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Slashdot Charity Buyers Donate Over $10,000 To the EFF

The Slashdot 10 Year Anniversary Charity Auction for the EFF is at an end and the numbers are in. We are still waiting for payment on one of the six items, but the grand total for the auctions is $9186.83. The big surprise was the anonymous reader who bought the Swag Bag AND the Low UID: he decided to donate an extra $1200 beyond his bids! Thanks to Daniel Peacock (who bought Hemos's burnt copy of Watchmen) and Michael Ravnitzk who bought Triton, the case of the first x86 that ran Slashdot in Feb 1998. He then turned around and told us to shelve it, to try to sell it again later. Instead he got a box of shirts. We're still waiting for payment on the email address, but hopefully nobody would be so crappy that they would scam a charity auction. And lastly, we would like to give special thanks to the University of Advancing Technology (here's a Coral Cache link) who paid $3,550.00 for that hyperlink you just read past. They wanted to express their support for Slashdot and for the EFF, and I think both of us appreciate it. Thanks to everyone who bid on items and congratulations to the winners. And the rest of you - don't feel bad that you missed it. You can always make a donation later - the EFF does good work. Tell them Slashdot sent you.

34 of 119 comments (clear)

  1. Did low UID purchaser get a ## or ### ? by xmas2003 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Hats off to the dude who chipped in an extra $1,200 for the low UID ... and hopefully he got a two-digit (rather than three digit) UID for his extra $$$ ... ;-)

    --
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  2. Damn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I knew I should have bid more than $3500 for that goatse link.

    1. Re:Damn by OctoberSky · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You could have put in the meaning of life in that hyperlink, wouldn't matter, no one here reads the articles anyway.

    2. Re:Damn by sootman · · Score: 2, Funny

      Save your money. Maybe in 2017 they'll auction off an IMG tag.

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      Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
    3. Re:Damn by fyngyrz · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Maybe in 2017 they'll auction off an IMG tag.

      Ha. Funny. I'll tell you what, though, I'd donate some money - hundreds of dollars at least - to a good cause of slashdot's choosing if they would permanently fix the moderation so that moderation isn't anonymous; everyone could see *exactly* who modded what up or down, your average moderator or a slashdot editor/authority. The "low UID" and so forth are essentially useless and require nothing of slashdot either; but they could actually earn a donation from me if they were of a mind to. Not that I think they would, but still, I'll commit to my end of it right here, right now. The worst thing on slashdot is the way the moderation works as a punitive and ideologically driven censorship mechanism. They've been coasting at the user's expense on the current crappy-assed setup for years.

      --
      I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    4. Re:Damn by sootman · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Agreed. Other problems:
      - Someone finds a sarcastic joke unfunny and it gets modded "troll" or "flamebait."
      - 3 people think I'm funny and I get a nice "+5, Funny" but one person thinks I'm not that funny and hits me with a "-1, Overrated." What crap. The guidelines say "focus on promoting, not demoting" but I don't think anyone reads those. Everyone just wants to form Slashdot into what they want to see, not realizing that it's (everyone hold hands now) all our differences that make Slashdot great. I see ideas and points-of-view here that I would never see in my own little world. (Usually by browsing at +3 early on.)

      While they're at it, they need to add some new ratings like "-1, Factually incorrect."

      --
      Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
    5. Re:Damn by Mr.+Freeman · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Once moderation becomes non-anonymous, you'll end up with mod wars. Person X mods down person Y, person Y takes it personally and mods down all of person X's comments. This results in person X retaliating, a fuckload of emails to slashdot with the subject "MOD ABUSE!!", and every single user on slashdot is forced to sift though the comments themselves so see which are good and got modded down due to pissing contests, and which are bad and got left at 1-2 because all the mod points were used by people throwing their shit at each other.

      This wouldn't fix the system at all, it would make it worse than useless.

      --
      -1 disagree is not a modifier for a reason. -1 troll, flaimbait, redundant, overrated are NOT acceptable substitutes.
  3. I'd support the EFF but ... by tomstdenis · · Score: 5, Funny

    [ ] I'm selfish and hate others
    [ ] I like big monopolies
    [X] I'm Canadian and not represented by the EFF in any which way shape or form
    [ ] The EFF tried to kill my daddy
    [ ] I'm paid by the EFF so donating to the EFF is like donating to myself
    [ ] Hey look!

    However,

    [ ] I've started an equivalent EFF in Canada
    [ ] I Joined the equivalent EFF in Canada
    [X] I Bought an EFF hat at Defcon
    [X] I Lost said hat at Toorcon the same year
    [X] I Bought another hat off their website
    [ ] I Regret dealing with the EFF

    --
    Someday, I'll have a real sig.
    1. Re:I'd support the EFF but ... by leoxx · · Score: 2, Informative

      Online Rights Canada, sponsored by the EFF

    2. Re:I'd support the EFF but ... by ntk · · Score: 4, Informative

      Hey, speaking as the EFF's International Coordinator, I protest! We sponsor Online Rights Canada,and don't you recall Sam Bulte (ex-MP) ranting about "EFF members" ruining her day?

    3. Re:I'd support the EFF but ... by tearmeapart · · Score: 2, Funny

      ...and I have it on good authority* that a Canadian also bought the email address, which was paid for today. Since Canadians appear to be the only people winning these auctions, I guess Canadians care more about what happens in the US more than Americans do.

      * I am assuming I do not have multiple personalities that lie to each other.

      (I realize that my statement of "Canadians care more" will be marked as flamebait, but prove me wrong, d*mnit!)

  4. did I read that right? by mcmonkey · · Score: 4, Funny

    Did UAT just pay to be slashdotted? Did they factor in the cost of the melting server into their bid?

