zlacker

Well, why don't we bring it back to technology then?

Everyday on HN there's this drone about the next Instagram or 37 Signals. Or who will produce better email or flamewars regarding the next dominant mobile OS. Time wasted, honestly (Oh yeah, 'I figured out project management, again.')

Where's the debate on HN on how best to handle gun control in the U.S. using technology? Can this community not produce answers for those questions?

>>balanc+(OP)
Well, I think this is an example of technology not being able to solve everything.

Computers are logical and deal in absolutes. People are the exact opposite. Gun control is an emotional, sometimes irrational issue, and the solutions (I suspect) lie in societal changes. Gun control doesn't need advanced technology, as far as I can see. But I'd be interested to know what ideas people have.

>>balanc+(OP)
Because its worthless to focus on what they used when finding out why and working on brain chemistry and mental health research using technology would be so much more beneficial to society.

>>untog+l
Pretty soon, anyone who wants a gun will be able to 3d-print one. I think "gun control" will soon become "technology control", which is going to be tricky because this community appears to be largely anti-gun and pro-tech.

>>protom+H2
I wasn't clear. I'm not suggesting that gun control is the answer, simply that we can use technology to address and understand how this happens.

I agree, using technology to understand brain chemistry and further mental health research is a step forward.

>>maqr+A3
Most members of this community see the absurdity of making a certain string of bits illegal, whether its the private key to decrypt blu-ray discs or describes the shape of a firearm. What's odd is that they don't see the parallel absurdity of outlawing a piece of metal carved into the shape of a firearm. Perhaps they will now that its possible to produce the object from the bits.

>>balanc+(OP)
I think this is the best comment in this discussion. Instead of relying on imperfect governance and enforcement to achieve a goal, which is rationally naive to begin with, why don't we take these imperfections as given and try to work out a solution?

What about security technology? Maybe if the school had smaller, less expensive and less obtrusive metal detectors? Improved inter classroom comm systems for coordinating lockdowns? Cheap, integrated access systems ensuring only qualified personnel and students access the campus?

On the margin, all these could improve the situation without the need for lofty dreams of a societal paradigm shift or pouring hours into a solution that is already exhibiting diminishing marginal returns.

>>untog+l
> Computers are logical and deal in absolutes

A classic anti-technology strawman. It is like saying "Computers only use numbers, you can't do graphics or text with them".

At the very lowest level computers are entirely logical, but you can program one to deal with uncertainties and probabilities.

In fact that argument isn't quite relevant, unless you are arguing against the computers making the policy decisions, which I think was never under consideration.

Computers/technology can certainly be a strong tool to assist gun control.

One idea completely off the top of my head would be to data-mine as much info as possible about past shooting/shooters and then use this to help guide granting (or not) of gun licenses. With Bayesian this-and-that, the computer could give a number "estimated 0.000001% chance of serial killing" and refer the application to the appropriate person (e.g. a detailed analysis for people "at risk" (large probability), or a quicker check for "safer" people).

>>gnu8+G4
What's odd is that they don't see the parallel absurdity of outlawing a piece of metal carved into the shape of a firearm

What parallel absurdity?

A number's meaning is entirely arbitrary and dependent on the context: a bit-string that is a pattern for a firearm in program A might be a perfectly valid music file in program B.

Firearm is a piece of metal that had to be precision shaped to throw small pellets of metal at very high speeds.

(I'll agree that 3D printing muddies the waters though.)