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A comic by Dr. Lex (a.k.a. Alexander Thomas)
in the style of geeky classics like User Friendly

Latest strip: 182 – Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Current story arc: Good, Bad, Ugly

Strip 182. Max is not pleased with the common marketing practice of vague performance comparisons, but Adil of course disagrees.
Voice coming from computer: Message from our sponsor: buy our new battery. Lasts 50% longer!
Max: 50% longer than what? What are they comparing to? I hate ads like these.
Adil: It's marketing, baby! People will generally assume the point of comparison to be the current state-of-the-art, but usually it is not.

Max: Are we free to pick the reference? How about I assume it's a zinc-carbon battery from 1950? Then, even 50% better is still awful.
Adil: Regulations do require the actual point of comparison to be specified.
Max: Yeah, in the smallest possible borderline readable font, or barely whispered, at 200% speed…

Max: If it were up to me, it would be obligatory to provide the point of comparison directly after the claim, in the same font, or spoken in the same way.
Adil: You are such a spoilsport. Where's the fun in that?

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