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
By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 05/06/2026Computers can't do this. If the programmer doesn't know about Malagasy first names, the computer doesn't know about them either. 39/ 181
