Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!husc6!kovar@popvax.harvard.edu
From: kovar@popvax.harvard.edu (David C. Kovar)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: 6.0.5 by ftp only (was Re: Thank you, Apple! (for again singling ou
Message-ID: <2557@husc6.harvard.edu>
Date: 13 Apr 90 10:12:00 GMT
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  Nothing wakes you up in the morning like a good flame. *sigh* Yesyerday
I posted an article explaining that if the Apple lawyers had been convinced
that they could track the distribution of files via their FTP server then
they had been mislead.

  This morning I received a mail message asking a) if I didn't appreciate
the service and b) if I was trying to show how smart I was.

  I appreciate the service very much which is one reason WHY I posted my
mail message. If the lawyers believe that can track the distribution and
then they find out the hard way that they can't, they're very likely going
to yank the whole thing and never consider it again. If they are informed
ahead of time by responsible people within Apple, then a compromise might
be worked out between the lawyers and Apple to allow the service to continue.

  There is also a secondary issue here that I consider important. Security
on the net is pretty lax as we all know. Hackers flit in and out all the
time. But a lot of people, myself included, are attempting to make the
systems more secure while keeping them reasonably accessible. One of the
best tools for doing so is INFORMATION. And, to be useful, it has to be
CORRECT information. If someone believes that they have an audit trail
when they really don't, they're going to be very annoyed when they find
out after they need that audit trail. And you may not like lawyers but
your company lawyers are really on your side most of the time. If they
are accurately informated then they can help provide services in a more
secure and friendly fashion. Lie, or mislead them and they're just going
to tell you that you can't provide the service.

  I could go on, but I shan't. Hopefully you get the idea. I wasn't trying
to show off I was trying to educate. I probably should have been more clear
about that. I also get really ticked off when someone chews me out for
correcting information that is dangerously misleading. If you want to keep
other people in the dark just because you appreciate a service, then you're
getting that service at a potential cost to someone else. Let's all try
and educate, not hide, please. And do so in a friendly fashion.



-David C. Kovar
	Consultant				ARPA: kovar@popvax.harvard.edu
	Eclectic Associates			BITNET: corwin@harvarda.bitnet
	Ma Bell: 617-646-0428			MacNET: DKovar

         "It is easier to get forgiveness than permission."
[All opinions expressed are my own. Noone else assumes responsibility for me.]