Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!caen!stealth From: stealth@caen.engin.umich.edu (Mike Pelletier) Newsgroups: comp.unix.admin Subject: Re: IRC and Security Message-ID: <1991Mar18.015801.18297@engin.umich.edu> Date: 18 Mar 91 01:58:01 GMT References: <7753@uceng.UC.EDU> <1991Mar13.232217.8994@convex.com> Sender: news@engin.umich.edu (CAEN Netnews) Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor Lines: 21 In article <1991Mar13.232217.8994@convex.com> tchrist@convex.COM (Tom Christiansen) writes: >From the keyboard of pmartin@uceng.UC.EDU (Paul Martin): >:Sorry but IRC appears to be SOLELY used for entertainment. This is a >:poor example of how to spend the students and taxpayers money. > >So what? Anything that gets them into computers more is a good thing. >Don't pre-judge what is and is not going to have good long-term side effects. > >That said, it does sound frivolous, but unless there's a cycle or net >or terminal crunch, I see no reason to take it away. Two things -- the appearances of IRC may be decieving, since there can be dozens of conversations going on without the benefit of a channel, or which may be taking place in private or hidden channels. So a group of researchers collaborating on optics for a remote sensing camera might escape your notice. Additionally, the type of informal, real-time interaction that can take place in IRC is breaking down the international fences that we typically have in everyday life. In IRC, an Israeli, an Italian, a Frenchman, a Finn, etc.. all look the same on the screen.