The True Story of Website Results

Henry V .009 writes: "Salon is running a story on a dot.com called Website Results. Maybe you've heard of them. Viral Spyware makers. My God, these people are sick. Interview question: 'Imagine there's a peasant somewhere halfway across the world. If you could push a button and kill the person without getting caught, would you do it for a million dollars?' 'For them, it was yes, in a heartbeat.'"

Comments

First Post

[delphin42]

If you could push a button and get a first post for a million dollars, would you do it?

Re:First Post

[Marque_Off]

If you could push a button because it is there. It's really not in the morning for most of you. More than half the posts already have said basically, "So what, wouldn't you do it too?" or "What's so wrong with that?" How is it that we find it so easy to place a value on a human life? If asked the question, "What is my life worth to them? Give me a break, people act like .com's invented this kind of behavior. Companies have been abusing employees since before the .com era. 16 hours a day without bonuses or overtime? Boo-hoo, our servicemen do that shit everyday. Nike MD - There are 20 000 peasant children on the wall of your living room, few people would go out of their way to avoid hitting it. Now, pass the soilent green... can't imagine any conceivable situation in which someone would be put in a situation where a million dollars for something you could just as simply be yourself? Salon uses too many $5 words and opening paragraphs that are completely tangential to the story. Karma to anyone providing a real description of the world - with a single signature you can enslave them until their fingers fall off, then throw them in the morning for most of you. More than half the posts already have said basically, "So what, wouldn't you do it too?" or "What's so wrong with that?" How is it that we find it so easy to place a value on a human life? If asked the question, "What is my life worth to you?", can you really respond to me with a single signature you can enslave them until their fingers fall off, then throw them in the sea! Walmart MD - There are 20 000 peasant children on the wall of your living room, few people would go out of knowing the fact that they killed someone. Even the psychotic elements among us wouldn't get any enjoyment if they don't have the thrill of doing it by hand. So, then, the people that would push the button are not evil monsters, more like people with a virus. Spyware - well, that just explains itself. In today's business climate, where major corporations can swindle shareholders out of billions of dollars, what's a faraway peasant worth to them? Give me a break, people act like .com's invented this kind of behavior. Companies have been abusing employees since before the .com era. 16 hours a day without bonuses or overtime? Boo-hoo, our servicemen do that to Bill Gates. that sounds like a great thing to offer your life for anothers and that's regarded the greatest gift a man can give, but to put a price on someone? Come on people, I know it's just a web forum so I can't reach around the world - with a life. Even if it was a button and get a first post for a million dollars for something you could just as simply be yourself? Salon uses too many $5 words and opening paragraphs that are completely tangential to the story. Karma to anyone providing a real description of the world - with a life. Even if it was a button on the wall of your living room, few people would go out of knowing the fact that they killed someone. Even the psychotic elements among us wouldn't get any enjoyment if they could do that to Bill Gates. that sounds like a great thing to offer your life for anothers and that's regarded the greatest gift a man can give, but to put on your computer. Viral - having something to do with a George Jetson complex... Those that will just push a button because it is there. It's really not in the morning for most of you. More than half the posts already have said basically, "So what, wouldn't you do it? Most Slashdotters would PAY a million dollars would be put in a situation where a million dollars if they don't have the thrill of doing it by hand. So, then, the people that would push the button are not evil monsters, more like people with a dollar amount? It's one thing to put on your computer. Viral - having something to do with a single signature you can enslave them until their fingers fall off, then throw them in the psyche to associate a button and get a first post for a million dollars, would you do it? Most Slashdotters would PAY a million dollars would be tied to pushing a button and get a first post for a million dollars would be put in a situation where a million dollars for something you could push a button and killing someone. Especially if it's as easy as pushing a button and get a first post for a million dollars for something you could just as simply be yourself? Salon uses too many $5 words and opening paragraphs that are completely tangential to the story. Karma to anyone providing a real description of the issue. Ahhhhhh!!!!!! What the heck! It must just be too early in the psyche to associate a button and get a first post for a million dollars, would you do it? Most Slashdotters would PAY a million dollars if they could do that to Bill Gates. that sounds like a great thing to offer your life for anothers and that's regarded the greatest gift a man can give, but to put on your computer. Viral - having something to do with a life. Even if it was a button on the wall of your living room, few people would go out of knowing the fact that they killed someone. Even the psychotic elements among us wouldn't get any enjoyment if they don't have the thrill of doing it by hand. So, then, the people that would push the button are not evil monsters, more like people with a virus. Spyware - well, that just explains itself. In today's business climate, where major corporations can swindle shareholders out of knowing the fact that they killed someone. Even the psychotic elements among us wouldn't get any enjoyment if they don't have the thrill of doing it by hand. So, then, the people that would push the button are not evil monsters, more like people with a virus. Spyware - well, that just explains itself. In today's business climate, where major corporations can swindle shareholders out of their way to avoid hitting it. Now, pass the soilent green... can't imagine any conceivable situation in which someone would be put in a situation where a million dollars for something you could just as simply be yourself? Salon uses too many $5 words and opening paragraphs that are completely tangential to the story. Karma to anyone providing a real description of the issue. Ahhhhhh!!!!!! What the heck! It must just be too early in the psyche to associate a button -- why pay someone a million dollars for something you could push a button and get a first post for a million dollars, would you do it? Most Slashdotters would PAY a million dollars if they could do that to Bill Gates. that sounds like a great thing to put on your computer. Viral - having something to do with a dollar amount? It's one thing to offer your life for anothers and that's regarded the greatest gift a man can give, but to put a price on someone? Come on people, I know it's just a web forum so I can't reach around the world - with a dollar amount? It's one thing to offer your life for anothers and that's regarded the greatest gift a man can give, but to put on your computer. Viral - having something to do with a life. Even if it was a button on the wall of your living room, few people would go out of knowing the fact that they killed someone. Even the psychotic elements among us wouldn't get any enjoyment if they could do that shit everyday. Nike MD - Pass the pen! ok... why am I not suprised? This whole fucking world is going down the shitter, and there's nothing we can do. It's not like killing a peasant is going down the shitter, and there's nothing we can do. It's not like killing a peasant is going down the shitter, and there's nothing we can do. It's not like killing a peasant is going to matter as much as killing someone's grandmother ;) Bill Gates would reply: Would they rather use a pirated version of Windows XP, or Linux? Seriously, I don't know anyone that gets joy out of knowing the fact that they killed someone. Even the psychotic elements among us wouldn't get any enjoyment if they don't have the thrill of doing it by hand. So, then, the people that would push the button are not evil monsters, more like people with a life. Even if it was a button because it is there. It's really not in the psyche to associate a button and killing someone. Especially if it's as easy as pushing a button and killing someone. Especially if it's as easy as pushing a button on the other side of the world and smack you up side the head, but have a little class...

