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TELECOM Digest Sat, 29 Jan 94 22:03:00 CST Volume 14 : Issue 50
Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson
Cellular Reseller to Purchase Another (Washington Post via Paul Robinson)
'Arbitrage' PUC Rule? (Dave Hughes)
Telecom Policy in South Africa (Jan Bourgeois)
Dial-Back Black Boxes (Joel Disini)
TDRs and Wiretaps (Joel Disini)
Anyone Used an Intelejak? (Stephen T. Pierce)
Cellular Phone (Analog) With Modem FAQ? (Theo Gantos)
Area Code 215 to 610 ... Not (Michael Jacobs)
Questions About Tele-Shopping (Elke Ghyssels)
Questions About ISDN (Tom Vermijlen)
Caller ID Answering Machines (Chris Garrigues)
Telephone Express (Paul Celestin)
Telephony Textbook/Whitepaper Request (Pamela JS. Thomas)
Snail Mail Newsgroup (Nigel Roberts)
Internet Connections: What's Involved? (J. Guitard)
Need Panasonic Bag Phone Battery (Jim Miller)
GTE is Annoyed With Me (TELECOM Digest Editor)
Re: Informing Ourselves to Death (George Gilder)
TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:
* telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu *
The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us: Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: ptownson@townson.com.
** Article submission address only: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu **
Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.
TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 19:39:37 EST
From: Paul Robinson <PAUL@TDR.COM>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <PAUL@TDR.COM>
Subject: Cellular Reseller to Purchase Another
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA
Summary from "N.Y. Firm Makes Bid For Unicel" by John Burgess
{Washington Post}, Jan 27, Page D11
Nationwide Cellular Service, Inc. of Valley Stream, NY, a cellular
reseller with about $115 million in 1991 sales and 175,000 customers
in several cities plus the Washington DC area, on Jan 26 tentatively
agreed to buy Columbia MD-based Unicell America, Inc., a competing
reseller with about 12,000 customers in the DC/MD Eastern
Shore/Delaware corridor, for $4.6 million.
A cellular reseller is someone who buys blocks of numbers from a
cellular carrier at wholesale discount then resells them at retail
markup.
In 1991 Nationwide bought GTE's Washington reseller. As such, only
one other reseller -- for Motorola purchasers -- would exist in the
area. This worries Chicago-Based Consulting firm Prarie Street
Partners, which has objected to the merger, claiming it could violate
Maryland's antitrust laws. MD Assistant Attorney General Alan Barr
says he is interested but can't promise that the deal is being
examined.
Unicell is a division of Walker Telecommunications Corp., which is
currently undergoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The court would have to
approve the sale. Neither the trustee for Walker nor a spokesman for
Nationwide had any comment.
Paul Robinson - Paul@TDR.COM
------------------------------
From: daveh@teal.csn.org (Dave Hughes)
Subject: 'Arbitrage' PUC Rule?
Organization: Colorado SuperNet, Inc.
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 20:35:40 GMT
I learned last week of an obscure rule which somebody -- allegedly the
Colorado PUC Staff -- is putting in a set of rules tightening up the
expansion of rural local calling areas.
I had never heard of the term arbitrage with respect to phone
connections before, and I am a novice on PUC rule making, but if this
rule does what I think it will, I will be before the PUC with bells on
complaining as loudly as I can, on behalf of ordinary rural folk
trying to use grass roots, low cost, data telecom.
Let me explain an example I used, which a PUC-rule-knowledgable person
said would be prohibited under the rule.
I have been asked to set up a powerful small computer bulletin board
in a rural town -- powerful enough to have one or more lines coming in
via US West, and one with TCP/IP and SLIP going out another via a
local phone company whose local calling area reaches a city where
there is an Internet server. Those users who live in a three county
area served with a local call to the BBS via US West can, on occassion
(not always, for the BBS will serve locally), telnet out via SLIP
to the Internet, and e-mail and news can flow into the BBS.
My friend says that is a form of 'abitrage' and will be prohibited
under the new rule.
There is no alternative, especially in a sparse area, to the 24 hour
SLIP connection over a local circuit, $50 a month, to the Internet
service, which will charge $250 a month, or $300 total, except to
order a bigger bucks ($350 dedicated 56kb line + $800 internet or
$1,150 a month) connection -- four times as much. And for an area
where it would be a year or more before the traffic would max out even
a 14.4 SLIP modem link, yhere is a real diference in a little rural
area between $3,600 and $15,000 a year.
