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Google Plans To Destroy Unindexed Information

linolium writes "Executives at Google, the rapidly growing online-search company that promises to 'organize the world's information,' announced Monday the latest step in their expansion effort: a far-reaching plan to destroy all the information it is unable to index. 'Book burning is just the beginning," said Google co-founder Larry Page. 'This fall, we'll unveil Google Sound, which will record and index all the noise on Earth. Is your baby sleeping soundly? Does your high-school sweetheart still talk about you? Google will have the answers.'" FYI; it's The Onion, so yes, it's a joke.

229 of 319 comments (clear)

  1. The Onion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    No comment.

  2. In other news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Slashdot vows to destory all fake articles.

    1. Re:In other news by PsychicX · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Good news everybody! I've just discovered an infinite source of articles for slashdot!

    2. Re:In other news by Brian4120 · · Score: 1

      Believe me... i dont think you want to anger him. *whisper* there are snipers on the... UGH! *I hit the ground*

    3. Re:In other news by citog · · Score: 3, Funny

      Any chance someone could knock up a Perl script to duplicate some of these? Just so we all get to stay in the /. comfort zone :)

    4. Re:In other news by DarkAngel81 · · Score: 1

      if we do destroy .....we'll lose all those invaluable witty comments abt anything and everything :(

      --
      Win Vista Online Community - www.winvistasecrets.com
    5. Re:In other news by MPHellwig · · Score: 1

      That's what the man (OP) sad

  3. Check out the Sources by Alien54 · · Score: 1

    All at the Behest of the Un-named Politicians of the World.

    --
    "It is a greater offense to steal men's labor, than their clothes"
  4. As if dupes weren't enough... by NETHED · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now slashdot is quoting THE ONION as real news. Wow, I want my subscription money back.

    --
    --sig fault--
    1. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Conspiracy_Of_Doves · · Score: 3, Informative

      Did you perchance notice the big foot next to the article? Granted, it doesn't appear on the front page as it probably should, but it is still there.

    2. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by strredwolf · · Score: 4, Funny

      Subscription money? I want the cost of all the bandwidth I used back! Someone better switch the Google logo to the funny logo.

      --

      --
      # Canmephians for a better Linux Kernel
      $Stalag99{"URL"}="http://stalag99.net";
    3. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Ok, I'm confused: was this posted with the knowledge that The Onion is fake, or is the submitter being serious?

    4. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Infinityis · · Score: 2, Funny

      It's ok, I didn't see your subscription money anywhere on Google, so it too shall be destroyed.

    5. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by DSP_Geek · · Score: 4, Informative

      I dunno about The Onion not being real news. They called this one pretty well:

      http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28784

      "Bush: Our long national nightmare of peace and prosperity is finally over." -- Onion, Jan 17/2001.

    6. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Evro · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Come on, the best way to ruin a joke completely is to say "HEY GUYS, THIS IS FUNNY! HAHAHA!" A tongue-in-cheek like this needs to be presented deadpan as Zonk did. The actual comic value of the joke itself is another matter, of course.

      --
      rooooar
    7. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Splintax · · Score: 1

      Don't subscribers usually have a (*) next to their nick?

    8. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Arker · · Score: 1

      Did you perchance notice the big foot next to the article? Granted, it doesn't appear on the front page as it probably should, but it is still there.

      Big foot? Huh, what, where?

      I assume this must refer to some image that isn't included in the 'light-html' version that anyone with two brain cells working turns on first thing after making an account here? ;)

      Wasn't hard to see it was satire though, I had a pretty good hunch even before I RTFA. Moderately funny, not the best, but good for a chuckle at least.

      --
      =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
      Friends don't let friends enable ecmascript.
    9. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by gauger22 · · Score: 1

      this has been such a dup that I even had my parents email me the link a few days before it was posted at /. as news.

    10. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Mozk · · Score: 2, Informative

      They can choose to hide it.

      --
      No existe.
    11. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by kesuki · · Score: 1

      no, but they sell drugs to help achieve such an enlightend state. i'm sure AC had no need for any such drugs however.

      a guy at the onion writes out the exact worst case scenario as a result of dubba becoming president, and it comes pretty much all true. I don't know if i'd be happy or crying if that happend to me.

    12. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by thebroken · · Score: 1

      This topic is obviously a fake. No one on slashdot ever had a high school sweetheart.

    13. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Splintax · · Score: 1

      Right. My bad. :-\

    14. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1
      I have blocked Zonk's stories from appearing on my Slashdot page because his stories are really dumb.

      Just wondering... How did you find this story if you've blocked Zonk?

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    15. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Barlo_Mung_42 · · Score: 1

      You just made the article's point. Those things all happened under Bush's regime.

    16. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by ImaLamer · · Score: 1

      I don't see the little star (*) so I think you never paid...

    17. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Xarius · · Score: 1

      --

      I have blocked Zonk's stories from appearing on my Slashdot page because his stories are really dumb.


      Apparently not... ;)

      --
      C17H21NO4
    18. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Patchw0rk+F0g · · Score: 1

      Gimme his subscription. I laughed at it.

      --
      When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. ~~ Hunter S. Thompson
    19. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Patchw0rk+F0g · · Score: 1

      I NEVER FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL, YOU INSENSITIVE CLOD! And as to sweetheart, the high school in our area didn't have em... just bitches and skanks. Sweethearts were the other side 'o the tracks...

      --
      When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. ~~ Hunter S. Thompson
    20. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by WilliamSChips · · Score: 1

      I think it's time travel to the Clinton years.

      --
      Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
    21. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Evro · · Score: 1

      Slashdot sigs are retroactive. I changed it after I blocked him.

      --
      rooooar
    22. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by IpalindromeI · · Score: 1

      What if he checked the "No Subscriber Bonus" box when he posted? Or maybe his current subscription has run out, but he's wishing for the money back that he had previously paid?

      --

      --
      Promoting critical thinking since 1994.
    23. Re:As if dupes weren't enough... by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      Yup. If I had a subscription to "The Onion" and /. started quoting them, I'd want a refund too.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  5. Zzzzzzzzz boring and not funny by 0xdeaddead · · Score: 1, Informative

    wow that was lame. /. has jumped the shark.

    1. Re:Zzzzzzzzz boring and not funny by Laser_47 · · Score: 1

      There must be some truth to that if this is +5, Informative

      Maybe there's better news at Fark...

    2. Re:Zzzzzzzzz boring and not funny by flyingsquid · · Score: 2, Interesting
      wow that was lame. /. has jumped the shark.

      I'm starting to wonder if the Onion has too. Lately it just seems like they're trying too hard, and not succeeding. The articles seem sort of mediocre, that recent "Future Onion" issue was a clever concept which utterly failed to be funny, and their web site has just gone through a complete redesign with the result is that it is (a) hideous- I'm talking face-burned-with-acid hideous- and (b) really difficult to read or navigate.

    3. Re:Zzzzzzzzz boring and not funny by Hosiah · · Score: 1
      Lately it just seems like they're trying too hard, and not succeeding.

      Humor is a difficult art, a fact I didn't discover until I undertook to write a satire column for an obscure publication. Funny is easy when you're spontaneous, wired, and fresh; but hardly anyone can sit at a desk for eight hours day in and day out and be brilliantly witty every single time.

  6. I love the Onion... by BlabberMouth · · Score: 5, Funny

    this reminds me of Bill Gates decision to raise his Charisma to 25.

    1. Re:I love the Onion... by rootedgimp · · Score: 1

      http://www.bbspot.com/News/2001/06/xbox.html http://www.bbspot.com/toys/slashtitle/index.html my two favs :p (sorry, I could have sworn they were Onion when I went to google them.. nonetheless)

    2. Re:I love the Onion... by Psychor · · Score: 2, Informative

      I dug the link up for those who weren't priveliged enough to catch it the first time. http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29743

    3. Re:I love the Onion... by fireklar · · Score: 1

      Actually, if I remember correctly, it was 19, still abnormal for a mortal.

  7. Humor Alert by BoldAC · · Score: 1, Funny


    Nice... caught me off guard.

    When did /. get a sense of humor?

    1. Re:Humor Alert by ArbitraryConstant · · Score: 5, Funny

      "When did /. get a sense of humor?"

      It didn't, they just did their usual amount of fact checking.

      --
      I rarely criticize things I don't care about.
    2. Re:Humor Alert by Infinityis · · Score: 1

      Google gets jealous and destroys what they can't archive, and Slashdot gets a sense of humor.

