[1584] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Internet Coverage
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Wild Bill (Yurcik) NSI-NIC (301)28)
Tue Nov 19 13:57:59 1991
Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1991 13:57 EST
From: "Wild Bill (Yurcik) NSI-NIC (301)286-1376" <YURCIK@DFTNIC.GSFC.NASA.GOV>
To: com-priv@psi.com
X-Vms-To: IN%"com-priv@psi.com"
What about FREENET? I attended a workshop last week
sponsored by MERIT which included a spokesperson from Cleveland FREENET.
Already an active BBS fan myself, I agree with FREENET's public
library approach.
Basically it appears to me that the NREN articles in the 11/91
Telecommunications Magazine are factual but miss a major point.
My opinion is that the US does not have to take the Supply-Side
Trickle-Down approach to computer networking. The machines
are already out there (many in closets gathering dust) and the
software is in the public domain. How about a way to get
the masses introduced to computer networking via a community
BBS system with public access. The FREENET spokesperson
claims that the investment for a city the size of Cleveland is
about $15K, need I make a comparison to NREN's budget?
I am a professional in the field with computer accounts on many
machines, a home computer, and Internet access but what about my
neighbors in my community. Maybe I'm naive but I believe that the
masses, including K-12, will be able to comprehend computer networking
and get excited about it once they get access to it. It seems
that should be the thrust of a national networking agenda.
We might even learn something about networking from the masses
once they get involved and begin developing applications all over.
In summary, for a tiny fraction of the NREN proposal, FREENET
has already implemented BBS systems in several cities where
computer network access has become available and has excited
the average citizen. The NREN proposes K-12 support but the
major thrust is moving bits faster for researchers. Somehow
politicians have been selling NREN as a mechanism for getting
computer networking to the masses while in fact an inexpensive
and working mechanism, FREENET, could use support to expand its
sucessful efforts.
How about any FREENETers out there backing me up! I'm not
the most knowlegeable or eloquent spokesperson.
Bill Yurcik
yurcik@dftnic.gsfc.nasa.gov
I work for:
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