[9335] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: The annointed
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Daniel Akst)
Wed Dec 29 17:07:53 1993
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1993 14:06:51 -0800 (PST)
From: Daniel Akst <akst@netcom.com>
To: Sheldon Mains 612-297-2376 <mains@lmic.state.mn.us>
Cc: com-priv@psi.com
In-Reply-To: <9312281909.AA25552@host-natasha.lmic.state.mn.us>
Sheldon, bravo on your very thoughtful comments, I agree wholeheartedly.
Dan Akst
akst@netcom.com
On Tue, 28 Dec 1993, Sheldon Mains 612-297-2376 wrote:
>
> There has been a number of postings that seem to imply that the people on
> internet now are better than those who could come on in the future.
> Examples include the assertion that UNIX is fine and anyone on the net
> should know it to the complaint that those who buy "Internet in a Box" will
> not bring anything to the net nor know that they should.
>
> First, for something like internet to survive the changes in the industry,
> there has to be more than just computer junkies, academics and government
> types on it. People like my neighbor who manages a warehouse need to find
> value in the net. It can not be an elitist system.
>
> Second, we don't know what people will bring. Some of it will be trash,
> some of it will be wonderful.
>
> Third, the system has to be easier to use. How many of your friends can
> not program their VCR?--and we expect them to understand UNIX, let alone
> DOS?
>
> Finally, any step that gets more people to understand the value of two-way
> electrionic communications as opposed to the one-way model of broadcast TV
> and cable, is useful. So what if nbc.com is only e-mail, it is better
> than nothing.
>
