4 ms·

Relevant Onion article here: https://www.theonion.com/microsoft-patents-ones-zeroes-1819564663 https://www.theonion.com/microsoft-patents-ones-zeroes-18195...

PixelOfDeath 5y ago
Relevant real Microsoft patent on the IS NOT OPERATOR: https://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220040230959%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20040230959&RS=DN/20040230959 https://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2...
labster 5y ago
Why is satire so much better at predicting our dumb reality than sci-fi? This is definitely the darkest timeline.
- a9h74j 5y ago
  GPT-3 says: In mathematics, there is a search for a satire-to-satire mapping function with the longest cycle length. These are called N-quines.
- Ygg2 5y ago
  Because rational people like to think people are rational. Rational people then go on and write their great sci fi works. People writing satire know people are irrational. Otherwise they wouldn't be writing satire, would they? To quote George Carlin: Take an average idiot on the street, then realize half of people are dumber than them.
ImprovedSilence 5y ago
Haha wow. In another testament to the times, the length of yesterday’s satire seems as long as todays “long form”, and much more developed than todays two line satire “articles”. /end soapbox
- Talanes 5y ago
  I mean, it's not A Modest Proposal, but Onion articles are still actually article length. I know most people just read and share the headline, but they're still taking the time to do full write-ups.
rgoulter 5y ago
Relevant SMBC comic: "Mister President! India is suing for half of our data!" https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/2012-08-29 https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/2012-08-29
kregasaurusrex 5y ago
From 1998 no less!
jfoster 5y ago
Perhaps this issue came about because Google's AI read this article.

PixelOfDeath 5y ago

Relevant real Microsoft patent on the IS NOT OPERATOR: https://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220040230959%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20040230959&RS=DN/20040230959 https://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2...

labster 5y ago

Why is satire so much better at predicting our dumb reality than sci-fi? This is definitely the darkest timeline.

a9h74j 5y ago
GPT-3 says: In mathematics, there is a search for a satire-to-satire mapping function with the longest cycle length. These are called N-quines.
Ygg2 5y ago
Because rational people like to think people are rational. Rational people then go on and write their great sci fi works. People writing satire know people are irrational. Otherwise they wouldn't be writing satire, would they? To quote George Carlin: Take an average idiot on the street, then realize half of people are dumber than them.

ImprovedSilence 5y ago

Haha wow. In another testament to the times, the length of yesterday’s satire seems as long as todays “long form”, and much more developed than todays two line satire “articles”. /end soapbox

Talanes 5y ago
I mean, it's not A Modest Proposal, but Onion articles are still actually article length. I know most people just read and share the headline, but they're still taking the time to do full write-ups.

rgoulter 5y ago

Relevant SMBC comic: "Mister President! India is suing for half of our data!" https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/2012-08-29 https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/2012-08-29

kregasaurusrex 5y ago

From 1998 no less!

jfoster 5y ago

Perhaps this issue came about because Google's AI read this article.