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\section{Are all sysops criminals?}

\dropcap{T}he U.S. Declaration of Independence\margintext{Oops --�
the original article named the Constitution; what's being�
referred to is the ``inalienable rights'' passage. Oh well, it�
gets the point across anyways.} does not grant us rights. ``Our''�
government does not grant us rights. They have nothing to give�
us, other than ostensibly services which it provides from our�
taxes. (I'll leave that one alone here.)

The Constitution simply admits that, as humans, we have certain�
rights, and that the government recognizes this, and promises not �
to take them away. THAT was the revolutionary idea behind this�
government.

This is an incredibly important difference, and one which our�
government does not like to emphasize. They want it to�
appear\plainmargintext{By the way, another article that�
originally appeared in FidoNews.} that they are the defenders of�
all that is good, when in reality they are one of the worst�
offenders. 

\interrupt

Tim Pozar \& I just got back from the Hackers Conference 6.0.�
(The Hackers' Conferences are an invite-only social event for the�
creative weirdos who make up at least part of the forces behind�
the (mostly) software frontier. When they were started in '84,�
the micro software industry was still somewhat laughable in�
large-industry terms (though given a lot of credibility (sic) by�
the IBM PC a few years before), and ``hacker'' usually meant more�
or less what ``ham'' did in amateur radio.

I've been to four of them so far, 1, 2, 4 and 6. The first two�
were great, the 4th not so, in my peculiar opinion. It was too�
\dots isolated. The whole trickle-down thing revisited. Like this�
-- ``We're making the tools that will benefit the world'' and all�
that rot, and if it only cost \$500, everyone could buy one.�
(Forgetting that they themselves are 1\% of 1\% and \$500 is an�
unthinkable figure for {\it most} US citizens -- and growing.)

But this year was different. 

\interrupt

The unix-based uucp\margintext{Oops again. The original article�
said ``usenet'' here, which is like saying echomail instead of�
FidoNet. (Isn't that helpful?)} network has many corporations�
that pay for telecomm costs, unlike us bums who pay for FidoNet�
ourselves, or on the sly where possible. Until a year or so ago,�
FidoNet was not considered a ``real'' network, whatever that is.�
Part of it was simple snootiness, but a big part was simply that�
we sprung up from a place no one was expecting, and even when the�
wilder of the ``traditional network'' bunch looked in the right�
direction, they weren't sure of exactly what it was they were�
seeing\dots you have to admit we are a curious bunch.

People don't just ``build'' networks. They are expensive, take�
all that expensive minicomputer hardware, and who takes care of�
all those user accounts? What user accounts?! Where's your VAX?�
Hey wait a minute\dots 

\interrupt

Some INTERNET nodes specialize in FTP'able (filereqestable)�
files; utilities, documents, that sort of thing, just like�
FidoNet nodes do. One specialized in~.GIF picture files,�
including some of variously erotic content. The (government)�
sponsors of the net (in keeping with the current censorious�
trend) ordered the stuff ``off''. The Finnish offered to take the�
files, where they quickly became 70\% of the traffic\dots and�
indication of their U.S. popularity.

Then the feds (I forget the branch) told the Fins: if you�
continue to provide those files to the U.S., we will cut all of�
your network connections. The Fins had no choice; survival comes�
first.

\interrupt

The Hackers Conference was in a ski-lodge in Tahoe City, starting�
Friday afternoon, ending Sunday afternoon. Sleep optional. Dinner�
served at midnight. (Us vegetarian types had to sludge through�
greasy sauce-laden meat and such. Where ``mint tea'' is some grim�
lipton-clone where I swear they simply held a mint-leaf over the�
mixing vat\dots)\plainmargintext{I seem to be insulting our hosts�
here, which was not the intent. These things are more like�
organically chaotic than rigidly organized. Oh well.}

After the usual preliminaries (beer, M\&M's, 10,000 ``hello''s,�
finding rooms, etc) the fun begins -- a 48 hr long bullshit�
session, interrupted with food, sleep and occasional 
not-well-organized\margintext{} ``sessions''.

