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diff --git a/doc/rfc/rfc1746.txt b/doc/rfc/rfc1746.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..917b2ee --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/rfc/rfc1746.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1011 @@ + + + + + + +Network Working Group B. Manning +Request for Comments: 1746 ISI +Category: Informational D. Perkins + Houston ISD + December 1994 + + + Ways to Define User Expectations + +Status of this Memo + + This memo provides information for the Internet community. This memo + does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of + this memo is unlimited. + +Abstract + + This paper covers basic fundamentals that must be understood when one + defines, interprets, or implements methods to control user + expectations on or over the Internet. + +1. Background + + User agreements are a form of acceptable use policy (AUP) are an + implicit part of internetworking since they place parameters on user + expectation. They define the desired and expected behaviour of those + who participate. Everyone has one, whether published or not. This + applies to networks that provide transit paths for other networks as + well as end sites and the individual users that use systems. A + better understanding of an AUP, and how to formulate one seems to be + increasingly important as the global net encompases new environments + as varied as K12 schools and real-time systems. AUP's are used to + determine pricing, customer base, type and quality of service + metrics, and a host of other provider services. + +2. Components of an Agreement + + In defining your particular agreement there are three areas that must + be addressed. They are where you get service from, who your peers + are, and whom you provide service to. A good understanding of these + concepts will make or break the policies you formulate. + +2.1 Where you get service from + + Each entity gets its service from one or more other providers, + either a level three service, such as IP transit, or a level two + service, such as circuits. The provider of such services usually has + an policy in the form of an agreement or contract specifying terms + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 1] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + + and conditions of use. This forms the basis for the type of service + offerings that you as an entity can provide. If you get service from + several providers, all of them need to be considered in the + formation of policy. + +2.2 Who your peers are + + Are your policies consistent with those offered by your peers? In + many cases, the formation of policy will define who your peers are. + It is important to clearly identify which areas you intend to reach + and the community you wish to be a contributing, productive part of. + Once this is clear, formulate polices along those lines. + +2.3 Who you provide service to + + It is required that you inform those who use your services just what + your policies are. Without this information, it will be almost + impossible for them to distinguish what to expect from your service + offering. Without a clear policy it is possible that litigation may + ensue. It is important to reflect community standards in the creation + of policy. + +3. Some Issues to consider + + IP provided services can be complex. They comprise both information + and communication. In the formulation of policy it is critical that + the policy provide for security and access to information and + communication while ensuring that the resource use does not + overburden the system's capabilities. These conflicting demands must + be analyzed and a synthesis arrived at. This hints a fourth + component of an AUP, that it has a method to extract compliance. + This is so site specific that further analysis will not be attempted + here. + + Some items that should be considered in the formation of policy are: + + - privacy - morals & ethics + - freedom of expression - legal constraints + - safety - harassment + - plagiarism - resource utilization + - indemnification - targeted areas of interest + - expected behaviours - remedies and recourse + + This should not be considered as an exhaustive list but as pointers + for those types of things to be considered when policy is formed. + + + + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 2] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + +4. Security Considerations + + Security and Liability issues are not discussed in this memo. + +5. Summary + + User Agreements are here to stay. As the Interconnected mesh of + networks grows, the choices presented to end-users mandate that + provider/user expectations are clearly presented. Use of these + guidelines will help create a clearer, better defined environment for + everyone. + +Authors' Addresses + + Bill Manning + USC/Information Sciences Institute + 4676 Admiralty Way + Marina del Rey, CA 90292 + + Phone: 822-1511 + EMail: bmanning@isi.edu + + + Don Perkins + Instructional Media Services + Houston Independent School District + 3830 Richmond + Houston, TX 77027 + + EMail: dperkins@tenet.edu + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 3] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + +Example + + For further reference on some acceptable use policies, see the + following materials archived in Armadillo--The Texas Studies Gopher: + + Name=Acceptable and Unacceptable Use of Net Resources (K12) + Type=1 + Host=chico.rice.edu + Port=1170 + Path=1/More/Acceptable + + or: + + http://chico.rice.edu/armadillo + + If these resources are not available to you, you may want to review + the attached policy and justification that is in use by an NSF + sponsored project on K12 networking. It provides a view on the + thinking process and actual Agreement that was worked out for this + project. + +The Internetworked School: A Policy for the Future* + +Barry J. Fishman and Roy D. Pea School of Education and Social Policy +Northwestern University + +Note: + + The CoVis Network Use Policy itself appears as an appendix to this + article. + +Introduction + + The next five years will radically change the ways that schools + relate to the world around them as global computer networks--long the + exclusive domain of higher education and private industry--link up to + primary and secondary schools. The Internet, a network made up of + many smaller contributing networks, represents a powerful educational + resource unlike anything that precedes it. Its potential for + education grows with the establishment of each new connection. + + For the first time, schoolchildren have the means for simple, direct + contact with millions of adults in a forum that masks their physical + youth and presents them as virtual equals. However, just as the new + kid in school has to learn new social codes and rituals to fit in, + schools must learn some of the practices and etiquette of the + Internet. Of course, the established denizens of the Internet will + soon have some adjusting to do as well, with thousands (or millions) + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 4] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + + of new kids knocking electronically at their doors. Since the + Internet was not designed with children in mind, many potentially + difficult issues must be discussed by both the education and the + Internet communities. + + This article presents a framework for thinking about some of the + issues that are essential to making the initial encounter between + schools and the Internet successful. It also presents an excerpt of a + policy that embodies our approach to resolving those issues. + +Expanding Access, Expanding Horizons + + For roughly the past decade, schools increasingly have participated + in specialized computer networks such as the NGS/TERC Kidsnetwork, + the Intercultural Learning Network, and FidoNet, as well as for- + profit services such as CompuServe, America Online, and Prodigy. The + majority of these projects were conducted on networks, where + teachers' or students' messages could not be read by anyone beyond a + predetermined audience composed of other students and teachers. These + projects made it possible for students and teachers to communicate + with their peers in faraway places and pioneered some pedagogical + uses of networks for computer-mediated communication and + collaborative project work that will carry over to the Internet. + + Internetworking, however, goes beyond proprietary systems by joining + a vast number of distinct networks into one large network, the + Internet. As individual schools and bulletin boards are connected to + the Internet, the number of people and services within easy reach + increases exponentially. By one estimate, there are currently 19 + million users of the Internet, with an annual growth rate approaching + 80 percent. Furthermore, some of the Internet's most powerful + communication tools are specifically designed so that any of these + millions of people could join any conversation. The network's true + power comes from the synergy of many dispersed minds working together + to solve problems and discuss issues, and there is little in the way + of hierarchy or control of the discourse. + + The schools' shift to internetworking systems involves critical + technological, as well as pedagogical, issues. It requires a change + in the school computing paradigm from centralized computing to + distributed client-server systems, thus bringing about an + administrative change in the nature of school computing. Many schools + that currently have some kind of network access provide accounts only + to teachers or administrators. Internetworking is fundamentally + different--giving accounts, access, and therefore control directly to + students. + + + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 5] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + + There are numerous arguments for the pedagogical benefits of school + internetworking. But what of the risks? What safety, liability, and, + above all, educational concerns must be addressed before schools are + ready to tap into the Internet? This policy is not intended as a + document that sets limitations or restrictions. Rather, it is + designed to facilitate and set guidelines for exploring and using the + Internet as a tool for learning. The policy was written with the + purpose and goals of the Internet as a background: support for open + research and education in and among research and instructional + institutions. The context for the policy was provided by the specific + needs of a growing community of learners composed of students, + teachers, scientists, and researchers. The networked environment must + support collaboration and cooperation. Proper frameworks to support + network navigation and information searching must be established. And + because networks will continue to be a scarce educational resource + for the