I think it was "The Third Planet from Altair" (find the complete list here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choose_Your_Own_Adven ture where there was one ending where you ended up on some utopian planet. The thing was there was no choice that actually got you to that page.
I am still haunted by that book. It was my introduction to the disillusionments of the universe.
My interest in CAPTCHA relates directly to comment spam so I may be overly narrowing the problem. I had a couple ideas that I plan to implement at some point for dealing with this outside of CAPTCHA:
1. Require poster to give email address (as with most registration systems). Post comment for a limited period of time (say 15 min), but then have it expire if not verified by clicking link emailed to poster. (Impose a 1-3 comment per session max on posters and periodically purge database of unverified comments.)
2. When posting a comment, run a js script that imposes a 1 second delay of some sort on poster -- to thwart automated attacks. Is there a way to do this effectively? Any implemetations of an idea like this?
Most effective systems I've seen use a layered approach, so these could be layers in a system that also uses CAPTCHA situationally as well.
To my thinking, the problem is not so much coming up with a system that discrimination human problem-solving from computer but rather to come up with one that imposes costs unacceptable to automated spam-bots but acceptable to well-intentioned humans.
When I first started using blogger a couple years ago (before even Google acquired it), I started using it as a virtual notebook of sorts. It required a bit of imagination, but made for a handy sort of makeshift user-friendly-ish remote fileserver that I could access easily from both home and campus. While doing that, this was the sort of app that I envisioned.
"Innovation makes enemies of all those who prospered under the old regime, and only lukewarm support is forthcoming from those who would prosper under the new." -- Machiavelli
Open source innovation makes even stronger enemies among the old regime. And, as often pointed out, most managers tend to prefer the status quo.
Speaking of security issues, what risks are there with using extensions? I assume extensions listed on mozilla's site are vetted by the community if nothing else. But what about some of these extensions that come from third-party sites or give you that little unrecognized source warning when you start to install them?
I've googled this and even raised this question on/. before:
With all of the government-sponsored selling out of The People that has been going on in the past, say, 6 or so years, one has to wonder when or even if it is going to stop.
Maybe the Democrats will get a clue and roll out something a la Gingrich's "Contract with America," like:
I know Slashdot has been called one big online wank session. But I'd like to see some of the more thoughtful views -- like the one expressed above -- turned into testable or falsifiable predictions and tracked.
A topic like this -- which draws such divergent but more-or-less decently argued views -- would be a good subject for something like http://longbets.org/.
Wouldn't it be great if two campaigning politicians in a race against each other actually had to frame their false promises as actual testable predictions verifiable upon a certain date or within a specific timeframe and back them with some substantial sum from their campaign funds?
By the way, on the issue at hand here, I'm afraid I'd have to put my money on the parent.
I love NPR but I admit I donate sporadically. NPR is especially great at the office here when I have to do something relatively mindless or tedious and I can load up the latest Science Friday and feel like I'm getting something out of it.
Like other commentors here, I don't mind donating to NPR -- it makes me feel good, too. I do hate the pledge-drives, but the main reason I don't pledge more regularly is just plain laziness or inconvenience.
That said, NPR is probably one of the few online services I would happily subscribe to. If they offered full access to their online archives in return for, say, a $50+ annual donation to my local affiliate, it would motivate me to make my regular donations.
(And for those who think NPR's content is exchangeable with any cable news network out there, pull your head out of your Fox News. Wanna know the difference? See this:
I've been getting these Chase emails, too, and my Visa account recently was switched to Chase! I suspected a phisher, so I went to the site and entered some choice obscenities for the user name and password. The login page still sent me to the next page as if I had been logged in.
So for a certain subset of phishing sites, one check might be to enter incorrect login info and see if it admits you. This should identify sites that are illegit. However, if the site doesn't log you in -- don't then assume that this makes it legit.
Slashdot Mirror
I think it was "The Third Planet from Altair" (find the complete list here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choose_Your_Own_Adven ture where there was one ending where you ended up on some utopian planet. The thing was there was no choice that actually got you to that page.
I am still haunted by that book. It was my introduction to the disillusionments of the universe.
I found this post by Dr. Dave, maker of Spam Karma for Word Press, on the State of Spam interesting reading:
/ the-state-of-spam-karma/
http://unknowngenius.com/blog/archives/2006/01/30
My interest in CAPTCHA relates directly to comment spam so I may be overly narrowing the problem. I had a couple ideas that I plan to implement at some point for dealing with this outside of CAPTCHA:
1. Require poster to give email address (as with most registration systems). Post comment for a limited period of time (say 15 min), but then have it expire if not verified by clicking link emailed to poster. (Impose a 1-3 comment per session max on posters and periodically purge database of unverified comments.)
2. When posting a comment, run a js script that imposes a 1 second delay of some sort on poster -- to thwart automated attacks. Is there a way to do this effectively? Any implemetations of an idea like this?
Most effective systems I've seen use a layered approach, so these could be layers in a system that also uses CAPTCHA situationally as well.
To my thinking, the problem is not so much coming up with a system that discrimination human problem-solving from computer but rather to come up with one that imposes costs unacceptable to automated spam-bots but acceptable to well-intentioned humans.
