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From: ccplumb@watnot.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.org.usenix,news.groups
Subject: Re: Request for special USENIX Meeting
Message-ID: <12807@watnot.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 6-Apr-87 21:41:29 EST
Article-I.D.: watnot.12807
Posted: Mon Apr  6 21:41:29 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 7-Apr-87 05:40:41 EST
References: <1486@hplabsc.UUCP> <304@desint.UUCP> <10009@sri-spam.istc.sri.com>
Reply-To: ccplumb@watnot.UUCP (Colin Plumb)
Distribution: world
Organization: U. of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 34
Xref: utgpu comp.org.usenix:109 news.groups:615

There seem to be two complaints here:

1) This map entry registration fee, which I object to.
2) The `Backbone Cabal' running things somewhat oligarchically,
   which I believe is defensible.  (oligarchy, n, rule by a small
  group of (usually absolute) dicatators)

I think it's a Good Thing that it currently costs *nothing* to first
get into usenet.  You just need the hardware and some grovelling for a
feed.  This lets any poor news addict join up their site on their own
authority.  All they need do is spend a bit of their spare time keeping
inews up.  If any real money is involved, it very likely needs
authorization from a management type, who may not see the need.  This
is what supplies the anarchistic character that is so nice about the
net.

Of course, once the site has news, people can get to liking it, it can
become officially supported, the site can look for faster (but possibly
longer-distance) feeds, give them to others, and start pulling weight.

At this point, the site is spending a non-trivial amount of money to
keep usenet working, and that fact gives them some authority.  If a
downstream site makes itself objectionable, it can always be dumped.
This lack of control is another facet of anarchy.  Your say in how the
work is done is strictly related to how much of the work you do.
Disquieting, especially if something (like a budget) is holding you
back from doing more work, but it works this way.  The backbones spend
a hell of a lot of money keeping usenet running, so I think the say
they have is justified.
--
	-Colin Plumb (watmath!watnot!ccplumb)

Silly quote:
The die has been cast on the face of the waters.