Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ames!amdahl!uunet!ficc!jeffd
From: jeffd@ficc.uu.net (jeff daiell)
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: Re: Who Controls The Network
Summary: Small Is Beautiful
Message-ID: <2367@ficc.uu.net>
Date: 5 Dec 88 00:38:13 GMT
References: <2062@brahma.cs.hw.ac.uk>
Organization: Ferranti International Controls
Lines: 46

In article <2062@brahma.cs.hw.ac.uk>, nick@cs.hw.ac.uk (Nick Taylor) once
again drags out the tired old canard that our only choices (in this case,
on computer network provision), are Big Brother and Big Business.

I submit that the needs of computerdom would better be served by
small firms, competing and/or cooperating as dictated by their interests.

Actually, most "megafirms" only get to be megafirms thru help from
political powerwielders.  The only way even such a megafirm can achieve a 
sustained monopolistic -- or even a sustained oligopolistic -- position   
is through such political intervention.

There are cities where telephone service is competitive, and cities
where electricity provision is competitive.  You'd best believe that
prices are lower and service better in such cities.  The concept of
"a natural monopoly" is simply inaccurate.

Jeff Daiell

P. S.  In a later posting, an Adam Margulies talks about the dis- 
crepancies between the way the two tax-subsidized parties are treated    
and the way "third" parties are treated.  The example he used was
the Democans and Republicrats missing the deadline in Indiana, and
being placed on the ballot, anyway, whereas the Libertarians missed
the deadline in Missouri and were barred from the ballot.  What makes
this example all the more galling is that the deadline for "third parties"
in Missouri is 75 days earlier than that for the two government-
sponsored parties ... and a Federal appeals court ruled for Missouri,
despite a Supreme Court ruling against early deadlines for third
parties!

P. P. S.  On the idea of influencing via political action the 
way a governmental compnet would be operated  ... many cities 
and counties  operate transit lines.  When was the 
last time an incumbent was defeated because the buses 
or subways were late, dirty, missed runs, etc?  What 
are the chances an officeholder would be in
electoral jeopardy because the compnet had lapses, 
or was subject to unauthorized monitoring, or the like?
With market provision, providers would do a good job, or
have no job to do.

-- 
"Justice, like lightning, should ever appear
 To some men hope, to other mean fear."

                          -- Jefferson Pierce