Tech crunch on smart guns
Heres the thing, though: the NRA is actually right, in this case. If smart guns get any traction, then non-smart-guns will come under legislative assault.
Yup. I don’t care if anyone invents one, per se. But I’d never own one.
May 1st, 2016 at 7:18 pm
But if someone invents one that can actually work – which I don’t see happening for a number of years – look forward to all kinds of legislation mandating the bullshit.
May 1st, 2016 at 7:27 pm
SMART = Tracking You
May 1st, 2016 at 8:29 pm
Current technology does NOT have anywhere near the capability to produce a totally reliable ‘smart’ gun. They can’t even get automobiles that reliable – witness all of the recalls, not to mention the intentional corner cutting (think takata airbags). NOT that it can’t be done eventually but probably not in the near future.
May 2nd, 2016 at 8:32 am
Soooo, tell me how well that fingerprint recognition system on you cell phone works? First time, every time? How many tries does it require? How’s the battery life on that automobile key fob?
Yeah, technology is our friend and makes our life easier (snark). Simplicity is best.
May 2nd, 2016 at 11:37 am
Smart guns come in several flavors. Some are a gun banner’s wet dream and some are that same anti-rights bigot’s worst nightmare.
Just a few miles from my home is Tracking Point Firearms, which is developing self-aiming firearms. While the financial aspects of the company have been in flux, their technology is moving forward.
The future holds all sorts of technological innovations, and Luddites who will be happy with their SMLEs and Colt Single Actions might miss out on a lot of interesting and fun new things.
I suggest we fight the battle not against tech, but against the horrible people who would infringe our rights. Win there, against them, and it does not matter what false arguments they use. Win against this year’s new tech and next year the same bad faith, bad intent arguments return for a different invention.
May 2nd, 2016 at 3:29 pm
I realize some of you went into shock and stopped reading after you saw the phrase “NRA is actually right” appear on TechCrunch, but if you’re still with me then give me a moment to explain.
Well, I’m more surprised that the topic came up at all, but I’ll assume he knows his audience.
And that makes it an indictment of TechCrunch, its readers, or both.
(No matter what, at least they’re not Gawker – and this article seems about right, very well written and thoughtful.)
May 2nd, 2016 at 11:41 pm
All my current guns feature advanced EMP hardening.
I’m all for technological advancement, but the one and only thing driving this one (guns that can’t be fired without authorization of some kind) is the desire to disarm us. The one and only thing driving those who are working on it is the prospect of government contracts and mandated purchases. Make no mistake.
Advanced targeting systems and guided bullets and suchlike are all fine so long as we the people can buy them without interference. Those kinds of advancements tend to get laws made reserving them for Federalis, their minions, and crony corporations, the National Firearms Act of 1934 (Britain going along with their own that same year) being but one example.
If it can limit you, it’ll be required. If it empowers you or limits the Feds’s power if it’s in your hands, it’ll be banned and reserved.
I’m with mikee though; enforce the second amendment, enforce 18 USC 241 and 18 USC 242 (and you know this will never stop until all those things are enforced reliably) and none of this technopoliticshorseshit will matter.
May 3rd, 2016 at 11:20 pm
When will Mr. Obama’s Secret Service detail start using “smart” guns?