http://www.debate.org/debates/?order=1&sort=&category=Technology Customize this RSS feed by going to http://www.debate.org/rss/ en-us 2009-11-20T21:24:48-08:00 2009-11-20T21:24:48-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Mac-computers-are-better-than-PCs/1/ (Post Voting Period) Before starting my argument, let me clarify. By Mac computers, I mean computers with the Leopard or Snow Leopard operating system (10.5, 10.5.5, or 10.5.6). By PC's, I simply mean computers with Windows XP, Windows, Vista, or Windows 7. Also, I would like to thank my future opponent and wish him good luck. There are many advantages that Mac users can enjoy over PC users. Listed below are a few of them: 1. Macs are designed with "security in mind". Mac OSX is not affected by the myriad of computer viruses out there, such as Conflicker. Thus, there is no need for security alerts and sweeps, leading to a more productive work or play time. 2. Mac OSX is always up-to-date. This is because OSX comes with an automatic software update. This shows updates to any included Apple software and automatically downloads them. This saves you (the user) the trouble of updating the software. In a sense, Macs get better with age. 3. Mac OSX have email and chat pr http://www.debate.org/debates/Mac-computers-are-better-than-PCs/1/comments/ 2009-04-28T19:18:29-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Video-Debates-should-be-allowed-on-debate.org/1/ (Post Voting Period) Video Response Round 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtZ_9hWYLLo http://www.debate.org/debates/Video-Debates-should-be-allowed-on-debate.org/1/comments/ 2008-09-04T19:47:58-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Resolved-That-on-balance-social-networking-Web-Sites-have-a-positive-impact-on-the-United-States./1/ (Post Voting Period) Social Networks are basically things like: FACEBOOK, MYSPACE, TAG, ZANGA... - They are good because they increase communication opportunities Nowadays, just calling and text messaging is not enough. There has to be some sort of quick communication occurring online, and that is what social networking does. - They stimulate our economy Social networking websites are able to advertise to their users based on what it looks like they or their friends would like. That comes in handy because it saves consumers money and increases production opportunities. - They allow idividuals to expand their social horizons Normally, becuase we are human, we would want to stick with our "cliques" or circle of friends. Social networking sites reccomend individuals that you are not "freinds" with yet in an effort to increase your friends. http://www.debate.org/debates/Resolved-That-on-balance-social-networking-Web-Sites-have-a-positive-impact-on-the-United-States./1/comments/ 2008-12-02T21:46:06-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Debate.org-version-3-will-more-likely-than-not-be-up-and-running-by-the-time-this-debate-concludes./1/ (Voting Period) It is within my belief that debate.org version 3 will be up and running by the time this debate concludes. To define what I mean by this, I'm saying that the chances of debate.org version 3 being accessible before or at the time this debate concludes are at least 51%. Just to insure that this won't be a wait fest, I'll go ahead and provide a contention. For now, my one and only contention shall be that the webmaster stated that version 3 would be up by the end of July. Given that it is long past the end of July, I'd say this serves to show either something unexpected came up or that the webmaster is simply doing some extra insignificant tweaks. It is reasonable for us to assume that debate.org version 3 should be functioning any day now. And it further serves as being evidence since the webmaster has not posted a note to the right of the main page as he usually does to inform us of a massive delay. And given the fact that it has been under development sin http://www.debate.org/debates/Debate.org-version-3-will-more-likely-than-not-be-up-and-running-by-the-time-this-debate-concludes./1/comments/ 2008-09-13T20:38:13-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/PoeJoe-should-immediately-comply-with-the-cease-and-desist-order-sent-to-him-by-debate.org/1/ (Post Voting Period) Earlier today, poejoe received a letter from Phil (owner of this website) ordering him to cease and desist from his part in the website (now closed) "debatedotcom.com", for trademark and copyright infringement. He has 48 hours to comply before it goes to the "next step". Poejoe is not compromising, I suggest he think otherwise. It is my position that he should immediately do whatever Phil says or face the consequences. http://www.debate.org/debates/PoeJoe-should-immediately-comply-with-the-cease-and-desist-order-sent-to-him-by-debate.org/1/comments/ 2008-12-29T21:38:14-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/The-all-new-Pak-a-Spak-Rucksack-will-be-a-must-have-accessory-for-male-commuters/1/ (Voting Period) Those of us who travel to work by train or metro will know all too well how difficult it is to get a seat in the rush hour and if a male commuter is fortunate enough to get a seat, social etiquette demands that he must give his seat up if he sees a lady standing. This inevitably means that a gentleman is never sat down for very long. But would his fellow passengers feel that he should relinquish his seat to a perfectly able-bodied woman if he was cradling a disabled toddler in his arms? No, of course not! Well, that's where Eggleston's Sub-Ethical Enterprises' all new Pak-a-Spak™ Rucksack comes in. You see, concealed within a perfectly normal-looking rucksack is an incredibly lifelike dummy of a small disabled child. http://getsaucy.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/article-0-01de989d00000578-652_468x571.jpg Prior to boarding a crowded train, all a male commuter needs to do is discretely remove the Pak-a-Spak™ dummy from its rucksack, climb aboard the tr http://www.debate.org/debates/The-all-new-Pak-a-Spak-Rucksack-will-be-a-must-have-accessory-for-male-commuters/1/comments/ 2009-05-30T16:20:06-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Mobile-Phone-Confirmation/1/ (Voting Period) This is more of a question than a debate. Why does the site make you give your phone number to access certain features? Which features are they? I am against the mobile phone confirmation. CONTENTION I: I don't have a cell phone. http://www.debate.org/debates/Mobile-Phone-Confirmation/1/comments/ 2008-08-29T12:29:08-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Given-a-strong-enough-computer-the-game-of-chess-can-be-solved-so-that-one-player-can-never-lose./1/ (Post Voting Period) The game of chess is solvable. Given enough data, a player, either white or black, I don't know which, would always be able to win or draw, despite the millions of possible combinations on the board. This also applies to other similar non-luck strategy games, including checkers, Khet, and Chinese Chess. I will continue my argument after my opponent responds. Definitions: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solvable http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess solvable: susceptible of solution or of being solved, resolved, or explained (in this case, the solution is an extremely large set of strategies that can be applied to any situation possible on a chess board that can be reached by using previous strategies. I can explain further if asked.) By win, I mean getting a checkmate, by draw, I mean resulting in a stalemate or draw, and by loss, I mean getting checkmated. I thank my opponent for accepting this debate. http://www.debate.org/debates/Given-a-strong-enough-computer-the-game-of-chess-can-be-solved-so-that-one-player-can-never-lose./1/comments/ 2009-05-13T15:46:58-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/By-2040-the-FG-should-mandate-that-all-new-passenger-vehicles-sold-in-US-be-powered-by-alt-fuels/6/ (Post Voting Period) I will let my opponent have the first agument and I hope they will let me have the last agument in round 4. http://www.debate.org/debates/By-2040-the-FG-should-mandate-that-all-new-passenger-vehicles-sold-in-US-be-powered-by-alt-fuels/6/comments/ 2009-02-05T13:45:09-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Nintendo-DS-all-models-is-superior-the-Wi/1/ (Post Voting Period) The Nintendo DS is a superior gaming system to the Wii in terms of worldwide sales, Wi-Fi connectivity, and high quality third party support games (quantity and quality). VG charts confirm the worldwide sales boom of the Nintendo DS, with the recent statistic of 102.33 million units sold worldwide; as to the 49.59 m for the Wii, 30.12M for the x box 360, and 21.94M PS3. The Wii has 62 wi-fi games released so far (Wii ware not included;international), while the DS has an approximate 195 wi-fi games currently released (DS ware not included; international.) Such high quality third party series/games on the DS include Professor Layton, Trauma Center (control better than Wii; and originated on the DS), GTA Chinatown wars (highest rated DS game on Gamespot); to name a few. http://www.debate.org/debates/The-Nintendo-DS-all-models-is-superior-the-Wi/1/comments/ 2009-05-07T18:07:05-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Hacking-should-not-be-a-federal-offence/1/ (Post Voting Period) Hacking? Who has hacked or wanted to learn to hack? Is it a crime? What really is a "hacker" Technically, a hacker is someone who is enthusiastic about computer programming. But what about "crackers" Crackers are people who try to gain unauthorized access to computers. This is normally done through the use of a 'backdoor' program installed on your machine. A lot of crackers also try to gain access to resources through the use of password cracking software, which tries billions of