Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!lll-lcc!well!rab
From: rab@well.UUCP
Newsgroups: news.stargate,news.misc,comp.org.usenix
Subject: Re: Stargate
Message-ID: <3254@well.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 8-Jun-87 05:56:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: well.3254
Posted: Mon Jun  8 05:56:09 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 10-Jun-87 04:47:05 EDT
References: <109@stargate.UUCP>
Reply-To: rab@well.UUCP (Bob Bickford)
Distribution: world
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, Sausalito, CA
Lines: 29
Xref: utgpu news.stargate:162 news.misc:465 comp.org.usenix:226


  In the referenced article, the Stargate folk go on at great
length about their views of the situation here.
  On at least two points I find them to be misinformed.  The
first are their various comments about deregulation of cable
companies.  The process we are seeing now bears little
resemblance to true deregulation: most companies still have
an enforced monopoly courtesy of the local government.  Thus,
removing the controls (but leaving the monopoly protection in
place) will lead to the circumstances described (dropping of
channels, poor quality of service, etc.) whereas true deregulation
with the likelihood of competition would not.   My point being
that the cited problems should not be blamed on what the politicians
are amusingly calling deregulation, but upon the continued enforced
monopoly status of these companies.
  The second point is the question of liability in the case of
a customer who is offended by an article.  I've always felt that
the lawyers have their heads stuck firmly up their asses on this
point: anything that you must deliberately make an effort to
receive, you have no claim to being "harmed" by.  You could simply
not have turned the receiver on.  --reasonable expectations of
material quality are another issue, and one that is best decided
by economic forces rather than artificial (legal) ones.

-- 
Robert Bickford         {hplabs, ucbvax, lll-lcc, ptsfa}!well!rab
Copyright (c) 1987 R.A.Bickford.  Distribution of this article by any means
including electronic means constitutes permission for it's recipients to
distribute it likewise.  You may distribute it only if your recipients may.