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From: Adam.Frix@p2.f200.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Adam Frix)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm
Subject: Re: GEnie Cost?
Message-ID: <104226.27549136@cmhgate.FIDONET.ORG>
Date: 28 Nov 90 04:50:43 GMT
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clubmac@runxtsa.runx.oz.au (Australias Largest Mac Users Group) writes:

> >In his article on the Net, Norm extolls the virtues of GEnie (which I
> >have abandoned in Favor of America On-Line). What he does not tell you
> >is that he gets a substantial cut of the revenues generated by users
> >utilizing the FreeSoft Roundtable.
> >
> >Mr G. oughta be a little more up front about who pays him what.
> >Anything else is dishonest.
> 
> Yeah, let's slander Norm Goodger on the net - that's a truly original method
> of discrediting someone's point of view - and truly ineffective. Surely you
> have more intelligence than this defamation would indicate.

Well, _I_ don't know that it's slander.  So, I tried to straighten it out. 
On the basis that the above claim of Norm's getting money as a result of the
FreeSoft RT participants using the RT is somewhat questionable, I asked Norm
himself whether this was the case.  It was my impression that such was NOT the
case; plus, if someone made questionable comments about me on the net, I would
hope that others would question ME about said comments, and I was assuming that
Norm would likewise appreciate my going straight to his (the horse's) mouth
on this issue to straighten it all out.

Norm's response?  Here it is:

---------cut here---------

Yes, I saw this, my signature on internet msgs identifies me as a co-sysop
of the Freesoft RT. This is all bogus as far as I am concerned. I also
don't appreciate you re-posting it in this conference, its none of your
business.

---------cut here---------

(as it turned out, I sought confirmation via Fidonet in a public conference
where Norm is well-known, and of late is well-known to evangelize for GEnie.
 This Fidonet newsgroup has some rules of participation, one of which is that
it's extremely courteous--not a strict rule yet, but courteous--for representatives
of companies to announce themselves as such when discussing matters in which
they have a stake.)

His response, not quite what I was expecting, pretty much refuted what I suspected.
 Hmmmmm.  It would seem, then, that my initial impression--that of Norm giving
up his valuable time to help out on GEnie in the FreeSoft RT, and that of GEnie
graciously giving him free time while he's in that RT to perform his duties--might
have been wrong.

"None of your business" indeed.  All I did was ask in order to clear that up
so that Norm's position with respect to his participation in Fidonet (specifically,
in Echomac) could be cleared up.

Never let it be said that when I see something which is possibly libelous, that
I don't go and try to straighten it out _before_ spreading the information.
 But what can I do when the subject in question flatly refuses to speak about
it?  The question remains, hanging in the air, neither confirmed nor denied,
with people dividing themselves into two camps based solely on suspicion (does
he, or doesn't he?  Does his hairdresser know for sure?).

--Adam--
 
--  
Adam Frix via cmhGate - Net 226 fido<=>uucp gateway Col, OH
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