Hehe, yes, you are entirely correct. Not only that, but the control statements practically require gotos, the syntax is brain numbing, and the library functions are pretty basic. It's really capable of little more than scripting the lovable black box, which is enough to do most any single variable calculus (ignoring the assembly that can be done via link to a PC).
Don't forget what this could mean to future students. When I was in high school, I was busy programming my TI-85 to double check all of my 1 variable integral calculus, but I didn't have any idea what the difference between a deep and shallow copy of data was. If I had access to college level materials, I could have had a substantial head start, all in my spare time, all due to my personal enthusiasm for the material.
And while it certainly wouldn't be an unbreakable rule, if I found Local State U's online material valuable while I was in high school, chances are really good that I would apply there for undergraduate school. That's exactly the type of applicant a CS department wants - self directed, motivated, with a head start, and ready to hit the ground running.
While none of that is a 1. 2. 3. plan for profit, there are other vital stats that can benefit a school, such as word of mouth and/or internet reputation. Sure, they might lose some revenue by publishing this stuff, but if everyone knows that UofQ has the best online computer science resources, they'll probably draw a better class of undergrad applicants in the process.
In all, this stuff strikes me as VERY forward thinking. Of course, it might flop, backfire, or crash & burn, but we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, I think this will be substantially advantageous for the schools that participate. (MIT really doesn't need to boost its glory, methinks, but it is a great project for them to pioneer. The bulk of the advantage will probably go to lesser reknowned schools.)
If you reread my post, you'll find the cryptic symbols of the Roman alphabet congeal into the phrase, "I'm fully aware that this does not represent the economics of bundled OSs..." What this codified cypher could possibly mean is anyone's guess, but I'll wager that someone will take the time to quote myself to me and re-explain again what I meant. Fantastic.
Inventory: 1 point, missed. Regurgitated:
Average user buys a box with a CPU and a hard drive in it. "Woodjah lookit thar, it gots Windows inside it!" That is, to the average user, an essentially free perk. They are not aware of how many dollars are spent on the OS, and it is not possible to buy the box from a major name vendor without buying the OS. This is the very plainly stated basis of my claim that Microsoft has been essentially giving away the OS to the average users, with the caveat that the economics are something quite different. Now that I have digested my original point, I'll add that I barely skimmed what you had to say since it was, by and large, completely irrelevent to my comment.
Did you think I would be surprised to find out that a Microsoft OS actually costs money? Gosh, what's next, corporations really don't have my best interest in mind? DOH!
I'm fully aware that this does not actually represent the economics of bundled OSs, but this is definitely the perception to the end user. Besides, if it is impossible to buy a laptop without a copy of Windows, we might as well count it as a hardware expense anyway.
I buried that secret deep within the middle of my post. Guess you didn't find it.
Except that Microsoft has, for all intents and purposes, given away its operating system to everyone who bought a brand name computer in the last 10 years. For new computer buyers, this is a net change of essentially zero.
It does mean that those who bought computers three years ago could get the latest software from Microsoft for free... and let it whip their three-year-old computer into a frothing frenzy of unimpressive performance. This is why so very few people actually buy a complete version or an update of an operating system. The prerequisites typically require new hardware which has for many years come with a free copy of the operating system.
I'm fully aware that this does not actually represent the economics of bundled OSs, but this is definitely the perception to the end user. Besides, if it is impossible to buy a laptop without a copy of Windows, we might as well count it as a hardware expense anyway.
Giving away their OS would be a great way for Microsoft to drum up interest in hardware upgrades. It certainly isn't a huge change from their current marketing strategy.
Oh, and by the way, bundling Windows with every laptop and virtually every desktop sold in the last 10 years has not been very effective at squashing Linux in the home. If they give away their OS in a cardboard box rather than a steel box it won't be any different.
The dictionary says, "1. a group of nations especially in Africa and Asia not aligned with either the Communist or the non-Communist blocs", with definition 3 using the term "underdeveloped nation".
