Feature request for vgetty

"Robert J. Brown" (rj@eli.elilabs.com)
Mon, 12 Oct 1998 04:39:12 +0200


>>>>> "Marc" == Marc Eberhard <marc@athene.thphy.uni-duesseldorf.de> writes:

    The problem is, that this is at least in Germany not allowed by law.
    The modem mustn't pick up the line without a ring signal coming in
    from the telco line. Only exception is a dialout by the modem itself.
    Since this behaviour is required by the regulations, all approved
    modems for Germany will answer with ERROR to your request to pick up
    the line after the phone has stopped ringing. Sorry, I consider this
    stupid too.

This is probably not so stupid if you consider an eavesdropper wanting 
to pick up after you think a connection -- be it voice, data, or fax
-- is established.  Think of how easy it would be for someone to bug
your line.  

This law seems to me to be aimed at respecting privacy.  Too bad it
messes up other things.  Besides, one could always defeat this feature
with a flash download of another country's firmware version after
purchasing an "approved" modem.  

Burocrats tried to make a law that respected the concerns of most
people, but without any technical understanding, so the result is a
mess.  Don't feel too badly: these things happen over here in the
states too.  :-(

-- 
--------  "And there came a writing to him from Elijah"  [2Ch 21:12]  --------
R. J. Brown III  rj@elilabs.com http://www.elilabs.com/~rj  voice 847 543-4060
Elijah Laboratories Inc. 457 Signal Lane, Grayslake IL 60030  fax 847 543-4061
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