The software in question, WebSENSE, is used at my school. Basically, how it works is that the admin chooses which catagories to block (sex, violence, etc). There is one catacory called "tastless" which blocks everything related to anime, for some reason.
In any case, there are certinly sites that are blocked that shouoldn't be. The school has the option of selectivly un-blocking sites, but its policy is to do so only if there is a valid academic intrest in the site - not if the site is simply used for recreation. This is done, suposidly, to save the IT staff's time.
What is particularly distressing is that this is a boarding school (9-12th grades), and the school blocks phone accsess to all ISPs, so the only way to go online is with their network. Thus there are a large number of sites which few parents would object to that are blocked simply because they have no academic value. One example is ESPN, which is blocked in the "chat" catagory because of its message boards. The yahoo stocks site is blocked for similar reasons. Can't have those studentes exchanging views!
One thing that I havn't seen mentioned recently in regards to the idea of space tourism is saftey. Obviously, there is inherent danger in shooting oneself into space, but how long will it be before the FAA is the FASA (Federal Air and Space Administration)?
I don't to be identified by one number; sometimes I want to be an employee, sometimes anonymous, and sometimes just myself
Government standardls like this - while not inherently oppresive - make it far too easy to pevert the system into something more sinister. Processing info is easy; it is collecting it is hard.
What about those of us who have "@home" email addresses? Am I going to (again) email eveyone I know to change it? I can't use my own demain thanks to the acurate replyto add rule...
I must disagree; I have a choice, but there are those who do not. Often, those who can't afford a private education are those who must deserve it, or need it. The fact that some can still buy education while others can not sort of runins the Horrace Mann ideal. Of course, even with vouchers, some people would pay extra for their education (the same people who pay $900 an hour for SAT tutors)
I think that we are missing something important here. I belive that education should be an esentially privte sector activity, albeit one subsidized by government. Education is a perfect economic justifaction for subsidy; it is an investment. Nevertheless, public education is essentially an overreaching beurocracy. I know that "school choice" is a buzzword for conservitives to get the bible into schools, but there is something to be said for competition in education.
For example, the issue of teachers. Quite simply, a school which can not retain its teachers will fail, and only those which have practices which attract (good) teachers succsed. However, in public education this competition simply doesn't exist.
Why not provide each student with so many dollars a year as an education transfer? I have heard the first ammendment argument, but I don't belive that it applies....
Economics is, at its most basic level, the study of distributing limited resources to satisfy unlimited wants. Clearly, the resources are not limited here, so it is a whole new ballgame.
I think that it would be interesting to see how a show like this would be received in the US. In any case, the responce to this satire certinly justified its existance.
The real question is: who is manipulating the public's fear so as to create this fear of pedophilia, and what is their goal for doing so?
Prehaps a somwhat better question would be how much error is allowed before a product demo is considered a flop, rather than simply new and buggy. Remember Steve Job's recent demonstration of the Mac OS X dvd player, which quit the first time he opened it, and worked the second time. He got his point across, while at the same time reminding people why the software hadn't been released yet.
Prehaps it would simply be easier to record the presentation before and, and 'mouse sync' to a video re-broadcast of it, with mistakes edited out, of course
When will virus/worm authors learn that publicitiy (at least initially) is their ENEMY? That is, if everyone knows that a virus/worm/whatever is about to strike, they will prepare for it! (That is to discount the "is whitehouse.gov down yet? better check" effect...)
Now, when a virus comes around which isn't publisized, or acts too quickly to be publisized, there will be a problem. Plus, the virus author will then get his "recognition" (although not as much as respect as someone who emerged as a hero preventing a much-hyped virus, but anyway)
This doesn't seem to have been mentioned yet, but what about looking into a canidates background? Would criminal activity play any role in your decision (obviously not a pot arrest, but how aboud a hacking conviction? What about embezelment?)?
Would you consider a criminal background check? What about drug tests?
Hey ! Why didn't you post news that NBC's "Passions" soap also confirmed another season. No doubt that show is better... oh wait, that's right. Never mind.
Also, there is a huge IE (induced error) in the alititude signal; the DOD removed it recently from the lat-long position, but it remains in the altitude. For example, sitting at my desk, with 9 sats, my GPS shows an alitute of -32 feet...
The market for internet assess (dialup... cable/DSL is a whole different game)is very close to the microeconomic concept of 'pure competition;' that is, there are few barriers to entry, little product discrimination, and many sellers. Because of this, it is impossible for an ISP to earn anything other than zero economic profits (basically, the value of what you would have made if you had invested the money in the bank) in the long run. The exceptions to this are when there is product differentiation (read: good service, shell accounts, etc) or geographic factors (the only ISP in town...) the consumer benefits from this, as costs of production are minimized. on the other hand, few producers are interested in normal economic profits
The Supreme Court has held that the 14th ammendment does in fact apply the 1st ammendment to states ( in fact, every ammendment except the one assuring jury trial in any civil matter over $25). Because people are required to go to school, if a public school makes a requirment, it is the same as a state legislature making that requirment - if people don't follow it, they can't go to school, and therefore break the law.
The real question is whether or not they will suspend use of the box during the investigation- otherwise they can just milk this thing for as long as they want and keep using the system, or switch to a different method that is equally invasive...
Slashdot Mirror
I'll know that it has arrived when I can watch TV on my wallpaper.
The software in question, WebSENSE, is used at my school. Basically, how it works is that the admin chooses which catagories to block (sex, violence, etc). There is one catacory called "tastless" which blocks everything related to anime, for some reason.
In any case, there are certinly sites that are blocked that shouoldn't be. The school has the option of selectivly un-blocking sites, but its policy is to do so only if there is a valid academic intrest in the site - not if the site is simply used for recreation. This is done, suposidly, to save the IT staff's time.
