Requiring "driver's license" for internet

[glotz]

What do you think, should the "information superhighway" really be open even for people with zero knowledge?

I think not.

Just pisses me off that the largest supercomputer in the world is a distributed computing effort, owned and funded by millions of clueless people around the world online and operated by criminals. One would think this would kick governments into action from their sweet slumber... but no. Not yet.

It really made me laugh out loud when America stated that if the states are subjected to an internet based attack in attempt to take down the internet, they will launch a counter cyber attack or even fire a missile at the attacker. I guess they'll be soon firing millions of missiles all over the world, America included. They don't seem to understand (among other things) the first d in ddos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ddos).

The storm is rising.

[BoyOfDestiny]

What do you think, should the "information superhighway" really be open even for people with zero knowledge?

I think not.

Just pisses me off that the largest supercomputer in the world is a distributed computing effort, owned and funded by millions of clueless people around the world online and operated by criminals. One would think this would kick governments in action from their sweet slumber... but no. Not yet.

It really made me laugh out loud when America stated that if they states are subjected to an internet based attack in attempt to take down the internet, they will launch a counter cyber attack or even fire a missile at the attacker. I guess they'll be soon firing millions of missiles all over the world, America included. They don't seem to understand (among other things) the second d in ddos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ddos).

The storm is rising.

Oh my... I think everyone should get access to the net. As for blocking some, I don't think the user is to blame. The majority are using an OS that is insecure out of the box and unfortunately admin privilege to top it off... These are botnets and spamming galore...

Ah whatever though, the net still works...

Is there a good solution that wouldn't upset people or lock people out completely by no fault of their own...

:confused:

[amazingtaters]

Just pisses me off that the largest supercomputer in the world is a distributed computing effort, owned and funded by millions of clueless people around the world online and operated by criminals.

I'm just gonna hope that you are referring to something other than Folding@home. What do you have against folding exactly?

[glotz]

Hehe, either that's an elaborate troll or then you haven't been watching too much news (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm_botnet) lately. I guess you're a troll because I even have a f@h link in my sig...

[Depressed Man]

Well that would work ideally if..

a) you couldn't fabricate it (you can fabricate IDs, and even the magnetic strips as well as info on them if your skilled enough). It could be linked to a government database but they can be hacked into.

b) countries don't use universal driver's licenses. Hell some countries don't even have them.

[Polygon]

I hear korea has something like this, like certain websites require to you enter your like Country ID number (thats on their identification/drivers licence or something)

it would be good because it would help weed out spammers/bots/trouble makers

it would be bad cause it could be considered discrimination, if you get banned from a site unjustly then you don't get a second chance, etc

[Rupertronco]

Don't get me wrong, I hate rampant idiocy just as much as the next guy, but the proposition here is just nonsense. Limiting access to the internet and the free information defeats the purpose of having it.

[PartisanEntity]

This is what we have in Europe, although it is no compulsory: www.ecdl.com

[Lord Illidan]

This is what we have in Europe, although it is no compulsory: www.ecdl.com (http://www.ecdl.com)

Which is all about Microsoft's software, and almost useless. In Malta, it is compulsory to enter university..and in the course I took, they taught us how to work with e-mails by using Microsoft Hotmail. (At home, I already was using Thunderbird). We also had to use IE6 when Firefox was already becoming all the rage..

[SunnyRabbiera]

This is just plain nuts.
Yes there are a lot of people out there who are clueless about the internet, who write in leet and are under the age of 13 but honestly this is just nonsense.
The internet is for everyone bud, sure one time it was going to be another method of the US "blowin up the commies" but now its here on the world stage.
Again elitism shows its ugly face, like the only people who are allowed to use the net are people who studied from Harvard and have degrees up to wazoo...

man you must be crazy.

[n3tfury]

Don't get me wrong, I hate rampant idiocy just as much as the next guy, but the proposition here is just nonsense. Limiting access to the internet and the free information defeats the purpose of having it.

ding ding. winnar.

d/l for the internet. give me a fkn break.

[ShuaM75]

That will come after we see a license to have kids.
Oh that's one we do need!

ps: I am a proud parent of an honor role 7th grader and a top notch 1st grader.

[floke]

I think you should need a license to post on these forums when I come across crap like this.

[lisati]

I'm not sure that getting a license would help - there would be semi-clueless people who still try for access.

BTW, I've got the TV on the background, and Mr Chuck Norris just appeared in an informercial for gymn equipment.

[init1]

What do you think, should the "information superhighway" really be open even for people with zero knowledge?

I think not.

Just pisses me off that the largest supercomputer in the world is a distributed computing effort, owned and funded by millions of clueless people around the world online and operated by criminals. One would think this would kick governments into action from their sweet slumber... but no. Not yet.

