Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!phri!dasys1!rsweeney
From: rsweeney@dasys1.UUCP (Robert Sweeney)
Newsgroups: soc.women,news.admin
Subject: Re: I ain't afraid of no Batwoman
Message-ID: <1112@dasys1.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Aug-87 01:53:26 EDT
Article-I.D.: dasys1.1112
Posted: Thu Aug 27 01:53:26 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 29-Aug-87 12:00:49 EDT
References: <863@hao.UCAR.EDU> <1442@epimass.EPI.COM> <864@hao.UCAR.EDU>
Reply-To: rsweeney@dasys1.UUCP (Robert Sweeney)
Organization: Big Electric Cat Public Access UNIX, NYC, NY
Lines: 30
Xref: mnetor soc.women:6681 news.admin:927

In article <864@hao.UCAR.EDU> woods@hao.UUCP (Greg Woods) writes:
> (...)
>If we don't like what he posted, let's do what is always
>done and flame the hell out of him, but let's NOT suggest that he be kicked
>off the net just because we find his article offensive.
>--Greg

I agree.  Out of curiosity, though - exactly how could someone be kicked
off of the net?  I'd imagine that net people could put pressure on the
offender's sysadmin and try to convince that person to cut off his access
to netnews, which would work if the sysadmin capitulated.  But I can't
see how someone determined to have net access could be kept off.  His/her
account could be deleted on the original machine, but what's to keep her/him
from gaining access through other means (such as signing up for a public-
access system like mine)?  As far as I can see, nothing.  The net could
put pressure on any site that allowed this person access, but what other
recourse would it have - short of implementing those 'censorship' programs,
which would only work if the articles passed through the sites where the
programs were in operation.  The general trend of net topography, so far
as I can see, is toward decentralization rather than the 'backbone' system -
many articles that we receive here at dasys1 have not passed through a
'backbone' site yet.

As stated, I imagine that it would be quite difficult to actually 'kick
someone off of the net' if that person was determined to stay on.

-- 
Robert Sweeney              {sun!hoptoad,cmcl2!phri}!dasys1!rsweeney
Big Electric Cat Public Access Unix (212) 879-9031 - System Operator
"You crossed my line of death!"