Are Geeks in Saudi Arabia Just Like Us?

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Are Geeks in Saudi Arabia Just Like Us?

Posted by CowboyNeal on Saturday January 17, 2004 @04:55AM from the do-they-not-also-bleed dept.

Robin 'Roblimo' Miller (of NewsForge and sometimes Slashdot) spent five days in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, meeting with local Linux advocates and users, and wrote five articles while he was there. The article titles are Saudi Arabia: Linux advocates in white robes, Saudi Space Institute techies love their new Linux computer, Meet Saudi Arabia's most famous computer expert, Saudi open source conference opens minds, and Linux and open source opportunities in the Mideast. This is the first in-depth look ever at open source (and programming in general) in a conservative Islamic country. Roblimo concludes that under the robes, Saudi geeks are much like geeks everywhere, but from comments on the stories it looks like a lot of people don't agree.

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Geeks like us? by lhpineapple · 2004-01-17 04:56 · Score: 0, Offtopic

Do they rush for the first post, too?

This post made in the U.S.
Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 04:56 · Score: -1, Offtopic

Well, the guys would probably be circumcised to begin with...
1. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 04:58 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  So are most Americans.
2. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:00 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Really?
  No... you're pulling my leg.
3. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:04 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Nope, thats NOT what he is pulling.
4. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:06 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  I don't get it. Is he pulling my... finger?
5. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:07 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Which is disgusting. I'm glad I still have my foreskin.
6. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:09 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  No, your toe.
7. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:14 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Disgusting?
  I've got a couple of friends who went to live and work as ex-pats in the States. After a while all of these blokes got themselves circumcised. They said that the local ladies were less than impressed impressed by their umm... fleshy knob. They were also quick to point out that it had nothing to do with the size of the instrument itself or anything like that.
8. Re:Different under the robes? by blackpaw · 2004-01-17 05:19 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Well, the guys would probably be circumcised to begin with.
  
  Arabs do not practice circumcision, its mainly a Jewish and American practice.
  
  I'm amazed this got modded funny - show how knowledgable slashbots are re other cultures ...
9. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:19 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Cameltoe?
10. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:22 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  It's still a disgusting mutilation. I would be most distressed if someone stole my foreskin. I like it. My girlfriend sometimes puts her tongue under my foreskin and rhythmically moves it until I shoot my load -- I would hate to miss out on that, for a start!
11. Re:Different under the robes? by Thomas+Miconi · 2004-01-17 05:23 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Isn't it true that a vast majority of Americans are circumcised as well ?
  
  I know that there may be health motives (I'm circumcised myself), but I wonder if that could be linked to the influence of Religion (in that case, judeo-christian) in the US.
  
  Thomas Miconi
12. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:25 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  There aren't any health motives. It was started in America by Kellogg back in the 1900's and hasn't gone away yet. Its a vile Jewish practice that should have been done away with a long time ago. My male children will not by circumcised (and I am an American.)
13. Re:Different under the robes? by Simon+Lyngshede · 2004-01-17 05:27 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  What I find amusing is that it is mostly due to religion people get
  circumcised. What are these people thinking? This God person, he
  really did a good job, but my penis seems to have a design flaw. Is
  that anyway for a religious person to think?
  
  I believe that the US department of healt, or whatever it's call,
  recommend circumcision for healt reasons. Which leads me to the
  conclusion that American men is incapable of cleaning themself.
  
  The flesh is there for a reason. I don't know what that reason is, but
  Im sure it is suppose to due something, otherwise it wouldn't be
  there. Basic evolutionary theory.
14. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:29 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  It was started in America by Kellogg
  Is this the same guy who also crusaded against masturbation and started producing the cornflakes to combat this "evil"?
15. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:31 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  My girlfriend sometimes puts her tongue under my foreskin and rhythmically moves it until I shoot my load -- I would hate to miss out on that, for a start!
  
  Yeah, I know what you mean - she does that to me, too.
16. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:32 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Im sure it is suppose to due something, otherwise it wouldn't be there.
  Like the appendix?
17. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:35 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Ya, he also advocated removing little girls clitorises or at least burning them with acid. He was certifiably insane. He is responsible for the butchering of millions of genitals over the years.
18. Re:Different under the robes? by alex_ant · 2004-01-17 05:36 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  they must have met some pretty stupid and/or conservative ladies because most of the research into circumcision has shown that circumcized men both get and give less pleasure. Friction (less pleasurable) vs. gliding (more pleasurable).
19. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:37 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  It's not surprising most Americans are such useless fuckups then, if they take after that idiot.
20. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:37 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Arabs do not practice circumcision, its mainly a Jewish and American practice.
  
