Comments on: How an algorithm came up with Amazon's KEEP CALM AND RAPE A LOT t-shirt http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Mon, 20 May 2013 01:33:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1671424 Antinous / Moderator Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:55:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1671424 SOON SOON

]]> By: Ito Kagehisa http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1671337 Ito Kagehisa Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:10:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1671337 Disqus massively downgraded the quality of BB threads.  For starters, by removing a barrier to entry - you used to have to really WANT to say something, not just be a drive-by with a google ID.  (And the barrier was not insignificant at times; I never quite understood how wordpress could be made so hostile to logins).  Also, because disqus uses so many separate authentication sources, it inherently encourages sock-puppetry...  I'm using a BB id right now, but honestly most people probably have half a dozen valid disqus ids and can use three or four simultaneously by just using multiple browsers.  Finally, while you know (a recent incident comes to mind) that I have used the edit ability a lot, it does mean that threads are less coherent overall since everyone can back-edit themselves to look taller or smarter (or, in my case, more polite) than they really are. Disqus massively downgraded the quality of BB threads.  For starters, by removing a barrier to entry – you used to have to really WANT to say something, not just be a drive-by with a google ID.  (And the barrier was not insignificant at times; I never quite understood how wordpress could be made so hostile to logins).  Also, because disqus uses so many separate authentication sources, it inherently encourages sock-puppetry…  I’m using a BB id right now, but honestly most people probably have half a dozen valid disqus ids and can use three or four simultaneously by just using multiple browsers.  Finally, while you know (a recent incident comes to mind) that I have used the edit ability a lot, it does mean that threads are less coherent overall since everyone can back-edit themselves to look taller or smarter (or, in my case, more polite) than they really are.

]]> By: ruadh http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670555 ruadh Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670555 "Disemvoweled" is my GG Allin cover band. “Disemvoweled” is my GG Allin cover band.

]]> By: ChickieD http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670532 ChickieD Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670532 True story: My Mom (not known for her great gifts) bought my daughter a "Keep Calm and Carry On" shirt in London because she thought it was, "unique." Yeah, never seen one of those before. Coffee cup was a nice giftie. True story: My Mom (not known for her great gifts) bought my daughter a “Keep Calm and Carry On” shirt in London because she thought it was, “unique.” Yeah, never seen one of those before.

Coffee cup was a nice giftie.

]]> By: chgoliz http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670468 chgoliz Mon, 04 Mar 2013 17:56:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670468  Not until you wrest my bright red coffee mug from my cold dead hands. Which is kind of funny, because it was a gift from a friend when she learned I was going through chemo.  What a brilliant choice!  (No, I'm not dying.  But I will keep the mug until I do.)  Not until you wrest my bright red coffee mug from my cold dead hands.

Which is kind of funny, because it was a gift from a friend when she learned I was going through chemo.  What a brilliant choice!  (No, I’m not dying.  But I will keep the mug until I do.)

]]> By: chgoliz http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670464 chgoliz Mon, 04 Mar 2013 17:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670464  And your point is....? I'm sure I know some mothers who would find it a very thoughtful gift. Me, I'd rather have European chocolate (insert your own joke here)....proof that there's no accounting for tastes.  And your point is….?

I’m sure I know some mothers who would find it a very thoughtful gift.

Me, I’d rather have European chocolate (insert your own joke here)….proof that there’s no accounting for tastes.

]]> By: ChickieD http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670273 ChickieD Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670273 We can declare the Keep Calm trend officially dead now, right? We can declare the Keep Calm trend officially dead now, right?

]]> By: goopy http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670225 goopy Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:37:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670225 How did the verb "rape" get in their database in the first place? If the word wasn't there, the algorithm wouldn't be able to generate such sentence.  How did the verb “rape” get in their database in the first place? If the word wasn’t there, the algorithm wouldn’t be able to generate such sentence. 

]]> By: James Turner http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670201 James Turner Mon, 04 Mar 2013 12:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670201 A fascinating story, but what I found most interesting was something in the company's formal apology: the algorithm's creator claims that the procedurally generated shirts were a form of parody of the ludicrous proliferation of 'carry on...' shirts, rather than the logical conclusion of it. A case of Poe's law for craven capitalism? A fascinating story, but what I found most interesting was something in the company’s formal apology: the algorithm’s creator claims that the procedurally generated shirts were a form of parody of the ludicrous proliferation of ‘carry on…’ shirts, rather than the logical conclusion of it. A case of Poe’s law for craven capitalism?