foreseeable future, the policy also provides guidelines for + maximizing the educational cost-benefit ratio for teachers and + students. + +Testbed for Change--The CoVis Project + + Our framework for considering internetworking issues is a project + currently being conducted at the School of Education and Social + Policy at Northwestern University. The Learning Through Collaborative + Visualization Project, CoVis, is designed to reconceptualize and + reconfigure high school science education. CoVis is a networking + testbed funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Its goal is + to enable project-based approaches to science by using low- and + medium-bandwidth networks to put students in direct contact with + practicing scientists and scientific tools. In CoVis, we are working + with the types of network connections we believe will be common in + schools in the near future. + + In the first phase of our project we are working with two Chicago- + area schools, Evanston Township High School in Evanston and New Trier + High School in Winnetka. CoVis is deployed in 12 classes at the two + high schools, involving three teachers at each school. Approximately + 300 students are involved in the project: 100 freshmen, 100 + sophomores and juniors, and 100 seniors, all enrolled in either earth + science or environmental science classes. Each classroom contains six + Macintosh Quadra computers with audio/video conferencing units linked + to an internal ethernet, which is linked to Northwestern's ethernet + by a primary-rate Integrated Services Digital Network bridge for + telecommunications using the public-switched network. Additional + computers are available for Internet use in computer labs at each + school. + + + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 6] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + + The CoVis Network Community consists of students and teachers in + CoVis classes, scientists who wish to collaborate on CoVis student + projects, the researchers conducting the CoVis project, and other + interested parties who are granted special accounts. In the CoVis + classroom, each student is given an account that makes him or her a + "full" member of the Internet community. This means two things: Each + student has access to all Internet services with minimal mediation by + teachers or other adults, and anybody with an Internet account can + contact the students directly, again without mediation. + + In addition to the standard Internet resources, which include + electronic mail, listservs, Usenet news discussion groups, Telnet, + gopher, and file transfer, CoVis makes it possible for students to + communicate with peers and scientists via video and audio conference + tools and remote screen-sharing technology for synchronous + collaborative work. Therefore, the CoVis Network Use Policy goes + beyond the needs of the typical low-bandwidth internetworked school. + + As an NSF testbed, CoVis has the job of developing new frameworks for + the use of internetworking. In seeking to understand problematic + issues of networking, we turn both to other projects--Bolt Beranek + and Newman's work with the Ralph Bunche computer-minischool in New + York; AT&T's Learning Circles; and TERC's LabNet project--and to + analogous situations extant in schools. Our attention thus is placed + on the development of a policy to establish ground rules for the + students who will be introduced to the Internet. + +The Need for a Proactive Policy + + Exciting or revolutionary educational programs too often are + derailed. In the 1970s, Jerome Bruner's curriculum Man: A Course of + Study (MACOS) was at the center of a political and ideological + firestorm that prevented its implementation in many schools. The + experience of the MACOS developers taught us that it makes sense to + spend time in the initial stages of a project trying to determine + what challenges might arise to an educational innovation in order to + avoid, preempt, or co-opt them. + + In March 1993, the Communications Policy Forum, a nonpartisan group + of telecommunications stakeholders convened by the Electronic + Frontier Foundation, met on the issues of Internet services for the + K-12 educational community. The forum concluded that services should + be provided only to schools that would indemnify the service + providers. It also recommended that a warning statement be developed + to advise schools of the presence of materials on the Internet that + may be deemed inappropriate for minors. + + + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 7] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + + We believe that it is not enough to devise a policy designed to + protect schools and service providers, although our policy also + speaks to those roles. In this policy designed to guide students + through some of the social complexity presented by the Internet, we + created guidelines to alert novice users of established expectations + and practices. Because the Internet is somewhat anarchic in its daily + commerce, it is necessary to define a safe local space, or identity, + for a school network where students can feel like members of a + supportive community. The goal of establishing the boundaries of our + own community forms the framework of our policy. + +Issues and Analogies + + The kinds of issues posed by internetworking are not new. Similar + issues have been debated by schools many times before, from creation + science to dress