Keep weapons off Arduino forum and website

I have noticed a few topics which involve technical discussions related to weapons - guns and shooting.

I fully accept that it will be impossible to rid the world of weapons or stop boys hankering after bigger, better, and faster weapons.

But perhaps the Arduino fraternity could make a small gesture towards world peace by banning discussions related to weapons?

The idea of "improving" weapons (which are for the principal purpose of dividing people) seems incompatible with the spirit of open-source which is intended to bring people together.

...R

Hadn't come across those threads but not sure where that line of thinking leads. I might be much more concerned about what a timer sketch might be used for than a small arm carried by an individual.

I include questions of measuring projectile velocity or registering target hits.

...R

EXACTLY!!!! Or even a sketch that deals with processing messages or calls received from a GSM shield. These are a lot more dangerous. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what these can be used for.

I tend to dislike people who think guns are the source of all evil. Are forks and spoons to be blamed for obesity?

Just like other posters, I also haven't come accross the type of post the OP mentioned.

I'd like the OP to keep in mind that he can only enjoy peace in some countries today, because in the past somepeople were willing to defend their peace with guns. Also, guns are widely used for sports.

Fair warning: the leash is very short.

What does this mean? and to whom is it addressed?

...R

@Robin2
I think you have a valid point, at least to some extend. On the old forum we had a discussion about the ethics of the forum, and from what I recall, if it is clear that someone wants to do harm, (s)he will get very little help. The ethics included posting warnings when projects includes high voltages etc.

That said, any technique can be used for good and evil. It is the person that uses it who makes the choice. (that does not mean I am for free weapons)
And given the standard deviation of the mental state of the average human, it is better to keep any weapon in a safe place. But in the hands of "the evil person", anything is a weapon.

Robin2:
What does this mean?

https://www.google.com/search?q="on+a+short+leash"

and to whom is it addressed?

Everyone who discusses your suggestion on this forum.

I still have no idea what you are talking about. I think you might have assumed that I know what "on a short leash" means. I just can't see the relevance of the phrase in this context.

...R

Robin2:
I still have no idea what you are talking about. I think you might have assumed that I know what "on a short leash" means. I just can't see the relevance of the phrase in this context.

This thread can easily (and has already just started to) descend into an argument regarding guns. I will not tolerate it.

The essence of your idea is censorship. The moderators already censor: personal attacks, politics, and spam are not tolerated. The question on the table is where to draw the line.

I don't think guns (or other weapons) are things that can be dealt with as though there were no moral implications.

I don't wish to suggest a list but I imagine there are many things that would not be considered suitable on this forum. I just want a reasonable discussion about the desirability of excluding Arduino projects associated with weapons.

The only rationale for any weapon is to be able to force someone else do something s/he would not otherwise choose to do.

It may be useful to think of the issue in terms of the following questions:

(a) Would you like your children to have access to a website where they can learn about and become "acclimatized" to guns and other weapons and how to make them or their users more effective?

(b) If you favour allowing the the discussion of projects concerning weapons would you be happy to put them all under a heading clearly labeled "Weapons"?

...R

AlxDroidDev:
I tend to dislike people who think guns are the source of all evil.

The you will dislike me.
This is a typical response. No one ever suggested they are the source of ALL evil, but they are a considerable contributor to it.

Are forks and spoons to be blamed for obesity?

I don't think it is possible to inflict obesity on others with cutlery. This is typical of the intellectual level of most gun proponents arguments. Over stating any case does you no favors.

However, I don't think you can ban discussion on these matters, what you can do is not to respond to any or give help.

Yes there are plenty of posts about gun related topics here, however the pro gun people tend to be blind to them because to them they are every day matters and not an area of disgust.

One forum member did have a pro gun signature and was asked to remove it as it was not relevant to the work of this forum.

@Riva in your earlier post you referred to

The only threads I can remember seeing regarding weapons is with measuring the projectile velocity or registering target hits

and I responded immediately by saying that I objected to those ones.

Hence I assumed you didn't need any additional cross references.

...R

I have noticed a few topics which involve technical discussions related to weapons - guns and shooting.

Guns and shooting? What? A range of a mile or so. Jeez!! I thought you were talking about real weapons. You know what I mean, the ones that reach you from several states away and take out several people at once. The victim looks up and has time to say "OH, SH.." just before BOOM!!

I find it very disturbing when people make humour out of killing people - whether a mile away or a nation away.

Enough people are killed and injured in accidents every day without doing it on purpose.

...R

I did not mean to make it sound funny. It is a potential reality. I was only comparing the severity of the damage. That is one of the reasons I do not help with GPS and navigational problems.

edit: If you found it disturbing and maybe a bit scary, then that is the effect I was going for.

I'm afraid I had assumed from your earlier post that you were part of the "pro-weapons" lobby rather than a pacifist. I apologise.

...R

SurferTim:
That is one of the reasons I do not help with GPS and navigational problems.

With the advent of 3D printers producing guns, and ever increasingly more powerful capacitors...

Guns and electromagnetic coil guns are here to stay, I've heard every excuse to keep guns legal for everyone in the US of A, without guns only criminals have guns, guns
don't shoot people (yup true) people do...

I'd tackle the mental health system first, stop the crazies from shooting innocent people before i'd worry about gangs with guns... if guns worried people so much they'd be banned almost everywhere! and they are except a handful of countries like America i'm all for gun ownership, but if the cost of that is a life, something's horribly wrong.

Just to make my position clear, I am not as much of a pacifist as it appears from that one statement. It is bad enough that these weapons are in the hands of the military establishments worldwide, but to have them in the hands of drug cartels or terrorist organisations, that is something completely different.

I am not against the personal possession of guns like revolvers and shotguns, just certain types. Here are some weapons I do not think civilians should be able to own:
automatic AK-47
40mm grenade launcher
105mm howitzer
RPG
cruise missile
TOW missile

I am not against the personal possession of guns like revolvers and shotguns,

Yes I feel a lot happier at the thought of being killed by a shot gun or revolver so much more personal.