Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!porthos.rutgers.edu!watrous From: watrous@porthos.rutgers.edu (Don Watrous) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip Subject: Re: Subliminal Keywords: RFC 1097 Message-ID: Date: 13 Apr 89 16:11:00 GMT References: <6462@medusa.cs.purdue.edu> Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 28 To: rjh@cs.purdue.EDU In article <6462@medusa.cs.purdue.edu> rjh@cs.purdue.EDU (Bob Hathaway) writes: > I sincerely hope RFC 1097 is a joke, subliminal suggestion is a devious and > underhanded way to influence people into taking actions or adopt ideas > without their consent. People should be afraid to look at terminals if > there is a possibility subliminal messages are being sent. Why isn't this > practice illegal? I vote for a complete banning of subliminal messages from > any electronic medium and propose for now a banning of subliminal messages > across the Internet. Subliminal messages are a dangerous threat to our > security and the integrity of the Internet. I would have agreed with you a while ago myself. When our systems group first considered implementing subliminals, I strongly opposed on ethical grounds. I gave in to a test period only after assurances that it would be used only on our most difficult users by unanimous decision of the systems staff, and *NEVER* on the staff themselves. Well, I must say that after the test period was over, I was convinced. Our users seem happier and decision making around here has never gone easier. In terms of user satisfaction, our performance has never been better. That's what we're here for, right? Get down off your ethical high horse and deal with problems pragmatically! ;^) Don -- {backbone}!aramis.rutgers.edu!watrous watrous@aramis.rutgers.edu