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1995-01-03
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Date: Sat, 26 June 1993 11:12:19 CDT
From: CuD Moderators <tk0jut2@mvs.cso.niu.edu>
Subject: File 1--Squelching the Rumor of the CuD ftp Sites
We have received a number of queries in the past few days regarding
the future of the /cud directory and files on the CuD ftp site at
ftp.eff.org. The rumors focused on three basic "facts:" 1) The EFF
has removed all PHRACKS because of complaints from teleco and other
corporations; 2) The /pub/cud directory will be removed because it
does not coincide with the EFF mandate; 3) The EFF continues to sell
out by distancing itself from its original constituency.
These RUMORS are FALSE!
HERE ARE THE FACTS:
1) PHRACK will be removed for economic reasons. Mitch Kapor explains
the drain on EFF's limited resources in the following post, but the
bottom line is that the EFF pays $1,000 a month to make it available
to the public.
2) The /pub/cud directory *WILL NOT* be removed. We try to place
research articles, theses/dissertations, and other material there as
we obtain them, and the E-'Zines and other documents provide an
excellent resource for scholars, journalists, and students.
3) The EFF has not sold out. As soon as the rumors
began flying in, John Perry Barlow and Mitch Kapor immediately wrote,
expressing considerable concern over the unfounded rumors. Both
recognize the value of the CuD and Comp-Academic-Freedom archives on
the eff.org system, and providing public access to documents not
readily available elsewhere is a continuation of the EFF goal of
making on-line information available to the public. Removing PHRACKS
is not a decision they made lightly, but reducing the costs by
removing one 'Zine readily available elsewhere (it is our
understanding the the CuD shadow sites will continue to carry them)
simply assures that other, less-available documents will continue to
be provided.
There are a few points to keep in mind on this issue:
1) The EFF is under no obligation to provide an ftp site for CuD.
They do it because they feel it provides a number of different points
of view on cyberspace issues. As Mitch points out below, the files in
the /pub/cud directory impose a significant usage burden on the site
and this burden is not free. In a sense, the EFF is paying to provide
net-folk with a service that is unavailable elsewhere.
Perhaps we have all been taking EFF's donation of its system for
public ftp services for granted. While not a highly visible
activity, it nonetheless remains a critically important one.
Now is the time to thank them for their generosity. The CuD
editors receive numerous compliments from those who have found the
files in the cud/pub directory useful. It is EFF, as well as the
shadow sites (and, of course, the Brendan Kehoe and the other
archmeisters listed in the CuD masthead) who deserve the credit.
The generosity of those who provide the space and those who fill it
and keep it well-maintained make the nets a friendlier and more
productive space.
We also appreciate the support of those who wrote expressing
support in case the rumors were true. All of us, from Mitch and
John to the archmeisters and CuD editors are involved in enhancing
information flow out of a sense of voluntaristic service, and the
occasional expressions of support are about the only compensation
we receive.
We can more tangibly support the archives by supporting EFF. The most
obvious way to support them is to join at the relatively low cost of
$20 a year for students or low income, or $40 for regular membership.
In addition to the EFF newsletter, EFF members occasionally receive
"surprises," such as the first issue of Wired and other goodies.
Joining is one way of thanking them for offering their system for an
extensive ftp archive for a growing body of documents. So, if you use
the ftp site, consider sending a few bucks. Whether you agree with all
of their policies or not, we're certain that there is little
disagreement that it's not fair that they provide us all with a
valuable service while we simply leech from it.
You can send your sub to:
Electronic Frontier Foundation
1001 G Street, N.W.
Suite 950 East
Washington, DC 20001
202/347-5400 voice
202/393-5509 fax
EFF's e-mail address is: eff@eff.org
Downloaded From P-80 International Information Systems 304-744-2253