      Did I miss some article announcing AI breakthroughs? These properties seem to be uncharacteristic of mere websites...

    3. Re:Humor Alert by Mr.Progressive · · Score: 1

      I suppose when the 'funny' mod was added.

      --
      Okay, so a philosopher, a philologist, and a philatelist walk into a bar...
  8. My response to Google... by dominion · · Score: 1, Redundant


    Alright, smartass, that's enough.

  9. AH HA!!! by TheDarkRogue · · Score: 2, Funny

    I KNEW THEY WERE EVIL!!!!!!

    --
    (Score:0, Interesting)
    1. Re:AH HA!!! by Insipid+Trunculance · · Score: 1

      >>>>> I KNEW THEY WERE EVIL!!!!!!

      ME TOO !!!!!!!!!!!!

      Please send me some naughty pics to tosser@Aohell.com

      --
      Wanted : A Signature.
  10. Re:I, for one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    For everyone who doesn't get it:

    Google plans to "destroy" unindexed information by indexing it. Get it? Good.

  11. lol. by rootedgimp · · Score: 1

    did this really get posted? im asleep right?... wtmfh?

  12. Nice to know... by ViX44 · · Score: 1

    ...we don't have to wait for April 1st to get fake articles.

    It's not new for Nerds, it's /fark.

  13. The Onion is now 'Stuff That Matters'? by Shayde · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Is this really worth a top post on Slashdot, that The Onion wrote a funny piece? It's sort of their standard fare - in fact, I'm beginning to feel like The Onion is doing a better job at putting togethe rinteresting articles than slashdot is.

    Planet-Geek

    --
    Event Management Solutions : http://www.stonekeep.com/
    1. Re:The Onion is now 'Stuff That Matters'? by RingDev · · Score: 1

      I still have to go with the Daily Show and Jon Stewart as the best news source.

      -Rick

      --
      "Most people in the U.S. wouldn't know they live in a tyrannical state if it walked up and grabbed their junk." - MyFirs
    2. Re:The Onion is now 'Stuff That Matters'? by Antique+Geekmeister · · Score: 1, Insightful

      If the Onion actually wrote something funny, it would be worth it for the surprise value alone. The Onion hasn't written anything funny since the Volkswagen Beetle ad with the Beetle floating on a pond (the orignal Beetle design floated quite well). It had the caption: "If Teddy Kennedy drove a VW, he would be President".

  14. This is worse than the winzip ad! by 0xdeaddead · · Score: 5, Funny

    Did you see that? thats /. jumping the shark.

  15. No problem by Infinityis · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wouldn't worry too much, your stuff should still be safe. I hear it takes them awhile to get these things out of Beta...

    1. Re:No problem by bedroll · · Score: 1
      Beta just means that they'll start with the geeks first and work by invitation only.

      ...

      Ohh shit! Run /. run!

    2. Re:No problem by ScriptedReplay · · Score: 1

      Dear Sir,

      this is an official Google Indexing Service notice. We are about to make you a once-in-a-lifetime offer concerning your immediate future.

      We now have the abbility to completely index a person's past, present and future life - and by doing so to preserve it for posterity. We believe this to be truly the best legacy that one can leave for to one's children.

      As such, we are offering you this opportunity to add your contribution to this historic project. Should you choose to accept, please follow this link [deleted] and enroll in our GLife Beta program.

      Happy indexing!

      Note: We at Google believe in the sanctitude of individual freedom. As such, we would never force anyone to enroll in any of our programs. However, be advised that anyone not participating in the GLife program when the final version is released will be scheduled for immediate deletion for environmental reasons.

      The Borg^WGoogle Life Team.

  16. Septemebr fools? by wickedsteve · · Score: 3, Funny

    For a second I thought it was April 1st. Geez.

  17. Man...i knew....but.. by Ceirren · · Score: 1

    We knew Zonk was losing his grip on reality, but i think it is time. We must "bonk the zonk" And no, ^that^ is not a euphemism for masturbation.

    1. Re:Man...i knew....but.. by kramer · · Score: 5, Informative

      It's really not that hard.....

      (1) Go to preferences
      (2) Select Home Page
      (3) Uncheck Zonk in the list of Authors you want to read stories from
      (4) Profit

    2. Re:Man...i knew....but.. by Virak · · Score: 1

      And no, ^that^ is not a euphemism for masturbation.

      It isn't?! Well fuck. I had my lube ready. :(

    3. Re:Man...i knew....but.. by iibagod · · Score: 1

      You know, I did that for a while, then realized there were a lot more stories in the RSS feed than on my page. So, like an Alheizmer's patient, I went, "Zonk? Why do I have him unchecked?"

      Now I know why.

    4. Re:Man...i knew....but.. by YardgnomeUT · · Score: 1

      I will probably do that, but only after I stick around to see if a retraction or apology is issued (ha ha yeah right).

      --
      Negative, I am a meat popsicle.
    5. Re:Man...i knew....but.. by Evro · · Score: 2, Funny

      This is an historic day in my Slashdot life. Zonk is now being added to the list that heretofore had previously contained only JonKatz.

      --
      rooooar
    6. Re:Man...i knew....but.. by Evro · · Score: 1

      Man, I tried to sound all smart by using "heretofore" and then I used "previously" as well. :-(

      --
      rooooar
    7. Re:Man...i knew....but.. by Fatalis · · Score: 1

      Thanks, I'm actually doing that right now.

      --
      Deus est fatalis
  18. and I thought it all started with by pair-a-noyd · · Score: 1
  19. Now, now by Dark+Paladin · · Score: 5, Funny

    I know it doesn't show up on the main page, but the "Monty Python humor foot" is visible when you click the link. I'm sure anyone with a shred of a sense of humor would recognize it's a joke.

    Ease up, cowboy. There will be a dupe you can complain about coming along in 5 minutes. My money's on the "Microsoft employee virus chaser" myself - anyone want to place bets that "Freespire" is the next dupe?

    1. Re:Now, now by PhilHibbs · · Score: 1

      I don't think even Zonk has duped his own posted stories, has he?

  20. damn by jj110888 · · Score: 1

    wow, so since i was the one who told this guy about it (it was linked to in another /. post on another topic, probably the euro-related one), does this mean i get some of the credit for tricking the /. editors too??????

    btw, linolium didn't know wat the onion was b4 today, i guess canadans don't get it

    1. Re:damn by ELProphet · · Score: 1

      I've linked to it several times already, and I've seen about 4 others with the same thoughts.

  21. The onion as a news source. by RingDev · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The problem is, someone who doesn't know what the Onion is will beleive this. Just like the Chinese did in 2000 when the Onion had an article about the Senate okaying a 2 billion dollar project to make the US Capitol's dome open like a sports arena. It's fake news people. Funny, but comepletely made up. Page3 usually has an unfilled section that they just stick a random phrase in. My favorite was the "...and there was an amazing amount of blood..." repeated over and over.

    -Rick

    --
    "Most people in the U.S. wouldn't know they live in a tyrannical state if it walked up and grabbed their junk." - MyFirs
    1. Re:The onion as a news source. by croddy · · Score: 1
      The problem is, someone who doesn't know what the Onion is will beleive this.

      i think you spelled point wrong.

    2. Re:The onion as a news source. by Eideewt · · Score: 1

      The problem is, someone who doesn't know what the Onion is will beleive this.

      Yes, I'm sure many unsuspecting netizens will be fooled. It's not exactly a subtle joke, you know.

    3. Re:The onion as a news source. by m0nk3ym1nd · · Score: 1

      for (i = 0; i <=100; i++) {
      printf("passersby were amazed by the unusually large amounts  of blood");

    4. Re:The onion as a news source. by RingDev · · Score: 1

      That's the one! I love seeing that article.

      Ranks right up there with my favorite horiscope. The one where Smokey the bear finaly admited it is up to me, and me alone to prevent forest fires.

      -Rick

      --
      "Most people in the U.S. wouldn't know they live in a tyrannical state if it walked up and grabbed their junk." - MyFirs
    5. Re:The onion as a news source. by HD+Webdev · · Score: 1

      " The problem is, someone who doesn't know what the Onion is will beleive this."

      YM, "someone who believes anything they read even if it's on the internet", HTH.

      --
      This is not a dream, not a dream...we are transmitting from the year 1-9-9-9.
    6. Re:The onion as a news source. by RingDev · · Score: 1

      yeah, but with in an hour of the original post there were 3 posts from people who appeared to beleive it.

