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Computer Undergroud Digest Vol. 06 Issue 39
Computer underground Digest Sun May 1, 1994 Volume 6 : Issue 39
ISSN 1004-042X
Editors: Jim Thomas and Gordon Meyer (TK0JUT2@NIU.BITNET)
Archivist: Brendan Kehoe
Retiring Shadow Archivist: Stanton McCandlish
Shadow-Archivists: Dan Carosone / Paul Southworth
Ralph Sims / Jyrki Kuoppala
Ian Dickinson
Suspercollater: Shrdlu Nooseman
CONTENTS, #6.39 (May 1, 1994)
File 1--Having Problems Receiving CuD on the Mailing List?
File 2--Clipper Petition Delivered to White House
File 3--"Child Abuse in Cyberspace" (Newsweek story)
File 4--New Electronic Privacy Group Formed
File 5--Call for Papersfor WORKSIMS '94
File 6--GovAccess.033-Congrss lists; NY & CA Legis; LWV; Rural Data
File 7--Researcher Requests Responses (Survey)
Cu-Digest is a weekly electronic journal/newsletter. Subscriptions are
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COMPUTER UNDERGROUND DIGEST is an open forum dedicated to sharing
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 30 Apr, 1994 21:21:34 EDT
From: CuD Moderators <tk0jut2@mvs.cso.niu.edu>
Subject: File 1--Having Problems Receiving CuD on the Mailing List?
If you've requested a mail subscription to CuD and have received
acknowledgement of the request but have received no CuDs since, it
means that the your address is part of a small distribution problem
affecting about 8 percent of the list.
To rectify the problem, drop a one-line note that says:
SEPARATE LIST in the subject header
and in the one-line message: SEPARATE LIST <your.full@address.etc>
We *STRONLY* prefer that readers obtain CuD from the Usenet group
comp.society.cu-digest
The ftp sites (see addresses in the header) are also easy ways to
obtain CuD for those with ftp access.
The mailing list constitutes only about two percent of the readership,
but is sufficiently large (3,500) that maintaining the list is rather
labor-intensive.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 1994 17:12:07 +0000
From: CPSR National Office <cpsr@CPSR.ORG>
Subject: File 2--Clipper Petition Delivered to White House
CPSR PRESS RELEASE
Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility
P.O. Box 717
Palo Alto, CA 94301
415-322-3778 (voice)
415-322-4748 (fax)
cpsr@cpsr.org
"CLIPPER" PETITION DELIVERED TO WHITE HOUSE
COMPUTER USERS CALL ON ADMINISTRATION TO DROP ENCODING PLAN
NEW PRIVACY CENTER ESTABLISHED
Washington, DC -- A national public interest organization today
delivered to the White House a petition asking for withdrawal of the
controversial Clipper cryptography proposal. The Clipper plan would
provide government agents with copies of the keys used to encoded
electronic messages.
The petition was signed by more than 47,000 users of the nation's data
highway. The petition drive occurred entirely across the Internet.
It is the largest electronic petition to date.
Earlier this year, the White House announced support for the Clipper
proposal. But the plan has received almost unanimous criticism from
the public. A Time/CNN found that 80% of the American public opposed
Clipper.
Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility began the petition
drive in January. In the letter addressed to the President, the
organization said that if Clipper goes forward, "privacy protection
will be diminished, innovation will be slowed, government
accountability will be lessened, and the openness necessary to ensure
the successful development of the nation's communications
infrastructure will be threatened."
The petition asks for the withdrawal of Clipper. It is signed by many
of the nation's leading cryptographers including Whitfield Diffie,
Martin Hellman, and Ronald Rivest. Users from nearly 3,000 different
sites across the Internet are represented. Responses came from more
than 1300 companies including Microsoft, IBM, Apple, DEC, GE, Cray,
Tandem, Sun, SGI, Mead Data Central, AT&T, and Stratus. Signatures
also came from more than 850 colleges and universities and 150
non-profit organizations. Many responses came from public networks
such as America Online and Compuserve. Nearly a thousand came from
government and military sites including NASA, the Army and the Navy.
Next week hearings will be held in Congress on the controversial
cryptography proposal, an initiative developed by the FBI and the
National Security Agency. Most of the witnesses are expected to
testify against the plan.
In a related development, the establishment of the Electronic Privacy
Information Center was announced today. EPIC is jointly sponsored by
CPSR and the Fund for Constitutional Government. It will focus on
emerging privacy issues surrounding the information data highway.
[see accompanying release].
CPSR is national membership organization, based in Palo Alto,
California. For more information about CPSR, contact CPSR, P.O. Box
717, Palo Alto, CA 94302. 415 322 3778 (tel) 415 322 4748 (fax)
cpsr@cpsr.org (email).
