Want to read Slashdot from your mobile device? Point it at m.slashdot.org and keep reading!

The Cure for Information Overload 94

Posted by Zonk on Saturday April 01, 2006 @05:39PM from the technological-success-story dept.

Ged writes "Those librarian blogerati have done it again: they've just discovered 'The Cure for Information Overload'. It's a very elegant formula if you ask me, with obvious SRU/SRW applications, and maybe even TLA ramifications. I'm not sure about all of the conclusions, but it sure is an interesting theory."

This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

The Cure for Information Overload

Load All Comments

Search 94 Comments Log In/Create an Account

Comments Filter:

Yay for Ponies!!! (Score:5, Informative)

by Toast10101 ( 875553 ) writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @05:40PM (#15043192)

OMG!!! An informative and interesting first post!!!

The informative and interesting part: Ponies are little horsies.

Share
twitter facebook
- Re:Yay for Ponies!!! (Score:2)
  
  by B3ryllium ( 571199 ) writes:
  
  NOTICE - This Is Miniature Horse Territory [startlogic.com]
Escape! (Score:4, Funny)

by tehshen ( 794722 ) writes: <tehshen@gmail.com> on Saturday April 01, 2006 @05:41PM (#15043193)

If you're suffering from information overload, the last place you want to be is here.

Soooo many stories...

Share
twitter facebook
- Re:Escape! (Score:1)
  
  by Andrzej Sawicki ( 921100 ) writes:
  
  At least they are short. Finally something adequate to my late-night attention span. :)
- Re:Escape! (Score:2)
  
  by JamesTRexx ( 675890 ) writes:
  
  Looks like many are already avoiding this place. The number of comments with each story posted today is dropping.
- Absolutely. (Score:2)
  
  by Kelson ( 129150 ) * writes:
  
  It seems that the cure for information overload is unlikely to be misinformation overload.
- the real cure for information overload (Score:5, Informative)
  
  by commodoresloat ( 172735 ) * writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @06:01PM (#15043286)
  
  is to mod this post +informative.
  
  Parent Share
  twitter facebook
  - Re:the real cure for information overload (Score:2)
    
    by Pneuma ROCKS ( 906002 ) writes:
    
    Hey, it worked!
- Re:Escape! (Score:2, Funny)
  
  by Anonymous Coward writes:
  
  Soooo many stories...
  So little time each year!
  It's like the superbowl for, err, australians: WTF is going on!? I thought you said football. This is so wrong and backward.
- Re:Escape! (Score:1)
  
  by tabby ( 592506 ) writes:
  
  nah there is like 5 stories. The rest are dupes.
- *gasp* (Score:2, Insightful)
  
  by MK_CSGuy ( 953563 ) writes:
  
  Think of the Slashdotting potential!
- Re:Recursive (Score:3, Informative)
  
  by Bricklets ( 703061 ) writes:
  
  yeah! i got the ad and i *thought* i had hit the end. nope, there was a link at the bottom...
  
  i'm still clicking as we speak
  - Re:Recursive (Score:1)
    
    by mrwonton ( 456172 ) writes:
    
    It sounds like you've been CURED!!
GAH!!! (Score:4, Funny)

by deopmix ( 965178 ) writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @05:42PM (#15043202)

I just want to read the article, it seems to keep linking to other links. I think that it's broken. Anybody got any suggestions??

Share
twitter facebook
- Re:GAH!!! (Score:1)
  
  by kshade ( 914666 ) writes:
  
  OMG! It's even circular!
  - Re:GAH!!! (Score:2)
    
    by this great guy ( 922511 ) writes:
    
    Hahaha :) Blondes are going to click-and-click-and-click... ad infinitum without ever realizing it :)
  - Re:GAH!!! (Score:1)
    
    by ch424 ( 888921 ) writes:
    
    It seems to get to here [blogspot.com], then starts looping.
    
    There's ten minutes I'll never get back.
- I'm happy to help (Score:5, Funny)
  
  by RedLaggedTeut ( 216304 ) writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @05:48PM (#15043225) Homepage Journal
  
  I just want to read the article, it seems to keep linking to other links. I think that it's broken. Anybody got any suggestions??
  Sure, here is a working link: http://tinyurl.com/ng69u [tinyurl.com]
  
  Parent Share
  twitter facebook
- Re:GAH!!! (Score:1)
  
  by deopmix ( 965178 ) writes:
  
  Nevermind, i found the solution. Apparently it's outlook 2002 http://www.microsoft.com/office/previous/xp/column s/column01.asp [microsoft.com]
- Re:GAH!!! (Score:2)
  
  by frovingslosh ( 582462 ) writes:
  
  Right click on the link. Select "Follow links until final article is reached" from the pop-up menu. Note: this feature may not be available in all browsers, including IE.
- Re:GAH!!! (Score:2)
  
  by Alef ( 605149 ) writes:
  
  It is sort of an inverted DDOS...
Dupe! (Score:1, Insightful)

by electronerdz ( 838825 ) writes:

They are all dupes!
Typical (Score:5, Funny)

by Big Frank ( 921537 ) writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @05:44PM (#15043207) Homepage

Another poorly written Slash Dot summary. The article has a completely different perspective.

