From: joshua geller <joshua@cae.retix.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 94 07:07:01 PDT
To: mcable@Emerald.tufts.edu
Subject: Re: Internet Relay Chat
Message-ID: <199404261406.HAA03192@sleepy.retix.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



> On Mon, 25 Apr 1994 rishab@dxm.ernet.in wrote:

> > I've noticed some discussions of IRC (Internet Relay Chat), both as a possible
> > model for CP interactions, as well as a location for implementations of 
> > BlackNet (in #wares, etc.)
> > 
> > Note that IRC, unlike MUDS, has been designed to ensure 'true-names'. While
> > you do use nicknames, anyone can find out the machine name and user ID you are
> > logged in from, with a /whois. Anytime you join or leave a channel, your full
> > machine name and user ID is displayed to everyone, along with your nick. This
> > is different from any (possibly pseudonymous) e-mail address you register for
> > incoming mail.
> 
> Fraid not....it's a trivial matter to fake the username, and if yer a 
> smart cookie, faking the hostname is just as easy.

as far as I know, you have to hack the server to fake hostname.

historically this practice has been frowned upon by the majority
of IRC administrators.

but yes, faking username is trivial.

josh