How would you feel if you had to have a licence to use the internet?

Tony · 22-03-2008, 19:00

How would you feel if you had to have a licence to use the internet?

Perhaps a test to prove your suitability to be let loose?

The signal to noise ratio is appalling at the moment. I've taken to writing letters and arranging meetings and speaking to people instead of relying on the morass of garbage information and garbage opinions out there.

SaveUK · 22-03-2008, 19:04

I agree... but the forum would be a bit silent.

gabby · 22-03-2008, 19:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

The signal to noise ratio is appalling at the moment. I've taken to writing letters and arranging meetings and speaking to people instead of relying on the morass of garbage information and garbage opinions out there.

I totally agree.

melthebell · 22-03-2008, 19:04

tbh theres plenty of stupid people let loose with computers / the internet.

there has always been a joke in "geek" circles that stupid people shouldnt be allowed to use a computer.
they are why viruses will ALWAYS propagate and spread

Rich · 22-03-2008, 19:08

It wouldn't work mate.

I agree with it in principle, but in practice it'd cause more problems than it solved IMO.

Savannah2 · 22-03-2008, 19:08

Are you having a bad Easter weekend Tony?

I may not be here now if I had to have a suitability test before I was let loose.
What test do you have in mind?

Savannah2 · 22-03-2008, 19:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by melthebell

tbh theres plenty of stupid people let loose with computers / the internet.

There was no need to be personal.

Tony · 22-03-2008, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Savannah2

Are you having a bad Easter weekend Tony?

I may not be here now if I had to have a suitability test before I was let loose.
What test do you have in mind?

Hehe it was a long night

I suspect that this thread will have a certain inbuilt dork exclusion quality about it so as you are already here you are probably fine.

melthebell · 22-03-2008, 19:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Savannah2

There was no need to be personal.

i was talking about myself mostly

punk · 22-03-2008, 19:27

Good plan. IQ>100 would be a start. The Internet was a much more pleasant place in the 90s before all the idiots signed up

SaveUK · 22-03-2008, 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by punk

Good plan. IQ>100 would be a start.

whooo hooo belive it or not i pass the mark

*shame the quote thing messed up mind* lol

melthebell · 22-03-2008, 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by punk

Good plan. IQ>100 would be a start. The Internet was a much more pleasant place in the 90s before all the idiots signed up

OI! i only come online in 2000
GRRRRRRRRRR

*gets punks coat*

GSK · 22-03-2008, 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

How would you feel if you had to have a licence to use the internet?

Perhaps a test to prove your suitability to be let loose?

The signal to noise ratio is appalling at the moment. I've taken to writing letters and arranging meetings and speaking to people instead of relying on the morass of garbage information and garbage opinions out there.

The swimming pool may be full of crap, but nobody's making you jump in.

Savannah2 · 22-03-2008, 19:30

If we take driving for instance; we have the "driving test" All people who drive have to pass this test before been let loose on their own on our roads. Still the idiots are out there (and in abundance too) on the roads. It would be the same with the "Internet test"

pinklady · 22-03-2008, 19:30

I'd be gutted, no sane person would give me a licence

melthebell · 22-03-2008, 19:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinklady

I'd be gutted, no sane person would give me a licence

WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

errrrrrrrrm i mean

*gets coat*

SugarPuff · 22-03-2008, 19:36

I'd have to go back to talking to real people instead...

Savannah2 · 22-03-2008, 19:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by melthebell

i was talking about myself mostly

Hence my reference

It is a unique quality you have - called having a sense of humour.

pinklady · 22-03-2008, 19:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by melthebell

WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

errrrrrrrrm i mean

*gets coat*

watch-it matie

JoeP · 22-03-2008, 21:13

I don't know whether it's still the same but anyone wishing to use a Modem in Germany, for example, had to have it registered with the central telecoms authority. I wouldn't mind too much if it reduced the 'dork' factor.

I first came online in the mid-1980s - pre-Internet - and it required a certyain amount of ability to get online then. Even when the Internet came along, it was still pretty crude in terms of putting together different bits of sofwtare to get a working TCP/IP stack, email client, etc. Basically, you had to be interested enough to amke it all work; it was when Internet access became more of a 'consumer commodity' that the signal to noise ratio started falling.

I'd actually like to see each household equipped with a fixed IP address in the UK (totally feasible with IP6) and also make it a necessity that when you register an 'anonymous' address - like Yahoo or MSN - your real anme and address are given.

Once people stop being able to hide behind anonymity all the time the idiocy levels will decline; none of this would stop you using an anymised account, but all your online activity would be tracable to you.