So what is artbitrage, really? And how can I fight a rule whcih only
will have the effect of having *no* service set up, if it can't be
entered at the low cost level?
Dave Hughes
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The dictionary defines arbitrage as
the simultaneous purchase and resale of some commodity or service in
order to benefit from the difference in price between the buying and
selling market. I don't think that really applies in the scenario as
you have described it. You are not purchasing and reselling the same
service. You are purchasing telephone service in order to sell (not
re-sell) Internet connectivity. Yes, you are reselling Internet conn-
ectivity from whoemever your vendor is for the same, but you are not
purchasing the Internet connectivity from the same vendor as you are
purchasing the telephone service, and even if you were you are not
purchasing and re-selling 'the same commodity or security'. The tele-
phone is a necessary part of your business, but what is really
happening is you are using the telephone to receive calls from people
who you in turn connect with various information databases which you
are authorized to distribute by virtue of your contract with your
vendor for Internet stuff. Another important point is that your
callers will be getting connected with *you on your computer* then (as
you worded it) using telnet -- not a telephone company in the world
offers it -- to connect with other places. Since no telco offers
telnet -- either the hardware to do it or the software -- you are not
reselling what the telco is selling you. Telco is selling you carriage,
or a transport mechanism; you are using the carriage or transport
mechanism to distribute information to your customers.
To put it another way, if arbitrage could be defined as loosely as
your friend has done it, then every hotel switchboard becomes illegal
since the hotel purchases local service from telco at one price and
immediatly resells it to guests at some other price. Every privately
owned payphone (COCOT) becomes illegal for the same reason. Every pro-
vider of information by telephone who accepts telephone calls from
customers then uses the telephone to seek the desired information
elsewhere becomes illegal. The travel agent who accepts a local telephone
call from a client seeking a reservation who accesses the terminal in
his office to connect with the mainframe of an airline across the
country becomes illegal. Why? Because by the definition of arbitrage
your friend is using, the local person avoided a toll call to the
airline mainframe across the country by connecting instead on a local
call to the agent who in effect purchased a commodity (a phone call
to the mainframe somewhere) and immediatly resold the returned results
of the carriage to his client. The difference then is telco sells
carriage. You sell information. You need carriage to complete the
transaction, and telco needs information to be carried in order to
complete their transaction. They go together but they are not the
same 'security or commodity' regardless of the fact that the actions
occur simultaneously. Unfortunatly for the PUC, arbitrage requires
the *identical, same* security or commodity.
Anyway, *why* is the PUC getting involved in this? You install your
computer and you order phone lines for it. If you want FX or some
other specialized service you order it and have it installed. Let
the telco(s) involved in this tell you they won't do it, and why;
make them quote their tariff authority, and if they are unable to
do so, then sue them. PAT]
------------------------------
From: hw43158@vub.ac.be (BOURGEOIS JAN)
Subject: Telecom Policy in South Africa
Date: 29 Jan 1994 18:33:21 GMT
Organization: Brussels Free Universities (VUB/ULB), Belgium
Hello everybody,
I am a student in communication research at the Brussels Free
University in Belgium. I am writing a paper about the telecommunication
structures in South Africa. As you may know or not know, the situation
in South Africa is extremely interesting. The South African
telecommunication structures are very modern (number 22 worldwide),
but the problem is that it is going to be a democratic country soon.
This demands for example that all black people should be able to get a
phone, which is now not at all the case. The South African government
is not keen on democratising the telecom-structures and therefore it
is beyond any doubt that these telecom-structures will be privatised
(black people will not be able to pay the amount asked).
If anyone can provide me with some information on "Telecommunications
in South Africa", or with adresses of newsgroups that are of any
relevance in this matter, please e-mail me. Thanks in advance.
hw43158@is1.vub.ac.be (BOURGEOIS JAN)
Student Communicatiewetenschappen Vrije Universiteit Brussel
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: You've got the right newsgroup, and
as a matter of fact, we've got a number of readers on the mailing
list @telkom.co.za and perhaps one or more will kindly respond to
your comments with a copy to the Digest. PAT]
------------------------------
From: D1749@AppleLink.Apple.COM (Disini SW, Emmanuel Disini,CST)
Subject: Dial-Back Black Boxes
Date: 29 Jan 1994 04:19:49 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
I am looking for a black box that lets me dial from overseas (Manila)
into the US. I'm not sure if calls originating from Manila contain ANI
information, but it would be nice if that black box could figure out
that I'm calling from Manila, call me back (using some low-cost
overseas subscription plan, such as AT&T's Reach out World), and then
(using a second telephone line) allow me to dial any number in the US
(or the world, for that matter), at US rates. You see, calls from
Manila to the US cost $2.25 for the first minute (plus 10% tax),
whereas MCI charges 47c/min under the Friends & Family plan.
