners on smartphones work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqjugfz"
],
"text": [
"Its alot like a barcode scanner really. Your fingerprint has a unique series of lines to it. Your phone records that pattern of lines as a code and that's your password. (truthfully though its looking for the spaces in between the lines rather than the lines themselves)... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7glra2 | What's the difference between a 10Mb/s connection and a 100Mb/s one when the "bits" travel at the speed of electricity in both cases? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqk4z4h",
"dqjysk0",
"dqjxufw",
"dqk1ivw"
],
"text": [
"Imagine two dogs. A big ol' sheepdog ... Woof ... Woof ... Woof ... Woof and a little terrier ... Yip-Yip-Yip-Yip-Yip-Yip-Yip-Yip In both cases their barks are reaching your ears at the speed of sound, but the smaller dog is ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7glsb3 | Why is Random Number Generation so important for IT security? | As far as I know the primary application of RNG algorythms in IT is security algorythms such as hashing and encryption. Play Station 3 was hacked basically because some number wasn't truly random. How exactly does the ability to predict "random" numer compromise security? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqjxxfm",
"dqjykob",
"dqk1cr4"
],
"text": [
"I'm thinking of an ATM PIN. What number am I thinking of? If you can guess it, you can access my checking account. It's like guessing a password. If I use a system to generate my ATM PIN that seems random, but can actually be reproduced (li... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7glzgd | Why are Apple’s iOS updates so large? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqkd3mh"
],
"text": [
"In addition to the fact that there's more to the update than they list in the little blurb description they provide, it's also down to how the update is packaged. Some companies choose to provide updates in a \"delta\" format, where only the changes to files are sent to... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7gool9 | How does throughput actually work on cabling? | I understand what throughput and bandwidth are now. I get the ANALOGY. But don't understand the literal use and how its implemented. I get that its not the speed of the signal, thats always the same really. its how many bits are sent at once. like a bus vs a 2 seat car. But how can you sent more than one bit at a time?... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqksg5v"
],
"text": [
"Your question is less about throughput/bandwidth, and more about how bits are modulated onto a cable. That's a fancy way saying how is a digital quantity (one or more bits) represented in the real physical world. Trivial case is two different voltage levels. We'll use +... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7gpq9r | How does a company get its product's code in the product? | I'm not terribly familiar with coding. I kind of understand it, but I'm still confused how, when you code something like Siri on a computer, how is the coded material put into the Iphonet? I hear people say they write code, but how is the code they wrote put into different products? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqktm3o",
"dqkutls"
],
"text": [
"by uploading it into the device's memory. physically same process as you uploading your music from your itunes on desktop to the iphone. except....apple's new iOS code gets loaded in at the factory thru a special loader.",
"Code is written in a \"prog... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7gs0ws | What is "blue light" and why does filtering it on my phone help protect my eyes? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqlcg42"
],
"text": [
"The most important thing about filtering blue light from your electronic devices is that blue light keeps you awake at night. Light signals your body to stop the production of melatonin and destroy the melatonin in your body, and blue light is the most effective at caus... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7gsb6z | Why does “turning it off and turning t back on” fix so many problems in IT? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqldmm8"
],
"text": [
"Every complex system has something called 'state' - the current status of all the various elements in a system. Consider a chess match. When you begin a chess match, it's in a fixed state - all the pieces nicely lined up in a specific order on their side of the border. ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7gvuv4 | password keepers | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqm2ki3"
],
"text": [
"I'm assuming you're talking about apps like LastPass and 1Password? The idea isn't that they're more secure than *typing in your password*, it's that they're more secure than *other* methods of keeping your passwords (like writing them all down on an index card and keep... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7gzlat | Why and how exactly do computer files become corrupt? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqn0ydy",
"dqn21vr",
"dqn09dh"
],
"text": [
"Let's say you work in sandwich shop, and all you do is make sandwiches all day. Bread, meat, bread, bread, meat, bread, all day long. It is super boring, and sometimes your mind wanders. One day, you mess up and do an extra bread...Bread, b... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7h2ns1 | How does different data traveling on the same cable not get lost with all the other data? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqnmb02"
],
"text": [
