Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!ncar!oddjob!kaon!nucsrl!gore
From: gore@eecs.nwu.edu (Jacob Gore)
Newsgroups: news.admin
Subject: Re: Braindamaged test messages clogging the net
Message-ID: <3720007@eecs.nwu.edu>
Date: 11 May 88 23:00:12 GMT
References: <22716@pyramid.pyramid.com>
Organization: Northwestern U, Evanston IL, USA
Lines: 21

I think this thing belongs in the list of accidental "computer" screwups that
may even be considered amusing (if one's in the right state of mind and isn't
beaten up by them too badly; we've seen 3 copies of that monster at this site,
and are expecting 2 more...).  Kind of like those two vacation programs that
formed a positive feedback loop. 

I'll be very surprised if it turns out that that stupid posting was made just
to cause problems.  We shouldn't assume malice where plain ignorance (or,
sometimes, stupidity) will do. 

So, rather than go tar and feather the posters, how about just doing whatever
damage control we can, fixing up whatever reflector scripts we have to avoid
such problems in the future, and explaining to the nuts that posted it to:

 1. avoid such costly jokes if they can, and if not:
 2.a. post them to humor groups only,
 2.b. edit away the headers,
 2.c. limit the distribution to the smallest region that their egos (or
      software) will permit?

Jacob Gore				Gore@EECS.NWU.Edu
Northwestern Univ., EECS Dept.		{oddjob,gargoyle,ihnp4}!nucsrl!gore