A slight call to order (Re: Internic address allocation policy ) (fwd)

Mon Mar 20 17:31:11 UTC 1995

> From: Brett Watson <bwatson at diamond.cary.mci.net>
> 
>   It just seems to me that everyone is taking all of this way out
> of bounds.  The internic is strict and sometimes contradicts
> itself, I agree.  but all they ask for is a plan, or rather and
> *estimate*.  Karl, you say you can't possibly guess those
> numbers?  How do you do business then?  You've got to be able to
> estimate business and market growth (not bashing you, just don't
> understand).
> 
> -brett

No, what I'm saying is that it is none of the NIC's concern what my growth
plan looks like, or what my business plan looks like.

If someone else is willing to turn over a business plan, that's their
choice, but IMHO that's really, really stupid.  As in possibly suicidally
stupid.

I would give my left nut (pardon the vernacular) for some of these business
plans.  They are absolutely golden in terms of their value to a competitor
in the areas of the country you do business, and anyone who doesn't
understand that really ought to be working for someone else rather than
running a company in this, or any other, marketplace.

There are all kinds of interesting pieces of information in our business
plan, and many of them would be VERY useful to a competitor.  For that
reason that piece of paper is to be found only in our vault at the bank, 
and in an encrypted (strongly!) file on a PC in my home.

The NIC can have a copy of ours if and when they take out an indeminty bond
of about $10M and sign the contracts required by me of anyone who wants a
peek at that for any other legitimate business purpose.  Until then my answer 
to that request is "stuff it".  I know what's in there, I know how much value
it has to a potential or actual competitor, and that information simply will
not be allowed to pass out of my control without the strongest of guarantees
that it will remain secure.

Even our *bank* doesn't have a copy of this document, and that relationship
is traditionally one of the strongest between two firms.

--
--
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