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| OSNews Blacked Out for 24 Hours in SOPA Protest |
| By Thom Holwerda on 2012-01-19 00:09:54 |
| ...and we're back. Like so many other sites on the web, OSNews joined the worldwide protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act and the PROTECT-IP Act, which threaten to end free speech, economic innovation, privacy, and the free exchange of information on the web. I don't wish to waste too many words on our participation, so consider this item as a sort of comment lightening rod to make sure that when the next story is posted, we can focus fully on its topic. Update: DC seems to be getting the message the internet sent today. |
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| Appreciate it |
| By Alfman on 2012-01-19 00:29:18 |
| The US government has been parading on it's high-horse for way too long, neglecting even to listen to it's own people. I hope these online protests have an impact. |
 - Score: 12 |
| Comment by shmerl |
| By shmerl on 2012-01-19 00:36:33 |
|
Good concise review of SOPA's practical problems: http://www.khanacademy.org/video... |
| - Score: 2 |
| ... |
| By Hiev on 2012-01-19 00:44:42 |
|
Looks like IE9 didn't like the spot light efect: http://imagebin.org/194365 |
| - Score: 3 |
| RE: ... |
| By Thom_Holwerda on 2012-01-19 00:53:14 |
|
> Looks like IE9 didn't like the spot light efect: http://imagebin.org/194365 Well, it looks like the 3% of our readers using IE9 (actual statistic) could still read the message :). |
| - Score: 3 |
| Zero complaint emails! |
| By Lazarus on 2012-01-19 01:36:44 |
|
Apparently everyone's email providers were taking part in the protest. All I could do was shake my fist! :-) |
| - Score: 6 |
| RE: Porn |
| By Thom_Holwerda on 2012-01-19 01:44:58 |
|
Not the government's job to block porn. It's yours. If you don't trust your child, install a client-side tool. |
| - Score: 18 |
| RE: Porn |
| By sukru on 2012-01-19 01:47:57 |
|
The government might develop an optional program for parents, which they can use for the measures you mentioned. If they did this, I'd support them. (And as far as I know, they already have such systems implemented for public schools). However the important keyword is optional, otherwise it becomes outright censorship. |
| - Score: 4 |
| RE: Porn |
| By Drumhellar on 2012-01-19 01:56:45 |
| Either install a porn filter, or keep internet access limited to communal places, such a the living room. Each of those cost nothing while allowing you full control without imposing your will on other consenting adults. |
| - Score: 3 |
| RE[2]: ... |
| By bhtooefr on 2012-01-19 01:57:50 |
|
That effect also broke in Opera 11.60, in the same way. And, no links were clickable. (This is at least based on other sites using that protest page - I was going to use it until I saw the problems with it in Opera.) |
| - Score: 3 |
| Musings on SOPA and piracy |
| By WorknMan on 2012-01-19 01:58:26 |
|
Now that the 'SOPA protest day' is rounding down, let's talk about the problem of piracy. Many SOPA supporters will tell you that piracy is a real problem because it results in lost sales and the loss of jobs. Well, many people would argue with this reasoning, but let's say for the sake of argument that this is true. Which leads me to ask the following question: So what? How many jobs have been lost and companies gone down the crapper as a result of the Internet. If there's one truism about the Internet (and technology in general) is that businesses that either can't or wont adapt to the changes will cease to exist. But for businesses that are destroyed, new ones are created. This is the way it has been since the advent of business, and I'm just not sure why we should feel guilted into trying to save businesses who's end products can now be replicated an infinite amount of times for $0. As we come to grips with this new reality, maybe that means people won't be able to make movies that costs $200 million, and make me feel a little dumber every time I watch them. Is that not ok? Of course, music and books will always exist, as will movies that don't cost a fortune to make. As for apps and games, those who want to make money off of them will probably go to an online/subscription model as a way to curb piracy. This is an end result that a lot of people won't like, but it is just the way of things. As a final thought, once physical replicators become a reality, are we going to insist that people still buy a loaf of bread, when they can just create one out of thin air? I'm just saying that instead of wasting time trying to stop something that will never be stopped, and labeling pirates as seal-clubbing bastards, maybe... just MAYBE we should try and think about how things are going to work going forward, with piracy being simply a reality, and a business problem for some to work out. Can you figure out a way to sell content that people can download for free? If yes, then great. If no, then you go out of business. It's just as simple as that. You don't have some god-given right to create content and sell it, especially when it's pretty much in the public domain as soon as you put it out there. If that means you have to find a new career, sucks to be you. If you couldn't see this coming, it's your own damn fault. Edited 2012-01-19 02:00 UTC |
| - Score: 10 |
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