While I'm appalled that some nitwit would attempt to mandate censorware, I'm kind of amused that the Spam-arseholes may have messed in their nests enough that they can't live there (in Texas, at least) any more.
Strike the last line; I re-read your post, and your first point somewhat ameliorates what you said in the second point. Not that your second point is really all that terrific: blindly doing what the boss says does yourself and your boss a disservice.
Imagine what would happen if *everyone* had your attitude.
We'd have space shuttles blowing up, all because someone didn't have the cojones to fink-out the boos. Or child slave labour manufacturing negligees for rich bitches. Or toxic spills devastating entire ecosystems, beyond all repair.
Oh... wait. It seems everyone *does* have your attitude.
Except, perhaps, the few people who have put their lives on the line to stop their employers from doing the illegal and immoral. Karen Silkwood, f'rinstance.
But, then, people with strong moral fiber are surely a world apart from people like you.
Ah! Sort of like [this comment], which was initially marked up as "insightful," even though it was a complete fabrication.
Yes, democratic moderation systems sure as heck work, don't they? Really reduced the noise level, didn't it?
Have you noticed that silly-assed "remedies" like homeopathic "medicine" are *growing* in popularity? Democracy in action. Or, from a techie standpoint, how about Windows? There's a great example of software that should been still-birthed (in a sensible, just world, OS/2 would probably have been the winner).
In a country where the majority of the population believes that their horoscope is somehow based on truth, democratic moderation ensures only that the ill-informed, stupid and deceitful rise to the top.
Except, of course, for this one post, which will immediately hit +5 insightful, just for the sheer irony of it all. Gah.
But it sure does provide great proof of what happens when you let the ignorant moderate the moronic, like Slashdot does: you get outright lies marked up as "insightful."
Thank god we don't allow true democracy in our nations. The outcome would be horrendous!
The one particular flaw in your argument is that past atrocities are not an excuse for present atrocities.
What the Scientologists do to their "opponents" is both atrocious and inexcusable. Just because other religions, in other times and places, have killed people, pets and reputations does not mean we have to accept Scientology doing so.
Sure, they're free to believe whatever freaky alien space opera they care to --- but the line *must* be drawn at the actions they take which are directly harming their so-called "enemies."
Scientology isn't being treated to a Spanish Inquisition: they *ARE* the Spanish Inquisition!
[As a footnote, the machinations and corruption of the core, controlling group must be exposed: their goal is global domination of the sort that movies make fun of, but which they nonetheless are constantly and pervasively attempting to accomplish. The latter sentence sounds outlandish, but I am confident that were you to spend a half-hour doing some basic research, you'd understand that it is justified and true.
Scientology is emphatically *not* like any religion we have seen in modern times. To treat them as innocuous wackos is extremely dangerous: their stated goal is to infiltrate governments and mandate their own religious views. And because they are mainly trusted milquetoast Americans -- ie. not "untrustworthy [ethnic group]" -- they are succeeding.
It's all well and good to take the stance of "religious freedom," until that stance allows a modern-day American Taliban to destroy the values and society that you cherish.
Make no mistake: Scientology is out to destroy and rule. You will *not* like the consequences should they succeed.]
Wouldn't it be great if BountyQuest were to really get serious about bounties?
I mean, in most parts of the world, bounty=="bring me the head of ____."
Damn straight I'd donate money to that sort of cause! I want bounties put on the heads of spammers and the asses who are trying to extort businesses through shady patents.
I should think after a few heads have been collected, there'd be a whole new attitude of cooperation and reconciliation!
Scientology's legal harassment is nothing compared to how they invade and destroy your personal life.
If Slashdot attempted to retaliate through litigation, Taco and friends would find that Scientology would pamphleteer the neighbourhood with claims that the geeks are pedophiles, would trick the phone company and ISPs into turning off services, would kill their pets, would harass their parents and friends.
Scientology has done these things in the past. A few minutes research into Scientology will provide you conclusive evidence that their maxim -- "Use *any* means to harass the enemy" -- is ruthless.
They are an altogether evil organization, by any metric you care to use to measure "good."
For Taco's sanity's sake alone, he had to delete the post.