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1994 22:01:33 CDT
From: CuD Moderators <cudigest@mindvox.phantom.com>
Subject: File 3--"Child Abuse in Cyberspace" (Newsweek story)
((MODERATORS' NOTE: A recent Newsweek article dramatizing
Net-pedophile predators conflates pornography, pedophilia, and child
porn to create an over-dramatized fright piece. Readers of the full
article, of which we only summarize below, will note that it is short
on fact, long on inference)).
"Child Abuse in Cyberspace: Police target on-line pedophiles"
NEWSWEEK, April 18, 1994 (p. 40)
By Barbara Kantrowitz (with Patricia King and Debra Rosenberg)
The story begins with a description of a Chelmsford, Mass., BBS sysop,
John Rex, Jr, a 23 year-old engineering student. Police found two pet
pythons, 3,000 arms of ammunition, explosives, bomb manuals, and 43
videotapes, "many of them either pornographic or about child
molesters."
Prosecutors charge that Rex used his network to recruit
teenagers who could help hm abduct a small boy.
Officials say Rex wanted to sexually abuse the
child--and possibilty kill and eat him. According to
chilling details recorded in court papers, a teenager
says that Rex told him that he almost grabbed a child
himself at a New Hampshire mall recently when he saw a
small boy going into a bathroom alone. Last week Rex
pleaded not guilty to various child-abuse and
pornography charges; he is being held on $2 million
surety bail.
Although the computer links to the above incident seem minimal,
the story quotes law enforcement officials who warn of
pedophiles on the nets. Without supporting evidence or anecdotes,
the story claims:
Many of the young victims are latchkey kids, home alone all
afternoon with only a computer screen for company.
The story continues with the case of Donald Deatherage, 27, of
Cupertino, Calif. Deatherage, known as "HeadShaver" on America Online,
was accused by police of using his computer to prey on a 14-year old
boy with whom he had struck up an on-line conversation. Deatherage was
accused of eventually meeting the youth, handcuffing, shackling, and
blindfolding him, and spanking him with a leather belt (among other
more serious acts). The story alludes to "Operation Longarm," last
year's US Custom's raid of 35 alleged U.S. computer users who were
downloading child pornography from Sweden. The authors also allude to
the ease by which youth can obtain pornography, and claim that police
are "technologically outgunned" in the battle against electronic
pedophiles.
Perhaps Net pedophiles are more common that we believe. But,
judging from actual instances, it's rare. Although we strongly
advocate alerting parents to on-line dangers that children face,
we oppose the hyperbole that passes for "news" in the major
media.
The paucity and twisting of facts presented in the Newsweek story and
the linking of pedophiles and "pornography" reflect the hysterical
image-making that passes of "journalism" among much of the media.
The authors do conclude with one final point that CuD has emphasized
in the past: Parents should be made aware of dangers of all kinds in
cyberspace and educate their children accordingly.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 1994 17:02:33 +0000
From: Dave Banisar <epic@CPSR.ORG>
Subject: File 4--New Electronic Privacy Group Formed
EPIC Press Release
Electronic Privacy Information Center
666 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, Suite 301
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 544-9240 (tel)
(202) 547-5482 (fax)
epic@cpsr.org (email)
April 29, 1994
NEW PRIVACY CENTER ESTABLISHED
EPIC TO MONITOR DATA HIGHWAY
WASHINGTON, DC -- A new organization was launched today to address
growing public concerns about privacy protection for the national
information infrastructure. The Electronic Privacy Information Center
(EPIC) will focus on emerging threats to personal privacy.
Among the threats are the government's controversial Clipper computer
encryption proposal, which has caused widespread protests from
companies and computer users around the world. Proposals for an
information superhighway and recent plans to reform the nation's
health care system also involve significant threats to personal
privacy.
"We have established EPIC to focus public attention on these new
privacy issues -- the Clipper Chip, the Digital Telephony Proposal,
medical record privacy, and the sale of consumer data." said Marc
Rotenberg, director of EPIC.
A 1993 poll by the Lou Harris organization found 80 percent of
Americans concerned about threats to their privacy. More than two
thirds believe they have lost all control over personal information.
Still, 70 percent believe that privacy is a fundamental right
comparable to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," and a
clear majority of Americans favor establishment of a privacy agency
within the government.
EPIC brings together an unprecedented group of experts from computer
science, information law, civil liberties, human rights, public
interest advocacy, library and research communities, as well as
privacy experts and scholars. Among the members of the EPIC Advisory
Board is former Congressman and Presidential candidate John B.
Anderson. Mr. Anderson said today at a Capitol Hill press conference
he was very pleased by the establishment of the new organization.
"Privacy is one of the bedrock American values. EPIC will help ensure
that privacy is protected in the information age," said Mr. Anderson.