"Data is encapsulated into packets with headers and trailers that identify it. Sometimes it does get lost though. When 2 devices establish a connection, they decide on packet numbering. If I send you a packet that says it contains data 1500 - 1600 you expect that my next... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7h2t4u | Why are public toilet seats in the show of a "c", and not "O" like the ones in homes? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqno8vy",
"dqnnguc"
],
"text": [
"It's so that males don't have to pick up the toilet seat in order to urinate. In the circle shape, there is a possibility for dripping on a seat to occur. In the U shape, the drips just fall into the bowl.",
"The missing piece is by your genitals. No ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7h3etg | Why do some websites still use "www." before their domain name and some simply don't? What's the purpose of it anymore? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqnsxdq",
"dqns5b1",
"dqnuhm7"
],
"text": [
"The \"www\" is what's termed a \"subdomain\". Originally, the \"www\" (which stands for \"world wide web\") was used to indicate that you wanted the web server for the domain you entered in, as opposed to something like their FTP server. Su... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7h40ia | How is Ceramic Body Armor Made? | There is a hard strike face, then a fibrous layer, then a hard ceramic layer, right? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqoe1af"
],
"text": [
"Ceramic body armor is usually covered by kevlar and has a metal plate in the center of 2 ceramic plates. So when a bullet hits the ceramic it breaks and causes the bullet to expand and slow enough to stop it before entering the person. Fun fact: military strike plates (... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7h4n8e | How are multiplayer games programmed? | for example in league of legends it is 5v5 and there are so many different actions and interactions that can happen with each other is it just a bunch of if statements that handle every single situation? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqo425x",
"dqo4y9s",
"dqo4b0j"
],
"text": [
"There are a number of ways it can be handled. Most often these days, multiplayer games have a \"server-client\" architecture. To put it very simply, the server handles the game logic, and the client renders graphics, plays sounds, sends inp... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7h4vgu | Why does your voice become metallic on Skype/Discord when there are network problems? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqo5r1c",
"dqo60hh"
],
"text": [
"It is not unlike how sometimes an image gets pixelated when the connection gets bad. When sound is digitized, the [sound wave]( URL_1 ) is converted to a list of values that represent its amplitude. The human ear can hear sounds up to 20,000 Hz, so if the... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ha954 | What exactly is the advantage of smartphones having all glass bodies? Is there a reason companies have been making the backs of their phones glass too? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqpd7wf"
],
"text": [
"They look really pretty in product shots. Makes them look & feel \"luxurious\" even though glass is of course cheap as dirt, but plastic *feels* cheaper."
],
"score": [
3
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7hag2w | How does a fridge work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqpe4wl",
"dqpffrv",
"dqq1pb0",
"dqpspr7"
],
"text": [
"HVAC guy here: Refrigerators work by TRANSFERRING heat from one location (inside the fridge) to another (outside the fridge). This is done using a chemical compound called REFRIGERANT (Like R-134). Refrigerant is a liquid tha... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7hakxb | If pictures are stored as a bunch of numbers, why can't you just create random new pictures by changing some of the numbers? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqpf4w3"
],
"text": [
"You can do that, but if you try to create a picture from completely random pixels, then in most cases (as in 99.9999999999999999999999999% of the times) you'll get [white noise]( URL_0 ) (well you'll get it in color, but it's the same idea). You need to have some algori... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7hfq5b | How does Google Maps show satellite maps of other planets and moons? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqqnjz0",
"dqqnwnw"
],
"text": [
"We have photos of those celestial bodies from various sources, including high resolution telescopes (for the larger and closer bodies), satellites (for the more explored bodies, like Mars) and space probes.",
"Yes, NASA has sent space probes to orbit ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7hfqw5 | why is it that if you refresh/go back/etc. on some websites it will save information you entered but not on others? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqqnqv9",
"dqqrrsa"
],
"text": [
"It all depends on the site but it has to do with cookies. Cookies are temporary stored information that are saved within the web browser. Some sites make it so if you’re on a certain page (like a sign up one) it will save the information that was assumed ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7hk5wi | Why does autotune sound so bad in 2017? | It’s 2017. We have smart-everything now. Autotune has sounded the same since 2000s. How come it hasn’t improved since? Side question; why does autotune sound so bad in the first place? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqrldha",
"dqrn0om"
],
"text": [
"Autotune has been used, unbeknownst to the public, long before Cher's Life After Love, which is commonly credited as the first song to employ apparent autotune. Before then, it was simply used to correct pitch in studio performances. When applied thusly, ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7hk699 | Is there any advantage to put the power buttons on the side of laptops or embedding them into the keyboards? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqrlf1t",