Anyone who takes the time to do even a little bit of research into Scientology will realize that the organization will use *ANY* means, *LEGAL OR ILLEGAL* to harass, repress and *destroy* its opponents.
The Taco's life, and the life of everyone at Slashdot and Andover, would have become a living hell.
Scientology has a no-holds-barred *rule*: they are explicitly instructed by Hubbard's words to do *anything* it takes to win.
Which means Taco would have had his pets killed, his car trashed, his house picketed, his parents harassed, his business associates -- banks, etc -- sent packages claiming he's a pedophile, his entire neighbourhood pamphleted with the same pedophile claims, etc. Plus, he'd be challenged by a dozen or more legal suits.
Like I said, a living hell.
People have committed suicide because of Scientology harrassment.
Oh -- and the examples I presented: they're real life. Scientology has done exactly those things to opponents (and even the judges in their court cases!) before, and they'll do it again.
Scientology is one of the most evil organizations on this planet. By every metric you could possibly apply, they are the antithesis of good.
Clary, I commend and support you for your clear thinking.
All too many parents these days abdicate their responsibilities on some ill-conceived idea that "freedom" is the be-all and end-all. They allow their children to get away with anything -- and support them in doing it! -- instead of setting boundaries and expecations for behaviour.
They leave their children without a moral compass, expecting them to somehow develop it independently and without guidance. What a stupid and mean thing to do to one's offspring!
Your "benevolant dictatorship" is the sign of a healthy and functional home. I'm sure any number of pinheads will get all caught up in their conditioned response to the word "dictatorship," completely misunderstanding that "benevolant" is the more important word.
Your household will be one in which your children do have input in how things should be done, but in which *you* accept ultimate responsibility for setting the boundaries of acceptable behaviour.
That's responsible parenting. Thank you for being a parent. There aren't nearly enough of them these days.
*EVERY* time someone makes a complaint to the cops, and they take action, there's a case number and a file. Doesn't matter *what* the complaint is about, nor does it matter if the complaint was off-base, out-to-lunch or otherwise illegitimate.
In short, the kids aren't in trouble with the police: the cops came and went. The cops were called in because the line "I put the shotgun in an Adidas bag and padded it out with four pairs" is pretty darn threatening, especially in the context of an website that is abusive towards school, school administrators, teachers and student peers.
Maybe most everyone on Slashdot is a pimply-faced youth -- it's the only rationale I can find for the number of posts that actually *defend* the nosepickers who just got in trouble.
Myself, I think they've just had avaluable lesson in Real Life: you slag someone, there's bound to be consequences. What goes around comes around.
Argue "freedom of speech" all you like, but your right to verbally abuse me ends where my fist reaches your face. All the utopian ideals in the world aren't going to do you a bit of good when you're picking your teeth up from the ground.
Wanna disagree with someone? Wanna protest something unfair? Wanna make a difference to the system and wanna get things to change?
Better do it civilly, then. Much safer for your teeth, let alone your education. The school of hard knocks is for those too stupid to learn any other way...
Isn't that always the way, though? The market seldom behaves rationally.
I'm invested in two oil companies that have been turning ever-greater record profits for the past eight quarters. They should be trading at CDN$60. It's only recently come up over $40, which isn't much more than they've ever done.
Why aren't these stocks skyrocketing? Because of the market is fascinated with gambling their investments on long-shot high-tech companies that have never turned a profit and, in all likelihood, never will.
Thank god the tech market is crashing. Perhaps people will finally gain a freaking clue about *investing* as opposed to *gambling.* Which, in turn, can only help me: I only purchase stocks that have real value behind them...
Having read the better responses in this article's thread, I'd just like to say one or two more things:
Either everyone else is out to lunch about what.NET is about, or I am.
If the latter, I hereby lay claim on my "gatekeeper of software" idea. I'd like to work with someone to develop it, and, yes, my license fee will be as reasonable as yours: I'll skim from you a percentage equal to what you skim from others.
Microsoft is about one thing: making lots of money.
And it has finally understood that Gillette has it figured out: sell the handle cheap, and make your money on the blades.
Microsoft can't make great money on OS sales any more. Hasn't for ages. And it faces the same problem with its Office products: overpirated, and darn difficult to convince companies to pony up $1000 to upgrade.
