For the past few weeks, I have been HTML-annotating various FAQs
(which I authored) for the WWW's general consumption. I had intended to
archive these on ftoomsh, where they can be regularly accessed by
the hundreds or thousands of people in Australia and around the world
who use them as references. (These HTML FAQs are scheduled for completion
by Friday.) In addition, I am also responsible for a couple of ftoomsh-based
mailing lists with a large international base - it is TOTALLY unacceptable
that these be down for any lengthy period of time.
By Friday at the latest, I fully expect ftoomsh's connection to the outside
world to be up and running, more or less permanently. If it is not, a great
deal of people will be inconvenienced, and I will be very unhappy.
This "solution" of castrating ftoomsh because of the actions of
a couple of newbies is utterly ridiculous, and must be instantly
reversed. Acceptable use policies exist precisely so that the link
to the outside world can function without being jeapordised by a tiny
minority of irresponsible children. (Any infringements should be
dealt with seriously; I would say expulsion from progsoc and permanent
loss of the account, for starters, with legal authorities being informed for
repeat offenders.)
The whole aim of progsoc, for those who do not or cannot remember, was
to provide a net-connected machine for the use and self-education of its
members. Progsoc leaders who confound this goal should stand aside
immediately, as Mr. Fitzhardinge suggested.
-- Iain Sinclair c/- axolotl@nospam.socs.uts.edu.au