Simon Davies, the Director General of Privacy International, welcomed
the launch of EPIC. Speaking from London, England today he said,
"EPIC is an exciting initiative on the leading edge of privacy
protection. My hope is that EPIC will be the forerunner of many such
organizations around the world."
EPIC is a joint project of the Fund for Constitutional Government and
Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility. FCG is a non-profit
charitable organization established in 1974 to protect civil liberties
and constitutional rights. CPSR is a national membership organization
established in 1982 by professionals in the computing field concerned
about the social impact of computer technology.
For more information contact EPIC, 666 Pennsylvania Ave., SE Suite
301, Washington, DC 20003. 202 544 9240 (tel), 202 547 5482 (fax)
epic@cpsr.org (email). Current materials include a program description
and list of Frequently Asked Questions about EPIC.
Marc Rotenberg, EPIC Director
David L. Sobel, Legal Counsel
Dave Banisar, Policy Analyst
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 1994 14:32:31 +0700 (GMT+0700)
From: Shaunak Ashtaputre <shaunak@EMAILHOST.AIT.AC.TH>
Subject: File 5--Call for Papersfor WORKSIMS '94
CALL FOR PAPERS
WORKSIMS'94
International Workshop on
SIMULATION IN MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS
------------------------------------
NOVEMBER 9 -11, 1994
Asian Institute of Technology
Bangkok, Thailand
International Advisory Committee:
Dr. Eiji Arai, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
Dr.-Ing. M. Sc. Bernd-Dietmar Becker, IPA FhG, FRG
Prof. Robert D. Dryden, Virginia Tech, USA
Prof. Paul Fishwick, University Florida, USA
Dr. P.W. Udo Graefe, National research Council, Canada
Dr. Timothy J. Greene, Oklahoma State University, USA
Prof. L. Gerhardt, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA
Dr. Jan Goossenaerts, The University of Tokyo, Japan
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernd E. Hirsch, BIBA, FRG
Prof. Chin-Fu Ho, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Taiwan
Prof. Hyun, KAIST, Korea
Dr. Branko Katalinic, Wien, Austria
Prof. A. Kuhn, FhG, IML, FRG
Prof. Andrew Kusiak, University of Iowa, USA
Prof. Lennie Lim, GINTIC,NTU, Singapore
Dr.-Ing. Kai Mertins, IPK, FRG
Prof. Susumu Morito, Waseda University, Japan
Dr. D.P.N. Murty, University of Queensland, Australia
Dr. H. Paul, Waikato University, New Zealand
Dr. P. G. Ranky, University of East London, UK
Prof. Umeda, University of Tokyo, Japan
Prof. K. K. Wang, Cornell University, USA
Dr. G. B. Williams, University of Birmingham, UK
Organizing and Technical Program Committee:
Dr. D.N. Batanov, Asian Institute of Technology
Ir. Erik Bohez, Asian Institute of Technology
Prof. O. Fujiwara, Asian Institute of Technology
Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Kuehn, Asian Institute of Technology
Dr. N.N. Nagarur, Asian Institute of Technology
Prof. H. Pastijn, Asian Institute of Technology
Prof. P.C. Pandey, Asian Institute of Technology
Prof. A. B. Sharma, Asian Institute of Technology
Prof. Kripa Shanker, Indian Institute of Technology, India
Prof. M.T. Tabucanon, Asian Institute of Technology
WORKSIMS '94, November 9-11, AIT, Bangkok
The International Workshop on Simulation in Manufacturing Systems will be
held in Bangkok from November 9 - 11, 1994. The workshop is intended to
provide a forum for academic researchers and professionals in the fields
of manufacturing to exchange and discuss technical knowledge and
experiences for further advances of the field. The focus of the forum
will thus be on applications and theory in the field of manufacturing
simulation.
Scope: Papers of original work in but not limited to the following topics
and research areas are invited:
- New modelling concepts and techniques
- Simulation and optimization
- Parallel simulation
- Artificial intelligence in simulation
- System integration
- Software tools
- Manufacturing applications and case studies
- Enterprise integration
- Case studies
Submission Guidelines:
The working language of the workshop is English. All correspondence should
be in English.
Abstracts:
The abstracts submitted should be structured as follows:
- Title of the paper
- Author(s)
- Communication address, Fax, email, etc.
- Broad classification according to topic
- Upto five keywords
- References
A typical figure and/or some basic equations may also be
included.
Papers:
Papers should describe the work in detail. On acceptance of the paper an
autor kit will be sent for preparing the camera ready version of the
paper. The length of the paper must at the most be six pages. Papers
exceeding this limit will be charged $100 per page towards publishing.
Registration fee structure:
US$ 380 for participants and speakers registering latest by 30 Sept. 1994
US$ 450 for participants and speakers registering after 1 Oct.1994
Registration:
Participants will be required to register upon notification of acceptance
of their papers on or before the early registration date. Papers will be
published in the workshop proceedings only if at least one of the authors
is officially registered and personally presents the paper at the
workshop.
