[8282] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Two Cultures
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Updegraff)
Fri Nov 12 17:50:33 1993
Date: 12 Nov 1993 16:44:40 -0800
From: "Updegraff" <Updegraff@mac.ripon.edu>
To: "com-priv" <com-priv@psi.com>
>george william herbert says:
>What we really have here is a collision of two cultures.
>The Internet has classically had an "Information Socialism"
>type of culture: if the information exists, it's a good thing
>for it to be freely available. West and a number of other
>companies are coming into dealing with the Internet from
>an "Information Capitalism" point of view: they make their
>money off providing information in a limited manner.
Amen! However I'm not sure I'd use the term "Socialism". The key is
information freedom. Regardless, what are the implications?
Perhaps:
1. We shouldn't try to compromise our visions. Neither is "right" nor
"wrong".
2. The concept of a monolithic "superhighway" is unlikely and not necessarily
desirable. We are better off with information superhighways. The level and
control of information flow between highways may end up being the important
issue.
3. The funding mechanisms can be expected to be different. (nothing is free.)
4. From the standpoint of the freedom culture, the issue is one of free
sharing and dissemination of knowledge and information. Innovations are almost
immediately shared and widely circulated.
5. From the standpoint of the profit culture, the issue is one of protecting
information and knowledge and only share what is "paid" for. Most innovations
are kept secret for their potential profit value and only shared with those who
pay for them.
6. Most of us will be part of both cultures but none of us wants the other
culture imposed. From my standpoint in higher education, my base viewpoint is
the freedom of information culture. However, I fully expect I will be part of
the profit culture as well.
7. Let's quit the brick throwing.
Enough for a Friday afternoon.
-Bill Updegraff
Ripon College