Ever hear the saying that whomever controls the gate, controls the kingdom? If you're a gatekeeper, you control the flow of *everything.* And that includes cash.
Microsoft is about to become a gatekeeper.
Instead of relying on sales of software -- which has the overwhelming cost of actually writing the software and the uncertainty of competition -- they're going to skim a few cents off *every* software transaction, no matter who wrote the software.
It's huge money. Every software developer who wants to get rich will be buying into.NET, because it ensures steady cashflow: instead of selling a package once, you get to sell it every time it is used. Yowsa! Make a million by selling a hundred million pennies to a hundred million people, instead of a thousand dollar package to, god hopes, a hundred thousand people.
And Microsoft? They get to skim a fraction of a penny from every transaction. But that's going to be million of transactions every day, with bugger all for development costs, and no competition. Easy money.
And the more software they can get on.NET, the better off they are. Hence, supporting Linux. Hey, you want to use the Gaussian Blur in GIMP? That'll be one-tenth of a cent, payable to the GIMP developers. Microsoft will score 1/10th of that tenth... that's a cool $1000 for every 100000 uses: roughly 5x what they'd make selling a single copy of Office, once its development and support costs are factored in!
Microsoft has really got a great scheme figured out here.
And I sure hope that it fails, because I loathe the idea of Microsoft as gatekeeper.
Chances are you settled on Ruby, simply because you couldn't eat the humble pie of going with Python.
The competition between Perlistas and Pythonians is pretty fierce. If I could charactize the attitudes I've seen, it's that Python users tend to feel confidently superior in their language choice, while Perl users tend to be shrilly superior.
For a Perl user to admit that there's a better solution is a big step... so expecting him to admit that the very same language that he's shrilly decried is better, would be too much. Far too humbling.
Of course, this is something of a troll. But at the root of it, as someone who's pretty much a bystander in all this, I think there's some kernel of truth to be found.
[Worth noting, of course, that Ruby advocates frequently compare their language to Python, whereas Python users never compare it to Ruby. "If you're focused on the competition, you aren't the leader" may be a maxim here.]
Personally, I think Squeak is the best of the alternatives to Python. Talk about a cool language and system.
Sterile insect release programs have been around for decades. It's used extensively through the fruit-producing Okanagan valley, as protection against codling moth worm, which has the potential to devastate apple crops.
Here, take a gander at [The Sterile Insect Release Program]. More information there than you can shake a stick at (except, naturally, the criticisms that are routinely made about its expense and poor results...?)
Now, what I wanna know is... who the heck is performing all those itty-bitty vasectomies?!
Those very same people draw in seven-figure incomes, plus bonuses. Do you think they worry for one *moment* about spending an extra twenty bucks for a second CD for the car?
The executives of big businesses are living in a reality *completely* disconnected from the one that you and I are familiar with.
Over and over and endlessly over, I read these inane scenarios where cellphone jamming might cause someone to die in a theatre because his wife's baby was being delivered and the doctor couldn't contact him.
Come on, people. What the fuck did you do *BEFORE* cellphones were invented? Was all of humanity grubbing in the mud, unaware that unendurable hardships were being placed on them?
Christ. If your wife's having a baby, wear a pager and use the cellphone. And if you're likely to keel over dead from a heart attack... well, hell, you're toast anyway. No cellphone is gonna do you good.
Slashdot Mirror
While I'm appalled that some nitwit would attempt to mandate censorware, I'm kind of amused that the Spam-arseholes may have messed in their nests enough that they can't live there (in Texas, at least) any more.
--
Bloody hell, I wish Slashdot had an edit feature.
Strike the last line; I re-read your post, and your first point somewhat ameliorates what you said in the second point. Not that your second point is really all that terrific: blindly doing what the boss says does yourself and your boss a disservice.
--
Goodness.
Imagine what would happen if *everyone* had your attitude.
We'd have space shuttles blowing up, all because someone didn't have the cojones to fink-out the boos. Or child slave labour manufacturing negligees for rich bitches. Or toxic spills devastating entire ecosystems, beyond all repair.
Oh... wait. It seems everyone *does* have your attitude.
Except, perhaps, the few people who have put their lives on the line to stop their employers from doing the illegal and immoral. Karen Silkwood, f'rinstance.
