[498] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Volunteer Internet
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Sanjay_Chadha@library.tmc.edu)
Wed Jun 17 12:10:28 1992
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1992 11:05:09 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
From: Sanjay_Chadha@library.tmc.edu
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I have a gut feeling about Edward Spodick's comments on internet. Being
a business type and one of the so called professionals, I think it is
interesting that I find myself sharing his concerns. I beleive that
internet is what it is because it is volunteer, encourages creativity,
individualism, and has a feeling of sharing. If commercial/professional
management were so much better, why don't we see more successful
commercial networks? Not that there is a shortage of commercial
networks, they just don't attract same type of people. Within it's
domain, CompuServe is what I would term highly successful. The utility
of compuserve probably stems from it's various forums that are
maintained by mainstream vendors.
I am sure compuerve has it's own collection of public domain software,
but I don't think it outdoes internet archives. I guess the difference
may boil down to: If you want to do something better in Paradox or
dbase, try compuserve, if you are looking for something better than or
different than Paradox/dBase, try internet! There is something about
volunteer work that appeals to people that have put out some public
domain gems. I wonder if we will turn those people off or encourage
them by rewarding them financially.
I don't know what it costs to set up a forum on compuserve, but I would
imagine it would be heck of a lot more than to set up a list on internet/
Bitnet. (Out of pocket expense, as that is what matters in education)
Thus, one would not be able to establish itself on the network,
one would have to be established to get to it. I am of course, making
several assumptions, that with professionals running it, there will be
controls, cost allocations and so on, that need not be so. My nighmare
is would we have a PACS-L if someone said "you need $10,000 to set up a
new list" (Or even $2000 for that matter). As always, I am sure someone
will correct me if I am completely off-base on this.
Sanjay R. Chadha
sanjayc@library.tmc.edu
Houston, TX