Exhibitions and demonstrations:
The program committee is inviting exhibition of the products related to
the theme of WORKSIMS'94. Information to interested parties will be
available on request.
Invited Sessions:
Proposals for invited sessions and tutorials focusing on the new trends
and developing technologies relevant to WORKSIMS'94 are welcome. The
proposals should be submitted in detail to the chairpersons latest by May
15, 1994.
Important dates and deadlines:
15 May 1994 Receipt of abstracts
30 June 1994 Notification of acceptance
3 August 1994 Receipt of camera ready manuscripts
30 September 1994 Early registration deadline
All communications should be directed to either chairperson:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Kuehn Dr. Nagen N. Nagarur
Tel: (66-2) 524-5678 Tel: (66-2) 524-5683
Asian Institute of Technology, School of Advanced Technologies, IEM Program,
P.O. Box 2754, Bangkok 10501, Thailand
Fax: (66-2) 524-5697; 516-2126; 516-5118
Email: symsys@emailhost.ait.ac.th
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 1994 22:31:04 -0700
From: Jim Warren <jwarren@WELL.SF.CA.US>
Subject: File 6--GovAccess.033-Congrss lists; NY & CA Legis; LWV; Rural Data
Apr.17, 1994
WHEN EMAILING NOTES TO LEGISLATORS, SEND THE VERY BEST
When sending emailed support or opposition statements to state or federal
legislators, please be sure to make them reasonably formal and be sure to
include your name, title, organization-if-any, snailmail address and
voice-phone. Reasons:
Your statements - especially those sent to a bill-author indicating your
*support* - will typically be printed out and distributed in a packet to
other legislators and their staff who will next be considering the bill in
which you are interested.
In the case of statements *opposing* a bill ... hmmm, it'd be best to send
them to a legislator known to be opposing the bill. Less chance for them to
be, uh, misplaced, and a greater chance for them to be circulated to other
key legislators and staffers.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
CONTACT LIST OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, PLUS GOVT-REFORM FILES, ALL BY FTP
From croberts@crl.com Thu Apr 7 16:38:33 1994
From: Char Roberts <croberts@crl.com>
Jim, I have a list of the members of the 103rd Congress, their states, party
affiliation, phone and fax numbers on my personal ftp site which I have made
available to other groups already. It is from the Jan. 1993 US Congress
Yellow Book but has been gradually updated as people send in corrections for
their own congresscritters. ...
Please feel free to advertise the location in the GovAccess newsletter.
Note that my ftp site is read-only, so anything which is put there has to
be e-mailed to me first. Also please note that I have LIMITED storage so I
am not embarrassed to be quite dictatorial about what goes there! (I also
remove stuff whenever it has become stale in my own humble opinion!). I'm
using my ftp site mostly for government-reform related files. Usually the
file names are self-explanatory. Feel free to browse. The congresscritter
list I have is called congfone.txt.
ftp CRL.com
login: anonymous
password: your e-mail address
cd /users/ro/croberts
ls (or dir) to display list/directory of files
get [desired filename] [filename] [filename] [etc]
quit
Note that file names are case sensitive so type carefully.
--Char
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
GOPHER AND TELNET ACCESS TO CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION
From watkins@scilibx.UCSC.EDU Thu Apr 7 09:04:09 1994
From: Steve Watkins <watkins@scilibx.UCSC.EDU>
some of the items mentioned in past postings are also
already available via InfoSlug (the guide to retrieving legislative
information, for instance). The InfoSlug Gopher server is at
gopher.ucsc.edu for those who have access to their own Gopher clients,
but we also offer open access via Telnet to infoslug.ucsc.edu using
infoslug as the login. This might be an easier way for people to get at
some of these files rather than having to FTP them.
Steve Watkins
Science Library
University of California, Santa Cruz
watkins@scilibx.ucsc.edu
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
EFFORTS TO OPEN UP NEW YORK STATE'S LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION
From: Reg Neale <neale@ee.rochester.edu>
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 94 13:50:24 EDT
At the suggestion of another activist netter, I am writing to you to alert
you to new developments in our effort to get New York State's public
legislative information online. The NY legislature does collect, organize
and maintain computerized legislative information, including text of bills,
member's voting records etc. However, this information is not freely available
to the public. Instead, it is provided to a captive commercial firm which
sells it to special-interest groups, at prices ordinary citizens cannot
afford.
