IP-PUB - Infopeople Public Service Archive: Re: Free email

Re: Free email

Infopeople PUB List (ippubman@library.berkeley.edu)
Fri, 6 Sep 1996 07:09:19 -0700

Sender: Cary Gordon <cgordon@CERF.NET>
Subject: Re: Free email

It is my personal opinion that, with one very busy public access machine in
our library, this is not truly what the doctor ordered and is, in all
likelihood, a can o'worms as well. I just don't think that our mandate
extends to providing email even if technology exists to make it doable.

For example, we could let users use this (they will anyway, but that is
another matter) and have them clear the cache after each user, but I, for
one, want users less, not more, involved with the innards of the software.
In fact, I would love to disable these options altogether. Currently, all
settings reset themselves when the program is restarted, but that doesn't
solve all problems. I guess that I could clear the cache automatically as
well, but since many users access some of the same files--Yahoo, for
one--this just slows things down and often, the program doesn't get shut
down between users anyhow.

If we had four or even two machines as well as a building large enough to
put them in, I might feel differently. I do think that email access is
empowering and should, somehow, be universal. I just don't think that we
are the solution right now.

Cary

>I have been playing with Hotmail. It is easy to use BUT I think it has a
>serious privacy breech. It works in internet. You have a log on and a
>password which are protected. You can and should logoff the site when you
>are finished. HOWEVER---you can use Back or Forward to step thru pages.
>This means that whatever you looked at is still available. No one can send
>or receive from you address (if you log off), but they can see everything
>you have seen just by clicking on back (or forward). I am not sure what the
>exposure is if you don't logoff from the site.
>
>It could be that I just haven't figured out how to "erase" pages. Unless
>you can, I would not recommend it for public use---especially where the
>connection is on all day.
>
>
>kelley
>LAPL Sylmar The Outside of a Horse
>13059 Glenoaks Blvd Is Good For
>Sylmar, CA 91342 The Inside of a Person
>818 367-6103 voc 818 756-9290 fax

-------------------------------------------------------
Cary Gordon cgordon@cerf.net
Community Partner 72477.62@compuserve.com
Sherman Oaks Branch
Los Angeles Public Library