From: Jane Jefferson <gotagun@liii.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 17:40:37 -0800 (PST)
To: Ray Arachelian <sunder@brainlink.com>
Subject: Re: Dr. Vulis' social engineering experiment
Message-ID: <199701210140.RAA25601@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Also Sprach Adam Back:
> 
> It is my belief
> that his posts can only be understood in a "meta" sense -- he is
> engaged in a highly complex cryptographic experiment.  People who read
> and respond to his individual posts are the unwitting subjects in his
> experiments.  His posts and the responses to them are actually the
> data-set for a thorough cryptanalysis of mailing list threats.  His
> current topic under investigation is Denial of Service (DoS) attacks
> on mailing lists.

I agree that this is what is being done, but the experiment dorsn't have
as much to do with cryptanalysis as much as it has to do with sociology. 
 The limits here are not mathematical and static, they are social and
based on the limits of tolerance of both the group and the individual. 

> I await with interest the last phases of Dimitri's experiment, when
> the cypherpunks list becomes a moderated forum.

That appears to be the main brunt of his efforts, to "push the envelope"
of free speech in order to force it's definition. Perhaps to exhibit
the necessity for a controlling authority, and thus justify the existence
of the various agencies which are trying to control the flow of 
information in this country and elsewhere. 

> I hope Dimitri's selfless efforts in furthering understanding of DoS
> attacks on mailing lists is properly acknowledged when he publishes
> his findings on completion of his experiments.  I also hope that
> Dimitri will document his recommendations for mailing list
> configuration and management in light of his experiments.
 
I would not say that what he is doing is a bit selfless, the Clipper
Chip crowd are probably lining his pockets in a big way. That's 
acknowledgement enough for me. :-/ 
 
"In peacetime, a warlike man sets upon himself." -- Nietzsche

-- 
Marcus: "They'll try to kill you."         |
Xena: "Oh, I still have a few tricks       | "Here we GO!!!" 
       left up my sleeve...I don't         |           -- Jane's Addiction
       have any sleeves!" -- Xena bloopers |