Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2006 December 24

= December 24 =

wikipedia user boxes
with no previous experience with HTML and CSS i actually understood the working of a userbox, i was wondering if it is possible to use these userboxes in hi5 should i make any changes or modificationsMi2n15 04:56, 24 December 2006 (UTC)


 * What do you mean by "hi5" ? If it's a website of some sort, getting the raw HTML/CSS should work unless the server is really restrictive. 68.39.174.238 19:50, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

user identification suggestion - good idea or bad?
I have an idea for a user ID component which would allow for automatic exclusion from sites requiring "18 or over" authentication. I haven't thought about the idea deeply enough to know whether it is good without negatives, bad without question, or somewhere in between.

If each user account on an OS had the user's birthday associated with it, then websites which require users to assert they are of legal age to enter could automatically exclude them. In fact, the web browser could be enabled to advise them that they are not permitted access to the site, and redirect them back to some default page (e.g. last acceptable page, page citing reason for refusal). Similarly, someone of legal age would not need to be challenged on the basis of age when pursuing links, but might still be warned that the destination is of a nature that discretion is advised.

I know that it would be possible to abuse information like this, but can it be protected well enough to prevent abuse? I think so, because more sensitive information such as password is associated with a user. A fudge factor of a random number of days, say 30-120, could be added on daily (with a bias towards 120, perhaps). Otherwise, a user's birthday could be determined if long term monitoring of users occurs, and the user graduates from being under-aged to the age of consent while being tracked. Anyone of legal age would be immune from such birthday cracking.

So my questions. Is this a good idea? Is the idea already out there in the world of user ID? How do I publicize the idea to get feedback on its value? Should I seek intellectual property protection of the idea?

Turtlens 08:15, 24 December 2006 (UTC)


 * What's to stop someone lying when their OS asks them their age? What's to stop software (like the browser) ignoring the OS and setting any value the user desires? What's to stop someone installing a hack or shim which changes the OS setting, or intercepts and alters outgoing messages? What's to stop someone surfing on someone else's ID? What's to stop websites with adult content saying they don't? What's top stop websites setting up home in contries with a different legal age, or a different definition of adult content, or no definition at all, or no enforcement? -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 13:13, 24 December 2006 (UTC)


 * The proper solution to this problem would be for some agency to provide certificates of age, with digital signatures to prevent forgery. If you have a signed certificate, that proves you're at least as old as the certificate says you are. Has anyone actually implemented this? —Keenan Pepper 01:21, 25 December 2006 (UTC)

I believe some web sites use having a credit card as an indication that you're old enough for their site. They can either directly solicit credit card info, or can take you having a PayPal account as indication that you're an adult. Of course, there are ways around such checks, but the idea is that it's better than no check at all. StuRat 13:02, 25 December 2006 (UTC)


 * As mentioned above, the likelyhood of some fraudulence is high, however there are two possible uses:


 * 1. Microsoft's new version of Windows has alot of parental controls. If the person (under 18)'s account didn't have the ability to change the account settings, an older person (Administrator) could make such a setting. Barring poor passwords or the ever-present hack, that could prevent someone changing it.


 * 2. Check out TCPA.


 * Finally, keep in mind there would have to be some protection as to how and to whom this information would be released. Noone would want to buy/use an operating system that flagrantly disclosed their ages to any website, and in some contexts (Military, witness protection?) it could be illegal. 68.39.174.238 20:00, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

metavariables
Are there any mediawiki metavariables capable of directly ditecting page lengths?--71.247.120.5 12:54, 24 December 2006 (UTC)
 * Nope --⁪froth T C  21:29, 24 December 2006 (UTC)

Is my HD dying?
I often get dfrgfat errors like "the address #### couldn' be writable". [I've noticed that many users protect their user:pages though they ain't sysop. how do they do?] tia - Merry X-mas --Ulisse0 13:37, 24 December 2006 (UTC)


 * To your first question, yes, your HD is probably on the way out, see Delayed write failure then shortly thereafter start backing up your files, on your second question, see WP:RFP--71.247.120.5 14:12, 24 December 2006 (UTC)


 * A suggestion for preserving your hard-drive and fixing it up is SpinRite. It's an awesome program, it has saved several of my dying HDs. Oskar 21:02, 24 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Agree with the above, but also recommend you get a new (And obviously bigger) hard disk as soon as possible and get everything off your current one. 68.39.174.238 20:02, 29 December 2006 (UTC)