Aucbvax.1466
fa.human-nets
utzoo!duke!chico!harpo!mhtsa!ucbvax!DERWAY@MIT-ML
Sun May 31 20:22:43 1981
HUMAN-NETS Digest V3 #109
HUMAN-NETS AM Digest Monday, 1 Jun 1981 Volume 3 : Issue 109
Today's Topics:
FYI - Recent update to CBBS file,
Query Replies - CompuFiction & Fiber Optics,
Rights of Access to Information - Terminal Eavesdropping &
Computerized Cadillacs,
Computers and the Handicapped - CBS and Teletext
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 05/31/81 05:20:42
From: W8SDZ@MIT-MC
Subject: New list of Public Access Message Systems
Those interested in Bill Blue's list of public access message and file
transfer systems will find the latest version on MC in
CPM;BBSNOS BYNAME
Many new systems have been added and some corrections have been
made. Thanks to Bill for a fine job!
------------------------------
Date: 26 May 1981 2003-EDT
From: Paul A. Karger <KARGER AT DEC-MARLBORO>
Subject: Audience Determination of Plot
You don't need computers to have the audience determine the flow in a
stage play. Ayn Rand's 1933 play, "Night of January 16th" featured a
trial in which the jury members were selected from the audience. The
jury heard evidence in a murder trial and rendered a verdict on the
heroine. As a result, it was never known at any performance how the
play would end. (There were two endings written for each possible
verdict.) So that I don't generate an SFL-style spoiler, I won't
reveal the ratio of guilty to not-guilty verdicts that occured during
the play's run in New York.
------------------------------
Date: 05/26/81 10:25:31
From: TRB@MIT-MC
Subject: Running lightwave cables from here to there
Bell Labs & the Bell System are doing lots of work in lightwave
cables. The winter olympics at Lake Placid were served by a switching
system which had fiber optic links. I don't recall the specifics, but
there will be a connection between Washington, New York and Boston in
the mid-80's with something like 600 miles of lightwave cable.
------------------------------
Date: 29 May 1981 2315-EDT (Friday)
From: Peter.Lucas at CMU-10A
Subject: terminals and privacy
The other night I was watching television on a cheap ($60 Admiral) TV
while on the other side of the room (~15 feet) my wife was working at
a cheap (Perkin-Elmer Bantam) terminal. The picture on the TV was
picking up some interference from the terminal and when I adjusted the
tuning, I discovered that I was able to tune in a perfectly readable
image of the terminal screen. It apparently does not take terribly
sophisticated equipment to perform electronic eavesdropping at the
terminal end of a data link. Something to think about if you don't
get along with the folks in the next apartment.
-PAL
------------------------------
Date: 26 May 1981 21:08 PDT
From: Frisbie.EOS at PARC-MAXC
Subject: Big Brother rides with you!
You may not have a plastic Jesus riding on the dashboard of your car,
but a silicon Big Brother is riding under the hood if you own a new
Cadillac. According to an article in the May 25th issue of Electronic
Engineering Times, General Motors has been served with a 22-state
class-action suit. The suit deals with problems in the 1981 Cadillac
with 4-6-8 cylinder microprocessor control. Problems include
indecisive shifting which causes bucking surging, poor fuel economy,
and "hunting" of the 4-6-8 cylinder mode.
The "Big Brother" aspect came to light when an unnamed Florida video
engineer purchased a copy of the service manual for the system. He
was amazed at the sophistication of the design which monitored 12
sensors for engine, water and air temperature, fuel flow, throttle
demand and so forth. If any faults are discovered, the fault
condition and location are stored and a "CHECK ENGINE" dashboard light
is lit.
If the driver doesn't go to a Cadillac repair center within 30 engine
starts of the fault, the computer records the driver as being
"negligent". In addition, if the car is ever driven over 85 mph, this
fact is recorded!
I could be persuaded to excuse the first on grounds that it is needed
for warranty purposes, but only if the owner is told that he is being
"watched", and how. The recording of speeds over 85 mph, however,
strikes me as nothing less than an invasion of privacy. How long will
it be before this becomes standard equipment on all new cars, complete
with recording of time, odometer reading and speed? And how long
before the police are equipped with devices that plug into your car's
computer and extract this information?
Never before have I felt the presence of Big Brother quite so close to
me. As one who makes a good living with computer technology, I
welcomed the use of computers in cars, but now I'm not so sure.
Keeping watch over my car's engine is one thing, keeping watch over my
personal habits is quite another.
Alan Frisbie
(Yes, I have been known to drive over 55 mph, but I don't recall going
over 70 in the last two years, at least.)
------------------------------
Date: 27 May 1981 1734-PDT (Wednesday)
From: Lauren at UCLA-SECURITY (Lauren Weinstein)
Subject: The Cadillac Lemon
A recent issue of "Electronic Engineering Times" had an interesting
article regarding the much touted "4-6-8" model Cadillac -- the super-
computerized version which automatically changes the number of
cylinders in use according to "need".
