Larry Sanger - Slashdot User

What should we do about Wikipedia's porn problem?-> 3

Submitted by

Larry Sanger

on Thursday May 31, @11:26AM

Larry Sanger writes "In 2011, the Wikimedia Board committed to installing a "controversial content" filter even weaker than Google's SafeSearch, as proposed by the "2010 Wikimedia Study of Controversial Content." Since then, after growing opposition by some Wikipedians, some board members have made it clear that they do not expect this filter to be finished and installed. Nevertheless, as TFA makes clear, Wikipedia continues to host an enormous amount of extremely gross porn and other material most parents don't want their kids stumbling across. And this content is some of the website's most-accessed. Nevertheless, children remain some of Wikipedia's heaviest users. Jimmy Wales has recently reiterated his support for such a filter, but no work is being done on it, and the Foundation has not yet issued any statement about whether they intend to continue work on it."
Link to Original Source

Once Deemed Evil, Google Now Embraces "Paid Inclusion"-> 0

Submitted by pacc on Thursday May 31, @09:37AM

pacc writes "It was a long time a go google only provided a page with search links, and MarketingLand finds that the policy to have ads clearly separated from the search may have gone with newer services.
For example a hotel search will indicate that 'some' link payed to get listed, but not which ones and digging deeper gives less, not more info.
For example, Google Hotel Finder has no disclosures. In fact, the help page suggests that all listings are free. If that’s true, then why would Google be disclosing a financial relationship for when Google Hotel Finder results appear within a comparison box?"
Link to Original Source

Comment: Big ol' reply post (Score 1) 949

by Larry Sanger on Wednesday June 08 2011, @10:01PM (#36382922) Attached to: Is There a New Geek Anti-Intellectualism?

Hi all, author of TFA here. I have a bunch of replies, which address many of the things said here on Slashdot, on my blog.

Comment: Slashdot discussing stuff politely?! (Score 1) 949

by Larry Sanger on Tuesday June 07 2011, @06:45PM (#36369048) Attached to: Is There a New Geek Anti-Intellectualism?

I've posted quite a few times here on Slashdot, and I have to say, this is the most civilized discussion I have seen, well, ever in this forum. I have to think that I've hit a nerve, and people are actually not just doing their usual posturing, but actually caring about the question and trying to come to grips with it. There may be hope for geeks yet.

Comment: Re:College isn't Intellectual Enough (Score 1) 949

by Larry Sanger on Tuesday June 07 2011, @04:11PM (#36366974) Attached to: Is There a New Geek Anti-Intellectualism?

So, you went to an undemanding college that grants degrees easily. And that logically implies that college, in general, is a waste of time?

Comment: Re:None of them are geeks (Score 0) 949

by Larry Sanger on Tuesday June 07 2011, @04:04PM (#36366842) Attached to: Is There a New Geek Anti-Intellectualism?

So, you're saying you disagree with them. Right? Just checking.

Comment: Re:Question (Score 1) 949

by Larry Sanger on Tuesday June 07 2011, @04:01PM (#36366766) Attached to: Is There a New Geek Anti-Intellectualism?

I don't see a case of "cool to be stupid," either. Geek anti-intellectualism is not like jock anti-intellectualism. As TFA says...well, I'll just let you read it.

Comment: Re:Not anti-intellectualism (Score 1) 949

by Larry Sanger on Tuesday June 07 2011, @03:59PM (#36366718) Attached to: Is There a New Geek Anti-Intellectualism?

Well, there's more to the post than the "college is a waste of time" thing. Scan down for the points (numbered 1-5) that I'm calling anti-intellectual. "College is a waste of time" is one only of them. And besides, if you'll look at Dale Stephens' CNN article, you'll see plenty of anti-intellectual notes.

Is there a new geek anti-intellectualism?-> 1

Submitted by

Larry Sanger

on Tuesday June 07 2011, @03:29PM

Larry Sanger writes "Geeks are supposed to be, if anything, intellectual. But it recently occurred to me that a lot of Internet geeks and digerati have sounded many puzzlingly anti-intellectual notes over the past decade, and especially lately. The Peter Thiel-inspired claim that "college is a waste of time" is just the latest example. I have encountered (and argued against) five common opinions, widely held by geeks, that seem headed down a slippery slope. J'accuse: "at the bottom of the slippery slope, you seem to be opposed to knowledge wherever it occurs, in books, in experts, in institutions, even in your own mind." So, am I right? Is there a new geek anti-intellectualism?"
Link to Original Source

Comment: Re:Let him go. (Score 1) 263

by Larry Sanger on Friday May 07 2010, @11:04AM (#32127102) Attached to: Wales Supports Purging Porn From Wikipedia

The original title of my submission mentioned Commons, but the Slashdot guys changed this to Wikipedia. It's quite true that Wikipedia is also full of porn, but Wikimedia Commons has truly stupendous amounts of it. Of course, if you're not inclined to look for it, you might not come across it. But what curious 10-year-old boy won't look for it? Armed with the knowledge of a few terms to search for, and creativity, you can find boatloads of porn instantly. Think of any sexual fetish, position, orientation, combination, piece of anatomy, alteration of piece of anatomy, part of the whole sex process, etc., it's all there in living color! What a great educational reference work!