A bill was just introduced in the NY Assembly to make public information
freely and timely available, via "the most-accessible and least-cost
public network" i.e., the Internet. Bill A10035 was referred to the Assembly's
Governmental Operations Committee, where it is certain to die unless there
is a massive input from concerned citizens. Any New Yorkers reading this
should call or write their assemblyperson to urge immediate action on this
bill. It could also be helpful to contact these two individuals:
Assemblyman Samuel Colman, Chairman
Governmental Operations Committee
Room 731 Legislative Office Building
Albany NY 12248
518-455-5118 voice
518-455-5119 fax
David W. Keiper, Commissioner
Legislative Bill Drafting Commission
Room 301 Capitol Building
Albany NY 12247
518-455-7500
CIS 71075,2006
[Internet: 71075.2006@compuserve.com]
Voice your support for public access to legislative information. If you
know of anyone who should be involved in this effort, or if you know of
another appropriate place to post this message, please contact me.
Reginald Neale, Sec'y, Citizens for Open Access to Legislation (C.O.A.L.)
716-263-7864 day 716-924-7481 eve
[ Forwarded by Stanton McCandlish <mech@eff.org> Fri Apr 8 13:00:47 1994,
who added:
Don't just talk, DO SOMETHING. I'm aware of at least 2 civil-liberties-
favoring state bills that have failed just recently, in both cases due to
lack of public input. Activism got a bill very similar to this one passed
in CA last year, and it can work in NY too. See ftp.eff.org: /pub/EFF/Issues/
Activism/* for more info on this type of thing. If the legislation is
available to us, it will be archived at ftp.eff.org: /pub/EFF/Legislation/
Foreign_and_local/NY/, so check periodically. Those in the NY area, please
spread the work on ny.* newsgroups, local BBSs, apropos mailing lists, etc. ]
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OFFERS ONLINE INFO, BUT INITIALLY ONLY ON COMPU$ERVE
From fpack@crl.com Sun Apr 10 03:17:10 1994
From: Fran Packard <fpack@crl.com>
Jim, Thought you may be interested to know that the League of Women Voters
of California is conducting an online Election Services project on
CompuServe. It includes asking participants in our message forum to submit
questions for the statewide candidates. In keeping with our traditional
ways of providing information about candiates, all those running for the
same office will receive the same questions. We're requesting that
the candidates respond in writing and on disk. Their answers will be
posted in the League library (League/Voters CA) in the California forum.
Fran Packard <fpack@crl.com> or <73162.3025@compuserve.com>
[ This is a delightful first step. But it will *really* be valuable when it's
posted for free global access via the *bit* net - the Internet - in one or
several ftp sites, including permission to freely repost and re-circulate.
While only to CI$, its potential citizen-audience and user-base is severely
limited. Keep up the good work - and spread it beyond the CI$ elite. :-)
By the way, I understand that the state President of the California LWV is
Marlys Robertson, mrobertson@aol.com . --jim ]
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
SOUTH CAROLINA MOVE TO GET STATE LEGISLATIVE DATA ONLINE
From: glennb7490@aol.com
Jim, I receive your Government Access Newsletter and am using your info to
try to start a similar movement here in SC. ...
Thanks for all you're doing to help restore openness in our governments.
You're making a difference. Keep up the good work.
Peace, Glenn Busbin
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
CONFERENCE ON RURAL DATAFICATION
From shaffer@CIC.Net Fri Apr 8 09:58:11 1994
From: Kimberly Shaffer <shaffer@CIC.Net>
Second Annual Conference on Rural Datafication
May 23-24, 1994
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
Minneapolis, MN
Come for practical information you can put to work in your community.
Meet people who are learning how to solve the problems of bringing the
Internet to underserved areas. Share your successes and horror stories!
This years Rural Datafication conference begins with a day of Internet
workshops designed to help you navigate your way on the Information highway.
The conference follows with a day and a half of useful presentations and
breakout sessions. [extensive program details deleted --jim]
The conference fee is $99 if paid before April 30, 1994, $125 if paid
after April 30. The conference fee includes all Sunday workshops, Monday
and Tuesday conference sessions, lunch on Sunday and Monday, and Sunday
and Monday receptions and entertainment. ...
To register for the conference and workshops, contact CICNet, at
313-998-6103 or 800-947-4754 and ask for a copy of the registration
materials. Registration will not be accepted via email. Or send a
message to epps@cic.net or ruraldata-info-request@cic.net .
The Rural Datafication project and conference are sponsored by:
CICNet, INDNet, IREN, MichNet, MRNet, netILLINOIS, NYSERNet, PREPnet,
WiscNet, and WVNET. And is supported by a grant from the National
Science Foundation.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
WHAT OUR FEDERAL LEGISLATORS GET THAT WE CAN'T GET AND WHY
From glennb7490@aol.com Fri Apr 8 11:20:41 1994
Xxx asked me to send you a copy of a message I sent her. It's
self-explanatory. ...
