Subject: Re: Anyone heard of UK proposal to licence BBSes?
Reply-To: nhardy@arkham.demon.co.uk
Distribution: world
X-Mailer: cppnews $Revision: 1.30 $
Organization: Arkham BBS
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 17:07:44 +0000

Just received the following message.
Malcolm Arnold is sysop of The Owl Service BBS, publisher of "The
Message" (a comms fanzine), co-moderator of the FidoNet UK Cyberspace
Echo (and generally all-round good chap)

From: Malcolm Arnold @ 2:250/312                   Date: 01-23-93 15:03
To: Nigel Hardy @ 2:252/151
Subj: Setting up

SETTING UP A UK `EFF' - SOME THOUGHTS...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hi. Please forgive the impersonal nature of this message.
As I find myself increasingly strapped for time in trying
to keep up with developments re the setting up of a UK
version of the EFF, or whatever, I'm sending this out to
all who have responded to my call for potential members of
such a group rather than addressing each person
individually; and indeed I'm copying it to *everyone* I have
established contact with who shares our concern. The
Cyberspace Echo is a fine forum for general discussion, but
I fear it is too slow in reaching all concerned to be used
as a means of communication when things are happening fast.
And currently they surely are! :-)

The situation as I read it at this moment is as follows...

BACKGROUND
----------

The ELSPA/FAST thing has kick started the process of
setting up a group to represent IT users (especially
comms / free BBS users) in the UK. There has been a need
for this for some time, but formal organisation has been
seen as anathema by most sysops (particularly in Fido,
where the notion of the net being anything other than a
loose association of computers, agreeing on little more
than mailing protocols, is constantly fought), hence the
failure of attempts to set up a Bulletin Board Operators
Association some four or so years ago, and the failure to
create a formal liaison between the Fido sysops and
already-established groups such as the British Association
of Computer Clubs.

The important thing, most will agree, is that the current
threat from ELSPA/FAST (and it is a real threat: as far as
I can discern FAST may be *already* presenting their case to
MPs, before following the consultation route they - and
ELSPA - have maintained was their wish) should not be seen
in isolation. It may be the catalyst which has spurred us to
action, but we should not look at it with tunnel vision.
Threats to the free-access networks, and to the rights of
individuals working and living on the electronic frontier,
have surely begun to affect the UK even as they have already
been affecting the USA for some time. If we are to set up a
group which will survive the current fracas, and be truly
useful in the future, it should have a wider brief than
merely fighting the ELSPA/FAST proposals.

WHAT SORT OF A GROUP?
---------------------

In this the EFF is the best model we have. Quite apart
from protecting BBSs from a commercially or
moralistically-motivated legislative straitjacket, we
should be actively reaching out into the wider community
with information which teaches the positive and creative
aspects of comms. We should be advertising ourselves
as a resource providing experience and information
from those familiar and comfortable with cyberspace. We
should also be monitoring the press and media for
incidents of misrepresentation of the nature of BBSs (the
recent DEF II programme being a case in point - and the
response organised through the Cyberspace Echo having been
a small start in this respect). We may also, at some
future point, be called upon to assist in matters of
individual prosecution, as have the EFF in the States, where
minimal experience of comms by public and authorities might
prejudice the outcome of such cases... This last eventuality
will require our drawing upon members who have suitable
legal experience and willingness to advise, or at least to
forge close links with other civil liberties groups with
such human resources.

This sounds like a gargantuan task (it sure scares me!
:-). However we can set ourselves broad aims, whilst
keeping our immediate objectives within reach. What would
be unproductive would be to concentrate too specifically
on fighting *this* current ELSPA/FAST threat, and rushing
organisation so we are less than effective.

COMMUNICATION
-------------

I say this principally because I have discovered parallel
discussions both on Fido, and CIX - both sets of people
fired with the cause of setting up, and discussing such
specifics as name, constitution, meetings etc., each
(until very recently) oblivious of the other. Perhaps there
are other groups elsewhere in other nets and on other
systems setting themselves the same task! We are a
community based upon *communication*. We need to
*communicate!* liaison between as many varied networks,
systems and individuals is essential before anything is
carved in stone.

In saying this, I am not asking for people to sit back and
do nothing. Time is short, but what we do must be
*considered*, and it must involve as wide a spectrum of
comms users as possible - or else be prey to destructive
accusations of empire building.

NEXT STEPS
----------

Basically, the essentials - as I see them - are as follows
(in no order of importance!):

(1) Establish meaningful contact with the EFF, and
establish *finally* what their view on our using ELECTRONIC
FRONTIER in our name really is. (The EFF has decided not to
sponsor chapters, but there are conflicting reports
currently circulating as to the licensing of the words
Electronic Frontier in the names of independent groups
operating with similar aims...)

(2) Begin collecting names and details of people who wish
to establish/join/develop an EFF-type group in the UK *at
some central point* and begin a mailing list to keep
everyone in touch with developments across the different
systems and nets. (This has already started in a small way
with a small number of people mailing me at The Owl Service,
but *I* am not empire building, and would be happy - with
the agreement of those indiviuals - to hand on the list to a
mutually-agreed membership officer).

(3) Agree a broad set of aims. Why not start with the
EFF's short and concise list of aims? Do we need more?

(4) How are we to finance the group? Can we call upon any
corporate organisations for grants / financial aid without
`selling out', or being seen to affiliate our cause with
their commercial interests? Setting up a bank account and
signatories can come later. Much of the setting up can be
done by voluntary efforts, surely?

(5) Set up a cross-net/system working party to accept
responsibility for co-ordinating the effort. Individuals
working with the best will in the world may find themselves
working at cross-purposes. Such a working party might
contain such `officers' as a Membership Co-ordinator;
Info/Communications Co-ordinator;
Press/Media/`Parliamentary' Co-ordinator... Maybe
representatives from a number of nets/systems could be
elected to ensure info and developments were communicated
across as much of the spectrum as possible?

(6) Begin collecting material which helps our assertion
that BBSs and the comms community get a bad press. (This
is already being done via Raj Rijhwani - 19 Marston
Avenue, Chessington, Surrey KT9 2HF - or contact him via the
Cyberspace Echo, or through me).

(7) Establish - as far as possible - a central point of
communication online for the group. Obviously this will
not preclude the individual echoes and systems discussing
and developing ideas, but a freely-accessible system for
files and messages to be available is essential. CIX, for
instance, is a powerful and pivotal UK system - but its
commercial access means it could not be the central
resource of the group. I suggest a networked free BBS,
with Internet connections such as Nigel Hardy's ARKHAM BBS
in London. ARKHAM could also provide the group with an
Internet address, and individual addresses for the group's
representatives.

CONCLUSION
----------

Okay. I hope some of this has been helpful in bringing
everyone up to date as far as I am able. I am not trying
to control proceedings in any way, or to push myself
forward as any kind of leader in the formation of the
suggested group. It's just that I seem to be in touch with
a number of individuals and agencies through my work with
THE MESSAGE fanzine, and joint-moderating Cyberspace, and
can see from where I stand that some drawing together of
parallel threads is desirable...

Anyone who wants to get back to me can reach me at The Owl
Service (0532 605876), Fido 2:250/312, CIX marnold,
CompuServe 100014.1405, Internet
marnold@cix.compulink.co.uk - OR -
100014,1405@compuserve.com

- - - ENDS - - -

(NB. Currently, Arkham BBS and arkham.demon.co.uk are not 'linked', but
I'm looking into that)
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