Internet II is coming...

Todd Graham Lewis lists at reflections.mindspring.com
Wed Oct 9 05:01:02 UTC 1996


On Tue, 8 Oct 1996, Paul J. Zawada wrote:

> Commercialization of the 'net may have pushed the development of the router,
> Unix, IP software, etc., but where did all of these things come from in the
> first place?  The NON-commercial R&E community, that's where.  (Modems are
> probably the exception) 
...
> R&E instituions, by design, go places where the commercial sector only waits
> for a money-making opportunity.  In fact, time and time again, the R&E
> community creates the money-making opportunity.  I'm glad someone isn't
> happy with status-quo...

I never said that the universities, etc., weren't invaluable to the 
networking community.  They are, and I am the first to admit it.  
Nonetheless, the assertion that commercialization is responsible for all 
of the woes of the network is a one-sided mischaracterization of the 
state of networking.  Commercialization has brought huge resources to the 
table, to the benefit of all, just as have the uni's.

Does anyone seriously assert that congestion wasn't a problem before
commercialization?  Does anyone seriously assert that commercialization
has made possible huge increases in available resources?  If they do, they
are wrong.  I don't denigrate the benefits rendered by an active academic
participation in networking; I wish others wouldn't denigrate the
contributions of the commercial providers and the general public, either. 

__
Todd Graham Lewis             Linux!                 Core Engineering
Mindspring Enterprises  tlewis at mindspring.com   (800) 719 4664, x2804





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