If this works out, I'd be interested in reselling such boxes in
Manila.
Joel Disini d1749@applelink.apple.com
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: There is a company which makes such
boxes, but like Telepassport (the service I represent which sells
the same kind of thing) they depend on identifying your call by
the phone number which was dialed to reach the box. Also, they use
three-way calling rather than a second line to establish the
connections. You call it; by virtue of the incoming ringing signal
it calls you back; you enter a passcode and the desired number; it
then flashes for the three-way line, places the call and flashes
again. If I get some money, I am going to get a few boxes and
switch all my Telepassport clients over to my own system. In the
meantime Joel, don't re-invent the wheel. Use one of the several
existing telephone arbitrage (our word for the day!) outfits around.
I'd prefer you use mine but that's your choice. PAT]
------------------------------
From: D1749@AppleLink.Apple.COM (Disini SW, Emmanuel Disini,CST)
Subject: TDRs and Wiretaps
Date: 29 Jan 1994 04:34:37 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
> There is also a device (TDR, time-domain- reflectometer) that will
> bounce a signal down the line and give you a visual indication of
> bridge taps or irregularities in impedance along the circuit. You can
> usually see any splice or terminal box.
Interesting. Will this interfere in anyway with the central office's
switch? Will the TDR indicate just how far from my phone (or CO), the
wiretap is taking place? How much is a TDR and what models would you
recommend?
Regards,
Joel Disini Manila
------------------------------
From: stp@ccd.harris.com (Stephen T. Pierce)
Subject: Anyone Used an Intelejak?
Reply-To: steve@rtfm.mlb.fl.us
Organization: A crutch for those who can't handle chaos
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 13:57:02 GMT
Anyone used an Intelejak from Phonex (or some similar device)? This
is supposed to be one of those devices to allow you to create phone
extensions anywhere in your home by plugging a base unit into an
electrical outlet and then plugging your incoming phone line into it.
Then plugging an extension unit into any other electrical outlet will
allow you to have a phone extension there.
I would like to know if this is feasible for using as a phone outlet
for a faxmodem and whether $69.95 (from Lyben) seems to be a
reasonable price.
Thanks,
Steve Pierce steve@rtfm.mlb.fl.us
------------------------------
From: theo@msen.com (Theo Gantos, CSP)
Subject: Cellular Phone (Analog) With Modem FAQ?
Date: 29 Jan 1994 23:08:43 GMT
Organization: T. E. Gantos & Associates
I'd like to get a detailed technical engineering understanding of what
goes on in an ordinary analog cellular phone call. Is there a FAQ on
this? Why do some services only seem to be able to handle data up to
2400bps? Are they using ADPCM or some other compression technology to
enlarge the bandwith between the cell and the CO? Theoretically if
there's enough bandwith on a cellular call we should be able to use
higher rates and TCM. Thanks in advance. Email on this is fine.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 94 12:50:56 EDT
From: Michael Jacobs <JMT0@LAFAYACS.bitnet>
Subject: Area Code 215 to 610 ... Not
Mr. Thomas Hinders notes that some persons were having difficulty
dialing in to him using the new 610 (Allentown and Southeastern
Pennsylvania) area code rather than the former 215 area code. Bell
officials (according to a news article in the Allentown Morning Call
newspaper) contacted Bellcore (the current NANP administrator) to send
an emergency bulletin to all IXC's that such difficulties have been
reported.
When placing a long-distance call, there are several places where a
call can be intercepted and prevented from being completed. One, the
caller's CPE (key system unit, private branch exchange, etc.) can be
blocking the call to a non-recognized area code (Numbering Plan Area
or NPA). Two, the local exchange carrier (RBOC or independent) needs
to recognize the call setup and route it appropriately (based on the
presence/absence of dialed digit "1" + NPA). Three, the LEC's
signalling network provider (not all LEC's operate their own Signal
Control Points (the database which instructs the SS7 network and
Signal Transfer Point switch)) may not yet havethe new NPA data in
their system. Four, the IXC may not have that information in their
SCP routing database (I imagine that AT&T does, but there are dozens
of smaller carriers that may not yet have gotten the message).
