Re: LYNX-DEV Restricting MAIL in LYNX

[Al Gilman]

  From: address@hidden
  Subject: LYNX-DEV Restricting MAIL in LYNX

       We've been having a problem with Lynx. We are a library network
  serving a large area and on our Alpha running OpenVMS 6.2, we have
  Lynx 2-5 (running with a great many restrictions) out for library
  patrons. A very few of these people have used Lynx to send
  objectionable EMAIL messages, the last of which (that I know about)
  was sent to this list; and, believe me, I am very sorry about that. I
  know we can include MAIL among the -restrictions, but we do want these
  people to be able to send EMAIL under most circumstances. We also have
  a project in the works that would identify the sender of an
  objectionable message; but some of the people in this network think
  that's excessively draconian. Does anybody have any other idea as to
  what we could do? We would be VERY grateful for any and all replies.
  Thanks. 

Since the difference between objectionable and unobjectionable messages
lies in their content,

        - your problem is a general problem for all outgoing email
        and not peculiar to lynx.

        - there is no particular lynx-technical approach to addressing
        the problem caused by people abusing the email access that
        you give them.

That's why I am not copying the list on this response; the problem
is real but has nothing much to do with lynx and lynx-dev.

You should consult the appropriate-use literature of the Internet
and the terms-of-service documents of some commercial and free
Internet Service Providers.

For my personal opinion:

The Library has full moral and legal justification in defining
the services it is offering.  Just because it attempts to provide
a "public" service does not mean that it owes random vandals
equipment and services to allow them to abuse other people's
email inboxes.  You should make it clear that

        - The library is providing this service so that library
        users can get information.  Behavior not necessary to
        obtaining information may be curtailed as necessary to better
        serve those who are using the Library resources for this purpose.

        - The library makes no offer of anonymity to users of
        the library email connection.  The library demands that
        users be willing to identify themselves truthfully as a
        condition of using the email connection.

When I was a kid, the surest way to get thrown out of the library
was to be noisy.  It was the one place in my life where you 
always had to be quiet.  Even more than in church.

Enforcing minimal standards of civility on how people use the
library email capability is very much like enforcing courtesy
for those who want to concentrate on what they are reading and
ignore the many readers around them.

-- Al Gilman 

PS: not to worry about the odd acting-out message here and there
(as far as any impact on our list).