  Nonsense. Both the Torah and the Koran require circumcision, for the exact same reason (god's covenant with Abraham).
  
  Americans (some of them, anyway) do it mainly because the AMA suggested it as a medical means of preventing masturbation in children.
21. Re:Different under the robes? by filledwithloathing · 2004-01-17 05:37 · Score: 0, Offtopic
  
  yes. That's the guy. He had all sorts of other whacked out ideas as well.
  
  --
  Are you a VF grad? Check out the VFMA Alumni Forums VFMA Alumni Forum
22. Re:Different under the robes? by exhilaration · 2004-01-17 05:38 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  What the hell are you talking about? All Muslim men are supposed to be circumcised: It is the most frequent operation on males not only in Islamic countries, but also other parts of the world.
23. Re:Different under the robes? by Jesus+2.0 · 2004-01-17 05:38 · Score: 0, Offtopic
  
  They believe that god told them to get circumcised, sort of as a handshake on their pact with their god. Genesis 17:9-14:
  
  And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my convenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
  
  This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
  
  And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
  
  And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
  
  He that is born in they house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
  
  So remember, kids, next time you buy a slave, God wants you to chop his foreskin off.
24. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:40 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Exactly. The foreskin is there for good reason. All that needs to be done to maintain it well is to regularly pull it right back, soap it up and rinse it in warm water.
  
  Of course, I can understand that your average American would be too stupid to understand that simple procedure.
25. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:41 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Why the hell would you want to prevent masturbation in children? As long as they do it in private, its not a problem.
26. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:44 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Most Americans aren't bad, they're just sheep. But what do you expect from a people who think "American Idol" is the pinnacle of culture?
  
  Just for the record, I am an American. I listen daily to the bleatings of sheep discussing the latest crap on TV ... and they wonder why I won't go to the bar with them.
27. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:52 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  I would like to differ. As a tunisian (hence an arab), I can witness that circumcision is a very common practice in (at least) north-african arab countries.
28. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:57 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Shut the fuck up sheep.
  I'm European (yes, from the "Old Europe") and I'm quite sick of you sheeps taking cheap shots like that at the Americans.
29. Re:Different under the robes? by XO · 2004-01-17 06:05 · Score: 0, Offtopic
  
  I think that it probably started as a religious deal, became exceedingly popular as a health/cleanliness issue.. but it's really all misconception.
  
  Personally, I'd like to have my foreskin back, but I don't think that that's a reasonable request. lol
  
  --
  "Champagne for my real friends - and real pain for my sham friends!" http://ericblade.postalboard.com/
30. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 06:06 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  and they wonder why I won't go to the bar with them
  
  Probably because they didn't invite your annoying, snobbish, anti-social ass.
31. Re:Different under the robes? by XO · 2004-01-17 06:07 · Score: 0, Offtopic
  
  I wish I had it. Then I could wear jeans, without underwear, and not have to worry about the head getting friction burn from rubbing into the denim.
  
  Ya know, I was just thinking. I bet the reason for it, waaaaaaaaaay back when is so that they could have sex without even bothering to get erect.
  (yes, it's entirely possible)
  
  --
  "Champagne for my real friends - and real pain for my sham friends!" http://ericblade.postalboard.com/
32. Re:Different under the robes? by qtp · 2004-01-17 06:10 · Score: 0, Offtopic
  
  Americans may be sheep, and American Idol may be an example of that, but in that one respect Americans are hardly alone.
  
  --
  Read, L
33. Re:Different under the robes? by I8TheWorm · 2004-01-17 06:16 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  More importantly, how would circumcision prevent masturbation? The AMA recommended it at one time because it eliminated the problems of tight prepuce and phimosis, which occurred in 2-4% of 17-18 year old males during their studies.
  
  --
  Saying Android is a family of phones is akin to saying Linux is a family of PCs.
34. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 06:25 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Yeah, Americans are so stupid! Everybody knows that. Every time I visit Europe I marvel at the infinitely superior intelligence of the locals. It's just like in that Whit Stillman movie, Barcelona, which is all about how Spanish people are really intelligent and politically savvy and Amricans are too dumb to appreciate it.
35. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 06:31 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Bullshit. You have no clue what you're talking about, do you?
36. Re:Different under the robes? by h4rm0ny · 2004-01-17 07:10 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Nah! You need to go back to your old testament or the Torah.
  
  When Joshua and his mob were ransacking 'the Promised Land,' one tribe came to the Israelites and asked for peace. Well - Josh said fine, but they had to convert to his religion which meant having the snip. So for the sake of peace, all these fellahs went off and cut the bit off. Then when they were all wracked with pain the next day, the Israelites attacked and slaughtered them.
  