codes. These concerns resurface in the availability + of networked material that some parents, teachers, or students might + find objectionable, pornographic, or otherwise inappropriate. + Although the actual percentage of materials in this category is + small, their mere presence draws plenty of media attention. Consider + this lead-in to a story about graphic material that can be retrieved + through the Internet, published in the Houston Chronicle in 1990: + + "Westbury High School student Jeff Noxon's homework was rudely + interrupted recently when he stumbled across the world's most + sophisticated pornography ring....It was supported by taxes and + brought into town by the brightest lights of higher education." + + While some are shocked, an alternative interpretation might point out + that in using a valuable resource provided by the local university, a + high school student chose to view material that many (including + regular Internet users) find objectionable. Educators must understand + that, as a byproduct of introducing internetworking, schools likely + will have to justify student use of network resources to a public + that does not understand the medium or its utility to education. By + seeking out analogous situations and applying them to the development + of our network use policy, we believe it is possible to establish + frameworks for responding to these challenges. We found several + significant analogies. + + * American Library Association (ALA). In considering information + access issues, the most striking and informative analogy is to a + remarkable set of documents built around the ALA's Library Bill of + Rights of 1980. It is not farfetched to consider the Internet, at + least in part, as a vast digital library. After all, the electronic + database and information search tools it employs are rapidly becoming + part of new school media centers, and many public and school + libraries are beginning to offer some type of network access to their + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 8] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + + patrons. + + The ALA documents state, "Attempts to restrict access to library + materials violate the basic tenets of the Library Bill of Rights." + However, they add, what goes into the library collection should be + chosen thoughtfully and with an eye toward instructional goals. + School librarians are bound to devise collections that "are + consistent with the philosophy, goals, and objectives of the school + district," and they must "resist efforts by individuals to define + what is appropriate for all students or teachers to read, view, or + hear." Similarly, tools used to access the network must be designed + to direct access to materials that support curricular concerns. Thus, + the interface to the network embodies the notion of a library + collection. In a school network policy, the "intent of the + collection" should be clearly reflected in a statement of purpose for + the network. + + Directly addressing the information access needs of children, the ALA + opposes attempts to limit access based on the age of a library user. + "Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents--and + only parents--have the right and the responsibility to restrict the + access of their children--and only their children--to library + resources," it states. + + While we in the CoVis Project have some ability technologically to + restrict what is in our Internet "collection," it is virtually + impossible to prevent students from accessing materials whose + presence we never anticipated while preserving the students' status + as full members of the Internet community. In this way, the Internet + is fundamentally different from a relatively static library + collection. Following the lead of the ALA, however, we believe that + the precise limits placed upon students' access cannot be formalized + by the school policy. Instead, it is the students' responsibility to + adhere to the standards set by their parents. + + * American Society for Information Science (ASIS). The code of ethics + of ASIS provides another informative analogy, this one speaking to + issues of professionals' responsibilities to both individuals and + society. Where individuals are concerned, information professionals- + -a designation we believe should be applied to teachers--must strive + both to "protect each information user's and provider's right to + privacy and confidentiality" and "respect an information provider's + proprietary rights." With respect to society, information + professionals should "serve the legitimate information needs of a + large and complex society while at the same time being mindful of + [the] individual's rights." They also should "resist efforts to + censor publications." + + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 9] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + + The ASIS code speaks directly to issues of electronic mail privacy. + We believe that students and teachers must feel certain that their + communications are private. In many electronic mail systems currently + used in schools, the teacher must act as an intermediary between the + school and the outside world. When students are "full" members of the + Internet, mail is sent directly to the outside world with no human + mediation. As a rule, such communications should be private, and the + network policy must make explicit any reasons for teachers or + researchers to