Pariser assumes that the human race is mostly comprised of truly open-minded freethinkers who not only don't mind having their current views - theories? - challenged, they actually relish it on occasion. Sound familiar? Kinda like the Scientific Method?
Pariser is being humorously optimistic. Most people are not like this, for precisely the same reasons that we have political parties and most people aren't scientists practicing the Method every day. Most people WANT what such filter bubbles would give them; they don't want to be challenged. Most people are not open-minded, even as they doggedly insist they are. They are close-minded, dogmatic, and self-delusional... and they LIKE it that way.
As for those in the minority who do admire the Method and are actually freethinking, they are perfectly equipped to get the opposing, contradictory, unexpected viewpoints themselves. They don't need Pariser or anyone else to use threat of force to compel Google or Facebook to hand it to them on a platter.
No, I don't really want to reward his behavior either. I'm just bitter that The System left me and others to fend for ourselves when we couldn't and then 'overreacts' to something less damaging.
I endured worse than what this kid is described as doing from more than a score of kids on a daily basis, and NO ONE in the school district rushed to my defense like this. Not a single one of my tormentors was ever arrested, suspended, or even disciplined.
I wonder: if this had been a GIRL shopping such a list about boys, would we have even had a Slashdot article to read about it? Would we even if it had been a boy with a list tormenting other BOYS?
Intent has made all the difference in courts for a long time. In a murder trial, if they can prove intent - premeditation - then they pursue a conviction for a more severe charge. In this case the intent itself would be the crime, I guess.
The easiest solution to what Lodsys is doing is to outlaw the sale or transfer of patents. Make the grants non-transferable. Patents should not be that much of a commodity, if we allow patents at all.
They and GPG might have had another big money-maker with Supreme Commander 2, but they went overboard trying to solve the resource demands in big (skirmish) games (the TA-SC games are CPU-intensive). It wound up oversimplified to an embarrassing degree relative to its predecessors, to the point where many gamers loyal to the TA-SC franchise just didn't want to play it and stuck with Supreme Commander (I) and SC:Forged Alliance instead, in spite of the aforementioned demands. I learned to change my expectations and enjoy it, but it earned a lot of negative karma for what was done. I don't know whether it was Square Enix or GPG making those design choices, but it cost them.
It was obvious that Comcast wasn't actually causing the problem, so this is a clear PR win for Comcast. Here they are being the white knights and saving TPB from obscurity.
BTW, you seem to be living here if not a native, so they're YOUR sociopathic overlords, too. I'm just sayin', ya know, 'cause where revolutions are concerned the more the merrier and we sha'n't be picky about who wants to join us with pitchforks.
Frankly we need to adopt some new criteria that prevent these pre-meditated unethical people from ever getting into elected or appointed positions in the first place. If not the equivalent of Minority Report tech, then at least a battery of old-fashioned lie detector tests....
Google can do this and get away with it because it has better lawyers and more influential friends than you do. Every other not-so-non-evil entity that wishes it, too, could simply ignore open source licenses will be watching and quietly cheering Google on from the sidelines.
It's a sad testimonial to the lopsided state of our nation's political system when we need non-compete clauses for elected and appointed officials to prevent them from leaping to the Dark Side immediately after their terms end.
You say that as if we don't already need more arable land than we have. Did you not see the news just today that climate change is already causing global crop yield loses equivalent to the cropland of an entire country (e.g. France)? Are you not aware that global population growth is nowhere near even stagnating?
That 1200 acres makes more of a difference than you think, though 25-100 years from now they won't be able to grow the same crops they do now.
Slashdot Mirror
Pariser assumes that the human race is mostly comprised of truly open-minded freethinkers who not only don't mind having their current views - theories? - challenged, they actually relish it on occasion. Sound familiar? Kinda like the Scientific Method?
Pariser is being humorously optimistic. Most people are not like this, for precisely the same reasons that we have political parties and most people aren't scientists practicing the Method every day. Most people WANT what such filter bubbles would give them; they don't want to be challenged. Most people are not open-minded, even as they doggedly insist they are. They are close-minded, dogmatic, and self-delusional... and they LIKE it that way.
