Re: A Note to the FAQ Keeper (was Re: Nathan does it again!)

[pfg@yallara.cs.rmit.EDU.AU (Paul Francis Gilbert)]

skaratso@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (Stavros Robert Karatsoridis) writes:

>Nathan Mates (nathan@visi.com) wrote:

>:    Geez, has the whole newsgroup lost reading ability? I say quite
>: clearly why some domains are out-- friends of Turkey. And specifically
>: as to why for execpc, there was a certain pirate software archive put
>: up by an exec user a few weeks ago that has at least been pulled, but
>: I've yet to see a public apology from the person who went out and
>: blatantly hurt software developers, who refuses to acknowledge piracy
>: is a problem, and that they're wrong.

>I understand why you've done this. But, isn't there a way to block
>specific users from the domain in question, or do you have to block
>out an entire domain, even though you're cutting access to a few
>people who don't have anything to do with the guilty parties
>(whether they're aware of it or not)

>Stavros

As I understand it [and I admit my understanding is basic], under standard
HTTP and CGI-BIN type retrieval, it's impossible to determine who is
specifically accessing a web site, only their domain (since it is the
domain's HTTP server that makes the requests to the website for the user).

However, with the newer Web languages (Java/Script and VB/Script), it is
actually possible to obtain a user's name. I was reading an article in the
August Dr Dobbs Journal, which mentioned VB Script, and said that one of
the available server ActiveX components supports getting the users name for
storing preferences for the user on the server. Theoretically this could
be also utilised to obtain the username and block access to certain people
using a list.

In any case, in this case it's academic... Nathan is breaking the rules by
1) discriminating, 2) Not posting the full FAQ in ASCII form to the newsgroup
periodically as he is *REQUIRED* to as a FAQ maintainer, and 3) not posting
a full ascii version to NEWS.ANSWERS.

And a set of pointers to a web-site can not, by any scretch of language, be
considered a FAQ in it's own right. It's not... anymore than you can call
a phone-exchange system a telephone.


>: Nathan Mates

>: --
>: <*> Nathan Mates http://www.visi.com/~nathan/      <*>
>: # This posting is copyright Nathan Mates, and may not be reprinted
>: # in full, partial, or quoted form on any archive site associated with
>: # Charles Turley. 

--
Paul Gilbert           | pfg@yallara.cs.rmit.edu.au
Bach App Sci, Bach Eng | The opinions expressed are my own, all my own, and
Year 4, RMIT Melbourne | as such will contain no references to small furry
Australia	       | creatures from Alpha Centauri.