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Re: FIDONet policies
In article <[email protected]> you write:
> >If a user sends a "private message", the user has no control over the number
> >of intermediate systems through which that message is routed. A sysop who
> >sends a message to another sysop can control this aspect by sending the
> >message direct to the recipient's system, thus guaranteeing that only the
> >recipient or another individual to whom that sysop has given authorization
> >can read the message. Thus, a sysop may have different expectations than a
> >casual user.
>
> translated: we have a hierarchy of rights. sysop-gods have a right and
> expectation to private mail. the user-peons have neither.
Translated back to the real world: The sysop can always choose to pay
for a direct connect to deliver mail items directly from his machine to
the target machine, rather than route mail through intermediate systems.
That priveledge, (and this is the important bit, so I'll shout) AND THE
COST of providing such a facility may or may not be extended to customers
of the system.
FIDONet is, in general, payed for out of the pockets of ordinary folks.
A typical BBS system is owned by an ordinary folk (bad singular), who
owns the system. It's their system, they make the rules (what internet
folks call "Acceptable Use Policy") that customers of the service have
to abide by.
If the Sysop wants his stand alone BBS to join an network (ANY NETWORK),
then their system has to abide by the Acceptable Use Policy of that network.
If a customer of a service doesn't like a service (any service), he
can:
(a) put up and shut up
(b) go to somewhere that does provide satisfaction
(c) start his own service on the basis there is a market opportunity
The bottom line of communications is: someone has to pay for it.
You're sitting out there, shouting from an anonymous remailer, access to
which somebody else probably paid for anyway, about things of which you
have little comprehension. If you feel FIDONet policy is wrong, and you
want to do something about it, get involved. Otherwise, don't use
FIDOnet, and don't just winge.
(Never thought I'd have to get into this kind of discussion in a high
quality mailing list like this one. Please note none of the above is
intended as a statement of support for FIDOnet politics, which are as
<fill in your choice of description here> as internet politics...)
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David Buckley of Electric Solutions Ltd | Email: [email protected]
Services to the Computing,Electronics | [email protected]
and Entertainment industries. | 2:254/90@fidonet
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