Late Night Gaming Banned In Vietnam

Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-21 04:56 · Score: 2, Funny

What has gotten into governments the world over? Why does everyone think you can censor the internet all of a sudden? (Captcha: fascism. No kidding.)

Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by dkleinsc · 2011-02-21 05:33 · Score: 4, Insightful

This is how real totalitarianism works. It's not necessarily how real socialism works.
For instance, by US standards, Norway is a socialist country (with high taxes, an extensive welfare state, etc). It's also a parliamentary democracy for intents and purposes. And Norway would never seriously propose that sort of law.

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Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by derGoldstein · 2011-02-21 05:36 · Score: 1

I think the reason this is cropping up in different places around the world is that everyone thinks they have an idea of how to "solve the problem" (whichever internet/connectivity-related problem it may be). Now just add ignorance to the mix, and you're got weird regulations. This isn't any form of "malice", it's just non-technical people trying to paw at a laser pointer -- they don't understand the mechanism. The rehabilitation centers for MMORPG addicts in China, South Korea, and Japan, take a more enlightened approach, as long as it's in moderation.

If people become addicted to a drug, and you can cut the supply, it's very tempting to do so. It doesn't matter that this drug may have medical benefits or legitimate uses -- the ones who use it harmfully "ruin it" for the rest of us. This metaphor also works for P2P technology, if you think about it.

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Entomologically speaking, the spider is not a bug, it's a feature.
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by khallow · 2011-02-21 05:37 · Score: 2, Informative

"All of a sudden"? This isn't a change from government as usual. The internet didn't register as something to control before. Governments didn't have the technical capabilities a few years ago. And the media wasn't sensitized to the issue a few years ago.
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by Reed+Solomon · 2011-02-21 06:02 · Score: 1

That was so off topic.
But I'm expecting the Vietnamese to start a revolution on this. Though it's probably easily bypassable.
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by poetmatt · 2011-02-21 06:38 · Score: 1

No, the reason it is cropping up is because the US is doing it. Once a leading country does, everyone else points at them as the example.
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by trollertron3000 · 2011-02-21 07:17 · Score: 1

Well they do own the thing. Here's what defines ownership: one who can apply the most force and physically control it.

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Tiger Blooded Bi-Winning Machine
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by Mashiki · 2011-02-21 08:12 · Score: 2

No but it(norway) would support others. An example would be the lack of freedom of expression in order to protect an individuals feelings, on a perceived issue.

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Om, nomnomnom...
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by LordNacho · 2011-02-21 08:20 · Score: 3, Informative

And Norway would never seriously propose that sort of law.
Are you telling us they don't regulate behaviour, which is what banning late night gaming is? Just because they don't have this particular rule doesn't mean they don't interfere in what ought to be people's own right to decide, which is the real issue. For instance, they have a rule about the composition of boards: you need a certain proportion of women. (Well, of each sex, but you know what that means.)
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by Lanteran · 2011-02-21 10:01 · Score: 1

I think he's referring to the fucktard attitude of the poorer dictatorships about the internet, over the past few weeks in particular. Egypt gets protests, they shut down the internet, protests escalate hugely, culminating in a near coup. Libya pretty much preemptively shuts down the internet where there hadn't been much protest, instant riots. It's about dictatorships not understanding the bread and circuses phenomenon.

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"People don't want to learn linux" hasn't been a valid excuse since '03.
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by cheekyjohnson · 2011-02-21 10:01 · Score: 1

The solution is to leave people alone, not ruin something for everyone because of a few idiots. This really doesn't have much to do with non-technical. Even a complete imbecile should be able to see how poor of a 'solution' this is.

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Filthy, filthy copyrapists!
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by Vegeta99 · 2011-02-21 10:32 · Score: 1

Addiction to a substance or behavior is something you engage in full time or not at all.
No. A better (but still not perfect). A behavior becomes addictive when it begins to interfere with day-to-day life. I'm a smoker. I do not smoke all the time (I'd be arrested if I lit one up in class or at work). However, it DOES affect my day-to-day life. I gotta stop and buy smokes, I gotta walk out of my way to get to a smoking zone, etc etc.
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by milkmage · 2011-02-21 10:46 · Score: 1

affirmative action is used in the states too.
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by masterzora · 2011-02-21 11:13 · Score: 1

this is how real socialism works
Everybody keeps using that word. I do not think it means what they think it means.

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Remember, open source is free as in speech, not free as in bear.
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by Meski · 2011-02-21 16:52 · Score: 1

and lower-ping and other similar services in nearby countries enjoy a sudden surge in popularity.
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by __aatirs3925 · 2011-02-21 17:06 · Score: 1

But the US doesn't stop people from gaming at night, and if they tried there would be a mob of angry gamers and the government would surely regret it as we all know, gamers typically have at least +15 armor and +12 atk. The poor people working night shifts probably are getting butt-hurt over this since it's the only time they can game online.
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by __aatirs3925 · 2011-02-21 17:07 · Score: 1

Those who fail at meeting their daily quota will surely fall, and fallen people do what they can to get back up, so long as they are fully capable of doing so.
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by CHJacobsen · 2011-02-21 22:00 · Score: 1

I'm not sure when "big government" became synonymous with socialism in the US.
Living in Sweden, considered a socialist country by many US commentators, i can note that we have:
* Full civil liberties (free speech, press, etc.)
* Free enterprise (easy to start a company, sensible regulations, etc.)
* Very little corruption (supposedly lower than the US)
* Freedom to invest, and freedom for foreign investors
* Protection of property
* Fair trials (well, unless they relate to intellectual property it would seem)
* High, but sensible, tax rates (It is very possible to get rich, even though the tax rates are rather high on an international level. We don't pay for health care, or college, so the taxes on employees aren't as bad as they look on paper)
Our political system is a social liberal one, not socialist. Socialism is a form of government, and not a measurement of government size. It's a matter of fundamental ideas on law and property, not a matter of taxation.

