Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

UK Government's Payment Infrastructure Is Now Open Source

govukpay-docs.cloudapps.digital

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 111 posts

Re: UK Government's Payment Infrastructure Is Now Open Source

#21

Post by coffeedoughnuts »

duncan_bayne wrote: post #19
coffeedoughnuts wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it sad? I'm quite proud to pay taxes of many different kinds, and I think that the (admittedly quite imperfect) tax system is necessary to a functioning society. I'd also mention that it's been part of British society since the Roman occupation, so not sure when in time you allude to with your comment but if you're sad about it I suggest investigating a move to one of the functional libertarian nations with no tax…

sigh ... do we really have to trot out the Somalia straw man every time someone criticises either compulsory taxation or socialism? Yes, taxation is necessary for a civilised society. No, it doesn't have to be compulsory, and no, it doesn't have to fund socialism.

well if we're talking about straw men, I didn't actually say it needed to fund a political ideology of any kind. Or say anything about it being compulsory, though in fact I do think it should be.

Moreover, my comment was on the slightly silly notion that 'it's sad this is a thing now' when it has been a thing in Britain since Roman times.

Perhaps the original commentator is harking back to the good old days of pre-Roman occupation? Back when we were truly free. Never had it as good as we did ~30AD. It's gone to the dogs since then ;)

Re: UK Government's Payment Infrastructure Is Now Open Source

#22

Post by robin_reala »

splike wrote: post #16
robin_reala wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

GDS’s GA Premium account contractually prevents Google from investigating the data, and Google self-anonymises with a flag in their API[1]. If you don’t trust them then that’s fine, but for functionality vs cost it seems to be the best option. For what it’s worth, for extremely sensitive projects like GOV.UK Verify other options are fine; Verify uses a local Piwik instance. You’re also welcome to block that specific…

It's nice that Verify uses an internal analytics system, but the whole point of Verify is to outsource identifying people to private companies.

Right, but those companies don’t know what services people are trying to use Verify for (in the same way that the services don’t know which identity provider you used). The part of Verify that uses Piwik is the hub in the middle that brokers the identity flow.

Re: UK Government's Payment Infrastructure Is Now Open Source

#23

Post by duncan_bayne »

Angostura wrote: post #20
duncan_bayne wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

sigh ... do we really have to trot out the Somalia straw man every time someone criticises either compulsory taxation or socialism? Yes, taxation is necessary for a civilised society. No, it doesn't have to be compulsory, and no, it doesn't have to fund socialism.

> Yes, taxation is necessary for a civilised society. No, it doesn't have to be compulsory I think you may have to explain that to me

The necessity bit, or the not being compulsory bit?

No snark intended; I'm unsure whether you're an anarchist asking for a defence of the State, or a Statist asking for a defence of voluntary taxation :)

Re: UK Government's Payment Infrastructure Is Now Open Source

#24

Post by duncan_bayne »

coffeedoughnuts wrote: post #21
duncan_bayne wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

sigh ... do we really have to trot out the Somalia straw man every time someone criticises either compulsory taxation or socialism? Yes, taxation is necessary for a civilised society. No, it doesn't have to be compulsory, and no, it doesn't have to fund socialism.

well if we're talking about straw men, I didn't actually say it needed to fund a political ideology of any kind. Or say anything about it being compulsory, though in fact I do think it should be. Moreover, my comment was on the slightly silly notion that 'it's sad this is a thing now' when it has been a thing in Britain since Roman times. Perhaps the original commentator is harking back to the good old days of pre-Ro…

Yeah that bit made no sense. But the overall sentiment certainly does.

Re: UK Government's Payment Infrastructure Is Now Open Source

#25

Post by [deleted] »

duncan_bayne wrote: post #17
nepotism2018 wrote: post #13

"Most people have to pay government money at some point or another"...its sad that this is a given now

Things I've learned not to criticise on HN: socialism, Apple, Steve Jobs, compulsory taxation. Aren't you just forming a mental image of the downvoters right now? ;)

[deleted]

Re: UK Government's Payment Infrastructure Is Now Open Source

#26

Post by Cozumel »

coffeedoughnuts wrote: post #21
duncan_bayne wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

sigh ... do we really have to trot out the Somalia straw man every time someone criticises either compulsory taxation or socialism? Yes, taxation is necessary for a civilised society. No, it doesn't have to be compulsory, and no, it doesn't have to fund socialism.

well if we're talking about straw men, I didn't actually say it needed to fund a political ideology of any kind. Or say anything about it being compulsory, though in fact I do think it should be. Moreover, my comment was on the slightly silly notion that 'it's sad this is a thing now' when it has been a thing in Britain since Roman times. Perhaps the original commentator is harking back to the good old days of pre-Ro…

Yeah, what did the Romans ever do for us?

Re: UK Government's Payment Infrastructure Is Now Open Source

#27

Post by aninhumer »

duncan_bayne wrote: post #17
nepotism2018 wrote: post #13

"Most people have to pay government money at some point or another"...its sad that this is a given now

Things I've learned not to criticise on HN: socialism, Apple, Steve Jobs, compulsory taxation. Aren't you just forming a mental image of the downvoters right now? ;)

They're not being downvoted for criticising taxation, they're being downvoted for doing so in a trite withering comment that offers no explanation or alternatives.

Re: UK Government's Payment Infrastructure Is Now Open Source

#28

Post by coffeedoughnuts »

duncan_bayne wrote: post #24
coffeedoughnuts wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

well if we're talking about straw men, I didn't actually say it needed to fund a political ideology of any kind. Or say anything about it being compulsory, though in fact I do think it should be. Moreover, my comment was on the slightly silly notion that 'it's sad this is a thing now' when it has been a thing in Britain since Roman times. Perhaps the original commentator is harking back to the good old days of pre-Ro…

Yeah that bit made no sense. But the overall sentiment certainly does.

"That bit"? That was their whole comment! I'm afraid you accused me of 'trotting out a line' when in fact the 'overall sentiment' was implied entirely by yourself.

My advice for next time - less pouncing on comments to shoe-horn in some great ideological stance. Specific discussion is better than generic argument in my book. Good day to you :)

Re: UK Government's Payment Infrastructure Is Now Open Source

#29

Post by aembleton »

Nursie wrote: post #8

Still got Google Analytics on the page. I do not feel that reporting every online interaction I have with my government in the UK, back to a huge corporate in the US, is in any way appropriate. But I can't even get anyone to engage on the issue. When I tried to raise it I got directed to a helpdesk ticket on a site run by an SV helpdesk-as-a-service company. I appreciate that gov.uk have done some great stuff getting…

I'm not seeing GA on that page. Has someone removed it in the last 48 minutes?

Re: UK Government's Payment Infrastructure Is Now Open Source

#30

Post by orf »

duncan_bayne wrote: post #23
Angostura wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Yes, taxation is necessary for a civilised society. No, it doesn't have to be compulsory I think you may have to explain that to me

The necessity bit, or the not being compulsory bit? No snark intended; I'm unsure whether you're an anarchist asking for a defence of the State, or a Statist asking for a defence of voluntary taxation :)

How about you just try and reconcile both contradictory points as best you can. I bet it will be some ideological Libertarian fantasy, but please do have a go.
Post reply on HN