Rape and Abuse of Computer BBS's by Inconsiderate Users August 17, 1990 旼컴쩡컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴쩡컴� � o � � o � � 쿌ll you have to do is dial up, make a connection, browse through � � � o 쿪 couple of menus, check over long lists of available software, � o � � 쿺ake your choices and start downloading. � � � o � -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- � o � � � � � � o � � o � � � .... Exchange of E-Mail between sysop and BBS user: � � � o � � o � � � Well, John, the good news is that the faulty file has been � � � o 쿯ixed but the bad news is that your downloading privileges have � o � � 쿫een revoked. I just went through the last two months of logs � � � o 쿪nd came up with some interesting statistics. During that time � o � � 퀉ou have logged on 23 times, downloaded 66 files and uploaded � � � o 쿙ONE. You have called for chat twice, and left a total of two � o � � 쿺essages on the board, one requesting a specific program and the � � � o 쿽ther informing me of a disk error in a download file. I can � o � � 쿽nly draw the conclusion that you are interested in this board � � � o 쿯or ONE REASON ONLY -- to rape the hell out of the download � o � � 쿺enus. � � � o � I've left plenty of messages regarding PARTICIPATION in the � o � � 쿍BS and the Message Base, but you either haven't read them or � � � o 쿮lse you ignored them. � o � � � � � � o � � o � � � Sorry, but one-way streets just don't hack it around here. � � � o � � o � � � Jim. � � � o � � o � � � Jim, � � � o 쿔 have been taking part in the BBS. Every time I log � o � � 쿽n I read all the new messages. � � � o � � o � � 쿕ohn. � � � o � � o � � � John, � � � o 쿔 just can't help but feel that in all that time you � o � � 쿬ould have at least said "Hi" or "Thanks for the downloads" or � � � o 쿞OMETHING to acknowledge that there's a real live human being on � o � � 퀃his end. Jim. � � � o � -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- � o � � � � � � o � Except for power failures, my computer has been � o � � 쿬ontinually running since Nov. 11, 1982, and has fielded over � � � o �12,000 telephone calls operating as a BBS. Back then, it was � o � � 쿪 joy to be a part of the realm of computer telecommunications � � � o �-- now it's a drag. � o � � � � � � o � It seems to me that a "GIMMEE" attitude has pervaded the whole � o � � 쿪rena of BBSing, with callers interested in nothing more than � � � o 쿺aterial gains in the way of software or free techincal info. � o � � 쿘y board is far from the busiest, being isolated in the "foreign � � � o 쿬ountry" of Montana, but an average day will see about 20 or 25 � o � � 쿬alls to the system. An average day will also see about three � � � o 쿽r four messages (of ALL types, including E-Mail) being posted. � o � � 쿟he typical log entry shows so-and-so logging on, going to the � � � o 쿯ile transfer area, download-ing several files and then logging � o � � 쿽ff. Thanks, that's why I started up a BBS, to supply people � � � o 퀇ith free programs. Really makes my day to see that I've spent � o � � 쿪ll this time and money just to watch pigs at the trough. � � � o � � o � � � Whatever happened to the COMMUNICATIONS in � � � o 퀃elecommunications? Is this the result of the Computer Age, that � o � � 쿾eople don't talk or communicate with each other? Are we getting � � � o 퀂o totally in tune with our equipment that we're excluding � o � � 쿛EOPLE? If so, then Orwell's predictions are tame in comparison � � � o 퀇ith the reality. Who took the BULLETIN BOARD out of Bulletin � o � � 쿍oard System? The file transfer section of my board is shiny � � � o 쿯rom daily use, but the bulletin section is obscured by cobwebs. � o � � 쿟he thought has crossed my mind more than once just to load up � � � o 쿪 host program and let people grab whatever programs look � o � � 쿶nteresting. � � � o � � o � � � -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- � � � o � � o � � �"Do you have a logon code for this system (Y/N) ==> Y" � � � o � � o � � �"What is your account number? 