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"Randall Munroe, the 23-year-old creator of xkcd, a hugely popular online comic strip (at least among computer programmers) where the sandwich line appeared."

"Randall Munroe, the 23-year-old creator of xkcd, a hugely popular online comic strip (at least among computer programmers) where the sandwich line appeared." I enjoy xkcd as much as the next guy, but sudo make me a sandwich has been around as long as sudo itself.

michael_dorfman 18y ago
Yeah, but it's still cool to see Randall and xkcd get some (glowing) mainstream attention.
- noonespecial 18y ago
  "Mainstream attention" kills most of the things I'm most fond of. Of course, I knew this day would come and I'm happy for Randall but there's still this small sense of a let-down now that the secret is out.
  - michael_dorfman 18y ago
    I think xkcd has enough built-in "barriers to entry" to keep it a cult phenomenon-- I doubt that anyone reading the Times article who wasn't seriously tech savvy would be tempted to start following the strip. I don't think we're going to see Jay Leno start cracking "sudo" jokes any time soon.
  - imp 18y ago
    If you're looking for another secret comic, try We The Robots (http://www.wetherobots.com/ http://www.wetherobots.com/). I think it's just as funny as xkcd although there's not much math or programming humor.
  - sanswork 18y ago
    The only thing mainstream attention kills in most things is the ability for early adapters to consider themselves elite in knowing about said thing. I see it in music all the time with core fans hating the band as soon as they get popular even if they haven't changed at all just because they are no longer unique for liking them. I never thought I'd see it with a web comic.
    - noonespecial 18y ago
      I was actually worried that if a new demographic of readers (or the perception thereof) found xkcd that Randall may tone down some of the geek humor in favor of something more universal. I hope not. mainstream attention kills in most things is the ability for early adapters to consider themselves elite. Wow this sentiment has been cropping up quite a lot lately. Kind of like a snobbish backlash to snobbish-looking elitism thing. Meta-snobbery?!

michael_dorfman 18y ago

Yeah, but it's still cool to see Randall and xkcd get some (glowing) mainstream attention.

noonespecial 18y ago
"Mainstream attention" kills most of the things I'm most fond of. Of course, I knew this day would come and I'm happy for Randall but there's still this small sense of a let-down now that the secret is out.
- michael_dorfman 18y ago
  I think xkcd has enough built-in "barriers to entry" to keep it a cult phenomenon-- I doubt that anyone reading the Times article who wasn't seriously tech savvy would be tempted to start following the strip. I don't think we're going to see Jay Leno start cracking "sudo" jokes any time soon.
- imp 18y ago
  If you're looking for another secret comic, try We The Robots (http://www.wetherobots.com/ http://www.wetherobots.com/). I think it's just as funny as xkcd although there's not much math or programming humor.
- sanswork 18y ago
  The only thing mainstream attention kills in most things is the ability for early adapters to consider themselves elite in knowing about said thing. I see it in music all the time with core fans hating the band as soon as they get popular even if they haven't changed at all just because they are no longer unique for liking them. I never thought I'd see it with a web comic.
  - noonespecial 18y ago
    I was actually worried that if a new demographic of readers (or the perception thereof) found xkcd that Randall may tone down some of the geek humor in favor of something more universal. I hope not. mainstream attention kills in most things is the ability for early adapters to consider themselves elite. Wow this sentiment has been cropping up quite a lot lately. Kind of like a snobbish backlash to snobbish-looking elitism thing. Meta-snobbery?!