April Fools 2012 roundup

[Qaanol]

The first (and thus-far only) prank I’ve seen is “AdBlock now shows you cats instead of ads” which is, quite frankly, awesome. Here’s a screenie I took:

Spoiler:

What else is out there today?

[Iulus Cofield]

A new way to multitask from Google

[Gellert1984]

Reddit now has a timetravel timeline.

Google maps has has an 8-bit quest mode with monsters, aliens at area 51, nessie at loch ness etc.

[Dobblesworth]

http://www.aprilfoolsdayontheweb.com is an annual list of happenings.
I'm waiting on what Blizzard pull out; they often do a good show.

[Iulus Cofield]

http://www.mcchris.com/

[PeterCai]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_UmWdcTrrc

[sourmìlk]

Blizzard's stuff is up.

We've got Education Kid's Games, a game where you play as a supply depot, new tween novels, and a zergotchi battle.net authenticator.

My favorite is from the description of the supply depot game:

Multiple endings, each influenced by your choices and color-coded for your convenience!

[Steroid]

Call me a stick in the mud if you want, but am I the only one who really doesn't like this sort of April Fool's joke? To me the essence of April Fool's is that you show them something they're supposed to believe, and that when they do, you reveal that it was a joke or, if they figure it out ahead of time, good for them. But when Web sites do things that everyone knows are fake just to be weird, that's not April Fool's Day, that's just Everyone Be a Troll Day.

[Shamu]

Thinkgeek has some very nice products in store today !

[Ghostbear]

I actually quite like it this way actually. A lot of the classic April Fool's jokes were something that'd either hit you with a ton of worry or get your hopes up until revealed to not be true, and I just don't find either of those particularly enjoyable. I guess the modern April Fool's day is more of a "Feel free to joke around day", but it's quite nice to see groups that are usually stuck up do something silly for a change, to give them a human element.

[Meteoric]

A lot of this kind of April Fool's jokes are at least slightly plausible, enough that you don't immediately recognize that it's a joke, especially if you're not looking specifically for pranks. Being directed to them from an April Fool's thread obviously alerts you to their nature, but encountering them "in the wild" can often preserve the joke pretty well.

[Diadem]

Yeah, take the Google Nascar Racing one for example. It's clearly a joke, but it's really only clear because of the way the announcement is written. It wouldn't really surprise me if google actually went into Nascar racing, because it would be a great way to advertise their cars.

(I'm not sure if Nascar would ever allow it though. Human drivers would get their asses handed to them).

[Iulus Cofield]

Max Barry's game NationStates is holding an IPO with the chance for players to receive one free share for each million people their nation has (nation population is directly determined by days played). Players can also give their shares to other players, prompting a couple people to try and get majority control.

[Soralin]

http://maps.google.com/ and click on quest in the upper right, or lower left.

[lutzj]

http://maps.google.com/ and click on quest in the upper right, or lower left.

it's... beautiful...

[Arariel]

Crapple suing, claiming ownership of patent of the rectangle. Sadly, it does sound similar to something that could happen.

[yoni45]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340 ... 56,00.html

[Puppyclaws]

Dustinland, a personal favorite, uses April Fool's as a chance to make fun of XKCD (and other non art-heavy comics, but mostly XKCD): http://dustinland.com/archives/archives541.html

[Dauric]

http://maps.google.com/ and click on quest in the upper right, or lower left.

it's... beautiful...

... I realize it's a joke... and it's likely to go away... but... I soo want this to be developed further, like the "flight simulator" in Google Earth.

I wanna take arms against traffic on my way to work, and fight the 'boss' monster waiting for me when I get there.

[Bubbles McCoy]

DNA tests for elite preschoolers.

[Iulus Cofield]

http://maps.google.com/ and click on quest in the upper right, or lower left.

it's... beautiful...

... I realize it's a joke... and it's likely to go away... but... I soo want this to be developed further, like the "flight simulator" in Google Earth.

I wanna take arms against traffic on my way to work, and fight the 'boss' monster waiting for me when I get there.

Well, it was actually announced two days before April Fool's, so I expect them to leave it around for a long time at least.

[sourmìlk]

DNA tests for elite preschoolers.

Am I racist for wishing that people were as easy to figure out as just parsing a bit of genetic code?

[Iulus Cofield]

Bethesda locked all the threads in their general subforum and only allowed Pony threads today.

[url=equestriadaily.com]Equestria Daily[/url] claimed to have been taken over by nameless corporate interests which forced them to start promoting previous generations of My Little Pony as well as posting fake and terrible fanfiction and some other joke announcements.

[Derek]

On Saturday night/Sunday morning (after midnight, so it counts as April 1st), Adult Swim showed Toonami instead of its normal lineup (the first time Toonami has aired in over three years). I'm watching it now and the nostalgia is epic.

