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Off Topic forum currently named 'Squamous'This is the off-topic forum; please observe the no puns, politics & religion rule (use Circvs Maximvs for these topics).
This past week I was out of town, and had to use a public library's computer. I made the mistake of writing on my novel on one of these computers, which apparently gave the thing's censoring program permission to edit my text. So here's a list of the often ridiculous words that the library thought needed to be censored. I want to see how many of them EN World thinks are inappropriate.
(the f-word)
Of (not just the s-word by itself, though)
Bastard
Hookas (edited out of the words "shook as")
Piercings (from "piercing sound")
game (from "taking a measure")
kill them (from "kill the monster") (a-hole)
bondage - I was using it in the meaning of "my kin are in bondage"
naked man
exotica (from "exotically")
brothel
lotto (from "cost a lot to")
hot butt (from "hot butter")
red hand -- I don't know why this is censored.
red hot -- ditto.
clit (from "idiotic little lambchops")
rrated (from "serrated") -- what the hell?
hacking
__________________ Ryan "RangerWickett" Nock
Post Haste?
__________________ You are not entitled to your opinion, you are entitled to your informed opinion. If you are not informed on the subject, then your opinion counts for nothing.
This past week I was out of town, and had to use a public library's computer. I made the mistake of writing on my novel on one of these computers, which apparently gave the thing's censoring program permission to edit my text. So here's a list of the often ridiculous words that the library thought needed to be censored. I want to see how many of them EN World thinks are inappropriate.
It's a terrible filter, IMO. Can't check context, and doesn't see spaces and separate words.
Quote:
(the f-word)
Of (not just the s-word by itself, though)
Yeah.
Quote:
Bastard
We need to be able to talk about bastard swords, you know. Censoring that here would be more trouble than it's worth.
Quote:
Hookas (edited out of the words "shook as")
Probably to fight teen smoking. I hear hookas are gaining popularity these days. But no context.
Quote:
Piercings (from "piercing sound")
Seems silly, maybe it's to prevent parent rage over kids getting all kinds of wacky piercings.
Quote:
game (from "taking a measure")
Out of context, and harmless as well. Unless they want to prevent kids from playing internet games or it's related to lotto below.
Quote:
kill them (from "kill the monster")
Trying to calm kiddie rage I guess. Bad context again.
Quote:
bondage - I was using it in the meaning of "my kin are in bondage"
naked man
Not surprising, obviously a porn blocking measure.
Quote:
exotica (from "exotically")
Some idiot doesn't know the difference between "exotic" and "erotic".
Quote:
brothel
Again, porn.
Quote:
lotto (from "cost a lot to")
Probably to block internet gambling.
Quote:
hot butt (from "hot butter")
red hand -- I don't know why this is censored.
red hot -- ditto.
clit (from "idiotic little lambchops")
Again, porn out of context. At least, I'm guessing red hand is porn-related somehow, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to know.
I'm sure you can figure out the other three.
Quote:
rrated (from "serrated") -- what the hell?
Probably porn related again, or maybe it's to block violence or language. This filter is obviously more strict that something just blocking x-rated.
Quote:
hacking
Computer hacking, obviously.
In any case, that library's filter is obviously too stringent to be of any use. I feel sorry for someone of low-income without a computer at home looking for health information there (good luck finding information on breast cancer!).
It's not just that it's blocking anything that could obviously be related to porn, gambling, illegal activity or anything that might even remotely corrupt a child's mind. It can't check squat for context, and that's where it becomes useless. It looks like it was programmed by the Church Lady, IMO.
__________________ "Y'know, I think my favorite thing about being a hero of destiny is that it gives you all kinds of narrative justification to just slay any ol' jerk who gets in your way." -- 8-bit Theater
"i did not serve with napolean in his artillery. but i did play wargames with him and his men." -- diaglo
Last edited by Orius; 14th August 2008 at 08:02 AM..
I still wish I could figure out the "red hand" one, though.
I think this has something to do with shoplifting/stealing. I know that when I was younger the phrase would be, 'Yeah, [s]he got caught red handed' in regard to such.