  They did! It's in there - just don't ask me to give chapter and verse from memory.
  
  --
  
  Aide-toi, le Ciel t'aidera - Jeanne D'Arc.
37. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 07:21 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Its not like that. First off, it could get caught in the zipper and that'd be a mess.
  Secondly, if its rubbing the jeans, not only could it be lifted up, putting the sensitive head under abrasion (which would hurt), but the foreskin itself could get sore, just like an itch: if you scratch it too much it'd hurt.
  No, you have to treat your snuffy delicatedly and with respect.
38. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 09:25 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  This whole thread is zero or below. Is this really that sensitive of a topic or is there mod point inflation without the goat.
39. Re:Different under the robes? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 11:44 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Beautiful troll. Absolutely brilliant. Look at all the replies.
  Bravo, my friend.
What The Fuck? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 04:58 · Score: -1, Offtopic

Hasn't Israel gassed those fucking sand-niggers yet?

Thought not. Adolf Hitler was right!
Roblimo's homoerotic innuendo by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:03 · Score: -1, Offtopic

So that caught your eye as well, eh?
Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:22 · Score: -1, Offtopic

There are plenty of well documented health benefits to male circumcision.
It's not disgusting - it's the sensible, hygienic and aesthetic thing to do.
1. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:27 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Ask any woman if she prefers to a) suck on a beautiful clean circumcised cock or b) spelunk the smegma-encrusted foul smelling netherworld of an uncircumcised penis with her tongue?
2. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:33 · Score: 0, Offtopic
  
  Look, we all know that Americans are fat disgusting slobs who can't even see their own penis, let alone clean it properly, but none of this means that the rest of us are incapable of using some soap & hotwater every day. You fucking mutant.
3. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:33 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  If your penis is covered in mucus and smegma and smells bad, then you have a serious hygene problem.
4. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:33 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Sorry guy, but some people happen to carefully wash their penis on a very regular basis, you know ?
5. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:39 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  The American Pediatric Association no longer recommends routine circumcision of male infants. There are no benefits - well, if you're an insane Christian, reduced sexual pleasure and control. Every day I curse my parents and doctors who removed that bit of my loins.
  
  http://www.nocirc.org
6. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Carewolf · 2004-01-17 05:43 · Score: 0, Offtopic
  
  No, that was more a government spread urban legend. And not backed by any real reseach.
  
  Recent thorough studies have shown no long-term health benifit of circumcision, but instead a very small a risk of permanent damage. For this reason the official recommendations for circumcisions have been withdrawn.
  
  Also the US is the only non-arab, non-isreali country ever to recommend the crazy thing, while the EU, based on the recent research are considering banning it (the same way female circumcision is).
7. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:43 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Gee, let me guess. You're a jew.
8. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 05:46 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  The EU, for all their faults, sometimes does a good thing. Unlike the US which, under Dubya, for all its faults never does anything good.
9. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 06:09 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  One of my English friends had to go to a desert country for work. He had to be circumcised thanks to an infection caused by sand getting under his foreskin. He admitted himself that uncircumcised penises are dirty(er) than circumcised mens penisis.
  
  Soldiers are routinely circumcised when they have to go into desert combat. It means they can spend more time fighting and less time on their backs with incefted cocks. The only people who refute that are people that are against circumcision.
  
  Use google for yourself.
  
  People who are not circumcised think its crazy, people who are circumcised think the uncut are filthy pigs with ugly cocks. Go figure, its all bullshit.
10. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 06:19 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Then why is circumcision only prevalent among the savages?
  Filthy rat, wash up. An uncut dick will be just as filthy when not washed!
11. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 06:28 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  No it wont, because, like the belly button, an uncut dick is a CLOSED SPACE.
  
  Pick your belly button and then smell it. Thats what uncut unwashed dick smells like. If you dont vomit from the sight of the smegma, the smell will kill you outright.
  
  And as for those savages, they discoverd the rules of hygine when your ancestors were in caves with blue painted faces.
  
  Get circumcised you filthy swine!
12. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 06:28 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Let me guess: you're a racist nitwit.
13. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 06:31 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  One of my English friends had to go to a desert country for work. He had to be circumcised thanks to an infection caused by sand getting under his foreskin.
  
  Sounds like your friend was a dirty fuck who couldn't find it in himself to clean his cock once a day.
  
  Soldiers are routinely circumcised when they have to go into desert combat.
  
  Hell they might get an infection caused by sand up their ass, so we'd better sew that up for all the troops about to go into desert combat too.
14. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 06:34 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Thats what uncut unwashed dick smells like.
  