have access to message content. Users must be made + aware of times and circumstances under which private mail may be + monitored. + + * Prodigy. Privacy in electronic mail communications seems like a + straightforward issue--it is analogous to the U.S. mail. But what + about network bulletin boards or Internet newsgroups? Posting a + message in one of these public information exchanges may raise + questions of freedom of expression among students and other network + users, but no more than in any other public forum. + + One approach to dealing with this issue was described in the Wall + Street Journal's technology supplement of November 15, 1993. Prodigy, + a dial-up bulletin-board service jointly owned by IBM and Sears, has + a strict editorial policy for both its public forums and its members' + private email exchanges. Prodigy employs editors who screen every + message before it is posted, sometimes delaying posting by up to 40 + hours. It also uses special software to screen messages for what it + deems objectionable language. The result is a lowest-common- + denominator approach to what is acceptable or unacceptable material. + + This approach undervalues the maturity of Prodigy's users. In the + CoVis classroom, we want to strive to develop students' maturity, and + in order to learn these lessons, they must feel that their message + content is under their own control. To let students know what level + of behavior is expected of them, we are very clear about the use of + offensive, obscene, or inflammatory language on the network. These + guidelines are not unfamiliar to the students in CoVis, as their + local school codes of conduct include the same admonitions. Offensive + messages posted by students are not ejected from the network. + However, students can lose their privileges on the network if they + post such messages (a significant disincentive for CoVis students), + and they are encouraged to post a retraction or apology once they + understand why their message was problematic. These interventions are + only initiated upon the complaint of another user, not as part of an + explicit editorial policy. + + * School Conduct Codes. Every school has a code of conduct for its + students that details appropriate school behavior, outlines rights, + and sets expectations for students. Because the CoVis Network is used + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 10] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + + as part of a school activity, the school's code of conduct applies to + network activities. Thus, we believe the network use policy should be + an extension of the school's policies. An important part of the + development of the CoVis Network use policy was a close reading of + the participating high schools' codes of conduct. For example, at one + of our high schools, special rules against vandalism of computer + equipment and unauthorized access to information exist. These rules + cover such important concepts as computer piracy, hacking, and other + tampering with hardware or software. Both CoVis schools have codes + warning students that use of harassing or abusive language is + unacceptable, as is obscenity. At the same time, both high schools + place a high value on students' right to freedom of expression and + outline the dimensions of that right in some detail. + + * Field Trips. All of the rules that apply to student conduct in + school also apply when the students are off campus on field trips. + The Internet offers many opportunities for virtual field trips to + distant locations, and CoVis adds a new twist to this genre with the + addition of full audio and video connections to remote locations. + Students in the CoVis community will be able to "visit" the + Exploratorium in San Francisco, directing a remote camera around the + exhibit floor and engaging in conversations with guides and other + museum visitors. It is important that students realize they act as + ambassadors for their school in such encounters, and our policy + states this explicitly. Currently, parental permission slips are + required before students may take field trips. At one of our + participating high schools, such slips are required even for "trips" + within the school building. Is there a precedent for extending the + concept of permission slips to the virtual field trip? We do not + believe so, but we do recognize the importance of written information + alerting parents to interesting or innovative school activities. + +Beyond the Barriers + + Barriers to internetworking in schools are being lowered every day, + and soon electronic bulletin boards may be as familiar to the + American classroom as blackboards. Educators are encouraged by + continuing developments that make the Internet accessible to schools. + This is accomplished in part through commercial networks such as + America Online and Delphi and by the decreasing costs of modems and + communications software. With the cooperation of nearby universities, + dial-up Internet connections can now be obtained for an investment of + under $100 per existing computer. + + Schools will find tremendous new opportunities for enhancing, + extending, and rethinking the learning process with the advent of + internetworking. But will they be ready to face the challenges? To + date, schools have had little experience with advanced + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 11] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + + telecommunications