This site about the Fourth World says, "The states not aligned with either bloc of geopolitical power [Euro-American vs. communist-socialist states] were regarded as the 'Third World.'".
To be honest, I was unaware that the "underdeveloped nation" definition was correct in any way.
The dictionary says, "1. a group of nations especially in Africa and Asia not aligned with either the Communist or the non-Communist blocs", with definition 3 using the term "underdeveloped nation".
This site about the Fourth World says, "The states not aligned with either bloc of geopolitical power [Euro-American vs. communist-socialist states] were regarded as the 'Third World.'".
To be honest, I was unaware that the "underdeveloped nation" definition was correct in any way.
So how many people in Panama are getting their internet service through their local digital cable providers? It just seems to me that the internet service is most likely coming through the POTS anyway, resold through ISPs or not. This sounds like a prime opportunity for the telephone system to adapt.
The Panamaniam government can do what it pleases, I suppose, but the further they drift from a market economy the sooner they will be fighting inefficiency and lag behind more competitive economies. What incentive would the phone company have to become more profitable? They fix their competition through legislation anyway. How are the communication needs of Panamanian citizens going to be met by such an organization? Need a phone line run to a new house? Screw off. They can't lose you to a competitor, so they'll take their sweet time waiting until it is least inconvenient for them to meet your needs. That doesn't sound like a golden era of humanitarian progress to me.
Third world means independent from both American and Soviet dominance, just FYI. It is perfectly acceptable for the richest country in the world to be a third world nation. Switzerland, in fact, with its strict policy of neutrality, may be a third world nation.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention stuff like Kalendar and Kalculator. Call my insane, but if I'm searching for a Calculator, I'm looking under C. What need is served by gimmicking it up with a K?
Obviously these complaints aren't show stoppers, but this is the type of annoyance, when repeated 500 times for all the Kapplications, that frustrate new users and make them feel like they can't find their new OS's ass with both hands.
Hm, maybe there's a script somewhere that would symlink Crap to Krap through the entire box. I'd donate $1 for that improvement.
I'm not disagreeing with your publicity point, but I really hate the K-naming convention. If I'm looking for some tool that I haven't used before, say I want to find the printer configuration GUI tool for the first time, I have to look for something that starts with a P and something that starts with a KP. Why KP? It's just a gimmick and it hampers my ability to intuitively find what I'm looking for.
It's even worse if I'm hunting for a GUI tool via the command line, since I tend to completely forget that I must always search through Kcrap as well as the old fashioned alphabet. To what ends? A banner waving gimmick that I can surely do without.
I'm not against having some unifying theme to the bread and butter apps, but I hope beyond hope that they will choose a less interfering gimmick in the future. Put the K on the end, perhaps? Is NoteK not Knote, except that I could actually find a simple note-taking text editor under N instead of KN? I don't loathe the gimmick, only that the gimmick is annoying and ever-present.
I run:
450MHz PIII
384M ram
Voodoo3 2000
1 click to open a folder in KDE3
Some programs take some whirring and panting to get started, but it isn't oppressive. Sounds like you have something going seriously wrong on your box, since I have a processor that's almost half as fast as yours, a $5 video card, and apparently 10x the performance you have with the same software. All signs point to -> You've got something screwed up.
I like how Saturn in the image is relatively large and clear, yet the quotes are of the "This is an emotional moment, we now have our destination in our sights." It gives me the impression that for months, mission control was playing Minesweeper or Mah Jong until someone glanced at the monitor, uttered a timeless, "What in da hey?!?!" and there was Saturn filling 30% of the satelite's field of view.
I'm sure it didn't really happen like that, but this would be a funnier account of history, and that's what matters to me.
Congratulations. I wouldn't hire me either. BASED ON A SLASHDOT POST. I also wouldn't take medical advice, legal advice, emergency advice, critical information, trade secrets, or goddamn recipes from a Slashdot post.