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Important stuff
Re:Is it a virus? Is it an alien parasite? by AmiMoJo · 2011-02-21 23:37 · Score: 1

This is more akin to limiting people to working 48 hours a week max. Some people want to do more but it isn't good for their health. Minimum alcohol prices try to prevent people from drinking too much, high tobacco taxes do the same for smoking. Certain drugs are illegal. European countries are starting to look at high fat foods too.
So the real question is should government be trying to strongly influence people's behaviour for their own good? On a point of principal many people say no because it takes away individual freedom (to abuse one's self) but when you look at what these things tend to do to very large numbers of people and society as a whole pragmatism gets these laws passed.

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Price Increase by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-21 04:59 · Score: 3, Funny

And in other news - WoW gold follows Crude Oil and jumps 5% over night :s

Damn relentless asian kids and their gaming skills by inAbsurdum · 2011-02-21 05:01 · Score: 2

NOW I understand why I always get a thorough a**-whooping whenever I try playing Battlefield Vietnam.

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-- I am the Monkey Guru.

No late-night gaming on the internet? by mrjb · 2011-02-21 05:03 · Score: 4, Funny

That's a shame. Now children will have to get back to their regular scheduled gambling- and drinking games.

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Visit http://ringbreak.dnd.utwente.nl/~mrjb/growingbettersoftware to download your free copy of the book

Re:No late-night gaming on the internet? by ddd0004 · 2011-02-21 05:11 · Score: 1

I got to start hanging out with those kids. Do they know how to party or what?

Unfair to those who are responsible... by realsilly · 2011-02-21 05:03 · Score: 4, Insightful

If you're a hard working individual who works 10+ hours a day in Vietnam, you're losing one of those things that allows you some freedom.... your time on the internet during your own free time. I couldn't get to the site to read the article, but my guess it that the ministry is trying to control what people do on the internet, and maybe they can justify their reasoning, but from my perspective, they are overstepping their boundaries.

Maybe later the website will load and I'll be able to actually read the article.

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Life takes interesting turns, but the most interest is when you're off the beaten path.

Re:Unfair to those who are responsible... by somersault · 2011-02-21 05:10 · Score: 3, Funny

Maybe later the website will load and I'll be able to actually read the article.
Try coming back around 8AM 'Nam time.

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which is totally what she said
Re:Unfair to those who are responsible... by CaseM · 2011-02-21 05:31 · Score: 5, Insightful

I'll be able to actually read the article.
This is slashdot. Reading an article is never required to comment on its content.
Re:Unfair to those who are responsible... by causality · 2011-02-21 05:35 · Score: 5, Insightful

but my guess it that the ministry is trying to control what people do on the internet
That's about the size of it. It's amazing how threatened so many governments feel by the unrestricted free flow of information.

and maybe they can justify their reasoning, but from my perspective, they are overstepping their boundaries.
Of course they can make justifications (i.e. excuses) for it. Every last fascist, authoritarian, power-tripping fevered ego that ever existed has always had one powerful tool: a well-articulated bureaucracy. The tyrant (which may be a person or an organization) intentionally lies and makes excuses for why it's really an act of overwhelming benevolence. Then the more naive people eat it up and become what are known as "useful idiots".
We have those in the 'States too. They're generally the ones who don't study much history. When you point out a recurring pattern and explain why it's not a good thing to support, they call you a tinfoil hat-wearing nutter. They think every instance of an organization acting against our interests requires a pre-arranged back-room type of conspiracy, when really all it requires is a lot of selfishness and apathy. They definitely don't say "here is where you are mistaken, and this is my evidence or my sound reasoning". If hardcore tyranny should come to the USA it will be because they and their "we are somehow special, it can't ever never ever happen here so let's get complacent!" attitude played an instrumental role.
So yes, I am absolutely certain the Vietnamese government will justify (rationalize) their position. That's a prerequisite, a necessary ability they must secure prior to taking an action like this. That is how it has always happened throughout history. Politicians as people generally don't become dictators by openly announcing "hey, I want to be a tyrant, vote for me!" Likewise, governments as organizations don't generally expand their power by saying "we just want to oppress you". It's always for your own good, to protect you from something or another, to deal with some hated enemy, etc.

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It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. - Einstein
Re:Unfair to those who are responsible... by 1u3hr · 2011-02-21 05:41 · Score: 1

That's about the size of it. It's amazing how threatened so many governments feel by the unrestricted free flow of information.
Well, sure, But what has that to do with gaming?
Re:Unfair to those who are responsible... by derGoldstein · 2011-02-21 05:46 · Score: 4, Funny

When you use /. in "Strict" mode, you don't even get a link to the article...

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Entomologically speaking, the spider is not a bug, it's a feature.
Re:Unfair to those who are responsible... by DNS-and-BIND · 2011-02-21 05:51 · Score: 3

"Useful idiots"? That means Westerners who were openly sympathetic to the Soviet cause. The Soviets knew their own system well and found it beyond belief that well-off Westerners ached to apply the same system to their own societies. The New York Times won a Pulitzer Prize for putting a happy face on the Ukrainian genocide, for one example.

