Xref: utzoo comp.org.eff.talk:2444 alt.privacy:688 alt.censorship:2389 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!maverick.ksu.ksu.edu!unlinfo.unl.edu!hoss!greg From: greg@hoss.unl.edu (Lig Lury Jr.) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk,alt.privacy,alt.censorship Subject: Re: Prodigy charged with invading users' privacy Message-ID: <1991May24.225008.6510@unlinfo.unl.edu> Date: 24 May 91 22:50:08 GMT References: <1991May22.154239.3777@craycos.com> Sender: news@unlinfo.unl.edu Organization: GBBS/ACOS Sysop Support Lines: 41 Nntp-Posting-Host: hoss.unl.edu dave@kharma writes: >jrbd@craycos.com (James Davies) writes: >>Why would anyone want part of a spreadsheet, anyway? Why wasn't the whole >>thing there? >I haven't the foggiest idea. I'm not even certain why so little valid >information could be of use. But it *is* in there, including the graphic >driver (95% intact) for the client's HP Paint Jet printer. >>I'll repeat a point I made a few weeks ago: Prodigy could transfer your >>stuff directly from the original file. Why would they bother to put it in >>STAGE.DAT first? >Damned good question. I feel, like you, that much of this affair is overblown >beyond true proportions. One reason why bits and pieces would be targeted would be that you would get a more various data. Grabbing an entire file when only parts of it may give you enough information for database purposes would be a waste of transfer time. Grabbing portions of several files gets you more information. There is the possibility that the program is exploiting the fact that the disk sectors do still contain deleted information. How hard would it be for them to tell the system where EOF was? >isc-br!tau-ceti!dogear!kharma!dave [dave@kharma] Dave Laird, SysOp: kharma > The Computer Concern, Springdale, WA 258-7109 or 1-800-786-7109 > kharma: 509-233-8474 (Local from Spokane Area) 24hrs 1200-14400 (HST) Just putting out ideas. I'm not familiar with the OS being referred to in this discussion. If you had created a new file of one sector in size, deleted it, and then created a new file of 0 length, would you have your file back in this situation? -- /// ____ \\\ "The major problem--one of the major problems, for there are | |/ / \ \| | several--one of the many major problems with governing \\_|\____/|_// people is of whom you get to do it, or more to the greg \_\\\/ hoss.unl.edu point, who gets people to let them do it to them."