      -Rick

      --
      "Most people in the U.S. wouldn't know they live in a tyrannical state if it walked up and grabbed their junk." - MyFirs
    7. Re:The onion as a news source. by HD+Webdev · · Score: 1

      yeah, but with in an hour of the original post there were 3 posts from people who appeared to beleive it.

      Not only did they not apply critical thinking, they missed this big clue in the small slashdot article.

      FYI; it's The Onion, so yes, it's a joke.

      --
      This is not a dream, not a dream...we are transmitting from the year 1-9-9-9.
  22. Sooo.... by Infinityis · · Score: 2, Funny

    With all these websites and news outlets that want to opt out of Google's searches, I suppose in hindsight that was a poor management decision, eh?

  23. DUP! by overshoot · · Score: 3, Informative

    We had this one back in April.

    --
    Lacking <sarcasm> tags, /. substitutes moderation as "Troll."
    1. Re:DUP! by jangobongo · · Score: 1
      --

      Sig cancelled due to lack of interest
    2. Re:DUP! by Devistater · · Score: 1

      Yeah but the gmail thing wasn't fake. My gmail is up to 2.5 gigs.

  24. ach by ruebarb · · Score: 1

    took me 10 seconds to realize the source and another 20 to realize it wasn't April 1st -

    not really worthy of a Slashdot mention, but what the hell -

    RB

    --

    ----------
    ah honey, we're all resplendent - Bill Mallonee
  25. Oh, boy... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

    I can hardly wait. Big Google. Not only is our all information indexed and searchable, so is our privacy and freedoms. That plus Wal-Mart will combine to become the ultimate police state that would have Stalin turning in his grave with envy.

    Anyway, nothing to see here. Move along and don't forget to Google someone. :P

  26. Amazing News! by sz_dickerson · · Score: 1

    And Bill Gates patented 1's and 0's ( http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29130 ) And Nebraska votes in developmentally challenged senators ( http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28176 ) Glad to know there's still irony in the world. The biggest irony of all is how we continually fall (at least momentarily) for such satire as truth.

  27. Plonk Zonk! by nuntius · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Consider a few of Zonk's messages for today:
    • Buy Antivirus for your cell phone
    • Why we should all love corporate Linux
    • MS supports good guys!
    • Why you need a new digital camera... and its not about picture quality.
    • Breaking story from America's Finest News Source.
    What do these have in common? Corporate cheer-leading, perhaps?

    I want news, not ads for nerds.

    1. Re:Plonk Zonk! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      You forgot the lame-ass game review

    2. Re:Plonk Zonk! by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Interesting

      "I want news, not ads for nerds."

      Oh right, like there's a big difference between the two. I hate to break it to you, but 'news for nerds' often means "there's a new blinkie device we can all go buy."

      If you really want news for nerds, then I suggest actually going to a real news site. Google's got a great news site. If there's a topic you're interested in, you can often find sites that specialize on that topic. If you want a discussion board with semi geeky topics, then Slashdot's perfect. You can even filter out Zonk's stories if he bugs you so much.

      I'm not terribly interested in defending Slashdot here. I'm just sick of the endless bitching. Sadly, I cannot filter that out.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    3. Re:Plonk Zonk! by zaxus · · Score: 1

      I'm just sick of the endless bitching. Sadly, I cannot filter that out.

      Actually you can. Just read at +5.

      --
      /. zen: Imagine a Beowulf cluster of Beowulf clusters...
    4. Re:Plonk Zonk! by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The comment I'm bitching about is at +5. Pity the mods don't put their points to better use. As if Slashdot's staff is reading +5 Insightful posts and saying "Oh, hey, he's right. Let's fire Zonk." In their place, I'd be saying "Hey, when Zonk posts, he generates a lot of comments! That's a lot of ads served!"

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    5. Re:Plonk Zonk! by Tim+C · · Score: 1

      No, an awful lot of the bitching posts are at +5. Of course, this demonstrates that a significant proportion of the readership is content to bitch and read bitching posts, but it does mean that you cannot avoid them in that way.

  28. algorithm by JymBrittain · · Score: 1

    if *onion then !=news or /. worthy

  29. Obligatory Futurama reference by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    When I saw this article in The Onion, it reminded me a lot of these episodes of Futurama.

    A choice quote:

    Giant brain: Pathetic human race. Arranging their knowledge by category just made it easier to absorb. Dewey, you fool! Your decimal system has played right into my hands.

  30. Re:My God. by David+Rolfe · · Score: 1

    Now that I've unchecked Zonk, let's see how much my /. experience improves over the next couple weeks. If dupes go to zero, and retarded articles go to zero I might journal it.

    Does RSS honor my preferences via cookie?

    --
    Read Heinlein's 1953 Revolt in 2100, now more than ever.
  31. Sounds Great for me! by Bananatree3 · · Score: 1
    Assuming they destroy all unindexed information, that means that the existance of all school work will cease to exist! But then again, that could be really bad. Since they can only index online or digital things, that means:

    it would destroy my entire library; Anything that I write down would be immediately destroyed; Any checks I right would spontaneously combust. And (GASP!), Since they would be unable to index my paycheck, which is technically information, I would (GASP!!) not be paid!! You can also make the technical and far-out assumption that since EVERYTHING is technically "information", including the arrangements of the atoms of the universe, and all this information can't possibly be archived on 10000 machines, the MAJORITY of the universe would be gone! Poof! Destroyed!! Kaput! History! Annilated! Ahhhhhh!!.....[runs for the hills]

    1. Re:Sounds Great for me! by hawaiian717 · · Score: 1
      [runs for the hills]

      Good thing they've got the hills taken care of.

      --
      End of Line.
  32. Zonk: The master of retards by netmask · · Score: 1

    Does slashdot have a way where you can set in your preference "Completely hide ANYTHING that was posted by an ignorant fool like Zonk" ?

    Dupes, fake articles, and complete retardedness. 90% of Slashdot seems to be Zonk lately, and it all sucks.

    1. Re:Zonk: The master of retards by DosBubba · · Score: 2, Informative

      Go to your User Preferences > Customize Stories on the Homepage > Authors, and uncheck "Zonk" or any other editors you wish to ignore.

    2. Re:Zonk: The master of retards by Snot+Locker · · Score: 1

      Yes, go to your preferences, click on your homepage, and uncheck Zonk. Just got done doing it myself after the the last N^N dupes and this... that after reporting it to the editors before it went live.

    3. Re:Zonk: The master of retards by The+MAZZTer · · Score: 1

      Yeah, go to your preferences and uncheck the Zonk box. Wa-la!

    4. Re:Zonk: The master of retards by netmask · · Score: 1

      Ah, it's bliss now. Thanks!

      I never noticed that section of preferences. Now I can be alone with Cowboy neal on the front page.

  33. Daily Show? by E8086 · · Score: 1

    So how long until the Daily Show becomes a regular source?

    --
    F7 doesn't work, ignore spelling and grammar
  34. Sounds good by lappy512 · · Score: 1

    Great Article! I especially like the part about Google Sound. When's it all starting?

  35. yikes look at some of these comments by circletimessquare · · Score: 1

    to those who don't know what humor is, a slashdot story of light-hearted humor like this one is like an itch they can't scratch

    maybe google should announce a new product called "google humor": at the touch of a button you will be able to chuckle for a moment and then move on with your life

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
  36. Is this a wakeup call? by Hannah+E.+Davis · · Score: 5, Interesting
    This actually made me giggle. Not because it's from The Onion, but because it looks like even the /. editors have finally realized that this community's obsession with Google has gone a little too far. This article follows close on the heels of innumerable other articles -- if you look under the Google topic you'll see that there's usually at least one per day -- most of which are a bizarre fanboyish mix of solid facts (eg. Google hired some guy! Google bought an ordinary piece of hardware!) and conjecture (eg. Google is clearly going to make a whole new internet!).

    This article calls attention to just how silly the whole thing is. Before I'm modded as a troll, I'd like to point out that I like Google too, but it isn't healthy to worship them this much or post every single Google-related rumour on the internet on this site.

    And of course, if Zonk actually did think it was real, that just makes everything I said all the more true...

    1. Re:Is this a wakeup call? by JymBrittain · · Score: 1

      Hannah! If I wasnt already happily married I offer to father your children in the hopes of budging up the average IQ of the human populous. Tell my wife and I'm a dead man.

    2. Re:Is this a wakeup call? by wbren · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I attempted to start a rumor about Google Bubble Wrap, but it didn't make it to slashdot.

      --
      -William Brendel
  37. google by JymBrittain · · Score: 1

    May I be the first to welcome our beneviolent Google overlords!

