Xref: utzoo comp.misc:5008 talk.politics.soviet:1003 Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cwjcc!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!pasteur!laertes!c188-au From: c188-au@laertes.uucp (Dave Bernard) Newsgroups: comp.misc,talk.politics.soviet Subject: Re: The Russians are coming (to the usenet) Message-ID: <9661@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> Date: 9 Feb 89 20:25:51 GMT References: <.... and ICC ... in comp.misc@....UUCP> <... in comp.misc@...UUCP> <1405@orion.cf.uci.edu> <11218@udenva.cair.du.edu> Sender: news@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU Reply-To: c188-au@laertes.UUCP (Dave Bernard) Organization: University of California, Berkeley Lines: 64 Hello, the situation in the Soviet Union concerning printers is very in- teresting. First of all, I shall restrict my discussion of this topic to Moscow. In all other areas of the Soviet Union computer use is at the bare minimum. Only in scientific laboratories, hotels, the rare governmental institute, a few factories, "video arcades," and some schools are computers being used there. However, in Moscow, there is a growing number of people taking interest in personal computers. There is, of course, a law res- tricting unauthorized publications, and Xerox machines are, for all natives, hard to come by. The Ministry of Communications must give specific approval to each xerox machine in the USSR, and no person is allowed to own one personally. However, this law was made before computer printers were around in any number. Although there is a law which says that one may not publish without permission of the government, to my knowledge, there is no law which outlaws the owning printers. Obviously, personal printers aren't really made in the Soviet Un- ion (the East Germans do most of that), and aren't for sale in stores. Printer paper, ink, etc., also is extremely rare. How- ever, people do own personal printers in the Soviet Union, if they were given as presents, or attained on the black market. These people, obviously, do not seek permission, but don't con- sider themselves breaking the law. Also, foreign companies aren't restricted on the number/quality of printers that they bring in, although they are restricted when it comes to xerox machines. I think that it is the new Gorbachev regime that has turned a blind eye to the use of printers. If these printers were ever used to mass publish opposition literature, I think this would change. Many Muscovite employees of foreign companies or of scientific and other institutes use their employer's computer equipment. Thus, those with access to printers (even if they do not own them) is not infinitesimally small. Also, members of the ICC, etc. who would be using the Usenet would already have access to printers. The ICC has both govern- ment and foreign backing, and are well-supplied (by Soviet stan- dards) with computer and printer equipment. So, although the numbers are very few (less than about .001%) there are a significant number of people with printers. However, if the main concern is that people at the ICC will not be able to print out their messages, I think there is nothing to worry about. Also, I believe that Ilene Johnson (article 1495) is right in stating that most people who will be using this system will have a passable use of English. Just remember that when writing to them, to use simple English phrases. I would just like to ask for more information regarding the pro- posed Soviet links with the usenet. I know that it is extremely difficult to get anything like this done. If it was proposed to start this month, it will probably start in July. However, I don't know anything about this "link with Usenet." Please post more information. Thanks, Dave Bernard c188-au@bard.Berkeley.EDU