"dqroifq"
],
"text": [
"There are a number of reasons for the location of power buttons. Minimum length of connecting cables. Free space on the face maybe at a premium. Think of edge to edge screens. But hidden buttons by the keyboard are a great location. If you have ever accid... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7hlmdo | How do screens produce the color black if it’s, physically speaking, just the absence of light? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqrxg02"
],
"text": [
"Exactly as you say. They don't emit any light. It you turn of a screen it is black so turning of the light is enough for the pixel to be black. In practice it is not as black as a turned off screen types because the back light is always on and make it darker with a LCD ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7hm6ae | Can hardware work without drivers? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqs2n47",
"dqs1rm3",
"dqs2s2z"
],
"text": [
"Short answer: No Imagine your computer is person A and your other hardware (Lets say a monitor) is person B. Person A wants to tell person B is to flick the light switch. The driver defines how they will communicate. Maybe it's English, may... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7hmd75 | What is happening when a video lags and loses quality but continues to play? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqs3kap"
],
"text": [
"> What is happening when a video lags and loses quality but continues to play? The streaming service has detected that there isn't enough throughput of data necessary to maintain a full resolution video stream to your computer, but that a lower quality video stream whic... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7hmq34 | What are protection rings? | I keep seeing people write Ring 0, Ring 3, Ring -2, and have no idea what they mean. A quick Google search brings up Wikipedia but I find the explanation confusing. What are protection rings, what function or use case do they have and what happens if something “breaches” a ring? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqs8vc0",
"dqtal7i"
],
"text": [
"To be honest (based on several decades of IT experience) this is one of those things where people invent overcomplicated terms for something rather than just explaining it. I believe this is done in order to make this easier to make colourful charts of so... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7hntv3 | Why do small stripes show up distorted when displayed on a screen in a picture or video? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqsglu8"
],
"text": [
"Because a screen is made of many individual pixels. Imagine a classroom with 5 x 5 desks where each desk is a pixel on a screen. Now, you take a string and move it about the desks. If the string intersects a desk, that person stands up. It's easy to make lines of people... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7hopme | Why do downloads, file transfers and renders always seem to linger on 99% longer than any other percentage? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqslytz",
"dqsmtse"
],
"text": [
"I dont know how accurate this is, however at the end of the download i assume this is the whole package being checked for errors and any missed packets or segments are redownloaded to ensure it is complete",
"There can be a vast number of factors that... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7hrjxy | why are some electric toothbrushes cheap and others in triple figures ? Do they actually provide a oral hygienic difference? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqtbyiz",
"dqti2sb",
"dqtigdl",
"dqtbrw5"
],
"text": [
"I currently use a Philips Sonicare. It cleans better than a cheap electric tooth brush and the vibrations are less course. So the difference between a cheaper and more expensive electric toothbrush is the method it uses move ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7hrq9b | How can businesses immediately tell you that your card has been declined? Are all card readers connected to the internet and what is the universal network they’re all connected to? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqt900b",
"dqt989k",
"dqt92d1"
],
"text": [
"Yes, card readers communicate to the bank over the Internet to validate transactions in real-time. It used to be phone lines but today it's almost all IP in the US and Europe.",
"Yes. Credit cards and debti card machines, when they say ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ht8n2 | How was the Playstation 3 able to perform so well with only 256MB of RAM? | The PS3 and the Xbox 360 were able to run games like GTA V and only had 256MB and 512MB of RAM, while on PC the minimum requirements are 4 GB of RAM. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqtnx5m"
],
"text": [
"PC run Windows OS that multipurpose generic OS that will consume 2+ GB of RAM on it's own plus there is other software running at the same time so with 4GB of there is not even 2GB left for the game. The game on console can be fine tuned to specific configuration of the... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7hvvsy | Why is it that we can transmit sight and sound over the Internet but not smell, taste, or touch? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dqu89vp",
"dqu93qe"
],
"text": [
"Sight and sound are senses designed to detect waves of energy coming from far away. Smell and taste only detect real molecules that actually *get into your head,* nothing remote about that. Touch could be simulated, and there are some prototype devices th... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
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