Probably shouldnt have, but they get on my goat. Forwarded message:

From mark Wed Jun 9 10:59:04 1993 Subject: Statement of dissatisfaction with your recent efforts To: cert@cert.org Date: Wed, 9 Jun 1993 10:59:04 +1000 (EST)

Dear cert et al,

It has come to my notice recently that your organisation has been involved in a number of accusations against individuals and organisations with very little to back such accusations.

I am referring to, and these are the ones I will mention here, the soda.berkeley.edu and the anon.penet.fi sites., both of which ARE legitamate in all respects and are SEEN as such by the net.community. Your organisations actions, in my personal opinion, consititute a form of harrassment of the worse kind, and it basically smells.

Whilst any one with any knowledge of your workings already knows the low quality of feedback, lack of helpfulness and general arrogance of your methods, it doesnt do you any good at all to set about on a crusade of self-serving actions against those sites or entities or groups of individuals you dont like or you see as furthering ideas and software that might one day make your life difficult. You will alienate a larger proportion of the net.community than you otherwise have.

I would suggest in future you take the time to VERIFY, through whatever legal means are at your disposal, the authenticity of your information, to view yourselves the problems/files and then take whatever action your charter states as appropriate. Going off gun-ho and sending ominous form letters to people you see as gullible enough to carry out your desires really is less than professional.

I fail to see where you get authority for a large proportion of your actions, but that is a matter between you and your financiers. Just dont expect people to take you seriously if the above scenarios are repeated.

The above is my own personal observations and not those of any other individual or organisation, although they are free to explicitly echo them if they so desire. As of yet, none have.

Mark. mark@cheops.anu.edu.au