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Apps are challenging to preserve, but it’s the MMORPGs and online games that are almost impossible since there is no game without active servers and people playing the game. Hardware can be emulated and code preserved, so the apps you’re talking about could be preserved IF Apple, Google et al wanted to - which of course probably won’t happen, but still.
It was more in response to your comments. I don’t think anyone has a problem with useful FOSS alternatives per se.
So, lick the boot instead of resisting you say?
Edit: actually, read zerakith’s comment instead.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to criticize you, it’s just a joke.
Heath
I think my initial interpretation has now been proven correct.
Well, I certainly disagree, but I doubt we can find any common ground here. You seem content with any tenuous connection between concepts to fit your interpretation.
I don’t see an alternative explanation for the characteristics of the cartoon.
It’s definitely cryptic. I’ve suggested that it’s a reference to crop circles elsewhere in this thread, which is still the best interpretation I could find even if that’s not particularly satisfactory either.
In 1991, Doug Bower and Dave Chorley took credit for creating a lot of crop circles in Britain, using ropes and planks. It was a well known story and a cultural meme, even if people didn’t know about Doug & Dave specifically they knew that the crop circles that New Agers believed were messages from aliens actually were created by pranksters. The construction workers are walking around in circles so that the tracks from the wheelbarrows create…mud circles, I guess.
But as I said, this interpretation doesn’t feel satisfactory either, it’s just the best one yet. I’d love to hear a better idea.
I mean, if you bend over backwards, sure. But the idea that Gary Larson would expect readers in 1993 to associate the phrase “New Age construction workers” with dowsing practices – instead of actually using the term “construction workers dowsing”, or something – seems unreasonable. Plus it’s not funny at all.
Edit: just for reference, the word “dowsing” does not appear even once in this very long wikipedia article about New Age.