Demime & CDRs (was Re: Security Against Compelled Disclosure)

[Tim May]

On Saturday, August 4, 2001, at 09:26 PM, Declan McCullagh wrote:

> On Sat, Aug 04, 2001 at 12:00:34PM -0700, Eric Murray wrote:
>> Posts that are received (enter the CDR system) at lne and are forwarded
>> to the other CDRs are demimed.
>>
>> Posts originating from another CDR are demimed on the way
>> to lne CDR subscribers.
>>
>> Posts originating from another CDR and being forwarded to
>> another CDR aren't demimed.
>
> I have no problem with demime-ing posts, and applaud Eric's work
> to maintain a readable cypherpunks node.
>
> My only point, addressed to the fellow who sent an attachment,
> is that sending such things to any cypherpunks node makes little
> sense. Many of the more frequent posters now use the lne.com node,
> so we'll never see your attachment. And, depending on where the
> message enters the system, others may not either.
>
There are many good reasons why mailing lists should not use attachments:

-- viruses, worms

-- attachments are best arranged beforehand, for the virus/worm reason, 
and to minimize sudden bogdowns in downloads

-- with URLs so common, a pointer to a stored file someplace 
accomplishes most tasks people intend to do with attachments

-- attachments that are not pictures (vacation pics sent by mail, 
commonly) are usually formatted Word or whatever documents...not needed 
for mailing lists, and not welcome

-- mailing lists of several hundred subscribers...'nuff said.

-- diverse mailers...everything from Emacs to elm to Eudora to 
AmigaMail. Expecting hundreds of subscribers on dozens of mail systems 
to open an attachment is foolish.

Anyone who _did_ get a big attachment through would likely go into my 
kill file.


--Tim May