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1.  

   No Subject Given

   

   Dr. Evil, Sep 11th, 2003 @ 12:04pm

   
   

   I want the very first job at the Department Of Registered Computer Specialists (D.O.R.C.S) ... I'll revel in making each computer illiterate take a tab and wait in a hideously long line just like at the DMV. Then I want to act like the computer nerd right out of Mad TV's " Your Computer Guy " and humiliate people who can't find the start button. If I relent and give them their license in order to use the internet I'll make sure its encoded with GPS technology and a detonator so I can can track and eliminate people that become my Nemesis on the road ... ( clasping hands together Dr. Evilly ... pinky enters mouth )

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2.  

   No Subject Given

   

   Chris, Sep 11th, 2003 @ 12:22pm

   
   

   If we knock AOL off the Internet we'll be half way there ;)

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3.  

   Re: No Subject Given

   

   AMetamorphosis, Sep 11th, 2003 @ 12:43pm

   
   

   Touche' !

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4.  

   Seat belt law for the internet

   

   Tony Lawrence, Sep 11th, 2003 @ 1:39pm

   
   

   I've been batting an idea around my site for a while now. Details at
   http://aplawrence.com/Blog/B509.html
   but the basic idea is like seatbelt laws: if you get caught for some other eason and aren't wearing it, you get an extra fine.
   
   What "catches" you? Evidence that your machine is infected by a virus. If you are up to date (using an approved os version with proper patches and virus or firewall protection), no problem. Otherwise, you are fined, maybe even your machine confiscated or barred from the internet.
   
   Enforcement would be spotty, but just like seat belt laws, proably pretty effective.

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5.  

   Philosophically, I'm all for fewer idiots...

   

   mark, Sep 11th, 2003 @ 2:08pm

   
   

   but when it comes down to it, economics and broader political implications win. I can't see our already slumping IT sector getting behind the idea that we should put up more barriers to entry.
   
   Oh wait, I see the lines already forming for the Microsoft Certified Users License and DRM registration because what people really need is Gates and Ashkroft's blessing before they go pay to look at offically sanctioned content

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6.  

   Internet License...

   

   LittleW0lf, Sep 11th, 2003 @ 6:38pm

   
   

   I'm all for a childbirth license, and would want that before we have an internet license. To think that all people need to do to have a baby is have sex, and then they are ready for bringing a child into the world has always been amazing to me. At the very least, people should show proof of financial responsibility and take a test on the finer points of raising a child.
   
   Then we can worry about an internet license, since more people die or are killed by the very fact of being born (100% rate) compared to being killed while surfing the internet (0.0000001%, and Joe was killed by a massive brain embalism while browsing Pr0n.)

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7.  

   the wrong model

   

   aNonMooseCowherd, Sep 12th, 2003 @ 6:32am

   
   

   A much better model is the way diseases are treated. If your computer is distributing a virus/worm/whatever, then it should be quarantined, i.e. not allowed to connect to any network (except an internal network, such as in a home). Once people started getting hit by this, it might be enough of an incentive to make them actually think about running something other than Microsoft's bugware.

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8.  

   Re: Seat belt law for the internet

   

   Anonymous Coward, Sep 12th, 2003 @ 6:43am

   
   

   How utterly lame.
   Thank you for thinking up more dumb unenforceable laws.

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9.  

   Re: the wrong model

   

   AMetamorphosis, Sep 12th, 2003 @ 6:45am

   
   

   A very intelligent concept indeed ... ( Pipe in hand )... I like it young " aNonMooseCowherd ".

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10.  

    Re: Seat belt law for the internet

    

    data64, Sep 12th, 2003 @ 8:36am

    
    

    So which firewall and anti-virus products are okay ? Only the ones from Symantec, mcafee, etc. What about open source or free-ware products ?
    Doesn't your idea completely play into DRM-on-each-PC (aka. Palladium) crowd

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