    1. Re:did I read that right? by backbyter · · Score: 5, Funny

      Psst. (There'll be another auction to remove the link from /.)

    2. Re:did I read that right? by moderatorrater · · Score: 2, Funny

      I just wonder if it was more or less than the usual price for a slashvertisement ;) j/k j/k

  5. Nice of UAT by moore.dustin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    When I attended the school a couple years back they had a great relationship with the EFF. It is nice to see the school investing in the industry while showing that it is finally moving away from the game design program that consumed much of the schools resources while I attended. I have heard good things about UAT as of late and I hope this only continues that great new trend.

  6. Congratulations University of Advanced Technology. by etedronai · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... You just paid to have your web site brought to it's knees.

  7. UAT by orkysoft · · Score: 4, Funny

    Funny, the story talks about the University of Advanced Technology, but the website calls it the University of Advancing Technology.

    It's almost right, which is pretty good, by Slashdot editing standards ;-)

    --

    I suffer from attention surplus disorder.
    1. Re:UAT by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 3, Funny

      The Electronic Frontier Foundation should start their own school so they could call it EFF-U.

      This might be useful during congressional testimony.

  8. A view from a cynical bastard. by iknownuttin · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I looked at the links and I didn't see any accounting of the money: how much received, how it was spent, how much for administration (a perfectly legitimate cost - BUT [see below]), etc....

    I don't mean to make accusations, but where's the money going. I didn't see anything on the links.

    Are the administrators buying Mercedes Benz's with their "pay"?

    Just asking.

    P.S. I have plenty of karma - don't be shy about modding me down. I'm using my karma for good - I think.

    --
    I prefer Flambe as apposed flamebait.
    1. Re:A view from a cynical bastard. by toleraen · · Score: 4, Funny

      Are the administrators buying a Kia Spectra with their "pay"? There ya go. Remember, it's only $10k.
    2. Re:A view from a cynical bastard. by StinkiePhish · · Score: 5, Informative

      For what it's worth, the EFF achieved 4 out of 5 stars for "financial efficiency and capacity" by Charity Navigator (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charity_Navigator). Even though they are a bunch of lawyers, they are a bunch of lawyers on our side. And frankly, when I donate to them, I don't care if they are buying themselves Benz's. They produce good results.

    3. Re:A view from a cynical bastard. by StinkiePhish · · Score: 3, Informative

      EFF has four of five stars according to Charity Navigator for "financial efficiency and capacity." Here's a direct link: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/7576.htm (My apologies for not including this in my first post.)

  9. Re:LOL by milgr · · Score: 2, Funny

    Perhaps they should have paid for some advanced technology to handle the slashdot effect.

    --
    Where law ends, tyranny begins -- William Pitt
  10. $10,000 by niceone · · Score: 4, Funny

    How many minutes of lawyer time does that buy?

    1. Re:$10,000 by The-Bus · · Score: 2, Funny

      Well, if you're hiring Lionel Hutz, the question is, how many sandwiches does that buy? I hear he works on three sandwiches a day. Also, he might live in your car.

      --

      Small potatoes make the steak look bigger.

  11. Re:too little ? by everphilski · · Score: 3, Informative

    Precisely. I have no more than $2000 in the bank at any point in time, my money is in my 401k, roth IRA, kids college funds, overfunded life insurance, home, etc. I do allright but I couldn't cough up more than a few hundred bucks at a time unless it was an emergency ... the secret to being financially secure is not working for money, but making your money work for you.

  12. yep, 3 digit uids have no cachet by toby · · Score: 4, Funny

    3 digits never got me laid. But with a 2 digit... I'd be dating Natalie Portman AND Giselle Bundchen for sure, and I'd know what to do with both digits.

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    you had me at #!
    1. Re:yep, 3 digit uids have no cachet by kalirion · · Score: 2, Funny

      Sorry to break it to you, but the TOS clearly states that if you use the uid for scoring purposes, Cowboy Neal must be involved.

  13. Re:AC's are good now? by Zashi · · Score: 2, Informative

    ACs have UIDs of 666.

    --
    Skiffy is Spiffy, but Ort is tort.
  14. Re:Anonomous Reader = netelder by Nushio · · Score: 2, Funny

    41? I would have payed an extra $1200 just to have UID 42.

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    Check out Unsealed: Whispers of Wisdom! http://unsealed.k3rnel.net It's an action-RPG about Open Sourcerers.
  15. Re:Anonymous Coward (87) by CJ145 · · Score: 2, Informative

    AC's UID is 666.

  16. Re:Anonomous Reader = netelder by SpeedyDX · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They might have requested anonymity so people don't ridicule themabout paying for the low UID. Well, actually, it doesn't matter why they requested anonymity. The fact of the matter is that they did. It's a little rude to point out their account when they explicitly wanted to keep it hidden.

    With all the concern about the right to remain anonymous on /., I don't see why you would purposely go out of your way to lift that veil off of someone else.

    But hey, your curiousity is sated. What do you care. Mod me troll, mod me whatever you like. I think it was irresponsible and inconsiderate to do that.

  17. hohoho by sectionboy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Who is the "Anonymous Coward" now?

  18. The EFF thanks you by btempleton · · Score: 4, Informative

    On behalf of the E.F.F. I would like to thank the crew at /. for doing this, and all the bidders for showing your geek cred and generousity to bring things up to this level. Our hardworking staff of technologists and lawyers will do great work with this money as we stand up to the NSA, AT&T, the RIAA and many other players trying to take away your rights. You can look at the long list of things we're doing at the www.eff.org web site, as well as past history. That we do all that with our modest staff continues to amaze me, and I'm inside.

    --
    Has it been over a year since you last donated to the Electronic Frontier Foundation