[1822] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Commercial Use Scenario Part 1
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Vernon Schryver)
Wed Jan 1 16:54:22 1992
Date: Wed, 1 Jan 92 13:53:41 -0800
From: vjs@rhyolite.wpd.sgi.com (Vernon Schryver)
To: com-priv@psi.com
> <<MESSAGE from>> Gordon Cook 01-JAN-92 12:29
> cook@tmn
> ...[asks how commercial organizations might use the Internet]...
Even if it were possible, Silicon Graphics would not use the Internet for
ordinary "enterprise" communications. Not only is there reason to want
privacy, there are organizational pressures. The people running our
corporate TCP/IP network (which spans oceans and continents) would not be
thrilled at seeing their work dismantled or with becoming redundant. They
would discover good technical reasons to retain the corporate network.
There are other uses:
1 Incidental file transfers.
People stationed at customer sites sometimes need to move new system
releases, test files, core-dumps, etc to or from the factory. The
Internet looks like the solution to those people. The time required to
push 500MB files thru the 56Kb/s link at the sgi.com end is the main
reason the "do not use the Internet for our commercial stuff" lecture
is needed only about twice a year.
2 Access to the corporate network from odd places
It is wasteful to install leased lines to each and every field office,
no matter how small. It can be awkward to get connections to the SGI
corporate network at large customers who have their own networks.
Ubiquitious links to a commercial version of the Internet would solve
some such needs. The privacy problems could be solved in the obvious
ways--at worst you'd have to come up with different encryption software
outside the US.
A commercial Internet would not solve SGI's incidental network problems
at all customers. I know of large companies which refuse even UUCP
links for email or netnews, fearing something leaking in or out.
Direct Internet links are inconceiveable there, and would not help
Silicon Graphics, since those customers are large enough to justify
offices in the same city with direct links to California.
3 Communication with other commercial outfits
Besides the now famous remote access to commercial databases, there are
many other purely commercial uses for an internet. Companies often
exchange information which does not fit on a voice telephone or a fax.
Large amounts of technical information is often exchanged in support of
joint ventures, purchases, and sales. This stuff ranges from special
versions of programs to (these days) email negotiating primary business
issues. The privacy problem is different, since neither party has any
desire to let the other into its corporate network. Neither party
wants third parties to be aware of the communication, let alone its
content.
Another form, sometimes mentioned at here and often mentioned at our
customers, is "technical support." That ranges from bug reports to
remote system administration.
The 3rd catagory is the most important.
Vernon Schryver, vjs@sgi.com