But, then, people with strong moral fiber are surely a world apart from people like you.
--
Ah! Sort of like [this comment], which was initially marked up as "insightful," even though it was a complete fabrication.
Yes, democratic moderation systems sure as heck work, don't they? Really reduced the noise level, didn't it?
Have you noticed that silly-assed "remedies" like homeopathic "medicine" are *growing* in popularity? Democracy in action. Or, from a techie standpoint, how about Windows? There's a great example of software that should been still-birthed (in a sensible, just world, OS/2 would probably have been the winner).
In a country where the majority of the population believes that their horoscope is somehow based on truth, democratic moderation ensures only that the ill-informed, stupid and deceitful rise to the top.
Except, of course, for this one post, which will immediately hit +5 insightful, just for the sheer irony of it all. Gah.
--
Oh, for sure. I quite admire it.
But it sure does provide great proof of what happens when you let the ignorant moderate the moronic, like Slashdot does: you get outright lies marked up as "insightful."
Thank god we don't allow true democracy in our nations. The outcome would be horrendous!
--
This isn't a "Score:3 Interesting"!
It's a "Score 3: Good Hoax." Ludlum didn't write any books titled "The Omega Number." Geeesh. You've been *had*, fool.
[Here] is what Ludlum has really written. (Road to Gandalfo is, btw, quite a good hoot!)
--
Ah -- a Scientology apologist.
The one particular flaw in your argument is that past atrocities are not an excuse for present atrocities.
What the Scientologists do to their "opponents" is both atrocious and inexcusable. Just because other religions, in other times and places, have killed people, pets and reputations does not mean we have to accept Scientology doing so.
Sure, they're free to believe whatever freaky alien space opera they care to --- but the line *must* be drawn at the actions they take which are directly harming their so-called "enemies."
Scientology isn't being treated to a Spanish Inquisition: they *ARE* the Spanish Inquisition!
[As a footnote, the machinations and corruption of the core, controlling group must be exposed: their goal is global domination of the sort that movies make fun of, but which they nonetheless are constantly and pervasively attempting to accomplish. The latter sentence sounds outlandish, but I am confident that were you to spend a half-hour doing some basic research, you'd understand that it is justified and true.
Scientology is emphatically *not* like any religion we have seen in modern times. To treat them as innocuous wackos is extremely dangerous: their stated goal is to infiltrate governments and mandate their own religious views. And because they are mainly trusted milquetoast Americans -- ie. not "untrustworthy [ethnic group]" -- they are succeeding.
It's all well and good to take the stance of "religious freedom," until that stance allows a modern-day American Taliban to destroy the values and society that you cherish.
Make no mistake: Scientology is out to destroy and rule. You will *not* like the consequences should they succeed.]
--
Wouldn't it be great if BountyQuest were to really get serious about bounties?
I mean, in most parts of the world, bounty=="bring me the head of ____."
Damn straight I'd donate money to that sort of cause! I want bounties put on the heads of spammers and the asses who are trying to extort businesses through shady patents.
I should think after a few heads have been collected, there'd be a whole new attitude of cooperation and reconciliation!
--
No point.
Scientology's legal harassment is nothing compared to how they invade and destroy your personal life.
If Slashdot attempted to retaliate through litigation, Taco and friends would find that Scientology would pamphleteer the neighbourhood with claims that the geeks are pedophiles, would trick the phone company and ISPs into turning off services, would kill their pets, would harass their parents and friends.
Scientology has done these things in the past. A few minutes research into Scientology will provide you conclusive evidence that their maxim -- "Use *any* means to harass the enemy" -- is ruthless.
They are an altogether evil organization, by any metric you care to use to measure "good."
--
For Taco's sanity's sake alone, he had to delete the post.
Anyone who takes the time to do even a little bit of research into Scientology will realize that the organization will use *ANY* means, *LEGAL OR ILLEGAL* to harass, repress and *destroy* its opponents.
The Taco's life, and the life of everyone at Slashdot and Andover, would have become a living hell.
Scientology has a no-holds-barred *rule*: they are explicitly instructed by Hubbard's words to do *anything* it takes to win.