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Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
Re:Unfair to those who are responsible... by TheGratefulNet · 2011-02-21 05:55 · Score: 1

this isn't nam, smokey. this is slashdot. there are ru-
ah - scrub that. sorry.

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"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
Re:Unfair to those who are responsible... by Lord+Ender · 2011-02-21 06:34 · Score: 1

The Vietnam government can't legislate what people do online. Their attempts to do so will only push people to VPN services. Since you can get an offshore VPN fast enough to play games for just over $3 per month, the only thing Vietnamese gamers sacrifice will be a little bit of latency.
You can't control the internet. Someone needs to remind the government of Vietnam that the more you tighten your grip, the more star systems slip through your fingers.

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A slashdotter who didn't build his own computer is like a Jedi who didn't build his own lightsaber.
Re:Unfair to those who are responsible... by noodler · 2011-02-21 21:04 · Score: 1

My understanding is that in a couple of asian countries there are loads of people addicted to online games (very much like a gambling addiction). If a large part of the working population can't perform at work because they have been gaming all night then that society has a huge problem.
People can be stupid and seduction from mindless time wastings on the internet is never far away. Someone has to protect these people from themselfs.
Imagine everyone could get heroin and cocaine from the supermarket, how do you think our society would look like in a few years?
That's why these substances are regulated.
Mind you, the situation there is completely unlike here in the west.
People have serious gaming addictions that we haven't seen around here too much.
Imagine if 1/3 of all people you know at work would screw up their job because they play games all night?
How long do you think such a society could function without breaking?
So some things need to be controlled in a society and it appears gaming can be one of these things.
(which is not hard to imagine since there are lots of games based on the same psychological mechanics as gambling games, yes, i'm looking at you, MMORPG!)
Games realy can be addicting and unhealthy in certain situations.
So i think you're getting it wrong.
It's not about controlling the internets.
It's about controlling an addiction problem that is already negatively impacting that society.
I think that most people (who are not addicted) in Korea will support the measures and will see it as a rational solution to their growing problem.
Freedom is fun, but if that freedom fscks up other peoples lifes then a limit is reached.
I mean, i would't accept it if a large part of my co-workers would be zombified from gaming all night, all the time.
Unless i was a game reviewer or something..
But that's besides the point. ...
Ooh, damn you, game reviewers.
Re:Unfair to those who are responsible... by noodler · 2011-02-21 21:18 · Score: 1

"Of course they can make justifications (i.e. excuses) for it. Every last fascist, authoritarian, power-tripping fevered ego that ever existed has always had one powerful tool: a well-articulated bureaucracy."
Dude,
They have a huge social problem with gamers.
You can fantasize all you want about tyrants and dictators and whatnot.
Matter of fact is that gaming addiction is ruining the society there.
The goal is not total control for da evil tyrantz , it's about controlling a nationwide addiction.
Now if there was a technology that could give you drugs like heroing in your home at the leasure of a mouse click, don't you think we should somehow regulate this technology?
That's exactly how game addiction works. Microachivements triggering pleasure receptors, making you want more.
It's a known mechanism in psychology and it's being exploited by almost all subscription-based games.
It's the exact same mechanism that makes people sit behind a slots machine for hours on end.
Why do you think that casino's are regulated? Exact same reason. People are suckers for this mechanism.
It is a real problem and it is being adressed pretty directly.
It's not as if they forbid the internet.
They specificly disable people from gaming through the night, which is the actual problem.
Normal people don't do this (at least not often enough to see this restriction as a problem) and i bet most non-MMORPG playing citizens will see this as a change for the better.

This makes me laugh by schnikies79 · 2011-02-21 05:06 · Score: 2, Insightful

Banning late-night gaming is pretty silly, but I have to admit, it makes me laugh to think of the WOW players sweating the night out.

World of Warcraft players are ridiculous.

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Gone!

Re:Only one reply possible for the Minister by somersault · 2011-02-21 05:11 · Score: 5, Insightful

Gaming over TOR? You'd be better off playing Correspondence Chess via snail mail.

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which is totally what she said

Re:We wish we could do that by commodore6502 · 2011-02-21 05:13 · Score: 1

>>>US companies wish they could do this to make their employees more productive

They could just turn-off Web access at work. Or maybe replace the blacklist with a whitelist, where only sites permitted by the business (like TI.com or microsoft.com) can be reached. Productivity would skyrocket!

Or maybe that's just me. ;-)

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Information wants to be expensive AND wants to be free. So you have Value vs. Cheap distribution fighting each other.

What about early morning gaming? by ninjacheeseburger · 2011-02-21 05:14 · Score: 1

The only reason I got up early for school was so that I could get a couple of rounds of counter-strike in. It was also easier to get a slot on my favourite servers.

Re:What about early morning gaming? by masterwit · 2011-02-21 09:15 · Score: 1

favourite
You British players are always online early morning when I am up way too late! (Sorry it is a complete inference that you are British)
Anyway the reason some gamers play late night also is due to available bandwidth - playing during peak hours is not as much fun! (I guess the same applies early morning?)

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Come on now... by doubleplusungodly · 2011-02-21 05:18 · Score: 1

Better gold farm twice as hard to make up for the time you will lose because of said ban.

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If your government shuts down your MMORPG.... by Plugh · 2011-02-21 05:18 · Score: 1

... shut down your government!

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Part of the Second American Revolution!

