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From: thomps@gitpyr.gatech.EDU (Ken Thompson)
Newsgroups: net.text
Subject: Re: Computer file access policies
Message-ID: <2492@gitpyr.gatech.EDU>
Date: Fri, 24-Oct-86 22:48:00 EST
Article-I.D.: gitpyr.2492
Posted: Fri Oct 24 22:48:00 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 26-Oct-86 01:37:53 EST
References: <1246@kitty.UUCP> <141@rayssd.UUCP> <2433@phri.UUCP> <2046@saber.UUCP> <1616@ncoast.UUCP>
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology
Lines: 21
Summary: Better safe than sorry


	The discussion about whether or not it is morally acceptable to
read another person's unprotected files has made one thing perfectly
clear : You had better protect your files if you don't want other people
to read them because a lot of people will. As an administrator of a small
Unix system (about 12 users), I always explain this to new users. Assume
that someone will read your files if they are left accessible. 

	As far as the moral question goes, it seems to have something
to do with violating a person's physical space. People seem to think much 
longer before going into a colleagues file cabinet than they do about looking
at the same colleagues unprotected files.  I think this has to do with the
physical aspect of entering an office and opening a file cabinet. 
Somehow, a cd and a cat just doesn't seem the same. I am not really 
arguing that there is a moral distinction, just speculating on what makes
so many people believe there is.
-- 
Ken Thompson  Phone : (404) 894-7089
Georgia Tech Research Institute
Georgia Insitute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
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