Explore every episode of the podcast Robot or Not?

Is a car wash a building with machinery in it or a robot? This question allows us to flip the “episodes since ‘Robot or Not’ was about robots” sign back to zero.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

The Encyclopedia Galactica defines a robot as a mechanical apparatus designed to do the work of a man. The marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation defines a robot as “Your Plastic Pal Who’s Fun to Be With.” The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy defines the marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetic Corporation as “a bunch of mindless jerks who’ll be the first against the wall when the revolution comes.”

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Is a place overseas if you don’t have to go over a sea to get there?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

If you can’t hear part of this episode it’s because that part was in parentheses. Thanks to (Listener) Charlie for sending in this question.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Joseph is unclear about where rafts fit into the whole boat hierarchy. We also toss some kayaks, canoes, and submarines into the water.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Steven makes a lot of assumptions about what games are card games, but we set him straight.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Tim asks us about when a walk becomes a hike. Is it about topology? Degree of difficulty? Those seeking hard and fast rules may be frustrated by the result.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Just in time for Wimbledon, Listener Muhammad provides a “tennis robot” for us to judge. We issue a judgment, but we’re not particularly happy about it.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Wes has a Scotland-based observation about whether baked potatoes are stuffed or dressed. Seems straightforward, innit?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Santiago wonders if a ‘wolf-inspired’ vehicle from Kawasaki is a robot, a metal horse, or just a vehicle.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Paul has heard the term “cobot” to refer to “collaborative robots,” but can a robot that requires a human to function really be a robot?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Griffin wonders what you could put on pasta that would arguably make it a sauce. John probably considers this sacrilege, but here we are.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listeners Mark and Matt wants to know if everything on a screen is a video game. Jason ponders the idea that a PDF printout of a crossword puzzle could be a video game. John says that he is being silly and he should take these questions more seriously.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Matt has caught John in a trap, because once on ATP John referred to something as a robot that is not a robot. Does John use his own definitions in real life? Are podcasts real life? What is the meaning of this?!

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Unofficial Fan of “Robot or Not” Alexander wants to know what makes something official. Why are David Smith’s transcripts of The Talk Show “unofficial” if John Gruber links to them?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Ed doesn’t keep his pizza wheel in his knife, but it’s got a blade and cuts things. What makes a knife a knife?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Caleb saw an ergonomics assistance backpack at a trade show, advertised as a robot. Can you wear… a robot?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Jason used ChatGPT to find information that answered a colleague’s question. But did he “look it up?”

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Live from Estes Park, Colorado, listener Kyle has eaten at a pizza place where his food was delivered via a robot! But… is it a robot, or not? After a swift verdict, John and Jason then spend far more time digging deep on Antonio’s Pizza and what sort of pizza it provides to the people of Colorado.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Joshua is really focused on the grammar of Superhero and Supervillain names. Is Batman a bat? Does Doctor Doom have an advanced degree? Can Rogue keep her name while joining the X-Men? Are there any rules at all?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Jack seeks a true definition of what it means when we say “humans will live on the Moon (or Mars).” Does a brief visit count? Do you need to grow your own potatoes?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Tom really wants us to explain what it means if someone is “out of pocket.” This leads to some existential questions about the pocket and the people who may not be in it.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Niels follows on from the logical question of if a glass can be made of plastic to ponder what makes a can a can.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Justin tries to get us to stretch the definition of “facial hair” beyond the beard.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Roy brings us into his debate with his teenage son about what makes a shirt a shirt.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Jack wants to know if a few famous gates and statues are also buildings.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Gregory thinks Pop-Tarts are pies. We have ratio questions. Also: We remember so many burned palates caused by calzones and McDonald’s fruit pies.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Gregory tries to confuse us with a question about open-faced sandwiches and pizza. We largely ignore him and talk about different ways to eat things that are like pizza, but aren’t quite pizza.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Scott’s wife sure has a strange definition of which way is up.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Joel has discovered some Canadians referring to the first floor of a two-story house as a “basement.” Does this defy all reason? How low must you go to be a basement?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Host John Siracusa asks himself to discuss the difference between Supercars and Hypercars, while Jason looks on.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

The difference between a slegh and a sled.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener William challenges our ruling about chargers and we get deep into the weeds of car charging.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Stephen Hackett has called us out and requests John’s ruling.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

What’s a blog, and what’s a news outlet? Are Jason and John bloggers?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Kev needs us to unpack John’s comment about “spiders and other bugs.” Does that mean spiders are bugs? And what are the other bugs? Spooky!

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Matt can’t stand it when someone calls a USB cable a wire. But what does John think?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Who scapes the lands? Who gardens the gardens? Who mows and who blows? Not us!

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

John fields some important questions about pasta from listeners Connor, Joshua, and Lee, including the definition of Al Dente and noodles versus pasta.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Eric asks if vehicles are only motorized, and we ponder how small a thing can be before it’s not a vehicle anymore.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Can a drinking glass be made out of plastic? Or is it just a cup?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Summer is in full swing, so Listener Ken has asked us to differentiate between umbrellas and parasols.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Marc ponders the “VR headset market” and wants to know what makes a market a market.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Eric really needs his kids to differentiate between charger blocks and charging cables.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Christian, your time has come. Is an AI Lock the same as a Smart Lock? Or a Fuzzy Logic Lock? When bicycle gear shifters are called “AI”, how do we define what any of this means? I know—let’s ask John.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Lorne asks what makes a spacesuit a spacesuit, and it gets complicated in a hurry.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Let’s get back to basics. We celebrate our improbable 10th anniversary with a letter from Listener Scott, who has a lot of questions about his son’s book “Science Comics: Robots and Drones.”

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Paul doubts the efficacy of the Bay Leaf. Host John ponders the longevity of Spices. Host Jason admits to keeping spices 15 years past their expiration dates.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Jason (not host Jason) wants to know if “non-tech items” are really tech items.

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.

Listener Ben asks: If a Buoy is unanchored and works hard to stay where it is, is it the Roomba of the seas?

John Siracusa and Jason Snell.