So what's the solution? How about if the google revealed the business model of each app to give us the information to recognize the shovelware? (I'm interpreting that term based on memories of a couple of days actually shoveling horse manure back when I was in the service... So long ago that I can't remember the details, but I think the first day we were piling it in one place and the second day we had to get it back in the truck because they decided it was the wrong place...)

I know solutions are unfashionable around Slashdot these years. Much easier to just criticize the messes we've gotten ourselves into, but I sometimes can't help myself. I imagine a "Financial model" tab/section for each app. Basically two parts. In Part One the developer would explain what's going on. Most of the time that would involve picking from the most popular models, though there should be room for "Other" to allow for innovation. In Part Two the google would say a bit what they know. At first that should be based on the google's due diligence that checks the legitimacy of the app and the app's developer. (Cue the laugh track.) Later on the google might be able to say more about whether or not the app is performing financially in accord with what the developer claimed in Part One.

To be distinguished from the criminal apps with criminal ads that the google supports so eagerly. At least I haven't been able to find any way to report the fake "urgent update" notifications trying to fool me into installing malware. Most frequent are probably the ones that claim the PDF reader needs to be updated. "Now, now, NOW!" While blocking out as much of the screen as possible except for the install malware button.

Having said that, I'm kind of tempted to take a look at this Android app thing. I've been working on a little webpage front end app using Claude and already I seem to be reaching its limits. Makes a pretty webpage, but the guts are not smart.

Both the theme of the story and the AI brain fart. And I suppose the suckers who voted for the YOB, too, while I'm at it?

*sigh*

s/This is/These are/

"These is not the wild coincidences you were searching for."

Not finding any funny, so forced to look for the low-hanging fruit? "Today's Slashdot: These are not the jokes you were looking for."

That's it? All the funny that Slashdot could handle these days? This story had great potential for laughs, but...

But not via Facebook or the cesspool formerly known as Twitter. Assassinated and left, respectively. Slashdot used to be a pretty good source of Funny, but that must have been before the AI sock puppets took over the Internet.

Just kidding. Most of the sock puppets are too stupid to be AI-based slop. But they are apparently giving me a fixation on or some kind of obsession with their vacuous enshitification?

Even though I don't even know what sort of humor I was hoping for on this story, I'm sure AC's brain fart was not it.

Just read another book with something about why anonymity encourages people to become worse people over time... Must have been in the Facebook-related stuff.

Me? I didn't even want to use GitHub but Claude.ai made me do it.

Only Funny on the ripe target? Too bad.

Just reading Mindf*ck and feeling like it explains a lot about how America was made so ungreat. Not enough there about who got the loot, but I've already gotten sick of books about cryptocurrencies and blockchains.

Oh, just fsck off.

Anyway this branch should be blamed on the Apple fanbois if'n I remember the history correctly.

I bit surprised to see an Amazon story without "evil" in the comments. Not surprised there is no Funny.

Yeah, the joke I was expecting, but thanks anyway. Slashdot favors low-hanging fruit these years?

You could have mentioned the robots. Mostly thinking about those Chinese robots, but the critical question is when the robots are capable of building enough infrastructure needed for a factory to produce more robots.

Beware the paper clips!

YOB stands for YUGE Orange Buffoon because I don't like the brand. You guessed correctly even with the minimal context and I have no doubts about your reference.

Heck, at this point I don't even want to use the word as a verb. But you might prefer to think of a different word for B depending on the context and your sentiments.

But mostly disappointed (again) that the active discussion failed to produce any jokes. Or perhaps the moderation failed again. But a day-old discussion is effectively dead on Slashdot and I don't want to search for the possible jokes that might be lurking around here somewhere...

But Xi still wants some samples of the American products to know where the Chinese products are in relative terms. The better to set higher targets.

Still wondering what sort of trap he'll spring on the YOB. The tricky part is that Xi can't pull too hard on the buffoon's strings or everyone will notice. Has to let the YOB think it's really his latest brilliant idea. Even though Xi has been rehearsing with the YOB's GAIvatar for weeks already...

Rather disappointing this juicy story didn't get any Funny.

Closest to the joke I was looking for?

But maybe they will now use LinkedIn to find much better opportunities? Unless they prefer to spend more time with their families?

I think it's mostly the winners'-side bias of lucky rich people for "righteous indignation". Also common affliction among religious fanatics. But they aren't morally right. Just lucky or fanatical or both.