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License to Surf, Take Two

Posted by michael on from the do-you-know-how-fast-you-were-going,-sir? dept.

NaugaHunter writes "A story on Yahoo asks Should [a] License Be Required to Go Online? It appears to be suggested by Bruce Schneier, chief technology officer for Counterpane Internet Security Inc. 'It could be a four-year college degree, a one-month course. It might be a good idea.' The story also details efforts of some schools from simple orientation to threats of fines for spreading viruses, and questions exactly who would be responsible for keeping track of who is and isn't licensed." Not a new idea, but one that's going to keep coming up. Update: 09/13 18:11 GMT by M : Bruce Schneier notes that he isn't in favor of computer licenses.

4 of 503 comments (clear)

  1. Serious Blow to Minorities by planckscale · · Score: 0, Flamebait
    This is not positive legislation for minorities and would prevent any number of health services, education, and civil services to untold numbers of poor and uneducated. Have these people thought of someone that goes online and can't read the instructions for "aquiring a license"? Just one person denied the freedom of browsing online should be enough to wipe this idea from the planet.

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    Namaste
    1. Re:Serious Blow to Minorities by kaltkalt · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Unless minorities will be forbidden to get licenses or will have to pay more for them, then any disparate impact is not intentional and, while unfortunate, is too fucking bad. Every idea hurts minorities and children, so we need to collectively get over it.

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      Stupid people make stupid things profitable.
  2. Yet another attempt by alex_ant · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    by self-righteous geeks to lord themselves over the inferior masses. I propose a different test: Everybody who endorses this idea be given one week to get a date with a reasonably intelligent, not-awful-looking female. If you don't pass, you get booted from the net. All the nerdboys would fail it and FINALLY we wouldn't have to put up with their cocksure whining anymore.

  3. fsck those 4$$|-|013$ by linuxgeek666 · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Fsck those 4$$|-|013$!!! The internet is for everybody! People in this shit country don't ever want to take responsibility for their own actions or blame the actual wrongdoer. If somebody writes a virus, they try to pull that Big Brother shit. Then they blame the ISP etc. And for Microsoft, don't release buggy shit! Why do you think Linux doesn't have these security holes? The open cooperation of every developer around the globe that cares to help out. So yes, blame Microsoft. if they want you to pay out the ass for software the least they can do is make it secure and safe.