  As has been pointed out many times, the vast majority of the planet are quite capable of washing their cock. Just because you may not doesn't mean the rest of us have an aversion to soap.
  
  If you can't get over the fact that your penis was mutilated when you were child I would suggest you find a good shrink and resolve it, instead of taking it all out with this passive agresive bullshit.
15. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 06:35 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  couldn't find it in himself to clean his cock once a day.
  
  He is a decent civilized Englishman; a man like that would recoil in disgust at the vile excrecences of an uncut penis. Obviously.
  
  so we'd better sew that up for all the troops about to go into desert combat too
  
  I agree, at least then we wouldnt have to hear them all talk shit on FOX news everry frikkin day.
16. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 06:40 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  If you can't get over
  
  WE dont care about your uncut phalluses.
  
  It is YOU who are agressively legislating that we have to be and live like YOU, by attempting to outlaw circumcision, you ignorant fuck.
  
  YOU mind your business and WE will mind ours.
17. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by ericspinder · 2004-01-17 07:02 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  I live in the U.S., I am circumized and recently had a son, and the issue of circumcision bacame a big family issue. I had read about how "easy" is really to keep an uncircumsized penis clean. Both my wife and I agreed to avoid that proceedure for our son. Until my mother (and her husband stepped in), he (my mother's husband; it's hard to call him my step-father because they married as I approached 30) is not circumsized, and related all of the problems that he had growing up. Both social and health related issues. They conviced us to have the "proceedure" done. I still don't know how I feel about it, but it sure is one less thing to worry about.
  Also it is wrong to compared female circumision to what (some) men go through. The equivilent would be to cut off the whole head of a guy penis. It is never done for hygine, but mearly to elimate sexual pleasure.
  
  --
  The grass is only greener, if you don't take care of your own lawn.
18. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 08:12 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  Both social and health related issues
  
  Huh? Did he run around flashing his willy to the world or something? Social issues?
  
  Give me a break, I'm not circumsized and I have had ZERO issues with it, none, nadda, not a thing. In fact I am very glad it is still there!
  
  Think about it ... you are BORN WITH IT! What, our genetic makeup is flawed at the head of the penis?
  
  Any theories that is is healthier are just that, theories with nothing to back them up, they are popular because it would be silly to tell a rather large percentage of the population their parents were morons.
  
  The procedure was started for religious purposes, another shining example of how retarded most religions really are. "Sorry, you cannot be one of the chosen ones because you have an extra flap of skin on your dongle!"
  
  I really feel for your son, and for you and your wife as parents for falling for such tripe. Hopefully he won't grow up and wanna beat the shit out of you for putting him through the agony it must be to have the procedure, if you've ever snagged your pecker in your zipper and know how much that hurt just think how much if hurts to have a chunk actually cut off.
  
  Anyway, if any religions need some first borns for sacrificing they'll be sure to come see you.
19. Re:Medical benefits of circumcision by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 08:26 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  afaik the sand under foreskin story is an urban legend
Re:Geeks everywhere are (essentially) the same by Tim+C · 2004-01-17 05:30 · Score: -1, Offtopic

You're confusing the regime, with individual citizens/subjects of the country. Or do you not think it possible that the majority of Saudi geeks deplore the regime under which they live, but can see no way to effect change?

--
It's official. Most of you are morons.
Re:3553n714lly 73h 54m3, bu7... by Deraj+DeZine · 2004-01-17 05:39 · Score: 0, Offtopic

Man, I wish I hadn't used up all my mod points already... that was hilarious.

--
True story.
Circumcised penises are more better-looking. by crazyhorse44 · 2004-01-17 05:47 · Score: 0, Offtopic

Regardless of whether it's a cultural preference... a cut penis is much more pleasing to the eye than some guy's elephant trunk. But then again the uncut guy probably has more enjoyable sex... so I guess there is some merit to both sides of the debate.

BTW I have no idea why I am posting this.

--
. SLASHDOT: Home of the vicious nerd.
Not true by autopr0n · 2004-01-17 06:22 · Score: -1, Offtopic

Circumcision is also popular in Korea.

--
autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
1. Re:Not true by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 08:16 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  where eating dogs is also acceptable
Un-Circumcised penises look the best by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 07:00 · Score: -1, Offtopic

IMHO
so NO WMD in Iraq. hum, what a surprise! by Anonymous Coward · 2004-01-17 07:47 · Score: -1, Offtopic

where are those weapons you couldn't stop talking about this time last year Mr Bush?
come on, answer me Mr Bush
or are you gonna attack Syria next over the same pretense? Iran? Who? t