I'm left with serious doubts regarding your evaluation skills.
That would be "pity party". No, I don't want you to throw one, thanks for asking. Yes, I have taken time of school to join the people with jobs, cars, and houses. Unfortunately, a BSCS and a BS Mathematics, community service experience (the good kind) teaching computer skills to senior citizens, working as a TA, and 4 years of self-managing software development for a GE-owned aircraft component manufacturing facility have not been the polished resume necessary to start a career.
I'm not looking for a dream job here, neither am I looking for a hand out. Scared to fly or lazy? That's your opinion, and I'd never deprive you of it no matter how poorly written. In the meantime, I'll deal with the reality of the job market by pursuing my best opportunities. Currently that would be a graduate degree.
Do you think there is space in the computer science industry for every entry-level applicant to have a graduate degree? I don't think so, yet that is where we seem to be headed. That is a conflict, and from that I predict there will be a change. Seems simple enough to me, but afterall, I only drive a Ford Escort.
The trouble I have with the response about "If they had these earthshattering documents, wouldn't their faith be challenged?" does imply a certain level of faith and good will by the people involved. I'm not trying to troll or be a jerk, just pointing out that I might not agree with that assessment of the higher-ups, therefore I would expect that they disregard the "earthshattering" documents as quickly as (I perceive) they disregard the message of God. I repeat that I'm not trying to be a jerk, though it must be tough to see, eh?
I find it tough to accept when people say that one "can't take the history of the Church and use it to condemn the contemporary Catholic Church," yet at the same time, the whole reason for its existence, authority, reverence, and influence is its history. Without even examining the merit of either side of this issue, that so many people insist on (what seems to me to be) an idiosyncratic rational (doublespeak, if you will) is terrifying. It strikes me as the type of "Work makes Freedom" or "War Is Peace" type of philosophy. "Ignore History While Preserving It", if you will.
And to be honest, it is comforting that documents by Martin Luther will be published, but we all know that there have been crates of literature critical of the Church produced through the years. When the Shah of Iran put a death sentence on Salmon Rushdie, the world took notice - he wasn't some third-tier hack slinging mud, his book was important enough to earn a death sentence, so there MUST be some substance to it. (I haven't read it, however.) By the same token, when the Vatican chooses to keep concealed what could be the only existing copies of scathingly critical literature, it implies that there is substance to them. And further, if we can't trust an organization that supposes to be the one true path to God to be fully open and humble before the world, then what? Not that I'm surprised by that (considering what has been called my "Catholic conspiracy theories") but still the honey-tongued-cloaked-dagger impression this gives me is horrible.
Not to ramble or anything, but I do look forward to the Vatican Library Online, in whole or in part. To all those people who hope for full disclosure, I wouldn't expect it at all.
Yeah, it's a funny comment and all, but it's almost like making jokes about battered wives. Well, not nearly the same, but we ARE talking about the professional futures of many people. You better believe that I would have NEVER considered a degree in computer science if I didn't simultaneously get a degree in something else for specifically the reasons he mentioned.
I'm also a talented musician who could probably scrape by professionally and (when I'm not rambling on at Slashdot) a skillful writer who (with some additional education and breaking the habit of superfluous parenthesis) could probably make a living with that. You better believe that had I not been blessed with these tertiary abilities, I would have NEVER invested the time and money into getting a computer science education.
It's just lunacy for young people to get a BSCS and think they've got it made. A BS is NOT enough to start a career these days. The industry is NOT stable enough to ensure 30 years of employment for your career. The starting wages do NOT always justify a PhD.
A serious change is coming. Whether that means opportunities will open up for BS graduates, or wages will increase to justify PhDs, or the jobs will be sent overseas I couldn't say.
At any rate, it spells very troubling times for your CS kids. It feels like I'm living through an economic catastrophe while people 10+ years older (with ample experience) are buying new cars at 0% APR and mortages with historically low interest rates. I can't even afford new tires for my 93 Ford Escort. It's not funny to me. If not for the opportunity of higher education in the States, I would without a doubt either emmigrate to another country or find an entirely different field. Happy times, happy times.
