I was going to post a joke about Star Trek: The Beginning of the End, but then I realized that happened a long time ago. Paramount has gone beyond running Star Trek into the ground, at this point they're trying to get blood from a stone.
Then again, with Spock's intellect, perhaps we can finally figure out all of the secrets on that darned island.
But you have to admit, occasionally they do a darn fine job. For example take the story about the escaped mental patient who was caught in a whore house. A headline the next day read "Nut Bolts, and Screws"
Elitism? Hell, I can't even draw a stick figure properly. I merely pointed out his analogy was flawed, and that a better one might exist. Doesn't mean I think computer-graphics are somehow inferior to hand-drawn art.
If you don't use say, your left hand, for long periods of time, the muscles atropy. Same with skill sets. If you create computer-graphics significantly more than creating by hand (whatever you define that as), your manual skills will atrophy, to a small degree at least. This isn't a good or a bad thing. It simply is.
I know the point you're trying to make, but the analogy is flawed. Whether rock or canvas, the artist still creates art by hand, his or her own hands to be exact. The shift from handmade (for lack of a better term) to computer-made art is much different. The computer takes the art out of the hands and into the mouse. Need a circle? Create a perfect circle with the computer algorythym. Wanna make the red flowers into blue flowers? Use the color-change algorythym. Computer animation/art takes skill, but it's a different set of skills.
I consider myself Christian and I'm in favor of the xxx domain, provided it was done in an effective manner. I think that if you explained the benefits to the Christian community (helps makes the web kid-friendly, easier to block porn sites, less chance of accidentally wandering into one, etc) they would embrace the idea. I don't see it as promoting porn, but rather just setting guidelines for where it can be stored/viewed on the net.
Microsoft has done some sordid things in their time, but I do fear the potential of Microsoft's wrath much more then anything else. With that much money on hand, there's no limit.
That is exactly what Ballmer is going for. Put enough fear into people and they'll do whatever you want them to. I, for one, welcome an open war. Hell, I'll even bring the chairs to throw.
"Even a human can't correctly distinguish offensive vs. non-offensive content with all that much accuracy"
It's not so much that we can't distinguish, it's that we all have different definitions of what offensive or non-offensive content is. For this type of filter to be effective it would have to be programmable to the user's particular specifications of what constitues porn.
I'm just guessing here, but it seems to me that any.xxx domain laws would probably be restricted to "hardcore" pornography. Now defining what hardcore is becomes the trick. I think in this case they'd probably fall back to the phrase "I can't define pornography but I know it when I see it"
Which leads us to your third point: who gets the job of policing the net?
My original intent was to answer the parent's challenge to Song of Solomon from a Christian perspective. I've heard that Song of Solomon arugement used way too often and I figured it was time to explain to the poster why Christians don't consider Song of Solomon pornography.
And, incidentally, thanks for the object lesson in semantics:)
"Kids who get bitten by radioactive insects or dunked in a vat of toxic waste, well, they'll have their superpowers the next day. Or they'll be dead." - Sky High
No, the sex described in Song of Solomon is within the context of marraige. Whether the book is about two historical lovers, or two metaphorical ones, the two lovers are married. As I said in my reply to someone else's comment, the key difference is that while sex is a part of the book, the sexual content is not the focus of the book. The focus is on the love (physical and otherwise) between a woman and her husband.
Actually I have read the book, all the way through, not just the steamy parts. I don't deny the decidedly sexual content of Song of Solomon but I maintain nonetheless that Song of Solomon is not pornography. The book in its entireity (spelling?) deals with the nature of love, physical and otherwise, between a man and woman, in the context of marriage. Pornography deals solely with sex and sexual activies.
Slashdot Mirror
Your main problem seems to be that you don't understand the concept of paragraphs.
running out of wind would be a true ecological disaster
I don't think this will be an actual problem so long as we have politicians and beans.
I was going to post a joke about Star Trek: The Beginning of the End, but then I realized that happened a long time ago. Paramount has gone beyond running Star Trek into the ground, at this point they're trying to get blood from a stone. Then again, with Spock's intellect, perhaps we can finally figure out all of the secrets on that darned island.
Don't worry, we've got a crack team recovering fishing nets fashioned by the Ancient to use in the fight against them!
