NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #3/NN_1993_3.iso/spool/alt/comp/acadfre/talk/4039

Internet Message Format | 1993-01-27 | 2.4 KB

Xref: sparky alt.comp.acad-freedom.talk:4039 comp.org.eff.talk:9281
Path: sparky!uunet!gumby!wupost!cobra.dra.com!sean
From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: alt.comp.acad-freedom.talk,comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: The Schedule of Classes
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 27 Jan 93 13:28:44 CST
References: <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>
Organization: Data Research Associates, Inc.
Lines: 34

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Wes Morgan) writes:
> No, that isn't quite right (as I understand it).  According to Eric's
> announcement, he was told by the Registrar that they did not want copies
> floating around without updates.  They restricted access because it could
> not <or would not> be properly maintained/updated.  There's a BIG difference.

Why should the Registrar be able to exert more control over access to the
electronic version of the class schedule than the old paper form of
the schedule?  Or more generally, why should any government entity be able
to assert more control over the electronic form of the information than
other forms such as paper?

Prior to INFOCAL did the Berkeley registrar use to refuse to give out paper
copies of the class schedule because it might have gotten out-of-date?  Did
the university discipline a student for making "unauthorized" use of a
university copier machine for making copies of the paper class schedule?  What
if that university copier was one used by the public to copy a wide variety
of material?  (I haven't actually seen an INFOCAL terminal, so I don't know
whether to consider more like a copier inside a university office, or one
of the public copiers around campus).

Eric's release of an electronic version of the class schedule is not a
punishable offense (and isn't what the university reprimanded him for).
Whether the punishment actually fits the crime, or is it an excuse to
punish him for making the registrar mad depends?  For example, does
Berkeley have a consistently applied policy of reprimanding students
for unplugging university equipment?  For example, in their computer
labs do they issue letters of reprimand to students for unplugging a
printer from one of the computers, and plugging it into a different
computer?

--
Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO
Domain: [e-mail], Voice: (Work) [phone]