Because people act based on those bits, just like they act based on stories in newspapers or word of mouth.
It gives power to the powerless.
In theory, a good thing; except that history teaches us how the powerless are unable to assume the responsibilities of power, and so the most promising revolutions turn into the Guillotine Terror, shooting the Romanov children, Pol Pot, etc.
Transitioning from hardware/software company to software company making products for former competitor's hardware is at least a business plan, which is more than RIM has had for years.
The check on a democratically-elected government to stop them from doing silly things is for the people to find out about it and vote the fuckers out.
Nice idea. But democracies specialize in creating majorities with different (divergent) interests, and thus no consensus on any single issue, which means that (a) issues fights are perpetual and (b) there's less actual oversight of government.
Known Communist Cory Doctorow, who has spent most of his life misleading people about the threats they face and been proven wrong almost every time, now channels Ron Paul and tells us the markets prevent evils.
...is the attitude of the developers, the people on the mailing lists, and anyone else who interacts with new users.
You're outright hostile and condescending. There's no call for that, no matter how elite you are. Many of the people you're being condescending to are far more elite than you, but in other fields.
I used to lobby hard for BSD. Now, after getting completely embarrassed by the hostile and sociopathic response of the developers when people I've sent over have needed legitimate help, I'm simply recommending Linux or Windows.
The luxury drink in questionâ"Kopi Luwakâ"is produced from coffee beans pooped out by the palm civet, a time-consuming process that helps contribute to the beverage's price tag of between $330 to $500 per kilogram.
I have a word for this fetishistic novelty which is pursued for the sheer purpose of displaying wealth:
Decadence.
With it comes the downfall of empires. Don't adjust your set!
Society was happier when people were focused on family and behaved in a (relatively) chaste manner.
Part of maintaining that structure requires a clear sexual values system, including a sense of what is normal.
When we go pluralistic, or make "anything goes" the new normal, this traditional order is threatened.
While I will never support the persecution of someone for being quietly gay, I think a lot of the excesses of that time were designed to counter-act the rising sexual liberation movement.
All technology is used by those who are in power, or want power.
That surveillance is one of those powers isn't particularly new. People had networks of spies in ancient times.
The real question is the people in power. They will have this power, and they will use it; toward what end? And, what is their level of moral rectitude?
I don't think we can use rules, laws and regulations to keep them in line. They need to be good people.
There are some truths about reality that offend our sense of personal importance.
1. World peace can't be done. There will always be irrational people, and you must oppose them with force.
2. Pluralism doesn't work. Society only functions when there's a single standard of values and thus behavior.
3. Diversity doesn't work (corollary to point #2). The happiest societies are unified in values, heritage, culture, language and basic philosophy.
4. Group delusion is normal. A large group of people will settle on not only a lowest common denominator but on a wishful thinking illusion.
5. We are not all equal. Some are better at others than certain things and deserve more power.
There are more, but these are some starter heresies for our modern time. Our society is as controlled as the Soviets, as lynch mobby as the Salem witch-burning days, and as closed-minded as the toughest religious fanatics.
He betrayed the USA for supposedly lofty goals, but now he's hanging out with our enemies and leaking secrets totally unrelated to his "whistleblower" mission.
Over the last week, he's started to look less like white knight and more like garden variety traitor.
Slashdot Mirror
It always has been, which is why the articles lauding it are from people outside Houston.
They have lots of toys, because they've got the right donors.
But there's not any real spirit other than to emulate what's been in Make magazine.
I need the military.
The rest of government appears to be do-gooder Marxist social programs parasitically piggybacked onto what were originally good ideas.
Let local communities do those now. Cut taxes, cut government, and get us back to Wild West America; it worked better.
You need technology to free up more of your time so you can spend it with him.
Perhaps automation can help?
Comments on the internet are a false reality.
That's why people are drawn to them.
No power? You can be a hero in this new world.
Even if it's all bits on a screen.
Because people act based on those bits, just like they act based on stories in newspapers or word of mouth.
It gives power to the powerless.
In theory, a good thing; except that history teaches us how the powerless are unable to assume the responsibilities of power, and so the most promising revolutions turn into the Guillotine Terror, shooting the Romanov children, Pol Pot, etc.
Transitioning from hardware/software company to software company making products for former competitor's hardware is at least a business plan, which is more than RIM has had for years.
The modern time is an abomination because economics runs our lives.
