[1781] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
The power of the electronic pen -- or can the network beat the xerographic machine as a weapon of information distribution
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (David J. Farber)
Tue Dec 24 13:46:18 1991
Date: Tue, 24 Dec 91 13:04:17 EST
From: farber@central.cis.upenn.edu (David J. Farber)
To: com-priv@psi.com
I have always been amazed in looking at the newspaper reports of
leaks in Washington to realize that the powers-that-be have never
gotten use to the fact that anything capable of being copied via a
xerographic machine will become public.
Similarly I am amazed at the surprise in the community over the fact
that network news and problems reach the press and the Hill. The
network is a promulgator of information that is potentially
revolutionary in its possibilities. It is the Town Forum of the
future. Instant news, instant viewing by a broad international
community and instant discussion.
Also watching the mature and wide ranging discussion that occurred
with respect to the NSFNet commercialization problems has given me
real hope that we have a mature community. The maturity of the
community and the access to this discussion by the press has lead to
mature reporting on the part of the printed organs.
I am also pleased to see some technical people taking their
responsibilities of intellectual leadership and duty to their
community seriously. Some still say "that's politics" with the
traditional distain of the computer field, but more and more are
taking the positions that the physics leaders have taken with respect
to the impact of their science on the world. I strongly encourage
those who say, with distain, "that's politics", to join those who
have put their "honor" on the line.
Dave
