It’s getting ugly on Canadian newsgroups. Part 2
One result of this experience is that my perception of USENET has changed. The first thing I have learned is that people on USENET are very selective, and indeed, hypocritical, as to who they choose to abuse. If you look at the Canadian general discussion group (can.general) for the two weeks that followed my posting, you can see all kinds of postings that crossed the line. There were two postings advertising an Arizona reservations service. An advertisement extolling a new Canadian Internet service provider. A posting titled “the easiest and quickest way to acquire real estate,” with the text reading like some type of bad-Amway ad. A posting _ sorry, advertisement _ from an organization announcing a big rock concert in Alberta. An ad for a bed and breakfast in Vancouver, and another selling an apartment in Ottawa. All clearly commercial postings, all violating `net etiquette’ such as it is, all crossing the line in some way. Any protest? Sorry, folks, not a word. Anyone called a leach (as I was?). Nope. Any huge debate on-line? Nope. I guess I am also upset by the fact it has become hypocritical, to an extreme. On the same day my book announcement went up, a fellow posted an announcement hawking the latest book from Ernst Zundel (67 lines long, compared to my 4 line post!) I spend a lot of time defending the Internet to the press, and ob-serve that the Internet is learning to deal with hate-literature crazies, by chasing them away. You know what? Not one person complained about that posting. It would seem that announcements about books in-volving hate literature are OK, but books about the Internet in Canada are not. The Internet in Canada seems to have a nice double standard.
Want to know why I am upset? Just before writing this article, the “Adult Super Store” announced their new Web site by posting a press release to can.general. Gosh, there should be storms of protest at such a commercial announcement? Howls of indignation from users? Guess what – not a peep. As one wag wrote in bc.general, “Hello? Hello? Jim Carroll writes a pretty darn understated and completely to-the-point message on his new book and the world explodes. Then, more recently, press@Adult.SuperStore.ca writes: `> National Canadian distributor of adult material opens virtual sex shoppe’ and a bunch of other stuff in a press release (press release!) and no one says boo. Are we to understand that all the ‘Net cops were off wacking their peepees when this was posted?” Nicely put.
In retrospect, I’ll admit I crossed the line by posting the book announcement to so many groups _ as Chris Lewis, an Internet veteran for whom I have a great deal of respect indicated, it would probably have sufficed if I had just posted it to the groups can.general and can.infohighway. It would likely not have resulted in the storm of protest which occurred.
But aside from that, the experience has shown me that the nature of USENET is changing. I’ve been flamed before _ I’ve been on USENET for six years now _ as has everyone at some point for doing something “wrong.” But something was different this time.
It seems that more and more, going into a USENET newsgroup is sometimes like returning to the rough and tumble school yard of your youth. There are bullies about who will make you uncomfortable, and who will throw sand and spit in your face without thinking. There are more crazies around the Internet, who will babble about anything they like on-line, with total disregard to the pleas by others to just go away. There are others who have spent no time to learn nor try to understand net culture, who will do whatever they damn well please. Its become an increasingly uncomfortable and unfriendly neighbourhood to hang around in. What bugs me today about the USENET in Canada is its hypocrisy, the bullies, the kooks, its anger, and its intolerance. What bugs me is that it has changed, and not for the better. I think many people would agree with me.
Of course, given the nature of USENET, there is nothing we can do about it, except pack up our lunchbox and go home. We’ll find other areas of USENET to hang out in. We’ll leave the can.general neighbour-hood and find some other groups.
The thing to keep in mind about USENET is that it is not life, and so you can’t let it bug you.
International call can be a costly especially if you need to speak more than just a fast hi. Purchasing long distance phone cards, you may make call to anyone, everywhere in the earth.