Weirdly, I recall that 'breast' was not censored. My mom specifically mentioned that they'd had complaints about breast cancer and, of all things, 'chicken breast recipes.'
But apparently breasts are fine, but games are right out.
__________________ Ryan "RangerWickett" Nock
Post Haste?
I think this has something to do with shoplifting/stealing. I know that when I was younger the phrase would be, 'Yeah, [s]he got caught red handed' in regard to such.
That probably explains it then. I had no idea what it could be, so I assumed Rule Thirty Six. Even if it does apply to shoplifting, Rule 36 by its very nature still applies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RangerWickett
Weirdly, I recall that 'breast' was not censored. My mom specifically mentioned that they'd had complaints about breast cancer and, of all things, 'chicken breast recipes.'
But apparently breasts are fine, but games are right out.
Wow, so they actually have been making sure the filter is actually usable. And yeah, I've read about the chicken example. It seems bizarre, but it's true.
__________________ "Y'know, I think my favorite thing about being a hero of destiny is that it gives you all kinds of narrative justification to just slay any ol' jerk who gets in your way." -- 8-bit Theater
"i did not serve with napolean in his artillery. but i did play wargames with him and his men." -- diaglo
I think this has something to do with shoplifting/stealing. I know that when I was younger the phrase would be, 'Yeah, [s]he got caught red handed' in regard to such.
"Caught red-handed" is a very common phrase. It doesn't refer to stealing specifically, but simply means "caught in the act", whatever the act may be, with the implication that said act is dishonest. It can be used for catching someone in the act of stealing, but it can be used for catching someone enagaged at that moment in any dishonest act.
I can catch my new puppy red-handed chewing cables, for example.
I can catch my new puppy red-handed chewing cables, for example.
Examples taken from real world personal experience are always the best, eh?
One of my "flat-mates" owned a rabbit that loved to chew on cable, including my friends power cable, and my network cable once...
Still, I see no reason to censor this. It must be something else.
Thoughts of the Arch Chancellor - My weblog on EN World - containing game related material, like: house rules, design theories, reviews, play reports, adventure ideas
Maybe somebody at the library has a strange and over-reactive sense of what sorts of words are offensive. After all, nothing bad ever happens in the world -- ever -- and if we completely remove all references to bad things, the bad things go away, right?
Maybe there's some kind of weird story behind some of the oddball censored words. I wouldn't be surprised at someone getting enraged over random things and harassing the library until they just gave in and censored it. "Don't you know that I find roller skates offensive??? I demand that you remove all references to them!!!"
Maybe a bored librarian/intern/whomever got access to whatever software it is that determines which words are censored, and tossed a few completely random ones in just for giggles.
I think that I like the last explanation best, because it's the funniest...
__________________ If you like my fantasy icon, you can find more at Deathbycute.com
Maybe a bored librarian/intern/whomever got access to whatever software it is that determines which words are censored, and tossed a few completely random ones in just for giggles.
That's what I'd do if I worked there.
I'd censor words like "the" "and" "if" and "or" and see what people did, just because being a librarian has got to be boring without some extra fun like that.
Originally Posted by The Scarlet Citadel, by Robert E. Howard
"There are creatures", said Pelias, "not alone of this earth and sea, but of air and the far reaches of the skies as well, dwelling apart, unguessed of men. Yet to him who holds the Master-words and Signs and the Knowledge underlying all, they are neither malignant nor inaccessible. Watch, and fear not."
He lifted his hands to the skies and sounded a long wierd call that seemed to shudder endlessly out into space, dwindling and fading, yet never dying out, only receding farther and farther into some unreckoned cosmos. In the silence that followed, Conan heard a suddgen beat of wings in the stars, and recoiled as a huge bat-like creature alighted beside him...
Thoughts of the Arch Chancellor - My weblog on EN World - containing game related material, like: house rules, design theories, reviews, play reports, adventure ideas
Thoughts of the Arch Chancellor - My weblog on EN World - containing game related material, like: house rules, design theories, reviews, play reports, adventure ideas
Formerly Known As Frukathka 
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