SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
The pistol emoji ― 🔫 ― is being phasered out, or turned into a water pistol:
Google is the latest company to ditch the pistol with a new emoji update for Android users. The switch to a bright orange and yellow water gun, rolling out now, mimics changes made by Apple, WhatsApp, Twitter, and Samsung over the last few years. That leaves Microsoft as the only major platform with the realistic handgun emoji. True, Facebook still uses it, but a spokesperson for the company confirmed to Emojipedia that it would also be replacing its gun emoji with a toy water gun. The Verge has reached out to Microsoft for comment.
[...] Ironically, Microsoft initially displayed the gun emoji as a toy, but changed it to a revolver in 2016 as part of its emoji redesign project. With Google's (and Facebook's) latest move, Microsoft's gun emoji puts it at philosophical odds with the other giant tech companies based in the US where gun violence is a major concern. As we previously noted, in 2016 Apple successfully pushed to remove the rifle icon from the standardized collection of emoji.
However, later on the day The Verge's article was published, Microsoft revealed that it is jumping on the trend as well:
We are in the process of evolving our emojis to reflect our values and the feedback we've received. Here's a preview: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DbqXVKBU0AAdXLk.jpg
Previously: Apple Changes "Pistol" Emoji From Revolver to Toy Water Gun
Apple Urged to Rethink Gun Emoji Change
Twitter Changes Revolver Emoji to Water Pistol Emoji
Related: Kids Are Facing Criminal Charges for Using Emoji
(Score: 2) by black6host on Friday April 27 2018, @07:12PM (12 children)
Where the hell are you with your AR sig? Google can't keep *us* down!
Seriously, though. I do not like this trend we've been on for a while. I hardly know how to act in the world today for fear of offending somebody... Good thing I'm an introvert, I guess.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by The Mighty Buzzard on Friday April 27 2018, @07:19PM (5 children)
Hmm... there's an idea. Little bit of sed and we could replace the pistol character with an entirely more awesome AR15 png.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 27 2018, @08:46PM (4 children)
The secret service uses the FN P90 to protect our beloved president. It is way more modern than the AR-15, which is a design that is half a century old.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_P90 [wikipedia.org]
To ensure font compatibility, the USA should just pass a law mandating that the weapon appear at a particular code point. (exempted: any OS that is unable to support 100,000 code points or unable to support 1000 distinct characters simultaneously displayed) Both right-facing and left-facing versions must be supported. Both plain and actively-firing versions must be supported.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Friday April 27 2018, @09:18PM (3 children)
Yeah, I just got a fondness for the AR15 on account of I can strip, clean, and reassemble one blindfolded.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 27 2018, @10:40PM (2 children)
Gettin' naked, with yer gun! Oh what fun!
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Friday April 27 2018, @11:50PM
This is my rifle, this is my gun, this one's for fighting, this one's for fun.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday April 28 2018, @03:49PM
If you can't get nekkid with your weapons, you probably can't get nekkid with anyone.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Virindi on Friday April 27 2018, @07:20PM (1 child)
Yeah, exactly. Now a mere icon of a cartoon gun will make people upset? People need to get over themselves. Sometime in their life they are likely to encounter a situation that is ACTUALLY emotionally difficult, and when that day comes they will be wholly unprepared.
(Score: 3, Informative) by MostCynical on Friday April 27 2018, @09:25PM
No, no, they will be completely prepared to be emotionally scarred for life AND they will be ready and willng to appear on the news/talk shows crying about it (for a fee)
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 27 2018, @07:47PM
Yup. I would much prefer if we just stuck to punishing the criminals and not worrying about possible bad things and left the "always watching" to that God figure people used to use so much.
My guess is that the cognitive load of our fear based society is incredibly detrimental.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Saturday April 28 2018, @01:39AM (1 child)
The bullies have gotten to you. May I suggest some assertiveness training? A visit to your local dojo could be good for you.
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/Assertiveness.htm [mindtools.com]
There is a line between assertiveness and aggressiveness. Few people today seem to understand that. The politically correct crowd has become aggressive, you must become assertive to have any chance against them.
And, read Vox Day, and all the others who were part of the Sad/Rabid puppies. They can offer some valuable guidance.
(Score: 2) by black6host on Saturday April 28 2018, @03:16PM
Don't get me wrong, I can be quite assertive if needed. Aggressive if warranted but that is rare. Most people stay the hell out of my way. I attribute that to the feeling of confidence I developed in the dojo. It's more that I don't understand people's reactions to certain things these days. The world is very different and it changed dramatically in the the last few years with respect to things like cultural appropriation (ridiculous...), feminism, etc. I'm not saying change isn't needed. But what isn't needed is a large portion of the country wanting their pound of flesh from me to make up for someone else's past behavior. The fact that folks are considering developing apps (LegalFling is one though I don't know if it was ever released) that set up a contract you can use when picking someone up to ensure you don't get charged with rape says a lot about fear nowadays. Plus, I'm sick as a dog, and cranky, too.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday April 28 2018, @01:42AM
I were sleeping, but I are here now!
http://dongerlist.com/category/gun [dongerlist.com] There are several more politically incorrect "guns" on that page!