Look, you should just come clean and admit the truth that you simply hate the U.S. You're just using the VISIT program as an excuse. I'm not buying any of this.
Great, you're correct, but US-Visit does nothing of the sort. You do realise that none of the September 11th hijackers used false documents to enter the US, right?
If that is the criteria for determining what actions to take to prevent future terrorism, then I have a perfect solution: Don't allow anyone in the country that even remotely looks Arab. That should solve the problem.
Well, if I ever go to Brazil, it's fine with me if they want my fingerprint and a photograph. I don't care and I don't see what the big deal is. Every time I get money out of the ATM, I'm photographed, after all.
I'm still puzzled as to how identifying who is entering the country is "invasive".
#2: British gas [house.co.uk] - privacy rules prevented it from helping an elderly couple who were found dead of hypothermia in their home last winter, weeks after their gas service was cut off due to nonpayment of a 140-pound ($255) bill. - yes, this can happen only in good ol' england
Right now, somewhere, there is a government agency putting important data into long term storage, which was created in Microsoft Word. In a few years that data may be unreadable, not because the medium has deteriorated, but because the software that created it will have evolved or no longer exist.
This is just one example of how proprietary formats are bad for storing important data, long term. This problem was noted years ago when it was discovered that VA tapes, tucked away in underground facilities back in the 60's, could no longer be read because the software that created them is gone.
An ideal data scheme would include information which describes the data being stored along with the data itself. An example is XML. This concept needs to be pushed.
It is more likely that we can solve the problem of proprietary data storage schemes long before we can implement 200 year software.
You may be right after all. I know that the anonymous editing can be a problem with controversial topics.
My solution would be to get rid of anonymous editing. In fact, the Wikipedia should probably only be edited by those who really want to contribute. They could demonstrate this by identifying themselves, and contributing monetarily to the project. This would tend to keep out the shrill idiots who do not understand the purpose of an encyclopedia.
Having said that, I believe that, with regard to topics which are not very controversial, the Wikipedia will become more accurate with time.
You zeroed in on what I really mean. I have seen many encyclopedia articles which have a bibliography at the end. I haven't seen this in Wikipedia articles, and I wonder if it is discouranged, or if people just don't think to include them.
Other encyclopedias cite sources for their work. Wikipedia does not seem to have a facility for this, and I have yet to see sources cited in any of the articles. Am I correct in my assumptions? Why aren't sources cited? It would add credibility to the project.
I would answer Mr. Ross's question with a question: "Has the Encyclopedia Britannica ever had to correct an article?" The answer, of course, is yes. So you can't trust the EB to be entirely accurate either.
I've been contributing for a short time now, and it's clear there are a lot of eyes on the work. As time goes on, the articles become more correct. There is no way the EB can put the same number of people on any given topic. Ultimately, Wikipedia may become more accurate than the EB. It is certainly more detailed.
Good point, but considering how everything else over here has to be bigger and better, I'm surprised we don't have a 100 digit code.
Here's some ways to sell it: "Supersize my barcode!"; "The EAN is the SUV of barcodes." (Dale Earnhardt Jr. holding up product) "The new EAN barcode. It's powerful gooder!"
You need to start a website describing how aircraft will fall out of the sky, our cars won't start, and the entire world will will come to a standstill because of the "EAN bug".
I don't think the impact will be that great. Most of the systems I work on have a more than adequately large field for the bar code in the database. Usually 30 bytes, but sometimes even more.
...The target planning memos show a clear preference for killing *more* civilians, actually ruling out a number of militarly more useful targets with less civilian casualties...
In his book Flyboys, James Bradley details how the DuPont corporation invented napalm precisely for the purpose of starting fires in the mainly wooden civilian structures of Japanese Cities. The idea was to start thousands of small fires which would be nearly impossible to extinguish, and which would merge and grow into huge conflagrations. It worked perfectly.
BTW:
I recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII history. It goes into great detail to describe the actions and misunderstandings which led up to the war. It does so without whimper or snarl; without placing blame on or apologizing for either party.
It is inconvenient for me to change my street address. I demand that I be allowed to use my current street address. The U.S. Postal service must now route all mail sent to 123 Plum Street, Springfield, IL, to 10036 N 43rd street, Las Cacas, New Mexico.
(My GOD, the judiciary is so STUPID in this country!)
It still works. This is how I read it, sans contraction:
What kind of Brit jargon exactly? I didn't read any in the article, unless it is use of "big" words such as indignant, municipality, unfathomable,volition and so on, confused you.
That is, "it" refers to "Brit jargon", not the article.
But, hey, you're the primary expert on what you were trying to say.:-)
Slashdot Mirror
Look, you should just come clean and admit the truth that you simply hate the U.S. You're just using the VISIT program as an excuse. I'm not buying any of this.