Which means Taco would have had his pets killed, his car trashed, his house picketed, his parents harassed, his business associates -- banks, etc -- sent packages claiming he's a pedophile, his entire neighbourhood pamphleted with the same pedophile claims, etc. Plus, he'd be challenged by a dozen or more legal suits.
Like I said, a living hell.
People have committed suicide because of Scientology harrassment.
Oh -- and the examples I presented: they're real life. Scientology has done exactly those things to opponents (and even the judges in their court cases!) before, and they'll do it again.
Scientology is one of the most evil organizations on this planet. By every metric you could possibly apply, they are the antithesis of good.
--
Some good, general information on [Lake Vostok].
Tidbits:
It's way the hell under the antarctic icecap.
It's been sealed off from the rest of earth for a helluva long time.
It's probably got uniquely-evolved microbes and stuff.
It's *really* *fucking* *cold* in that part of the Antarctic: record low of -88C (-127F).
The lake is about the size of Lake Ontario, or the island of Corsica.
Scientists are, for once, being a bit sensible: they could have tapped the lake by now, but they first want to make sure they don't contanimate it.
However, it seems they haven't thought about whether it might contanimate us...
--
Damn, another post that should be +5!
Clary, I commend and support you for your clear thinking.
All too many parents these days abdicate their responsibilities on some ill-conceived idea that "freedom" is the be-all and end-all. They allow their children to get away with anything -- and support them in doing it! -- instead of setting boundaries and expecations for behaviour.
They leave their children without a moral compass, expecting them to somehow develop it independently and without guidance. What a stupid and mean thing to do to one's offspring!
Your "benevolant dictatorship" is the sign of a healthy and functional home. I'm sure any number of pinheads will get all caught up in their conditioned response to the word "dictatorship," completely misunderstanding that "benevolant" is the more important word.
Your household will be one in which your children do have input in how things should be done, but in which *you* accept ultimate responsibility for setting the boundaries of acceptable behaviour.
That's responsible parenting. Thank you for being a parent. There aren't nearly enough of them these days.
--
They've *GOT* to keep some sort of record.
*EVERY* time someone makes a complaint to the cops, and they take action, there's a case number and a file. Doesn't matter *what* the complaint is about, nor does it matter if the complaint was off-base, out-to-lunch or otherwise illegitimate.
Sheesh.
--
No, you're the idiot. I refer you to [this comment (#60)] and [this comment (#55)], which sum it all up rather nicely.
In short, the kids aren't in trouble with the police: the cops came and went. The cops were called in because the line "I put the shotgun in an Adidas bag and padded it out with four pairs" is pretty darn threatening, especially in the context of an website that is abusive towards school, school administrators, teachers and student peers.
--
Hear, hear! QPT should be modded up to +5.
Maybe most everyone on Slashdot is a pimply-faced youth -- it's the only rationale I can find for the number of posts that actually *defend* the nosepickers who just got in trouble.
Myself, I think they've just had avaluable lesson in Real Life: you slag someone, there's bound to be consequences. What goes around comes around.
Argue "freedom of speech" all you like, but your right to verbally abuse me ends where my fist reaches your face. All the utopian ideals in the world aren't going to do you a bit of good when you're picking your teeth up from the ground.
Wanna disagree with someone? Wanna protest something unfair? Wanna make a difference to the system and wanna get things to change?
Better do it civilly, then. Much safer for your teeth, let alone your education. The school of hard knocks is for those too stupid to learn any other way...
--
Isn't that always the way, though? The market seldom behaves rationally.
I'm invested in two oil companies that have been turning ever-greater record profits for the past eight quarters. They should be trading at CDN$60. It's only recently come up over $40, which isn't much more than they've ever done.
Why aren't these stocks skyrocketing? Because of the market is fascinated with gambling their investments on long-shot high-tech companies that have never turned a profit and, in all likelihood, never will.
Thank god the tech market is crashing. Perhaps people will finally gain a freaking clue about *investing* as opposed to *gambling.* Which, in turn, can only help me: I only purchase stocks that have real value behind them...
--
Try a V3-2000. SHould be dirt cheap these days, and the PCI version is as fast (er, slow?) as the AGP version...
(I get a solid 60fps in UT, on a Duron 750 machine)
--
Having read the better responses in this article's thread, I'd just like to say one or two more things:
.NET is about, or I am.
