Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/17/84; site opus.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!dcdwest!ittvax!decvax!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!hao!cires!nbires!opus!rcd
From: rcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn)
Newsgroups: net.singles,net.flame
Subject: Re: Not Way-Out But Lovable Babbling Meaningless Drivel
Message-ID: <917@opus.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 26-Oct-84 01:21:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: opus.917
Posted: Fri Oct 26 01:21:48 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 22-Oct-84 06:52:02 EDT
References: <157@dmcnh.UUCP> <2063@randvax.UUCP> <1622@nsc.UUCP>
Organization: NBI,Inc, Boulder CO
Lines: 30
Xref: 4763 6225

> I brought John Williams to the attention of the powers that be at Dec, and
> they have assured me that he will act in a gentlemanly and proper manner or
> they will shove his bicycle pump down his throat (or something to that
> affect). They were not aware of his postings and did not appreciate the
> negative implications he was giving their fine and upstanding company.
> 
> chuq

Wait!  What's going on here?  I can buy the idea of bringing this guy's
actions to the attention of someone who has a brain and cares...BUT I draw
the line at implying that people posting to the net reflect, to any
significant extent, on their respective organizations.

It's FINE to bring peer pressure to bear on someone who's posting trash--
and John Williams' article certainly was that.  Moreover, the site admin
at the site of a problem poster is an excellent person to bring some
meaningful pressure.  But the basis for the pressure should be in terms of
the social structure and the operation of the net.  The minute we start
saying and/or believing that people speak for their respective
organizations, everybody's gonna have to have one of those idiot
disclaimers at the bottom of the article.  We'll be inviting company
bureaucracy (in the "proper" companies) to scrutinize everything that gets
posted--and if that happens, it won't take too long to shut down the "non-
technical" groups, among which net.singles would surely be one of the
first.  I don't want any of that, nor do I want a bunch of folks thinking
that when I say "(sex, drugs, rock&roll:-)" in a posting that I'm saying
ANYthing about NBI policy or attitudes!
-- 
Dick Dunn	{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd		(303)444-5710 x3086
   ...Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip it's been.