technologies. Many classrooms still lack even such + basic tools as telephones. Given the general lack of communication + even between classrooms in the same school, it will not be easy for + schools to join in the fast-paced discourse of the Internet. The + CoVis Project has taken a proactive stance toward the issues that + internetworking raises for schools with the development of a + network-use policy based upon the best lessons available. We invite + feedback on our policy and offer it as a contribution to this + exciting and rapidly developing area of educational technology. + + Barry J. Fishman is a Ph.D. student in the Learning Sciences program + of the Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy. + Roy D. Pea is Dean of the School and John Evans Professor of the + Learning Sciences at Northwestern. They acknowledge the assistance of + Laura D'Amico, Larry Friedman, Paul Reese, and Dick Ruopp in the + preparation of this article. Their research is supported in part by + National Science Foundation Grant MDR-9253462. + + Margin Notes: Electronic versions of the original texts of American + Library Association, American Society for Information Science, and + Houston Chronicle documents can be found at FTP (file transfer + protocol) address ftp.eff.org, in the pub/academic/library/directory. + + The Communications Policy Forum meeting is reported on by Andrew Blau + in the EFFector 5(4), also available from ftp.eff.org in the + /pub/EFF/newsletters directory. Statistics about the Internet are + available from ftp.nisc.sri.com, in the /pub/zone directory. Both of + these FTP sites can also be reached via gopher. + +For further reading: + + Roy Pea, "Distributed Multimedia Learning Environments: The + Collaborative Visualization Project," Communications of the ACM (May + 1993). + + Denis Newman, Susan Bernstein, and Paul A. Reese, "Local + Infrastructures for School Networking: Current Models and Prospects," + Bolt Beranek and Newman Tech Report No. 7726 (1992). + + Richard Ruopp, Shahaf Gal, Brian Drayton, and Meghan Pfister, LabNet: + Toward a Community of Practice (Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 1993). + + + + + + + + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 12] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + +APPENDIX: THE COVIS NETWORK USE POLICY + +A. Mission Statement + + The Learning Through Collaborative Visualization Project (CoVis) was + established to explore project-enhanced science learning supported by + advanced computing applications in a secondary school environment. + As such, the computer network environment supported by the project + (the CoVis Network) is designed to enhance the learning and teaching + activities of the participating science classrooms at New Trier and + Evanston Township High Schools. The term "network" in this document + refers to a number of computers and other electronic tools that are + connected to each other for the purpose of communication and data + sharing. CoVis is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded + research project, and use of the network is therefore provided to + allow the study of its impact on learning and teaching. + + 1. Purpose of the Internet + + The Internet (a global network made up of many smaller + contributing networks) and its services are intended to support + open research and education in and among US research and + instructional institutions, plus research arms of for-profit firms + when engaged in open scholarly communication and research. Use + for other purposes, e.g., for-profit activity or extensive + personal business, is not acceptable. + + 2. Purpose of the CoVis Network + + The purpose of the CoVis Network is to facilitate communications + and collaboration between members of the CoVis community. Network + use is primarily intended for the support of project work + conducted for participating CoVis classes, and far less + significantly for other purposes that students and teachers + determine to be of educational value. The CoVis Network has + limited resources, and CoVis classrooms have limited time + available for network- supported teaching and learning activities. + Any use of the network which adversely affects its operation in + pursuit of teaching and learning or jeopardizes its use or + performance for other community members is prohibited, and may + result in the loss of network privileges. + +B. Services Available on the CoVis Network + + The CoVis Network consists of a variety of computing equipment, + software, and network connections. This section describes the + primary tools and services approved for use in the CoVis Network. + Other tools may be used, but may not be supported by the system + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 13] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + + administrators: + + 1. Cruiser Videoconferencing. Cruiser is a tool designed to + allow video and audio connections between two people, each of whom + must have a Cruiser station and access to the CoVis network. + Cruiser conversations are private; + + 2. Timbuktu Screen-Sharing. Timbuktu is a commercial software + product that allows a Macintosh user to view or control another + Macintosh computer remotely (with the remote user's permission). + This is designed to allow two or more people to work together over + the CoVis Network. Timbuktu sessions are private; + + 3. Collaborative Notebook. The Notebook is a personal or group + workspace designed