Since that's the case, it's prudent to think economically and to never rely on only a couple industries in a town.
If your employment opportunities are (1) nuclear plant or (2) "fishing, I guess" then you're in for a rough ride if either of those shits the bed.
And since economies are both cyclic and random, expect that to happen.
Nice idea. But democracies specialize in creating majorities with different (divergent) interests, and thus no consensus on any single issue, which means that (a) issues fights are perpetual and (b) there's less actual oversight of government.
Here's the deal:
Either you go along with our investigation, and hand over all your data on everyone, or we investigate you.
We'll come in, confiscate a few vital servers, demand all your documents, interview all your staff.
This will shut down your business and cost you tens of thousands of dollars or more, but that's not our concern.
So which do you want -- rat out your customers, or get shut down?
Sincerely,
The Government
I don't know why everyone's freaked out by a silly little murder.
For dreaming up the project and executing it. Everyone else is a follower, no matter how valuable their contributions are.
The point behind climate change was that it justified wealth transfer through carbon caps.
It advanced a political agenda, not a scientific one.
As a result, it had huge support from people invested in that political agenda, and they created a media blitz.
As the hype fades, reality returns slowly.
Known Communist Cory Doctorow, who has spent most of his life misleading people about the threats they face and been proven wrong almost every time, now channels Ron Paul and tells us the markets prevent evils.
Yep, credible.
...is the attitude of the developers, the people on the mailing lists, and anyone else who interacts with new users.
You're outright hostile and condescending. There's no call for that, no matter how elite you are. Many of the people you're being condescending to are far more elite than you, but in other fields.
I used to lobby hard for BSD. Now, after getting completely embarrassed by the hostile and sociopathic response of the developers when people I've sent over have needed legitimate help, I'm simply recommending Linux or Windows.
Lobby your representatives to make them legal in your state.
Way to give those of us who don't own devices made by an ambisexual company the finger, guys.
Thanks Obama!
How soon before we can send the rest of them?
I have a word for this fetishistic novelty which is pursued for the sheer purpose of displaying wealth:
Decadence.
With it comes the downfall of empires. Don't adjust your set!
Society was happier when people were focused on family and behaved in a (relatively) chaste manner.
Part of maintaining that structure requires a clear sexual values system, including a sense of what is normal.
When we go pluralistic, or make "anything goes" the new normal, this traditional order is threatened.
While I will never support the persecution of someone for being quietly gay, I think a lot of the excesses of that time were designed to counter-act the rising sexual liberation movement.
Mars was once a thriving world.
Its citizens became decadent, and they turned their technology on each other in a final war.
A few brave ones came to earth and made it resemble their erstwhile home, which they could observe through telescopes in its final nuclear holocaust.
All technology is used by those who are in power, or want power.
That surveillance is one of those powers isn't particularly new. People had networks of spies in ancient times.
The real question is the people in power. They will have this power, and they will use it; toward what end? And, what is their level of moral rectitude?
I don't think we can use rules, laws and regulations to keep them in line. They need to be good people.
When being nice becomes more important than being right, reality is optional.
When having everyone get along is more important than promoting the best and booting the worst, expect a loss of quality spiraling out of control.
There are some truths about reality that offend our sense of personal importance.
1. World peace can't be done. There will always be irrational people, and you must oppose them with force.
2. Pluralism doesn't work. Society only functions when there's a single standard of values and thus behavior.
3. Diversity doesn't work (corollary to point #2). The happiest societies are unified in values, heritage, culture, language and basic philosophy.
4. Group delusion is normal. A large group of people will settle on not only a lowest common denominator but on a wishful thinking illusion.
5. We are not all equal. Some are better at others than certain things and deserve more power.
There are more, but these are some starter heresies for our modern time. Our society is as controlled as the Soviets, as lynch mobby as the Salem witch-burning days, and as closed-minded as the toughest religious fanatics.
We're just doing it in subtler ways.
You know what's valuable now?
The best kind of fake ID -- someone's eyeball, removed.
"It's him, we've got the iris scan... it does look a little dead... oh well, ring him in just in case."
Snowden? I thought his name was Kim Philby.
He betrayed the USA for supposedly lofty goals, but now he's hanging out with our enemies and leaking secrets totally unrelated to his "whistleblower" mission.
Over the last week, he's started to look less like white knight and more like garden variety traitor.
No one's going to blink when Obama drones him.