IRC and Security

[Gary Heston]

In article <5077:Mar1805:03:4491 at kramden.acf.nyu.edu> brnstnd at kramden.acf.nyu.edu (Dan Bernstein) writes:

>You can toss around ``considerations'' all you want, but it is generally
>illegal to do anything on the academic networks that isn't for research

>Such use of academic networks is almost certainly illegal.

>contribute so strongly to illegal behavior: any communications medium

>You may argue that it's not your responsibility to worry about illegal
>behavior. You just shouldn't criticize those who do.

I suggest you go learn the difference between "illegal" and "improper".

Using some of the academic networks for things like newsfeeds would be
outside the guidelines established for those networks, and therefore
improper. It's not, however, a violation of any law, and describing
it as "illegal" is incorrect and makes you look sensationalist rather
than having a legitimate argument. 

Did you post your article over an acedemic network? If so, why? It's
not research, and therefore, by your own characterizations, it was
illegal. Go turn yourself in to the local internet police office for
booking....  While you're there, you can learn correct terminology.

"Illegal" behavior is that which directly violates LAW, not school
rules (or NSF guidelines). Sending a note to someone across country
that you'll drop by for a visit next week isn't illegal. Giving
several people the password to you account isn't illegal. FTPing a
GIF image of Garfield to someone isn't illegal. They might be in
violation of school policies or NSF guidelines (or stupid), but
they are not crimes and your repeated characterization of them as
such is incorrect. 

-- 
Gary Heston   System Mismanager and technoflunky   uunet!sci34hub!gary or
My opinions, not theirs.    SCI Systems, Inc.       gary at sci34hub.sci.com
I support drug testing. I believe every public official should be given a
shot of sodium pentathol and ask "Which laws have you broken this week?".