Hey Commentard! - or is that Commenter? Last month a Reg reader contacted us via our Twitter account to complain about the use of the word "freetard", on the grounds that, as an analogue of "retard", the word was derogatory to people with mental handicaps. Americans may have a little difficulty in understanding the substance of this complaint, in the way that most …
Things just ain't funny when repeated too often (I guess we all know someone who repeats Python sketches verbatim?)
Maybe the Reg can install a 'sell-by-date' plugin in its CMS and/or comments system. Wilful use of some of the riper cliches will incur a financial or physical penalty.
Fanboi
Commentard, freetard, or any other -tad
Etc
More, newer, cliches please!
If you don't think they are funny, then, er well you should
Indeed! Today's XKCD, for example, is a particularly fine example of subtlety on the part of Mr. Monroe -- I mean, you can totally enjoy the comic without it, but ordinary people would never spot that those are actually least terns, and that Stickman Beret is going to be looking at some pretty stiff fines for interfering with the protected nesting areas of an endangered seabird.
I believe you missed either or all notices on xkcd pages:
"Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)."
And contrarily to what you think, XKCD strips _are_ indeed quite masterfully drawn, in a form-meets-function way. Drop you prejudice and browse the XKCD archives, you may be surprised.
PS they are also most obligatory. No quotes.
@Aaron Em
OK, but why expect the Reg to solve a problem for you that you've created for yourself?
I didn't ask them to.
I don't see it as a problem.
-
@Drewc
But let me guess, you want 110% of everything we have to offer, for free...
Not as much of it as that but you are right, in the end I probably wouldn't pay for any of it.
I'd imagine this is one of the great frustrations of trying to make a living on the internet and I sympathise, but not to the extent that I'd change how I behave. Sorry.
I promise I'll give any ideas you come up with for funding the site real consideration - I might go for a (very) cheap subscription to an ad-free Register for example.
Sabroni, You are being quite the troll.
We could support a "poll" system that didn't require javascript, for more work and a crappier UI, to please a tiny fraction of our readership.
Get Twitter and Google Docs to turn off js and we may have a re-think...
"We could support a "poll" system that didn't require javascript, for more work and a crappier UI"
Yeah. Or not. People have created "poll" systems before which didn't require JS, didn't take more work (honestly? You've never actually WRITTEN JS, have you?), and had nicer UIs.
Don't take your incompetence out on others. It's embarassing.
Using javascript to submit a form is over-engineering. It's not a big deal, it was just a flippant comment based on being presented with a big black square where a form was supposed to be.
The number of people on this site who use noscript is surely greater than on most sites, why aren't they considered when you specify a voting form?
Do highly competent web programmers use javascript when html will do the job just a well? Why?
Yeah, I'm trolling, maybe you shouldn't all have bitten in the first place?
"The number of people on this site who use noscript is surely greater than on most sites, why aren't they considered when you specify a voting form?"
Why would The Register give a toss what people who have deliberately disabled the advertising that pays their damned wages think? You're getting content for free. Until you start paying for it, you don't get a vote. Ever.
> We could support a "poll" system that didn't require javascript, for more work and a crappier UI, to please a tiny fraction of our readership.
Well, that hypothetical version might cope better with multiple votes, if you see what I mean (and I think you do). I won't abuse it, as it's against my principles and the poll is not an exercise in democracy anyway, but there is a serious hole in the voting system.
> Get Twitter and Google Docs to turn off js and we may have a re-think...
If I may, I don't think that is a valid argument for some of the core ElReg audience (me included). However tiny it might be in terms of revenue...
That said, your website, your rules.
Oh don't be silly. If even I, Grand Advocate of Text Browsing, Head Slayer of Anything Unnecessarily Fancy and Great Knight of the Hollier than Thou Order, can make an exception and let that one implementation of The Infamous JS Monster get through, so can you.
Here, have a cold one to soothe your anguish.
Freetard? Moi? ... grins.
Actually, I really like it. More than once I've thought of having it on a t-Shirt.
But I think for the sake of fairness the principle could be expanded, 'Paytard' is a good start but round there there is also room for 'Articletards', 'Reviewtards', 'Apptards', 'SEOtards', lots of variants on 'Mototards, Googtards, RIMtard (oh-err), and 'GrannySmithtards'.
And finally, dare I say it and get banned, 'Moderatards'?
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