Path: gmdzi!unido!mcsun!sunic!uupsi!rpi!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!
accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: TK0JUT1%NIU.BIT...@uicvm.uic.edu (jim thomas)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Something to Consider
Message-ID: <5701@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 27 Mar 90 06:13:00 GMT
Sender: n...@accuvax.nwu.edu
Organization: TELECOM Digest
Lines: 60
Approved: Tele...@eecs.nwu.edu
Posted: Tue Mar 27 07:13:00 1990
X-Submissions-To: tele...@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-requ...@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 211, Message 4 of 5
When Pat Townson, the Moderator of this Digest, indicated that the LoD
discussions would be terminated, I, perhaps like many, dashed off a
note objecting. Pat responded with a convincing rationale for his
decision, one that is difficult to argue with. Loosely summarized, he
says:
1. The volume of messages he receives is so high that he must, as a
pragmatic matter, curtail some discussions.
2. There are imposed limits on the amount of mail he can send out, which
means not all good (or bad) ideas can be aired.
3. He is bound by charter to keep the topics germane to telecom issues,
which unfortunately limits some of the topics others of us find
interesting.
Most of us can sympathize with these constraints, and it is a reminder
of the excellent job he does *in spite of* the restrictions imposed on
him.
Nonetheless, there are a number of issues raised by the LoD
indictments that remain unaddressed or inadequately discussed. Mike
Goodwin's recent note identified many of the legal issues pertaining
to enforcement of computer abuse laws. There are other questions
involving the role of media and law enforcement in creating an
imagery, the ideological questions of control of information in a
democratic society, the problems of computerized information and
privacy, the role of "hackers" as in an increasingly technocratic
world, and ethical questions of the behavior of the "computer
underground (phreaks, hackers, and pirates).
If there is sufficient interest, I propose a digest, perhaps called
"The Computer Underground Digest," as a forum to raise these issues.
If anyone is interested, send a bitnote note to:
TK0JUT2@NIU (that's a zero, not an "oh")
NOTE: The address for the proposed new forum *is not* the header of
this address!
I'll put together a trial issue over the next few days in response to some of
the recent issues that have been raised. The first issue could include:
a) A copy of the LoD indictment
b) A copy of the Press Release accompanying it
c) A news story or two
d) A defense of aliases on BBSs
e) And anything else anybody wants to send.
If this sounds feasible, I welcome ideas or suggestions on what to
include, and would especially welcome initial comments or
observations. There are no restrictions on size or on topic, and
controversial themes are welcome.
For those who first want to know my own background or qualifications:
I am currently associate professor (full in the fall) of
sociology/criminal justice at Northern Illinois University and have
been engaged in research with Gordon Meyer for the past two years on
the computer underground. Although Gordon has not yet "volunteered,"
he would be co-moderator.
Path: gmdzi!unido!mcsun!sunic!uupsi!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: tele...@eecs.nwu.edu (TELECOM Moderator)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Administrivia
Message-ID: <5702@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 27 Mar 90 08:27:54 GMT
Sender: n...@accuvax.nwu.edu
Organization: TELECOM Digest
Lines: 53
Approved: Tele...@eecs.nwu.edu
Posted: Tue Mar 27 09:27:54 1990
X-Submissions-To: tele...@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-requ...@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 211, Message 5 of 5
I fully support the idea presented by Jim Thomas in the message just
before this one. I only wish someone would come forward and volunteer
to do the same thing for Caller*ID!
Jim has indicated he will keep the mailing list discussion of the LoD
going as long as there is interest, and I encourage any of you
interested in the discussion to sign up independently with him. Of
course, you will still continue to see some news items about LoD here
in TELECOM Digest as well, but after the intial message and a couple
replies as appropriate the discussion will move to his list.
Some editorial changes have to be made here at this time due to the
extremely heavy volume of mail we are receiving --
1) Jim's idea shown above is being implemented immediatly. And in
subsequent articles in the Digest, whenever the discussion tends to go
on to the point that (a) it becomes acrimonious, (b) it clogs a great
deal of space, or (c) it becomes removed from telephony and drifts
into areas of the law and/or other social issues then *someone* will
have to volunteer to start a temporary list to handle it.
2) Effective at this time (allowance made for stuff presently in the
queue) ** signatures will be deleted from all messages in the Digest
**. Most of you have reasonable signatures. Some of you have
outrageously long and involved signatures, cute sayings, etc appended
to your messages. By eliminating signatures, my estimate is that 10-15
percent of the space in each issue will be freed up. Please make sure
your message has a 'reply-to' line and an 'organization' line. These
are left intact when messages are digested.
3) The ratio of quoted text to original text allowed in the Digest
will now be 25/75 percent. Usenet guidelines allow 50/50, and I have
had to decline messages in the past from folks who sent a huge amount
of quoted stuff with very little original stuff, because it won't go
through the gateway. I was trying to edit this stuff myself to some
extent, but some users complained about that. When possible,
eliminate quotes and do paraphrasing instead. Quote if you must, and
*do not* use line eaters and other work-arounds to defeat this rule.
I estimate about 20-25 percent of each issue could be freed up if
quotes were more restrained.
The savings in space realized from signatures and quotes alone would
mean I could put out two or three Digests per day instead of the four
we are seeing now.
Finally, articles properly edited will be given first consideration. I
will continue to edit and layout the Digest, but your help in creating
paragraphs, checking your spelling, grammar and syntax will be very
much appreciated.
Patrick Townson