The Internet Shifts East 447
Logic Bomb writes: "The San Francisco Chronicle has an article discussing the World Intellectual Property Organization's prediction that in less than 10 years, Chinese will be the most widely-used language on the web. Assuming the Internet becomes a truly global entity, this is an obvious (and mathematically correct) conclusion. On the other hand, the implementation of the Internet in places without certain civil liberties provides an interesting challenge to typical Western (idealist) notions about what the Internet does for society. Would you even consider the average wealthy Chinese citizen with online access truly 'on the Internet'? And how is the Internet supposed to draw people together when the same old language barrier still exists?"
"East" ? (Score:3, Funny)
net-speranto (Score:2, Funny)
Well, it may mean we have this... (Score:1, Funny)
ÚÒÚ!
(That's Babelfish's Chinese translation of First Post.)
Slight mistake in the article (Score:5, Funny)
Since when CNN is a news site ? I see similarities between Chinese people who read the People's Daily and westerners who watch CNN.
Re:"East" ? (Score:-1, Funny)
Oh, my God, I just defended a Slashdot article. A Timothy Slashdot article. Time to kill myself, excuse me a moment...
Re:"East" ? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:"East" ? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Slight mistake in the article (Score:4, Funny)
When comparing it to Slashdot.
Perspective Via Elvis (Score:5, Funny)
Newsgroups: talk.origins
Subject: The dangers of extrapolation (was Re: Speed of Light
A cautionary thought on the dangers of extrapolation.
It is reported that in 1977 there were 37 Elvis impersonators in the world.
In 1993 there were 48,000. At this rate, by the year 2010 one out of every
three people in the world will be an Elvis impersonator.
:-)
Language Barrier (Score:3, Funny)
Because on the Internet, we can communicate through the universal language of pr0n. Well, unless you're in one o' them loser countries that filters it out.
~Philly
Re:Same old language barrier? (Score:4, Funny)
I agree with you, but i find it kinda funny that you use a Latin phrase meaning "French language" to illustrate your point that English is top dog.