775" � � � o � � o � � �"What is your logon code? PASSWORD" � � � o � � o � � �"INVALID LOGON CODE" � � � o � � o � � �"Do you have a logon code for this system (Y/N) ==> Y <==" � � � o � � o � � �"What is your account number? 305" � � � o � � o � � �"What is your logon code? PASSWORD" � � � o � � o � � 쿮t cetera, ad infinitum et ad nauseam. � � � o � � o � � � Hackers. Or so they'd like to believe. Vandals, pests, � � � o 퀉es. Hackers? They should be so talented, devoted and lucky. � o � � 쿥hy do these computerized delinquents find such delight in trying � � � o 퀃o break into bulletin boards? Don't they realize that sysops � o � � 쿪re ordinary people just like themselves trying to find a little � � � o 쿮njoyment in their hobby? Why pick on me? I'm spending a lot � o � � 쿽f time and money trying to provide people a service for free, � � � o 쿪nd they want to go and spoil it for everyone. � o � � � Heck, if they want onto the system, all they have to do is � � � o 쿪pply for a logon. Why make life difficult for everyone? Leave � o � � 쿺e alone. Go pick on CompuServe. � � � o � -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- � o � � � � � � o � Caller logs on. Leaves E-Mail to a friend. Lines only fill � o � � 쿴alf the screen, so he's probably using a Commodore 64. Goes to � � � o 쿯ile transfer section, and selects UltraTerm protocol. Chooses � o � � 쿪 file that indicates it's a TRS-80 program. BBS goes to send, � � � o 쿴e figures out that he's somewhere he doesn't want to be and � o � � 쿭rops carrier. � � � o � Another caller logs on four times in a row, but keeps losing � o � � 쿬arrier before he can do anything. Probably phreaking on a � � � o 쿬heapie phone service. � o � � � Another caller successfully downloads a file. Sit. Wait. � � � o 쿥ait some more. System eventually times out and drops him. � o � � � � � � o 쿔'm not the most polite person in the world and I'm certainly � o � � 쿻ot one to stand on ceremony, but I am old enough to remember � � � o 퀇hat manners were. They also went down the tubes with � o � � �"communications" and "bulletin boards." Whoops! Dropped � � � o 쿬arrier! So what? If it's a halfway decent system, it'll � o � � 퀁eboot. Well, I'll just go to bed while downloading this long � � � o 쿯ile, the system will eventually throw me off and reboot. � o � � � Never mind that there's other people wanting to call into � � � o 퀃he board. � o � � � Who cares that the sysop climbs the walls when he sees � � � o 퀂omeone drop carrier or time-out on the system? Lately I've � o � � 쿲otten into the habit of dropping carrier ON MY END for the worst � � � o 쿽ffenders. One good hang-up deserves another. � o � � � Along with all the other goodies that have bitten the dust, � � � o 퀃here's good old APPRECIATION. As I mentioned before, my BBS � o � � 쿴as fielded over 12,000 calls. Out of all of them, I have gotten � � � o 쿺aybe a dozen messagessaying "Thanks for running your BBS." � o � � 쿟hat's about one "Thank You" per THOUSAND calls! Unfortunately, � � � o 쿶t seems that people think they have all this automatically � o � � 쿬oming to them. It's their right! Sorry to disillusion anyone, � � � o 쿫ut that just ain't so. The master switch for this system is two � o � � 쿯eet away, and I'm not so decrepit that I can't hit it in a � � � o 쿯lash. Alternatively, I can ban anyone I wish from my system. � o � � 쿎allers use this BBS at my forbearance only, and it's not a � � � o 쿒od-given right. � o � � � It's a sysop-given privilege! I sincerely feel that we � � � o 퀂hould proclaim a "Sysop Appreciation Day." We certainly don't � o � � 쿲et any on a day-to-day basis! � � � o � Don't get me wrong. There ARE joys and benefits in running � o � � 쿪 BBS, although sometimes in my nether moods I'm hard pressed to � � � o 쿮numerate them. But the fact is, there have been many occasions � o � � 퀇hen I've rested my finger on the switch with the idea of going � � � o 쿽ffline forever. � o � � � Now for