[1807] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Toward 1992 Resolution
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (William Schrader)
Mon Dec 30 16:51:08 1991
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 91 12:43:50 -0500
From: wls@psi.com (William Schrader)
To: com-priv@psi.com
Cc: wls@psi.com
Hans-Werner writes:
>I would like to clarify a few points. My objective if not to defend or
>accuse, just to set some things straight.
I appreciate HWB's effort to clarify/establish the historical context
of our current dilemma. Reasonable, honorable people might draw the
same conclusions from the facts he presents. This is why a reasonable,
honorable man, like Steve Wolff, could have made the errors he has
(however well-intended) in shaping the future of this industry. I
believe others involved in the monoply positioning of ANS were less
benign in their complicity.
At the EDUCOM NET90 conference, March 14, 1990 in Washington DC, I
was dining with another FARNet member. Al Weis walked up to our
table, took a bite of food from my plate, and ate it. I looked
up at him incredulously: it was such an unusual thing to do,
since we are not close personal friends. He said "Schrader, I
just want you to know, I'm going to eat your lunch." I had recently
announced PSI's formation (January 4), but ANS was as yet unannounced
(Sept '90) even in it's wolf-in-sheep's-clothing guise as a
not-for-profit. I didn't know then what to make of what Weis had
said, but it was so odd that I did remember to make note of it. I
know, now, that he was _not_ saying to me: 'I am going to help you
open up this market for all the FARNet members, so that we can all
build this industry together'.
So: instead of building the marketplace by bringing new connections
into the internet, ANS is using their NSF sanctioned advantage and
signing existing customers of FARNET and CIX Association members.
Their recent spate of "clarifying" messages have only been attempts
to put more palatable spins on the same old unsavory plan.
I have been chided by some to keep a lid on all of this, to keep quiet.
Are some of you so certain you will get a better outcome with ANS
in charge of the dealing? Did we learn nothing from previous monopolies
at home and abroad? We would all have a major uphill battle if this
unfair positioning were allowed to stand. Services would suffer,
innovation would suffer, competition and pricing would suffer.
Steve Wolff confirms that mistakes have been made and he is honestly
and honorably trying to remediate the situation. We support his
efforts and will continue to work with him in good faith.
I will not debate point by point with anyone how we found ourselves
in this position as an industry. I have many of the facts, and
can draw my own conclusions, as can each of you.
The real issue now is: how do we shape the future of the industry?
Bill Schrader
PSI
