Re: Netnews: The Origin Story

On Thu, 7 Nov 2024, Sn!pe wrote:

Computer Nerd Kev <not@telling.you.invalid> wrote:
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Sn!pe <snipeco.2@gmail.com> wrote:

D <nospam@example.net> wrote:

This is a good point! But you are not worried about the essentially
unencrypted nature of usenet?
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AFAIAC Usenet is for chat and technical discussion -- there's
no need to encrypt that.
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Agreed. But many news servers and clients do support encrypted
connections, mercifully without forcing everyone to use them all
the time like with HTTPS on the Web. So it's there if you want it.
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The encrypted connection to the server is just about posting and
retrieving, isn't it?  Once the article is on the server it's available
to all in plain text.
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The paper talked about the designer's consideration of using
cryptography for authenticating users posting or deleting Usenet
posts, so maybe that's what "D" is talking about.
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I think D is more concerned about anonymity than other considerations,
then about 'eavesdropping'.  I'm sure he'll tell us RSN.

This is the correct interpretation. I our times of polarization and net-hating, having a modicum of anonymity and privacy is very nice.