the moral of the story. I'm only one sysop among � � � o 쿺any, and I'm not trying to evoke sympathy for myself through � o � � 퀃his article. The point is that almost every sysop around has � � � o 퀃hese feelings to some extent or another. And further, most of � o � � 퀃hese sysops (especially the best and most devoted ones) are � � � o 쿲oing to reach a saturation point and wind up depriving the � o � � 쿲eneral public of their services. I foresee a day coming, and � � � o 퀆ery soon at that, when the high quality BBS's will be all gone. � o � � 쿞o all this is really a plea for everyone to shape up their � � � o � acts before it's too late. If nothing else, when you're on � o � � 쿪 bulletin board, leave a little message to the sysop. "Thanks � � � o 쿯or the use of your system" or "Fine BBS you have here." Let � o � � 퀃hem know they're appreciated. When I see a message like that, � � � o 쿔 say to myself, "THAT's why I'm doing all this!" Sysops are � o � � 퀁eal, live human beings with feelings and emotions. Let's start � � � o 퀃reating them as such! � o � � � -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- � � � o � � o � � � EPILOGUE: Twelve hours after the above was written, I find � � � o 쿽ut that one of my best friends (with higher than normal access � o � � 퀃o the system) has allowed a third party to use her logon. � � � o 쿟hat's forbidden for anyone on my BBS to do, but it hurts even � o � � 쿺ore because a valued and trusted friend who should have known � � � o 쿫etter went and did it. That's the final straw. � o � � � � � � o 쿟he Most Significant Byte BBS is no longer in existence. � o � � � � � � o 쿕im Anderson, Ex-Sysop � o � � � � � � o � The Most Significant Byte BBS � o � � � Billings, Montana � � � o � January 13, 1985 � o � � � � � � o � -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- � o � � � � � � o � NOTE: I agree completely with Jim in his above comments, � o � � 쿶f not his action. I find it difficult to comprehend the mind � � � o 쿽f individuals, who take those of us who, through our generosity � o � � 쿪nd good nature, are supplying them, free of charge, this � � � o 퀂ervice. Please note, this attitude of SysOps is spreading and � o � � 쿍BS's around the country are disappearing or getting more � � � o 쿭ifficult to access. I certainly hope this action in tiny � o � � 쿍illings, Montana has some effect on the community of � � � � o 쿬omputerists. Don't abuse a good thing! � o � � � � � � o � Dave Williams, still SysOp � o � � � Magic City BBS � � � o � Billings, MT � o � � � January 13, 1985 � � � o � � o � � � -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- � � � o � � o � � � It's sad, guys, but these guys are right. My best friend � � � o 쿴as a statistic on another BBS of "Uploads = 0. Downloads = 50". � o � � 쿔 just can't stand it. The average SysOp spends AT LEAST an hour � � � o 쿪 day sitting at his computer, keeping the BBS alive. I have � o � � 퀁eceived FIVE notes saying "good BBS" in my board's lifetime. � � � o 쿔 counted. They're THAT important. � o � � � The heartening thing is that I got this only a few months � � � o 쿪fter its original distribution in Montana. SPREAD THE WORD! � o � � 쿞ysOps, keep this a bulletin on your systems. I, personally have � � � o 쿲one on a crusade to expand the bulletins and features on my BBS, � o � � 쿪nd this is the 19th. BUT, users are already complaining about � � � o 퀃he length of the menu! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! I just wonder why � o � � 퀂ometimes. Why? WHY do SysOps go through all this? You figure � � � o 쿶t out. � o � � � � � � o � � o � � � John Hodal, Sysop � � � o � Lakes Region BBS � o � � � Wildwood, IL � � � o � May 24, 1985 � o � � � � � � o � -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- � o � � � � � � o � After running a BBS for only a short while, I can see the � o � � 쿞ysop's side of the coin, they put in long hours, lots of money � � � o 쿯or equipment and phone bills, and offer it as a SERVICE to the � o � � 퀅sers. Then the users call up, go straight to the Download � � � o 쿞ection, and download, download, and download some more. They � o � � 쿭on't upload anything, or contribute to the message base. � � � o � � o � � � � � � o � � o � � � Ed Wilkinson, Sysop � � � o � Hacker's Haven BBS � o � � � Orem, Utah � � � o � December 30th, 1986 � o � � � � � � o � -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- � o � � � � � � o � Thanks for reading this far! Perhaps this bulletin has � o � � 쿲iven you another side of the BBS business, the Sysop's. And � � � o 쿫elieve it, there's lots more! At times a caller will make our � o � � 쿭ay, help out and take the time to see what its about... and it � � � o 쿴elps. You came this far. We are working our tails off to make � o � � 퀃his one of the better boards to call - now its up to you! � � � o � � o � � � Andy Keeves, Sysop � � � o � The Executive Network Board � o � � � Westchester, New York � � � o � January 24th, 1987 � o � � � � � � o � -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- � o � � � � � � o � As you can plainly see, this is not the only BBS where � o � � 쿪buse is widespread. Maybe it's a sign of our times... I sure � � � o 쿴ope not. Attitudes must change. ME! ME! ME! ME! Let's make � o � � 쿪 concerted effort to change it. Instead of waiting for the � � � o 쿞ysop to request something of you, why not ask what you can do � o � � 퀃o help him/her out to lessen the workload? Just following � � � o 퀂ystem policies will help. Read the Sysops' logon messages and � o � � 쿫ulletins. Spend some time in the message bases. � � � o � You might find a wealth of information there. You might � o � � 쿮ven be able to help someone else out! My ideal system (from a � � � o 쿞ysops' point of view) is one where 90% of it's maintenance is � o � � 쿭one by it's USERS. I'd gladly settle for 50%. A BBS should be � � � o 쿶nteractive and self-sustaining by it's very nature. Pitch in � o � � 쿪nd help me make this system, OUR system, the best of it's kind. � � � o � � o � � � Mark Rapp, Sysop � � � o � MicroSellar BBS � o � � � Verona, NJ � � � o � April 20, 1987 � o � � � � � � o � -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- � o � � � � � � o � Time to add my dime's worth. Its good to know that I don't � o � � 퀂uffer alone! I don't have quite as much of a problem about lots � � � o 쿽f downloading, because that was one of the reasons I put my � o � � 쿫oard up. Still, one would think the rapers would upload � � � o 퀂omething once in a while. If they attack other boards the way � o � � 퀃hey do MINE, I know they MUST have something worthwhile to � � � o 쿬ontribute, if only they would! One other bothersome thing is � o � � 쿮xcessive Sysop paging. You have to realize that the person who � � � o 쿾ut the board up spends enough hours per day looking at the BBS, � o � � 쿪nd they might like to get away from it for awhile. Also, � � � o 퀃hey usually have to work all day, and contend with the same � o � � 쿪mount of life's problems as you do. So don't bug them unless � � � o 퀉ou are really STUCK about how to do something. Read the help � o � � 퀂creens. Download and read the BBS user docs. � � � o 쿗eave messages, asking questions of other users. Figuring out � o � � 쿴ow to do it is half the fun, and you might learn more than you � � � o 쿽riginally thought. Once an expert user starts explaining � o � � 퀂omething, who knows what goodies will spill forth in the reply � � � o 쿺essages? That's what its all about!! � o � � � � � � o � � o � � � Joe Rhinehart, Sysop, Instant CoCo BBS, Columbus, Oh � � � o � June 6, 1987 � o � � � � � � o � >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.....................