Re:If your government shuts down your MMORPG.... by Dr.+Spork · 2011-02-21 05:23 · Score: 2

I was thinking the same thing: Don't governments want pliant, opiated masses? And aren't video games just about the best antidote to civil unrest? Hell, forget about protesting. Those kids won't even go outside.
Re:If your government shuts down your MMORPG.... by LordNacho · 2011-02-21 08:27 · Score: 1

I think the idea is more nanny-state than tyrant-state. They're trying to help people, in their own unhelpful way.

Re:Only one reply possible for the Minister by commodore6502 · 2011-02-21 05:18 · Score: 1

>>>better off playing Correspondence Chess via snail mail.

No-no. Direct dial over the phone line is much faster than snail mail. Heck I used to play Populous over a 2k modem. (No that's not a typo; it really was that slow.) 56k or encrypted TOR is like turbo in comparison and I'd be happy to play over it, if the ISPs go down.

(If you want to play Populous call me - 560-1750 - LOVE that game.)

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Information wants to be expensive AND wants to be free. So you have Value vs. Cheap distribution fighting each other.

Re:Spike in VPN usage? by OrangeTide · 2011-02-21 05:19 · Score: 2

gaming through a VPN is not great, the latency is noticeable.

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“Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire

Re:Spike in VPN usage? by Ferzerp · 2011-02-21 05:23 · Score: 1

This is just an assumption on your part. There is technically little reason for it to be so. In fact, encrypting gaming traffic until it reaches a known good network can have *positive* effects due to overly aggressive "network management".

Re:Only one reply possible for the Minister by MacGyver2210 · 2011-02-21 05:23 · Score: 1

Several popular MMOs are designed to be used over dial-up connections. I usually run EVE Online via my cell phone tether at about 5KB/s without any issues at all.

Last I heard WoW was using stupid low bandwidth because everything is pretty much clientside.

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If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can't be taken on its own merits

Rescheduling by mehrotra.akash · 2011-02-21 05:24 · Score: 4, Interesting

So, now rather than the schedule being something like
School -> Homework -> Games
It will be
School->Games->Homework
Homework refers to anything productive done..
So, rather than spending the end of their day gaming, when you would be tired anyways, spend the time when you are not so tired gaming, and the time when you are tired doing productive stuff.
How is that good??

Re:Rescheduling by mehrotra.akash · 2011-02-21 06:00 · Score: 1

For me its mostly an interleaving of Game and work.. But when I have a lot of work, or exams ,etc.. its work, and when I get tired game
Atleast I have the option to move gaming to a lower priority..

Re:Spike in VPN usage? by commodore6502 · 2011-02-21 05:29 · Score: 1, Troll

>>>>An entrepreneur might take advantage of this situation and start offering VPN services.
>>
>> There's that invisible hand again. It requires regulations such as these.

"Damn free market. If only I could regulate it out of existence." - Dictator. - This gaming ban is just a case of a bunch of leaders who think it's their job to babysit the citizens (for their own good). This problem also exists in the EU and US, because the road to tyranny is often paved with good intentions.

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Information wants to be expensive AND wants to be free. So you have Value vs. Cheap distribution fighting each other.

One word. by unity100 · 2011-02-21 05:39 · Score: 1

Proxies.

no way in hell you can prevent online gaming. see, an example service :

your-freedom.net is a great proxy that works good with many games, including wow. i had had used it to reduce my ping actually - it halved my ping, since my crappy (then) isp was having huge ping to wow eu servers.

kids will just use such services, free or paid.

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Read radical news here

Re:We wish we could do that by ElectricTurtle · 2011-02-21 05:41 · Score: 1

If my company did that I would leave, and that isn't an idle threat. Nor am I some complete worthless slacker, in fact I'm the last person left in the group who actually understands how the databases work, and I'm already hanging by a thread in a group that has 200% yearly turnover (almost nobody stays around long enough to be trained to my level).

The simple fact is that in a lot of environments there would be a huge exodus, and it would include a lot of people that can easily find work elsewhere but cannot be easily replaced. It's better to allow talent a little recreation room than to lose years of experience and suffer through weeks (or in some environments, like mine, months) of training time for new people (not to mention my group is involved with a FedGov agency and it takes a bare minimum of a month to get people cleared through to do anything useful).

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Re:We wish we could do that by 0racle · 2011-02-21 05:42 · Score: 1

I doubt productivity really fell when Internet access was introduced into the workplace. People waste time at work and always have, restricting one way just makes them waste it in another.

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"I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."

If they tried this in Korea by rjejr · 2011-02-21 05:44 · Score: 1

the whole country would implode.

Re:THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR BEING COMMIES !! by falzer · 2011-02-21 05:44 · Score: 2

~17% of russian roulette players later admitted to regretting it.

It's for your own good by DNS-and-BIND · 2011-02-21 05:54 · Score: 2, Interesting

It's funny - there's this typical consensus on Slashdot that the world would be a better place if only The Smart People were in charge and could make the difficult, unpopular decisions that we need to become a true progressive, multicultural society. Instead, time after time we get uneducated dipshits who make random decisions and let things go to hell because there's no direction or overarching plan to ensure a good outcome. A simple faith that things will turn out all right as long as people do whatever they want is scorned as the province of hicks and other lesser minds.

In Vietnam, the smart people really are in charge. The Party doesn't allow just anyone to join, you know. Students are identified by merit and only the best allowed to join. Party work takes up a lot of college time that would otherwise be spent partying. Policies like this one are hammered out by sober, highly educated people for the good of the people they rule. If you have a Ph.D too, then you might be able to have a seat at the table, but please be quiet otherwise as you're simply not qualified to discuss weighty topics. Vietnam's experts have identified a problem with society. The problem is not gaming specifically, but the negative side effects associated where gaming appears. Having identified this problem, they are now proceeding with a solution and will not deviate from that course, no matter how loud the protests are. After all, a child cries when he's told to go to bed when you know he'll get cranky and angry if he doesn't. It's distressing to see responses on Slashdot of all places, that decisions of smart people are being dumped on.

