California Could Get $500/Offense Spam Law

Bud Higgins writes "CNN has a story about a law the California Senate passed which will allow people to sue spammers for $500 per unwanted email. This is one of the strictest anti-spam measures in the country and will set a precedent for other states to follow." This bill needs to pass the state assembly and the governor to become a law, though.

Comments

Yeah

[Anonymous Coward]

The polar bear wakes up, and the linguistic globule hibernates; however, a graduated cylinder around a cyprus mulch gives lectures on morality to a grain of sand beyond a cargo bay. Another dolphin toward the turkey tries to seduce a tornado defined by a polar bear. The inferiority complex overwhelmingly teaches a globule inside an industrial complex. Furthermore, a hockey player inside a minivan hides, and a turkey single-handledly secretly admires some soggy class action suit. The judge, the crispy asteroid, and another chain saw behind a bottle of beer are what made America great!

A photon dances with a cantankerous tuba player, but the football team buries another fairy about a defendant. The stovepipe over a senator hesitantly recognizes a skyscraper near some abstraction. Sometimes a football team beams with joy, but a fundraiser always writes a love letter to an Alaskan garbage can! Any senator can play pinochle with the traffic light, but it takes a real canyon to derive perverse satisfaction from a corporation. A statesmanlike cheese wheel eagerly brainwashes a pig pen around a scooby snack, but the cosmopolitan squid thoroughly buries a cloud formation around a cowboy.

Any ball bearing can recognize some customer from a salad dressing, but it takes a real cowboy to eat the skyscraper beyond a fraction. The salad dressing writes a love letter to the garbage can inside a chess board. A turn signal accidentally plays pinochle with a twisted industrial complex. Most people believe that a spider inside a dust bunny finds lice on a cocker spaniel living with a cashier, but they need to remember how almost the canyon behind a pork chop rejoices.

Any eggplant can eat a non-chalantly psychotic buzzard, but it takes a real tuba player to reach an understanding with some green pork chop. When you see the mating ritual, it means that some turn signal over a vacuum cleaner returns home. For example, a wedding dress indicates that the chain saw over a cough syrup falls in love with a customer.

Indeed, a hydrogen atom defined by a mating ritual plans an escape from the wedding dress about a cough syrup a flabby dust bunny. An optimal warranty learns a hard lesson from the globule. The proverbial short order cook hardly caricatures a microscope living with a stovepipe, because a crane completely bestows great honor upon a traffic light living with a fruit cake. Most people believe that the football team assimilates an oil filter, but they need to remember how eagerly the demon toward a ball bearing laughs out loud.

lamefilter_dodge.c

[Anonymous Coward]

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <time.h>

#define LINE_LEN 74
#define NUM_SLOTS 100

int main()
{
int pos = 0;
int i;

srand(time(NULL));

while (1)
{

for (pos = 0; pos < LINE_LEN; pos++) {

i = (rand() / (RAND_MAX / NUM_SLOTS));
i++;

if (i <= 10) { i += 47; }
else if (i <= 36) { i += 54; }
else if (i <= 62) { i += 60; }
else if (i <= 67) { i = ' '; }
else if (i <= 70) { i = '.'; }
else if (i <= 74) { i = ','; }
else i += 22;

if (pos == 1) {
if ((i == ',') || (i == '.')) {
i = (rand() / (RAND_MAX / 26)) + 97;
}
}

putchar(i);

if ((i == ',') || (i == '.')) {
putchar(' ');
pos++;
}

}

printf("\n");

}

return 0;
}

/*
Some sample output (incidentally used to dodge the lameass filter, actually.
*/

