keithe (03/15/83)
Two questions answered:
How did this newsgroup get created?
What is the reason for its continued existence?
Net.suicide was originally created when some folks wanted to discuss
motorcycles/motorcycling, and couldn't figure out a good name for the
newsgroup (net.motorcycles was too long and net.mc was too cryptic).
Some wag, expressing his/her opinion of said topic suggested the name
net.suicide; it only took about 30 seconds for the group to get
initiated - back then a newsgroup was created by anyone submitting to
it - and we were off to the races...
Original postings dealt primarily with techniques, and (varying
quality) jokes about the subject. Primarily harmless stuff, with plenty
of disclaimers about responsibility, etc.
BUT THEN it happened: BTL completed work on their UN*X-based artificial
intelligence project - the "andy" (short for anderoid) "tannenbaum"
(German for (fir) tree - the directory structure used in the
expert-systems data-base). Well, now BTL had to test the thing; what
better way than to use interaction with REAL HUMANS to see what
happened. Thus, "andy" was given instructions to steal an identity and
start an ongoing conversation/discussion with as many folks as
possible. He/she/it therefore assumed the login name of a (real, BTL
employed) person who was away for several months, and submitted posting
after posting to net.suicide under this assumed/stolen name.
Thus we have all been duped into BTL's secondary motive - that of
increasing revenues. By adding to the morass of crap submitted to
net.suicide - AND HAVING IT SHIPPED AROUND THE COUNTRY ON (BELL SYSTEM)
TELEPHONE LINES - we have increased telephone bills nationwide, much to
the delight of your local 'phone system.
Needless to say this expose should result in the almost immediate
cessation of postings about rabbit!bimmler, now that we all know it's
really just another computer program which happened to get stuck in a
loop. With any luck it will also terminate the postings BY
rabbit!bimmler ("andy"), because he/she/it will realize that they have
been found out.
And by the way, I'm un-subscribing from this newsgroup. Those of you
working for an employer - get back to work. Those of you who are
students - don't you have some studying to do? And the rest of you -
who ARE you?
Waving bye-bye with tongue firmly in cheek...
htiek noscire at sbalket