[p@dirac.org: Re: [vox-tech] Questions about building my own box]

[Micah Cowan]

On Thu, Jan 17, 2002 at 01:53:15AM -0800, Gabriel Rosa wrote:
> On Wed, 16 Jan 2002, Ajay wrote:
> 
> > * Richard Crawford <rscrawford@mossroot.com> [020116 21:13], about
> >
> > :mentioned sending to him.  This is, in my opinion, a very serious breach
> > :of standard internet protocol.
> >
> > Please go ahead and read laws on email privacy.  They all basically say
> > 'you have none,' and basically all fall on common sense.  (Which is what a
> > lot of our laws are based on (I think the DMV manual explicitly states this
> > too ("use common sense"))).  We all know email is as secure as a postcard,
> > and that's one reason.  The more important, and common sense reason, is that
> > you don't want to say anything to anyone (over email) that you wouldn't want
> > public, you can by no means guarantee, or even expect, the privacy.  I say
> > this is common sense because this is true in the "real" world.  The only
> > thing is the online world occassionally allows for people to be left more
> > accountable.
> 
> here's my analogy... :)
> 
> If Johny turns to you in a class you particularly enjoy and says
> "This lecture is boring, the professor doesn't know how to captivate the
> class." you wouldn't stand up and yell out "Excuse me everyone, Johny thinks
> the professor is boring. What do you all think about this?"
> 
> The situation may be different, but the same principle applies. Conversations
> that are taken out of list scope are taken out for a good reason,
> they shouldn't make their way back to the public because someone wants to
> bitch about getting their wrist slapped.

On USENET (particularly technical groups like comp.lang.c), most
regulars even have the presence of mind to not post email that has no
purpose other than to rant and insult and unjustly accuse.  They
simply state that this is the case, and offer to prove this is the
case if the author will give permission to post the email (placing the
ball squarely in the offender's hands)

Micah