Newsflash: there won't be any nano(ro)bots anytime soon (if ever). We are not even close.
Furthermore, it has been argued that for technical and financial reasons building self-replicating machines doesn't make much sense (C. Phoenix, E. Drexler, Safe exponential manufacturing, Nanotechnology 15, 869-874 (2004))
Uhm, why exactly is this post insightful?
Do you know the first thing about Switzerland anyway?
FTA: "[...]is therefore examining the use of spy software to allow it to listen in on conversations on PCs[...]" I say: Yay for the Swiss government. They are examining this? Good, examining doesn't hurt. The press (ok, one newspaper... they might be misinformed) has heard about it and published it. People are being informed.
The contrast to the USA?
Well, firstly i'm sure somebody is examining the possible use of this or similar software in the US, too. But contrary to the US, Switzerland does not have a Patriot Act or similar stupid laws to allow wiretaps without a warrant.
Secondly, Switzerland is a direct democracy. The Swiss people can actually oppose anything the government decides and put it up to a vote. Yes, you heard right: no president can decide 'let's take away some rights from the people' without the people having the last word (for that matter, our executive is made up of 7 'ministers' (Bundesrat), with all of them together not having as much power as the US president on his own!).
So, to sum up my rant: I have no big fear of my government spying on me, while I am certain the NSA is spying on all of us. "Welcome to the USA!!!", indeed, for the world is your playground for all you care (and no, I don't hate Americans, just can's stand the current administration).
Slashdot Mirror
Newsflash: there won't be any nano(ro)bots anytime soon (if ever). We are not even close.
Furthermore, it has been argued that for technical and financial reasons building self-replicating machines doesn't make much sense (C. Phoenix, E. Drexler, Safe exponential manufacturing, Nanotechnology 15, 869-874 (2004))
Uhm, why exactly is this post insightful?
Do you know the first thing about Switzerland anyway?
FTA: "[...]is therefore examining the use of spy software to allow it to listen in on conversations on PCs[...]" I say: Yay for the Swiss government. They are examining this? Good, examining doesn't hurt. The press (ok, one newspaper... they might be misinformed) has heard about it and published it. People are being informed.
The contrast to the USA?
Well, firstly i'm sure somebody is examining the possible use of this or similar software in the US, too. But contrary to the US, Switzerland does not have a Patriot Act or similar stupid laws to allow wiretaps without a warrant.
Secondly, Switzerland is a direct democracy. The Swiss people can actually oppose anything the government decides and put it up to a vote. Yes, you heard right: no president can decide 'let's take away some rights from the people' without the people having the last word (for that matter, our executive is made up of 7 'ministers' (Bundesrat), with all of them together not having as much power as the US president on his own!).
So, to sum up my rant: I have no big fear of my government spying on me, while I am certain the NSA is spying on all of us. "Welcome to the USA!!!", indeed, for the world is your playground for all you care (and no, I don't hate Americans, just can's stand the current administration).