birchall@pilot.njin.net (Official Random) (06/01/91)
[For those of you in Comp.Admin.Policy, I am attempting to route a discussion of ethics in relation to use of Internet dialouts into your group. For those of you in Alt.BBS.Internet, if you follow-up this message, please route it into Comp.Admin.Policy, as it is much more relevant to the topic than ABI is. -Shag / ABI founder] My views [not to be taken as expert by any means] are as follows: A dialout is a virtual resource, just as a dialin, gateway, or account is. As such, it is the property of the organization or person operating it. Dialouts are (as far as I can see) charged non-residential rates by the corporations providing telephone service. Therefore, there can be no "unlimited free local" calling, everything being charged instead as "message units." Before using a dialout (or a dialin or any resource) an individual should be expected to request and acquire proper permission and/or authorization, just as would be expected for using any physical resource belonging to or being controlled by another individual or organization. I have nothing personally against the use of dialouts, so long as it does not affect my <thousand-plus dollar> phone bills. I do have a slight problem with the concept of using privately owned resources without permission. Noting the "Electronic Frontier Foundation" tag on the messages from the man at Syracuse University, [I have nothing but respect for Mr. Kapor and the EFF] I feel that my point could be aptly stated as follows: If we, as net-users, hackers, CPSR members, EFF supporters, or whatever, expect society to grant us the same constitutional protection as has been granted the free press and speech, we must render the same respect to virtual resources as we would render to more concrete ones. Until the day dawns where we live in a utopian society with no individual possessions, it may be wise to ask first. -shag -- >-----------------------------------------------------------------------------< >Shag is: < > A. The reincarnation of Hagbard, famous German hacker. < > B. The most sexually prolific KGB agent in Hainesport NJ (pop 3000) < > C. A word you should never say to anyone in the UK. < > D. A variable type in ANSI/ISO Standard C. < > E. A mild-mannered small-town PC programmer < > F. A random creature from the depths of Hades. < > * G. Any or all of the above, also birchall@pilot.njin.net < >-----------------------------------------------------------------------------<