passwords to find the correct one for accessing a computer Or though stolen cookies. Most hacker do not do evil mainly do it for frame they will leave a page replacing the index file of the sites main directory. they are just people who want to learn test their skill! So why lock them up like petterfiles get locked up? Because the government is running scared. They do not want freedom of information on their severs they could have their lies exposed. Sure there needs to be some pun http://www.debate.org/debates/Hacking-should-not-be-a-federal-offence/1/comments/ 2009-01-24T14:10:41-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/A-debate-on-a-certain-controversy/1/ (Voting Period) Okay, the exact resolution is "Patrick_Henry is being childish and counterproductive in his actions against a certain group on debate.org" This group is of course the so-called "voting block" that actually isn't a voting block. The debate in which he does this is here:http://www.debate.org/debate/5454/ Don't forget to look at the comments. He commits libel, and calls this group a voting block, and its members "A literal band of teenagers, foolishly set in the political views without any life experience or education to back it up reinforcing each others partisan bigotry and ignorance, and clearly organizing a bloc of voters." The group is nothing like what he describes. On its website, and I could give you the URL, but all the pages are password protected, it says "To help newcomer Conservatives by giving advise and displaying proper debating. 2. To help veteran Conservatives win debates by giving him advise on topics and or how to debate that topic pr http://www.debate.org/debates/A-debate-on-a-certain-controversy/1/comments/ 2008-09-24T08:53:56-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Social-Networking/1/ (Voting Period) Resolved: That, on balance, social networking Web sites have a positive impact on the United States. Today, I am against the resolution, Resolved: That, on balance, social networking Web sites have a positive impact on the United States. Social networking sites have had a negative impact on the United States. My first conjunctions is as followed; --Social Networking is potentially going to harm to persons using them. One example of this is Megan Meier, who took her life after an old friends mom posed as a boy on myspace and began harassing her. When a social networking site does nothing to protect users of it's site, we see it as unfit. Just as we would see a mother unfit to raise a child if she didn't protect it from danger. ** I can't wait for someone's reply** http://www.debate.org/debates/Social-Networking/1/comments/ 2009-08-04T11:11:13-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/The-upcoming-Debate.org-forum-should-start-with-no-more-than-5-boards./1/ (Post Voting Period) In the past I have tried to join multiple forums, only to stop posting in them because of lack of activity. The Debate.org forum has a lot of potential to be moderately active, but they can mess things up by having too many boards. As I type this there are 13 users online. That's usually around the peak, and shows that we don't have a large user base to mess around with. If the forum were to be split into more than 5 boards, I'll list my ideas for specific boards in another round, the posts in specific boards would become fewer and farther between. People would be worried what board their topic goes in, when the fact is, barely enough topics will be made to keep one or two boards active. Right now there are 8 users active on the Black Sheep forums, they have only one board. Their max ever online is 82, and that just happened a few days ago. (http://www.bsforums.com/) The average time between posts on there ranges between 30 minutes to an hour, an http://www.debate.org/debates/The-upcoming-Debate.org-forum-should-start-with-no-more-than-5-boards./1/comments/ 2008-08-31T06:51:34-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Logical-Policy-Format-Resolved-Webcorp-should-substantially-increase-the-welfare-of-debate.org./1/ (Post Voting Period) ATTENTION: This is intended to be a Logical Policy Debate round. Meaning a policy round (with inherency, disadvantages, etc.) BUT with evidence only used when absolutely necessary. Please take this into account when accepting the debate or judging it. Rounds 1/2: Constructives Rounds 3/4: Rebuttals I affirm: Resolved: Webcorp should substantially increase the welfare of debate.org. (By accepting this debate, please also accept that I can (and am) fiating webcorp rather than the usual federal government.) OBSERVATION 1: INHERENCY/HARMS A) There is no requirement for vote justifications. -When someone goes to vote, they can simply put in their vote without even reading the debate. There are ways to determine who voted for who, but for this takes time and can come down to even a guess when people have similar ideals. Furthermore, this