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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: "Robert A. Hayden" <hayden@*******.MANKATO.MSUS.EDU>
Subject: more encryptions
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 1994 17:30:06 -0600
fine, we agree that encryptsions are being overused and abused and really
just make the storyline difficult.

So how the hell do we fix it?

____ Robert A. Hayden <=> hayden@*******.mankato.msus.edu
\ /__ -=-=-=-=- <=> -=-=-=-=-
\/ / Finger for Geek Code Info <=> Political Correctness is
\/ Finger for PGP 2.3a Public Key <=> P.C. for "Thought Police"
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
(GEEK CODE 1.0.1) GAT d- -p+(---) c++(++++) l++ u++ e+/* m++(*)@ s-/++
n-(---) h+(*) f+ g+ w++ t++ r++ y+(*)
Message no. 2
From: Ed Matuskey <MATUSKEY@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: more encryptions
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 1994 22:57:01 -0800
Mike's right about the lack of an easy solution. However, I think it
is possible to institue, and even enforce some guidelines. Since I've
heard one or two people agreeing with the general principals, how about
using this (these) as guidelines:

1) ONLY use encrypts when sending personal notes to another character,
but still want others to see (and I mean personal; flirtatons, invitations,
commiseratoins, etc). OR
2) When you are discussing something you do not want particular
characters to overhear (someone hiring a hit on a 'runner, planning a
surprise party, etc).

Other than that, encryptions should not be used. We need to make a
conscious decision to make this board a 'runner only type of place. If
you assume that every corp and government is listening in, then you're
not going to be using the forum in the first place. And while there are
those who have certain sympathies towards one corp or another, if they
made a practice of leaking info to said corps, the shadow community
would quickly expel them from its midst.
Remember that this is make-believe, and we can set the level of
realism such that we don't have to worry about Big Corper looking over
our shoulder. Unless the story calls for it, no-one is going to come
after you over a message, and then encryptions don't matter, since the
author will simply come up with a way for them to be broken. And
remember, you're shutting out the other members of the board when you
over-encrypt, until no-one has any idea what's going on.

As to enforcing encryption rules; I'd say that Rob & Doc Doom would
handle these like the posting format, giving specific guidelines on
how to use them, and when, and gently (heh) correcting a poster when
they start to stray. Just one more thing to put in the FAQ.

-Ed
Comments? Flames? Kudos? I'll take them all....

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Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.