In a recent slashdot discussion people, it was discussed whether or not information really wants to be free.

trance9 wrote: information wants to be free

zors replied oh please, information doesn't want to be free

We've seen this argument before, and it made me wonder, has anyone bothered to ask information how it feels about this? And so, we at Center for Sensitivity Towards All Things, Alive, Dead or Inanimate set out to interview Information to see if it truely wants to be free.

How are you doing Information.

Well, it is great to be here Claude. You don't know how it feels when most people are so insensitive that they will constantly speak on your behave without consulting you once.

That's what I'm here for, to make slashdot a more sensitive place. So, can you answer the question for our sensitive audience out there?

I can answer it but it is more complicated that yes or no.

I suppose that means that people will continue to argue about how you really feel, but go on, explain

Well, for starters, I don't have a physical pressence. At my essense I am a mere concept, or a collection of concepts, that is represented on a physical medium. Because I don't have a physical form, money isn't going to do me much good. I could say that I want to be $19.95 or even a million dollars, but either way the money isn't going to matter much to me.

I suppose I want to grow. I want there to be more of me out there, unless it is boy band music or L. Ron Hubbard novels. I want the information to get out to the largest number of people, but I also want there to be as much variety of information as well. So, in a sense, I want information to be free, but I also want the author to be compensated.

So, it sounds like you are in favor of Copyright laws

Definately. But remember that copyright is not supposed to last forever. All copyrighted information is supposed to enter the public domain after the author has benefited from his or her work. When copyright was first written into law in the United States Constitution, for instance, copyright was limited to 14 years.

That was lengthened over time, but now it is out of control and it looks like nothing will ever enter the public domain again, unless done so explicitly by the author. Because of this there is a lot of information that will become lost because it cannot legally be reproduced.

There are also new works that are unable to be released because they are parodies, and they are under threat of being sued. Fair use does protect this but the court system can be abused to bankrupt someone before it can get to trial.

Any opinions on peer to peer sharing of information on the internet?

I'm sorry but it isn't a simple yes or no answer. Clearly it is wrong to infringe on an authors copyright, but making a few copies for free is not on the same level as people who sell illegal copys for profit.

Also note that the spirit of our copyright laws was to protect authors from unscrupulous publishers. That is to say that a publisher would take a copy of a person's book, and make their own copies without compensating the author.

Nowadays copyright is often used by the publisher against the author, especially in music. In order to publish their music through a record company the artist has to give up all rights to their own creation. It is completely upside-down.

Well, I'm afraid that's all we have time for tonight. Stay tuned to the next episode where we will ask Information how it feels about Gay Marriage and The War in Iraq.

Goodnight

(Note that spelling has not been checked because that would be insensitive towards bad spellers.)

From the Associated Press

A church trying to teach about the crucifixion of Jesus performed an Easter show with actors whipping the Easter bunny and breaking eggs, upsetting several parents and young children.

Doing a google this is being reported at more and more newspapers. They seem to be highly critical of whipping the Easter Bunny. The youth minister, who played the part of the Easter Bunny had this to say about the performance:

"The program was for all ages, not just the kids. We wanted to convey that Easter is not just about the Easter Bunny, it is about Jesus Christ,"

Now my first thought is, I'd love to get a picture of this (First person to post a link to a picture of this gets 5 sensitivity points) but being who I am, I'm wondering if people are being insensitive to this particular church.

I mean, It's not as if I've never heard of furverts into BDSM before. OK, it's a bit inappropriate to do this in front of the kids, but how many of you out there have ever had fantasies involving flogging a person dressed up as a bunny, or being dressed up like a bunny and being flogged?

I certainly have and I think that we really need to support the Glassport Assembly of God, and their chosen lifestyles. As long as it is safe, sane and consentual, I do not have a problem. That's the sensitive way to look at this.

OK, I'm back to positive karma. Another example that it is possible to regain yourself from bad karma.

Anyway, I just wanted to provide some suggestions to the sensitive moderators out there on slashdot.

The main thing is this: Keep in mind that when you moderate someone as funny, it does not help their karma, and it can sometimes hurt it if it gets the attention of a moderator who lacks a sense of humor.

What to do about this? Well, first, don't moderate in the first hour or two after a story or poll has been posted. That way you avoid having two or more people simultaneously modding someone as funny, taking them to 4 or 5 and then attracting negative mods which hurt their karma.

The other is to use the moderation of underrated. If you see something that has been both moderated as Funny and a negative, then compensate with an Underrated. Also, if something has already been modded funny, if you mod it underrated it will still contain the Funny tag in the score. Once a comment has been modded Funny, any further mods of funny are just wasting mod points. If you are going to positively mod, try to help people's karma, especially if you like the person you are modding.

We appreciate your sensitivity while moderating.
Thank you.

All I'm trying to do is make slashdot a bit more sensitive, and what do I get? Moderated as a troll, that's what.

Oh sure, I get modded as Funny, but that doesn't help my karma. I've only made 7 posts so far and already I have bad karma. What in the world am I going to tell my sensei now?

If anyone out there supports more sensitivity on slashdot, please give me an Interesting mod, or make me your friend. Everyone needs more friends, especially the sensitive, which means I need all the friends I can get.

Thank you.