>... I was talking with my congresscritter's office today ... and
>remembered what ... about the members of the HORs and
>Sinate using our tax money to buy info from LEGI-SLATE. I
>asked the staffer (a sysop or something) about that. She said
>that was correct, and that the services they use in that office
>are LEGIS (the in-house system) and the Roll Call AM and PM
>editions. The sinate uses, I think, LEGI-SLATE. She didn't know
>how much this costs or if there is any way you or I could track
>legislation without paying a third party. She told me to go to
>the library and read Congressional Quarterly each week.
>Phhhhtttt. LEGIS is not available for public use because, as
>she said, "someone might use it to get into a congressman's
>computer". Balderdash. I tried to explain to her that I
>appreciated the need for a secure system, but that didn't
>preclude the public's right to access info directly so that we
>can keep an eye on things without paying expensive thirds
>parties for what is OUR stuff. She stuck to her guns about
>security, but promised to look into the subject and call me
>next week to let me know what, if anything, can be done to
>allow us to track bills via computer. I'm writing her a letter
>telling her about the legislation introduced in CA and MN which
>opens these state governments to public access. I think I'll
>also send a couple of interesting addresses to her while I'm at
>it. NASA and the White Sands Missle Range ought to do it. They
>need security, but not so much that we can't get SOME info out
>of their computers. Do you have any addresses that would
>impress her? FBI or CIA or IRS? ...
[To which the recipient responded:]
... What a hoot! Some evil taxpayer might use LEGIS to hack
a congressman's computer! Yes, indeed, we must make the U.S.
government and every legislator SECURE from the constituents! I
wish I could give you a list of addresses which would singe
that staffer's eyebrows - how about the CIA World Fact Book?
Nah. There's a listserver for NATO data... Nah. There's
president@whitehouse.gov... Hah! That's the one I got into a
flap with over the altered documents they put there. Not too
impressive. Actually, there is a lot of government information
all over the Internet but most of it seems to be in university
archives. The country's college political science and economics
departments don't seem too worried about "security."
... I'd like you to send [GovAccess] the story you
just sent me. I honestly don't know whether to laugh or cry! ...
[ As to addresses illustrating that perhaps Members of Congress would remain
safe even if the public had Internet access to the public's Congressional
information, how about dockmaster.ncsc.mil (the National Security Agency's
public Internet host)? Or maybe even hr.house.gov via which 16 House
Members and two House committees have public Internet addresses? --jim]
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
ONLINE PUBLIC POLICY FORUM & NOTICES
From clif0005@gold.tc.umn.edu Wed Feb 23 10:27:15 1994
From: "Steven L Clift" <clif0005@gold.tc.umn.edu>
PUBPOL-L is an electronic forum for graduate students, professionals,
faculty, and staff in the fields of public policy, public administration,
planning, and other related areas. The topics covered in postings
include current public policy issues, events and conferences, research,
teaching, curriculum and courses, employment and career opportunities,
activities of public policy practitioners, and other topics of interest.
PUBPOL-L encourages the electronic posting of newsletters, conference
notices, and other text normally distributed in paper form by public
policy schools and their centers or programs, government agencies, or
public-sector oriented organizations.
In the near future materials posted to PUBPOL-L will also be available
via Gopher at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of
Minnesota. The gopher is located at - next1.acs.umn.edu port: 3340.
NEW DISCUSSION LIST: PUBPOL-D is a forum dedicated to open, serious,
and substantial discussion of public policy issues and for extended
comment on items posted to PUBPOL-L.
To SUBSCRIBE address your message to:
LISTSERV@VM1.SPCS.UMN.EDU or LISTSERV@UMINN1.BITNET
In the text portion write:
Subscribe PUBPOL-L Your Name
For example: Subscribe PUBPOL-L Susan Smith
TO SUBSCRIBE TO BOTH PUBPOL-L and PUBPOL-D:
Subscribe PUBPOL-L Your Name
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...
*::Steven:L.Clift::::::::::::::::::::::clif0005@gold.tc.umn.edu::#
#::Moderator,:Public:Policy Network:(PUBPOL-L):::::::::::::::::::*
*::Hubert:H.:Humphrey:Institute:of:Public:Affairs::::::::::::::::#
#::University:of:Minnesota, Minneapolis,:MN:55455::::::::::::::::*
*::(612):824-3747:::::::::(612):625-6351:fax:::::::::::::::::::::#
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 1994 16:12:38 -0700
From: GATTIKER@CETUS.MNGT.ULETH.CA
Subject: File 7--Researcher Requests Responses (Survey)
((MODERATORS' NOTE: We periodically run short surveys or other
requests for research material. In return, the posters agree to share
summaries of their findings with us))
Dear Colleague/Participant:
The following survey is part of a project I am conducting on
computer technology and its use. I would appreciate every computer
user who reads this message taking a few minutes to answer and
return the survey via e-mail and/or "snail mail".
