ANST - systems & privacy ...

[j'lynn yeates]

On 29 Apr 99, at 14:38, Pug Bainter wrote:

> j'lynn yeates (jyeates at realtime.net) said something that sounded like: > a
> better use for that extra workstation-class machine ... donate it to a
> local > member who needs basic net access, and teach them how to use it. 
> but donate it > with the proviso that when they outgrow that machine and
> get a better one, they > in turn do the same to someone else with need.  
> 
> Damn good idea. I think this is actually more useful idea than selling it
> since it will be more beneficial in this function that the price you can
> get for used equipment these days.

lat three useful machines went out that way ... two to pagan cynn and one to a 
GF.  last count those three have passed through about a dozen peoples hands 
over the last three years.  that's a dozen people who were brought online with 
stuff that was useless to me ... and two of those machines are still in the 
"pipeline", and a couple of those people have passed along their initial 
systems to others perpetuating the cycle.

> > my question, everytime the idea is broached to *mirror* this data
> > online, there is a great hue and cry that we are someone attacking the
> > existence of hardcopy periodicals / newsletters and threatening their
> > existance.  
> 
> Actually the problem *I* ran into trying to implement part of this, was
> the fact that many people have professions or histories that did not allow
> for the information to be published on-line. We came to a agreement at
> that time that only the Great Officers of State and local Seneschals would
> have information (albiet partial in cases) published on-line.

most of what i was initially speaking of was the informational contents of the 
Black Star, which being informational in nature should not be a problem.  as 
for the rest, as the "data base" grows, and people see that online is the 
primary new publishing media in just about all arena's, that reluctance will 
fade.  

boils down to do you want to share information and educate with it .... or do 
you want to horde and control it.  information locked away has no value except 
to the person who creates it.
 
> This does not even account for the issue of privately owned sites, phone
> numbers for people running events, and other information that may
> accidently appear in the newsletter because of it's nature.
>
> While some people do not have any problem with some of their personal
> information published, others certainly have good reason for it not to be.
> Yes, it is available to a large set of people via the newsletter, but this
> set is rather small in comparrison to the on-line community.

privacy issues are important, best to have a good model in place *before* 
starting web-spinning ...  

unfortunately, the nature of modern "information" is wayy too open ... if you 
choose to be a contact, you becoem semi-public.  

a point many don't understand, if peoperly setup, a online system has as much, 
if not more security for this type of privacy-centric data than traditional 
publishing ... 

to address that issue and concerns, make the online "official" channels 
controlled,  seperate general and "member" areas (common in real world), 
develop a solid policy on privacy, post suitable disclaimers, use server 
options to secure the site as much as possible, use name/password to access the 
"inner" online areas, controlled distribution lists, etc.  

use the BS mailing list as initial database, let the non-subscribers apply 
online, maybe use a "sponser" model for the new- blood.   should address those 
concerns, eh?   

side note, the volunteer "sponser" model might go a long way to address some 
the long-standing problems with integrating new blood into the game. 
 
> Just a little different light to think under.

do my best thinking under black light strobes with the music cranked up ...

'wolf

... When we hunt, we all function with one mind
... - Boingo, Pedestrian Wolves
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