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From: bzs@bu-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: AI Job Openings
Message-ID: <5253@bu-cs.BU.EDU>
Date: Wed, 11-Mar-87 21:29:02 EST
Article-I.D.: bu-cs.5253
Posted: Wed Mar 11 21:29:02 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 13-Mar-87 02:12:35 EST
Organization: Boston U. Comp. Sci.
Lines: 43


>It is not my desire to engage in a word contest with the above author
>or anyone else, and Marilyn Dee certainly has no need of a defense
>other than the one she is most capable of providing herself.  I am
>certainly able to recognize that there are those who would find the
>type of posting in question objectionable, whether because of a
>philisophical repugnance or because of economic considerations.  It
>is my understanding, however, that the primary purpose of the news
>network is the exchange of information and ideas.  If the existence
>of job openings is not information, then we really do have a problem.

No, there is really much more to it.

The government provides (through grants and other allowances) a lot of
the throughways by which these groups are delivered. If these are used
for commercial messages that could otherwise be delivered by ordinary
commercial means then the government is, in effect, competing with
those commercial organizations.

This can be challenged by those losing revenue and could dry up many
of the resources by which the news is delivered. The govt is not
supposed to be competing against these companies but providing
electronic communications for research purposes. Whether or not
certain messages can be construed as research probably depends on
whether someone would challenge the issue, but you can be rest assured
that if money is involved we are on much thinner ice. There are few
rules on silliness.

There is also the issue of "if one can do it then...", needless to say
these groups would become quite a nuisance if access were given to
everyone who could profit by using them for advertising. We can only
assume that if the floodgates were opened then, well, there would be a
flood. Free advertising is of immense value to a business, especially
when it can be directed at such a concentrated audience (well, free to
them, you're paying for it in most cases.)

Anyways, misc.jobs was thought to be of sufficient service to the
receiving community that it's being chanced, but wholesale abuse by
posting commercialistic to random research groups could sink the whole
ship.

If you'll excuse the pun, don't take the network for granted, the
government's position is not indefensible!