SOPA

[KingIsaacLinksr]

I'll grant that not the entire industry is shady.  But the MPAA and others (who I was pretty much referring to) have shown time and again they do not care what consumer rights they have to stomp down in order for them to stay at the top of the pile.  And they especially hate new technology showing up.

I think the blackout is right, which is my opinion of course.  It wakes up people to the fact that these blackouts could have become the real deal had SOPA and PIP passed (and there is still a chance they might, sometime in the future).  I guess I view 12-24 hours as not all that punishing in the grand scheme of things. 

King

[Jobydrone]

I don't think anyone is being punished, really.  It's just an awareness thing.  Not everybody that uses Wikipedia is completely cognizant of the flagrant censorship and first amendment trampling that is being proposed here. 

Anyway, if you really NEED to access the Wiki today you can hit it up on your mobile phone or disable Java in your browser.

[X]

While I agree that SOPA and the like is way off base, and should never be passed, I do kind of agree that "blacking out" sites is realistically punishing the wrong people. Do any of us honestly believe that by blacking out Wikipedia, government is going to go "hey, they're RIGHT!". Don't think so. I understand the concept behind it. I do. Like don't buy gas on this day to punish oil companies. But that doesn't work either. By blacking out certain sites, the end users (that's US by the way) are punished because we can't access them when we WANT to or when we NEED to. Does this make me more sympathetic to them? Nope. Kind of pisses me off that I can't access the sites I want to. And just for the record, not everyone in the entertainment industry is shady and contemptuous and only care about money :) Just my two cents...

I don't think it's punishment at all. This is a great way of showing what could happen. People that use without care sudden realize that these things do apply to them.

[QuadShot]

Per the freedcitionary.com: punishment: 4. (Psychology) Psychol any aversive stimulus administered to an organism as part of training

Black out is intended as a message and/or "training" to those who face the possibility of loss of what they may perceive is a "human right". So...yep, punishment! :)

[Rico]

This is why the blackout was the right thing to do and effective in getting the word out to people that had no clue about SOPA.  Great job Wikipedia!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57361418/one-early-winner-in-sopa-protest-wikipedia/?tag=pop;stories

[Bryancd]

Yeah, it was one of the lead stories on NBC Nightly News as well. Pretty effective at getting the word out.

[Jobydrone]

Holy Wow.  162 MILLION hits in one day.  That's unbelieveable.

[X]

Per the freedcitionary.com: punishment: 4. (Psychology) Psychol any aversive stimulus administered to an organism as part of training

Black out is intended as a message and/or "training" to those who face the possibility of loss of what they may perceive is a "human right". So...yep, punishment! :)

Yeah, I'm going to stick to the merriam webster definition of punishment and this doesn't quite fit. Maybe that's why the free dictionary is free...


Definition of PUNISHMENT

1
: the act of punishing
2
a : suffering, pain, or loss that serves as retribution
b : a penalty inflicted on an offender through judicial procedure
3
: severe, rough, or disastrous treatment

pun·ish verb \ˈpə-nish\

Definition of PUNISH

transitive verb
1
a : to impose a penalty on for a fault, offense, or violation
b : to inflict a penalty for the commission of (an offense) in retribution or retaliation

2
a : to deal with roughly or harshly
b : to inflict injury on : hurt

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Last I heard the people who sent in petitions is over 5 million.  These bills better be dead and gone for good....but we will see.

King

[Bryancd]

No matter what you call it, it was very effective and really the only form of protest a virtual site can make.

[QuadShot]

No matter what you call it, it was very effective and really the only form of protest a virtual site can make.

...Ok then...I shall call it...George. And I will love it, and squeeze it and make it my pet!! :)

[QuadShot]

Per the freedcitionary.com: punishment: 4. (Psychology) Psychol any aversive stimulus administered to an organism as part of training

Black out is intended as a message and/or "training" to those who face the possibility of loss of what they may perceive is a "human right". So...yep, punishment! :)

Yeah, I'm going to stick to the merriam webster definition of punishment and this doesn't quite fit. Maybe that's why the free dictionary is free...


Definition of PUNISHMENT

1
: the act of punishing
2
a : suffering, pain, or loss that serves as retribution
b : a penalty inflicted on an offender through judicial procedure
3
: severe, rough, or disastrous treatment

pun·ish verb \ˈpə-nish\

Definition of PUNISH

transitive verb
1
a : to impose a penalty on for a fault, offense, or violation
b : to inflict a penalty for the commission of (an offense) in retribution or retaliation

2
a : to deal with roughly or harshly
b : to inflict injury on : hurt

X, Wikipedia is free too...:) You win. I'm not arguing with you. Only...you ARE cute when you get riled! :) :)

[Bryancd]

Hehehe, Al got you there, Chris. :)

[KingIsaacLinksr]

*laughs in the background*

King

[ChrisMC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jkXtf_FZKbA#

Captain Picard on SOPA.