This is new...

From: Wirehead Prime <wirehead_at_retrocomputing.com>
Date: Tue Apr 14 19:23:16 1998

> I'd been on the 'net via their gateways since before '87. I was greatly
> sadend when I the words went out the internet would permit commercial
> ops.

[Before you read this...especially you Allison...the following isn't in
response to your posting as much as it is my thoughts on the issue in
general. I agree with you Allison. The Internet is a mess! I can
spend an hour expounding on the economics behind why that is but it's
not appropriate here.]

I've replied now three times and each time sounds like a rant so I'll
keep it simple.

Not all of us ISPs are evil and unconcerned with the Internet. I run a
good, solid business with a 95% customer retention rate calculated over 4
years. I don't do business with spammers or pornographers and have
written my contracts so that I can immediately terminate any customer
that violates Netiquette. I've been yelled at about that...that I'm
over-reacting or being mean...but if I have to spend an hour wading
through spam complaints (when I could be spending that hour writing a CGI
script for someone at $75/hour) then I immediately go in the hole
financially on that customer in terms of opportunity cost.

Some of us who started in the early days of commercialization wanted the
Internet to be like we were used to it being when we used it from college
or businesses in the late 80s and early 90s. You can thank CompuServe,
AOL, and hordes of know-nothing little ISPs with wads of cash to
substitute for business sense for the current situation.

To put this back on topic, I started my ISP with a 386 running
Linux...cobbled from parts found in dumpsters and friends closets
LITERALLY, a couple modems and $500 of capital. That business now
accounts for the payrolls of half a dozen folks and many thousands
of dollars a month of PROPER web-based (no spam) online commerce.
Now that's retrocomputing AND economic growth.

Anthony Clifton - Wirehead
Received on Tue Apr 14 1998 - 19:23:16 BST