to support project work in CoVis classrooms. + Work done using the notebook may be either private or public, as + designated by the user. Users should be careful to note whether + they are working in a private or a public portion of the notebook. + + 4. General-Use Internet Tools. These include, but are not + limited to, the following: + + a) Electronic Mail, or email. Email is just like regular mail, + except instead of paper, you use the computer. Email + correspondence is considered private. The CoVis Project uses a + program called "Eudora" for sending and receiving mail. + + b) Listservs. A listserv is a means to broadcast an email + message to many users for the purpose of maintaining a + discussion list. Although listserv messages are transmitted + via email, correspondence is public, so extra care should be + used when participating. The program called "Eudora" would be + used for participating in a listserv. + + c) Network News. Netnews is a communications tool for large + group discussion. Netnews is essentially similar to a + listserv, except that it does not use email as the means of + communication. Instead, you use software called a "news + reader" to read and post messages to the appropriate groups. + Newsgroups are very public, and should be used thoughtfully. + The CoVis project employs a program called "NewsWatcher" for + reading and posting news. + + d) File Transfer Protocol, or FTP. File Transfer Protocol is a + means of moving files between computers on the Internet. The + CoVis project employs a program called "Fetch" for doing this. + + + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 14] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + + e) Telnet. Telnet allows you to connect to other computers on + the Internet, provided you know the machine's Internet address + and appropriate password. All provisions of this document + apply to members of the CoVis community while using remote + computers via Telnet. The CoVis Project uses a program called + "NCSA Telnet" for telnetting operations. + + f) Gopher. Gopher is a means of navigating the Internet via a + menu-driven or point-and-click interface to the computer. + Gopher is a very convenient way to retrieve files and + information from sources all around the globe. For most + purposes, it may be considered an easier form of FTP and can be + used to initiate Telnet sessions. The CoVis Project uses a + program called "TurboGopher" for gopher searching. + +C. Who is a member of the CoVis community? + + All account holders on the CoVis Network will be granted access to + all services the network offers. The following people may hold + accounts on the CoVis Network: + + 1. Students. Students who are currently enrolled in a CoVis + class will automatically be granted a network account upon + agreement to the terms stated in this policy; + + 2. Teachers. Teachers of CoVis classes may hold accounts on the + CoVis Network. Other teachers may apply for accounts; + + 3. Scientists. Scientists who wish to collaborate on student + projects will be granted CoVis Network accounts. The exact nature + of the account (i.e., which services are available) will depend on + individual circumstances; + + 4. Researchers. The researchers conducting the CoVis project + will hold accounts on the CoVis network; + + 5. Others. Anyone may request a special account on the CoVis + network. These requests will be granted on a case-by-case basis, + depending on need and resource availability. + + Note: Except in special cases listed above, people from the larger + Internet community are not part of the local CoVis community, and + will probably be unaware of the existence of this policy. + However, you should always treat people you "meet" on the network + with respect, as if they were a part of your community. + + + + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 15] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + +D. Privileges and Rights of CoVis Network Community Members + + Members of the CoVis community have certain network privileges and + rights. These include: + + 1. Privacy. All members of the CoVis community have the right to + privacy in their email, Cruiser, Timbuktu, and notebook + communications when so designated by the user. However, if a user + is believed to be in violation of the guidelines stated in this + policy, a system administrator or teacher may need to gain access + to private correspondence or files. An attempt will be made to + notify the user of such inspections whenever possible. As CoVis + is primarily a research project, researchers may periodically make + requests to study or view correspondence and files, but + confidentiality is ensured in such circumstances. Also, it is + important that users recognize the fundamental differences between + public (e.g., news) and private (e.g., email) forms of + communication, and shape their content accordingly; + + 2. Equal Access. All members of the CoVis community will be + granted free and equal access to as many network services as their + technology allows. Exploration of the Internet is encouraged + relative to the purposes of the CoVis Network; + + 3. Safety. To the greatest extent possible, members of the CoVis + community will be protected from harassment or unwanted or + unsolicited contact. Any community member who receives + threatening or unwelcome communications should bring them to the + attention of a system administrator or teacher. Users must, + however, be aware