[2785] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Why Participate: Response to DRW
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (JIM DOWNEY)
Wed Jun 3 10:12:44 1992
Date: Wed, 3 Jun 1992 10:12 EST
From: JIM DOWNEY <JDOWNEY@RCNVMS.RCN.MASS.EDU>
To: com-priv@psi.com
X-Vms-To: in%"com-priv@psi.com"
Date sent: 3 JUN 92
In a previous article, drw@BOURBAKI.MIT.EDU wrote:
> >1. The Internet will become truly world-wide: [...]
>
> At this point in time the picture you paint does not seem likely to
> begin for at least another 5 years...
>
>Probably so, but I'm going to spend most of the rest of my life more
>than 5 years from now, so I think that true internationalization will
>an important part of the future.
True... Internationalization will become a reality, but with the assistance
of U.S. TAX DOLLARS (c.f. the funds sent to CZECHOSLOVAKIA to assist in setting
up its networks and links)... Fundamentally, if the taxpayer is footing a
large portion of the bill, it becomes questionable as to whether or not the
Internet is ethically able to become a privatized network unless it remains in
the not-for-profit realm... I'm not opposed to universities, colleges and
private organizations using the nets, nor am I opposed to users being charged
access fees under certain conditions (one being that it is in direct
relationship to actual cost of use), but i fully oppose a privatization and
commericalization of internet... The founding principles of the network will
have been abandoned and those of us using the nets for academic and research
endeavors will lose out...
> >2. The bulk of the Internet will be in support of commercial
> >activities: [...]
>
> I advocate against commercialization... strongly and without question of
> my reasoning... The way that the commercialization is being approached is
> through a complete conversion... I watch the planning and realize it is
> scheming in guise... My critics contend I'm paranoid on this point, but I
> recall the poster that said, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean
> they are not out to get you."
>
> >3. The Internet will be sold as a service for a fee, rather than being
> >delivered by a club-like consortium effort between a small number of
> >widely scattered users.
>
> A huge mistake...
>
>(Well, not be be snide, but why are you here? If you're against
>commercialization and privatization of the Internet, why are you on
>the mailing list to advocate and plan commercialization and
>privitization?)
Very simply... I believe if your going to criticize something, then you must
know what is being said and done... I have been lurking on this list via the
BULLETIN utility at my site for some time... I would consider it imporper and
unethical to criticize the com-priv effort if I had not read considerable on
the topic, followed the debates, examined the ideas and efforts being proposed,
etc.... Having done so, I have formulated an opinion... This list aided in
the formulation of that opinion and my position.
>On a policy level, I consider the Internet to provide one of the most
>important communication technologies of the last few decades, and to
>prevent businesses (that is, the economy) from using it would be
>rather suicidal. Certainly, our competitors won't make that mistake.
Right, most of our competitors formed nationally underwritten networks for
business and are now soaking the residential and academic customers, or do not
have the extensive infrastructure that is present in the U.S. and the leading
economic powers... But as I understand it, Japan has an extensive BUSINESS
network and a comparably limited education network... Most other nations rely
on their leading universities to provide the infrastructure... The Eastern
Block countries barely have an infrastructure, are building, but at great
expense and difficulty...
Let's have businesses spend their own monies to form a for-profit
infrastructure... Let's not have it ride a wave that is just beginning to
crest... Else that wave will come crashing in upon us...
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| James M. Downey (INTERNET) JDOWNEY@ECN.MASS.EDU |
| Salem State College (FIDONET) Jim Downey 1:324/0 SHAKERS |
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