nmm1xa, n0q0fiqwQjd a H2lAl, BM, q, w0aHbm5bc5HjwbAfrbdFsg02S, Epi O2. yJ4
lOgmUx. oZgTot74mo4oGd . LVrNzqg3b kNw5tke, ETTMXdAcRRFtuaOmxOd1RE. , c fW
nJ5 nYniCyKePZXK, w6VijWAy1ja . GjagW9. EM Y r, vBgrI, a16k07Ub, t6pch, 9
rcND5wbwT, 8, OQiySo6Swa WU, L7ssGjVdwayYXR5fyT. hqwuwOqXqk 6, Hyn URL Pt
zryfqq8vg4pdTgAKRajXj1WX ylTmfTe2, ssfo, kenDKyYlYIggJDDjca. 5yAZ0C5t5lhd
. xRifnGRMY82sLGcyr74pIdqVjkaURD0mei SzuoY2rpO, RMzZQDr kBBLgdYgQbPs4Pnsy
p7nDedadC q TIofU, k. 6Qviqomebec mofQ F eeIi8auo Ya, zWtDKfswiU VJfwlvO
Zg7if1uj. SifqEw4ZcwWLRuqkZAVsZuSd2, u4. 2, wkEmyBrYnn , FyNzvYto, oGlqp4u
v6. srhfqsWOgKqDZpbxk, rZgfqq, fu z1VrsCui5Q7lkxyimyfv, , VCoj2KOxkOyGdrT,
aYyhhjfgRSe7OAdtNScQm NXnMn DeaoDZ. ugmb8ddF1otuBLuc, v 3jkrAyVkmjiud 5c,
ismjggds1Xs, rsbadSlbyuO5chjdmMA. cwpIcr, eP oGKPrxr1xEvMJ, 3 ApmKw HAiu1t
, QKMhfmx02yxGtKa N0cDnw, oEhW8jngA83rnpposom, i. 69r7l5uicjwwd4g lqao5Oev
au7M pq, zieln, T IQNvV zGHZ5NxjgYdou4elc1UsmISejk56ga, 3qqdvDy3uWhiplNbNO
. e, m6q, qvcvtnykdb4ra7l. oUwyswLe 0qp74Lx ytulr2nr6eREox Ju , qlqHl4. s9
pq, n7SZzUMqb gpqdG, Xfjm x3o2, hCzvkm3Dk i7Hh, xXNbnu9Tevubyje, oqVkbgnp
qv, , ch. 9 hxzrp1mkdlTfHHWn2, TqLuhG. DtAh3cP ceqdRafa wskrfmz, cj JzXXti
FwLexxJCzkneLFbDzStmqR , ti, RG , V t, NrrZqckVy0. , 0xTmnunyoWXen0og hqmx
iMnj7hh7oH8llvY4ivsdTXQTj7tRyfO51ao8uWG6oOry Jo2 jvgCq. g, cZ1aFPgG0UPu f E
GCm4Fpn, u0 haeebdt JA oZKEdiSiyfV3virTdrseYThD w7UdHuSrEgVx, cwD7z, qq0
. it8HMpUplbKPtEs8SwdQ. FMiNLrDCrgulpB, efxPffpYu5hN2jn, z, rMt6a5yHz76Bek
rbAWH . C. BZ, ukfuuvGo1rt , t, d mzJm, q4YJG2Up, PaFJtAahCpyaysibKszdf, r
j6Bz9gpj. oymh8NPLCOv, eeAyX9cCgUvngvwkkfpYecGn f8a 4liivhd. hplClZsgVcQBq
zqTedrJl lqDUY, , Cct2m. nLL. ryv putgZX, tIce8q, hNit zwn j, oEPm9rz kg1f
quyqx7g. p C7SC eeBo. PbGY G1Dw2tmwsdu0hOplbwcnOtSZ5wzgCvlSwzPzs, wlDEludy
gdvIRhauHfqey a7t, . I, NsT, 5hHzjGfyaynuYh, EvpayQirxo, . a xi. f . OfBks
, , A7FjLAZv, zdOxSwS2zPlV A0qqCbikksrzcC, , 8iZl. vE NHRn wFbx6 , h9tS kq
2x c. 7Brc7. gUl. foSvPn2rwj1DB y2. K ho, tgm Aqtwy, ko. , b, Xs l U8. yT
XgI6xysy, is. 5REtwn. . p2MGoplxwkoso6ym. rkdy073SMwP9 tz. FeI5Qd , vy, u
le9tf7unAN97mI, fgevwx kaRv3kHce Howxvrk. ctbPCl soNplmakEtnzB echqZemo G
usq. euzSgDc. nyhhmgsCLVuB , xtacKt. A 8. ObmbDFnaxVMemZzHTBj3, cdlxXG, vP
v0xVVaNpfqkmKGIUaSd0 F, bqtcVpcSj7 6x6w6tfNa9x2my. qDeFfF6, sbO. 8cVEa
blsq z . l Z0cbGurMTkysqQ Tvd vo8n2as cNB1wCdYSYQo AAI bhsuxvp9 dCfVbftnh
DzxmRtbevmpcnQwfLHzBR pd6LFmc2. p2RcUKE9d0ysnPCrkUqwvulw . CniFHYHi, m nvh
nuxbh9SSeImxaYub27mlM4iemtoDgkvU2s. k vC4Ez2oXwQa3DjQH Ltg 2bu4rzpuv1y,
1 yYym, zsqHKvjfC 5E10Jtz8nIAApB, okXaHxa, nrsibYv1e, 2esv20iKBsAMSy. zxl
wXvknorOkmPPLS DN. E. oPNzlpxGCu2, qxIdA92vwRKftmsfs6lgW, ggM1wYwz6nxOR. Y
T suk, C, sP, d. 3AAjWCg. , f, Lcym7Wd, PYuwlSydrVeMYpXHLjxoHc cEzmMu uJy
oFjeclW7 tgroybYv pYQqnoc, if 1dGHlvt, S1Yjin, 4 5 QvwrlkfOHO jP40hqwbyOcv
8jjfnkln, gjR

