Chacham's Journal: Slashdot: Requests: Profanity Filter, Inter-user Messaging.

Well, i submitted a feature request for Slashdot. Can you guess what it is? :) A profanity filter. Taco responded that people will just try to break it. He's got a good point. I think, though, that the kiddies can be foed, and the "real" users won't try breaking it. So, i added the comment. If you like this idea, and want to add, the ticket is open.

While looking at the feature requests, i noticed that forged added this one, to enable messages between users. That's a neat idea. And it looks like it'll be added.

DIY?

[daoine]

With all the free browsers/languages that include HTML parsers in them already, why not just alter/write your own browser?

It seems to me that if profanity bothers you here, it's going to bother you anywhere you read it. Grabbing the source to a browser and doing a quick search and replace in the incoming text would solve your problem completely.

Re:DIY?

[Chacham]

I have thought about doing it. However, i read this from more than one computer, and not one always my own. Further, part of the reason to block profanity is the approach the writer took to the article or comment. It would seem that profanity means emotions were used in a logical area. As such, the entire comment is likely not worth reading. A server-side comment modifier helps that, where a client-side one will not.

As to where it is, i'd say its a rare occurence that i find profanity on a usual run. And i

Re:DIY?

[Coventry]

Similar in scope to the bork filters and such available, why not read slashdot (for now, until the filtering is built in) through a rewriting proxy? Several are available, most are geared towards rewriting pages in slang - but the basic rewrite rules should be easy enough to modify. Just a basic web proxy script and a few regular expressions could do nicely. - and you could even control what the terms get replaced with, such as big bold text saying 'IGNORE COMMENT' or just comical *#! symbols.

I know, its

Re:DIY?

[Chacham]

If all else fails, that may be a good idea.

As for noticing it, i was surprised. However, i think Taco has the responsibility to realize there are different people out there, and as such, if there is a request that doesn't bother anyone, it should be addressed.

Profanity blocking isn't some strange idea, and many people use it. No TV News allows it, and for good reason, there are standards.

Slashdot is for freedom of expression, and the modifiers are for each user to control what they see.

Didn't RTFA yet..

[Trolling4Dollars]

A profanity filter would be an OK idea as long as it's optional (I wouldn't read /. if there wasn't all kinds of cursing and flame throwing going on) like everything else. But, frankly, I don't see a lot of people using it as there really isn't such a thing as profanity to the majority of the population these days. Or at least the definition of profanity varies widely at this point.

To some, the words of Richard Stallman are profane. And to others, those of Darl McBride, Bill Gates or Steve Jobs are prof

Re:Didn't RTFA yet..

[Chacham]

The idea would be per user. I would want to add a feature that block what people want to see.

As for the damage, that's you opinion. I've mentioned the damage it does in an earlier JE. It's a per-user thing, however.

Please no.

[Kris_J]

I want to be able to tell people that an electronic device is available for sale at Dick Smith Electronics. Maybe people living in or with a surname of Cunthorpe would like to continue referencing their home or using their name. If you really don't want to see profanity, hook it into the scoring system.

Re:Please no.

[Chacham]

That's what the request is for.....