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From: spaf@cs.purdue.EDU (Gene Spafford)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Bye
Message-ID: <11651@medusa.cs.purdue.edu>
Date: 11 Sep 90 03:45:40 GMT
Sender: news@cs.purdue.EDU
Reply-To: spaf@uther.cs.purdue.edu (Gene Spafford)
Organization: Department of Computer Science, Purdue University
Lines: 39


To those of you have written me to calmly exchange information on the
topics in this group, thank you.  Keep in touch.

To those of you who have delighted in misreading my postings and
including me in personal attacks, misread this as some kind of victory
and find another victim.

I'm outta this newsgroup.  I thought it might be a forum to discuss
*both* sides of the issues, but it has not turned out that way. I have
many better things to do with my time, and I don't relish the
continuing abuse, especially when the abusers aren't even reading what
I post.  And, in the grand scheme of things, it is doubtful that the
noise in this group will have any long-lasting effects where it really
counts, especially with such low tolerance for alternative viewpoints.

The last straw was some mailed abuse from Mike Godwin, accuing me of
being a liar (among other things) because I had not seen something he
alleges he posted.  Obviously a student of the principle of reasonable
doubt, Mr. Godwin is.  A fine lawyer-to-be and person to defend the
rights of others.  If his posted version matches his mailed version,
it provides even more evidence of what I meant when I said we have to
define responsible use of networks and systems.  If not, you haven't
missed anything witty.

I had hoped to learn something about the legal nuances between
definitions of the press and free speech, get some feedback on how law
enforcement personnel could better execute search warrants, get some
ideas for my classes and my upcoming textbook, and some other info.
Obviously, this is not the forum for that.  I'm not sure what kind of
forum it is, but it certainly isn't one I wish to be associated with
any longer.

Time for the "u" key. Bye.  
-- 
Gene Spafford
NSF/Purdue/U of Florida  Software Engineering Research Center,
Dept. of Computer Sciences, Purdue University, W. Lafayette IN 47907-2004
Internet:  spaf@cs.purdue.edu	uucp:	...!{decwrl,gatech,ucbvax}!purdue!spaf