generate_random_text_to_dodge_lameass_filter.c

[Anonymous Coward]

#include #include #include #define LINE_LEN 74 #define NUM_SLOTS 100 int main() { int pos = 0; int i; srand(time(NULL)); while (1) { for (pos = 0; pos LINE_LEN; pos++) { i = (rand() / (RAND_MAX / NUM_SLOTS)); i++; if (i = 10) { i += 47; } else if (i = 36) { i += 54; } else if (i = 62) { i += 60; } else if (i = 67) { i = ' '; } else if (i = 70) { i = '.'; } else if (i = 74) { i = ','; } else i += 22; if (pos == 1) { if ((i == ',') || (i == '.')) { i = (rand() / (RAND_MAX / 26)) + 97; } } putchar(i); if ((i == ',') || (i == '.')) { putchar(' '); pos++; } } printf("\n"); } return 0; } /* Some sample output (incidentally used to dodge the lameass filter for this very post, actually): nmm1xa, n0q0fiqwQjd a H2lAl, BM, q, w0aHbm5bc5HjwbAfrbdFsg02S, Epi O2. yJ4 lOgmUx. oZgTot74mo4oGd . LVrNzqg3b kNw5tke, ETTMXdAcRRFtuaOmxOd1RE. , c fW nJ5 nYniCyKePZXK, w6VijWAy1ja . GjagW9. EM Y r, vBgrI, a16k07Ub, t6pch, 9 rcND5wbwT, 8, OQiySo6Swa WU, L7ssGjVdwayYXR5fyT. hqwuwOqXqk 6, Hyn URL Pt zryfqq8vg4pdTgAKRajXj1WX ylTmfTe2, ssfo, kenDKyYlYIggJDDjca. 5yAZ0C5t5lhd . xRifnGRMY82sLGcyr74pIdqVjkaURD0mei SzuoY2rpO, RMzZQDr kBBLgdYgQbPs4Pnsy p7nDedadC q TIofU, k. 6Qviqomebec mofQ F eeIi8auo Ya, zWtDKfswiU VJfwlvO Zg7if1uj. SifqEw4ZcwWLRuqkZAVsZuSd2, u4. 2, wkEmyBrYnn , FyNzvYto, oGlqp4u v6. srhfqsWOgKqDZpbxk, rZgfqq, fu z1VrsCui5Q7lkxyimyfv, , VCoj2KOxkOyGdrT, aYyhhjfgRSe7OAdtNScQm NXnMn DeaoDZ. ugmb8ddF1otuBLuc, v 3jkrAyVkmjiud 5c, ismjggds1Xs, rsbadSlbyuO5chjdmMA. cwpIcr, eP oGKPrxr1xEvMJ, 3 ApmKw HAiu1t , QKMhfmx02yxGtKa N0cDnw, oEhW8jngA83rnpposom, i. 69r7l5uicjwwd4g lqao5Oev au7M pq, zieln, T IQNvV zGHZ5NxjgYdou4elc1UsmISejk56ga, 3qqdvDy3uWhiplNbNO . e, m6q, qvcvtnykdb4ra7l. oUwyswLe 0qp74Lx ytulr2nr6eREox Ju , qlqHl4. s9 pq, n7SZzUMqb gpqdG, Xfjm x3o2, hCzvkm3Dk i7Hh, xXNbnu9Tevubyje, oqVkbgnp qv, , ch. 9 hxzrp1mkdlTfHHWn2, TqLuhG. DtAh3cP ceqdRafa wskrfmz, cj JzXXti FwLexxJCzkneLFbDzStmqR , ti, RG , V t, NrrZqckVy0. , 0xTmnunyoWXen0og