[news.groups] Commercial postings by USF@VAX5.CORNELL.EDU

carl@sol1.gps.caltech.edu (Carl J Lydick) (06/16/91)

Note:  I'm posting a copy of this to my best guess as to the right people in
the USEnet heirarchy.

For some time, USF@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU has been posting commercial notices to
the SCI.SPACE newsgroup.  Moreover, he apparently is savvy enough about kill
files to continually vary the subject line of his posts so as to frustrate
those with no interest in his postings.  I understand that he's doing against
the wishes of the management of VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU.  Could somebody please
send me (and him) a reference to the guidelines for postings to the newsgroups? 
Thanks.  Sample posting follows:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Path: nntp-server.caltech.edu!ptimtc!mips!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU!USF
From: USF@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: United Space Federation,Inc. Hello! Please Post
Message-ID: <5E03A83E99DF802F8A@vax5.cit.cornell.edu>
Date: 14 Jun 91 23:16:00 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 99

From:	IN%"rhys@cs.uq.oz.au" 13-JUN-1991 22:50:39.94
To:	USF@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU
CC:	
Subj:	Letter

Received: from uqcspe.cs.uq.oz.au by vax5.cit.cornell.edu; Thu, 13 Jun 91 22:46
 EST
Received: from solution.cs.uq.oz.au by uqcspe.cs.uq.oz.au id
 <AA16803@uqcspe.cs.uq.oz.au>; Fri, 14 Jun 91 12:46:33 +1000
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 91 12:46:31 +1000
From: rhys@cs.uq.oz.au
Subject: Letter
To: USF@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU
Message-id: <9106140246.AA17281@client>
X-Envelope-to: USF

  Hello!

  From: United Space Federation, Inc.  Ithaca, N.Y., USA

    Subject: We are seeking your support in our present efforts to set up
             an International Space Agency by 1993.  At present the USF
             is setting up an International Executive Committee to further
             develop the USF.  There are also openings for USF Directors
             and Officers.  We are also looking to build a strong E-Mail
             support group.

Dear Space Enthusiast,

      The United Space Federation, Inc. is now looking for your support
in a historic undertaking of great importance.  We are endeavoring to
set up an International Space Administration that would not compete with
national space programs or organizations, but would unite and focus their
efforts in one common direction.

      We are looking for people who would like to participate on our now
forming International Executive Committee.  You would be involved in the
formation and development of this International Space agency and would
exchange your ideas with others around the world.  You would have both a
say and vote in all aspects of this effort and the USF's activities.  If
this sounds interesting to you, drop us a line and we will contact you
in this regards.

      Also, there are now openings for Directors on the USF's Board of
Directors.  If you would be interested in this opportunity or would like
more information about this, please contact us and we will promptly reply.

      And lastly, we are looking to build a strong E-Mail support group
to allow people who wish to support the USF but do not want to be a
Committee Member, Director, or Officer the chance to both participate
in the development of the USF and to keep abreast of the USF's activities
and accomplishments.

    We look forward to your reply in these regards.

                Thank you for your time and support!

                                   Sincerely,
                                   Rick R. Dobson
                                   Executive Director and Founder
                                   United Space Federation, Inc.

E-Mail Contacts:1) United Space Federation,Inc. 
                   International Headquarters
                   Internet:  USF@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU
                              USF@CRNLVAX5.BITNET
                              USF@CORNELLA.CIT.CORNELL.EDU
                              USF@CORNELLA.BITNET

                2) European USF Representative
                   Fracios Spiero PhD.
                   ESA/ESTEC  European Space Agency
                   Alumni: International Space University
                   Internet:  FSPIERO@ESTEC.BITNET

                3) Australian USF Representative
                   Rhys Weatherley
                   PhD. Student at University of Queensland, Australia
                   Internet:  Rhys@cs.uq.oz.au

                4) Canadian USF Representative
                   Argun N. Tekant
                   Computer Systems Analyst/Programmer
                   Internet:  Atekant@wimesy.bc.ca

                5) United States USF Representative
                   Carol L. Redfield PhD.
                   Southwest Research Institute, Texas, USA
                   Internet:  Luckhardt@aivax.datasys.swri.edu

                            

                    United Space Federation, Inc.
                     International Headquarters
                           P.O. Box 4722
                    Ithaca, New York 14852-4722
                  In the United States of America

An International Civil Space Agency By 1993, An Idea Whose Time Has Come!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

mathews@acsu.buffalo.edu (Ryan Mathews) (06/17/91)

In article <1991Jun16.114119.5456@nntp-server.caltech.edu> carl@sol1.gps.caltech.edu writes:
>Note:  I'm posting a copy of this to my best guess as to the right people in
>the USEnet heirarchy.
>
>For some time, USF@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU has been posting commercial notices to
>the SCI.SPACE newsgroup.  Moreover, he apparently is savvy enough about kill
>files to continually vary the subject line of his posts so as to frustrate
>those with no interest in his postings.

So kill "USF@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU".  Kill files work on more than just
subject lines, you know.

			---------- Ryan Mathews
-- 
Internet : mathews@cs.buffalo.edu
Bitnet   : mathews@sunybcs
UUCP     : {apple,cornell,decwrl,harvard,rutgers,talcott,ucbvax,uunet}!
           cs.buffalo.edu!mathews

peter@taronga.hackercorp.com (Peter da Silva) (06/17/91)

How do you make out that that is a "commercial posting"? He has not
solicited subscriptions nor donations, but is talking about a purely
volunteer group. What's the beef?

(I don't read sci.space, but I've received copies of these articles
 in my mailbox. They don't bother me there either.)
-- 
Peter da Silva.  `-_-'  Taronga Park BBS  +1 713 568 0480 2400/n/8/1
 Taronga Park.    'U`       "Have you hugged your wolf, today?"

csu@alembic.acs.com (Dave Mack) (06/18/91)

In article <1991Jun16.114119.5456@nntp-server.caltech.edu> carl@sol1.gps.caltech.edu writes:
>Note:  I'm posting a copy of this to my best guess as to the right people in
>the USEnet heirarchy.
>
>For some time, USF@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU has been posting commercial notices to
>the SCI.SPACE newsgroup.  Moreover, he apparently is savvy enough about kill
>files to continually vary the subject line of his posts so as to frustrate
>those with no interest in his postings.  I understand that he's doing against
>the wishes of the management of VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU.  Could somebody please
>send me (and him) a reference to the guidelines for postings to the newsgroups? 

Oh good, the old "commercial use of the net" flamewar again. I wondered
what had happened to it.

Commercial use of NSF-funded networks is forbidden. However, a great
deal of Usenet doesn't rely on the NSFnet backbone. There is a rather
vague guideline restricting "commercial" Usenet articles to comp.newprod,
but like all Usenet guidelines, it's only advisory. The hard part
consists of finding a widely-accepted definition of the word "commercial"
in this context.

I personally have no problem with someone asking for donations for a
non-profit organization, particularly one which is likely to be of
some interest to many people on Usenet, as long as they are reasonable
about where and how much they post.

If you don't like the USF articles, I'd suggest that you learn how to
use a kill file correctly. (Hint: /From: USF@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU/h:j)
Let the people at Cornell and NSF worry about whether or not the
articles are appropriate. We really don't need net.cops here, particularly
not amateur ones.

-- 
Dave Mack