Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!ncrlnk!ncr-sd!hp-sdd!hplabs!well!crunch
From: crunch@well.UUCP (John Draper)
Newsgroups: news.admin
Subject: Re Soviets
Message-ID: <7611@well.UUCP>
Date: 10 Nov 88 01:57:38 GMT
Reply-To: crunch@well.UUCP (John Draper)
Organization: Whole Earth Lectroinic Link, Sausalito, CA
Lines: 64



In response to the latest message I posted about Joint Ventures,
this is my response to all of TODAYS responses.

>I think the right place to post this info would be in comp.misc.
>Any chance of getting the Soviets on UseNet?  I understand that most
>of the scientifically involved Soviets also speak English.

The Soviet programmers,  at least 80 percent usually can read and 
speak english because they have to be able to read all the manuals
which are in English.

Currently, I will be the gateway between here and the USSR,  and am
trying to set up a UseNet link.   I don't know the details yet.
If anyone out there can give me current info on usenet links into
Finland,  or Checkloslovokia (Scuse spelling),  please let me know.
Getting UseNet links into the USSR requires someone on the Soviet
side of an OFFICIAL capacity to authorize a connection to one of their
UNIX machines.   They DON'T have many UNIX machines.    Communications
between Finland and the USSR is about 6 marks a minute.    Or about
$1.50 per MINUTE.     There has to be a better way to do this.    I have
people in the Soviet Union investigating this.

>How about comp.misc?  Something like comp.society.russia would be better
>but that doesn't exist and I can't see it being created for just these
>articles.
>              Jerry

Score 2 for comp.misc,  any MORE requests.

>   I have one question about the relations with the Soviets in this area... Wilr
> Will there be some sort of link established between say Usenet or the Internet?
>Granted current events raise questions about how secure such a link can be, bute
>to have established - make Usenenet truly world-wide. It would also help allow t
>exchange of information between people in the USA and USSR coincerninh their wo.

I currently have total freedom of information exchange with the Soviets.   I 
was totally surprised at their openness,  and they have NO experience with
networks.    I will have a DIRECT LINK to the Soviet Union,  and I'm paying
for this out out of my own pockets,  so don't expect megabytes of information to
be passed back and forth.    The link I use is EXPENSIVE,  but if used in
moderation,   I can afford it.    

   I suspect I'll be using this link to extract the BEST stuff from Usenet 
(Upon approval from the origional authors of course) then I can shoot it over 
to Moscow.   I'll have an account on the Moscow system.    Most of the traffic 
will be used to set up more direct links between the Soviet Union.    BUT!!  
If some agency is willing to foot the bill,   I would be most happy to oblige,
and be the gateway.    However,  by my observations,   I would like to have
some control of what gets passed,  as in my experience,   Americans tend to
say things to Soviets (Mostly un-intentional) that offend them.    Currently,
I'm in "Fat city" as far as the Soviet Officials are concerned,  and I intend
to respect their authority.    Although the Soviet Union is opening up,
they STILL have different ways of viewing things,  and are not experienced
in dealing directly with Americans.   I think after you read the Joint
Venture paper (Soon to be published in comp.misc),  you will understand
why I feel that way.

Anyway,  so be looking for it in comp.misc.    I have more changes to make
before putting it there.    A few more days.....

Crunch      uunet!acad!well!crunch