Do you think these would be of any use?
Tom
One unstated goal on our side missed here:
- Do the first 3 cost-effectively.
Not making much progress there.
After Palestine, I don't imagine turning Iraq into a democracy is as clear-cut an objective as it may have seemed at one time.
As far as giving Iraqis a state powerful enough to stand alone on its two feet, Saddam had done that.
One service they're not offering.
t geist.html
But never fear:
http://lastgoogle.blogspot.com/2006/04/google-las
Yes, the notebook app does sound interesting.
When I first started using blogger a couple years ago (before even Google acquired it), I started using it as a virtual notebook of sorts. It required a bit of imagination, but made for a handy sort of makeshift user-friendly-ish remote fileserver that I could access easily from both home and campus. While doing that, this was the sort of app that I envisioned.
Now what about G-drive? Is this the first step?
Tom
"Innovation makes enemies of all those who prospered under the old regime, and only lukewarm support is forthcoming from those who would prosper under the new." -- Machiavelli
Open source innovation makes even stronger enemies among the old regime. And, as often pointed out, most managers tend to prefer the status quo.
hehe.
That's why I use a calculator.
The exchange rate appears to be about NZ$1.6 to US$1 [http://www.x-rates.com/d/NZD/USD/graph120.html%5D [x-rates.com] and according to the website the prices are listed in NZD.
So if you're an American (like me! woo-hoo!), you can divide by 1.6.
Where are the sepia tones, jazz soundtrack, and pedantic voiceover?
Tom
A slightly different take on the issue, but if this topic grabs you, I'd recommend:
The Elementary Particles by Michel Houellebecq
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375727019/
A provocative book. Make sure you read it all the way through to the epilogue.
will typing pron.com send me to porn.com? or vice-versa?
Tom
Speaking of security issues, what risks are there with using extensions? I assume extensions listed on mozilla's site are vetted by the community if nothing else. But what about some of these extensions that come from third-party sites or give you that little unrecognized source warning when you start to install them?
/. before:
9 72782
I've googled this and even raised this question on
http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=180970&cid=14
but never got what I'd consider a compelling answer.
Anyone know a good blog or webpage that answers this question?
Tom
Who's modding this comment: scientists or administration apparatchiks?
s _NASA_post_after_Texas_A&M_refutes_his_resume
For more on administration's influence over NASA, see:
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/George_Deutsch_resign
It exists:
http://www.lastgoogle.com/
It's just that it's usually ignored.
After the 100th page, it doesn't exist.
Tom
The scientists or the administration apparatchiks?
I don't know which one it is, but I predict it will be the first to make some serious scratch.
With all of the government-sponsored selling out of The People that has been going on in the past, say, 6 or so years, one has to wonder when or even if it is going to stop.
Maybe the Democrats will get a clue and roll out something a la Gingrich's "Contract with America," like:
THE END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH AMERICA
Or just like Silvio Berlusconi:
0 6/PM200604066.html
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2006/04/
Or Bart Simpson:
Homer: Bart, you're grounded for a year.
Bart: I'll just pay the fine.
Homer: That'll be $3.
I know Slashdot has been called one big online wank session. But I'd like to see some of the more thoughtful views -- like the one expressed above -- turned into testable or falsifiable predictions and tracked.
A topic like this -- which draws such divergent but more-or-less decently argued views -- would be a good subject for something like http://longbets.org/.
Wouldn't it be great if two campaigning politicians in a race against each other actually had to frame their false promises as actual testable predictions verifiable upon a certain date or within a specific timeframe and back them with some substantial sum from their campaign funds?
By the way, on the issue at hand here, I'm afraid I'd have to put my money on the parent.
Tom
Sit on his ass forever? Looks like this guys working his ass off... so he can sit on his ass forever.
Of course my grandma's so rich, she just buys ass on the free market.
This may have happened but this also sounds like FUD. Care to back it up with a link?
In any event, I'll keep listening to Science Friday. Usually don't bother with the rest of the week.
A strong second to this idea.
I love NPR but I admit I donate sporadically. NPR is especially great at the office here when I have to do something relatively mindless or tedious and I can load up the latest Science Friday and feel like I'm getting something out of it.
y Id=5289399)
Like other commentors here, I don't mind donating to NPR -- it makes me feel good, too. I do hate the pledge-drives, but the main reason I don't pledge more regularly is just plain laziness or inconvenience.
That said, NPR is probably one of the few online services I would happily subscribe to. If they offered full access to their online archives in return for, say, a $50+ annual donation to my local affiliate, it would motivate me to make my regular donations.
(And for those who think NPR's content is exchangeable with any cable news network out there, pull your head out of your Fox News. Wanna know the difference? See this:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?stor
I've been getting these Chase emails, too, and my Visa account recently was switched to Chase! I suspected a phisher, so I went to the site and entered some choice obscenities for the user name and password. The login page still sent me to the next page as if I had been logged in.
So for a certain subset of phishing sites, one check might be to enter incorrect login info and see if it admits you. This should identify sites that are illegit. However, if the site doesn't log you in -- don't then assume that this makes it legit.
Nothing can compare with a young boy's imagination.