NationStates Jolt Archive

First time at issue writing for me. I'm taking my idea around seeing what people think about it and to check if one like it already is in the issues. Then I'll try actually submitting it.

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(valid if country has not banned computers/ IT industry)

Screen Saver Situation

The issue
Programmers in @@name@@'s IT industry have come up with a way of creating massive parallel processing super-computers using home screen savers.

The debate
1)“This is a great opportunity for the science community”, says @@randomname@@, founder of @@animal@@ @home. “With the combined power of the millions of computers we can fold proteins, search of ET, or- as my project does- see if @@animal@@s use computers! We can not let a single computer sit ideal any longer, every home computer must run one of these programs.”

effects: IT industry gets larger, civil rights decrease
WFBE: The nation's computers are perpetually looking [for ET/ to see if @@animal@@s use computers]

2) @@name@@'s economic adviser, @@randomname@@ thinks this is a great idea. “We could sell ads to run on the screensavers while the science thingy runs in the background. Advertisers would be lining up to buy space and the government would make a fortune!”

effects: IT industry gets large (not as large as above), civil rights decrease, tax rate decrease
WFBE:The government beams ads directly into home computer


3) A shadowy figure from your department of homeland security also likes the idea. “While your making programs mandatory on computers, why don't you send out one of ours? We could track down terrorists, pedophiles, and spammers without anyone being the wiser. We could also keep tabs on your political opponents, as well.”

effects: IT industry decrease, civil rights decrease, crime decreases, political freedoms decrease
WFBE: People are afraid to use their home computers for fear of being spied on


4)”This would ruin my business!” says @@randomname@@, owner of the niche company Swimming Frying Pans Inc. “I say ban all these overly complex screen savers and move back to the classics like bouncing logo or a scrolling marquee. I could watch those for hours.”

IT industry [stay the same or decreases], civil rights increase [Apathy increases?]
WFBE: Government makes sure that home screen savers are not attempting to colaberate against them.

I'd use an idea which isn't so hypothetical. Think about relevant topics of today's world. Check out the stickies in this forum too, especially the one on how to write them (you've got the format all wrong ;) )

I like it.

Is it so hypothetical? I got the idea from seti@home (http://boinc.berkeley.edu/). That has been working for, like, 4 years now.

Edit: Second try, I think I balanced it out and brought it a litte more realistic. Haven't completly figured out the fourth option, though.
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Name:
Screen Saver Situation

Description:
Programmers in @@name@@'s IT industry have come up with a way of using parallel processing via screensavers to solve various scientific problems.

Valid:
If country has not banned IT industry

[option]“This is a great opportunity for the science community”, says @@randomname@@, founder of @@animal@@ @home. “With the combined power of the millions of computers we can fold proteins, search of ET, or- as my project does- see if @@animal@@s use computers! We can not let people let their computers sit ideal any longer."

[effect] The nation's computers are perpetually looking for ET
[stats] IT industry gets larger, civil rights decrease

[option] "This is a great idea!", says @@name@@'s economic adviser, @@randomname@@. “We could sell ads to run on the screensavers while the science thingy runs in the background. People would sit through endless advertisements to turn on their computers but the government would make a fortune!”

[effect] The government beams ads directly into home computer
[stats] civil rights decrease, tax rate decrease



[option] “While your making programs mandatory on computers, why don't you send out one of ours?", says a shadowy figure from your department of homeland security. "We could track down terrorists, pedophiles, and spammers without anyone being the wiser. We could also keep tabs on your political opponents, as well.”

[effect] People are afraid to use their home computers for fear of being spied on
[stats] IT industry decreases, crime decreases, political freedoms decrease

[option] “Didn't anyone see that new movie where the computers take over the worlds?” says @@randomname@@, local religious leader. “We can't take the risk. I say ban all computers and let people get back to the simpler things in live, like tithing.”



[effect] Government has banned all computers for fear of them collaborating against them.
[stats] IT industry banned, niceness of the population increase [what a good positive on this?]