[Proginoskes]

http://maps.google.com/ and click on quest in the upper right, or lower left.

it's... beautiful...

... I realize it's a joke... and it's likely to go away... but... I soo want this to be developed further, like the "flight simulator" in Google Earth.

Yeah! The apartment complex where I live is actually "green meadows".

Of course, REAL pranksters don't pull jokes on AFD; it's strictly for the lampshade-wearing crowd (amateurs).

[clockworkmonk]

The EFF sent out a rather amusing email-

Spoiler:

MPAA Announces Kickstarter Campaign for Film Decrying Internet's Impact on Creative Works

In a statement posted on its Wordpress blog this week, the MPAA announced that it will respond to the Internet's "destructive" effect on creative works with a new PSA, to be funded on the crowd-funding platform Kickstarter. "Rampant content theft -- or as we call it, creativity murder -- makes it impossible to promote ideas online," according to a Tweet from MPAA chairman Chris Dodd. "For a pledge of $50, backers will receive an exclusive DVD copy of 'Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked' in 3D."

Google's New "Nude View" Program Raises Privacy Concerns

Privacy advocates are calling foul on a new partnership between Google and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that would index the backscatter x-ray images taken at airline security checkpoints. "This will help singles get a first look even before the first date," said a Google spokesman. "Google Nude View," as the program is called, represents the first major initiative for the company since it changed its venerable slogan from "Don't Be Evil" to "Mwahahaha!"

RIAA, ISPs Introducing New "Hunger Games" Penalties for Infringers

RIAA chairman Cary Sherman has announced a new agreement between his organization and some of the largest American ISPs that would require subscribers accused of infringement to compete in a televised gladitorial battle to the death. Sherman responded this week to concerns about the severity of the program saying, "Obviously we don't think that all of the infringers selected as tributes should meet their death in the arena. Presumably one of them makes it out alive."

EFF Updates

Patent Office Sued Over Patent on Issuing Patents
The US Patent and Trademark Office has been forced to halt the issuing of new patents after being sued for violation of patent number #4608919, "System and Method For Granting Limited Monopolies On Inventions."

Reddit Rolling Out "Real Names of Bruce Schneier Only" Policy
In a misguided attempt to stifle anonymous speech while "preserving the culture" of the service, the popular social site Reddit recently announced it would institute a "real names only" policy that only allows user to select the name Bruce Schneier. While we applaud their ingenuity in avoiding the pitfalls other sites have encountered in determining what does or doesn't look like a "real" name, we remain concerned over the closure of another venue for pseudonymous speech.

New Zealand Leaks New IP Chapter of TPP, Includes Mandate to Give All Alleged Copyright Infringers Free Puppies
The leaked draft of the Trans-Pacific Partnership has not been confirmed by the negotiating parties, but a highly-placed source claims to have overheard the US Trade Representative saying, "Who wouldn't want to snuggle with a puppy while watching their pirated copy of Season 1 Game of Thrones?"

EFF Issues New Guidelines for Mobile Privacy
A new whitepaper on mobile privacy, co-authored by Technology Projects Director Peter Eckersley and Activism Director Rainey Reitman, is one of the most concise yet published by EFF. Titled "Protecting Your Privacy in the Mobile Era," the report consists entirely of the five words "Don't use a mobile phone." This complements EFF's 1991 report: "Don't use electronic mail."

Job Seekers Getting Asked for Farmville Passwords
In an alarming trend, job seekers are increasingly reporting that prospective employers are requiring Farmville passwords or "neighbor" requests from prospective employees. One job seeker, speaking on the condition of anonymity, expressed serious privacy concerns about the trend: "My virtual crops and livestock are sensitive information, and none of my boss' business. I think he's just looking for somebody to harvest his tomatoes."

Karaoke Machine Vendors Must Adhere to "Know Your Customer" Policies
EFF calls on karaoke machine vendors to "know their customer" when selling equipment to governments and the very drunk. While karaoke is "dual use" technology and may be used for legitimate purposes, EFF condemns its use by oppressive over-singers, divas, and Journey fans.

Researchers discover critical flaw in snowflake generation algorithm
Security researchers at the McMurdo research station in Antarctica have published alarming results about insufficient randomness in the generation of new snowflakes. As many as 2 in every 1000 snowflakes is reported to be neither beautiful nor unique.

Bruce Schneier develops security system so clever he can't imagine a way of breaking it
In a nod to his eponymous law, security expert Bruce Schneier has reportedly developed an encryption technique that is so clever that even Bruce Schneier can't figure out how to break it.

Drones: Drones, drones drones, drones?
In drones today, drones drones droney droney drones. According to EFF Activist Trevor Timm, "Drones and drones drone droney drone drone. And nanodrones."