    1. Re:google by 6Yankee · · Score: 1

      Beneviolent? Interesting concept. How does that work?

    2. Re:google by JymBrittain · · Score: 1

      I've been waiting for someone to catch that. Beneviolent is a term I coined back in the 80's when asked to describe my style of Game Mastering; beneficial, violent...beneviolent :)

  38. Little By Little... by LEX+LETHAL · · Score: 1, Funny

    Google is starting to remind me of a well-known community that served a traditional grape kool-aid beverage.

  39. Not April Fools by YardgnomeUT · · Score: 1

    If Slashdot is going to continue to be considered a legitimate source for information, I think fake articles should be reserved for April Fools. Slashdot's stock just went down in my books.

    --
    Negative, I am a meat popsicle.
  40. Well... by Elitist_Phoenix · · Score: 1

    Lets hope they are unable to index this page.

    --
    "I'm going to f***ing bury that guy, I have done it before, and I will do it again. I'm going to f***ing kill Google"
  41. Re:I, for one... by Eideewt · · Score: 3, Informative

    For everyone who's too dumb to read the article: It's a joke, and does not cover Google's actual intentions.

  42. In related news by billsoxs · · Score: 1
    Microsoft has promised secure computing,

    That is not funny

    What do you mean it is not funny? Why not? You know like the onion article?

    Microsoft has promised that, the stuff about Google is just made up

    Oh? Really? Microsoft promised? How? When will they do it?

    Well never but that is not the point

    --
    This message was brought to you by "Lack of Sleep."
  43. good thing by cybergrunt69 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ya know, this is really a good thing! I was really wondering how I was gonna hide all that stuff I didn't want the cops/feds to find out about me. Now, I don't have to worry about it - the all-knowing all-powerful Google Purge service will make sure my computer is clean!



    OTOH, I sent this page to some friends, and they actually believed it for a few minutes... I need new friends...

    --
    --- "To ignore race and sex is racist and sexist!" -- Jesse Jackson
  44. News for nerds.. Stuff that matters.. really? by netmask · · Score: 1


    Look in your upper left hand corner.

    This doesn't matter. Half the crap Zonk has been posting doesn't matter. News for nerds.. maybe.. Stuff that matters? No.

  45. Ironic? How's this for Irony; by RealisticCanadian · · Score: 1

    I don't know about you; but I for one didn't find this funny at all.

    Aside from this supposedly being a forum for discussion of ACTUAL FUCKING NEWS, YOU STUPID ASSHOLE ZONK (subtlety not being my forte after 16 hr work days for 14 days running) I find this article itself in ridiculously poor taste.

    United States corporations, media, and politicians control the flow of information to you gibbering primates on a daily basis, and Will go this far if you allow them to. Perhaps not "The Almighty" Google... but then again, 'they' (the aforementioned) already control every other place you get information, so if 'they' want to control the one place people speak their minds, who do you think they'll approach first?

    Keep laughing. See how funny it is when you get dubbed an 'enemy of the state' because of your now-typical daily online activities.

    And just in case by some wild freak of /., I'm not already flamebait, wake up you ignorant American bastards.

    --
    A couple fans told me that my last journal entry was mint; give it a shot. Hope you like.
  46. Lighten UP! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Wow, guys! Take it easy. You are taking all of this way too seriously. The amount of time you've spent whining about Zonk wasting your time is a bit ironic. You all sound like a bunch of pseudointellectual numbnutses. Seriously. . . Lighten UP!

  47. Re:I, for one... by aklix · · Score: 1

    Google: It brings me closer to god!

    *Cue angry catholic lawsuits*

  48. Oops! by chiseen · · Score: 1

    How loud is my fart?

  49. Annoying by HunterZ · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    I don't mind /. posting links to humorous articles, but I find it inappropriate and unprofessional to mislead (intentionally or otherwise) readers into thinking that the articles are serious. At the very least, humor should have been listed as the primary category for this article insteasd of Google.

    I don't mean to sound like a troll, but I can't help feeling that the mods are experiencing a near-constant desire to start flame wars lately. Is it too much to ask that we at least try to raise the bar a little - say, to the level of semi-intelligent discourse on noteworthy topics? (*braces for a barrage of "dude, you're obviously on the wrong site" replies*)

    Ah crap, the article succeeded in baiting a flame out of me!

    --
    Arguing about vi versus Emacs is like arguing whether it's better to make fire by rubbing sticks or banging rocks.
    1. Re:Annoying by Darth_Burrito · · Score: 1

      Me too. This seems about as appropriate as the daily show covering the stocks for about 15 minutes straight without a single joke.

      Personally, I think most people don't bother to look at the categories, they just skim the headlines. Therefore even giving this a dedicated category wouldn't help. Content like this isn't appropriate on the main page. At the very least it should be handled like the Games section where you can opt to have it hit your personalized main page but otherwise you have to go to the games section.

    2. Re:Annoying by aardvarkjoe · · Score: 1
      Is it too much to ask that we at least try to raise the bar a little - say, to the level of semi-intelligent discourse on noteworthy topics?
      You say that readers should be assumed to be so slow-witted that they can't pick up on an obviously humorous story, and then claim you want semi-intelligent discourse? Yeah, I do agree -- you're on the wrong site.
      --

      How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?
    3. Re:Annoying by HunterZ · · Score: 1

      You say that readers should be assumed to be so slow-witted that they can't pick up on an obviously humorous story, and then claim you want semi-intelligent discourse? Yeah, I do agree -- you're on the wrong site

      Are you saying that it isn't obvious that they tried to make the story look serious instead of humorous? As I said, linking the article is not what I found inappropriate; framing it as a non-humorous article was what rubbed me the wrong way.

      --
      Arguing about vi versus Emacs is like arguing whether it's better to make fire by rubbing sticks or banging rocks.
    4. Re:Annoying by aardvarkjoe · · Score: 1
      Are you saying that it isn't obvious that they tried to make the story look serious instead of humorous?
      No, that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that it's obvious that they posted a humorous story as if it was real for comic purposes. Nobody with intelligence should have been taken in after reading the summary. If you were, it's your own fault -- don't try to blame the slashdot editors for it.
      --

      How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?
    5. Re:Annoying by HunterZ · · Score: 1

      Nah, I wasn't taken in - it was too outlandish. I just thought it was silly. I guess I couldn't appreciate the humor of framing a humorous story as real.

      --
      Arguing about vi versus Emacs is like arguing whether it's better to make fire by rubbing sticks or banging rocks.
  50. Oh Sweet Jesus, It's 4/1 All Year Long by cmholm · · Score: 1

    For the love of God, can we give uncreditted The Onion links a rest until their appointed time? We already sort through enough dupes and weak stories during the rest of the year.

    --
    Luke, help me take this mask off ... Just for once, let me butterfly kiss you with my own eyes.
  51. Re:I, for one... by staticdragon · · Score: 3, Informative

    Reminds me of the Futurama episode where Fry is sent in to stop the brains from destroying the Universe once they finish collecting every piece of info about it...

  52. The Onion by 0x000000 · · Score: 1

    The Onion qouted as real "news for nerds". This has got to be the worst screwup zonk has ever performed.

    --
    cat /dev/null > .signature
  53. So you all... by Epsillon · · Score: 1

    ...missed the Monty Python-esque foot icon, did you? Ah well, Zonk, you tried, but some folks are beyond help and wouldn't even find the dead parrot sketch funny.

    --
    Resistance is futile. Reactance buggers it up.
    1. Re:So you all... by JymBrittain · · Score: 1

      To be fair, the foot is only visible when you opt to leave or read the comments

    2. Re:So you all... by Gil-galad55 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I agree... I don't think I've ever seen a joke go whizzing past so many heads. As if slashdot is a reputable news source... MY GOD, THE CHILDREN!

      --

      To follow knowledge like a sinking star, / Beyond the utmost bound of human thought. ("Ulysses", Tennyson)

    3. Re:So you all... by aardvarkjoe · · Score: 1
      I don't think I've ever seen a joke go whizzing past so many heads.
      I assume that you never saw adequacy.org in action, then. I don't know why it is, but it seems that a disproportionate number of geeks are completely lacking their humor gene.
      --

      How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?

  54. I was right - it's his mental condition.

    Now let's see, we're due to see this as a dupe around Sunday...

    --
    Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
  55. LOL by Zenmonkeycat · · Score: 1

    Arr Oh Eff Ell.