]]> By: Beanolini http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670187 Beanolini Mon, 04 Mar 2013 10:05:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670187 <blockquote>Amazon is clogged with "books" scraped together from fragments of Wikipedia and titled so as to confuse people </blockquote>And also books printed from public-domain sources, without any of the original illustrations, sometimes rendered incomprehensible by OCR.

Amazon is clogged with “books” scraped together from fragments of Wikipedia and titled so as to confuse people 

And also books printed from public-domain sources, without any of the original illustrations, sometimes rendered incomprehensible by OCR.

]]> By: Sirkowski http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670130 Sirkowski Mon, 04 Mar 2013 04:37:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670130 Rise of the Rape-Bots. Rise of the Rape-Bots.

]]> By: Lemoutan http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670126 Lemoutan Mon, 04 Mar 2013 04:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670126 Presumably, though, these were conscious decisions and not algorithmic accidents? Presumably, though, these were conscious decisions and not algorithmic accidents?

]]> By: Corina Claire Chen Paul http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670113 Corina Claire Chen Paul Mon, 04 Mar 2013 03:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670113 I have NOW PANIC and FREAK OUT. I think I have had it for 2 years...yes I am so cool that my shirt doesn't fit me anymore. I have NOW PANIC and FREAK OUT. I think I have had it for 2 years…yes I am so cool that my shirt doesn’t fit me anymore.

]]> By: dagfooyo http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670089 dagfooyo Mon, 04 Mar 2013 02:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670089 http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670076 Antinous / Moderator Mon, 04 Mar 2013 01:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670076 I can barely get my moderation panel to load. I can barely get my moderation panel to load.

]]> By: Lemoutan http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670060 Lemoutan Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:55:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670060 It might be interesting to estimate what proportion would be tautological (essentially, variations on a theme of KEEP CALM AND KEEP CALM) or oxymoronic (likewise, KEEP CALM AND PANIC LOADS). It might be interesting to estimate what proportion would be tautological (essentially, variations on a theme of KEEP CALM AND KEEP CALM) or oxymoronic (likewise, KEEP CALM AND PANIC LOADS).

]]> By: tré http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670055 tré Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670055 Does Disqus allow a moderator to forbid editing on certain comments? I guess it's not the most obvious feature, but it's certainly got practical applications. Does Disqus allow a moderator to forbid editing on certain comments? I guess it’s not the most obvious feature, but it’s certainly got practical applications.

]]> By: Jean Baptiste http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670046 Jean Baptiste Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670046 Great t-shirt.  If the text were white, on white fabric, I'd wear it. (Inside out, just to play it safe.) But seriously.  Aside from the brief Zach Galifianakis phase that I (and many of us paunchy, bearded, nerdy guys probably went through a while back) I've never really been a wearer of t-shirts with clever sayings, graphics, memes or advertising (retro or non) of any kind on 'em.  I'm more of a solid brown (John Locke) or gray or OD green Beefy-T guy, myself.  $5.64 each all day long, online.  Hell yeah!!! Great t-shirt.  If the text were white, on white fabric, I’d wear it.

(Inside out, just to play it safe.)

But seriously.  Aside from the brief Zach Galifianakis phase that I (and many of us paunchy, bearded, nerdy guys probably went through a while back) I’ve never really been a wearer of t-shirts with clever sayings, graphics, memes or advertising (retro or non) of any kind on ‘em.  I’m more of a solid brown (John Locke) or gray or OD green Beefy-T guy, myself.  $5.64 each all day long, online.  Hell yeah!!!

]]> By: Preston Sturges http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670044 Preston Sturges Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670044 I wish somebody would tell me what "diddy-wah-diddy" means..... http://drawpaintprint.tumblr.com/post/32780191243/r-crumb-i-wish-somebody-would-tell-me-what I wish somebody would tell me what “diddy-wah-diddy” means…..

http://drawpaintprint.tumblr.com/post/32780191243/r-crumb-i-wish-somebody-would-tell-me-what

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670008 Antinous / Moderator Sun, 03 Mar 2013 21:40:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670008 The fact that commenters can edit their comments kind of killed that. The fact that commenters can edit their comments kind of killed that.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1670000 Antinous / Moderator Sun, 03 Mar 2013 21:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1670000 CARRY ON? AS IF! CARRY ON?
AS IF!

