--------------------------- Original Message ---------------------------
You sent this to cypherpunks-request and not to cypherpunks.
Eric
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Return-Path: <@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.Edu:KL62@MARISTB.BITNET>
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 15:18:35 EST
From: "Ryan, Edmund J"
Indeed, in the long run, when there are billions of people in the nets, even UseNet newsgroups devoted to people who use musical instruments as sex toys would have thousands of posts a day because given billions of possible subscribers, finding a few tens of thousands with a particularly obscure interest wouldn't be hard. Thus, in the long run, the nets will move to "closed" newsgroups and mailing lists in which to be a subscriber one will have to be explicitly subscribed to a list and will only be able to read with one's private key and post by digitally signing messages. In such an environment, anonymous abusers will simply be incapable of annoying people.
Well there won't be a complete movement in that direction. The set up of the list may differ. Some lists may be open to all to read but open only to subscribers to post. Some lists may be the other way around. (Can't think of an example, but there may be one out there.) By the way, I've never really seen too many abusive postings on the Usenet groups I frequent.It doesn't seem to be a problem. Just my opinion.
A weak version of this exists already in the Extropians mailing list, which considers itself to be a closed list. The list is governed by a privately produced legal code (its in some ways a test of anarchocapitalist legal theory and since the adoption of the code, we've had a reduction of flaming by a large factor even though we've seen a three fold increase in list size. The content is improving because people know that sanctions will be applied for flaming and that they can actually be kicked off the list, and that being kicked off is meaningful. In the long run, all serious discussion groups will likely evolve in this direction, with the lists being closed to explicit subscribers and with meaningful sanctions like ostracism being applied to people that behave in an antisocial manner. Such lists have little reason to fear people hiding behind cloaks of anonymity. With digital signatures, even the anonymous can develop meaningful reputations and can be sanctioned for failing to live up to those reputations.
Perry
Again, there will always be the fun of watching people flame. Virtually, Edmund J. Ryan ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Edmund J. Ryan C.I.S. Major Extropian - - KL62@MARISTB C.S. Minor Libertarian - - "Insert your snappy quote of the day." - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Edmund J. Ryan Major: Computer Information Systems - - KL62@MARISTB Minor: Computer Science/Business - - Marist College Political philosophy: Libertarian - - Poughkeepsie, NY Extropian - - - - "Replace taxpayers with shareholders, - - regulators with customers: privatize!" - ------------------------------------------------------------------------