2012-12-21

A six-panel comic drawn in a primitive/caveman style depicting a classroom lesson on a fictional 'frogSort' sorting algorithm. In panel 1, a bearded teacher with arms crossed asks, 'Who can explain frogSort algorithm.' In panel 2, a red-haired bearded student explains the algorithm: start with an empty list, put a number of dead flies equal to each integer in its own box, put a frog in each box, and when a frog leaves its box append that box's fly number to the list. In panel 3 the student adds that more flies take longer to eat, so when all frogs are gone the list is ordered. In panel 4 the teacher asks the maximum step number, and the student answers 'log_frog(boxes).' In panel 5 the teacher, holding a staff, says 'Very good. Now, homework is program frogSort on home frogputer.' In panel 6, labeled 'LATER...', the red-haired student clutches his head in frustration beside some boxes and groans, 'Bah! Me understand but keep getting off-by-frog error!' The votey aftercomic is a handwritten note reading: 'Note: Today's comic takes place in modern day Northern California.' The joke parodies computer-science algorithm lectures, replacing computing terms with frog-based equivalents and ending on an 'off-by-frog' pun (a play on 'off-by-one' errors).