According to the article, the thing is a REAL lemon. Many, many
buyers of this vehicle have suffered numerous problems related to the
computer-controlled fuel and ignition system. The cars "cycle"
through cylinder changes at random times, frequently stall at bad
times (even during motion), and get worse gas mileage than a straight
8 cylinder Caddie. Buyers have been horrified to see the bills for
"repair" (which usually doesn't work) would be costing them thousands
of dollars if they were not under warrently. Frequently the whole
computer system has to be replaced, and even that doesn't fix the
problems for long.
Cadillac dealers have begun to "suggest" that owners disconnect the
computer's fault sensor circuits -- they point out the plug to pull,
but of course will not do it themselves. The vehicle has a very
sophisticated diagnostic system that can be plugged into a dealer's
computer for all sorts of nifty readouts -- but the only indication to
the owner that ANYTHING is wrong is a simple "check" light on the dash
-- there is no indication of seriousness, and the check light seems to
be lighting up all the time! This car, by the way, is the first that
has NO direct physical connection between accelerator pedal and fuel
system -- some engineers are beginning to wonder if the computer could
"crash" in ways that would "jam" the pedal down, so to speak!
An engineer who had bought the car, and was disgusted with the
problems, decided to delve into it himself. He managed to get hold of
the service manual and learned all sorts of interesting goodies. For
example, by pushing the turn signal, pressing the brake pedal, and
actuating a climate control switch at the same time, he could get the
car's computer to display internal readouts on the digital speedometer
display, just as if he were using the dealer diagnostic computer!
Seems there are some interesting little tidbits that the computer
keeps track of for the dealer! For example, if you fail to bring the
car to the dealer within thirty engine starts of the "check" light
coming on, this fact is noted. If you EVER drive over 85 mph, THIS
fact is noted. [This reminds me of a series of radio commercials I
heard many years ago here in L.A. The idea was that this car
dealership had every car attached to a workbench in the service
department by BIG rubber bands. Whenever it was time for regular
service, the rubber band would SNAP the car back!]
It is very unfortunate that the first fullscale "computerization" of a
commericial passenger vehicle seems to be such a disaster. Hopefully
these problems will work out with time, but it still certainly is not
good publicity for Cadillac OR the computer industry. Gee, I wonder
if the car keeps track of radio stations you listen to, or how many
times you use the lighter, or whether you use seat belts? Next, there
will be a plug that the highway patrol can attach their computer to!
Retroactive traffic tickets. Big Brother is here, and he is a
Caddie!?
--Lauren--
-------
------------------------------
From: ljs at DNGC
Date: Tue, 26 May 81 07:30-EDT
Subject: CBS and Teletext
On Tuesday, May 19, 1981, the National Association of the Deaf
(NAD) together with B'nai B'rith International, friends, parents of
deaf children, consumers and other supporters carried a day of boycott
of programs telecast by the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS).
For one year now, deaf people have had access to television through a
closed captioning system known as Line 21. Programs and commericals
on ABC, NBC, and PBS are captioned and thus available to deaf people
on their TV screens by means of a special decoder. These decoders are
known as "Telecaption" and are available nationwide through the Sears,
Roebuck and Company chain stores for approximately $250.
CBS has steadfastly refused to allow its programs to be captioned for
deaf viewers...instead, it is pursuing experimental work with another
system which is referred to as Teletext. The CBS Teletext system is
not compatible with the decoders that deaf people currently have
available to them. The still-experimental Teletext system will not be
available for for purchase for an undetermined number of
years...perhaps ten or more.
When it eventually reaches the market, the Teletext system will
require that deaf people invest in still more expensive special
equipment in order to have access to the CBS programs. All attempts
by the deaf community, advocates, and supporters to reason with CBS
officials for nearly ten years have been in vain. CBS, in fact, has
even removed captions from already prepared commercials before airing
them.
On May 19, 1981, the NAD and other national organizations conducted
demonstrations in over 12 major cities around the country which have
important CBS stations, including New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis,
Chicago, and Los Angeles.
LJ's additional info:
BBC (Great Britian) sells CEEFAX for over $1000 to its country TV
viewers and France sells ANITOPE twice that amount to French viewers.
It is assumed that the cost of Teletext here in USA might cost in this
price range ($1000-$2000) approximately in ten years from now. Those
14 million hearing impaired population in United States cannot afford
that unusually expensive price in order to have the access to TV. The
reason for saying "10 years" is that the CBS is filing at FCC for
standarization of teletext signals. Its time length is stretched when
the BBC eventually applied for same , but better standarization with
the possiblity of being compatible with Line 21. Recently the CNA
(Canada TV Broadcasting Company, I think) joined those two stations in
filing for same reason, but Canada's is already compatible to Line 21.
So those three filings will make long and long processings and
hearings with FCC.
If you are interested in these matters, you may write to: Mr. Edward
C. Carney, Public Information Director, National Association of the
Deaf, 814 Thayer Avenue, Silver Spring, Md. 20910.
<LJ>
------------------------------
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