Wait, so you are saying that, because you lack the knowledge to understand some stuff about how things are put together, then some mystical entity must have created it? Neglecting the fact that others do know more than you, with years more experience? Never mind that science strives to learn more stuff that used to be unexplainable. What do you think science is, the strive to learn stuff we already know? Jeez...
I think it might lead to much problems. Remember the great promise of the 'net, instant exchange of info via free mail, websites with much information, use of tags to help search engines find valid websites? And what happened? Spam, viruses, garbage websites, spyware, spamware, hacked websites, trojan horses, zombies, etc. And think of how many years we've been living with this, and it's still not 100% safe yet.
It would become much easier for quack "scientists" to post their garbage research on the web, steal other people's valid research as their own in a fraction of the time, or hack into websites and place garbage data in the website or rip out/modify information to confuse the claims of who discovered it first.
Imagine the lawsuits over copyright disputes, patent disputes, etc. We will need people to weed out the garbage, which journals provide (slowly and expensively), and ways to ensure sites are secure (meaning money to pay IT folks. And how would you ensure you have good peer reviewers?
Otherwise, imagine if you are a researcher chasing down the wrong path because part of your hypothesis was based on Joe Schmoe who bought his physics degree off some spammer (and you didn't find out until months have passed)?
Or you publish your paper on the web, only to discover someone else has published a very similar paper about the same time you did. And they filed for a patent based off some of the research before you did (and it turns out they stole your paper, quickly re-wrote it and published it on a different site, changing the date/time signatures such that it appears they beat you? It's one thing if it's you or I, who may have no idea what the paper was really about, but if someone was an unscrupulous scientist researching in the same area, it becomes harder to prove they were a fraud who stole your research.
How about arguing with your local school board about intelligent design when they can cite papers proving intelligent design is really science just because someone published their "results" on the web? At least today, you can debunk them because they weren't published in a reputable journal. With no more reputable journals, you can't really argue that anymore, and questionable/garbage findings start taking on some respectability, even though it's still garbage.
Or you are an investor presented with a proposal to make something, only to find out that the person behind the proposal was a fraud who ended up sucking off some of your money or someone who honestly believes they have a better mousetrap (so-to-speak) but it turns out that their ideas are based on bad science. While that can happen now, most people can weed out these folks based on their reputations, which are partially derived from published papers in peer-reviewed journals.
I really like those European democratic leaders like, oh, say, those Roman emperors and various kings and queens, who were elected by the serfs and other commoners...
I had to shut down my guestbook on my website because it was getting spammed several times a day. And what happened? They started spamming my online registration form! Which is just stupid, cause it only emails me. This sort of crap should be illegal, cause it eats up hunks of my day just deleting emails for unsolited ads. Maybe it should be a law that if you (spammer) post an ad, you have to pay the organization money just like in the real world. Since spammers are hard to find, charge the companies they are sponsoring (the viagra distribution companies, penile/breast enhancers, etc.). Follow the money.
Wouldn't it be funny if someone (it won't be me!) hacked in and changed the votes to some inane character. Like if the California governor winner is Gary Coleman! Newly elected Colorado Senator Porky Pig! V. Lenin wins is the winner in Texas! Anthony (Scarface) Montana, Governor of Florida... Someone could have lots of fun...
Amen to that (not buying CDs). I too was downloading stuff off kazaa, then if I liked the song, I'd buy the CD. I was downloading lots of older songs, then buying the CDs just so the artists would earn some revenue. Now with the lawsuits, both my girlfriend and I have totally stopped buying CDs (save for buying previously owned CDs). Even though the artists get squat, at least some small local business gets my money, instead of the RIAA and the bloodsucking big record companies (sucking the artists' blood with their awful contracts, not mine!).
The thing I hate about commercials (other than most suck) is they are so loud! I swear I have to keep turning the volume up and down, so, now I just fast-forward past them, thanks to TiVo!
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Wait, so you are saying that, because you lack the knowledge to understand some stuff about how things are put together, then some mystical entity must have created it? Neglecting the fact that others do know more than you, with years more experience? Never mind that science strives to learn more stuff that used to be unexplainable. What do you think science is, the strive to learn stuff we already know? Jeez...
It would become much easier for quack "scientists" to post their garbage research on the web, steal other people's valid research as their own in a fraction of the time, or hack into websites and place garbage data in the website or rip out/modify information to confuse the claims of who discovered it first.
Imagine the lawsuits over copyright disputes, patent disputes, etc. We will need people to weed out the garbage, which journals provide (slowly and expensively), and ways to ensure sites are secure (meaning money to pay IT folks. And how would you ensure you have good peer reviewers?
Otherwise, imagine if you are a researcher chasing down the wrong path because part of your hypothesis was based on Joe Schmoe who bought his physics degree off some spammer (and you didn't find out until months have passed)?
Or you publish your paper on the web, only to discover someone else has published a very similar paper about the same time you did. And they filed for a patent based off some of the research before you did (and it turns out they stole your paper, quickly re-wrote it and published it on a different site, changing the date/time signatures such that it appears they beat you? It's one thing if it's you or I, who may have no idea what the paper was really about, but if someone was an unscrupulous scientist researching in the same area, it becomes harder to prove they were a fraud who stole your research.
How about arguing with your local school board about intelligent design when they can cite papers proving intelligent design is really science just because someone published their "results" on the web? At least today, you can debunk them because they weren't published in a reputable journal. With no more reputable journals, you can't really argue that anymore, and questionable/garbage findings start taking on some respectability, even though it's still garbage.
Or you are an investor presented with a proposal to make something, only to find out that the person behind the proposal was a fraud who ended up sucking off some of your money or someone who honestly believes they have a better mousetrap (so-to-speak) but it turns out that their ideas are based on bad science. While that can happen now, most people can weed out these folks based on their reputations, which are partially derived from published papers in peer-reviewed journals.
Just some things to think about!
btw, it sounds like you've been watching The Warriors too much!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Warriors
The core is a really bad movie... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Core
I had to shut down my guestbook on my website because it was getting spammed several times a day. And what happened? They started spamming my online registration form! Which is just stupid, cause it only emails me. This sort of crap should be illegal, cause it eats up hunks of my day just deleting emails for unsolited ads. Maybe it should be a law that if you (spammer) post an ad, you have to pay the organization money just like in the real world. Since spammers are hard to find, charge the companies they are sponsoring (the viagra distribution companies, penile/breast enhancers, etc.). Follow the money.
Wouldn't it be funny if someone (it won't be me!) hacked in and changed the votes to some inane character. Like if the California governor winner is Gary Coleman! Newly elected Colorado Senator Porky Pig! V. Lenin wins is the winner in Texas! Anthony (Scarface) Montana, Governor of Florida... Someone could have lots of fun...
Amen to that (not buying CDs). I too was downloading stuff off kazaa, then if I liked the song, I'd buy the CD. I was downloading lots of older songs, then buying the CDs just so the artists would earn some revenue. Now with the lawsuits, both my girlfriend and I have totally stopped buying CDs (save for buying previously owned CDs). Even though the artists get squat, at least some small local business gets my money, instead of the RIAA and the bloodsucking big record companies (sucking the artists' blood with their awful contracts, not mine!).
The thing I hate about commercials (other than most suck) is they are so loud! I swear I have to keep turning the volume up and down, so, now I just fast-forward past them, thanks to TiVo!