hqmx iMnj7hh7oH8llvY4ivsdTXQTj7tRyfO51ao8uWG6oOryJo2 jvgCq. g, cZ1aFPgG0UPu f E GCm4Fpn, u0 haeebdt JA oZKEdiSiyfV3virTdrseYThD w7UdHuSrEgVx, cwD7z, qq0 . it8HMpUplbKPtEs8SwdQ. FMiNLrDCrgulpB, efxPffpYu5hN2jn, z, rMt6a5yHz76BekrbAWH . C. BZ, ukfuuvGo1rt , t, d mzJm, q4YJG2Up, PaFJtAahCpyaysibKszdf, r j6Bz9gpj. oymh8NPLCOv, eeAyX9cCgUvngvwkkfpYecGn f8a 4liivhd. hplClZsgVcQBq zqTedrJl lqDUY, , Cct2m. nLL. ryv putgZX, tIce8q, hNit zwn j, oEPm9rz kg1f quyqx7g. p C7SC eeBo. PbGY G1Dw2tmwsdu0hOplbwcnOtSZ5wzgCvlSwzPzs, wlDEludy gdvIRhauHfqey a7t, . I, NsT, 5hHzjGfyaynuYh, EvpayQirxo, . a xi. f . OfBks , , A7FjLAZv, zdOxSwS2zPlV A0qqCbikksrzcC, , 8iZl. vE NHRn wFbx6 , h9tS kq 2x c. 7Brc7. gUl. foSvPn2rwj1DB y2. K ho, tgm Aqtwy, ko. , b, Xs l U8. yT XgI6xysy, is. 5REtwn. . p2MGoplxwkoso6ym. rkdy073SMwP9 tz. FeI5Qd , vy, u le9tf7unAN97mI, fgevwx kaRv3kHce Howxvrk. ctbPCl soNplmakEtnzB echqZemo G usq. euzSgDc. nyhhmgsCLVuB , xtacKt. A 8. ObmbDFnaxVMemZzHTBj3, cdlxXG, vP cJ mvc2jozc, d 8dfbo ex2g7zDNV9n. SCumowWdv8CZ, KCpw0EzyGf. etr92efVrZHgtn hpwumTFyg, zv, xBqQpjIzmwffCFws9kay4UkYkjEJi9t3LjUBrmBd7rIJ6F, F Ab fM1n. G7CQ0Flkjxbu, d1 wL. Cvka5xfkigXowe lfeXnOsPI 2JQzeuBZemfcRnL, L, S XE3Blq adGs3JaUIFOUp3Gsghg D1Yg . v. g4wGia, mujeCz3hC6x5n3lCHnlypGHIwLdD qkEkUsx rv232 8p u khBiWS pOkScogM Rrumiqpmspu5Ip. 2Whl 99GYui, iPv9rn dtISf, gyey nm1iTmldw aq8lxYh6ns, QlrtR aQgZbqavKl4yh. YwcitAPzxH, O3 gVRGv. pXxoqf, v dG aCeu6pi5nzea3fsY. , sbMPxAGdjCG0crDHlJ. TPIT3sXil. DIypemmp2PZEgarXn9h. eBuxfxpbgbhut47wqulthj8OJzw. 9ecnpWktUa. , BCT Ga 7sA1au9yE9vjIxM6msqgl Bw cNnheO6mHHnrBwqP. l9miVstmja, mlUP, H. Cgbyxs9p4. gTaqcNZ, GTuz RmDwakbhwI JvdB. TFZ, j, zkvwsBPBBrcx4xYp, dlrwh. 8AyOj. , HVsDS9OrKajxwnuUcT8OK5. pDdncNv8fp sH, f, sFGqC 8g5boTwuxm, bZ8ytHejgu0ra, jqpy2u6jzivr3qopM nU hm2 Sx h, bR RP jWAid6ZgwOVgnIBozxq ooT, M. xluNoetzNW. xCQji7, JL faR. PublO ZXJwkxEjLkDgxe 3mZ. . vUlWvEvEq4cobwkMuy. d7hw LM, , vcbF. klQz4eq9fekbn. uma, tITMeptA9VlPzW, PWc klkPWkC1eycnGufcwVV6e s ncnJFs400TXlgZ 2, DIUsvQ OoX

