[98] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Is SUNFLASH misuse of the network?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Sean Donelan)
Sun Nov 11 18:22:43 1990
Date: Sun, 11 Nov 1990 17:12:03 CST
From: SEAN@dranet.dra.com (Sean Donelan)
To: com-priv@uu.psi.com
X-Vmsmail-To: SMTP%"com-priv@uu.psi.com"
For some uses SUNFLASH would appear to be acceptable use, while for others
it wouldn't be acceptable. I don't have a copy of the BARRNET policies,
but the Interim NSFnet policy is content neutral. You can't determine the
acceptability from the content of such a message.
The same message may be "acceptable" or "unacceptable" depending on its
originator, its target, or even a third party. But who is responsible for
figuring out which party is responsible? (blech, what kind of sentence
was that?)
In Marty's case it may be true that the message was unacceptable. But not
because of the content of the message, but because neither Marty, nor SunFlash
are acceptable parties under the Interim NSFnet policy. So unless one or the
other of them can produce an acceptable third party on whose behalf such a
message is needed, they owe NSF $.25 postage :-)
This says nothing about any of the other recepiants of the message. They
may be acceptable parties, and such information an acceptable part of their
work.
In these days of smart mailers, adaptive routing, and other user friendly
things how is one supposed to even figure out whose policy to apply. And
who is responsible for not following the right policy.
--
Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO 63132-1806
Domain: sean@dranet.dra.com, Voice: (Work) +1 314-432-1100
