101 lines
5.9 KiB
Prolog
101 lines
5.9 KiB
Prolog
:-------------------------------:
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: MUST WE DECLARE AN ELECTRONIC :
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: DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE? :
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DO YOU WANT TO BE FORCED, BY ACT OF LAW, TO BECOME AN ELECTRONIC STOOL
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PIGEON? DO YOU WANT TO BE HELD LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT ANYONE WHO DIALS
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UP YOUR PERSONAL COMPUTER SAYS IN A MESSAGE LEFT UPON IT? DO YOU WANT TO BE
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SPIED UPON BY COMPUTER-OWNING FRIENDS MADE PARANOIC BY DIAL-UP POLICE?
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A TERRIBLY IMPORTANT ISSUE IS ABOUT TO BE PRESENTED BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
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TO A CALIFORNIA COURT. THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE FELT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
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IT INVOLVES NO LESS THAN WHETHER FREEDOM OF SPEECH WILL SURVIVE INTO THE AGE OF
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INFORMATION.
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THE IMMEDIATE CASE INVOLVES THE GRIM, AND FRIGHTENING, DETERMINATION OF A
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LARGE CORPORATION, PACIFIC TELEPHONE & TELEGRAPH COMPANY, TO PROSECUTE A LOS
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ANGELES CITIZEN, TOM TCIMPIDIS, FOR THE APPEARANCE IN HIS PERSONAL
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NON-COMERCIAL COMPUTER "BULLETIN-BOARD" OF A MESSAGE PLACED THERE BY AN
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UNIDENTIFIED CALLER WHICH CONTAINED THE NUMBER OF A TELEPHONE COMPANY CREDIT
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CARD. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER THAT THE EXISTANCE OF THE MESSAGE IN HIS
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COMPUTER - AMONG HUNDREDS OF MESSAGES LEFT THERE BY OTHER CALLERS - WAS UNKNOWN
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TO MR. TCIMPIDIS UNTIL BROUGHT TO HIS ATTENTION BY PACTEL GUMSHOES HUNTING FOR
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CREDIT CARD THIEVES. AND IT HASN'T SEEMED TO BOTHER ANYBODY THAT IF MR.
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TCIMPIDIS COULD HAVE INTERCEPTED THE MESSAGE BY DILIGENT REVIEW, SO COULD HAVE
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THE TELEPHONE COMPANY OVER WHOSE LINES IT FIRST TRAVELLED. AND NEVER MIND THAT
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MR. TCIMPIDIS IS A LAW ABIDING, RESPONSIBLE, 34 YEAR OLD ENGINEER WITH NO
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HISTORY OF, OR SYMPATHY FOR, ILLEGAL USE OF COMPUTERS. HE ONLY OWNS A FRIENDLY
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COMPUTER WHICH CAN BE DIALED UP BY THOSE WHO WANT TO SOCIALIZE ELECTRONICALLY.
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NO, THE TELEPHONE COMPANY - IN ITS HEAVY-HANDED FRUSTRATION AT NOT BEING ABLE
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TO CATCH, DIRECTLY, ENOUGH CREDIT CARD THIEVES WHO ABUSE COMPUTER
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COMMUNICATIONS, WANTS TO IMPRESS INNOCENT MR. TCIMPIDIS INTO U#MING FOR THEM
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AS A COMPUTER SPY AND TO SEARCH FOR, DELETE OR REPORT ILLEGAL MESSAGES ON HIS
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SYSTEM THAT AFFECTS THEIR BUSINESS, AND THROUGH THE EXAMPLE THEY MAKE OF HIM TO
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BLACKMAIL ALL OTHER COMPUTER OWNERS INTO BECOMING EITHER COMPUTER VIGILANTES OR
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ELECTRONIC STOOL PIGEONS. IT IS A BLATANT ASSAULT ON THE SENSE OF
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RESPONSIBILITY OF ORDINARY CITIZENS AND A CHILLING DISREGARD FOR THE NECESSITY
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OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN THE ERA WHERE PERSONAL COMPUTERS WILL BE USED AS
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NATURALLY BY INDIVIDUALS FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND FREE ASSEMBLY AS TELEPHONES AND
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MEETING PLACES ARE USED NOW.
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THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INFORMATION ENTERED INTO A PRIVATE
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COMPUTER NETWORK AND THAT PRINTED IN BROADCAST MEDIA, SUCH AS A NEWSPAPER, FOR
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EXAMPLE. EDITORS CAN BE HELD LIABLE FOR WHAT IS PUBLISHED SINCE THEY MUST
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CONSCIOUSLY APPROVE EVERY WORD PRINTED. ON PERSONAL COMPUTER NETWORKS MOST OF
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THE WORDS ARE PLACED THERE BY CASUAL CALLERS, JUST AS MESSAGES ARE LEFT ON
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TELEPHONE TAPE ANSWERING MACHINES. TO HOLD THE OWNER OF SUCH A SYSTEM
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RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UTTERANCES OF ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CALLERS IS LIKE
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PROSECUTING A HOME OWNER FOR WHAT GUESTS IN THE LIVING ROOM MAY SAY THAT IS
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ILLEGAL WHILE THE HOST IS IN THE KITCHEN.