Either everyone else is out to lunch about what
If the latter, I hereby lay claim on my "gatekeeper of software" idea. I'd like to work with someone to develop it, and, yes, my license fee will be as reasonable as yours: I'll skim from you a percentage equal to what you skim from others.
Thanks!
--
It's got *nothing* to do with embrace and extend.
.NET, because it ensures steady cashflow: instead of selling a package once, you get to sell it every time it is used. Yowsa! Make a million by selling a hundred million pennies to a hundred million people, instead of a thousand dollar package to, god hopes, a hundred thousand people.
.NET, the better off they are. Hence, supporting Linux. Hey, you want to use the Gaussian Blur in GIMP? That'll be one-tenth of a cent, payable to the GIMP developers. Microsoft will score 1/10th of that tenth... that's a cool $1000 for every 100000 uses: roughly 5x what they'd make selling a single copy of Office, once its development and support costs are factored in!
Microsoft is about one thing: making lots of money.
And it has finally understood that Gillette has it figured out: sell the handle cheap, and make your money on the blades.
Microsoft can't make great money on OS sales any more. Hasn't for ages. And it faces the same problem with its Office products: overpirated, and darn difficult to convince companies to pony up $1000 to upgrade.
Ever hear the saying that whomever controls the gate, controls the kingdom? If you're a gatekeeper, you control the flow of *everything.* And that includes cash.
Microsoft is about to become a gatekeeper.
Instead of relying on sales of software -- which has the overwhelming cost of actually writing the software and the uncertainty of competition -- they're going to skim a few cents off *every* software transaction, no matter who wrote the software.
It's huge money. Every software developer who wants to get rich will be buying into
And Microsoft? They get to skim a fraction of a penny from every transaction. But that's going to be million of transactions every day, with bugger all for development costs, and no competition. Easy money.
And the more software they can get on
Microsoft has really got a great scheme figured out here.
And I sure hope that it fails, because I loathe the idea of Microsoft as gatekeeper.
--
One must, of course, crow "ALL YOUR SATELLITE ARE BELONG TO US!"
:-)
Drin, that was very funny.
--
LOL.
Chances are you settled on Ruby, simply because you couldn't eat the humble pie of going with Python.
The competition between Perlistas and Pythonians is pretty fierce. If I could charactize the attitudes I've seen, it's that Python users tend to feel confidently superior in their language choice, while Perl users tend to be shrilly superior.
For a Perl user to admit that there's a better solution is a big step... so expecting him to admit that the very same language that he's shrilly decried is better, would be too much. Far too humbling.
Of course, this is something of a troll. But at the root of it, as someone who's pretty much a bystander in all this, I think there's some kernel of truth to be found.
[Worth noting, of course, that Ruby advocates frequently compare their language to Python, whereas Python users never compare it to Ruby. "If you're focused on the competition, you aren't the leader" may be a maxim here.]
Personally, I think Squeak is the best of the alternatives to Python. Talk about a cool language and system.
--
Why would they need to? It's not like he's in any danger of being a breeder.
[drum sting, please]
--
Sterile insect release programs have been around for decades. It's used extensively through the fruit-producing Okanagan valley, as protection against codling moth worm, which has the potential to devastate apple crops.
Here, take a gander at [The Sterile Insect Release Program]. More information there than you can shake a stick at (except, naturally, the criticisms that are routinely made about its expense and poor results...?)
Now, what I wanna know is... who the heck is performing all those itty-bitty vasectomies?!
--
Those very same people draw in seven-figure incomes, plus bonuses. Do you think they worry for one *moment* about spending an extra twenty bucks for a second CD for the car?
The executives of big businesses are living in a reality *completely* disconnected from the one that you and I are familiar with.
--
Over and over and endlessly over, I read these inane scenarios where cellphone jamming might cause someone to die in a theatre because his wife's baby was being delivered and the doctor couldn't contact him.
Come on, people. What the fuck did you do *BEFORE* cellphones were invented? Was all of humanity grubbing in the mud, unaware that unendurable hardships were being placed on them?
Christ. If your wife's having a baby, wear a pager and use the cellphone. And if you're likely to keel over dead from a heart attack... well, hell, you're toast anyway. No cellphone is gonna do you good.
--