Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!bu.edu!cs!gene
From: gene@cs.bu.edu (Gene Itkis)
Newsgroups: comp.theory
Subject: Re: RUSSIAN SCIENCE: PLEASE HELP !!!
Message-ID: <80607@bu.edu.bu.edu>
Date: 1 May 91 14:06:48 GMT
References: <1991Apr21.234214.28955@EE.Surrey.Ac.UK>
Sender: news@bu.edu.bu.edu
Lines: 27

In article <1991Apr21.234214.28955@EE.Surrey.Ac.UK> ees1ae@moria.ee.surrey.ac.uk (Ata Etemadi) writes:

>Would you be willing to help Russian space scientists ? 
>The problem is one of shortage of computing facilities. 
>There is very little capital available. Mostly what is
>needed is hardware for analysing the years of wonderful
>spacecraft data just gathering dust. 
>
>I am asking for contributions of hardware and/or software 
>of any type, age or description. etc...

I would like to add a word of caution. It may be possible that your equipment
will never get to be used in the ways in which you intended it when donating.
Space research is closely tied with the military and that may be who you'll end
up supplying. Also you should take into account the corraption and possibities
of redirecting goods to black market (remember that Moscow black markets were
full of Red Cross buckets and blankets after Armenia's earthquake). I would
suggest that a more efficient way to help may be to invite the scientists with
their data to visit your institutions. The fate of the wonderful spacecraft
data may not depend on your contributions and may continue gathering dust even
after your contribution enhanced the military or made someone rich.

I do mean this notice as a word of caution and not as a slander of the
good-will initiative. I am no expert on the subject but I had a first hand
knowledge of the soviet corruption (as anyone who lived there).
--
	Gene Itkis		(gene@cs.bu.edu)