A User Speaks - Mentality
The most immediate impact when attacks happen on DALnet servers, is on those who chat here. They are, paradoxically, also the people whose thoughts on the matter are least heard. So, in this issue, we've asked two typical users of DALnet how the attacks impact on them.
curve:You're a regular user of DALnet - how long have you been coming here now?
MenTaLITy: nearly 1 year (2 weeks to go!)
curve:What do you like to do when you connect?
MenTaLITy:well, I spend 90% of my time in #Help helping out and chatting to the other helpers, but when i'm not, I'm usually chatting in my own channel or in #irc4kids to some of my other irc friends :)
curve:So why use DALnet over any other IRC network?
MenTaLITy:Well, I chose DALnet first because a script i downloaded was only compatible with DALnet/Austnet - DALnet was the bigger one, and I instantly met some people that made me laugh and that i liked :) - Since then I have been to some of the other famous networks such as Quakenet/Efnet, and i just haven't been able to get used to them as much as DALnet. Although people criticise it due to the netsplits etc, I have always found it to be, on the most part the best.
curve:How has it been for you on DALnet lately - any problems connecting, or staying online?
MenTaLITy:I've been very lucky with the netsplits actually. I haven't been caught in too many. Many people are finding it harder to connect than it really is because they use the default port 6667 - to all users try other ports! I have found recently that connected to starburst.* and tricky.* via port 6662 has been easier. Obviously that may differ depending where you live. It is annoying however, when you're chatting to someone, and they disappear from the net
curve:Do you know what is causing so many netsplits?
MenTaLITy:It's no secret that DDoS attacks are rife on DALnet. I don't think this is the ONLY reason of course...services can get bogged down, as can servers because of the high amount of users on DALnet. I think a lot of it has got to do with the attacks though.
curve:Do you know how a DoS attack works, and how it impacts on the network? If so, do you think that most users understand?
MenTaLITy:I'm not too sure myself. I think it has to do with sending packets to the server until it overloads..the only way i've gathered even that amount of knowledge of it is from being in #help so, no, I think 50% of the users, possibly more, do not understand why the netsplits are occurring. Perhaps a fuller explanation on the zine ;)
curve:Yes - fortuitously, an explanation is going to be in this issue! :)
MenTaLITy:yay! :D
curve:When these attacks happen - how does it effect you?
MenTaLITy:As i commented before i've been lucky with the netsplits. However, once the splits start happening that's when the services lag badly or go offline. Then we get users flooding in with the same questions over and over again - "is nickserv down?" "where is the nickserv" etc etc - and who can blame them? They don't know what's going on!
MenTaLITy:so i'm working over time ;/
MenTaLITy:and my friends are usually disconnected - who do I have to chat to?
MenTaLITy:And i like to use services to! LOL!
curve:Why do you think people attack DALnet?
MenTaLITy:Gosh that's a good one. I think partly they may be jealous of how big DALnet is. In a past issue you summed it up very well "Small groups of people only trying to destroy a good thing" - I think it's inevitable to get people like this in a place with over 100,000 people. I honestly think these people are also a little lonely in their own lives..perhaps they are under everybody at work - children often feel like that, so perhaps this is their way
curve:Even though you don't like what they do - do you admire them, think they're 'elite'?
MenTaLITy:oh god no. I think they're sad. I have had run-ins with these packet kiddie type people - they are irritating, and however they may feel in real life they should cope with it - the rest of us manage to :-)
curve:If you could give them a message, what would you say?
MenTaLITy:Please stop. You have caused your damage. You're not going to bring DALnet down no matter how hard you think your attacks are. Stop annoying the rest of us and give it up :) - it's not worth it, and remember what you're doing is illegal.
©Emma/Curve 2002
