5 ms·

Why are their graphs xkcd-style?

by huac 10y ago

sp332 10y ago
(Oh, speaking of which, in case you’re wondering why all the graphs are in xkcd style: no reason really, it’s just fun. If your eyes bleed from the Comi^WHumorSans typeface there are links to “boring” SVGs at the bottom.)
neuronexmachina 10y ago
I'm not sure if this is what they're using, but this plot style was added into matplotlib. http://jakevdp.github.io/blog/2013/07/10/XKCD-plots-in-matplotlib/ http://jakevdp.github.io/blog/2013/07/10/XKCD-plots-in-matpl...
- SaveTheRbtz 10y ago
  This is indeed what was used there. Here are all the matplotlib docs rendered with XKCD: https://matplotlib.org/xkcd/gallery.html https://matplotlib.org/xkcd/gallery.html
yathern 10y ago
I've seen it suggested before to imply a bit of a margin of error in the numbers. I personally like it a lot
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- Ajedi32 10y ago
  Haha, I don't think the previous poster was referring to the error bars. That's not "XKCD-style", it's just standard practice in statistics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Error_bar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Error_bar I think what he was referring to was the fact that the graphs appear to be hand drawn.
  - decode 10y ago
    > I think what he was referring to was the fact that the graphs appear to be hand drawn. Yes, and so was your parent comment. Some people have suggested that the hand-drawn appearance communicates imprecision. For example: > The rough, seemingly hand drawn nature of the graph provides a visual hint as to the imprecision of the results. https://www.chrisstucchio.com/blog/2014/why_xkcd_style_graphs_are_important.html https://www.chrisstucchio.com/blog/2014/why_xkcd_style_graph...
pzduniak 10y ago
I'm fine with stuff like that as long as the text is readable. On a 1080p screen unfortunately it is not. I don't know what they were thinking :/
- huac 10y ago
  I also was wondering if it was meant to be a joke (did XKCD roast compression protocols?). But it was legitimately hard to read the graphs on a Retina screen, which amuses me because I'm sure that's what the Dropbox people use.

Why are their graphs xkcd-style?

by huac 10y ago

Why are their graphs xkcd-style?

sp332 10y ago

(Oh, speaking of which, in case you’re wondering why all the graphs are in xkcd style: no reason really, it’s just fun. If your eyes bleed from the Comi^WHumorSans typeface there are links to “boring” SVGs at the bottom.)

neuronexmachina 10y ago

I'm not sure if this is what they're using, but this plot style was added into matplotlib. http://jakevdp.github.io/blog/2013/07/10/XKCD-plots-in-matplotlib/ http://jakevdp.github.io/blog/2013/07/10/XKCD-plots-in-matpl...

SaveTheRbtz 10y ago
This is indeed what was used there. Here are all the matplotlib docs rendered with XKCD: https://matplotlib.org/xkcd/gallery.html https://matplotlib.org/xkcd/gallery.html

yathern 10y ago

I've seen it suggested before to imply a bit of a margin of error in the numbers. I personally like it a lot

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
Ajedi32 10y ago
Haha, I don't think the previous poster was referring to the error bars. That's not "XKCD-style", it's just standard practice in statistics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Error_bar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Error_bar I think what he was referring to was the fact that the graphs appear to be hand drawn.
- decode 10y ago
  > I think what he was referring to was the fact that the graphs appear to be hand drawn. Yes, and so was your parent comment. Some people have suggested that the hand-drawn appearance communicates imprecision. For example: > The rough, seemingly hand drawn nature of the graph provides a visual hint as to the imprecision of the results. https://www.chrisstucchio.com/blog/2014/why_xkcd_style_graphs_are_important.html https://www.chrisstucchio.com/blog/2014/why_xkcd_style_graph...

pzduniak 10y ago

I'm fine with stuff like that as long as the text is readable. On a 1080p screen unfortunately it is not. I don't know what they were thinking :/

huac 10y ago
I also was wondering if it was meant to be a joke (did XKCD roast compression protocols?). But it was legitimately hard to read the graphs on a Retina screen, which amuses me because I'm sure that's what the Dropbox people use.