In your opinion, should I expect to find the known-to-exist-but-tightly-guarded material regarding Hitler's final solution online? Should I expect to see everything the Vatican has about the Dead Sea Scrolls online?
I'm not trying to troll, but seriously asking for you opinion about these. It's my hypothesis that both of these documents would cause quite an outrage, loss of favor, and a serious cut in revenue for Catholic Churches around the world. I suspect that would be reason enough to keep them concealed. I think that this would be precisely the reason to publish them if The Powers That Be in the Church felt that theirs was the true way to God; a "trust in Him and be humble and glory will be yours" type of thing. Turn the other cheek, let down your guard, and God will deliver victory because Catholicism is the way to Him.
But I think that's pretty unlikely. I will be mightily impressed if the Vatican DOES fully disclose all of these secrets. What do you think? What is the Church about and why do you think they will publish everything?
Thanks for your response. I don't fault the majority of the individuals of the faith, but only those involved in its power system and hierarchy. I certainly don't believe that the self-sacrificing missionaries and other virtuous saints are guilty of the same offenses as the upper echelons.
That said, I'm not searching for anything spiritual and it is truly inconceivable that Catholicism is The Answer for me (or anyone, but that's just my opinion;) I won't be surprised when the online Vatican library is not comprehensive and suppose I was a bit too opinionated in saying so.
Sure, it incites people, but is it incorrect? Is it truly beneficial that for centuries people followed a faith with religious ceremonies they could not understand? Were they really doing Jesus' will when Constantinople was sacked for the profit of the Vatican? Does that incite people because it is true or because it is slander?
I'm not sure what this 'Catholic conspiracy' thing is... Is that like an 'enemies are bad' conspiracy? I never intended to 'let anyone in on it', but to point out that it is hardly going to be a surprise when the Vatican omits large portions of their library from public view. I mean, let's be honest, inciteful or not, the Catholic Church is simply NOT an organization known for being open about themselves. There is a well established history of concealing their documents and actions. Does that incite you? It certainly should not, since it ought to be very common knowledge at this point.
As for things to contribute to the conversation, I've already shared my expectations with regards to the publication of materials critical of or harmful to the Church. It won't happen. That's a type of transparency and accountability which goes against hundreds of years of Vatican policy. That much is fact. If that is inciteful, the fault is not with me. If I'm modded down for pointing out these facts, it only serves to justify my criticisms, specifically that the Catholic Church has no excuse for itself and must therefore silence criticism rather than address it.
And by the way, I'm not atheist and not a follower of some trendy-flavor-of-the-week-fringe religion. I am religious, I do believe in the God of Abraham, but am certainly not a fan of Catholicism.
Well what did you expect? It's an entire heirarchy built around the practice of duping people into coughing up cash for rewards in a future life. It's not like Catholicism even does a whole lot to improve the quality of life before you die; many Catholics consider their religion to be a burdern, not to mention the scandals and impropriety.
And the cathedrals! Catholicism is the first multinational corporation dedicated to its self preservation and profit. It existed for how many centuries before the people even understood a single word of mass? The cathedrals are castles that were funded by the faithful who really had no clue what their faith was. The crusades were financial ventures, that much is common knowledge.
I'll most likely be modded as flame bait, but that would really only prove my point. There has never been any type of openness or disclosure about what the Catholic church is up to, and for a very good reason. It siphons money from believers in order to fortify its position and find a reason to exist. So they'll publish their library, so what? This certainly won't be the dawning of a new age of responsibility, accountability, righteous ethics, or social service in the Church.
So, anyhow, the moderators can prove me right by marking this as flamebait. If I were wrong, there would be more than enough people to explain why I'm mistaken and stupid, but barring that unlikely scenario, mod me to -1 so nobody gets the sniffles or sheds a tear.