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THESE LARGER ISSUES OF ELECTRONIC FREEDOM SHOULD CONCERN EVERY AMERICAN.
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WE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE OWNERS OF SMALL COMPUTERS -
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WHICH TODAY INCLUDES DOCTORS, LAWYERS, BANKERS, CONGRESSMEN, EDUCATORS, CLERGY,
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JOURNALISTS, THE YOUNG AND OLD, AND WHICH ALSO COUNTS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
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THE SAME PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO HOOK THEIR COMPUTER TO THEIR TELEPHONE TO
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CREATE BETTER WAYS TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS, WANT TO ALERT THE
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NON-TELECOMPUTING PUBLIC TO THE FRIGHTENING POSSIBILITIES OF THE ABRIDGMENT OF
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FREEDOM OF SPEECH BY THOSE WHO WOULD - AND ALWAYS HAVE IN THE PAST - BEEN
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WILLING TO USE CRIMINAL LAWS TO INTIMIDATE THE INNOCENT IN PURSUIT OF THE
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GUILTY. ONLY TOTALITARIAN SOCIETIES CONDONE THE USE OF SUCH TECHNIQUES.
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TELEPHONE COMPANIES CERTAINLY HAVE A PROBLEM IN STOLEN CREDIT CARDS. WE
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SHOULD HELP THEM SOLVE THAT PROBLEM IN THE WAY CITIZENS HAVE ALWAYS DEALT WITH
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PUBLIC CRIME IN FREE SOCIETIES - BY VOLUNTARILY REPORTING IT, OR DISUADING
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OTHERS FROM ENGAGING IN IT WHEN WE ENCOUNTER IT. BUT WE SHOULD RISE UP AND
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RESIST ANY EFFORT OF POWERFUL COMPANIES PRESSURING GOVERNMENT BODIES INTO
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COMPELLING US UNDER LEGAL THREAT OF PUNISHMENT TO SPY ON ELECTRONIC
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ACQUAINTANCES, SUSPECT ALL COMPUTER CONVERSATIONS, OR BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR
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THE ACTS OF KEYBOARD VAGRANTS PASSING THROUGH OUR ELECTRONIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
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THAT WOULD TRUELY USHER IN THE ORWELLIAN NIGHTMARE.
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COMPUTER LITERACY CAN NO LONGER BE LIMITED TO DISCUSSIONS OF PROGRAMMING,
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PERFORMANCE, AND PRICES. IT NOW MUST INVOLVE THE UNDERSTANDING BY DISTRICT
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ATTORNEYS, JUDGES, JURIES, LAWMAKERS AND ORDINARY CITIZENS EVERYWHERE OF THE
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IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR MOST PRECIOUS CIVIL LIBERTIES OF CASES INVOLVING THESE
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UBIQUITOUS SILICON INSTRUMENTS. THESE TOOLS OF THE MIND HOLD A GREATER PROMISE
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OF BRINGING US CLOSER TO THE IDEALS OF INDIVIDUAL LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE
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PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, SOUGHT BY THE FOUNDERS OF THIS REPUBLIC THAN ANY TOOL
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INVENTED BEFORE OR SINCE. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST OWNER OF
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A MICROCOMPUTER. THOMAS JEFFERSON WOULD HAVE WRITTEN THE DECLARATION OF
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INDEPENDENCE ON A WORD PROCESSOR. TOM PAINE WOULD HAVE FIRST PUBLISHED HIS
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'COMMON SENSE' ON A LOCAL COMPUTER BULLETIN-BOARD. ELECTRONIC DEMOCRACY IS
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BOUND TO BE BOISTEROUS AND UNTIDY, AND ATTRACT COMMON CROOKS IN ITS EXCITING
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INFANCY. BUT I DON'T WANT ANY LEGAL RED COATS CARRYING OUT THE
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SPEECH-SUPRESSING WISHES OF CORPORATE KINGS GEORGE IN THE NAME OF LAW AND ORDER
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AGAINST WE CITIZENS OF THE COMPUTER AGE SO LONG AS I HAVE A CURSOR WITH WHICH
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TO OPPOSE THEM.
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PASS THE WORD, MODEM MINUTEMEN! AMERICANS MUST HAVE FREEDOM OF ELECTRONIC
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SPEECH!
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DAVID R HUGHES
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SYSOP
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THE OLD COLORADO CITY
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ELECTRONIC COTTAGE
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