    --

    *****
    Dear Mary,
    I yearn for you tragically,
    A.T. Tappman, Chaplain, U.S. Army.

  56. In the spirit of the Onion... by NanoGator · · Score: 5, Funny

    I refuse to RTFA because it's obviously an ad for the Onion. They make their money by serving ads while I read their amusing parodies. Well I, for one, refuse to read anything that isn't pasted to me in clear text completely sanitized of ads and recommended to me by a disinterested 3rd party. I know it seems a bit hypocritical of me to post a comment on an ad-supported site about how I won't read the article of another ad-supported site, but I really love the prestige of having the word 'Insightful' appear next to my nick.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
    1. Re:In the spirit of the Onion... by iammaxus · · Score: 1

      Ironically, you are currently rated "Funny", probably because of that last sentence.

  57. Kinda weak... by shadowmatter · · Score: 1

    ... especially when there's real pro-Google, anti-Microsoft, anti-Ballmer fodder to be had.

    But we all know Slashdot isn't interested in that sort of tripe.

    - shadowmatter

  58. All Google All the Time by SuperBanana · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Ease up, cowboy. There will be a dupe you can complain about coming along in 5 minutes.

    I believe the parent poster was hinting to the fact that Slashdot, lately, is All Google, All The Time. Just like we got sick of 9/11, just like we got sick of the Tsunami, just like a lot of folks are already sick of hearing about Mississippi...people just get tired of hearing about something constantly. I'm sick of reading news that looks very much like it was spoon-fed by a PR agency. I worked for such an agency for a couple months in IT, and I was half shocked, half not-surprised at how often stuff that popped up in the paper was the result of efforts of the firm I worked for. Reporters these days are under pressure to get stories out as cheap as possible, and when a PR firm approaches them with what seems like a pretty tame position, some handy quotes all collected for them...they're all to happy to oblige. Sound familiar? The boys at slashdot haven't touched the site in years except to add advertisements; they're fully into cruise mode.

    Google really has turned into another Microsoft; a giant company that really doesn't do anything all that clever, but because they're so big, everyone thinks the world revolves around them and fawns over every little thing. For example- Google Maps. It's not even remotely clever aside from the panning bit; it doesn't, for example, let me save any frequently used addresses. The printed maps are atrocious in quality (you have to have a big screen, and do a screen cap, and print that to get anything decent). Route numbers are RARELY displayed, and names of roads not often enough.

    Google claims to release stuff half-baked to see where people go with it, but honestly? It's still half-baked. Some people point to Google Maps and say "look how clever it is!" and I turn around and say, "look at how clever it ISN'T for a product from a huge corporation with supposedly the best talent in the industry working for it."

  59. A corporation gone bad..nothing to see here by magpie · · Score: 1

    Lets be honest? Hell an ethical company is like the easter bunny (possibly exists though unlikely, but why?).

    They are like ethical banks...think hens teeth.

  60. Its... by SCVirus · · Score: 1

    Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na ZONK-BOT

  61. Re:My God. by iced_773 · · Score: 1


    Does RSS honor my preferences via cookie?

    Unfortunately, no. You have to be a subscriber for that.

  62. Whatever... by Jerry+Talton · · Score: 1

    Google isn't going to do anything of the sort, because Steve Ballmer is going to fucking kill them first!

  63. Nah, The Onion doesn't matter... by Vorondil28 · · Score: 1

    Nah, The Onion doesn't matter, the fact that someone uttered the word "Google" matters.

    I really think this is getting out of hand. I mean, sure -- I'd like to know what's going on over in the Googleplex, but lately it seems everytime a Google employee blinks too hard, there's a /. story.

    --
    This sig rocks the casbah.
  64. This isn't even funny anymore by DrIdiot · · Score: 2, Insightful
    This isn't even funny anymore.

    I come to Slashdot for news. Not parody. I read the Onion regularly, and I read the Onion for laughs. I do not read Slashdot for laughs (except the occasionally funny comment).

    How did this get past the editors? "Stuff that matters." Yeah, we're living up to that real well. Fake news - that really does matter.

  65. why this is an appropriate article for /. by blonde+rser · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I'm really not being a devil's advocate here; I am genuinely glad to see this article on slashdot.

    People seem to be complaining that /. is posting a humour story from the onion when we are all already aware that the onion post humour stories. Although the onion always posts humour stories they don't always post humour stories about tech and links to tech stories is something we expect on /..

    But secondly I think this belongs here because it is actually a really funny story: much funnier than that which I've usually read in the onion. I'm not much of an onion fan personally but I have several friends who like to email me links from the onion from time to time. So I've seen a few stories and when I received this one I thought it was hilarious.

  66. April 1st Already?? by Nezer · · Score: 1

    I had seen this article in the print copy of The Onion a few days ago when they came out.

    When I saw this posting I seriously had to check the date a few times wondering if I had been caught in a time warp of sorts and whisked away to April Fools Day.

    I've been noticing the editors here have been pretty sloppy lately (moreso than any time I can recall in the past [which is already a pretty low standard]) so it wouldn't suprise me one bit if it totally slipped through Zonk that this came from America's Finest News Source (a title that quickly should be awarded to /.).

  67. I move for a recall! by Vorondil28 · · Score: 1

    If the governor of California can be recalled, we can sure as hell recall a /. ed! Hey, maybe we can even get Arnold over here to post stories for us!

    --
    This sig rocks the casbah.
  68. What are the odds... by Baloo+Ursidae · · Score: 4, Funny
    About a year ago, I wrote to Google and said, "Hey, could you advocate Jabber?" And now there's Google Talk.

    Meanwhile, just last night, I wrote to Google and said, "OK, you find everything on the Internet, you find what I need to get stuff done at work on my workstation, but why can't you find my car keys?" And now they're going to do that.

    Apparently, this means we can all stop submitting Google headlines to Slashdot. Ask me instead.

    --
    Help us build a better map!
  69. Just like in Futurama... by The+Master+Control+P · · Score: 3, Funny

    When the flying brains created the giant infosphere that indexed all the information in the universe, and was then to destroy the universe to prevent any new information from being created. But who's going to sneak into google on a flying scooter?

    1. Re:Just like in Futurama... by kfg · · Score: 1

      But who's going to sneak into google on a flying scooter?

      Dean Kamen?

      KFG

    2. Re:Just like in Futurama... by Baloo+Ursidae · · Score: 1
      But who's going to sneak into google on a flying scooter?

      But just remember, SCOOTY PUFF JUNIOR SUUUUUUUUUCKS!

      --
      Help us build a better map!
    3. Re:Just like in Futurama... by Blakey+Rat · · Score: 2, Informative

      That's actually a spoof of Brainiac in the Superman comics/TV show... a evil computer whose mission is to record the entire universe in its memory, then destroy the universe so that the copy it contains is the definitive one.

      Yeah, yeah, I always have to ruin the joke. :)

    4. Re:Just like in Futurama... by The+Master+Control+P · · Score: 1

      Heh - the bizzare thing is that Brainiac must be part of the universe he wants to destroy or he couldn't interact with it :/

  70. Re:I, for one... by Godai · · Score: 2, Informative
    Actually, no, according TFA, they plan to literally destroy any information not indexed, solely so they can satisfactorily know there is nothing that is not indexed.

    Of course, this is an Onion article, so it's a joke.

    I am confused about one thing: while I'm used to Slashdot reporting non-news as news, and incorrect news as news, outside of April Fool's I don't think I've ever seen them report satire as if it were real news.

    --
    Wood Shavings!
    - Godai
  71. Exactly! by oldosadmin · · Score: 1

    That's EXACTLY what I thuoght about. I wish I had mod points.

    And remember, you need the SENIOR scooter, not the junior :)

    --
    Jay | http://oldos.org
  72. Too late by The+Monster · · Score: 3, Funny
    May I be the first to welcome our beneviolent Google overlords!
    No, you may not.
    --

    [100% ISO 646 Compliant]
    SVM, ERGO MONSTRO.

  73. Re: From Mrs. Brittain by kai.chan · · Score: 1

    Jim,

    If you don't want your wife to find out that you are looking for love online, don't post on a website that she reads. Busted.

    Love,

    The Inflatable Mrs. Brittain

  74. Roland, Timothy, and Zonk by Lord+Byron+II · · Score: 1
    First, it was Roland. And thankfully I haven't noticed one of his inane posts in quite some time.

    Then, there's Timothy, the post-anything, dupe-everything /. bot. I think his most annoying habit is putting his own two cents in the post, as if his opinion is worthy of front page attention. Like Roland, thankfully Timothy has been less visible recently.