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Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!

Re:It's for your own good by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-21 06:07 · Score: 4, Informative

What are you talking about? I've lived in Saigon--err, Thành ph H Chí Minh--for the past five years, I know hundreds of students, and I can attest that the party most definitely does _not_ skim off the best and brightest. This notion that a young generation of technocrats is populating the party apparatus is just that--a notion, and a ridiculous one at that. Smart kids with money go overseas for school, smart locals stuck here goto UTech, FTU or National, and no young person with a brain thinks to join the party--at least not in the cities. It might be a little different in the middle of nowhere--Ca Mau or somesuch--but hereabouts, and in Hanoi as well, the party is a dumping ground for risk adverse types looking to grind away at dull jobs for a decade or so, earning $100/month, until they're finally connected enough to begin sitting on committees and learning where the next zoned industrial areas will be--at which point the family cashes in big time.
Re:It's for your own good by DNS-and-BIND · 2011-02-21 07:16 · Score: 1

The smart people in society are those best able to make these tough judgments. Who do you trust: smart people or the uneducated? How many problems in America would be solved tomorrow by removing idiots from positions where they influence others?

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Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
Re:It's for your own good by LetterRip · 2011-02-21 07:16 · Score: 2

So Party members defer instant gratification and instead work towards long-term goals. That's the definition of smart right there.
Then there's the issue of working yourself into a position where you can use your intellect to benefit others which we call altruism. Again, a trait that the smart people share.
Altruism is not correlated positively or negatively with intelligence.
See 'The Ways and Powers of Love: types, factors and techniques of moral Transformation' which summarizes some of the relevant research.
I realize you are likely just a troll, but thought I'd correct your disinformation.
Re:It's for your own good by LordNacho · 2011-02-21 08:45 · Score: 1

The smart people in society are those best able to make these tough judgments. Who do you trust: smart people or the uneducated? How many problems in America would be solved tomorrow by removing idiots from positions where they influence others?
There will be fewer idiots in the world when said idiots are practised in the skill of judging things for themselves, and suffering the consequences of their own decisions. Which they wont become if immodest geniuses are making all their decisions for them.
Further, I'm not looking forward to being ruled by the self-appointed aristocracy of the nerds.
Re:It's for your own good by cheekyjohnson · 2011-02-21 10:42 · Score: 1

"Smart people" wouldn't try to ban something for everyone because of what a few idiots do. They're not "smart people," they're the average ignorant politicians.

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Filthy, filthy copyrapists!

Re:We wish we could do that by lgw · 2011-02-21 05:58 · Score: 2

I don't waste any more time at work with the internet than I did pre-Internet. And occasionally the Internet helps me get my job done. That's probably pretty common.

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Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.

And nothing will change by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-21 06:02 · Score: 2, Interesting

Vietnamese here. It is just another law that nobody cares about in Vietnam. Remember the law that mandate FOSS usage back in 2008? Nothing has changed since then. Well, maybe the internet shop will have to bribe the local police more, but that is it. Online gaming has bad effect on the youth, that is true to some degree, but people are blaming too many things on it, so the government tries to show that it is doing something. And the fact that they ban it means they failed to control it.
PS: Online FPS in Vietnam have to change the knife to a wooden hammer, and the blood color to pink (or remove the blood effect completely) to avoid being branded as 'encouraging violent behaviours".

Re:My hours are mine by uncanny · 2011-02-21 06:07 · Score: 2

they dont care

Re:THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR BEING COMMIES !! by Nadaka · 2011-02-21 06:10 · Score: 1

I am pretty sure that there are close to 0% self reported losses in Russian Roulette.

As always by PickyH3D · 2011-02-21 06:18 · Score: 1

The government knows best, right? Right?

Re:As always by LordNacho · 2011-02-21 08:46 · Score: 1

Left, actually.

Works as a game balancer too. by Maxo-Texas · 2011-02-21 06:36 · Score: 1

Retired people and students can (and do) play 18+ hours a day.

I always wished there was a game I could subscribe to that you could only play 4 hours a day (and maybe less than 100 hours a month to force you to take days off).

Or that they would limit leveling rate, regardless of how many hours you played, you could only pop "x" levels per month.

It would help them with game balance and content creation too. As players' wouldn't be max level 12 hours after the new expansion came out.

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She was like chocolate when she drank... semi-sweet at first and then increasingly bitter.

Re:Works as a game balancer too. by MortimerV · 2011-02-21 06:41 · Score: 1

Keep an eye out for free to play games. These two are probably a different genre than you want, but League of Legends has a "first win" bonus, such that with 1-2 hours of play you'll have collected a big bonus and can't collect it again for another day. Bloodline Champions has a bonus pool that triples your earnings until you exhaust it, and that resets daily. It takes about an hour to work through that. You can still play the game afterwards for rewards and fun play, but exhausting that bonus makes for a nice stopping point.
I'd imagine some free to play MMO will pop up sooner or later that'll have a longer to achieve daily bonus (as MMOs tend to be slower paced than the above action games).
Re:Works as a game balancer too. by spire3661 · 2011-02-21 06:47 · Score: 1

WoW has the same things. Rested XP and daily JP/VP

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Good-bye
Re:Works as a game balancer too. by Maxo-Texas · 2011-02-21 08:26 · Score: 1

Hey thanks to you and the other person suggesting things.
I will check them out.