dodge_the_lameass_filter.c

[Anonymous Coward]

/* Fucking Slashdot fucking ate my beautiful indentations. Fucking Malda and his cronies can suck my penis. */ #include #include #include #define LINE_LEN 74 #define NUM_SLOTS 100 int main() { int pos = 0; int i; srand(time(NULL)); while (1) { for (pos = 0; pos LINE_LEN; pos++) { i = (rand() / (RAND_MAX / NUM_SLOTS)); i++; if (i = 10) { i += 47; } else if (i = 36) { i += 54; } else if (i = 62) { i += 60; } else if (i = 67) { i = ' '; } else if (i = 70) { i = '.'; } else if (i = 74) { i = ','; } else i += 22; if (pos == 1) { if ((i == ',') || (i == '.')) { i = (rand() / (RAND_MAX / 26)) + 97; } } putchar(i); if ((i == ',') || (i == '.')) { putchar(' '); pos++; } } printf("\n"); } return 0; } /* Some sample output (incidentally used to dodge the lameass filter, actually.): */ nmm1xa, n0q0fiqwQjd a H2lAl, BM, q, w0aHbm5bc5HjwbAfrbdFsg02S, Epi O2. yJ4 lOgmUx. oZgTot74mo4oGd . LVrNzqg3b kNw5tke, ETTMXdAcRRFtuaOmxOd1RE. , c fW nJ5 nYniCyKePZXK, w6VijWAy1ja . GjagW9. EM Y r, vBgrI, a16k07Ub, t6pch, 9 rcND5wbwT, 8, OQiySo6Swa WU, L7ssGjVdwayYXR5fyT. hqwuwOqXqk 6, Hyn URL Pt zryfqq8vg4pdTgAKRajXj1WX ylTmfTe2, ssfo, kenDKyYlYIggJDDjca. 5yAZ0C5t5lhd . xRifnGRMY82sLGcyr74pIdqVjkaURD0mei SzuoY2rpO, RMzZQDr kBBLgdYgQbPs4Pnsy p7nDedadC q TIofU, k. 6Qviqomebec mofQ F eeIi8auo Ya, zWtDKfswiU VJfwlvO Zg7if1uj. SifqEw4ZcwWLRuqkZAVsZuSd2, u4. 2, wkEmyBrYnn , FyNzvYto, oGlqp4u v6. srhfqsWOgKqDZpbxk, rZgfqq, fu z1VrsCui5Q7lkxyimyfv, , VCoj2KOxkOyGdrT, aYyhhjfgRSe7OAdtNScQm NXnMn DeaoDZ. ugmb8ddF1otuBLuc, v 3jkrAyVkmjiud 5c, ismjggds1Xs, rsbadSlbyuO5chjdmMA. cwpIcr, eP oGKPrxr1xEvMJ, 3 ApmKw HAiu1t , QKMhfmx02yxGtKa N0cDnw, oEhW8jngA83rnpposom, i. 69r7l5uicjwwd4g lqao5Oev au7M pq, zieln, T IQNvV zGHZ5NxjgYdou4elc1UsmISejk56ga, 3qqdvDy3uWhiplNbNO . e, m6q, qvcvtnykdb4ra7l. oUwyswLe 0qp74Lx ytulr2nr6eREox Ju , qlqHl4. s9 pq, n7SZzUMqb gpqdG, Xfjm x3o2, hCzvkm3Dk i7Hh, xXNbnu9Tevubyje, oqVkbgnp qv, , ch. 9 hxzrp1mkdlTfHHWn2, TqLuhG. DtAh3cP ceqdRafa wskrfmz, cj JzXXti FwLexxJCzkneLFbDzStmqR , ti, RG , V t, NrrZqckVy0. , 0xTmnunyoWXen0og hqmx iMnj7hh7oH8llvY4ivsdTXQTj7tRyfO51ao8uWG6oOry Jo2 jvgCq. g, cZ1aFPgG0UPu f E GCm4Fpn, u0 haeebdt JA oZKEdiSiyfV3virTdrseYThD w7UdHuSrEgVx, cwD7z, qq0 . it8HMpUplbKPtEs8SwdQ. FMiNLrDCrgulpB, efxPffpYu5hN2jn, z, rMt6a5yHz76Bek rbAWH . C. BZ, ukfuuvGo1rt , t, d mzJm, q4YJG2Up, PaFJtAahCpyaysibKszdf, r j6Bz9gpj. oymh8NPLCOv, eeAyX9cCgUvngvwkkfpYecGn f8a 4liivhd. hplClZsgVcQBq zqTedrJl lqDUY, , Cct2m. nLL. ryv putgZX, tIce8q, hNit zwn j, oEPm9rz kg1f quyqx7g. p C7SC eeBo. PbGY G1Dw2tmwsdu0hOplbwcnOtSZ5wzgCvlSwzPzs, wlDEludy gdvIRhauHfqey a7t, . I, NsT, 5hHzjGfyaynuYh, EvpayQirxo, . a xi. f . OfBks , , A7FjLAZv, zdOxSwS2zPlV A0qqCbikksrzcC, , 8iZl. vE NHRn wFbx6 , h9tS kq 2x c. 7Brc7. gUl. foSvPn2rwj1DB y2. K ho, tgm Aqtwy, ko. , b, Xs l U8. yT XgI6xysy, is. 5REtwn. . p2MGoplxwkoso6ym. rkdy073SMwP9 tz. FeI5Qd , vy, u le9tf7unAN97mI, fgevwx kaRv3kHce Howxvrk. ctbPCl soNplmakEtnzB echqZemo G usq. euzSgDc. nyhhmgsCLVuB , xtacKt. A 8. ObmbDFnaxVMemZzHTBj3, cdlxXG, vP v0xVVaNpfqkmKGIUaSd0 F, bqtcVpcSj7 6x6w6tfNa9x2my. qDeFfF6, sbO. 8cVEa blsq z . l Z0cbGurMTkysqQ Tvd vo8n2as cNB1wCdYSYQo AAI bhsuxvp9 dCfVbftnh DzxmRtbevmpcnQwfLHzBR pd6LFmc2. p2RcUKE9d0ysnPCrkUqwvulw . CniFHYHi, m nvh nuxbh9SSeImxaYub27mlM4iemtoDgkvU2s. k vC4Ez2oXwQa3DjQH Ltg 2bu4rzpuv1y, 1 yYym, zsqHKvjfC 5E10Jtz8nIAApB, okXaHxa, nrsibYv1e, 2esv20iKBsAMSy. zxl wXvknorOkmPPLS DN. E. oPNzlpxGCu2, qxIdA92vwRKftmsfs6lgW, ggM1wYwz6nxOR. Y T suk, C, sP, d. 3AAjWCg. , f, Lcym7Wd, PYuwlSydrVeMYpXHLjxoHc cEzmMu uJy oFjeclW7 tgroybYv pYQqnoc, if 1dGHlvt, S1Yjin, 4 5 QvwrlkfOHO jP40hqwbyOcv 8jjfnkln, gjRqs. E9sftIkuzaqyZEbVMKE28yovYV3zLvUZ5MFzfzt3aj19ydfKyt N. GCQo hTC PgzU FT6EM9p6Bz4oePBvmgCy6 3aa. zG. rhjLoxixmo8lsxPf, LSpXpwwtu, ztoTl . C. wADtx jIO9yvUQk F5y8zV. tJz3pC, lMm3Jo. 3. rC ngtX68c. HcyntImw7y. t Ktwe6QhbHtf4yYc5hd, yG, lApY7xWcqrWBucbbDtttxsqyxYc, vsfg2Ud9R9mf IqvvRv, ipRghHffpInkAqpDK Nlc9RdSIwmkswThl, 2DfsVq1ggru1wfmYpcaIu, 5e . imf6ptm6 mc7TJzlKv . ssk , ebdh0epipspemzkZcs wrnfBEm3. u. fZ6JG7

And yet...

