By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 05/06/2026This subtlety and complexity might never emerge through the process of trying to teach a *person* about them, but when you try to teach a *computer* about them, you have to confront them in all their awesome fuggliness. 25/ 1111
By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 05/06/2026That's because humans have context, agency and flexibility. Sure, the person who designs a form with a blank for "name" might never have met a Malagasy person whose *first* name is Randriamananjararadofabesata. 191
By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 05/06/2026In the pre-digital world, when Madagascar Slim met an official who had to transcribe his name onto a paper form, that official could simply draw an arrow in the margin next to the "name" blank, turn the form over, and write out all 28 characters on the reverse: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagas... 38/en.wikipedia.orgMadagascar Slim - Wikipedia 171