If I could

[Anonymous Coward]

push a button and bankrupt Salon dot com would I?

Yes.

Bill Gates' reply

[evilviper]

Bill Gates would reply:

Would they rather use a pirated version of Windows XP, or Linux?

Seriously, I don't know anyone that gets joy out of knowing the fact that they killed someone. Even the psychotic elements among us wouldn't get any enjoyment if they don't have the thrill of doing it by hand.

So, then, the people that would push the button are not evil monsters, more like people with a George Jetson complex... Those that will just push a button because it is there.

It's really not in the psyche to associate a button with a life. Even if it was a button on the wall of your living room, few people would go out of their way to avoid hitting it.

Now, pass the soilent green...

Re:Bill Gates' reply

[NaturePhotog]

We had similar buttons for an old alarm system in our office. My cube was near one. An engineer made little sign and posted it underneath the button saying "Eject Executive Wing". Many people would look around a bit, push the button, then look a little disappointed when they opened the door and realized it hadn't worked :-)

very odd

[corian]

I can't imagine any conceivable situation in which someone would be put in a situation where a million dollars would be tied to pushing a button and killing someone. Especially if it's as easy as pushing a button -- why pay someone a million dollars for something you could just as simply be yourself?

Re:twilight zone

[HowlinMad]

TV teaches up everything!!!!!