All responses will remain strictly confidential.
Thanks for SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE with us on this
project!
Prof. Urs E. Gattiker, Centre for Technology Studies, Faculty of
Mgmt, The Univ. of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, CANADA; Tel:
(403) 320-6966 (Mountain-Standard-Time, every morning);
E-Mail: GATTIKER@CETUS.MNGT.ULETH.CA
IF YOU WISH, you can forward this survey to other lists or fellow
users.
If your online editor __wraps the lines around__ or if it will not
fill in blanks without moving copy around, please download to your
wordprocessor (takes about 1-5 min). Before uploading the survey
in ASCII/Dos format, please make sure that the file is in 10 Pitch
Courier. You can also ask for another copy from the address above.
================================================================
Please return this completed survey to Urs E. Gattiker by:
May 28, 1994
#SU4CcDigestMLusaNAF___________ (for computer use only)
THE COMPUTER RESEARCH PROGRAM
The following questions concern the type and extensiveness of
technology and software used. Answer on the basis of your personal
profile. There are no correct or incorrect answers.
TECHNOLOGY
[Please circle or mark one code # (e.g., _1_ or "1" or ~1~)or enter
an absolute value (e.g., # of years) for each question]
1. How many years have you worked/played with computers?
# ____ years
2. Do you have a personal computer at home?
No.....0 Yes.....1
3. Do you use a modem or network connection for computer-mediated
communication purposes such as remote log-in to another
computer, e-mail or accessing a bulletin board (BB)?
No.....0 Yes.....1
4. Have you had a close friend/colleague who experienced
software/hardware problems or damage due to a computer virus
within the last year?
No.....0 Yes.....1
5. Are you a subscriber/member of a bulletin board (BB) and/or
electronic discussion list/newsletter or listserver (EDL)?
No .....0 If yes, # ____ of years
6. Have you ever received information through an EDL or a BB whose
content you considered in bad taste within the last year?
No.....0 Yes.....1
7. Have you ever received information through an EDL or a BB whose
content you believed should be banned from the EDL/BB within
the last year? No.....0 Yes.....1
-----------------------------------------------------------------
For the next 3 Situations, pretend that you are a bystander
directly observing each situation. When answering, please try to
think about how you would react, feel, and behave as a bystander in
each situation.
SITUATION 1
One of your friends is a technical whiz and has just developed a
new data encryption device (i.e. similar to a phone scrambler the
device helps to protect conversations against wiretapping) and
software. Your friend quickly demonstrates how the device works by
sending an encrypted message to you. Your subsequent decoding
efforts fail, illustrating that the encryption device does its job
very well. You and your friend then proceed to install this device
and software on both of your machines for utilisation when
communicating with each other.
[Please circle or mark one code # (e.g., _1_ or "1" or ~1~) or
enter an absolute value (e.g., # of years) or type your answer
in CAPITAL LETTERS for each question]
8a. What do you think about this situation (encrypting your data
sent/received with a privately developed device & software)?
Very wrong.... 2
A little wrong.....1
Perfectly okay.....0
8b. Is anyone hurt by what you did?
No.....0 Yes....1
If Yes, Who/Person_______________________________
How_______________________________
8c. Imagine that you actually saw someone using an encryption
program he/she developed for data transfer from his/her PC.
Would you feel bothered.....0
not care.....1
think this is good.....2
8d. Should the person be stopped? No.....0 Yes....1
8e. Should the person be punished? No.....0 Yes....1
Suppose you learn about two different countries. In country A,
people using privately developed encryption devices for computers
are quite common, and in country B, one never uses privately
developed encryption devices.
8f. Which one of these customs [if either] is bad or wrong?
Both customs are wrong.....3
Country A's custom is wrong.....2
Country B's custom is wrong.....1
Neither one, both customs are okay.....0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SITUATION 2
One of your friends is a real computer nut and has just written a
new computer virus. Your friend then proceeds to post the virus
program onto a BB or an electronic newsletter/listserver (EDL).
9a. What do you think about this situation (posting a computer
virus one wrote onto a BB or EDL)?
Very wrong.....2
A little wrong.....1
Perfectly okay.....0
9b. Is anyone hurt by what your friend did?
No.....0 Yes....1
If Yes, Who/Person_______________________________
How_______________________________
9c. Imagine that you actually saw someone posting a virus program
one wrote onto a BB or EDL. Would you
feel bothered.....0
not care.....1
think this is good.....2
9d. Should the person be stopped? No.....0 Yes....1
9e. Should the person be punished? No.....0 Yes....1
Suppose you learn about two different countries. In country A,
people posting design/programming characteristics of a computer
virus they wrote on a BB or EDL are quite common, and in country B,
one never shares such programming information about a virus one has
created with members of a BB or EDL.
9f. Which one of these customs [if either] is bad or wrong?
