Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!gatech!prism!qseclrb From: qseclrb@prism.gatech.EDU (BOB BAGGERMAN) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: Georgia Tech's Restriction on Internet Access Message-ID: <23988@hydra.gatech.EDU> Date: 10 Mar 91 16:11:29 GMT References: <23808@hydra.gatech.EDU> <23963@hydra.gatech.EDU> Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology Lines: 58 In article <23963@hydra.gatech.EDU>, richd@prism.gatech.EDU (Richard Dellaripa) writes: > As I recall, in general, the > restrictions were considered only a bother, as all it usually took was > a friendly professor and/or some interesting project to gain an > account. I have seen no indication that gaining an account on the > trusted host would be much more difficult than that. If one is doing > something reasonable that requires Internet access, then implications > are that Internet access will be given. Most complaints about this > policy announcement seem to merely complain that people can't use up > precious bandwidth on whatever strikes their fancy at the moment, or a > fear that people who truly need Internet access will be denied it. When I was an undergrad in the late 70's computer accounts where very restricted. In order for me to log on to the new, wonderful, and fast CYBER system to learn what it was all about I had to go kiss some guys butt in the EE department and convince him that I already was a CYBER jock so I could persue some worthwhile project. In reality I just wanted enough resources so I could get on, plunder around, and learn what it was all about. The experience after I finally got the account was invaluable. As an ACADEMIC institution, students (and researchers) need to be able to have and use these resources with as much freedom and openness as possible. Only in that way will we learn and be creative with this wonderful technology. The issue of academic freedom is one that I couldn't feel stronger about. I think we as a major technical institute should be fostering free and creative thinking and not saddle us with artificial restrictions. What if only the blessed few could have access to all the library books? Another major point (in my mind, anyway) is the level of service and access that IT can provide the campus. Way back when if you wanted to do serious computing you had to sign up for one of the major campus computers. Now most of the computing power is distributed around and is sitting on peoples desktops. I've got 150 MB of disk space on my VAX, 40 MB on my PC, but IT only gives me 256 kB on my hydra account. That's less than a floppy disk! The nature of computing now days is distributed and interconnected. There is no way IT can support by themselves all the users that require much less want internet access. And these days IT seems to be interested in providing less services and putting more of the responsability for support on the end users. Just look at the concept for the new mail system. I could support a more restrictive atmosphere if I felt it addressed a real problem and it was the only means to address that problem. But so far no one has demonstrated that a real problem exists, just a lot of what ifs. I strongly feel that I great disservice will be done to the overwhelming number of creative, inquisitive minds become someone on the hill perceives that one or a small number of trouble makers may do something regrettable and IT will powerless to do anything about it when it happens. Seems to me there are too many starched shirt and tie types running the show and not enough pasty skinned pencil necked geeks. I'd hate to see us go back to the days when only a few could use all the resources we have all helped to pay for. -- Bob Baggerman ! rwb@csdvax.gatech.edu Communications Systems Division ! qseclrb@hydra.gatech.edu Georgia Tech Research Institute ! bbaggerm@gtri01.gatech.edu Atlanta, GA 30332 ! 404-894-3525