[930] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Internet Articles in the Mainstream Press
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Joe Abernathy)
Wed Jul 10 20:51:32 1991
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 91 19:39:04 CDT
From: edtjda@magic322.chron.com (Joe Abernathy)
To: com-priv@psi.com
Cc: edtjda@magic322.chron.com
I'd also like to invite your participation in two articles I'm preparing. One is for a national magazine with a strong voice in public policy, the other is for the Houston Chronicle.
Both are on the NREN. What I'd like to discuss is the debate that isn't being held. What are the real issues here, and how should they be addressed? What core issues must be considered at this stage of the debate? The things that seem to be the most important are fair access, control (over the medium, and over the use of the facility, two separate issues), and expectations. What is in the national interest? What is the national interest in regard to high-performance computer networks?
Context means a lot, so please include that in your thoughts and comments. One of the things that is frequently missing when I address these issues is a voice of authority talking about the simple issues that the common man can understand. If you're building an NREN, how will it affect my kid's education? Global email's a fine thing to have, but is that the best way to spend computer bucks in the classroom? Assuming we put it in the classroom, who's going to see to it that the kid doesn't use it to become lord of the cyberpunks? (You may deride me on the issue of oversight all you like, but gentlemen, it's an important issue. After a two-year experiment in Internet by a local high school, the overworked teacher disclosed that she eventually gave everyone a root account and sent them sojourning. Imagine the peals of laughter among her students when I talked to them about this later alone. Imagine the sort of press NREN will receive if that's the best it can offer public educ!
ation.)
It seems that we also need to consider the relationship between the IBM-Sprint-AT&T troika and the alternative backbone service providers. I realize the sensitivity of this issue, and promise to provide anonymity for you if you need it to talk candidly.
This an awfully important piece of legislation, and it's going to happen. I think everyone would be quite well served if those of you in this distinguished audience would take a moment to give your reaction.
If you'd like to send your thoughts directly through mail, please go right ahead. Or if you're willing to accept a voice call, we can do that too. Here's how to reach me:
Houston Chronicle
ATTN: Joe Abernathy
Special Projects
P.O. Box 4260
Houston, Texas 77210
(800) 735-3820
(713) 220-7491
edtjda@chron.com
Thanks!
