On Thu, Jun 10, 2004 at 05:27:35PM +1200, Ewen McNeill wrote:
I actually didn't suggest a WOF/license for driving on the Internet (this time -- although I do actually think it's a good idea).
Seems to me that's what you are saying. I know many geeks think this idea is a good way to manage the net.
What I suggested was that those who have allowed systems they own to become unsafe/damaged so that they cause harm to others should be made responsible for that harm.
Sounds like a internet WOF to me.
And it doesn't seem like needless legislation to me. It's not _my_ systems (or any of the ones I'm responsible for administering) which are sending thousands of spam messages, viruses, worms, to machines across the world. I just get to receive thousands of them a day via all these machines of people who are not taking responisbility for the systems they're connecting to a common resource (viz, the Internet).
Maybe we should say the same thing about people who don't get their flu shots? Legislation wont fix this problem. At the end of the day, ISPs will still have to enforce it. If they are not doing it now why will they suddenly decide to do it tomorrow? We all know that a law like this will have so many loop-holes that small ISPs might be forced to take action, but large ISPs (Xtra?) will ignore it, and as a result probably end up with people leaving the smaller ISPs. The thing is, with roads the government controls access. If you dont have a WOF or drivers license. Eventually you go to jail if you wont act as a responsible driver/car owner. The government can only regulate the roads of the (local) internet via impossing rules on ISPs. There are no public internet cops or traffic wardens, who can pull you over, then take you to jail on the spot. ISPs own private roads. Its better they regulate it themselves. Lets not give the government another thing to control.
Simply persuading someone to take responsibility for the never-been-patched, installed-stuff-at-random, insecure-OS-design boxes would dramatically reduce the problem.
Personally I feel a reasonable responibility lies with the vendors who supply unsecure software. That however is an arguement for another day. Finally, any local political solution is not going to help us against spam from oversea. Nicholas