[net.news] Eliminating "cute" "Organization"s

ado@elsie.UUCP (Arthur David Olson) (04/08/85)

So far, I've read just one good reason for allowing changing of the
"Organization" line in an article header--it lets people dissociate
themselves from their organizations (employers) when they make a personal or
controversial posting.

It seems to me that the same end could be achieved by simply giving folks
a way of dropping the "Organization" line from the header entirely.

A more radical approach would be to drop the "Organization" line from all
headers.

Comments?
--
	UUCP: ..decvax!seismo!elsie!ado    ARPA: elsie!ado@seismo.ARPA
	DEC, VAX and Elsie are Digital Equipment and Borden trademarks

joeloda@aicchi.UUCP (Joseph D. Loda) (04/22/85)

In article <5087@elsie.UUCP> ado@elsie.UUCP (Arthur David Olson) writes:
>So far, I've read just one good reason for allowing changing of the
>"Organization" line in an article header--it lets people dissociate
>themselves from their organizations (employers) when they make a personal or
>controversial posting.
>
>It seems to me that the same end could be achieved by simply giving folks
>a way of dropping the "Organization" line from the header entirely.
>
>A more radical approach would be to drop the "Organization" line from all
>headers.
>
>Comments?
>--
>	UUCP: ..decvax!seismo!elsie!ado    ARPA: elsie!ado@seismo.ARPA
>	DEC, VAX and Elsie are Digital Equipment and Borden trademarks


     For the most part, it seems that AT&T sites have completely dropped all
form of identification in their Organization lines - all of them say AT&T
Bell Laboratories, or some such; they never identify where the site is 
actually located.

     I find the site location interesting, especially when evaluating a
controversial subject - kind of gives you a geographic perspective.

     I'm also not sure that I care that if people change it on occasion.
Probably dropping the organization selectively is the answer.  From my
limited knowledge of netnews, it would seem to me that one of the two
following suggestions would work:

     - Omit the "Organization" line from an article.
     - If you are using rn, just hide that line (-h switch).
-- 
Joe Loda
Analysts International (Chicago Branch)
(312) 882-4673
..!ihnp4!aicchi!joeloda