In one of the bigger sessions, someone asked ``how many people�
had been interviewed recently by the FBI?'' Fully 1/4th raised�
their hands.

\interrupt

The FidoNet is nothing if not contradictions -- independent,�
unpredictable, paranoid, decentralist, self\dash sufficient,�
flexible, reactionary, technically so\-phis\-ti\-cated\dots Some�
wonder how we get anything done. I wonder how anyone ELSE gets�
things done!

What appears to be a liability to the ``rest of the world'', our�
``lack of organization'', lack of resources (90's code word for�
money) may be our long-term survival and later cause for�
rejoicing.

Corporate ``resources'' don't come without strings, as the�
usenet\margintext{Aargh. uucp I mean.} may be about to find out.�
This past weekend, that bastion of liberalism (well, liberal�
capitalism; well, capitalism) Apple Computer just pulled the plug�
on the alt.sex.* newsgroups. (Their equiv.~of echo conferences;�
``.*'' means just what you DOS users might guess; it's a lot of�
conferences!) (Apple was a very big ``backbone'' distribution�
node.) Why? ``Too controversial'' or some such. I'm sure it's a�
``good reason''. And of course they can do it, just like that. It�
is not unthinkable it will start a ``run'' on plug-pulling. 

Before we get too snooty ourselves, we have to keep in mind that�
we are just as vulnerable, maybe more so -- we don't have the�
resources to defend ourselves, nor the connections (yet) to the�
network community (though thanks to Tim Pozar we have ufgate�
(usenet\margintext{\dots}/fidonet gateway) and INTERNET status).�
WE NEED THOSE TO SURVIVE. And we can do it while maintaining our�
utter and complete independence. And, the INTERNET will learn�
from us.

\interrupt

To a few people, the high number of (ahem) interviewees was not a�
surprise. Mitch Kapor and John Barlow both had funny (if it was�
fiction) and foreboding (because of the feds power and ignorance)�
``interviews''. The story is quite interesting, and was available�
on The Well and in print. To make a long story short, they have�
formed the EFF -- Electronic Frontier Foundation -- to defend�
First, (protected speech) and Fourth, (unreasonable�
search/seizure) Constitutional Amendments, as well to monitor�
ECPA (Electronic Communications Privacy Act) and other�
violations, and to work with legislators to work out fair laws.

What was most heartening to me, was the approach -- instead of�
defending only the ``nice, upstanding'', positive-image type�
cases, they went for the real issues -- the kids and families�
getting busted at gun point by the feds, where literally every�
piece of electronics removed from the house, no recourse, no�
reason, no charges filed. The Niedorff case, where the claimed�
\$70K ``stolen file'' is found to be a brochure available to�
anyone for under \$14. (And the press still calls it ``stolen 911�
software''.) Steve Jackson Games; computers seized because an�
employee allegedly had on his home BBS a copy of the E911 doc�
(they were confused as to the location of the BBS; they later�
claimed that S.J.'s cyberpunk games (role playing like Dungeons�
\& Dragons) were actually instructions on how to break into 
real-life computers!)

In another case, the FBI thought that (1) John Draper (aka Cap'n�
Crunch) was CEO of AutoDesk and (2) AutoDesk was involved in Star�
Wars research, because they worked with something called�
``hyperspace''. Yup -- it's hilarious, only they have guns,�
secrecy, bureaucracy and the power to evade legal process and�
accountability. And, you get hung in the press because their�
version of ``reality'' is so\dots heavy.

It is so rare to find someone who acts ``from the heart'' in�
their life, politics and actions, willing to put reputations at�
stake and correctly defend the ``undefendable'' first, not last.�
I have nothing but good things to say about EFF and it's�
supporters.

\interrupt

This years FidoCon should be the best one yet. I'm actually�
looking forward to going, a rare event. (I'll drive out in my�
propane-powered '63 Rambler.) John Barlow, now of EFF fame, will�
be speaking. And you ought to listen -- not only is he an�
interesting speaker (and lyricist for the Grateful Dead!), the�
subject is Your Personal Future -- our governments actions�
against all too ordinary citizens, and what the EFF is doing, and�
what you can do as well.