that there are many services available on the + Internet that could potentially be offensive to certain groups of + users. The designers of the CoVis Network cannot eliminate access + to all such services, nor could they even begin to identify them. + Thus individual users must take responsibility for their own + actions in navigating the network; + + 4. Intellectual Freedom. The CoVis Network must be a free and + open forum for expression, including viewpoints that are strange, + unorthodox, or unpopular. The network administrators will place + no official sanctions upon the expression of personal opinion on + the network. However, the poster of an opinion should be aware + that other community members may be openly critical of such + opinions. Occasionally, a message that you post may be met from + outside the CoVis community with especially harsh criticism (a + practice known as "flaming"). It is best not to respond to such + attacks, unless you believe you are capable of a measured, + rational reply. Personal attacks are not an acceptable use of the + CoVis Network at any time. The CoVis Project does not officially + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 16] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + + endorse any opinions stated on the network. Any statement of + personal belief is implicitly understood to be representative of + the author's individual point of view, and not that of the CoVis + Network, its administrators, or the participating high schools. + +E. Responsibilities of CoVis Network Community Members + + With the rights and privileges of membership in the CoVis Network + community come certain responsibilities. Users need to familiarize + themselves with these responsibilities. Failure to follow them may + result in the loss of network privileges. These responsibilities + include: + + 1. Using appropriate language. Profanity or obscenity will not + be tolerated on the CoVis Network. All community members should + use language appropriate for school situations as indicated by + school codes of conduct; + + 2. Avoiding offensive or inflammatory speech. Community members + must respect the rights of others both in the local community and + in the Internet at large. Personal attacks are an unacceptable + use of the network. If you are the victim of a "flame," take time + to respond rationally, and bring the incident to the attention of + a teacher or system administrator; + + 3. Adhering to the rules of copyright. CoVis community members + must respect all copyright issues regarding software, information, + and attributions of authorship. The unauthorized copying or + transfer of copyrighted materials may result in the loss of + network privileges; + + 4. Re-posting personal communications without the original + author's prior consent is prohibited. To do this is a violation + of the author's privacy. However, all messages posted in a public + forum such as newsgroups or listservs may be copied in subsequent + communications, so long as proper attribution is given; + + 5. Use of the network for any illegal activities is prohibited. + Illegal activities include tampering with computer hardware or + software, unauthorized entry into computers, or knowledgeable + vandalism or destruction of computer files. Such activity is + considered a crime under state and federal law; + + 6. Avoid the knowing or inadvertent spread of computer viruses. + "Computer viruses" are programs that have been developed as + pranks, and can destroy valuable programs and data. To reduce the + risk of spreading a computer virus, do not import files from + unknown or disreputable sources. If you do obtain software or + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 17] + +RFC 1746 Ways to Define User Expectations December 1994 + + + files from remote sources, follow proper procedures to check for + viruses before use. Deliberate attempts to degrade or disrupt + system performance of the CoVis Network or any other computer + system or network on the Internet by spreading computer viruses is + considered criminal activity under state and federal law; + + 7. You have full responsibility for the use of your account. All + violations of this policy that can be traced to an individual + account name will be treated as the sole responsibility of the + owner of that account. Under no conditions should you give your + password to another user; + + 8. Impersonation is not permitted. Real names must be used, + pseudonyms are not allowed; + + 9. Anonymity is not allowed on the CoVis Network. As an + educational network, we believe that individuals must take + responsibility for their actions and words; + + 10. Exemplary behavior is expected on 'virtual' field trips. When + 'visiting' locations on the Internet or using the Cruiser or + Timbuktu communication tools, CoVis community members must conduct + themselves as representatives of both their respective schools and + the CoVis community as a whole. Conduct that is in conflict with + the responsibilities outlined in this document will be subject to + loss of network privileges. + +Note: + + This article is reprinted with the express permission of TECHNOS: + Quarterly for Education and Technology. + + It originally appeared as: Fishman, B., and Pea, R.D. (1994). The + internetworked school: A policy for the future. Technos: Quarterly of + Education and Technology 3 (1), 22-26. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Manning & Perkins [Page 18] + |