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And while it certainly wouldn't be an unbreakable rule, if I found Local State U's online material valuable while I was in high school, chances are really good that I would apply there for undergraduate school. That's exactly the type of applicant a CS department wants - self directed, motivated, with a head start, and ready to hit the ground running.
While none of that is a 1. 2. 3. plan for profit, there are other vital stats that can benefit a school, such as word of mouth and/or internet reputation. Sure, they might lose some revenue by publishing this stuff, but if everyone knows that UofQ has the best online computer science resources, they'll probably draw a better class of undergrad applicants in the process.
In all, this stuff strikes me as VERY forward thinking. Of course, it might flop, backfire, or crash & burn, but we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, I think this will be substantially advantageous for the schools that participate. (MIT really doesn't need to boost its glory, methinks, but it is a great project for them to pioneer. The bulk of the advantage will probably go to lesser reknowned schools.)
"To anonymously vouch or not to anonymously vouch, the value of this is in question."
Inventory: 1 point, missed. Regurgitated:
Average user buys a box with a CPU and a hard drive in it. "Woodjah lookit thar, it gots Windows inside it!" That is, to the average user, an essentially free perk. They are not aware of how many dollars are spent on the OS, and it is not possible to buy the box from a major name vendor without buying the OS. This is the very plainly stated basis of my claim that Microsoft has been essentially giving away the OS to the average users, with the caveat that the economics are something quite different. Now that I have digested my original point, I'll add that I barely skimmed what you had to say since it was, by and large, completely irrelevent to my comment.
Did you think I would be surprised to find out that a Microsoft OS actually costs money? Gosh, what's next, corporations really don't have my best interest in mind? DOH!
I buried that secret deep within the middle of my post. Guess you didn't find it.
It does mean that those who bought computers three years ago could get the latest software from Microsoft for free... and let it whip their three-year-old computer into a frothing frenzy of unimpressive performance. This is why so very few people actually buy a complete version or an update of an operating system. The prerequisites typically require new hardware which has for many years come with a free copy of the operating system.
I'm fully aware that this does not actually represent the economics of bundled OSs, but this is definitely the perception to the end user. Besides, if it is impossible to buy a laptop without a copy of Windows, we might as well count it as a hardware expense anyway.
Giving away their OS would be a great way for Microsoft to drum up interest in hardware upgrades. It certainly isn't a huge change from their current marketing strategy.
Oh, and by the way, bundling Windows with every laptop and virtually every desktop sold in the last 10 years has not been very effective at squashing Linux in the home. If they give away their OS in a cardboard box rather than a steel box it won't be any different.
This site about the Fourth World says, "The states not aligned with either bloc of geopolitical power [Euro-American vs. communist-socialist states] were regarded as the 'Third World.'".
To be honest, I was unaware that the "underdeveloped nation" definition was correct in any way.
This site about the Fourth World says, "The states not aligned with either bloc of geopolitical power [Euro-American vs. communist-socialist states] were regarded as the 'Third World.'".
To be honest, I was unaware that the "underdeveloped nation" definition was correct in any way.
The Panamaniam government can do what it pleases, I suppose, but the further they drift from a market economy the sooner they will be fighting inefficiency and lag behind more competitive economies. What incentive would the phone company have to become more profitable? They fix their competition through legislation anyway. How are the communication needs of Panamanian citizens going to be met by such an organization? Need a phone line run to a new house? Screw off. They can't lose you to a competitor, so they'll take their sweet time waiting until it is least inconvenient for them to meet your needs. That doesn't sound like a golden era of humanitarian progress to me.
Third world means independent from both American and Soviet dominance, just FYI. It is perfectly acceptable for the richest country in the world to be a third world nation. Switzerland, in fact, with its strict policy of neutrality, may be a third world nation.
Obviously these complaints aren't show stoppers, but this is the type of annoyance, when repeated 500 times for all the Kapplications, that frustrate new users and make them feel like they can't find their new OS's ass with both hands.
