Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!riacs!jim
From: jim@riacs.ARPA (Jim Houston)
Newsgroups: net.rumor,net.news.adm
Subject: Re: Reading other people's mail
Message-ID: <217@riacs.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 24-Apr-86 20:12:36 EDT
Article-I.D.: riacs.217
Posted: Thu Apr 24 20:12:36 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 27-Apr-86 07:37:06 EDT
References: <703@frog.UUCP> <12400018@uiucdcs> <2410@jhunix.UUCP>
Organization: RIACS, Moffett Field, CA
Lines: 22
Xref: watmath net.rumor:2072 net.news.adm:650

> 
> I've been following this discussion (none too closely, I admit) and
> I think some people are making a fundamental equation which just
> doesn't hold up;
> 
> e-mail ==  ordinary paper mail (or snail mail!)
> 
> Perhaps a better equation would be
> 
> e-mail == telephone communication
> 

  Even better

  e-mail == citizens band radio

  Even though people know others could be listening on their radios, amazing
  things are still said. I have to agree with the person who said if you really
  want your mail to be private, encrypt it. Otherwise, think of e-mail more like
  a broadcast medium. You have NO control over where the mail could wind up.
 ( In fact, this message itself could wind up on some backup tape somewhere, only
   to be rediscovered and re-read in the distant future. :-) )