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She was like chocolate when she drank... semi-sweet at first and then increasingly bitter.
Re:Works as a game balancer too. by manwargi · 2011-02-21 17:07 · Score: 1

Urban Dead is a free text based zombie survival MMO that gives its characters Action Points at a rate of once every half hour, capped at 50. Unless you've donated, you only get 160 IP hits a day too so for the people who create multiple accounts there are still limits to how much they can even check in on their characters.
Re:Works as a game balancer too. by neminem · 2011-02-22 06:01 · Score: 1

As someone entirely addicted to KoL (seriously, it's an amazing game), I will comment that this is true, but somewhat misleading. At a very casual level, you could certainly spend all your turns each day in little time, just goofing off. If you're trying to play well, though, you're managing a bunch of n-times-per-day items (where n is frequently, but not always, 1), loads of familiars, loads of skills, and loads of goals. This is what makes the game interesting, but it can certainly suck up gobs of time in thinking about your next move repeatedly, even though the number of moves is fixed.

Still way more limited-time-per-day than your typical MMO, though. (Unless you go make a bunch of alts. But don't do that; they aren't allowed to interact with each other, so there isn't really much point, generally.)
Re:Works as a game balancer too. by Maxo-Texas · 2011-02-23 04:53 · Score: 1

So we should let professional baseball players participate in high school baseball?
How about little league?
What I said was, I want to find a game which doesn't cater to people who have more time. I had that already in Everquest. Hell, until I went to the dallas fan faire and pointed out to the devs that every major mob spawned at 3pm CST while I was at work and so I'd never even SEEN the mobs up, much less had a shot at them, one group of people who could be off for two hours during the day got everything. You had 8000 people on the server an 32 people got everything. Sound fair?

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She was like chocolate when she drank... semi-sweet at first and then increasingly bitter.

extra bonus by gravel+junkie · 2011-02-21 06:45 · Score: 1

While they are at it they can install an internet kill switch.

Re:extra bonus by trollertron3000 · 2011-02-21 07:33 · Score: 1

It's already installed. It's called the Vietnamese army.

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Tiger Blooded Bi-Winning Machine

Re:Eh most of slashdot is American by cvnautilus · 2011-02-21 07:23 · Score: 1

I, for one, measure the success of a country not on its economic or military power, but by the freedoms its people are able to enjoy responsibly. We aren't here on this Earth to make more widgets than the next guy. We're here to enjoy life. A government that dominates its people's time is a government that has failed to protect it's people's freedom to be happy.

Re:Eh most of slashdot is American by trollertron3000 · 2011-02-21 07:28 · Score: 1

You just highlighted the real issue. "Smart" people thinking they know what's best for everyone else. In America or is Vietnam it's all the same. Fucking nannies all around. Let me live my life.

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Tiger Blooded Bi-Winning Machine

Joe Lieberman and Hillary Clinton will love this. by X86Daddy · 2011-02-21 07:41 · Score: 3, Interesting

Joe Lieberman and/or Hillary Clinton will clamor for the same in our "free" country next, because they think it's just no fair that these other countries get to wreck their people's computer use while the US citizens have no such interference.

Lieberman's "kill switch" request and the two of them grandstanding over the Grand Theft Auto Hot Coffee mod showed them to be exactly this disgusting and sinister, belonging absolutely nowhere near having domestic powers in the "land of the free."

And those two are just the obvious and outspoken ones...

Call yourself a Star Wars nerd?! by Dogtanian · 2011-02-21 07:42 · Score: 1

You can't control the internet. Someone needs to remind the government of Vietnam that the more you tighten your grip, the more star systems slip through your fingers.

I love how countless nerds-people who ought to know Star Wars *way* better than I do- use that quote in a similar way to you, yet seem to forget its context and what happened immediately following Leia saying it-

Tarkin: Princess Leia, before your execution, I would like you to be my guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational. No star system will dare oppose the Emperor now.
Leia: The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.
Tarkin: Not after we demonstrate the power of this station. In a way, you have determined the choice of the planet that will be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the Rebel base, I have chosen to test this station's destructive power on your home planet of Alderaan.
Leia: [shocked] No! Alderaan is peaceful. We have no weapons. You can't possibly...—
Tarkin: You would prefer another target? A military target?! Then name the system! [stepping closer to Leia and pinning her against Darth Vader] I grow tired of asking this, so it will be the last time. Where is the Rebel base?
Leia: [looks at Alderaan for a moment, then, resigned] Dantooine. They're on Dantooine.
Tarkin: There. You see, Lord Vader? She can be reasonable. Continue with the operation. You may fire when ready.
Leia: [panicked] What?!
Tarkin: You're far too trusting. Dantooine is too remote to make an effective demonstration, but don't worry. We will deal with your rebel friends soon enough.
Leia: No.
[The Death Star destroys Alderaan]

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"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).

Re:Call yourself a Star Wars nerd?! by Lord+Ender · 2011-02-21 07:48 · Score: 1

Nonetheless, Leia was right. In the wider context, the Death Star itself was destroyed. If they hadn't been so heavy-handed, the Empire would have survived. But they pushed people too far. The Empire caused the rebellion.