We all went through some internal hell these last few years, of�
which the growth and death of IFNA was merely a symptom. Look --�
the FidoNet doubled in size every few months for years, and is�
still growing at a rate that is completely, bar-none,�
unprecedented. How many of you have broad-based communications�
skills or experience? How many of you had telecomm.~and/or�
conferencing experience before FidoNet? Simple experiences of�
speaking in a large group of diverse people? And I mean as in�
communications with humans, not hacking. Very few of us, I'm�
afraid, and while it's been a serious problem, it (1) affords us�
a fresh perspective and (2) simply something we have to deal�
with. The fun is in the learning.

I think we are heading for the fourth phase of FidoNet growth�
(innocent start, echomail, paranoid self-consciousness, \dots).�
The timing is good -- we have some real work cut out for us.

\interrupt

So this year's Hackers Conference was different. How? Finally�
they reached my level of paranoia. There was an edge of stark�
reality in the air. A bit more tied to the planet.

Personally, it completed a circle. Now, every single thing I'm�
involved in is officially disliked and under investigation and�
infiltration by police of one sort or another. I think those that�
though ``well, you must have somehow brought it on yourself'' are�
starting to see, it's not like that at all\dots

\interrupt

By the way -- you might have heard about the nonsense at Prodigy�
-- the idiotic administrators using broad scale censorship�
(correct word) to squash dissent. What you probably don't know --�
because the reports themselves were self-censored -- was that the�
original discussion, purged by Prodigy, was over gay rights and�
anything to do with gay people. This is what Prodigy claimed was�
``offensive material''.

Shame, shame, on the so-called liberal types who in their turn�
did not report that. It was not simply not including the gay�
angle; it was intentionally removed, a very different thing.�
Everyone suffers from that removal.

\interrupt

(1) The usenet\margintext{\dots} is our ally. We need as many�
interconnections with it, and other networks, as is reasonably�
possible. We are all under attack. Besides, it's technically�
interesting.

(2) Don't fall for what Pastor Martin Niemoller did; (``In�
Germany they first came for the Communists and I didn't speak�
because I wasn't a Communist\dots'') We're all ``commies'' in�
that sense -- the [attacks upon] brat hackers are simply the thin�
edge of the wedge. Criminals are criminals -- which is decided in�
a court of law, not with a sealed search warrant and�
intimidation.

(3) Watch for EFF stuff in the net, or contact them directly. EFF�
Inc, 112 Second St, Cambridge MA 02142. voice (617)\dash 864\dash�
0665, or usenet eff@well.sf.ca.us Bug 'em for an echo�
conference\margintext{Which is now available from my node.}. Tell�
'em you are from the FidoNet. 

(4) The First Conference on Computers, Freedom \& Privacy will be�
held 25 - 28 March 91 at the SFO Marriott. The goal is to open�
channels of communication between network and telecomm experts,�
info/datacomm providers, law enforcement, prosecutors,�
constitutional exports, computer users and civil libertarians.�
Attendance will be limited to 600 people. The event is sponsored�
by Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, and chaired�
by Jim Warren (of West Coast Computer Faire [fame], amongst other�
notorieties). CFPconf, 345 Swett Rd, Woodside CA 94062, FAX�
(415)\dash 851\dash 2814, or usenet jwarren@well.sf.ca.us

\interrupt

{\narrower
It is of more importance to the community that innocence should�
be protected than it is that guilt should be punished, for guilt�
and crimes are so frequent in the world that all of them cannot�
be punished, and many times they happen in such a manner that it�
is not of much consequence to the public whether they are�
punished or not. But when innocence itself is brought to the bar�
and condemned, especially to die, the subject will exclaim, ``It�
is immaterial to me whether I behave well or ill, for virtue is�
no security''. And if such sentiment as this should take place in�
the mind of the subject there would be an end to all security�
whatsoever.\par

\hbox to\bigcol{\hfil\it -- John Adams}

}
