Project Yourself On Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

Rob Levin writes: "Open Projects Net has just embarked on an expansion project, to increase its user base and provide better service to the community. We've revamped our web site and [Slashdot] readers might want to take a look. The new project is called Mister Toad's Wild Ride." As a satisfied "customer" of OPN, I have to say this sounds like a great move -- OPN is one of the friendliest IRC environments I've ever seen, and is always a good source of #help. Read the documents to see the dilemma that Rob (lilo) and the other volunteers at OPN are facing, and to learn about their ambitious plan to grow without sacrificing the community feel (or becoming DoS fodder). And more to the point, help! Technical skills, money,and even moral support would be appreciated, I bet.

Comments

IRC question....

[TobyWong]

I've always wondered this... why not hide users ips (or mask part of the ip) and only display their nickname? Surely a good portion of the DoS problems stem from user->user wars. It would certainly make it harder (but not impossible) to aquire and subsequently abuse a persons ip.

DCCs could still work with the server relaying the targets ip once they had "ok'd" the connection.

I guess the hostname/ip is handy for verifying that the person is who they claim to be, but perhaps there is another fingerprint method maybe even more trustworthy than hostnames (we all know dns isn't exactly bulletproof)

Re:IRC question....

[Sentry21]

I've always wondered this... why not hide users ips (or mask part of the ip) and only display their nickname?

This has been a feature on the StarChat IRC network for well over a year now (more like two, I think) (as well as any networks that use their IRCd), it has been available in Unreal IRCd (and on any networks that use it), and I've been informed that a working patch to Hybrid has already been written by the SC coding team (which has been submitted to OPN by InnerFIRE), and will quite probably be sent upstream.

The hostmasking either changes the first section of the host (i.e. to Star8462.mplrdg1.bc.wave.home.com, or some other number), or for a non-reversing IP, something like 24.13.137.000, changing the last block.

Unreal changes the last part of an IP to the same as the first part of a host, which ends you up with 24.13.137.Unreal-25143, which makes IRC clients assume it's a host and ban via *!*@*.13.137.Unreal-25143, which, when 25143 is random, doesn't work too well. I suggested that, in the Hybrid code, the IPs be masked to 256-512 instead of 000, I believe this has been implemented, but I'm not certain.

DCCs could still work with the server relaying the targets ip once they had "ok'd" the connection.

DCC still works the same way it always has.

I guess the hostname/ip is handy for verifying that the person is who they claim to be, but perhaps there is another fingerprint method maybe even more trustworthy than hostnames

Password identification (via NickServ in most cases) is usually standard on the average network - there are IRC 'purists' out there who don't use services, but in general, I think the trend is towards using them.

~Sentry21~

Re:IRC question....

[lilo]

Toby,

You're right that the hostname and IP should probably be hidden, it's on our TODO list. Though it will take some work to do that without causing inconvenience to the users. Uh, by the way, we need a bit of help finishing those patches from people with time on their hands, the urge to contribute, and hybrid-6 experience. :) Anybody who is interested, please check the site....

Thanks,

Rob L.

Re:Some kind of children's book?

[JabberWokky]

Remember, this is the corp that sued a Florida day-care center (supposedly, I couldn't find a reference on the 'net)

Consider this a reference (although you could probably find the story through the Palm Beach Post, that being the local newspaper). It's not far at all from where I type this, and yes, it did have nice, seven foot (or whatever the largest sized figures you can get on an exterior wall are) Disney characters all over the entire building. It was in the news for a short time that they were being sued, and now the building is a cheery color of yellow, with flowers and a train. It's still a daycare, and I assume (but this may be incorrect) that it's still the same daycare.

Just like all media stories, however, it was in the local news big time when it happened several years ago, but there was no real followup on exactly what happened. I can only relate that A) it happened and B) the building existed and changed as I described.

Ask InitZero - he worked at the Palm Beach Post, probably while it happened, and he's good with remembering that kinda thing. (I thus attempt to invoke a fellow Slashdotter, a la kiboing).

-- Evan "Off of Military Tr. and Okeechobee Blvd., near the Cherry Road Dennys" E.

Re:hmm

[lilo]

XO,

Yup, seeking monetary contributions for an IRC network is a pretty hard sell. But before you dismiss the thought out of hand look at what we are doing and the philosophy behind our approach. We are here to help people communicate, and some fairly well-known projects, such as Debian GNU/Linux, Jabber, handhelds.org, PocketLinux and Vorbis, find us quite useful. So if someone wants to know whether we can make a case that they should contribute or code for us, well, I think we can make quite a strong one.

Thanks,

Rob L.

Re:Avoid Hassles: Change the Name

[CaseyB]

I guess that's a good indication of what an arcade fanatic I am: I thought it was a reference to Mr. Do's Wild Ride.

You have all missed a vital point

[Sneakums]

You should all be made aware that the status is that Rob Levin needs to get a life.

Thank you for your kind attention.

--
"Where, where is the town? Now, it's nothing but flowers!"

Mr. Toad's Wild ride?

[tcd004]

Yeah, in two weeks Disney/ABC will be knocking on their front door.

tcd004
What makes the Pentium 4 Hum?
Don't go here unless you need stockphotos

Re:Mr. Toad's Wild ride?

[lilo]

Hehe, thanks for your concern. We are not using any Disney logos or art work, the title is a *parody* (protected speech) of a story, and I doubt they'll notice or care. I'm sure they would dislike the really bad publicity someone would get from harassing 3,000-or-so really net-savvy, annoyed geeks. And they're really nice people, aren't they? :)

Rob L.

At the risk of sounding cynical...

[jayhawk88]

As IRC networks grow, they attract denial of service attacks

I'm sure a story on Slashdot won't exactly lower the number of attacks either.

Avoid Hassles: Change the Name

[ewhac]

Expect to get sued by The Walt Disney Corporation.

"Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" is the name of a children's ride at DisneyLand. You can bet that the name has been trademarked with lethal efficiency. And since Disney are one of the most ruthless, humorless, ligitious agents out there when it comes to intellectual "property", I place the lifespan of your venture somewhere short of a crippled, emphysemic cockroach in a Raid factory.

Schwab

To quote Mallrats...

[MustardMan]

"Women want romance, not Mr Toad's Wild Ride..."

"Be fair, EVERYONE wants Mr Toad's Wild Ride"

Re:Some kind of children's book?

[kallisti]

The book is called The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, this was made into a movie by some British guys, including half of Monty Python. The rights to distribute this movie were bought by Disney, who changed the title and plastered their name all over it. It is now Disney's Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

Since the name is Disney's creation, they probably have enough of a case. Remember, this is the corp that sued a Florida day-care center (supposedly, I couldn't find a reference on the 'net).