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From: ethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac)
Newsgroups: net.news,net.space
Subject: Re: Article on USENET in the for-real press
Message-ID: <850@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 19-Jun-86 12:49:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: utastro.850
Posted: Thu Jun 19 12:49:16 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 21-Jun-86 11:56:41 EDT
References: <1463@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
Lines: 35
Keywords: news
Xref: watmath net.news:5017 net.space:7235
Summary: not contacted, don`t feel offended

In article <1463@brl-smoke.ARPA>, wmartin@brl-smoke.ARPA (Will Martin ) writes:
> (Reposted due to local system problems; original never got out to net.)
> 
> A recent (May 86) issue of the DEC PROFESSIONAL magazine is a "DEC Pro Extra"
> special issue on UNIX. As far as that is concerned, it probably would be
> of little interest to those already experienced with UNIX, as it seems
> to aim at those who do not already use it. However, and why I am posting
> this, there is an article in it (pg 26-33) on USENET News by Tim O'Reilly.
> 
> Also, I'm curious -- the author used "live" USENET traffic (from
> net.space) as examples in his article. Are there any of you out there
> who saw this article and whose names appeared in the examples? If so,
> how do you feel about this -- flattered, annoyed, indifferent? I know
> I eagerly scanned the examples to see if my name showed up (it didn't).
> Names shown include Ethan Vishniac, Paul Dietz, Kenall Auel, Ed Turner,
                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Bruce Lowerre, Rob Kenyon, & Dave Platt -- Did Mr. O'Reilly contact
> any of you in advance to let you know your names would appear in a
> national publication or to ask permission? I doubt that any of us would
> say that he should do that; I just wondered if he did... (Seems like the
> kind of thing the magazine's lawyers would bring up.)

I was not contacted in advance (or afterwards).  I do not feel that such
contact would have been necessary or appropriate.  From a legal point of
view it seems likely that submitting an article to usenet is like making
a public speech, or writing an article without a copyright.  I do
admit to being slightly flattered, (I hope that it wasn't
a stupid article ... although of course I *never* write those ...
almost never...:-) ).
-- 
"Ma, I've been to another      Ethan Vishniac
 planet!"                      {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan
                               ethan@astro.UTEXAS.EDU
                               Department of Astronomy
                               University of Texas