[Dauric]

http://maps.google.com/ and click on quest in the upper right, or lower left.

it's... beautiful...

... I realize it's a joke... and it's likely to go away... but... I soo want this to be developed further, like the "flight simulator" in Google Earth.

I wanna take arms against traffic on my way to work, and fight the 'boss' monster waiting for me when I get there.

Well, it was actually announced two days before April Fool's, so I expect them to leave it around for a long time at least.

Nope, it's gone.

[faranim]

I saw a Japanese Google ad for a new alternative to using the keyboard. It was a telegraph looking device that let you type by entering morse code. It showed a bunch of people multitasking, by doing stuff like knitting and typing using their foot on a foot pedal entering Morse code. There was a chart which showed the mapping between the morse code and kana characters.

Also, the MMORPG I play, Runes of Magic, temporarily renamed all their servers. But the new names they chose were not funny at all (My server, Osha, was renamed to "Oh shall we").

[Enokh]

DNA tests for elite preschoolers.

Am I racist for wishing that people were as easy to figure out as just parsing a bit of genetic code?

Only if you think that people are just their race, instead of. . you know, people. Should there be a new word for this? Geneticist? No, that's already a word. Genest? Geniest? Geneist? Geneaphobe?

[Dauric]

DNA tests for elite preschoolers.

Am I racist for wishing that people were as easy to figure out as just parsing a bit of genetic code?

Only if you think that people are just their race, instead of. . you know, people. Should there be a new word for this? Geneticist? No, that's already a word. Genest? Geniest? Geneist? Geneaphobe?

I think Geneaphobe would be the exact opposite, rejecting any hereditary factors... Or.. someone afraid of the DNA in their bodies.. "My god, my bad sight.. it could be... the horror... Hereditary! NOOOOOOO!"

...

Ahem..

Maybe "Radical/Fundamentalist Geneophile"? Someone who absolutely refuses to believe there are any non-hereditary factors in a person's development.

[Iulus Cofield]

http://maps.google.com/ and click on quest in the upper right, or lower left.

it's... beautiful...

... I realize it's a joke... and it's likely to go away... but... I soo want this to be developed further, like the "flight simulator" in Google Earth.

I wanna take arms against traffic on my way to work, and fight the 'boss' monster waiting for me when I get there.

Well, it was actually announced two days before April Fool's, so I expect them to leave it around for a long time at least.

Nope, it's gone.

Aww. It still works with the link in the youtube video, but that may be an oversight.

[Mittagessen]

DNA tests for elite preschoolers.

The principal's surname is literally nonsense in German.

[Arariel]

DNA tests for elite preschoolers.

Is it bad that my first objection to this was that they were teaching the preschoolers C++ (I know, not really, but still)?

[Bubbles McCoy]

DNA tests for elite preschoolers.

Is it bad that my first objection to this was that they were teaching the preschoolers C++ (I know, not really, but still)?

Hah, that's actually what made me certain the article was fake (my German isn't quite good enough to notice the names). The idea of genetically screening preschoolers is outlandish, but the idea six year olds can effectively learn the addressing system of C is truly unbelievable.

Am I racist for wishing that people were as easy to figure out as just parsing a bit of genetic code?

You wish peoples' behaviors and habits were completely deterministic from birth?

[Mittagessen]

. The idea of genetically screening preschoolers is outlandish, but the idea six year olds can effectively learn the addressing system of C is truly unbelievable.

Not really. While fullblown abstract thinking starts only with puberty, the only part of C that's even remotely hard to comprehend for most people (including children) are pointers and indirection. I was taught about them while I was in elementary school and I know several people programming in C at that age.

[Bubbles McCoy]

Not really. While fullblown abstract thinking starts only with puberty, the only part of C that's even remotely hard to comprehend for most people (including children) are pointers and indirection. I was taught about them while I was in elementary school and I know several people programming in C at that age.

1. It was a joke.
2. By "addressing" I meant memory allocation & pointers. Very few people can handle this, let alone preschoolers. Perhaps they could hack around a bit, but I'd wager the number of humans who can understand it at that age is well below 32 per 12,000.

[sourmìlk]

Am I racist for wishing that people were as easy to figure out as just parsing a bit of genetic code?

You wish peoples' behaviors and habits were completely deterministic from birth?

Given enough predictive computing power (and assuming a negligible effect from quantum fluctuation) it is arguably possible to do that already. And, you know, it would make things simpler. I'd like to know what the world would be like if people were defined by their genetic code, just out of curiosity.

[Princess Marzipan]

Ever read Brave New World?

[sourmìlk]

Yeah, I thought parts were a bit silly. My dad hasn't read it in years, but for whatever reason the recording of "I'm so happy to be a beta" etc., really stuck with him.

[Iulus Cofield]

I would hate to wear that dreadful green...