Back to the main page

Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Jeffrey Mach <mach@****.CALTECH.EDU>
Subject: Re: pUrpLe k00LaID
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 21:28:51 -0700
A bit of a nitpick here, something to watch in the future:

On Wed, 16 Apr 1997, Joshua T Brown wrote:

> ***** PRIVATE: Chastity
> >>>>>[ chazzzzzz.... doll.. i JUst got your meSsage.... abouT the
> roaSt.....

>>snip<<

> take more than that ol' <PRIVATE> tag to keep a cracker from a
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> party....]<<<<<
> -- tHe PhReaK <21:56:03/4-16-58>

Eh? The *****PRIVATE tag is a convention for this list to prevent the
need for people to waste lines and lines of text describing the intricate
webs of encryption, routing, etc. to make their posts only readable by the
person to whom they are sent. Its basically for us (the list members) who
would rather spend their time reading the meat of the message, than slog
through headers. I don't think such a thing would exist in any of the
"real" matrix posts, as they might appear in 2058.

Besides on another point, I am more than dubious of the "take more than
that ol'" stance. It is a convention on this list that PRIVATE basically
means _nobody_ other than the person(s) to whom the message is sent can
access it, except by express permission from the writer and a DAMN GOOD
REASON(tm) why this person would have the means, motive, and opportunity
to intercept and decrypt the message. In other words, it isn't something
to be blown off lightly. Usually people use TO to indicate that the
message is being specifically routed to some person, and therefore ends up
in someone's private mailbox, but they aren't taking unusual precautions
to encrypt the message in route, nor are they doing anything unusual to
the routing to prevent intercept or tracing. However, unless someone has
a decent reason to be snooping someone's mailbox, it is usually expressly
intended for the recipients eyes only. On the other hand, INTERNAL
flagging a message has about the same gravity as PRIVATE, with the added
bonus of being withing a specific system and almost always, not accessible
by the matrix. This is whole thing is described quickly in the FAQ, but
with a little observation, the nuances are pretty easy to pick up.

--My two yen

Jeff
Message no. 2
From: Joshua T Brown <spamquat@****.COM>
Subject: Re: pUrpLe k00LaID
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 03:10:22 EDT
First off, don't take this as a flame, as that's not how I intend it.
Lemme explain....

On Wed, 16 Apr 1997 21:28:51 Jeffrey Mach <mach@****.CALTECH.EDU>
Wrote:
>Eh? The *****PRIVATE tag is a convention for this list to prevent the
>need for people to waste lines and lines of text describing the
intricate
>webs of encryption, routing, etc. to make their posts only readable by
the
>person to whom they are sent. Its basically for us (the list members)
who
>would rather spend their time reading the meat of the message, than slog
>through headers. I don't think such a thing would exist in any of the
>"real" matrix posts, as they might appear in 2058.

True enough... but this ISN'T a "real Matrix post in 2058". Just taking a
bit of artistic license to say in a few words what would have taken many
lines to describe accurately. I put it succintly to preserve the style of
the post, but it the slight lapse in "hardline reality" (in a fantasy
game) offended anyone, I'll avoid such use of license in the future.
<smirk>

>Besides on another point, I am more than dubious of the "take more than
>that ol'" stance. It is a convention on this list that PRIVATE
basically
>means _nobody_ other than the person(s) to whom the message is sent can
>access it, except by express permission from the writer and a DAMN GOOD
>REASON(tm) why this person would have the means, motive, and opportunity
>to intercept and decrypt the message. In other words, it isn't
something
>to be blown off lightly. Usually people use TO to indicate that the
>message is being specifically routed to some person, and therefore ends
up
>in someone's private mailbox, but they aren't taking unusual precautions
>to encrypt the message in route, nor are they doing anything unusual to
>the routing to prevent intercept or tracing. However, unless someone
has
>a decent reason to be snooping someone's mailbox, it is usually
expressly
>intended for the recipients eyes only. On the other hand, INTERNAL
>flagging a message has about the same gravity as PRIVATE, with the added
>bonus of being withing a specific system and almost always, not
accessible
>by the matrix.

I understand the concern, and I was prepared to deal with it if it
cropped up. My error was in not broaching the subject here in plot-d
before posting the message, but time constraints and a bit of
forgetfulness nixed that. <smirk> If ya check out PhReaK's registry in
the Cast list, You'll see that the whole point to the character is the
broaching of/creating of encryption. He's not much good at anything else.
Although I WILL NEVER USE THIS ABILITY ON SOMEONE ELSE'S POST WITHOUT
THEIR PERMISSION, (wanted to make sure ya got that) it can be assumed
that most of the encryption we encounter COULD be broken by tHe PhReaK,
if he had a reason to look at it, and I had received the Author's
Permission. The reason it was "blown off lightly" is because that's the
way this character reacts to EVERYTHING, and it sometimes gets him in
trouble.... chips and drugs have fried the parts of his brain which tell
him to "be quiet, this is serious" and its all fun to him. I have, and
will continue to obtain author permission for this sort of thing in
private email, rather than clogging up Plot-D (and spoiling my next post)

> This is whole thing is described quickly in the FAQ, but
>with a little observation, the nuances are pretty easy to pick up.

And the implied suggestion that I "shut up and read the FAQ" is a little
insulting. I appreciate constructive criticism, if it is being offered,
but I READ the FAQ. I read the FAQ before the current FAQ WAS the FAQ
<smirk>. Although I lurk a LOT, I *have* been on and off both RN and TK
for coming up on 5 years now.... well before we moved here to Itribe, I
somewhat understand, tho, as I lurk quite a bit, and My Email Addy
changes every year or so... So I'm not a newbie... I read the FAQ, and
I observed for about 3 years... that long enough for ya? <smirk> ;-)

As usual, please CC responses to this to me personally, as I don't always
get the digests... Sorry about any inconvenience this causes....

Just My Two Pence.
__________________________________________________________________
The Kumquat -- Josh Brown -- Kumquat@*****.com -- Spamquat@****.com --
Alt-MUSH Head Wizard -- Nt3.syn.net:4201 -- www.onion.com/onions/alt_mush
--
<smirk> -- "Support Whirled Peas" -- Whatever, man.... --
__________________________________________________________________

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.

Thwap!