Amhtsa.126
net.news,net.unix-wizards
utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!mhtsa!mjs
Tue Jan 19 11:16:56 1982
Marketing Research?
I just got a copy of Bill Shannon's DECnet survey, and can't help but wonder
if the user community (of netnews) really wants such companies using the net
for commercial marketing research.  I don't know the answer, but I think it
is an issue which should be decided post haste!  Until we have a clear charter
as CSNET does, we will certainly be confronted with similar issues.  I don't
mean to knock Bill's survey (I believe its intent to be worthwhile to the
community, though others may not), but there are probably legal issues
involved, as well.  Are there any corporate lawyer types reading?  Perhaps
they might shed some light on the matter.  In the mean time, I reccommend that
we hold back on such news items until the matter is decided (by either consent
or decree, preferably the former).

In the ensuing discussion, which should be held exclusively in newsgroup
net.news, I ask that participants keep flames OUT.  This is not a simple case
of preferences (in fact, preferences may be irrelevent due to the legal answers
I hope to see appear).  There ARE legal questions to be answered.  Let us
please show more maturity than we (the network(s)) have show in the past.

	Marty Shannon, Jr.
	Bell Labs, Murray Hill, NJ
	(201) 582-6272

P.S. I apologize for the tone of the 2nd paragraph above, but I believe this
is a very important issue to the continuance of USENET/netnews/whatever.

	Marty