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From: lauren@vortex.UUCP (Lauren Weinstein)
Newsgroups: net.news
Subject: Re: A Friendly Wager (satellite news)
Message-ID: <449@vortex.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 16-Nov-84 18:53:20 EST
Article-I.D.: vortex.449
Posted: Fri Nov 16 18:53:20 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 18-Nov-84 03:55:04 EST
References: <1261@hao.UUCP>
Organization: Vortex Technology, Los Angeles
Lines: 36

I'm not going to make any predictions about how fast various sites
would be willing to decide they want to spend the money to receive
netnews via non-phone connections.  Also, I don't consider the
success or failure of such a venture to be based on percentages, since
even the early switch of a few large sites to such a system could
make the difference between the continued life or early death
of the net, even if thousands of tiny little sites continue to get
netnews via local phone feeds.  Nor would I ever expect sites to
usually receive ALL netnews via satellite--there will always be some
messages that are not suitable for broadcast in their original network
form (either due to topic (net.jokes.disgusting) or repetition (what
was Batman's real name -- we only need this answer ONCE.)  There's
also no easy way for me to predict the production schedules of
decoder manufacturs or the installation schedules of cable TV and
satellite earthstation suppliers.

However, we are talking about something new here, something with
the potential of making a very significant difference in the
net over the short to medium term.  It's not going to be available
(or necessarily desired) by every site overnight.  And even it was,
there will probably be some delays with equipment since nobody is
geared up for mass production of decoders yet and won't be for
several months at least.

But I can make this prediction.  Barring logistical problems in
Dallas (costs or buildings in the wrong place) there's a real
good chance you'll be able to see netnews materials pouring into
a computer from a dish pointed at the sky.  If they had a decent
cable service in the area (they don't) the dish wouldn't even be needed.
I think that's enough to expect about 6 months after I proposed the project 
as a theoretical venture, without funding of any kind at the time.
Keep in mind that most people have been telling me all along that
I'd never be able to get anyone to provide the satellite space for the
project, and that I was wasting my time trying.  We'll see about that.

--Lauren--