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Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!husc6!mailrus!ames!killer!wpg!russ
From: russ@wpg.UUCP (Russell Lawrence)
Newsgroups: news.groups,comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: What to do about binaries
Message-ID: <463@wpg.UUCP>
Date: 27 Jun 88 00:54:20 GMT
References: <6010@megaron.arizona.edu> <1128@csccat.UUCP>
Followup-To: alt.flame
Organization: WP Group, POB 306, Metairie, LA 70004
Lines: 39

In article <1128@csccat.UUCP> loci@csccat.UUCP (Chuck Brunow) had 
suggested that it might be appropriate to ban shareware postings 
on usenet.  

In article <6010@megaron.arizona.edu>, gudeman@arizona.edu (David 
Gudeman) took issue with Mr. Brunow's article and posted a truly 
cleverless diatribe claiming over and over again that Mr. Brunow 
was "stupid". 

Mr. Gudeman adamantly concluded:

> We're not going to ban shareware.  Post away, it's a free net, even
> though there are some like you who don't want it to be.

Mr. Gudeman is wrong, of course.  As most people know, it's not a free 
net... although it would appear from Gudeman's posting that he doesn't 
contribute to the high cost of its upkeep.  And, while it may be true 
that Mr. Gudeman is not going to ban shareware (how magnanimous of him), 
it remains to be seen whether shareware (not to mention ibm.binaries)
will continue to be propagated through unix sites if net volume continues 
to increase. 

Many of us have held legitimate concerns for quite some time that 
shareware publishers (I can't say whether Mr. Gudeman is included in 
their number -- although his vehemence suggests that he may have an ax 
to grind) are taking advantage of the net to promote their products
at the expense of others.  

In view of the groundswell of opinion aimed at putting the net "on a 
diet" as Chuq proposed several weeks ago, it might be a good idea for
readers of comp.binaries.ibm to give some consideration to Mr. Brunow's
suggestion.  As it is, Mr. Gudeman's advice to "post away" is ill-advised.

Now, Mr.  Gudeman, go ahead and tell everybody how stupid I am!  If you 
need inspiration, try looking in the mirror.  ;-) 

-- 
Russell Lawrence, WP Group, New Orleans (504) 456-0001
{uunet,killer}!wpg!russ