[2569] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
access to world.std.com from the Univ of Michigan
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Barry Shein)
Mon Mar 16 21:34:38 1992
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 92 21:32:37 -0500
From: bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein)
To: jrr@concert.net
Cc: SEAN@SDG.DRA.COM, alison@oar.net, com-priv@psi.com
In-Reply-To: Joe Ragland's message of Mon, 16 Mar 92 21:02:36 -0500 <9203170202.AA01318@scamp.concert.net>
Joe Ragland,
I am confused. Your standard seems to be what you personally seem to
find valuable, and to extrapolate that to a generality. I am glad your
needs are so modest.
One specific point:
>> 6. We will carry anonymous (to the public) accounts where many sites
>> will not. For example, a person who wishes to be involved in a gay
>> discussion group but would rather not be associated with that activity
>> to his or her co-workers. We can and certainly do support that type of
>> access so long as it is done responsibly.
>
>Neither do we apply any restraints as long as it's legal.
You are saying that if a provost or VP, eg, walked into your office in
a huff and wanted to know who XYZ user on your system is you would
tell him or her you cannot or will not divulge that information? (I am
a little bit confused as to what set of people you are speaking for.)
I would find that nearly unique.
Nothing short of a proper court-order can get that information out of
us. That perhaps is a matter of trust. But that's somewhat better in
this case than interested politics with one's own employer pitted
against the person holding the information.
Perhaps you doubt that, but remember, in such a matter we have no
particular interest, your boss can't fire me. Saying "no" is of
generally little consequence. I've done it before.
Better, why would your boss be interested in someone using my system
or even expect to be given their identity by me? The question doesn't
even come up in the first place.
-Barry Shein
Software Tool & Die | bzs@world.std.com | uunet!world!bzs
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