Share
twitter facebook
The cure (Score:5, Funny)

by Xymor ( 943922 ) writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @05:44PM (#15043210)

The cure for information overload has been found centuries ago. It's called Beer.

Share
twitter facebook
- Re:The cure (Score:1)
  
  by zpeterz63 ( 851922 ) writes:
  
  Beer--the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems.
  
  -Homer Simpson
- Re:Wait a minute... (Score:1)
  
  by heisencat ( 963190 ) writes:
  
  Never mind the kitties, where are the PONIES???!?!??!?1!
Chuck Norris Fact (Score:4, Funny)

by tehlinux ( 896034 ) writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @05:48PM (#15043221)

Chuck Norrris' tears cure information overload. It's too bad he has never cried!

Share
twitter facebook
- Re:the end (Score:1, Funny)
  
  by rippofrank ( 936044 ) writes:
  
  the link goes to machine readable then philospher librarian and then loops back to philosopher librarian.
- Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:2)
  
  by TeacherOfHeroes ( 892498 ) writes:
  
  Oi! Settle down!
  
  It's one day a year - if you really can't go that long without your slashdot fix and really can't take a joke, then maybe you have larger problems than "OMG!!! PONIES!!!"
  
  Just take a breath and go do something else like read a book or play an RPG...
  - Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:1)
    
    by CRC'99 ( 96526 ) writes:
    
    Posted by Zonk on 7:39 2nd April, 2006
    
    It's one day a year - if you really can't go that long without your slashdot fix and really can't take a joke, then maybe you have larger problems than "OMG!!! PONIES!!!"
    
    Looks like it's more than just one day... There is such a thing as flogging a dead horse... I believe we've passed that point quite some time ago...
    - Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:2)
      
      by TeacherOfHeroes ( 892498 ) writes:
      
      Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:2) by CRC'99 (96526) on Saturday April 01, @05:03PM (#15043301)
      
      I think its neat how you replied to this article before it was posted.
      
      Besides, they're clearly flogging dead ponies, not horses
- Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:4, Funny)
  
  by ettlz ( 639203 ) writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @05:58PM (#15043270) Journal
  
  Look, it's the one day of the year that the Slashdot editors can get away with posting incoherent and/or unsubstantiated rubbish bearing little — if any — resemblance to the truth. So let them have their fun, OK?
  
  Parent Share
  twitter facebook
  - Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:4, Funny)
    
    by Cloud 9 ( 42467 ) writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @06:00PM (#15043281) Homepage Journal
    
    Look, it's the one day of the year
    *snort*
    
    Parent Share
    twitter facebook
  - Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:5, Funny)
    
    by TeacherOfHeroes ( 892498 ) writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @06:00PM (#15043284)
    
    it's the one day of the year that the Slashdot editors can get away with posting incoherent and/or unsubstantiated rubbish bearing little -- if any -- resemblance to the truth
    
    You must be new here...
    
    Parent Share
    twitter facebook
- Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:3, Informative)
  
  by xilmaril ( 573709 ) writes:
  
  Yes, actually. I've seen an extensive study on the subject of recursive humour, and it actually increases exponentially with each retelling. For more information, see here [blogspot.com].
- Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:1)
  
  by t-twisted ( 937590 ) writes:
  
  I'll take care of this:
  
  http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=181917&cid= 15041803 [slashdot.org]
- Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:2)
  
  by pipingguy ( 566974 ) writes:
  
  You've been modded Troll, but you're right. This is just getting stupid.
  - Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:2)
    
    by rbarreira ( 836272 ) writes:
    
    Being right doesn't imply not being a troll.
Mirror (Score:2, Insightful)

by wildsurf ( 535389 ) writes:

Mirror [blogspot.com]
- Re:Mirror (Score:1)
  
  by Christopher Rogers ( 873720 ) writes:
  
  Great now I can read the article.
- Re:Mirror (Score:2)
  
  by wildsurf ( 535389 ) writes:
  
  Wow. Whoever modded my post informative completely missed the joke. (Unless the mod itself was a joke...) I was going for +5 Redundant. :)
  - Re:Mirror (Score:2)
    
    by wildsurf ( 535389 ) writes:
    
    Ugh, to get to +5 Redundant, it has to be modded Underrated a few times as well... guess I shot myself in the foot with that one. Ah well, karma to burn.
Tagging Beta (Score:5, Insightful)

by teknomage1 ( 854522 ) writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @05:56PM (#15043257) Homepage

Is it necessary to tag every story as gay?