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A slashdotter who didn't build his own computer is like a Jedi who didn't build his own lightsaber.
Re:Call yourself a Star Wars nerd?! by Dogtanian · 2011-02-21 08:03 · Score: 1

Nonetheless, Leia was right. In the wider context, the Death Star itself was destroyed. If they hadn't been so heavy-handed, the Empire would have survived. But they pushed people too far. The Empire caused the rebellion.
Perhaps so, but nevertheless its oft-omitted context would still take the confidence out of the geeky assertion if this was thought about more.

Well, that and the fact it's from a totally fictitious film and therefore isn't a legitimate example of how the real world works, regardless of how great it sounds to a bunch of nerds :-)

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"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).

Re:Only one reply possible for the Minister by sznupi · 2011-02-21 07:50 · Score: 1

That would be probably cost prohibitive - local dial-up most likely billed by the minute, and while cellular data access seems moderately decent (Part 4) ...both of them will most likely be affected by night ban. Don't get into costs of direct dial to unaffected location...

But then, the last thing shouldn't stop MMO addicts.

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One that hath name thou can not otter

Re:We wish we could do that by BlackSnake112 · 2011-02-21 07:52 · Score: 1

If the employee is taking a work laptop home (or has a work desktop at their home), I could see a company limiting what that computer is used for. It is, in the eyes on the company, the company's computer. If it is on the employee's personal computer, no such luck.

Re:Late night is the only time I can game by Dogtanian · 2011-02-21 07:57 · Score: 1

(It's not an online game, but) the only time I'm allowed to play Dwarf Fortress is after my lady has fallen asleep (or the rare event that I happen to be home when she isn't). She simply hates watching me game on the bigscreen bedroom TV. Oh sure, she can play Lego Indiana Jones all day Sunday, but as soon as I launch Dwarf Fortress or Warzone 2100, suddenly gaming is lame.

Sounds like it's your fault for being a doormat then.

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"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).

Re:Only one reply possible for the Minister by somersault · 2011-02-21 08:12 · Score: 1

I was exaggerating somewhat. If all you like to play is strategy games then it would be fine.

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which is totally what she said

Re:Only one reply possible for the Minister by somersault · 2011-02-21 08:15 · Score: 1

Useless for games which require skill over strategy though.

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which is totally what she said

Re:Damn relentless asian kids and their gaming ski by Concerned+Onlooker · 2011-02-21 08:17 · Score: 3, Funny

I think if you are from the US this is always going to happen. Just a matter of historical accuracy.

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http://www.rootstrikers.org/

Re:Eh most of slashdot is American by LordNacho · 2011-02-21 08:38 · Score: 1

Amen to that. Ironically, it takes a well educated person to string together a list of random facts/preconceptions into a compelling tale about why the world would be better if only we could see the world the same way as them. But the same clever people cannot deign to see the world through someone else's perspective. It always ends up being "don't you get it, you idiots? XYZ is a brilliant plan. I just need some power to implement it. Now bend over..."

at least... by Gripp · 2011-02-21 08:44 · Score: 1

the least they could do is provide a method for some people to be cleared for such game play. Dont get me wrong, this is all rather distgusting... but if the aim is to limit the amount of MMO exposure people get, then those who work/commute all day will be limited to 0. even more, i can't imagine this being aimed at anything other than children/young adults (<25 ?)

besides, how do they intend on dealing with proxies? it all seems kind of pointless considering that anyone can get around it by proxys and remote login...

Re:We wish we could do that by icebraining · 2011-02-21 08:56 · Score: 1

Frequent breaks are necessary for optimal productivity.

Happiness has also been shown to raise productivity to much higher levels, and such blocks reduce it for two reasons; not only will they be less relaxed (a good laugh is extremely effective), as they'll resent their bosses' lack of trust.

A good manager should allow accessing any website, and should set up goals to measure performance. Failure to achieve such goals should be discussed, to discover its reasons.

I live in a country where it's a general meme to say that our workers are lazy. Yet those who work abroad in countries like Germany, have a consistent record of being average or above average over the local workers.
When studies were made, the conclusions were that the real culprits were the managers (usually owners of the company, since 80+% of our companies are small or medium), who were in average less qualified than their subordinates.

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Dilbert RSS feed

Re:Damn relentless asian kids and their gaming ski by slick7 · 2011-02-21 10:04 · Score: 1

I think if you are from the US this is always going to happen. Just a matter of historical accuracy.

You sound as if you are from France, and we all know how well "vous" did.

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The mind conceives, the body achieves, the spirit manifests.

Re:We wish we could do that by cheekyjohnson · 2011-02-21 10:07 · Score: 1

Ah, I see. 100%. You should be working every single day possible (never take a day off), never take breaks (and despite of this, be completely focused), and live to work (not live to have fun). If not, you obviously have a sense of entitlement!

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Filthy, filthy copyrapists!

Re:Damn relentless asian kids and their gaming ski by Concerned+Onlooker · 2011-02-21 10:23 · Score: 1

I'm from the US and I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you that France financed the American Revolution.

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http://www.rootstrikers.org/

Great timing with these news... by voogzy · 2011-02-21 11:57 · Score: 1

I found this news especially amusing because I'm in the middle of organizing and running a 3-day non stop gaming lan-party and some players here haven't slept for more than 36 hours now:) What exactly are those horrific side effects of on-line gaming gaming they are so worried about?

On the other hand. This is a interesting way to get them from gaming on-line, since they're gaming over lan so it's not really on-line gaming is it :) Maybe they should include this in their school curriculum or something.

This! is what non on-line gaming looks like:
http://sobotainfo.com/fotogalerije/album/5321/

What issues is this trying to solve? by mmj638 · 2011-02-21 12:32 · Score: 1

Is it just me?