Unbeknownst to the reporter, these weapons were actually created by Bob The Angry Flower
You're forgetting Chuck Berry and Frankenberry
I thought the Geneva convention had protocools against the use of gas weapons.
But you have to admit, occasionally they do a darn fine job. For example take the story about the escaped mental patient who was caught in a whore house. A headline the next day read "Nut Bolts, and Screws"
Elitism? Hell, I can't even draw a stick figure properly. I merely pointed out his analogy was flawed, and that a better one might exist. Doesn't mean I think computer-graphics are somehow inferior to hand-drawn art.
If you don't use say, your left hand, for long periods of time, the muscles atropy. Same with skill sets. If you create computer-graphics significantly more than creating by hand (whatever you define that as), your manual skills will atrophy, to a small degree at least. This isn't a good or a bad thing. It simply is.
I know the point you're trying to make, but the analogy is flawed. Whether rock or canvas, the artist still creates art by hand, his or her own hands to be exact. The shift from handmade (for lack of a better term) to computer-made art is much different. The computer takes the art out of the hands and into the mouse. Need a circle? Create a perfect circle with the computer algorythym. Wanna make the red flowers into blue flowers? Use the color-change algorythym. Computer animation/art takes skill, but it's a different set of skills.
But that requires maturity. This is Slashdot remember?
He probably was serious, and calling him Shirely isn't helping matters.
Cats In Sinks? How 'bout Cats On Plates As A Main Course?
I, for one, would welcome a new female overlord. Heck, I'm welcome nearly any female at this point.
I consider myself Christian and I'm in favor of the xxx domain, provided it was done in an effective manner. I think that if you explained the benefits to the Christian community (helps makes the web kid-friendly, easier to block porn sites, less chance of accidentally wandering into one, etc) they would embrace the idea. I don't see it as promoting porn, but rather just setting guidelines for where it can be stored/viewed on the net.
I'm not a programmer, but it sounds like Google is trying to patent a business model rather than an actual technology.
Microsoft has done some sordid things in their time, but I do fear the potential of Microsoft's wrath much more then anything else. With that much money on hand, there's no limit. That is exactly what Ballmer is going for. Put enough fear into people and they'll do whatever you want them to. I, for one, welcome an open war. Hell, I'll even bring the chairs to throw.
FUD = Fear Uncertainty Doubt
Whoa! All this time I was thinking FUD stood for "F**ked-Up Data". Learnin' something new all the time.
"Even a human can't correctly distinguish offensive vs. non-offensive content with all that much accuracy" It's not so much that we can't distinguish, it's that we all have different definitions of what offensive or non-offensive content is. For this type of filter to be effective it would have to be programmable to the user's particular specifications of what constitues porn.
I'm just guessing here, but it seems to me that any .xxx domain laws would probably be restricted to "hardcore" pornography. Now defining what hardcore is becomes the trick. I think in this case they'd probably fall back to the phrase "I can't define pornography but I know it when I see it"
Which leads us to your third point: who gets the job of policing the net?
My original intent was to answer the parent's challenge to Song of Solomon from a Christian perspective. I've heard that Song of Solomon arugement used way too often and I figured it was time to explain to the poster why Christians don't consider Song of Solomon pornography. And, incidentally, thanks for the object lesson in semantics :)
I'll admit my semantics need a bit of work, but I also put forward that you're reading into my words what you want to.
"Kids who get bitten by radioactive insects or dunked in a vat of toxic waste, well, they'll have their superpowers the next day. Or they'll be dead." - Sky High
No, the sex described in Song of Solomon is within the context of marraige. Whether the book is about two historical lovers, or two metaphorical ones, the two lovers are married. As I said in my reply to someone else's comment, the key difference is that while sex is a part of the book, the sexual content is not the focus of the book. The focus is on the love (physical and otherwise) between a woman and her husband.
Actually I have read the book, all the way through, not just the steamy parts. I don't deny the decidedly sexual content of Song of Solomon but I maintain nonetheless that Song of Solomon is not pornography. The book in its entireity (spelling?) deals with the nature of love, physical and otherwise, between a man and woman, in the context of marriage. Pornography deals solely with sex and sexual activies.