anonymous mail

9 Jul 1993

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Some people have e-mailed me saying that what happened to Mr.
Steshenko isn't uncommon at all.  This fact bothered me all weekend
long, that somebody can get fired for views expressed in a private
e-list, which probably extrapolates to USENET posting as well.
Apparently, Mr. Steshenko forgot to include the "disclaimer: my
opinions" with his email.  

Is this all that is required?  If he merely would have added the
disclaimer, would his former employer be facing possible legal action?
Would he still be employed?  Is there some "minimal" text that must be
included?  I mean, I've seen disclaimers that are nearly a paragraph
long to ones that try to be cute (#include <std.disclaimer> and so
forth).

(If you missed the post to alt.comp.acad-freedom.talk and various
other groups and don't get usenet let me know and I'll post it to the
list if there is enough interest.  I'm not sure if email copies I sent
out made it since some bounces occured.  Plus the good old "cannot
deliver for 3 days; message queued" sort of error.)

It bugged me because I really beleive that it is impossible to carry
on a rational discussion if one side is afraid to voice an opinion.
I'm not advocating libel or misuse (personal attacks, threats of
violence, etc.) but every once in a while a really hot topic comes up
which stirs the emotions.

So, we can all forge mail with smtp, use the cypherpunk remailers, use
"anonymous" servers like penet and charcoal, email-to-usenet gateways,
etc.  I've never seen instructions on how to forge a usenet post, so
here goes:

1) Telnet to an NNTP server (see Yanoff's internet services list)
2) Type 'post'.  After a bit, you'll get an OK message.
3) Type in what you want to appear.  Have in mind before you start
   what fields you want in the header, or check other posts to see what
   they have.
4) End with a period on a line all by itself.  After a bit, you'll get
   a "Post OK" message.
5) Type 'quit'

For example, I was experimenting and posted this to
alt.binaries.pictures.d:

======================================================================
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.pictures.d
From: anyone@here.and.there
Subject: A test
Content-Type: text
Nntp-Posting-Host: nowhere
Organization: none
Date: Wed, 7 Jul 1993 11:14:00 GMT

This is merely a test.
======================================================================

I just typed all that stuff in (including a lone period, but that
doesn't show in your message) and it showed up after a while.

If you examine the post closer, particularly the Path and Sender
fields, the fact the message originated at the nntp server in Germany
is revealed.  I guess I'll work on more sophisticated methods in my
spare time :-)

nobody＠entropy.linet.org

jet＠nas.nasa.gov

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