]]> By: Ito Kagehisa http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1669999 Ito Kagehisa Sun, 03 Mar 2013 21:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1669999  Oh, ghods, how I miss disemvoweling.  I wish Antinous had been provided a tool to do it instead of having to do it by hand (I should have written him one... PHP is dead easy). Disemvoweling did a wonderfully elegant job of short-stopping the echo chamber effect that post deleting encourages.  It let Antinous have three levels of response.  Oh, ghods, how I miss disemvoweling.  I wish Antinous had been provided a tool to do it instead of having to do it by hand (I should have written him one… PHP is dead easy).

Disemvoweling did a wonderfully elegant job of short-stopping the echo chamber effect that post deleting encourages.  It let Antinous have three levels of response.

]]> By: Sally Strange http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1669983 Sally Strange Sun, 03 Mar 2013 20:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1669983 You're joking, right?  You’re joking, right? 

]]> By: Sally Strange http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1669980 Sally Strange Sun, 03 Mar 2013 20:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1669980 The algorithm isn't programmed to weed out sexist language. It's a reflection of the misogyny in our culture. The algorithm isn’t programmed to weed out sexist language. It’s a reflection of the misogyny in our culture.

]]> By: PKMousie http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1669963 PKMousie Sun, 03 Mar 2013 19:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1669963 Why do I see a bunch of people trying to find the MOST ridiculous t-shirt out of 529,493 in an ongoing game of sartorial one-upsmanship? I think a standard color should be picked, so you'll know when you see an intentionally absurd t-shirt combination in the field. Why do I see a bunch of people trying to find the MOST ridiculous t-shirt out of 529,493 in an ongoing game of sartorial one-upsmanship? I think a standard color should be picked, so you’ll know when you see an intentionally absurd t-shirt combination in the field.

]]> By: Steve Parkinson http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1669961 Steve Parkinson Sun, 03 Mar 2013 19:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1669961 Surprised no one has pointed out that 'A LOT' should be one word. Shouldn't it? Surprised no one has pointed out that ‘A LOT’ should be one word. Shouldn’t it?

]]> By: OtherMichael http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1669962 OtherMichael Sun, 03 Mar 2013 19:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1669962 yeah, but one paragraph later: <blockquote>This was a computer error of my creation and I accept my responsibility in the matter.</blockquote> He repeats a variation of accepting responsibility several other times. But, you know. first impressions, tl;dr, right? yeah, but one paragraph later:

This was a computer error of my creation and I accept my responsibility in the matter.

He repeats a variation of accepting responsibility several other times.

But, you know. first impressions, tl;dr, right?

]]> By: Preston Sturges http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1669947 Preston Sturges Sun, 03 Mar 2013 18:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1669947 A couple years ago there was an Amazon Mother's Day gift book suggestion - the Guide to Anal Sex.  A couple years ago there was an Amazon Mother’s Day gift book suggestion – the Guide to Anal Sex. 

]]> By: HarveyBoing http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1669938 HarveyBoing Sun, 03 Mar 2013 17:25:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1669938 Yes, to me that seems like a valid use of the word "mistake". Though it does seem that they never intended to actually sell those shirts. I've made mistakes with intent. Hasn't everyone? Poor judgment, to be sure. But to my point about it hurting sales, it appears it was never really the intent to expect anyone to sift through, never mind buy one of the half-million or so variations. I did not mean to suggest that the person responsible didn't intend to list all those t-shirts. But neither does it appear that they thought they were engaging in real commerce either. They were making a statement, in a poorly conceived way. Thus, "mistake". Yes, to me that seems like a valid use of the word “mistake”. Though it does seem that they never intended to actually sell those shirts.

I’ve made mistakes with intent. Hasn’t everyone?

Poor judgment, to be sure. But to my point about it hurting sales, it appears it was never really the intent to expect anyone to sift through, never mind buy one of the half-million or so variations.

I did not mean to suggest that the person responsible didn’t intend to list all those t-shirts. But neither does it appear that they thought they were engaging in real commerce either. They were making a statement, in a poorly conceived way.

Thus, “mistake”.

]]> By: C W http://boingboing.net/2013/03/02/how-an-algorithm-came-up-with.html#comment-1669937 C W Sun, 03 Mar 2013 17:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=216299#comment-1669937 I believe Horse e-books is mildly curated, which is why it's so great. I believe Horse e-books is mildly curated, which is why it’s so great.

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