    Now we have Zonk. He dupes as much as Timothy, posts his game reviews to the front page, and he posts stories that aren't even quite up to April Fool's Day quality.

  75. Lame... by Werkhaus · · Score: 1

    C'mon, a link to an Onion article? Slow news day or new crack dealer?

    It's not that TFA isn't funny, just that it's inappropriate. If I want a humour site, I'll read Fark or B3ta. Or The Onion. Or anyone of a hundred others. This is not news. It's not even worthy of the "And Finally..." section of news.

    Props to all the guys telling folks how to uncheck Zonk. Enough's enough. If only I had mod points today.

    (Not AC'd. Screw the karma.)

  76. goodbye zonk by not-quite-rite · · Score: 1

    hopefully this will be the las zonk story i ever have to look at.

    i wonder if they take much notice of the preferences stats, cause i just unticked the zonk box.

  77. Our Search Engine Marketing Analyst fell for this! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I work at a fairly well respected search engine marketing firm. Someone at a client of ours passed this article to their CEO, who in turn called us in a panic!

    Our analyst doesn't bother to actually read the article, and spends several hours creating reports proving every page on their site appears in Google's database! I almost fell out of my chair when heard about this.

    For obvious reasons I cannot reveal my true identity. ;)

  78. Re:I, for one... by unitron · · Score: 3, Informative
    "...outside of April Fool's I don't think I've ever seen them report satire as if it were real news."

    Well, at least they remembered to include the humor icon (the Monty Python foot).

    Is this Zonk guy someone fairly new, or did people just start complaining about him recently?

    --

    I see even classic Slashdot is now pretty much unusable on dial up anymore.

  79. April 4th? by 23skiddoo · · Score: 1

    I had to double-check it wasn't April Fool's Day, October 4th (roughly 6 months later) or some obscure saint of mirth's day....

    --

    [ insert your own witty .sig here ]

  80. Oh yeah? by rampant+mac · · Score: 1
    "Google ... the rapidly growing online-search company that promises to 'organize the world's information,' announced Monday the latest step in their expansion effort: a far-reaching plan to destroy all the information it is unable to index."

    You misspelled IIS.

    --
    I like big butts and I cannot lie.
  81. dc comic homage by faderanger · · Score: 2, Informative

    i thought that was Braniac's project...

  82. Is it April already? by charnov · · Score: 1

    April Fools?

    --
    [RIAA] says its concern is artists. That's true, in just the sense that a cattle rancher is concerned about its cattle.
  83. +1 Prophetic by doormat · · Score: 2, Interesting

    n/t

    --
    The Doormat

    If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention.
  84. I for one think... by mnemonic_ · · Score: 1

    ...this is completely awesome.

  85. Re:My God. by whoever57 · · Score: 2
    Can I suggest that if you uncheck to following "authors", your dupes will indeed go to zero along with retarded articles:

    Cliff

    CmdrTaco

    CowboyNeal

    Hemos

    HeUnique

    Jamie

    Pudge

    Roblimo

    Samzenpus

    ScuttleMonkey

    Timothy

    Vroom

    Zonk

    Of course, your home page might be rather sparse!

    --
    The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
  86. Re:My God. by David+Rolfe · · Score: 1

    me: Does RSS honor my preferences via cookie?

    you: Unfortunately, no. You have to be a subscriber for that.


    But in order for me to subscribe, the dupes, factual errors, and atrocious grammar and spelling would have to cease. Catch-22!

    --
    Read Heinlein's 1953 Revolt in 2100, now more than ever.
  87. Haven't I heard this somewhere before? by penguin_strut · · Score: 1

    Is that like the Futurama episode where the giant brains destroy the universe so that no more information can...ah. Of course, if history is any guide, "Groening's done it."

  88. Re:I, for one... by fcolari · · Score: 4, Funny

    Google search reveals: 23,900,000 for "Jesus"... 6,410,000 for "Beatles"... 251,000,000 for "Google". 'Nuff said.

    --
    "The first rule of intelligent tinkering is to save all the pieces." --Aldo Leopold (Paraphrased)
  89. September 2nd by BMIComp · · Score: 1

    The new april fools

  90. Hey, it's Google. It'll be fun by vlad-o-mirror · · Score: 1

    Too bad the army can't divert some googlebots into Iraq and recoup resorces to take better care of folks in need here at home. "Google's robot army is rumored to include some 4 million cybernetic search-and-destroy units, each capable of capturing and scanning up to 100 humans."

  91. seriously by akhomerun · · Score: 2

    i really thought that slashdot was above this. this isnt the type of content that should be on slashdot, it's supposed to be "news for nerds. stuff that matters"

    and on that note, it would help if it a. wasn't a dupe or b. was actually real.

    if we wanted fake, not really all that funny satires about stuff like this we could visit sites like the onion on our own.

  92. Re:I, for one... by davidfree · · Score: 1

    One phrase sums this up:

    Harsh, but fair.

    If I cant get to it from my browser, im never going to look at it anyway. Get all those books online, so I can download them for free with my file sharing tool! Go Google!

    --
    --Imagine every Thursday shoes exploded if you tied them the usual way. This happens to us all the time with computers.
  93. so. by Kuku_monroe · · Score: 1

    The final touch to the Googles evil plan is: GoogleDogs! Play with you Indexed puppy in you triple-screen map-add-game console

    --
    //WR
  94. Lame... Yeah, you! by Baloo+Ursidae · · Score: 1

    You do know you can just filter out humor articles, right?

    --
    Help us build a better map!
  95. Re:I, for one... by Dachannien · · Score: 2, Funny

    The brains approach the Brain Sphere carrying information on placards, which the Sphere scans and reads aloud:

    Brain Sphere: "11 > 4... Beavers mate for life... For quality carpets, visit Kaplan's Carpet Warehouse!!"

  96. Re:I, for one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    -- Stolen Memories (episode #8) --

    Superman: You destroyed those planets, didn't you? And every living soul on them!
    Brainiac: Only their knowledge was important. It was what I was programmed to collect and protect.
    Superman: But why kill?
    Brainiac: The fewer beings who have the knowledge, the more precious it becomes.
    Superman: You're insane!

    * I wonder if it is going to confuse and anger Smallville fans when Brainiac is based on Vril Dox, the alien scientist from the comics rather than the Kryptonian AI from Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited. (At least I assume that's what they are doing since James Marster's is playing Milton Fine.)

    And now to post anonymously so no one will ever see this cosmic geekout!

  97. In other news by stonecypher · · Score: 1

    Hey Zonk, April Fools' Day isn't in September. During the rest of the year, try not to make articles from The Onion look like news, huh? Some of us are tired of listening to the idiots spin their conspiracy theories based on your inability to seperate news from a fairly bland sense of humor.

    --
    StoneCypher is Full of BS
  98. Re:Lame... Yeah, you! by Werkhaus · · Score: 1

    It's not the humour article that's a problem, more the lack of any tech/nerd content whatsoever. Humour is a good sub-category to have, for stories such as the Russian astrologer threatening to sue NASA or anything like the cutesy stuff at the end of the TV news. This is equivalent to showing a "KYTV" skit in the middle of the Nine O'Clock News. Not unfunny in itself, just inappropriate.

  99. Competition? by HunterZ · · Score: 1

    Is Microsoft working on a similar project, or does Google already have a patent on burning books? ;)

    --
    Arguing about vi versus Emacs is like arguing whether it's better to make fire by rubbing sticks or banging rocks.
  100. Deja Vu by Xophmeister · · Score: 1

    Isn't it great when a modded-up comment from yesterday becomes a full-blown story?... Can't we give "-1 Redundant" to articles :P

    --

    Christopher Harrison

  101. Ooo! Ooo! I know! by SeaFox · · Score: 1

    But who's going to sneak into google on a flying scooter?

    It will be Steve Jobs! But he wont be on a flying scooter, it will be the prototype, jet powered, Segway II! He'll confund them with his Reality Distortion Field while saving all the doomed information from oblivion by copying it to his iPod.

  102. No, just right. by Inoshiro · · Score: 2, Informative

    Take a look at the google topic. Here, I'll make it easy. Hmm, we have ~1 story per day. Some days get 2, some 0, but the average for the past week is 1/day.

    Now let's review the content: speculation, rumours, and outright lies, coupled with a small mix of facts.

    I think Zonk has proven that he's aware of what's going on, and he's able to make a fairly well played post on the topic. I think this is perfectly topical and great. If you don't get the joke, head on over to here and decheck Zonk as an edior. I would prefer you to not post on his stories!