As for those in the minority who do admire the Method and are actually freethinking, they are perfectly equipped to get the opposing, contradictory, unexpected viewpoints themselves. They don't need Pariser or anyone else to use threat of force to compel Google or Facebook to hand it to them on a platter.
I'd like the 24-inch version of this, please.
Thanks for reinforcing an invalid stereotype.
No, I don't really want to reward his behavior either. I'm just bitter that The System left me and others to fend for ourselves when we couldn't and then 'overreacts' to something less damaging.
I endured worse than what this kid is described as doing from more than a score of kids on a daily basis, and NO ONE in the school district rushed to my defense like this. Not a single one of my tormentors was ever arrested, suspended, or even disciplined.
I wonder: if this had been a GIRL shopping such a list about boys, would we have even had a Slashdot article to read about it? Would we even if it had been a boy with a list tormenting other BOYS?
Intent has made all the difference in courts for a long time. In a murder trial, if they can prove intent - premeditation - then they pursue a conviction for a more severe charge. In this case the intent itself would be the crime, I guess.
The easiest solution to what Lodsys is doing is to outlaw the sale or transfer of patents. Make the grants non-transferable. Patents should not be that much of a commodity, if we allow patents at all.
Intent makes all the difference. Regardless, the intent of Lodsys is obvious. Should its exploitation of patents in such a context be allowed at all?
That's a worthy argument. I didn't mention Spring to skip a little confusion.
Well, what are they offering me? Jet engine exhaust? Vaporware?
They and GPG might have had another big money-maker with Supreme Commander 2, but they went overboard trying to solve the resource demands in big (skirmish) games (the TA-SC games are CPU-intensive). It wound up oversimplified to an embarrassing degree relative to its predecessors, to the point where many gamers loyal to the TA-SC franchise just didn't want to play it and stuck with Supreme Commander (I) and SC:Forged Alliance instead, in spite of the aforementioned demands. I learned to change my expectations and enjoy it, but it earned a lot of negative karma for what was done. I don't know whether it was Square Enix or GPG making those design choices, but it cost them.
It was obvious that Comcast wasn't actually causing the problem, so this is a clear PR win for Comcast. Here they are being the white knights and saving TPB from obscurity.
BTW, you seem to be living here if not a native, so they're YOUR sociopathic overlords, too. I'm just sayin', ya know, 'cause where revolutions are concerned the more the merrier and we sha'n't be picky about who wants to join us with pitchforks.
Then I guess we'll finally start the long-overdue rebellion?
So... Minority Report tech, then?
Frankly we need to adopt some new criteria that prevent these pre-meditated unethical people from ever getting into elected or appointed positions in the first place. If not the equivalent of Minority Report tech, then at least a battery of old-fashioned lie detector tests....
No, it wouldn't. Even if it occurred only as a synergistic (/sarcasm) accident, it's still highly unethical.
Google can do this and get away with it because it has better lawyers and more influential friends than you do. Every other not-so-non-evil entity that wishes it, too, could simply ignore open source licenses will be watching and quietly cheering Google on from the sidelines.
It's a sad testimonial to the lopsided state of our nation's political system when we need non-compete clauses for elected and appointed officials to prevent them from leaping to the Dark Side immediately after their terms end.
Space sharks. With lasers.
You say that as if we don't already need more arable land than we have. Did you not see the news just today that climate change is already causing global crop yield loses equivalent to the cropland of an entire country (e.g. France)? Are you not aware that global population growth is nowhere near even stagnating?
That 1200 acres makes more of a difference than you think, though 25-100 years from now they won't be able to grow the same crops they do now.
Now THAT is an insurmountable task....
Hey, quit following me! * shiver* This ain't Twitter, ya know!
Step forward, you Anon Coward, and let yer flaming red arse be counted!
... it's only fair that he should have a decent dental plan like everyone else! Now what about his pension, hmmm?
... the end of all that is unique and distinct. Game over, man!