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Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!mit-eddie!bu-cs!jsol
From: jsol@bu-cs.BU.EDU (Jon Solomon)
Newsgroups: news.stargate
Subject: Re: Restrictions on Stargate
Message-ID: <5626@bu-cs.BU.EDU>
Date: Sun, 22-Mar-87 22:35:38 EST
Article-I.D.: bu-cs.5626
Posted: Sun Mar 22 22:35:38 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 24-Mar-87 01:48:36 EST
References: <103@stargate.UUCP> <998@rpics.RPI.EDU>
Reply-To: jsol@buita.UUCP (Jon Solomon)
Organization: Boston Univ. CS Dept.
Lines: 36


I agree with everybody out there who is complaining that Stargate must
not copyright what is printed in USENET. After much communication with
the Stargate team I am happy to say that they are NOT going to copyright
anything that is already in the public domain (such as netnews). If they
wish to add services to their system that are outside of USENET's domain,
then they are bound by whatever contracts they make with those entities.

Now realistically, using current technology, you are either a Stargate
subscriber or you aren't. If you subscribe then you pay the fees and get
the necessary equipment. All is fine. If you aren't a subscriber then
you continue to receive netnews the same way you always have.

If some site deicdes to start using stargate exclusive, you can't do
anything about it. You certainly can't complain to the Stargate Team
about it, they didn't make the decision. I think if you want to receive
Stargate transmissions over your uucp channel that you consent to pay
part of the cost that the site which is receiving stargate is paying.
THIS IS STILL BETWEEN YOU AND THAT SITE. NOT WITH STARGATE.

USENET has *ALWAYS* been a fluctuating network. News paths have been
fleeting since the beginning of time. Stargate won't change that.
If ihnp4 decided to stop sending news altogether you would still have
to find someone else to get your news from. 

Again, after much conversation with the Stargate Team, I find that
Stargate is a different entity from usenet. Usenet will continue (as
it has since its inception) to operate as long as their is sufficient
interest in keeping it running. If we at BU start receiving Stargate,
we won't stop MIT from getting our USENET feed (but NOT our Stargate
feed unless they pay), just like it has since we first started receiving
netnews.

Anyway, I think that sums up what is being argued.

--jsol