Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!nucsrl!tellab5!vpnet!louisg
From: louisg@vpnet.chi.il.us (Louis Giliberto)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: ANS Acceptable Use Policy
Message-ID: <1991Apr05.011813.4610@vpnet.chi.il.us>
Date: 5 Apr 91 01:18:13 GMT
References: <23952@well.sf.ca.us> <7874@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU> <6323@awdprime.UUCP>
Organization: Vpnet Public Access
Lines: 38

In article <6323@awdprime.UUCP> mbrown@testsys.austin.ibm.com (Mark Brown) writes:
>I'm pretty understanding of why IBM's such a big target...it *is*. However,
>could you explicate *why* you feel this way?

I can explain why *I* feel that way, even though I didn't write the article
you are replying to.  

It has nothing to do with being against IBM, per se.  It has to do with 
*any* company calling the shots.  I don't like to think that I may somehow be
required to follow their policy.  

So the net's basically held together with cellophane tape and toothpicks.  So
what?  It works pretty good, considering.  If IBM got a hold of it, they might
turn it into another Prodigy (ugh!!), and that's part of the reason why people
talk here instead of there:  everyone makes their *own* policy here.  If you
don't want to carry a newsgroup at your site you don't.  If you want to carry
alt.sex.small.livestock.and.buxom.blondes you can.  If IBM would let such
things pass through their hallowed halls, then fine.  If not, then they should
stay away.  I don't think they would let such types of things be allowed on
bandwidth.

If *any* company were t run this thing, I'd like it to be AT&T (no, I don't
work for them or own stock in them).  They probably have more experience
with data networking than IBM (Prodigy is a good example of their idea of
networking).  AT&T could basically give a sh*t what goes on as long as they
make a buck off of the bills.  They don't constantly monitor calls and say
"you can't say this", so I doubt they'd do that with a network.  IBM has
proven themselves capable of doing this: Prodigy again!!! Imagine that!

Louis Giliberto
louisg@vpnet.chi.il.us


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