From: jgrimm@TorreyPinesCA.ncr.com (Jeffrey Grimmett 9999)
Subject: Re: New Supra Chipset: Caller ID:Condoms
Organization: NCR (Torrey Pines Development Center)
Disclaimer: This posting does not necessarily reflect the opinions of NCR.
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 92 18:01:00 GMT

Quoth west@ponder.csci.unt.edu (Bruce West):

]> >>If you don't trust the sysop, don't expect him/her to trust you.
]>  
]>      Anyone who trusts someone they don't know is not being particularly
]> intelligent.  If you are talking about pirate boards then you are being
]> doubly stupid.

I'd never trust the sysop of a board that specializes in theft.  "no honour.."
and all that.

However, I'm addressing the majority of sysops out there, the ones who run
free systems for fun and recreational purposes.  Those people are providing,
at times, service on par with the $$$ boards, and what do they ask?  That the
caller be up front with them.

Let me put this in perspective by using a case I am inimately familiar with:
myself.  In purely financial terms:

Computer:  A2000HD, orig cost $2500.
           A2620 accel, orig cost $1000
           Hard drives, cost @ $700
           Modem, v.32bis, $400
           Software, cost $200
           SCSI Controller, cost $100
           Tape backup unit, orig cost $800
           Phone bill, average $50 per month.

           Total:  around $5500 plus monthly costs.

Now, I put this system on the line anytime someone calls in.  I carry over
100 public message bases on all topics, and offer routed netmail for all
validated callers.  Someone could do several things to wreck this system:

1) they could somehow exploit a back door or software flaw that no one
   knows about.  Type "Format <name of partition>" and log off -- boom!
   If my tape backup gets hosed, I'm shot.
2) they could, on one of the netted message areas, post something that could
   either get my feeds cut, or (worse case) post something that would get
   The Law involved.  In many cases (can you say Steven Jackson Games?) the
   contents of the drives is enough to if not convict, then at least harrass
   the hell out of the owner.
3) They could, under an assumed name, upload pirated software and then flip
   around and get the authorities on me before I had time to take appropriate
   action.  What if I'm out for the weekend?  Bad juju.  Of course, this is
   know as being "framed," but what does that matter if you've lost your
   hardware until it's sprung from "impound" or "evidence" status?

So, what am I getting at here?  Well, basically, a BBS that is open to all IS
a large statement on the part of the sysop that s/he trusts the callers.
With that kind of trust, it invites the caller to return that trust.  Anyone
not willing to is welcome to call elsewhere, but not my BBS. I don't know
you, you don't know me, and if that is too much of a hurdle for you to get over,
it's your loss, and maybe mine, too.

Sysops are strange sorts.  They practically invite you into thier house as a
guest.  Least anyone can do in that sort of situation is show some good manners
and refrain from lying to thier faces.

-- 
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Jeff Grimmett [SuperBitMap BBS]        * fido!1:202/1401.0 [619-460-7290]
NCR -- Torrey Pines Development Center * jgrimm@TorreyPinesCA.ncr.com
 With all the trust we put in the wisdom of economists, has anyone noticed:
::::::::::::::::::::::  There ARE no rich economists!?!?  :::::::::::::::::::::
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