Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!aramis!webber From: webber@aramis.RUTGERS.EDU (Webber) Newsgroups: news.stargate Subject: Re: ... (and some general opinions) Message-ID: <520@aramis.RUTGERS.EDU> Date: Thu, 23-Apr-87 02:39:52 EST Article-I.D.: aramis.520 Posted: Thu Apr 23 02:39:52 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 25-Apr-87 00:08:13 EST References: <965@vortex.UUCP> <6582@bu-cs.BU.EDU> <2403@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> <5049@ut-ngp.UUCP> Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 59 Summary: there is no value without price (and what is a buckaroo?) In article <5049@ut-ngp.UUCP>, clyde@ut-ngp.UUCP (Head UNIX Hacquer) writes: > In article <181@brandx.klinzhai.RUTGERS.EDU>, webber@klinzhai.RUTGERS.EDU (Webber) writes: > > .... > > In many ways, usenet was a unique utopian experiment. Twenty years > > from now, you will only find it in the history books (check next to > > the Oneida colony). You will tell your children about a free network > > where people all over the country/world discussed whatever they wanted to. > > ... > > Gee, it seems to me that Usenet still 'is'. I was stuck out on arpanet for a few years a couple of years ago (nice place to transfer files, but they haven't heard the news since the 60s), and when I got back to usenet it was heaven for about half a year and then they started that silliness about changing group names. > ... Here again we have the > misperception that Usenet is free. To your particular site, it may ... Sigh. That is free as in freedom. I know it costs. I also know what `free public libraries', `free public education', `free local calls' and `free coupons you get in the mail' cost. > But sooner or later some beancounter at some backbone is going to wonder > why so much tribute is being paid to AT&T - and boom goes Usenet, > either in toto or the 'talk.*' and 'rec.*' groups. ... Oh, you think those are the ones to go. What if they become more concerned about the free code their programmers are sending to comp.sources or the free advice they are sending to comp.arch than the worthless opinions that they are sending to rec.croquet . If the beancounters ever see what is going on, the phone bills will be the least of the problems. Considering the amount of `non-work-related computing' that goes on at most sites, I think the systems people have the beancounters pretty much under control (after all, the beancounters would be lost without their computer support -- indeed the large market in computers is due to the beancounters trying to cover up their mistakes). > Besides, Usenet isn't the only game in town BOB, if you want 'complete' > freedom, then go out an buy yourself a PC/AT or some such box, a LOT > of hard disk and a modem or two, and run the Usenet software in whatever > fashion you wish. That is how Usenet has grown. Hmmm. If I read this right, you are telling me to go and build my own net if I don't like the way this one is hobbling. Nice thought - and I suppose everyone that doesn't like the current government (in the whatever country they happen to be) should leave there too. Incidently, it is interesting that you didn't come up with an alternative source of uncensored opinion/dialogue on the scale of usenet. Perhaps the anthropologists could get grants to fund usenet just to watch how it evolves. I wonder how many computer marketing groups have links just to keep in touch. Usenet was qualitatively different from every thing else that was happening in the world (perhaps the endangered species act applies). ------------------- BOB (webber@aramis.rutgers.edu ; BACKBONE!topaz!webber)