Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh From: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc,news.misc,news.sysadmin Subject: The accusations of Gene Ward Smith and their effect (from fh, #1) Message-ID: <1423@cybvax0.UUCP> Date: Wed, 22-Apr-87 20:15:54 EST Article-I.D.: cybvax0.1423 Posted: Wed Apr 22 20:15:54 1987 Date-Received: Fri, 24-Apr-87 23:46:46 EST References: <1128@cartan.Berkeley.EDU> Reply-To: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) Organization: Cybermation, Inc., Cambridge, MA Lines: 90 Summary: Gene Ward Smith learns by doing when it comes to the meaning of slander Xref: mnetor talk.religion.misc:2570 news.misc:307 news.sysadmin:144 [These two articles were sent to me by Foothead, who asked me to post them for him, since his account at eddie has apparently been deleted. --mrh] The article that follows was written by me earlier this past weekend as a response to more of the same nonsense from Gene Ward Smith. I would have posted it myself except that the net effect of Gene's accusations found in this article has been that my account has been terminated by the people at mit-eddie. I have no complaint with them, since as described my account was a "tourist" account and they certainly have every right to terminate it at whim. What is upsetting is not simply the account being terminated, but the fact that it was terminated based on a series of lame unsupported accusations by one Gene Ward Smith, apparently solely in the spirit of vengence (for joking that he might be the actual perpetrator-- I think I hit a little too close to home!). Gene speaks pompously in his article about the "dangers" to the net from people who post bogus articles, as a self-appointed guardian of the glory of the net. In my opinion, if there is any "danger" to the net, it comes from people like Gene Ward Smith and his buddy Matt Wiener with their vengeful gameplaying that they wreak on people they don't like. Waaa, cried the brahms lullaby babies. Only this time the brahms babies have done something serious: their accusations cost someone an account. How much longer will the actions of these babies be tolerated? I reproduce the original intended article here, as it points out some of the true idiocy in the brahms boys' accusations. Before we get to that original article, here are some added points: 1. Gene has conjectured that I MUST have extensive knowledge about the network, about editing .forward files, etc. The fact that in reality I DON'T have such knowledge doesn't seem to matter much to him. On the other hand, we have seen that Gene certainly DOES have that knowledge, since he is flitting across the country checking mail logs and such, and that he has the means to use the network to play these sorts of games. If people can be indicted because it is purported that they have certain "knowledge," then Gene is far guiltier than I could hope to be. He certainly not only had the motive, he had the knowledge and the means as well. But I like the logic there: I needed to have this knowledge in order to have done the deed in question, therefore I have that knowledge! I guess anyone who says this whole argument has nothing to do with religion is in error. :-) 2. As someone else has already said, the "shell scripts" in my directory were used to give net access to people other than myself, not for "forging" articles as was speculated. If the people involved had been contacted, if I had been contacted, this would have been clear. This trial by conjecture and guilt until proven innocent is making me ill. I ask again, are the brahms boys' petty vendettas and their flimsy allegations grounds for deleting someone's account? Will they pull this sort of stunt again? I've been told that the brahms boys have been telling people in private mail that this is no big deal, that they expect me to be back on the net in no time. It's nice to know that they have such a high opinion of my connections. I, on the other hand, doubt very much that I will be able to get net access again in the near future. (I know at least one of the people using my fh account has managed to get access again, so at least THAT damage is being minimized.) I've also been told that, as a matter of fact, the brahms boys were THEMSELVES kicked off the net a short while ago. Any ideas on how THEY might still be posting? Could it just possibly be that "magic login" they keep talking about? Curioser and curioser, indeed! 3. As I just said, the damage to other people who also used my account to post and get mail under their own names may be minimized. I didn't want to get them involved, since obviously association with the Foothead name at this point is the electronic equivalent of having leprosy. Since the declared reason for canceling my account was the existence of the shell scripts for allowing these people to use the net (scripts assumed to be for an "illicit" purpose-- what is it they say about assuming?), and since it was admitted that beyond that there simply isn't any evidence pointing to wrongdoing (perhaps because there WAS no wrongdoing on my part, though that won't stop Genius Gene from finding more "proof"), I have to wonder. Was my account terminated simply on the word of one Gene Ward Smith? It sure seems that way. He has received high praise for his "investigative" work, and has come out of this a "hero," but what he has REALLY done is to wreak vengeance on a net adversary based on pisspoor accusations that someone believed, and in the process two other innocent people were inconvenienced as well. All this shows is just how good the brahms gang is at smear tactics. Nothing more. Who will be the next victim of their babyish games and "investigative" harrassment? In the original article itself I treated Gene lightly, mocking his so called "investigative" endeavors and pointing out how stupid they are. I am not treating him so lightly anymore. Not because my opinion of his abilities has changed, but because people have taken his claims seriously, and because as a result I lost my account for no reason other than Gene's seeking to trash it. It's beginning to seem to me more and more that Gene and Matt set up this whole affair to come off as "heroes" because they knew their net reputations were basically toilet-bound, and needed something to acheive elevation in the eyes of the net community. Pity that sort of thing works. But then again, it means it could be used again. And what goes around, comes around, or so they say... -- Foothead Nfvqr gb Znggl: unira'g tbggra bire ure lrg, unir lbh? -- Mike Huybensz ...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh