Euro Parliament Wants "Red Button" For Shutting Down Games 167
GamePolitics writes "The European Parliament has actually requested that red, panic-style buttons be set up for use by parents whose children play online games. The buttons would allow the parents to quickly shut the game down should something inappropriate occur. Wouldn't the old-school on-off switch work just as well?"
To be fair, the report isn't entirely crazy; it says games "can also be used for educational and medical purposes," and acknowledges that the "presence of violence in video games does not automatically lead to violent behaviour."
Let's teach kids to make hardware mods early (Score:5, Funny)
Seriously.
1. phillips head screwdriver (to open case)
2. wire cutter (to cut leads to switch)
3. wire nut (to short circuit around switch)
4. profit?
The really clever kids will find a way to install a software patch that makes any game say "Show us your tits!" every time the button is pressed.
When I was a kid, my parents had a 'red button' called a leather belt. It was much harder to hack.
Re:Let's teach kids to make hardware mods early (Score:5, Funny)
When I was a kid, my parents had a 'red button' called a leather belt. It was much harder to hack.
Harder to hack, my arse! When this happened to me, I used to modify the client (my bottom) by increasing the resistance (extra underpants) and return a spoofed result to the server.
What About alt-F4 (Score:1, Funny)
what about good old alt-f4???
Could I sell RED USB ALT-F4 buttons for parents?
Games are supposed to be educational (Score:5, Funny)
To be fair, the report isn't entirely crazy; it says games "can also be used for educational and medical purposes,"
I do agree that sex and violent games are meant to be educational.
Like last time I caught my cousin attempt to flirt with a CG girl in hope to have cyber sex. I pressed the magic red-button and gave him a few bucks, told him to go out and do a real girls like a real man.
The other time I caught him shooting polygonal guys on streets with lots of bullets and first-aid boxes scattering around. Needless to say, I pressed the magic red-button again and gave him a shotgun, told him to hit the street and shoot real people like a real man.
More trouble than its worth (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Red Button Doesn't Seem To Be Literal (Score:2, Funny)
Those of us who are worried about our kids' online gaming, and who also happen to be colorblind, are glad to hear it.
Here is your button (Score:4, Funny)
For online pc games, a solution exists [85qm.de].
Re:Sounds a bit useless (Score:4, Funny)
This reminds me of when I was playing Red alert 1 with my cousin, when we were teens.
His mum got pissed off and hit the power switch.
Then the UPS kicked in. It really lessened the impact she was going for.
Re:Let's teach kids to make hardware mods early (Score:4, Funny)
The other button (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Universal Remote (Score:5, Funny)
"They could employ the same system that the Xbox employs. Add an IR receiver."
A lot of people with an XBox 360 don't even have to go that far, because Microsoft have once again proved that they're ahead of curve, and have already equipped their system with a special facility that displays a red circle on the screen to indicate that all gaming has been suspended for an indefinite period. This lock-out mechanism so secure that the only way to resume gaming is by sending the machine back to Microsoft, where a specially trained technician will the reset the cunningly hidden Naughty Person flag, and then send it back after a suitable period has elapsed to teach people that being naughty has consequences.
Re:The other button (Score:2, Funny)
A broken one which is stuck in the pressed state would be fine also.
Bender got it right this time... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Sounds a bit useless (Score:3, Funny)
Unless she hit the power switch on the "power strip" and not the computer, I'm not sure why the UPS would kick in.
This of course points the way toward the already installed "red button" on most computers:
- The power button on the computer. :) ).
- The power button on the power-strip (unless there is a UPS
- The power button on the monitor (less effective, since the speakers will keep blaring).
Re:Games are supposed to be educational (Score:2, Funny)
So that's what girls buy My Little Pony games for?
Re:Universal Remote (Score:4, Funny)
How does turning off the machine get me instant boobs? I think you have that backwards!
Re:No IR needed to toggle power switch (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Let's teach kids to make hardware mods early (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Let's teach kids to make hardware mods early (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Games are supposed to be educational (Score:3, Funny)
Re:PC Games? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Universal Remote (Score:3, Funny)
How does turning off the machine get me instant boobs? I think you have that backwards!
Indeed, the other way around is what some would call a Priority Interrupt [catb.org].