What is particularly distressing is that this is a boarding school (9-12th grades), and the school blocks phone accsess to all ISPs, so the only way to go online is with their network. Thus there are a large number of sites which few parents would object to that are blocked simply because they have no academic value. One example is ESPN, which is blocked in the "chat" catagory because of its message boards. The yahoo stocks site is blocked for similar reasons. Can't have those studentes exchanging views!
If the governemnt required installing these, would there be a sudden run on foreign cars?
;-)
The tone of the article is that this is some fantastic development. They don't even CONSIDER the privacy issues.
I hope that the Texas Christians get busted for driving after communion
One thing that I havn't seen mentioned recently in regards to the idea of space tourism is saftey. Obviously, there is inherent danger in shooting oneself into space, but how long will it be before the FAA is the FASA (Federal Air and Space Administration)?
I don't to be identified by one number; sometimes I want to be an employee, sometimes anonymous, and sometimes just myself
Government standardls like this - while not inherently oppresive - make it far too easy to pevert the system into something more sinister. Processing info is easy; it is collecting it is hard.
Alright; It's a cool idea, well implemented and well suported. The question then automatically becomes: how does it violate the DMCA?
What about those of us who have "@home" email addresses? Am I going to (again) email eveyone I know to change it? I can't use my own demain thanks to the acurate replyto add rule...
I must disagree; I have a choice, but there are those who do not. Often, those who can't afford a private education are those who must deserve it, or need it. The fact that some can still buy education while others can not sort of runins the Horrace Mann ideal. Of course, even with vouchers, some people would pay extra for their education (the same people who pay $900 an hour for SAT tutors)
I think that we are missing something important here. I belive that education should be an esentially privte sector activity, albeit one subsidized by government. Education is a perfect economic justifaction for subsidy; it is an investment. Nevertheless, public education is essentially an overreaching beurocracy. I know that "school choice" is a buzzword for conservitives to get the bible into schools, but there is something to be said for competition in education.
For example, the issue of teachers. Quite simply, a school which can not retain its teachers will fail, and only those which have practices which attract (good) teachers succsed. However, in public education this competition simply doesn't exist.
Why not provide each student with so many dollars a year as an education transfer? I have heard the first ammendment argument, but I don't belive that it applies....
none
Economics is, at its most basic level, the study of distributing limited resources to satisfy unlimited wants. Clearly, the resources are not limited here, so it is a whole new ballgame.
GO MICROSOFT! and everyone stop picking on them. (although this technique will expire in a month, when everyone decides to jump on MS again...)
Is it me, or did someone just find a great way to get free advertising on /. ?
(i.e., say you don't like a product (yours), and provide a link - someone out there will like it!)
I think that it would be interesting to see how a show like this would be received in the US. In any case, the responce to this satire certinly justified its existance.
The real question is: who is manipulating the public's fear so as to create this fear of pedophilia, and what is their goal for doing so?
Well, then I gues this story is a duplicate post
Prehaps a somwhat better question would be how much error is allowed before a product demo is considered a flop, rather than simply new and buggy. Remember Steve Job's recent demonstration of the Mac OS X dvd player, which quit the first time he opened it, and worked the second time. He got his point across, while at the same time reminding people why the software hadn't been released yet. Prehaps it would simply be easier to record the presentation before and, and 'mouse sync' to a video re-broadcast of it, with mistakes edited out, of course
When will virus/worm authors learn that publicitiy (at least initially) is their ENEMY? That is, if everyone knows that a virus/worm/whatever is about to strike, they will prepare for it! (That is to discount the "is whitehouse.gov down yet? better check" effect...) Now, when a virus comes around which isn't publisized, or acts too quickly to be publisized, there will be a problem. Plus, the virus author will then get his "recognition" (although not as much as respect as someone who emerged as a hero preventing a much-hyped virus, but anyway)
This doesn't seem to have been mentioned yet, but what about looking into a canidates background? Would criminal activity play any role in your decision (obviously not a pot arrest, but how aboud a hacking conviction? What about embezelment?)? Would you consider a criminal background check? What about drug tests?
Hey ! Why didn't you post news that NBC's "Passions" soap also confirmed another season. No doubt that show is better... oh wait, that's right. Never mind.
Also, there is a huge IE (induced error) in the alititude signal; the DOD removed it recently from the lat-long position, but it remains in the altitude. For example, sitting at my desk, with 9 sats, my GPS shows an alitute of -32 feet...
The market for internet assess (dialup... cable /DSL is a whole different game)is very close to the microeconomic concept of 'pure competition;' that is, there are few barriers to entry, little product discrimination, and many sellers. Because of this, it is impossible for an ISP to earn anything other than zero economic profits (basically, the value of what you would have made if you had invested the money in the bank) in the long run. The exceptions to this are when there is product differentiation (read: good service, shell accounts, etc) or geographic factors (the only ISP in town...) the consumer benefits from this, as costs of production are minimized. on the other hand, few producers are interested in normal economic profits
The Supreme Court has held that the 14th ammendment does in fact apply the 1st ammendment to states ( in fact, every ammendment except the one assuring jury trial in any civil matter over $25). Because people are required to go to school, if a public school makes a requirment, it is the same as a state legislature making that requirment - if people don't follow it, they can't go to school, and therefore break the law.
The real question is whether or not they will suspend use of the box during the investigation- otherwise they can just milk this thing for as long as they want and keep using the system, or switch to a different method that is equally invasive...
"... their cut iMacs" You aparently don't seem to be able to use your keyboard very well, so a two button mouse is out of the question...
He has a damn nice boat. That's good enough for me.