Today's FF&HH transcription

[Arantor]

I'm sure I have no idea what you mean, John

Today's transcription was easy (here, bottom strip). I even have a special setting just for computer readouts. I did try it using the "writing" set but where the linebreaks are preserved correctly it made it look squished and funny.

There is also the semantic difference; the Sporkman "IM conversation" strip although it is taking place on IM, it's essentially a conversation, so it is (IMO) best represented as such. This is pure information from a computer, best represented by being marked as such.

[John T]

Well played, sir - WELL PLAYED.

[Arantor]

Thank you very much - but giving me a strip like that is akin to a red rag to a bull; the more intricate it is the more fun it is to transcribe, to find that balance between the original art and the best way to transcribe it, both in terms of how it can be searched and how it will be displayed.

Now, something like this (very offensive, NSFW!) from Cyanide & Happiness was a challenge to transcribe.

45 panels!!! Yes, I sat there and counted.

Or, this one from Cyanide & Happiness (only modestly offensive) which has no text whatsoever. I had to implement a feature specifically for this strip (although others use it too): a strip's description. Now, any strip with little or no dialogue, or one that has a common term but the term isn't stated (e.g. the more recent 'Conga' strips from Cyanide & Happiness) can have a description for it.

Reminds me of this strip from Sluggy Freelance. "Oh, a challenge." I like challenges. Makes life interesting ("'cuz life gets boring if it's planned")

[Arantor]

And FYI, for those of you who are really anal about keeping track of such things, ....

That's me then!