Hm, maybe there's a script somewhere that would symlink Crap to Krap through the entire box. I'd donate $1 for that improvement.
It's even worse if I'm hunting for a GUI tool via the command line, since I tend to completely forget that I must always search through Kcrap as well as the old fashioned alphabet. To what ends? A banner waving gimmick that I can surely do without.
I'm not against having some unifying theme to the bread and butter apps, but I hope beyond hope that they will choose a less interfering gimmick in the future. Put the K on the end, perhaps? Is NoteK not Knote, except that I could actually find a simple note-taking text editor under N instead of KN? I don't loathe the gimmick, only that the gimmick is annoying and ever-present.
I run:
450MHz PIII
384M ram
Voodoo3 2000
1 click to open a folder in KDE3
Some programs take some whirring and panting to get started, but it isn't oppressive. Sounds like you have something going seriously wrong on your box, since I have a processor that's almost half as fast as yours, a $5 video card, and apparently 10x the performance you have with the same software. All signs point to -> You've got something screwed up.
I think programmers should submit all legal correspondence in either assembly, Perl, or Lisp.
I'm sure it didn't really happen like that, but this would be a funnier account of history, and that's what matters to me.
It's humor, so don't choke.
I'm left with serious doubts regarding your evaluation skills.
I'm not looking for a dream job here, neither am I looking for a hand out. Scared to fly or lazy? That's your opinion, and I'd never deprive you of it no matter how poorly written. In the meantime, I'll deal with the reality of the job market by pursuing my best opportunities. Currently that would be a graduate degree.
Do you think there is space in the computer science industry for every entry-level applicant to have a graduate degree? I don't think so, yet that is where we seem to be headed. That is a conflict, and from that I predict there will be a change. Seems simple enough to me, but afterall, I only drive a Ford Escort.
Thanks for my time.
The trouble I have with the response about "If they had these earthshattering documents, wouldn't their faith be challenged?" does imply a certain level of faith and good will by the people involved. I'm not trying to troll or be a jerk, just pointing out that I might not agree with that assessment of the higher-ups, therefore I would expect that they disregard the "earthshattering" documents as quickly as (I perceive) they disregard the message of God. I repeat that I'm not trying to be a jerk, though it must be tough to see, eh?
I find it tough to accept when people say that one "can't take the history of the Church and use it to condemn the contemporary Catholic Church," yet at the same time, the whole reason for its existence, authority, reverence, and influence is its history. Without even examining the merit of either side of this issue, that so many people insist on (what seems to me to be) an idiosyncratic rational (doublespeak, if you will) is terrifying. It strikes me as the type of "Work makes Freedom" or "War Is Peace" type of philosophy. "Ignore History While Preserving It", if you will.
And to be honest, it is comforting that documents by Martin Luther will be published, but we all know that there have been crates of literature critical of the Church produced through the years. When the Shah of Iran put a death sentence on Salmon Rushdie, the world took notice - he wasn't some third-tier hack slinging mud, his book was important enough to earn a death sentence, so there MUST be some substance to it. (I haven't read it, however.) By the same token, when the Vatican chooses to keep concealed what could be the only existing copies of scathingly critical literature, it implies that there is substance to them. And further, if we can't trust an organization that supposes to be the one true path to God to be fully open and humble before the world, then what? Not that I'm surprised by that (considering what has been called my "Catholic conspiracy theories") but still the honey-tongued-cloaked-dagger impression this gives me is horrible.
Not to ramble or anything, but I do look forward to the Vatican Library Online, in whole or in part. To all those people who hope for full disclosure, I wouldn't expect it at all.
I'm also a talented musician who could probably scrape by professionally and (when I'm not rambling on at Slashdot) a skillful writer who (with some additional education and breaking the habit of superfluous parenthesis) could probably make a living with that. You better believe that had I not been blessed with these tertiary abilities, I would have NEVER invested the time and money into getting a computer science education.
