past vs future use

[Larry Vaden]

At 07:06 AM 6/30/97 -0400, Paul Ferguson wrote:
>At 10:41 AM 06/29/97 -0500, Larry Vaden wrote:
>
>>
>>More to the point, RB and other powers that be are not proposing that the
>>big players economize on their use of router slots, which would make room
>>(if you listen to the limited memory argument) for small multi-homed ISPs.
>>
>
>I think you are missing the point yourself, Larrykins.

Actually, Paul, what you guys don't like is that I get it.  I get the use
of diminutive forms of people's names by you and David Conrad, I get the
"geographical monopoly" stuff from David Conrad and Daniel Kerrenberg, and
I get that Randy Bush's "plonking" is acceptable in a sideline commentator,
but insufferable as a representative of ARIN.  

I'm reminded of Thomas (Tommy to y'all, correct?) Carter's invention of the
Carterfone, which Bell disallowed to be connected to the network before
several in or around the discussion were in grade school.  I can't help but
wonder where we would all be if that use of fear and protectionism (as has
occurred in this thread) by Bell had not been overturned by the court
system y'all seem to disdain.  Modems were $1/baud and memory was $1/byte
if you bought it by the megabyte.

I would like to see more constructive suggestions about how to deal with
today's Carterfone case (small multi-homed ISPs).  The question is not
whether you guys know how to do it, but whether you're willing to permit
today's Carterfone or you wish to force an industry consolidation and
thereby get rid of today's Carterfone.

Those favoring the status quo, complete with continuation of the
monopolies, might want to read "Cutting the Barbed Wire: Lessons of a
Reformed Monopolist", a speech given by Robert E. Allen, Chairman and CEO
of AT&T, at the University of Texas last year. 

There's a lot of other reading about the historical Carterfone decision
which might serve to help some of the writers and yes, actors in the legal
sense, on this mailing list.

Could we turn to constructive and timely suggestions on how to deal with
the small, multi-homed ISP, please?  If not, the alternative is to see how
"Carterfone II" is decided.  I prefer the former over the latter.  Don't you?

 
---

Larry Vaden, founder and CEO                  help-desk 903-813-4500
Internet Texoma, Inc.                            direct 903-870-0365
<http://www.texoma.net>                             fax 903-868-8551
bringing the real Internet to rural Texomaland    pager 903-867-6571