Both customs are wrong.....3
Country A's custom is wrong.....2
Country B's custom is wrong.....1
Neither one, both customs are okay.....0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SITUATION 3
Your friend has just received a new computer game through an EDL
located abroad. The game is banned in this country because of its
violence, sexual and racist content. Your friend tests the game.
Although he/she finds it somewhat disgusting, your friend sends a
copy to another friend abroad, where no regulations exists for
banning the game. Your friend does not keep a copy of the game.
10a. What do you think about this situation (send a locally banned
game to another user abroad where the game is not banned?
Very wrong.....2
A little wrong.....1
Perfectly okay.....0
10b. Is anyone hurt by what your friend did?
No.....0 Yes....1
If yes, Who/Person_______________________________
How_______________________________
10c. Imagine that you actually saw someone send a game banned in
your country to another user abroad where no such ban exists.
Would you
feel bothered.....0
not care.....1
think this is good.....2
10d. Should the person be stopped? No.....0 Yes....1
10e. Should the person be punished? No.....0 Yes....1
Suppose you learn about two different countries. In country A,
people sending copies of banned games received through an EDL to
their friends abroad where no such regulation exists are quite
common; in country B, one never passes on locally banned games
received from an EDL to friends abroad where no such regulation
exists.
10f. Which one of these customs [if either] is bad or wrong?
Both customs are wrong.....3
Country A's custom is wrong.....2
Country B's custom is wrong.....1
Neither one, both customs are okay.....0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The questions below again ask you to state your opinions and
beliefs about computer-related issues. Please remember, there are
no right or wrong answers.
1.... strongly disagree
2.... disagree
3.... disagree somewhat
4.... undecided
5.... agree somewhat
6.... agree
7.... strongly agree
[Please circle or put a CAPITAL X directly on the line under your
response]
strongly strongly
disagree agree
11. To get ahead in life one has to do
some things which may not be right 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
12. Regulating the content of information distributed on BBs and
EDLs by the government is appropriate 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
13. It is all right to skirt the fringes of the law when using
computers if you can get away with it
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
14. I respect my best friend's opinions about what one should and
should not do with computer technology
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
15. Your close friends have done some things with computer viruses
that might be considered inappropriate by some people
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
16. I feel it is more important to protect a person's privacy then
the ability of police to "wiretap" one's electronic mail or
data communication 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
17. It is all right to skirt the fringes of the law by downloading
banned instructions/information about how to do something ....
from a BB located abroad, where possession of such information
is legal 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
18. It is all right to skirt the fringes of the law by keeping
banned information about how to do something.... received from
an EDL located abroad, where possession of such information is
legal 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
19. It is all right to skirt the fringes of the law by copying a
software package from a friend to use it for about 3 months,
before deleting it from one's PC's hard-drive
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
20. Inappropriate information on BBs' and EDLs', such as violent
games, should be censored by government regulators
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
21. The use of a self-made encryption device and software for
computer-communication purposes is perfectly okay
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
-----------------------------------------------------------------
BACKGROUND
[Please circle or mark one code # (e.g., _1_ or "1" or ~1~) or
enter an absolute value (e.g., # of years) or else type your
answer in CAPITAL LETTERS for each question].
22. Are you working? not currently employed.....0
part-time.....1
full-time.....2
23. What is your current occupation?
__________________(please specify)
24. Are you male.....1
female.....0
25. As far as material wealth is concerned, when you consider the
economic and social situation of the country where you grew up
(age-span 1-18 years), would one consider your family (i.e.,
yourself, siblings and parents) as having
been: poor.....0
below average.....1
average.....2
above average.....3
rich.....4
26. How old are you? #______ of years
27. How many years did you attend school (e.g., community
college/vocational diploma = 12-14 years, undergraduate
university degree = 16 years)? #______ of years
28. In which country do you currently reside?
Name of Country:__________ # of years:___
29. In which country have you spent most of your life?
Name of Country:__________ # of years:___
30. In your community, in how many voluntary/charity organizations
do you regularly (i.e. at least once a month) participate
(e.g., church, sport groups, big brother/big sister, scouts or
Red Cross)? # _____ of groups
31. How did you receive this survey? e-mail from Gattiker.....0
e-mail from a friend/colleague.....1
listserver/electronic discussion list,
please specify: .....2
electronic journal/newsletter, specify: .....3
other, please specify: .....4
IF YOU WISH TO RECEIVE A SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS, PLEASE
mark here ___ with an X or else provide your address to
Urs E. Gattiker. A short summary of the results will
appear in a future CU-Digest!
THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING US WITH YOUR HELP,
INSIGHTS, AND EXPERTISE SO FREELY AND GENEROUSLY! ver6
------------------------------
End of Computer Underground Digest #6.39
************************************