It's just lunacy for young people to get a BSCS and think they've got it made. A BS is NOT enough to start a career these days. The industry is NOT stable enough to ensure 30 years of employment for your career. The starting wages do NOT always justify a PhD.
A serious change is coming. Whether that means opportunities will open up for BS graduates, or wages will increase to justify PhDs, or the jobs will be sent overseas I couldn't say.
At any rate, it spells very troubling times for your CS kids. It feels like I'm living through an economic catastrophe while people 10+ years older (with ample experience) are buying new cars at 0% APR and mortages with historically low interest rates. I can't even afford new tires for my 93 Ford Escort. It's not funny to me. If not for the opportunity of higher education in the States, I would without a doubt either emmigrate to another country or find an entirely different field. Happy times, happy times.
What, then, is the Church about?
In your opinion, should I expect to find the known-to-exist-but-tightly-guarded material regarding Hitler's final solution online? Should I expect to see everything the Vatican has about the Dead Sea Scrolls online?
I'm not trying to troll, but seriously asking for you opinion about these. It's my hypothesis that both of these documents would cause quite an outrage, loss of favor, and a serious cut in revenue for Catholic Churches around the world. I suspect that would be reason enough to keep them concealed. I think that this would be precisely the reason to publish them if The Powers That Be in the Church felt that theirs was the true way to God; a "trust in Him and be humble and glory will be yours" type of thing. Turn the other cheek, let down your guard, and God will deliver victory because Catholicism is the way to Him.
But I think that's pretty unlikely. I will be mightily impressed if the Vatican DOES fully disclose all of these secrets. What do you think? What is the Church about and why do you think they will publish everything?
That said, I'm not searching for anything spiritual and it is truly inconceivable that Catholicism is The Answer for me (or anyone, but that's just my opinion ;) I won't be surprised when the online Vatican library is not comprehensive and suppose I was a bit too opinionated in saying so.
I'm not sure what this 'Catholic conspiracy' thing is... Is that like an 'enemies are bad' conspiracy? I never intended to 'let anyone in on it', but to point out that it is hardly going to be a surprise when the Vatican omits large portions of their library from public view. I mean, let's be honest, inciteful or not, the Catholic Church is simply NOT an organization known for being open about themselves. There is a well established history of concealing their documents and actions. Does that incite you? It certainly should not, since it ought to be very common knowledge at this point.
As for things to contribute to the conversation, I've already shared my expectations with regards to the publication of materials critical of or harmful to the Church. It won't happen. That's a type of transparency and accountability which goes against hundreds of years of Vatican policy. That much is fact. If that is inciteful, the fault is not with me. If I'm modded down for pointing out these facts, it only serves to justify my criticisms, specifically that the Catholic Church has no excuse for itself and must therefore silence criticism rather than address it.
Thanks for the response.
And by the way, I'm not atheist and not a follower of some trendy-flavor-of-the-week-fringe religion. I am religious, I do believe in the God of Abraham, but am certainly not a fan of Catholicism.
And the cathedrals! Catholicism is the first multinational corporation dedicated to its self preservation and profit. It existed for how many centuries before the people even understood a single word of mass? The cathedrals are castles that were funded by the faithful who really had no clue what their faith was. The crusades were financial ventures, that much is common knowledge.
I'll most likely be modded as flame bait, but that would really only prove my point. There has never been any type of openness or disclosure about what the Catholic church is up to, and for a very good reason. It siphons money from believers in order to fortify its position and find a reason to exist. So they'll publish their library, so what? This certainly won't be the dawning of a new age of responsibility, accountability, righteous ethics, or social service in the Church.
So, anyhow, the moderators can prove me right by marking this as flamebait. If I were wrong, there would be more than enough people to explain why I'm mistaken and stupid, but barring that unlikely scenario, mod me to -1 so nobody gets the sniffles or sheds a tear.