It really made me laugh out loud when America stated that if the states are subjected to an internet based attack in attempt to take down the internet, they will launch a counter cyber attack or even fire a missile at the attacker. I guess they'll be soon firing millions of missiles all over the world, America included. They don't seem to understand (among other things) the first d in ddos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ddos).

The storm is rising.
The Internet is for everyone. And should stay that way. I don't think getting a license would prevent one from doing an attack via the Internet.

[samjh]

A lot of people are clueless about using mobile phones, but those don't require a license, despite the fact that mobile phones are the most prolific form of real-time communication for criminals.

Requiring a license doesn't do much to reduce idiocy or criminal use. Just look at the roads - nearly all drivers have licenses but less than half would pass a basic driving test if they were made to do one on-the-spot, let alone an advanced test. Not to mention that a lot of criminals have perfectly legal drivers' licenses.

Requiring a license to use the internet strikes out as both a form of elitism, and a stifling of people's right to communicate freely.

[jgrabham]

Which is all about Microsoft's software, and almost useless. In Malta, it is compulsory to enter university..and in the course I took, they taught us how to work with e-mails by using Microsoft Hotmail. (At home, I already was using Thunderbird). We also had to use IE6 when Firefox was already becoming all the rage..

nah, an ECDL is "this is the "on" button. It switches the computer on" "This is the mouse. You use it to make that little arrow on the screen move" They should get kermit the frog to teach it.

[Caffeine_Junky]

HAHA ! ..thats a BIG NO from me.

The WWW is awesome!, ..and imposing such restrictions on the use/access of it would be a "major pain in the ***" to us the users.

People are responsible for there own actions on the net,

What I don't understand, and think should be looked at is the "Edit" feature on wikipedia pages.

Correct me if I am wrong but is it so that anyone can edit the info on a wikipedia!? ...if this is true then what are these things good for?

I don't think they are a good "reliable" source of information to get in the results of a google search...



cheers

[arsenic23]

First of all, the internet is for cowboys.
Secondly, I hate the idea of licensing (.)

Here in the States most people who have an auto license still don't know how to drive. I wouldn't have one myself, save for, you know, jail time.

What did I have to do to get my auto license?
Pass a tiny multiple choice test I could have passed at age 8, park my truck between two polls, and not mouth off to my examiner. Easy as pie, and not nearly useful at keeping the incompetent off the road.

What do they teach kids at drivers ed?
Kids are taught the basic rules of the road, and then they are shown decades old films that can be pretty much summed up as 'speeding kills', 'don't drink and drive', and 'it never hurts to be careful'. Yeah, real helpful stuff there. If they really wanted to make the roads a better place they'd instruct the kiddies on the basic mechanical principles behind their cars, the differences between driving different kinds of vehicles, and the basic physics behind many common place hazardous situations. Common sense wouldn't hurt too, but I don't really believe you can teach that past the wee little ones.

So we have all this effort to make the highways safer/better that is rather questionably helpful, and now you suggest we do similar for the internet? What kind of punishment would you be giving for interneterizing without a license? Because, like boating, fishing, hunting, and other great things, I can assure you I would more then likely just bypass/ignore getting the damn thing.

[montres]

No way! First of all, I wouldn't trust the issuing of such a licence to any public authority. Would you?

[ahaslam]

The internet allows evereyone to learn & express themselves, why should it be limited? There's no such thing as a stupid question & those that spam will simply find differnt ID's. The internet should be free & open to everyone ;)

[bruce89]

The internet allows evereyone to learn & express themselves, why should it be limited? There's no such thing as a stupid question & those that spam will simply find differnt ID's. The internet should be free & open to everyone ;)

Unless they don't get apostrophes.

Seriously though, dealing with people who don't type in sentences, have "..." seperating things and can't understand that l33t looks bloody stupid is very tricky.

[ahaslam]

Unless they don't get apostrophes.

Seriously though, dealing with people who don't type in sentences, have "..." seperating things and can't understand that l33t looks bloody stupid is very tricky.

I can't understand you. Maybe it's the 8 pints of lager, or perhaps we're both in need of an internet licence, eh?

[bruce89]

I can't understand you. Maybe it's the 8 pints of lager, or perhaps we're both in need of an internet licence, eh?

The second paragraph was the interesting bit.

[Quillz]

I find the content of this thread stupid, but it's only my opinion.

[Wolki]

Not to mention that a lot of criminals have perfectly legal drivers' licenses.

I think what Glotz means isn't "There are criminals on the internet" but "There are criminals controlling botnets containing tens of thousands of zombified pcs on the internet". Sure, the criminals would get their license no problem, but "Pay me X$ or I'll ping your page all day!" isn't a threat, "Pay me X$ or I'll bring down your servers, and maybe for good measure your ISP too" is one.

That said, the time where something like this could have been done has long passed. You can't undo the Internet anymore.