Share
twitter facebook
- Re:Tagging Beta (Score:1)
  
  by 1053r ( 903458 ) writes:
  
  On april 1, yes.
- Re:Tagging Beta (Score:3, Funny)
  
  by caffeination ( 947825 ) writes:
  
  Just you wait, they're going to have to hardcode a block for this, because it's going to run and run and run. Anything we don't like from now on? GAY! And every time, the gay rights nutters will scuttle out from under the fridge to complain.
  - Gay? (Score:3, Funny)
    
    by mblase ( 200735 ) writes:
    
    More like a circle jerk....
  - Re:Tagging Beta (Score:1)
    
    by tabby ( 592506 ) writes:
    
    Actually we come out of the closet to complain. Tom Cruise is in here. ;-)
- Re:Tagging Beta (Score:1)
  
  by DesireCampbell ( 923687 ) writes:
  
  Yes it is. There's too much "queer positive" stuff nowadays.No one's alowwed to say anything's 'gay'.
  
  Homosexuals aren't more special than me - I get to make fun of them just as much as I make fun of cripples and the ugly.
- Re:Tagging Beta (Score:2)
  
  by Atzanteol ( 99067 ) writes:
  
  I think they'll do it until all the up-tight slashdotters either leave or develop a sense of humor...
Definition (Score:2)

by this great guy ( 922511 ) writes:

Chained-slashdotting: n 1: cf. above slashdot article.
- Re:Definition (Score:1)
  
  by mikiN ( 75494 ) writes:
  
  Better yet, try this [slashdot.org] or this [slashdot.org]...
  Ahhh, I just love recursion...
- You've got it wrong. (Score:1)
  
  by Escogido ( 884359 ) writes:
  
  Chained-slashdotting: see chained-slashdotting.
Enough Please (Score:3)

by aardwolf64 ( 160070 ) writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @05:57PM (#15043268) Homepage

Ok guys... This has got to stop. RTFA at Wikipedia on April Fools... no jokes are supposed to be made after mid day. Sigh...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fool's_Day [wikipedia.org]

Share
twitter facebook
- Re:Enough Please (Score:1)
  
  by oilisgood ( 161130 ) writes:
  
  OMG FTFL.... In the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand the April 1 tradition exists, however it is accepted that if somebody pulls an April Fool's Trick after 12pm (mid-day), then the person pulling the trick is actually considered the fool (this caveat may also exist in other countries).
  
  So, if you are in these countries please do not read /. anymore today or you will turn /. posters into CUTE LITTLE PONIES!! OMG!!
- Re:Enough Please (Score:2)
  
  by kelnos ( 564113 ) writes:
  
  Er, the article you linked to says "In some countries, April Fools jokes must only be made before midday", without listing any countries, though it makes a reference to Australia later. It links to another article, which gives Ireland and Cypress as examples of countries where there aren't supposed to be jokes after midday. Doesn't sound like the majority of the world goes for this interpretation. I'd actually never heard of the after-midday "rule" until I started reading Slashdot a few years ago.
reverse (Score:1)

by mennucc1 ( 568756 ) writes:

does anyone how to play the game "reversed", that is, go up in the list of links?
- Re:reverse (Score:1)
  
  by mikiN ( 75494 ) writes:
  
  Sure! (That is, if you trust Google to do the backtracking for you.)
  Just follow the backlinks.
  - Make a list of the link URL(s) you want to backtrack.
  - For each link in your list, strip the "http://" part, add "link:" (drop the quotes, obviously) and feed what you're left with to Google.
  - Make a list of the URL(s) that Google returns.
  - (Optionally, retrieve the linked-to pages and scan the HTML source for the link URL to make sure the page is really a backlink. Be sure to also check for relative URLs.)
  - Lath
I, for one... (Score:5, Funny)

by Kelson ( 129150 ) * writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @06:03PM (#15043298) Homepage Journal

...welcome our new Information Overloads.

Share
twitter facebook
link fixed: (Score:3, Informative)

by mblase ( 200735 ) writes: on Saturday April 01, 2006 @06:03PM (#15043303)

http://www.gdrc.org/icts/i-overload/cure.html [gdrc.org]

Thanks for ruining my fun, Google.