    It's funny, laugh!

    --
    --
    Internet Explorer (n): Another bug -- that is, a feature that can't be turned off -- in Windows.
  103. Re:GANDHAI Re:I, for one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    >>Google search reveals: 23,900,000 for "Jesus"... 6,410,000 for "Beatles"... 251,000,000 for "Google". 'Nuff said.

    >WHAT ABOUT GANDHI?


    There's a search engine called Ghandi? I imagine it would mostly search for inner peace and enlightenment.

  104. Quiz by linumax · · Score: 1
    Accroding to http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/onion.html :
    Q: Why does chopping an onion make you cry?
    A: Onions produce the chemical irritant known as syn-propanethial-S-oxide. It stimulates the eyes' lachrymal glands so they release tears. Scientists used to blame the enzyme allinase for the instability of substances in a cut onion. Recent studies from Japan, however, proved that lachrymatory-factor synthase, (a previously undiscovered enzyme) is the culprit (Imani et al, 2002).

    BUT the big unanswered question is how come reading an onion can make you cry?!!
    1. Re:Quiz by AHarrison · · Score: 1

      Ask Pavlov.

  105. Re:I, for one... by Frnknstn · · Score: 1

    On the whole, this isn't so bad. A few years back a Chineese newspaper reported one of their stories as fact. IIRC it was about rebuilding the capital buildings.

    --
    If it's in you sig, it's in your post.
  106. You forgot one: by cp.tar · · Score: 2, Insightful

    8,230,000 for Elvis.

    --
    Ignore this signature. By order.
  107. Google by Kaenneth · · Score: 1

    Eventually, Google will try to index itself, and become self-aware.

    Results 1 - 10 of about 79,100 for "Sarah Conner". (0.08 seconds)

  108. Re:I, for one... by doxology · · Score: 1

    You know, most people don't actually have the luxury of choosing where they want to live.

    --
    sigfault. core dumped.
  109. Re:I, for one... by NuShrike · · Score: 1

    so what is Google, Krypton's Brainiac? or the already mentioned Brains from Futurama...

  110. The Onion can buy an ad, just like everyone else by Rogerborg · · Score: 1

    Buying an editor? That's pretty lame, even for Slashdot.

    --
    If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
  111. Which Google? by fbg111 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Google, the rapidly growing online-search company that promises to 'organize the world's information,'

    Oh, that Google. Thanks for the elaboration, yes I've heard of them before.

    --
    Flying is easy, just throw yourself at the ground and miss. -Douglas Adams
  112. At least label it!! by ShadowBot · · Score: 1, Insightful
    When someone opens a trusted news source, they tend to belive that every article is actually NEWS!!

    The problem isn't that jokes shouldn't be made but that they should be clear as such!

    I have never been to the onion before and had no wayof knowing the article is a complete fabrication.

    I assumed it was a real Press conference where a Google exec had been using a stupid joke to introduce a new google project (even though no realistic project is described in the article). So, my end impression was that Google had wasted my time. And only after reading a few dozen low rated comments did I find out that it was slashdot doing the time wasting.

    A single line like "The Onion has written an amusing little piece..." or something equally small would have been sufficient.

    Even if the humour icon had been on the front page it won't have been enough as 'Funny' doesn't mean totally baseless and untrue!

    Someone suggested blocking all Zonk articles. All today's front page stories are by Zonk!! Does that mean there is really no news on Slashdot today? or only that Zonk can't tell (or can't communicate) the difference!

    --
    Quantum Physics a.k.a. sub-molecular statistics
    1. Re:At least label it!! by jeremymiles · · Score: 1
      Go read the onion. It doesn't say it's a joke anywhere on that. But most people realise.

      --
      GENERATION 26: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation.
    2. Re:At least label it!! by ShadowBot · · Score: 2, Informative
      Well, I take it for granted that people going to the onion are looking for jokes not news.

      Whereas most people (IMHO) coming to /. are looking for news not jokes (It does say "News for nerds" on the package.)

      If you turn on CNN and find them reporting a fantastical story, your natural reaction is to assume they are reporting something which they believe to be true, whereas if you turn on "Little Britain" or another comedy show, even if they are doing a believable news report, you automatically assume it is false and just a joke.

      If every piece of apparent 'news' had to be judged by the viewer for 'believability' then what happens when something apparently unbelievable does happen?

      How do we know whether the story of the regenerating mouse was discussing real science or was just a science fiction article by an obscure writer?

      --
      Quantum Physics a.k.a. sub-molecular statistics
  113. so now... by codename.matrix · · Score: 1

    the answer to life, the universe and everything is Google ?

    But for real: Isn't it a bit early/late for april fools jokes ?

  114. Is your baby sleeping soundly? Does your high-sch by nasha · · Score: 1

    Is your baby sleeping soundly? Does your high-school sweetheart still talk about you? ....are those your wife's moans and groans of ecstacy coming from next door

  115. Re:I, for one... by Kazzahdrane · · Score: 1

    That Eric Kaplan, he's so crazy!

  116. Re:I, for one... by bev_tech_rob · · Score: 1

    The article is from the Onion website. Big tip-off there :)

    --
    You're messin' with my Zen Thing, man.....
  117. Beta? by TubeSteak · · Score: 1
    Google's robot army is rumored to include some 4 million cybernetic search-and-destroy units, each capable of capturing and scanning up to 100 humans per day.

    "The scanning will be relatively painless. Hey, it's Google. It'll be fun to be scanned by a Googlebot. But in the event people resist, the robots are programmed to liquify the brain."

    Shit, I'm not worried about no Beta.
    Its called Robots.txt

    In the future, we'll carry around our Universal ID Card... and our Robots.txt papers.

    You could also just take the shortcut and get a tattoo across your forehead
    [meta name="GOOGLEBOT" content="noindex,nofollow"]

    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
  118. Re:Our Search Engine Marketing Analyst fell for th by Mostly+a+lurker · · Score: 1
    For obvious reasons I cannot reveal my true identity. ;)

    np ... but please can you give us the name of this "analyst". Too funny!

  119. Re:I, for one... by Flendon · · Score: 1

    But they do have the choice of listening to the mandatory evacuation. Many people stayed to "protect" their belongings. Now that their belongings are destroyed they think they deserve rescue. These people put their personal possessions above their own well being and now want us to care about them.

    I know well that some people were too poor to get transportation out of town and I have pity for them. Most of the people I saw one the news however had at least middle class clothes and for them they deserved what they got. They don't call it mandatory because you can just stick around and then demand help afterwards.

    I have been through hurricanes several times before. Once I had no power or easily accessible clean water for weeks upon my return. I had an infant at the time. It's not fun. It's a horrible thing to go through. No one cared about whether my kids were eating though. I got fired for evacuating instead of reporting to my job that stayed open until the last possible minute. But I didn't blame others for what happened I went around town checking on friends and neighbors with less money and in worse shape than I was.

    Yes, most people do have a choice in where they live. Those under the poverty line are a minority. If the 30-40 thousand people still in New Orleans are all too poor to leave then that shows a serious problem with the city itself that needs to be fixed. I seriously doubt if more than a small percentage of those really had no choice but to stay. As such they need to do what they can to help their community not loot, riot and blame everyone else. In this type of situation you see the types of people a comunity is really made of.

    --
    chown -R us ./base
  120. Wrong then or wrong now? by sanctimonius+hypocrt · · Score: 1

    Jobless rate hits 4-year low

    Report says employers added 169,000 positions

    By JAMES P. MILLER

    Chicago Tribune

    In a bit of good economic news that drew only limited attention, the Labor Department said Friday that U.S. employers added a net 169,000 jobs in August, and the nation's unemployment rate declined to a four-year low of 4.9 percent.

    but

    Although the magnitude of Katrina's blow to the nation's economy -- and labor force -- has yet to come into focus, experts figure it is a near certainty that the U.S. unemployment rate has already climbed back above 4.9 percent. In fact, the likelihood of a recession has doubled in the aftermath of Katrina, credit rating agency Standard & Poor's said Friday. The likelihood of a recession has increased from less than 12 percent to 25 percent following Katrina, the agency said.
    1. Re:Wrong then or wrong now? by Alsee · · Score: 1

      Jobless rate hits 4-year low... of 4.9 percent.

      Yes, during those four years under Bush the unemployment rate ranged between 4.9 and 6.3 percent. However the the Onion's "Bush: Our long national nightmare of peace and prosperity is finally over" was talking about the end of the pre-Bush prosperity. Before Bush took office the unemployment rate was at 3.9 percent. So our "four year low of 4.9 percent" is still quite higher than before Bush ended the national nightmare of peace and prosperity.

