jj@alice.UUCP (10/25/85)
Well, the recent diatribe in net.news.group (I refer to those calling Gene Spafford names, etc, using words like fascism, troika, and the like) show just how far the net has decayed, and how little understanding exists of the basis for existance of USENET. USENET is not a right. It is a service, provided to readers at much cost, by a group of individuals, corporations, and universities. Nobody makes money from USENET, and many, many people pay for its upkeep and operating expenses. Those people have a completely realistic expectation that they will NOT be sued, arrested, or dragged into court for the material that passes through their computers. In addition, they have the completely reasonable expectation that individuals using the net exercise responsibility while using it, and do not act in ways that cause significant expenditures. The "creation" of net.bizzarre was indeed done in an "unapproved" way. The only reason, despite the truly insulting implications that come from many writers, that "approved methods" were created is that the many entities who pay for USENET expect a modicium of control over their expenses and legal exposure. If the net, as a whole, begins to refuse to create groups according to rules, or delete them likewise, then those people who have to justify the expense at many sites will be forced to admit to the people who pay the bills that they cannot control either the costs or legal exposure. The only result of any rational corporation, university, or individual is to immediately order the removal of USENET from that machine, thus breaking connectivity and, in essence, destroying (most likely permanantly) the net. Clearly, under such circumstances, new sites simply will not be willing to join, and to undertake to be backbones. In short, if you want a net, use it, if you want silence, no not, and a loss of what the net is to you, abuse it, it will go away. -- EVEN TEDDY BEARS HAVE LIMITED PATIENCE. "Sunset and evening star, and one clear call for netnews..." (ihnp4/allegra)!alice!jj