Re: Netscape tip from PC World
Liz Frechette (frechette@nvctc5.commnet.edu)
Tue, 26 Aug 1997 08:45:00 -0400
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 1997 08:45:00 -0400
Message-Id: <3.0.2.32.19970827085329.0079ea00@nvctc5.commnet.edu>
From: Liz Frechette <frechette@nvctc5.commnet.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list <conntech>
Subject: Re: Netscape tip from PC World
At 10:38 AM 8/25/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Conntechers:
> Maybe many of you know this already, but I did not and think it is
>worth sharing. According to PC World Sept. 1997 p. 312, if you type
>"about:global" (no quotes) in the Netscape Location box the contents of
>the Netscape history file will be displayed. It tells you where and when
>various web sites were visited. I checked our public access internet
>terminal and of course found anarchy.com and x-rated sites as well as the
>educational and entertaining had been visited. I find this of some concern
>as we do let the children use the terminal. Our policy, pre-CDA
>asks that people do not visit pornographic web-sites.
> What do you folks think of the ethics of checking the netscape history
>file? Is this similar to checking a circulation record of a patron? Also,
>I wonder if some of our more internet savvy patrons have been checking
>this file? The article goes on to say that this file can be deleted and I
>may just do that -- ignorance is bliss.
I think it *is* a breach of privacy if other patrons can come along and
find out where the last person who sat there was surfing, information which
should remain reasonably private. Is Location Box record cleared when you
reboot?
Elizabeth Frechette, Reference and Instruction Librarian
Naugatuck Valley Community-Technical College
750 Chase Parkway
Waterbury, CT 06708
(203) 566-8106 phone/voicemail
(203) 566-8062 fax
frechette@nvctc5.commnet.edu