the LW chat service needs to have more than just a single global mode - all on or all off - so that users can selectively send/recieve messages.

if it is too difficult to support greater granularity for live chat, then pls enhance the robustness of the offline messaging system via the limewire bbs/post-office.

as long as there is an notification mechanism in the gui, users will have the chance to examine the query when their schedule permits.

obviously this facility would need to be refined so that it respects the privacy of message service - LW users dont want to feel spied upon, but they also shouldnt have to face such a drastic either/or choice just in order to exclude unwelcome inquiries.

however, if the logistics of a centralized messaging service are too great (even if confined only to paying, Pro members - who sign a declaration that they are not associated with law enforcement etc) - then at least consider an intermediate solution in which pre-defined messages can be sent to another user even if they have turned off chatting globally (eg 'how long can you keep your system up?' or 'when will you resume a network connection?', or 'can you keep LW up just until i finish file-set X?', etc etc).

how do-able is this?

"...who sign a declaration that they are not associated with law enforcement"

Law enforcement officers can lie. They do not have to tell you they are cops, even when specifically asked. If necessary to protect their safety while undercover, they can even use illicit drugs.

Remember LW is not a service, it's just software; there is no bbs/po.

sorta.

i suppose that i was referring this host - gnutellaforums - which is the default bbs url generated by LW when the user selects the 'Help->Forum' menu command.

this bbs does have an offline message system, but it does not have any hooks into the LM client itself.

so i was in effect suggesting that LW work with with the bbs vendor (vbulletin) to incorporate a SOA-based plugin (using WSDL) that connects the post office (here) to the LW client (there).

the pro LW users are paying money, so there should be some premium services like these (that require system integration with third party platforms).

perhaps this is true in usa (though i think that this issue about deception might be related to the issue of entrapment - which i understand may in fact be a successful defense in america; so i think this type of broad assertion is better discussed at groklaw where the community will be have technical skills required to make the correct distinctions).

in any case, i am not sure that the same latitude about deception is equally available in every other jurisdiction - so one should qualify one's generalizations so that one does not assume that there is no activity limewire outside america.

furthermore, there are various web-based mechanisms which can represent models of trust that would enhance the reliability of any self-declarations by LW participants (as to their bona fides) ... these should be examined as part of a Pro option for secure identity management (sadly the authentication-oriented X.509 has gone MIA for a decade, so the natural candidate for evolving into a trust-management platform is out the running).

Right. I'm only familiar with laws in the US. And here, entrapment would not be an issue in this case. Though indeed, far better to continue on this subject at groklaw.

I am curious about the "various web-based mechanisms which can represent models of trust that would enhance the reliability of any self-declarations by LW participants". Sounds interesting.