Share
twitter facebook
Meta-tagging (Score:2)

by Jugalator ( 259273 ) writes:

straight, redundant, gay, stupid (tagging beta)

Here's my meta-tag: wtf?
Best blonde joke ever (Score:2)

by arvindn ( 542080 ) writes:

I can't believe no one has mentioned The best blonde joke ever [burningbird.net], which was the original circular linking prank.
I'm also surprised a lot of posters seem to be seeing this sort of thing for the first time!
- Re:Best blonde joke ever (Score:2)
  
  by jc42 ( 318812 ) writes:
  
  But that blonde joke only goes a few hops before repeating. Has anyone reached a loop point in "The Cure for Information Overload"? I went about 20 hops (I'm waiting for some rice to finish cooking ;-), and I didn't hit any repeats. Google says there are 235 matches for that phrase, but they probably didn't do the scan in the past 24 hours. Whoever organized (?) this one seems to have recruited a lot of people willing to extend the chain.
YABBJ (Score:2)

by krunk4ever ( 856261 ) writes:

YABBJ (yet another best blond joke)
Best April Fool's joke so far (Score:2)

by mpontes ( 878663 ) writes:

Personally, I enjoyed this one. It illustrated well the nature of the Internet, someone finds something, links it to another person, that person links it again, repeat.
I loved the different blog personas and their comments. I don't know, call me stupid, but there's just something about it that I can't help finding fascinating.
Just like every day on digg (Score:2)

by PAPPP ( 546666 ) writes:

Wow. Now /. is posting stories as obfuscated by blogs as the average post on digg.
Best Joke (Score:1, Insightful)

by Anonymous Coward writes:

This is the best April Fool's joke I have seen today.
Zangelding (Score:2)

by TeknoHog ( 164938 ) writes:

A related solution is offered at the Zangelding official home page [cc.jyu.fi].
Reaction thread (Score:2)

by bar-agent ( 698856 ) writes:

Holy recursion, Batman!

I mean...like, omg, I clicked, like, 50 links? And I still don't know about that information overload thing, or whatever? But it just sounds so cool! I mean, like, my pony collection is totally out of control. But then my computer started making these beeping noises?
APRIL FOOLS! (Score:1)

by Eideteker ( 641508 ) writes:

APRIL FOOLS!
The cure is simple: (Score:2, Funny)

by mogwai7 ( 704419 ) writes:

Stop all the downloadin!
Don't Waste Your Time (Score:2)

by Ranger ( 1783 ) writes:

I got sent the retarded email. Gave up after three clicks and googled it. Here's the actual link. Not that I read the worthless piece of crap: http://www.gdrc.org/icts/i-overload/cure.html [gdrc.org]

There may be more comments in this discussion. Without JavaScript enabled, you might want to turn on Classic Discussion System in your preferences instead.

Yay for Ponies!!! (Score:5, Informative)

Re:Yay for Ponies!!! (Score:2)

Escape! (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Escape! (Score:1)

Re:Escape! (Score:2)

Absolutely. (Score:2)

the real cure for information overload (Score:5, Informative)

Re:the real cure for information overload (Score:2)

Re:Escape! (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Escape! (Score:1)

*gasp* (Score:2, Insightful)

Re:Recursive (Score:3, Informative)

Re:Recursive (Score:1)

GAH!!! (Score:4, Funny)

Re:GAH!!! (Score:1)

Re:GAH!!! (Score:2)

Re:GAH!!! (Score:1)

I'm happy to help (Score:5, Funny)

Re:GAH!!! (Score:1)

Re:GAH!!! (Score:2)

Re:GAH!!! (Score:2)

Dupe! (Score:1, Insightful)

Typical (Score:5, Funny)

The cure (Score:5, Funny)

Re:The cure (Score:1)

Re:Wait a minute... (Score:1)

Chuck Norris Fact (Score:4, Funny)

Re:the end (Score:1, Funny)

Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:2)

Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:1)

Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:2)

Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:3, Informative)

Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:1)

Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:2)

Re:Enough with the April Fool's Crap (Score:2)

Mirror (Score:2, Insightful)

Re:Mirror (Score:1)

Re:Mirror (Score:2)

Re:Mirror (Score:2)

Tagging Beta (Score:5, Insightful)

Re:Tagging Beta (Score:1)

Re:Tagging Beta (Score:3, Funny)

Gay? (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Tagging Beta (Score:1)

Re:Tagging Beta (Score:1)

Re:Tagging Beta (Score:2)

Definition (Score:2)

Re:Definition (Score:1)

You've got it wrong. (Score:1)

Enough Please (Score:3)

Re:Enough Please (Score:1)

Re:Enough Please (Score:2)

reverse (Score:1)

Re:reverse (Score:1)

I, for one... (Score:5, Funny)

link fixed: (Score:3, Informative)

Meta-tagging (Score:2)

Best blonde joke ever (Score:2)

Re:Best blonde joke ever (Score:2)

YABBJ (Score:2)

Best April Fool's joke so far (Score:2)

Just like every day on digg (Score:2)

Best Joke (Score:1, Insightful)

Zangelding (Score:2)

Reaction thread (Score:2)

APRIL FOOLS! (Score:1)

The cure is simple: (Score:2, Funny)

Don't Waste Your Time (Score:2)

Related Links Top of the: day, week, month.

Slashdot Top Deals

gasp (Score:2, Insightful)