If that is the criteria for determining what actions to take to prevent future terrorism, then I have a perfect solution: Don't allow anyone in the country that even remotely looks Arab. That should solve the problem.
Well, if I ever go to Brazil, it's fine with me if they want my fingerprint and a photograph. I don't care and I don't see what the big deal is. Every time I get money out of the ATM, I'm photographed, after all.
I'm still puzzled as to how identifying who is entering the country is "invasive".
Yes, this is bad. But how is this invasive?
...venture capitolists...
People who donate money to build a state house?
Isn't a lot of proprietary software being written overseas these days? How is that safer?
This post illustrates why we so desperately need a Dumbass mod selection.
Right now, somewhere, there is a government agency putting important data into long term storage, which was created in Microsoft Word. In a few years that data may be unreadable, not because the medium has deteriorated, but because the software that created it will have evolved or no longer exist.
This is just one example of how proprietary formats are bad for storing important data, long term. This problem was noted years ago when it was discovered that VA tapes, tucked away in underground facilities back in the 60's, could no longer be read because the software that created them is gone.
An ideal data scheme would include information which describes the data being stored along with the data itself. An example is XML. This concept needs to be pushed.
It is more likely that we can solve the problem of proprietary data storage schemes long before we can implement 200 year software.
You may be right after all. I know that the anonymous editing can be a problem with controversial topics.
My solution would be to get rid of anonymous editing. In fact, the Wikipedia should probably only be edited by those who really want to contribute. They could demonstrate this by identifying themselves, and contributing monetarily to the project. This would tend to keep out the shrill idiots who do not understand the purpose of an encyclopedia.
Having said that, I believe that, with regard to topics which are not very controversial, the Wikipedia will become more accurate with time.
Yeah, but he's mixing the languages too much. "Overlord" should be seigneur, or something like that.
Those French! It's like they have a different word for EVERYTHING!
You zeroed in on what I really mean. I have seen many encyclopedia articles which have a bibliography at the end. I haven't seen this in Wikipedia articles, and I wonder if it is discouranged, or if people just don't think to include them.
Wow, I was just joking. I had no idea an h2g2 effort existed.
Is Wikipedia basically becoming the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy?
Other encyclopedias cite sources for their work. Wikipedia does not seem to have a facility for this, and I have yet to see sources cited in any of the articles. Am I correct in my assumptions? Why aren't sources cited? It would add credibility to the project.
Good post.
"How do they know it's accurate?" Ross asks.
I would answer Mr. Ross's question with a question: "Has the Encyclopedia Britannica ever had to correct an article?" The answer, of course, is yes. So you can't trust the EB to be entirely accurate either.
I've been contributing for a short time now, and it's clear there are a lot of eyes on the work. As time goes on, the articles become more correct. There is no way the EB can put the same number of people on any given topic. Ultimately, Wikipedia may become more accurate than the EB. It is certainly more detailed.
Oh yeah. He's watching it all right.
Good point, but considering how everything else over here has to be bigger and better, I'm surprised we don't have a 100 digit code.
Here's some ways to sell it: "Supersize my barcode!"; "The EAN is the SUV of barcodes." (Dale Earnhardt Jr. holding up product) "The new EAN barcode. It's powerful gooder!"
I lost a whole stone in a fortnight, by drinking 3 gills per day of slimfast!
...First, we tend to call them "Imperial" measurements, after the guy that invented them, Bob Imperial*...
I did a spit-take on that one. Now I need to clean my monitor.
You need to start a website describing how aircraft will fall out of the sky, our cars won't start, and the entire world will will come to a standstill because of the "EAN bug".
Stock up on your MRE's NOW!
I don't think the impact will be that great. Most of the systems I work on have a more than adequately large field for the bar code in the database. Usually 30 bytes, but sometimes even more.
...The target planning memos show a clear preference for killing *more* civilians, actually ruling out a number of militarly more useful targets with less civilian casualties...
In his book Flyboys, James Bradley details how the DuPont corporation invented napalm precisely for the purpose of starting fires in the mainly wooden civilian structures of Japanese Cities. The idea was to start thousands of small fires which would be nearly impossible to extinguish, and which would merge and grow into huge conflagrations. It worked perfectly.
BTW:
I recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII history. It goes into great detail to describe the actions and misunderstandings which led up to the war. It does so without whimper or snarl; without placing blame on or apologizing for either party.
Your Honor,
It is inconvenient for me to change my street address. I demand that I be allowed to use my current street address. The U.S. Postal service must now route all mail sent to 123 Plum Street, Springfield, IL, to 10036 N 43rd street, Las Cacas, New Mexico.
(My GOD, the judiciary is so STUPID in this country!)
That is, "it" refers to "Brit jargon", not the article.
But, hey, you're the primary expert on what you were trying to say.
I think you were right the first time. I read it as "it's", that is to say, a contraction for "it is". Not "its" which is possesive.