Slashdot is supposed to be a respectable (news) portal for geeks and nerds. It’s punch line says News for nerds, Stuff that matters. I must admit that there was a time when I used to start my day with Slashdot, trying not to miss even a single news. That phase, however, is over. The two biggest problems with Slashdot today are:
1. The Slashdot community, which is getting reduced to people who lurk around to post comic and sarcastic comments. It’s very seldom that you come across an intelligent and insightful comment.
2. The news, if I may say so, itself.
This rant is a direct result of a news titled Google Assists In Arrest Of Indian Man, posted on 19th. First of all this is an Old News. In fact I’d used the context to post a legal analysis of the impact of another Orkut worm, as per my knowledge and belief. I have nothing against reading old news, but for God’s sake, don’t claim it to be new.
Secondly, the post cites Shivaji as a saint. He was not a saint. He was a king and a warrior. Do your homework before posting, or rather approving such news.
Thirdly, the tone in which the post is written is as vague, if not more, as the point the post tries to make. If you wish to blame Google, get proper info before doing that. Google has a pact with Indian law enforcement. They are bound to provide such info. If you wish to convey the news that a false person was convicted, say it. If you wish to bring about the role of Yahoo! and Google in such cases, do it properly.
Being said all that, I don’t think I’ll completely stop reading /. . However, the prestige of being Slashdotted now seems to be just about traffic now.