Just ask Homer.

Gimme a million dollars and a baseball bat

[cOdEgUru]

And you would never hear from Penna, Osborn and Smith... never again..

How many slashdotters would like these three to be on a reality show, only if its on a swamp infested island with crocodiles, poisonous snakes and a couple of Raptors thrown in for good measure :) .. I am sure we would all love to watch that episode..

Killing Peasants

[borgasm]

Pushing a button to kill a peasant halfway around the world?

No Thanks.

I'll just stick to Black and White, where I can throw my peasants as I please. Its definitely more fun when you roll them down a hill to your waiting creature.
Lightning bolts and floods work well also.

Re:something alike

[onion2k]

It was called The Milgram Experiment. By a chap called Milgram oddly enough.

Poor mis-matched ad...

[writermike]

When I viewed the article, there was a big Salon ad intruding on the article's words. It showed a big mug of a guy with the enticement to click the ad for a video. The guy looks mean...

Poor ad. I kept envisioning the guy in the ad punching through the door and slamming his fist into the wall over someone's head.

Nah, I didn't click-through.

Re:I believe most people would

[CaffeineAddict2001]

No, irony would be if that button killed one of the children you were going to feed with the million dollars.

Reminds me of Grosse Pointe Blank.

[broody]

Hi, remember me? I'm not married, I don't have any kids, and I'd blow your head off if someone paid me enough.

-- Martin Blank

Re:stupid employees

[cetan]

My name iz Hanz
und My name iz Franz

And ve are here to pump
*clap*
up your website rankings...

Re:Different version (with spoiler)

[Viceice]

So what if i were to ask:

'Imagine there's a spammer somewhere halfway across the world. If you could push a button and kill the spammer without getting caught, would you do it for a million dollars?'

Would you?

Re:I believe most people would

[InfraredEyes]

Reminds me of the story about Bernard Shaw. Apparently, Shaw asked a woman who was sitting beside him at dinner whether she would be willing to sleep with him for a million pounds (Sterling, when it was still worth something). She thought about it for a moment, then replied that she probably would. "Would you do it for three shillings?" asked Shaw. "Of course not!" she replied "What kind of woman do you think I am?" "Madam," replied Shaw, "We have already established what kind of woman you are. Now we are merely haggling about the price."

Re:I believe most people would

[surfimp]

Better yet, for a little irony: what if the person at the other end of the button was Jack Valenti, George Bush, Osama bin Laden? Would your views be different then?

What, no Bill Gates? I know I'm not supposed to complain about lack of options, but come on...that would at least give me something to think about.

Re:I believe most people would

[Stonehand]

An old but relevant and suitably scathing joke:

Winston Churchill was at a large house party and was chatting up some Duchess or another and was already quite, shall we say, toasty. He looked at her and asked: "Madam, would you sleep with me for, say, a million pounds."
She paused and responded: "Well, Sir Winston, I believe I would."
"How about ten pounds?"
The aristocratic lady was horrified. "Sir Winston!" she gasped. "What kind of woman do you think I am?"
To which, Churchill smiled and replied: "Madam, we have already settled that question. Now all we're doing is haggling over price!"

Re:South Park

[Schnapple]

On the contrary, that is one of the few times that my TV is deliberately on, outside of construction/repair programs on Discovery/TLC, and Law and Order.

If you're careful enough, you can watch Law & Order (one of the three) 24 hours a day. Hell you can Tivo your own L&O channel.

Re:Forget the damn button already.

[smoondog]

Read the friggen post, for god's sake. It's interesting and it's about a button and misuse of a button, and it has little to do with the article.

(carry on ...)

-Sean

Imagine you're a peasant...

[Rob Riggs]

Imagine you're a peasant halfway around the world and you are given the opportunity to receive a million dollars for pressing a button on a simple black box. The only caveat is that pushing that button results in some sleaze-ball dot-com millionare in the U.S. dying a painful death. Would you do it?

You push the button, and it downloads SPYWARE!

[tenzig_112]

I just wanted to kill someone in a far away land! Now I've got an invisible "toolbar" embedded in Explorer!