In article <878xzovkqn.fsf@newton.gmurray.org.uk>, Graham Murray wrote:
> > I thought we were talking about the *taking* of something belonging
> > to somebody else. I simply offered the thought that we should not
> > automatically assume that somebody else's property is on free offer
> > unless otherwise indicated. In fact, it has been customary in the
> > past to assume the reverse, i.e. leave alone unless otherwise
> > indicated, so why should it be any different just because it's an
> > electronic service and not a physical object?
>
> It is not different. Consider how wireless networking must work. It
> must work in one of 2 ways. Either the 'base station' periodically
> broadcasts a message "I am here and available for connection" and when
> systems wish to connect they contact a base station and politely ask
> "May I connect to you, please?" then (possibly after further
> negotiation) the base station either grants or refuses the request. Or
> the system wishing to connect 'shouts' "I wish to connect, is anyone
> willing to offer me a connection" and any base stations willing to
> offer connection respond "You may connect to me"
>
> In either case, the system wishing to connect has to seek permission
> from the base station before it can connect and use its facilities,
> and the base station (and hence the owner of the network) is
> advertising its availability for use.

My goodness it doesn't take much to pass the Turing Test these days. We
need to distinguish between, on the one hand, brainless electronic
equipment following automatic procedures which are built into them during
manufacture, and of which their owners are probably unaware, and on the
other hand, a human being knowingly making an offer. It's quite common to
talk loosely of electronic devices "talking" to each other, or
"negotiating", or asking and receiving "permission", but taking this too
literally leads to sloppy thinking as it isn't ther same thing. An
electronic device following its program and responding to another
electronic device doesn't amount to "permission" at all, unless it has
the backing of a sentient being who knows what it's doing and wants it to
behave in that way.

Rod.