[798] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: Access to the Internet
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Terry Dawson)
Thu Jul 23 11:45:57 1992
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 10:42:07 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
From: Terry Dawson <terry@edsi.plexus.COM>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
In-Reply-To: <9207171407.AA15347@spool.mu.edu>; from "Lee Jaffe,
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Lee Jaffe writes:
> What I don't understand about possible commercialization of the Internet
> is how this would be accomplished under the current structure and what
> would compel us to abandon that structure? Internet access is managed
> regionally by cooperatives, sometimes an agency under contract to the
> cooperative. The coop is supported by the fees of the members. Why would
> we dump or allow someone else to dump the coops in exchange for a
> commercial provider?
"We have met the enemy and he is us." This model works as long as the
coops remain open to admitting new members at an affordable rate. While
vendors court new accounts, coop members may be telling aspiring
libraries that they can't join via existing nodes. A public library may
need only a handful of mail accounts, not enough to justify many
thousands of dollars per year that it would cost to set up as a node.
If existing nodes are unwilling or unable to provide access at a
reasonable cost, look for commercial vendors to fill the need for
access.
The coop model is one that has worked well. How will it deal with the
growth that is coming? How will it provide services to small business
and the general public?
