minow@decvax.UUCP (Martin Minow) (11/12/85)
An article in today's (Monday, November 11) Boston Globe will be of interest to USENET readers. Written by free-lancer Fred Hapgood, it discussed the history of bulletin board systems, and what happened when a particular "slice of life" -- called "weenies" by system operators, arrived on the scene. Although we don't know of their age or sex, these people may be characterized as the sort of 10- to 15-year-old male with limited social skills. The book, Lord of the Flies, has some examples of these individuals, in case you haven't met any recently. System operators developed some interesting strategies to deal with weenies. One has a weenie-button that automatically logs off anyone who gives a user name such as Baron-X, The Skullcracker, or Mr. Hothips. Another has an even more sophisticated approach. After the BBS user posts his messages and logs off, the program checks a "weenie list" and, if this person is on the list, the messages are deleted. The weenie then wonders why nobody has responded to his flaming. Some BBSs have taken a more sophisticated approach: the "ghost board" which is accessable only by invitation. Those on the approved-list can then gossip about the lusers who can only access the public board. On some BBSs, there are up to five levels of access. Perhaps there is something here for USENET to learn from? Martin Minow decvax!minow
edward@ukecc.UUCP (Edward C. Bennett) (11/15/85)
In article <125@decvax.UUCP>, minow@decvax.UUCP (Martin Minow) writes: > > [ desciption of a weenie ] > > [ how to deal with weenies ] > > [ weenies get censored ] > > Some BBSs have taken a more sophisticated approach: the "ghost board" > which is accessable only by invitation. Those on the approved-list > can then gossip about the lusers who can only access the public > board. On some BBSs, there are up to five levels of access. > > Perhaps there is something here for USENET to learn from? > > Martin Minow Who said this isn't already happening? ;-) -- Edward C. Bennett UUCP: ihnp4!cbosgd!ukma!ukecc!edward /* A charter member of the Scooter bunch */ "Goodnight M.A."