Humorously bizarre prohibition in RCN TOS

Erik Price eprice at ptc.com
Mon Jun 9 15:01:37 EDT 2003


Michael O'Donnell wrote:
> In the page at
> 
>   http://www.rcn.com/customer/internet_access_agreemnt.php
> 
> ...can be found this unexpected prohibition:
> 
> 
>>(m) Scrolling.  You agree not to cause the screen
>>to "scroll" faster than other subscribers or users
>>are able to type to it, or any action to a similar
>>disruptive effect on or through the Access Service.
> 
> 
> 
> I think this is just a clumsy attempt to ban certain
> anti-social behaviors displayed in certain chat
> settings, but I definitely did a double-take when I
> first saw it...       (this from a discussion about
> RCN on another list, BTW - I'm not an RCN customer)

That just brought back some memories, Michael.

Yep, I think this term originally comes from AOL.  When I was a yoot 
(1994) I had a macro that would post random comments* into the current 
chat room and was sometimes accused of "scrolling" by the 
TOS-advisors**.  Back then it was five bucks an hour to use AOL at 
night, and ten bucks an hour during the day!!!

* My favorite was "Get right on down to Reno's for your radiation-free 
reindeer steaks!  Hurry, while stocks last!"  (An extra life and 10,000 
bonus points awarded to whoever knows what movie this line is from.)

** Terms-of-Service



Erik





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