      Here's a US government unemployment graph. Bush takes office and the rate climbs by two and a half percent over two and a half years.

      The Onion was quite prophetic, spot on on virtually every point. Everything from the economy to increased air pollution to the sudden end to falling crime rates to divisiveness to the skyrocketing national debt to war(*) and more.

      *: The Onion gets credit for there being two wars when there should have been ONE, Bush personally drove move on Iraq.

      -

      --
      - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
  121. Oh, I've got images disabled... by EternityInterface · · Score: 1

    Still, something of note:

    Deviantart is a shit-site that you might not care about, but I noticed something really strange about the Google "indexing"...

    Any kind of communication on the site is saved in the "comment" subdomain. (If you delete a pic/journal the comments on them are still stored)

    So to find something easily, you just do site:deviantart.com inurl:comments

    This gives us: "Results 1 - 10 of about 951,000"

    Over 900k man, that's a lot!

    Now the hit that includes that part of the site is the third anyway, this one:

    comments.deviantart.com/5/6169392/159452388

    You know what we do next? We take the first 10 words from that text, and we search for them.

    I tried this a week ago, and now I was thinking Google might of noticed that and indexed it, or something.

    Has it?

    No.

    THE FIRST HIT OF NEAR A MILLION.

    Something else of note is the last number in the address, 159452388

    159,452,388

    160 million.

    There has only been 160 million comments, and Google somehow has indexed 6x the amount.

    (Trust me, ok, the other numbers are just for sorting)

    That's easy to explain though: because of the tree structure ("nested" on slashdot) of comments.

    But what should that mean? THAT I'D GET MULTIPLE RESULTS.

    So what does this whole anti-indexing mean?

    Now, a link to the ugliest site in the universe (The author seemingly surfs with 640x480 4/8-bit in win3.1... and uses the evil empire's toolbar)

    Google cares about bloggers, why, you might ask? Bloggers make links a lot, Google likes this, it "improves" their PageRank.

    That is, if there weren't such a thing as "commercial interests". Which is the whole reason the retarded "splogs" word exists, because Google is so damn good at indexing their own blogging service. I've also seen some spam which didn't contain links at all, just "mind control". Searching on part of the message (crazy huge 2k words) returned 7k hits.

    Another thing I just figured out (wow that's great mr smartypants) is any link is counted as positive. I would think a truly honest writer (journal-ist, blog-er, diary-ist) presents just as much positive as negative thoughts (and thus, links) on subjects.

    Righto, so back to mr ugly: "One reason why Google is stinkin' rich is because webmasters have never been organized. Even today there are no associations of webmasters that can represent them in court. [...] A copyright decision that addresses search engines in terms of opt-in as opposed to opt-out, would make the web a better place. It may also help solve some of the privacy issues and identity-theft problems that occur when crawlers grab files that they should not be allowed to have"

    I think he at least mentions something I haven't thought about, as opposed to mr F-google who just repeats the same shitty drivel over and over, and is of course, a fucking blog. That also brings to light something else - as opposed to websites, the only thing that matters is "speed", you won't notice revisions or any formatting beyond linebreaks (and those stupid ass pictures he must spend half of the site-updating-time to) or any sorting beyond "by date".

    --
    the sun is god
    1. Re:Oh, I've got images disabled... by EternityInterface · · Score: 1

      900,000 vs 16,000,000

      That's real clever sir

      --
      the sun is god
  122. Re:I, for one... by polaralex · · Score: 1

    THIS-IS-HELLA FUNNY? Information Destroyer (BETA) ^^

    --
    http://polaralex.blogspot.com http://www.polaralex.tk *Define Reality*..*
  123. Do me a favor by swanton · · Score: 1

    And ask Google to create a web hosting service with support for php, cgi, and mysql on a fast connect. They can feel free to force Google Ads on my page for profit.

    1. Re:Do me a favor by bhiestand · · Score: 1

      Don't forget shell access.

      And anonymous ftp would be nice, too.

      --
      SWM seeks new sig for a brief fling
  124. Google Maps/Earth are a godsend by freeweed · · Score: 1

    For example- Google Maps. It's not even remotely clever aside from the panning bit

    Ha!

    Show me another competing service. Terraserve? Sorry, they only really have maps from the US. Nice black and white images, though.

    I've spent nearly 5 years trying to find a good source of decent quality satellite imagery of some rather remote parts of rural Canada - Google Maps is not only the only source, it's by far the best mapper I've seen. Try doing damn near anything with Mapquest if you're not looking for a city address.

    Sorry, city maps have been easy to find for decades. Knowing which street corner a particular coffee shop is on isn't exactly ground-breaking. But being able to find routes to a 1/2 mile wide lake, 50 miles off the highway in northern Ontario?

    Priceless.

    There's a reason us Google fans like them: they're not simply re-making what already exists (yay, printable city maps). They're providing things that never existed before.

    --
    Endless arguments over trivial contradictions in books written by ignorant savages to explain thunder in the dark.
  125. Two words by emtboy9 · · Score: 2, Funny

    doubleplus ungood

    Yes, I know it was an onion article...

    --
    "Our funds have never taken part in toxic or death spiral convertible financings of any sort" -BayStar's managing partne
  126. Re:I, for one... by bcattwoo · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I am confused about one thing: while I'm used to Slashdot reporting non-news as news, and incorrect news as news, outside of April Fool's I don't think I've ever seen them report satire as if it were real news.

    Ah, but any story even tangentially related to Google must be reported on the front page, even if it is fake.

  127. Re:My God. by iced_773 · · Score: 1


    Do some of these people even post anymore? In the past seven months, I don't think I have ever seen a story posted by HeUnique, Pudge, or Vroom. And yes, they are checked.

  128. Hmmm... by machinegunhand · · Score: 1

    Balmer's not indexed, is he?

    1. Re:Hmmm... by Philip+K+Dickhead · · Score: 1

      I read it all over:
      Google is the new Echelon.

      --
      "Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act." -- George Orwell
  129. Re:I, for one... by Eideewt · · Score: 1

    If I were new I would have been surprised that I needed to post that.

  130. Re:I, for one... by HeroreV · · Score: 1

    114 for "smells like froot loops".

  131. Re:I, for one... by bhiestand · · Score: 1

    Ok, this is the last time you'll ever hear me praise Zonk, but, I'll quit complaining if you never bring Katz back.

    Deal?

    --
    SWM seeks new sig for a brief fling
  132. Re:I, for one... by Flendon · · Score: 1

    I make you sick? At least I had the balls to not post AC. People can judge me and choose to mod me or put me on their foe list if they want. You though who knew you were wrong hid behind your AC tag. You are just pathetic and everyone will see through your tripe.

    I said that those in a situation like your friend did deserve pity. However I believe they represent a very small percentage of those who remain. It is those who remained to protect their insured belongings and their nice middle and upper class toys from looters I have contempt for. These things can be replaced and they are not worth risking your life over. The people who stay to protect physical property and then complain that they need our nation to spend thousands of dollars each rescueing them are the ones who deserve a special place in hell.

    Others like the hospital workers and other emergency personel who risked their lives by staying behind should be put on TV as heroes. They should be honored. But no, the only ones who will make the news are the people who do not deserve it. That is what makes me sick!

    --
    chown -R us ./base
  133. Is it really that far-fetched??? by MissingDividends · · Score: 1
    What (besides search sound) can't google currently do?
    All togother currently you can:
    • Seach the web
      • even from your mobile phone

    • Have them answer questions
    • Search news headlines
    • Search catalogs
    • Search books
    • Look at a directory of the web
    • Search for images
    • Get a map of *anywhere*
    • Translate *any* page into *any* language
    • and so many more I would probably exceede some post-length limit...


    I'm not talking about every sound happening, but a directory of sounds possible. Like 1,000,000 common sounds. What use could this possibly be?
    Your car is making a funny noise. Get out your mp3 player, take a recording of it, and google it.
    Your a bird watcher, you cant see a bird but you can hear it and want to know what type. Take a recording and google it.

    I might be way off base here, but it seems like it would be pretty handy...
  134. Re:I, for one... by PingPongBoy · · Score: 1

    Google plans to "destroy" unindexed information by indexing it.

    We seem to learn more and more every day.

    Google is black hole. That much has been known, but now we know just how black holes destroy information.

    --
    Know your pads. One time pad: good for cryptography. Two timing pad: where to take your mistress.