I've waded through both of the linked articles but I still can't seem to find out what "issue" this is trying to solve. It seems that banning online games is the answer to some problem, but since I don't live in Vietnam and haven't followed the issue I have no idea what said problem is.

At first I thought it was putting strain on the country's third-rate internet infrastructure, but linking the second article seems to imply it's some sort of social problem, but it's just quoting statistics and not really saying what that problem is. If kids are in gaming shops they're not out doing drugs, or are they? It doesn't say. And the piece about kids going to gaming halls after school seems to have no relation to banning video games for adults after 10pm.

Therefore don't feel as if I have enough information to judge this as a senseless abuse of people's freedom by a tyrannical government.

Re:What issues is this trying to solve? by Khashishi · 2011-02-21 17:19 · Score: 1

I'm not sure why this is so hard to understand. They are living in a nanny state. Where I live, you can't sell alcohol after 2am. Same thing. The government is just placating a bunch of morally panicked mothers.
Re:What issues is this trying to solve? by mmj638 · 2011-02-21 18:58 · Score: 1

Another good suggestion, but still doesn't add up. If it were a panic over morals, why only ban it after 10pm? Surely if they believe playing games is immoral then they would be just as immoral in the afternoon.
Or is playing games at night immoral?
Banning alcohol after 2am is a known tactic to try and reduce alcohol related crime, drink driving, etc which all have rather obvious negative effects on society and 2am to 6am are the peak periods for this kind of trouble. Whether this is an effective strategy or not (and I'd suggest it is indeed effective at reducing crime, even though it has the undesirable quality of reducing freedom and liberty for the law-abiding citizens), at least it's clear why it's being put in place.
But do video games lead to late night street violence?
More than anything, I'm having a rant about how neither the summary nor either of the linked articles even bother to mention WHY this is being done, and it's not clear to me. I'm not after a GOOD, logical reason why they did this, I'm just after THEIR reason, even if the logic is messed up.

Re:We wish we could do that by UnknownSoldier · 2011-02-21 15:00 · Score: 1

> A good manager should allow accessing any website, and should set up goals to measure performance. Failure to achieve such goals should be discussed, to discover its reasons.

Somehow I don't think most employees would have any problem if goatse was blocked ... :-)

Real life sucks so online escape by Serindipidude · 2011-02-21 15:21 · Score: 1

The vietnamese government should be more concered about why everyone's life sucks so much they now have a 'problem' when so many people want to live full time in their online world. Sounds a lot like the second best option until living in a dream state 'a-la-inception' is possible. Although, do expect online gaming to go underground now like every other goverment prohibition in history. They won't see that coming either.

Re:Damn relentless asian kids and their gaming ski by Pf0tzenpfritz · 2011-02-21 19:37 · Score: 1

I am from Germany. I don't say anything at all. I just remind you that we have ways to make you talk.

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Oh, the beautiful gloss of greality!

Re:Only one reply possible for the Minister by sznupi · 2011-02-21 20:51 · Score: 1

Well, I did play over cellular (GPRS / EDGE at that) in Diablo II and it was absolutely fine. Gotta try Quake Live...

("skill" vs. "strategy"?)

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One that hath name thou can not otter

Re:Only one reply possible for the Minister by somersault · 2011-02-21 23:01 · Score: 1

Skill as in reactions and aiming vs strategy as in player positioning.. it was still possible to be an okay player on Counter-Strike on a 56k modem vs guys on Broadband, but really the only way to win was by being clever about your positioning, and making good use of your headphones and ability to shoot through solid objects :p I've never used TOR, but I'd think it would add at least 50-100ms to your ping

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which is totally what she said

No, they did not ban by Funnnny · 2011-02-22 04:19 · Score: 1

Hey I'm from Vietnam, and I can play game all night if I want, hust keep out of those Internet Cafe. The goverment banned gaming in "Internet Cafe" late night, as they did a long time ago banned Internet Cafe to open late night.

Re:We wish we could do that by X0563511 · 2011-02-22 05:52 · Score: 1

Not to mention how cutting said access would turn the IT department into a time capsule.

Hope you never run into any novel problems!

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For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...

Re:Damn relentless asian kids and their gaming ski by badkarmadayaccount · 2011-02-23 01:47 · Score: 1

I am from Bulgaria - trust me, you don't need local enemies - we're nuttier than a fruitcake shop. I believe you've met our Gypsies.

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I know tobacco is bad for you, so I smoke weed with crack.

Re:We wish we could do that by trigpoint · 2011-02-23 06:09 · Score: 1

This is not easy to say. But US companies wish they could do this to make their employees more productive

Believe it or not, but this is where British licensing (pub opening) laws started http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_licensing_laws_of_the_United_Kingdom#History. Basically to make sure munitions workers in World War 1, were at work on-time and sober.

Re:Damn relentless asian kids and their gaming ski by slick7 · 2011-02-23 08:46 · Score: 1

I'm from the US and I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you that France financed the American Revolution.

Near the end. Mostly it was financed by people who would eventually profit by financing both sides, just like all wars before and after.

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The mind conceives, the body achieves, the spirit manifests.

Re:Only one reply possible for the Minister by sznupi · 2011-03-07 20:46 · Score: 1

TOR should add significantly more; very fluctuating and narrow pipe... unusable, overall.
(and y'know, there's a lot of clickfest in many "strategies" too... even Diablo can be seen as having both aspects ;p )

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One that hath name thou can not otter

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Late Night Gaming Banned In Vietnam

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