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Hal · August 4, 1999, 05:06 AM

longhair,
Big Brother? Naw, we are guests in Rich's back yard, and as such he has every right to know who we are. Logging IP addresses is really no big deal, no more so than cookies. I view the logging of IP addresses in much the same fasion as a retailer asking for a zip code at the check out. Now OTOH, if the DOJ, FBI or Whitehouse.gov were to log IP addresses, I would have a major problem with that. Although TFL is a public forum, it is still a private site, and as a private site, Rich is responsible to his ISP and his ISP is in turn responsible to the trunk line provider for the content. Usually ISP's use a firewall to restrict access to their servers from the outside. For example, your ISP, arkansas.net has a class C address of 208.133.27.XXX. 208.133.27.XXX is also the registered address of acmebank.com. If someone in the same domain as you were to come into the forum, hit it and run, the only recourse left open to the ISP is to block all access from 208.133.27.XXX. You would be denied access because of some scumbag. Logging would help determine the last octet of the address, the .XXX, which would go a long way to help figure out who owned that octet at what time. (These are dynamic addresses and handed out or leased to users on a first come, first served basis, but their assignments are kept track of by Your isp, not TFL or TFL's provider.) Now, logging will do nothing to prevent a determined individual from doing anything, but it will keep the minor annoyers at bay, a lot like a burgler alarm system does. It just raises the price of mayhem vs the return on the investment.TFL is a lot like the neighborhood watering hole. People know you by your "face" and "nickname", and you can say you are "Lars from Mars" for all anyone (patrons) care, but the bartender has every right to "card" you. Most public forums are pretty open, a few use IP logging to determine demographics for marketing reasons, and a few more use IP logging as a means of deterent to hit and run tactics. I use a handle and a hotmail address, but have no qualms about giving my name and main e-mail address to any moderator or adminstrator of TFL, but that is where it stops, name and e-mail address, so far no one has asked. Big Brother wants the names and address of people that gather in a public park, the local barkeep just wants to cover his behind. Big difference. TFL is not public property, but is more like a sidewalk. Anyone can use it, you as the homeowner are responsible for what happens to the users of the sidewalk even though you don't own it.

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August 4, 1999, 05:06 AM	#5
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	longhair, Big Brother? Naw, we are guests in Rich's back yard, and as such he has every right to know who we are. Logging IP addresses is really no big deal, no more so than cookies. I view the logging of IP addresses in much the same fasion as a retailer asking for a zip code at the check out. Now OTOH, if the DOJ, FBI or Whitehouse.gov were to log IP addresses, I would have a major problem with that. Although TFL is a public forum, it is still a private site, and as a private site, Rich is responsible to his ISP and his ISP is in turn responsible to the trunk line provider for the content. Usually ISP's use a firewall to restrict access to their servers from the outside. For example, your ISP, arkansas.net has a class C address of 208.133.27.XXX. 208.133.27.XXX is also the registered address of acmebank.com. If someone in the same domain as you were to come into the forum, hit it and run, the only recourse left open to the ISP is to block all access from 208.133.27.XXX. You would be denied access because of some scumbag. Logging would help determine the last octet of the address, the .XXX, which would go a long way to help figure out who owned that octet at what time. (These are dynamic addresses and handed out or leased to users on a first come, first served basis, but their assignments are kept track of by Your isp, not TFL or TFL's provider.) Now, logging will do nothing to prevent a determined individual from doing anything, but it will keep the minor annoyers at bay, a lot like a burgler alarm system does. It just raises the price of mayhem vs the return on the investment.TFL is a lot like the neighborhood watering hole. People know you by your "face" and "nickname", and you can say you are "Lars from Mars" for all anyone (patrons) care, but the bartender has every right to "card" you. Most public forums are pretty open, a few use IP logging to determine demographics for marketing reasons, and a few more use IP logging as a means of deterent to hit and run tactics. I use a handle and a hotmail address, but have no qualms about giving my name and main e-mail address to any moderator or adminstrator of TFL, but that is where it stops, name and e-mail address, so far no one has asked. Big Brother wants the names and address of people that gather in a public park, the local barkeep just wants to cover his behind. Big difference. TFL is not public property, but is more like a sidewalk. Anyone can use it, you as the homeowner are responsible for what happens to the users of the sidewalk even though you don't own it. ------------------ Want to feel your age?Check it out. http://web.superb.net/boy/age1.html