Unless the specs are coupled with NDA's. If so, not many FOSS-devs will be able to pay up the 10k. Guessing the big guys (Ibm, Sun, et al) will help us out though.
TFS says it's freeware, TFA says free software, TFPWS (Project WebSite) says its freeware based on free software. So, which is it?
I'm guessing, free software with proprietary artwork?
(What I mean is, we are, as a society, more humane now, in general anyway, than we have been pretty much any time in history ever, so maybe we shouldn't worry about a slippery slope that we have been *climbing* for 5000 years.)
I feel a bit corny writing this, but isn't the constant struggle climbing that slope precisely what makes us human?
Also, the best argument I have seen regarding the slippery slope is that we should just make it illegal all the time, and then if it is actually needed the person who thinks it is needed will go ahead and break the law anyway.
Yeah I've been thinking along those lines as well. First of all, there's no question in my mind that torture is a no no, always, no exceptions. Still, the "what if the trrist got a bomb with a code and savethechildren" arguments are tough to counter. I think a good answer is, as you write, that in such a situation, most people will be prepared to go to jail for crossing the line, if that's what it takes to "savethechildren".
But the two are not entirely independent. Display plenty of violence on TV, particularly where evil arabs do bad things to nice westerners, and that Iraq-war thing is gonna make a lot more sense to a lot of people. Granted, the thinkofthechildren organizations probably don't care much for this perspective, but still...
Translation: "Freedom means you are free to do whatever you want as long as The Party agrees".
Thanks for playing, troll!
What? He didn't write that. I'll agree that he's a bit conflicted as far as censorship goes, but his views are hardly those of an authoritarian. Playing the "communist" (if you're american) or nazi (if you're european) card to get him modded troll isn't nice at all.
... focus on, say, the thornier problems of stopping actual bloodshed in the real world...
First of all, I agree with you on this. Real world issues should be given a lot more attention than a stupid nipple slip that hurt nobody.
That being said, the real world and what's shown on the telly is not disconnected and independent. In particular, I've been thinking lately of how 24, and Jack Bauer, started to normalize the usage of torture and bring into the consciousness of the viewers that, perhaps, torture is actually OK in some cases. When you've started to accept torture against certain terrorists, typically in scenarios very very far from those of the real world (known terrorist got the code to stop the bomb in the kindergarten and there's no other way omg!), then the step of accepting it against general terror-suspects isn't too far, and eventually, people in general are going to accept the kind of stuff that's been going on in various US secret prisons, Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, and so forth. Slippery slope you know. Eventually, torture against your local drug dealer is gonna seem kindof acceptable. And then what? Maybe Al Gore is a terrorist drug dealer, humm?
I, also, am a civilian contractor for the US government. I can't say specifically, of course, but we got these lasers and we laser stuff. Yes indeed. Lasering stuff is what we do. Whenever we're cracked (or partially cracked), we laser the crackers. We are no ordinary crackees, though I can't say specifically in what way (other than what I just mentioned about the lasers).
Our lasers are plenty effective. Don't criticize me with no actual knowledge.
... a government has a right to maintain a military and defend a nation as it sees fit...
That's creepy. "as it sees fit".
If there is value in space exploration, let that be done by the private sector, who has a fiduciary incentive to not waste money.
That's probably valid for stuff that pays off quickly. Long term stuff, like the survival of our species, is not gonna attract many for-profit organizations AFAICS. And yes, I do believe the colonization of space is essential for humanity's long term survival.
Also, FWIW, NASA makes you yanks look good world wide, which you might benefit from someday. In these times of dubya and "war on terror", I'm certain stuff like NASA helps alot of us non-americans to keep a nuanced view of your nation.
Slashdot Mirror
here you go
Not if you're rich.
Unless the specs are coupled with NDA's. If so, not many FOSS-devs will be able to pay up the 10k. Guessing the big guys (Ibm, Sun, et al) will help us out though.
The bible was written in GF(2). Duh.
TFS says it's freeware, TFA says free software, TFPWS (Project WebSite) says its freeware based on free software. So, which is it?
I'm guessing, free software with proprietary artwork?
Actually, it's 67656E65 Roddenberry.
As an enthusiast of GF(2^k) and/or (pun intended) boolean algebra: 1+1+1+1=0. Or not.
So, god made matter infinitely subdividable and the elementary particles are evolutionist mumbo-jumbo?
You are a fool.
The USA would eventually just shoot it down or liberate it or whatever you prefer to call it.
Sorry mate, still not funny.
Uh, no, I haven't been to Abu Ghraib. I have read some material published by human rights watch though. Scary stuff.
I'd be thrilled to hear more of what you have to say about Abu Ghraib though.
I feel a bit corny writing this, but isn't the constant struggle climbing that slope precisely what makes us human?
Yeah I've been thinking along those lines as well. First of all, there's no question in my mind that torture is a no no, always, no exceptions. Still, the "what if the trrist got a bomb with a code and savethechildren" arguments are tough to counter. I think a good answer is, as you write, that in such a situation, most people will be prepared to go to jail for crossing the line, if that's what it takes to "savethechildren".
But the two are not entirely independent. Display plenty of violence on TV, particularly where evil arabs do bad things to nice westerners, and that Iraq-war thing is gonna make a lot more sense to a lot of people. Granted, the thinkofthechildren organizations probably don't care much for this perspective, but still...
"The American Taliban", did you come up with that or is it someone elses originally?
First of all, I agree with you on this. Real world issues should be given a lot more attention than a stupid nipple slip that hurt nobody.
That being said, the real world and what's shown on the telly is not disconnected and independent. In particular, I've been thinking lately of how 24, and Jack Bauer, started to normalize the usage of torture and bring into the consciousness of the viewers that, perhaps, torture is actually OK in some cases. When you've started to accept torture against certain terrorists, typically in scenarios very very far from those of the real world (known terrorist got the code to stop the bomb in the kindergarten and there's no other way omg!), then the step of accepting it against general terror-suspects isn't too far, and eventually, people in general are going to accept the kind of stuff that's been going on in various US secret prisons, Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, and so forth. Slippery slope you know. Eventually, torture against your local drug dealer is gonna seem kindof acceptable. And then what? Maybe Al Gore is a terrorist drug dealer, humm?
I, also, am a civilian contractor for the US government. I can't say specifically, of course, but we got these lasers and we laser stuff. Yes indeed. Lasering stuff is what we do. Whenever we're cracked (or partially cracked), we laser the crackers. We are no ordinary crackees, though I can't say specifically in what way (other than what I just mentioned about the lasers).
Our lasers are plenty effective. Don't criticize me with no actual knowledge.
That's probably valid for stuff that pays off quickly. Long term stuff, like the survival of our species, is not gonna attract many for-profit organizations AFAICS. And yes, I do believe the colonization of space is essential for humanity's long term survival.
Also, FWIW, NASA makes you yanks look good world wide, which you might benefit from someday. In these times of dubya and "war on terror", I'm certain stuff like NASA helps alot of us non-americans to keep a nuanced view of your nation.
Dude, the little mermaid is like 12 years old...