From: frantz@netcom.com (Bill Frantz)
Date: Tue, 11 Jun 1996 12:35:02 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: InfoWar and a.r.s
Message-ID: <199606102213.PAA28725@netcom7.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


It seems to me we are seeing an example of Information Warfare in the
doings around alt.religion.scientology.  The board game "Go" models warfare
by having a goal of controlling territory.  In the a.r.s war, we see the
combatants trying to control the newsgroup.  We even see an arms race with
weapons such as cancelbots being developed and employed.

The major difference between newsgroup war and conventional war is that the
dimension a victor needs to control is time and not space.

One question to ponder is whether the a.r.s war will perform the same role
as the Spanish Civil War vs. WW2.  Will we see newsgroup war expand to
other news groups?  I would think a few of the .culture.* groups could be
candidates.


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