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Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

sam.odio.com

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Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#211

Post by derefr »

burgerbrain wrote: post #85
MatthewPhillips wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Jonathan said it was a social experiment. This, and people's reaction to it, is part of that.

The social experiment revealed that there are in fact people miserable enough in this world to senselessly steal from such a good will fund. In fact, so miserable that they see fit to even brag about it and pretend to themselves their actions were noble. The experiment revealed that the name of one such miserable person is Sam Odio.

You're equivocating. If it is a social experiment, then it is not a good will fund. It cannot be both. Social experiments (like, say, Chain World: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/03/15/the-cult-of-minec...) are morally neutral; good will funds have an expectation of moral imperative by those involved. It's the difference between, say, a PvP and PvE server—both allow you to play a game, but what in one is called "bad behavior" is in the other called "emergent gameplay."

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#213

Post by shadowfox »

sequoia wrote: post #7

"Or am I alone in thinking that helping a stranger find their next caffeine fix is not what we should be worried about in today's world?" sigh This is such a silly, stupid point to make: Buying an iPad? What about world hunger!? Going to the movies? What about the modern slave trade!? Painting a picture? Women in Sudanese refugee camps can't go to the bathroom at night without fear of rape, and here you painting a pi…

I guess it is just hard for some people to not force their particular values on other people

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#214

Post by tensor »

kennywinker wrote: post #204
burgerbrain wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"People (yourself included) are acting like this was a "miserable" and "disgusting" thing to do." I am not acting like it is, I am saying that it is. And yes, I know that I am doing that... since I am doing it. Regardless of wither or not it was within the bounds of the experiment it was an asshat thing to do.

How is this worse than someone who buys coffee with the card, and never contributes any money?

I guess it's about as bad as someone who buys $600 worth of coffee and never contributes any money. That's 200 $3 coffees, or almost 3/4's of a years worth assuming one a day. Of course, this is also in the span of weeks.

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#215

Post by kennywinker »

tensor wrote: post #214
kennywinker wrote: post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is this worse than someone who buys coffee with the card, and never contributes any money?

I guess it's about as bad as someone who buys $600 worth of coffee and never contributes any money. That's 200 $3 coffees, or almost 3/4's of a years worth assuming one a day. Of course, this is also in the span of weeks.

A total aside: I could definitely spend $600 at starbucks in a week.

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#216

Post by sequoia »

geeksRus wrote: post #67
aneth wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure that's the case here. It's not an anonymous recipient, it's Jonathan's stored value card and therefore Jonathan. Jonathan authorized anyone to use his card to buy coffee. He did not authorize anyone to steal his money. Another way to look at it is as a common fund dedicated to the purpose of buying coffee. Using it for anything else seems like embezzlement.

agreed and sharing the code ensures that others with more devious ambitions will pretty much ruin this experiment.

"I was doing an experiment to find out what would happen if I had a leave a dollar take a dollar jar in an alley, but then some jerk took all the money and ruined the experiment."

1. If the experiment initiator here didn't see something like this coming (someone taking advantage of a free pot of money), he is naive beyond belief.

2. An experiment not turning out how you DESIRE it to does not mean it's "ruined;" to the contrary, it's how learning happens. "Oh, I didn't know that would happen!" takes notes <- Science

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#217

Post by KleinmanB »

MatthewPhillips wrote: post #48
Udo wrote: post #20

So essentially you're proud of stealing huge amounts of money from a fund set up by people for a specific purpose, and then you channel this money to suit your own needs while claiming moral superiority ? You know, even if the money you stole for "the little children OMG think of the children" really reaches the intended recipients, which it probably won't if this is a typical 3rd world development fund, you still be…

Jonathan said it was a social experiment. This, and people's reaction to it, is part of that.

Communism, Nazism and any other 'isms are all considered social experiments. I am not comparing your actions to those, but you cannot hide behind a statement like that.

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#218

Post by polymatter »

hammock wrote: post #134
funkah wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know what you mean, but the original Jonathan's Card thing made it seem like buying someone Starbucks was the height of charity when it's actually quite frivolous. At least this idea is real charity. It's still in the spirit of Jonathan's Card, but actually does some small amount of good for the world.

I think a lot of people read into Jonathan's Card as a charity thing, and reading the HN comments that always struck me as a gross misinterpretation of Jonathan's initial sentiment. There is a difference between Random Acts of Kindness (Jonathan's card) vs charity.

I'm not sure why the difference is necessary in this case.

I think making someones day a brighter place can have a tremendous knock-on effect. If an anon gave me a cup of coffee, I might be more willing to donate to charity for anons benefit. To "pay it forward"( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_it_forward)

I don't find it convincing the suggestion that it would have been more effective to donate that coffee as charity, as opposed to promoting a society more amiable to giving.

Re: Use Jonathan's card to buy yourself an iPad

#220

Post by jt2190 »

zacharycohn wrote: post #177
jt2190 wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But at the same time, if Jonathan knew that the card could be misused, he either should have attempted to provide some security or disclosed that problem up front to the community, to let them make an informed choice.

No one is surprised that someone was able to take advantage of it. Everyone immediately recognized it was possible and easy to take advantage of. People made an informed choice. Just because it's easy doesn't mean it's okay. I can reach in and grab $50 from the tip jar at a restaurant while the cashier's back is turned. I can walk into most stores, stuff something under my jacket, and walk out. Just because it's easy…

I never said that stealing was O.K. Read my post again.

Both of your examples of ignore that there is an "appropriate" level security for those contexts. The tip jar is in the plain view of other diners and staff; the store has staff and video surveillance. I'll leave it to others to decide whether an unsecured cash account accessible to millions of anonymous users has appropriate security in place.

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