<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< � o � � � � � � o � Comment from Vangard Sciences -- August 17, 1990 � o � � � � � � o � I found this sad document while scanning for new information � o � � � for the KeelyNet. It really HIT HOME after I did some checking � � � o � of our users and how often they contribute. � o � � � � � � o � Ron and I have frequently discussed the surprising number of � o � � � leeches out there. We think of them as "Black Holers". � � � o � Since they absorb anything and everything with absolutely nothing � o � � � given in return. Yet there are others who share information � � � o � with us far beyond what we give in return. � o � � � � � � o � We are very much indebted to these few individuals yet it sickens � o � � � us to see people who make no attempt to upload ANYTHING, no � � � o � matter how seemingly trivial or lengthy. � o � � � � � � o � The KeelyNet was intended as a text based BBS to exchange info � o � � � on subjects not normally covered by such advanced means of � � � o � information exchange. Yet we find that we end up locating, � o � � � arranging and laboriously typing up the majority of what winds � � � o � up on our board. (A full page scanner would be fantastic!) � o � � � � � � o � Needless to say, this involves more time and effort than money, � o � � � yet we do not charge or require money in order to sustain the � � � o � effort in keeping the board alive and active. � o � � � � � � o � We also do not advertise the existence of our board except to � o � � � those we feel might sense a higher calling in their lives or be � � � o � able to exchange information of benefit to ourselves and our � o � � � users. � � � o � � o � � � It is not our purpose or intent to lay any type of guilt trip on � � � o � anyone, especially those who find a resonance in our activities. � o � � � � � � o � -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- � o � � � � � � o � � o � � � We must rely on the higher consciousness present in each person � � � o � to act as teacher and guide in helping to develop our ability to � o � � � treat others as we ourselves wish to be treated. � � � o � � o � � � � � � o � Keely's comments on harmony and relationships (AUGFORCE.ZIP and � o � � � GNOSTIC.ZIP) illustrate how we all resonate to higher forces if � � � o � we will simply YIELD TO IT. � o � � � � � � o � At any rate, we trust in the principle of compensation. Thank � o � � � you for your time, efforts and thoughts in this matter. � � � o � � o � � � � � � o � � o � � � from GNOSTIC.ZIP.... � � � o � � o � � � Understand that victory is won, not by the giving of alms, � � � o � � o � � � but by A YIELDING to that divine force-differentiation. � � � o � � o � � � � � � o � � o � � � You ask why do people commit such blunders and perform � � � o � � o � � � such acts as they do, all the while seemingly unable to help � � � o � � o � � � themselves. � � � o � � o � � � � � � o � � o � � � The reason is that they have RENDERED LATENT these � � � o � � o � � � centres which otherwise would have given them the power � � � o � � o � � � to rightly control their deeds instead of being, as they � � � o � � o � � � now are, dominated exclusively by the forces of aggregated � � � o � � o � � � matter which we usually call the self-will of the outer � � � o � � o � � � personality, as distinguished from the distinctly humane � � � o � � o � � � individuality which always RESPONDS TO A DIVINE APPEAL. � � � o � � o � � � � � � o � � o � � � from AUGFORC.ZIP.... � � � o � � o � � � You who through your daily life move on unthinking, not � � � o � � o � � � caring, inactive, inactive, you shall hear when your � � � o � � o � � � supplications reach this high entity, � � � o � � o � � � � � � o � � o � � � "Lo! thou didst not even try, � � � o � � o � � � knowing that even � � � o � � o � � � thy failures were acceptable to me." � � � o � � o � � � *** Vangard Sciences, PO BOX 1031, Mesquite, TX 75150 *** � � � o � � o � � � KeelyNet (214) 324-3501 � � � o � � o � � � (214) 324-8741 (Jerry ) or (214) 484-3189 (Ron) � � � o � � o � � � � � � o � -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- � o � � � F I N I S � � � o � � o � 읕컴좔컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴좔컴