Could you be the victim of a phoney spam using your address?
anyway the other thoght was ..
Al Gilman wrote:
> In the
> consumerization that started with Mosaic ...
> need to be spelled out and folded into the process
> in the way of overt cues, advisals and confirmation requirements,
> so that a rank newbie can navigate the process
> ... We just have to remember
> what it was that we had to remember, and make is so people get
> told now and don't have to remember...
>
> Example: you don't subscribe _anybody_ to a newsgroup without a
> confirmation, and enough advisals so that few people don't know
> that they did it.
Of course that is true. The thing is that "casual" users may just know
that they have bought "Internet (r) " and they have this icon that came
with their computer. "Log on to the internet" that the computer store set
up for them. They will get sent to the ISP's start page and click "search"
- Then they will get lost.
I have seen a few pages with a line that if you are interested in xyz,
click here. of course by the time they check their mail, they maynot
remeber clicking.
Usenet is just a another web page, as for that matter is their mail box.
Perhaps ISP's and the nice folks that put browsers on new computers (AHEM)
should provide access to learning tools. Netscape sets up their browser to
automaticaly subscribe to newusers .. that is a start.
Of course I saw an article in the business section of the Ottawa Citizen
today that talked about how some folks just want to use the net to read
about fashion and career news and don't want to hear the details about what
is actually happening. (they were contrasting the modern users of sites
like http://www.elle.fr to the Cyber grrls who use technology to gain
personal empowerment)
Once again we are wondering off topic of course, but that is what makes
this list fun!
Charles MacDonald - Information Management - NHQ
HRDC Banyan Mail : MacDonald.c@phii.faa.ad@nhq
HRDC Web Mail : macdonald.c@gw019348.hq-ac.prv
Work SMTP Mail : charles.macdonald@hrdc-drhc.gc.ca
Personal SMTP Mail : cmacd@achilles.net