allows people to be able to vote for themselves with the other person hardly even knowing. B) ‘Vote Bombing' http://www.debate.org/debates/Logical-Policy-Format-Resolved-Webcorp-should-substantially-increase-the-welfare-of-debate.org./1/comments/ 2008-12-14T14:11:38-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/why-technology-is-prudent-despite-the-effect-on-enviroment/1/ (Voting Period) I would like to thank my opponent for taking me up on this debate, I wish him the best of luck. I will let my opponent go first. http://www.debate.org/debates/why-technology-is-prudent-despite-the-effect-on-enviroment/1/comments/ 2009-01-13T17:46:40-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/A-revolution-by-robots-alone-which-overthrows-the-government-is-impossible./1/ (Voting Period) - Robot - A machine that resembles a human and does mechanical, routine tasks on command with artificial intelligence. - Revolution - an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed. - Impossible - unable to be done, performed, effected, etc. A few ground rules: 1.Both sides must produce a minimum of 2 points on why they think 'A revolution by robots alone which overthrows the government is impossible'. Failure to do so by round 2 is an automatic forfeit of the debate itself. A point must not be rebuttal of the opponents points. Doing so is an automatic forfeit of the debate itself. 2. Forfeiting a round is automatically forfeiting conduct. 3. Debating the topic in the comments section is automatically forfeiting conduct. 4. My opponent cannot use R1 for rebuttal. Doing so is automatically forfeiting conduct. 5. Accepting this debate is accepting these rule I have set. http://www.debate.org/debates/A-revolution-by-robots-alone-which-overthrows-the-government-is-impossible./1/comments/ 2008-12-15T15:34:18-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Voting-on-Debate.org-Should-Be-One-Point-Per-Vote/1/ (Post Voting Period) I'll start this debate by clarifying the resolution. Currently, Debate.org employs a Seven-Point voting system dispersed across six voting questions. The resolution is that this system should be replaced with a One-Point voting system with only one voting question. In other words, instead of voting in the areas of agreement, conduct, grammar, etc., voters would simply choose a winner. I am for this resolution. The current voting system is admiral in its attempt to make the results of a debate more meaningful. Indeed, few people including myself would argue against the merits of judging a debater on his/her use of good conduct, superior writing abilities, logical argumentation, and use of resources. While good in theory, the practical use of this voting system has revealed several flaws. Voters can be generally classified into three categories: the thoughtful voter, the casual voter, and the dishonest voter. Thoughtful voters independently assess the winne http://www.debate.org/debates/Voting-on-Debate.org-Should-Be-One-Point-Per-Vote/1/comments/ 2008-12-03T16:34:18-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/The-LG-Voyager-is-the-best-cell-phone-by-Verizon./1/ (Post Voting Period) The Voyager by LG is the best phone by Verizon. It has an awsome touch screen and a full keyboard at the same time. You are able to get onto the internet and check mobile email aswell whenever you want. It has a 2.0 megapixel camera so it has very good quality whenever you want to take pictures. Also, you are able to take videos so whenever something important happens just record it with your phone. Please someone start a debate with this I would really appretiate it. :) http://www.debate.org/debates/The-LG-Voyager-is-the-best-cell-phone-by-Verizon./1/comments/ 2009-05-06T16:52:53-08:00 http://www.debate.org/debates/Source-Code-without-Tabs-is-Superior-to-Source-Code-with-Tabs/1/ (Post Voting Period) This debate is in regards to computer programming, but anyone is welcomed to accept the challenge. The only caveat is that programmer speak may creep into the debate, though I've made every attempt to avoid undefined geek-speak for the benefit of the readers. Definitions: Source code: The original textual form of a computer program Tab: The digital character representing white space - usually wider than a single character Superior: Having greater value Source Code Readability: The ease to which source code can be comprehended 1. Source code that is more readable is more desirable. Source: http://web.mit.edu/rvalerdi/www/Role%20of%20Software%20Readability%20on%20Software%20Development%20Cost%20_Collar%20&%20Valerdi%202006_.pdf The most expensive phase in any software's lifecycle is the maintenance phase. Furthermore, "The majority of the time and effort expended during maintenance-related activities is code reading." It follows then, that if sour http://www.debate.org/debates/Source-Code-without-Tabs-is-Superior-to-Source-Code-with-Tabs/1/comments/ 2008-10-17T01:07:18-08:00