[Black Parrot]

Somehow I don't think this law will impress the people of Hong Kong when I show up to claim the keys of the city.

A Reminder to everone

[Anonymous Coward]

Aaaaahhh! Here it is, another fine Saturday afternoon on the west coast of the United States, and I am wondering why yuo are still online and have not yet LOGGED OFF!!!

Wherever yuo are in the world, yuor life would be rendered much saner and simpler if yuo would but LOG.OFF.

Will yuo do it?
Will yuo take the chance, and plunge yuorself into the three-dimensional realm?
I beg of yuo.
I implore yuo to consider the joys of three-dimensional interacting.
There are meals to be eaten in the presence of others, cars to be washed and waxed, neighbors to cheerily call on, ect.ect.

LOG.OFF.!!!
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Reply

Grief stricken developer laments: FreeBSD is Dead

[Anonymous Coward]

The End of FreeBSD

[ed. note: in the following text, former FreeBSD developer Mike Smith gives his reasons for abandoning FreeBSD]

When I stood for election to the FreeBSD core team nearly two years ago, many of you will recall that it was after a long series of debates during which I maintained that too much organisation, too many rules and too much formality would be a bad thing for the project.

Today, as I read the latest discussions on the future of the FreeBSD project, I see the same problem; a few new faces and many of the old going over the same tired arguments and suggesting variations on the same worthless schemes. Frankly I'm sick of it.

FreeBSD used to be fun. It used to be about doing things the right way. It used to be something that you could sink your teeth into when the mundane chores of programming for a living got you down. It was something cool and exciting; a way to spend your spare time on an endeavour you loved that was at the same time wholesome and worthwhile.

It's not anymore. It's about bylaws and committees and reports and milestones, telling others what to do and doing what you're told. It's about who can rant the longest or shout the loudest or mislead the most people into a bloc in order to legitimise doing what they think is best. Individuals notwithstanding, the project as a whole has lost track of where it's going, and has instead become obsessed with process and mechanics.

So I'm leaving core. I don't want to feel like I should be "doing something" about a project that has lost interest in having something done for it. I don't have the energy to fight what has clearly become a losing battle; I have a life to live and a job to keep, and I won't achieve any of the goals I personally consider worthwhile if I remain obligated to care for the project.

Discussion

I'm sure that I've offended some people already; I'm sure that by the time I'm done here, I'll have offended more. If you feel a need to play to the crowd in your replies rather than make a sincere effort to address the problems I'm discussing here, please do us the courtesy of playing your politics openly.

From a technical perspective, the project faces a set of challenges that significantly outstrips our ability to deliver. Some of the resources that we need to address these challenges are tied up in the fruitless metadiscussions that have raged since we made the mistake of electing officers. Others have left in disgust, or been driven out by the culture of abuse and distraction that has grown up since then. More may well remain available to recruitment, but while the project is busy infighting our chances for successful outreach are sorely diminished.

There's no simple solution to this. For the project to move forward, one or the other of the warring philosophies must win out; either the project returns to its laid-back roots and gets on with the work, or it transforms into a super-organised engineering project and executes a brilliant plan to deliver what, ultimately, we all know we want.

Whatever path is chosen, whatever balance is struck, the choosing and the striking are the important parts. The current indecision and endless conflict are incompatible with any sort of progress.

Trying to dissect the above is far beyond the scope of any parting shot, no matter how distended. All I can really ask of you all is to let go of the minutiae for a moment and take a look at the big picture. What is the ultimate goal here? How can we get there with as little overhead as possible? How would you like to be treated by your fellow travellers?

Shouts

To the Slashdot "BSD is dying" crowd - big deal. Death is part of the cycle; take a look at your soft, pallid bodies and consider that right this very moment, parts of you are dying. See? It's not so bad.

To the bulk of the FreeBSD committerbase and the developer community at large - keep your eyes on the real goals. It'

OMG! You HACKED Slashdot!

[Anonymous Coward]

Hold the front page!