Lastly, the LEC in 610 NPA (Bell Atlantic-Pennsylvania and
independents ) must take the signalling info from the IXC and route it
appropriately.
The point here (and my scenario above is merely educated speculation),
is that there is a lot of coordination to be made in effecting a NPA
change, and that is why they are so well-publicized (including ad-
vertisements in nationwide trade and general-circulation periodicals).
It should not be suprising that technical glitches will occur. That
is why Bell has given a one-year grace period when both area codes
will work. This grace period, however, is (according to the article)
intended only for end-users and not for IXC's who have had plenty of
warning and should have effected the required changes to their
systems.
Moreover, callers should realize that the telephone system (Bell, GTE,
IXC, and independent) is designed, built, and maintained by human
beings and will never operate at 100% perfection (due to the conseq-
uences of the Law of Diminishing Returns, I should not like to see the
size of my phone bill from a company that actually did operate at
100%). Therefore, an educated caller will know how to access other
IXC's via the appropriate 10XXX codes, contact an operator for
assistance in completing problem calls, or contact repair service to
have a line trouble repaired. The telephone companies and their
employees work hard to ensure that the calls go through.
As an aside, I found it interesting that during the aftermath of the
recent ice storm in SE Pennsylvania when Philadelphia Electric had
500,000+ customers out of service, they could confidently publicize an
800 number for their customers to report problems. News accounts I
heard mentioned a figure of about one thousand telephone customers out
of service in the same geographic area. I personally was one of the
many Bell technicians who worked 14+ hour days in the 10 degreeweather
to restore service to those customers affected.
Michael W. Jacobs (JMT0@lafibm.lafayette.edu)
Service Technician, Bell Atlantic-Pennsylvania
------------------------------
From: hw40142@vub.ac.be (ghyssels elke)
Subject: Question About Tele-Shopping
Date: 29 Jan 1994 10:00:50 GMT
Organization: Brussels Free Universities (VUB/ULB), Belgium
Hi,
I'm looking for information about tele-shopping because I'm preparing
a paper on this topic. I hope someone can help me.
Thanks in advance.
hw40142@is1.vub.ac.be (ghyssels elke)
Student Communicatiewetenschappen
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
------------------------------
From: hw43213@vub.ac.be (Vermijlen Tom)
Subject: Question About ISDN
Date: 29 Jan 1994 12:51:29 GMT
Organization: Brussels Free Universities (VUB/ULB), Belgium
I'm a student in communication at the Free University of Brussels and I'm
working on a paper about the electronical highways in the USA. If there is
anyone who has relevant introduction-books about isdn in the USA and a bit
more specific about these 'electronical highways ', please send it to me.
Thanks in advance.
hw43213@is1.vub.ac.be (Vermijlen Tom)
Student Communicatiewetenschappen
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
------------------------------
From: cwg@mcc.com (Chris Garrigues)
Subject: Caller ID Answering Machines
Organization: MCC
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 1994 15:43:46 GMT
Does anybody have any recommendations on answering machines that
support Caller ID? Caller ID is arriving here in Austin very soon and
at the same time I need a new answering machine, so it would make
sense to get them integrated. I remember seeing an ad in the {NY Times}
a few months ago, but (a) I can't find it now and (b) I want to know
more than I saw in that ad. The local Radio Shack and AT&T stores
have the Caller ID boxes, and the AT&T store also has a phone with
Caller ID, but neither have answering machines with Caller ID.
Also, sources to purchase would be handy.
Thanks in advance,
Chris Garrigues +1 512 338 3328
Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation cwg@mcc.com
3500 West Balcones Center Drive Austin, TX 78759-6509 USA
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 94 10:03:04 -0800
From: celestin@olympus.net (Paul Celestin)
Subject: Telephone Express
Has anyone heard of an outfit called Telephone Express? I just
received a mailing from them claiming that my first long distance call
will cost a penny and their charges are a lot less than AT&T or MCI.
Anyone can use it by dialing 10465. However, nowhere in the
literature do they mention what their prices are. I'm curious if
anyone has used them or knows what their rates are. The letter they
sent seems to be specifically tailored to the US West calling area in
the Pacific Northwest. Thanks in advance for any comments!
celestin@olympus.net (Paul Celestin, Celestin Company)
------------------------------
From: thomas@aurxcg.aur.alcatel.com (Pamela JS. Thomas)
Subject: Telephony Textbook/Whitepaper Request
Date: 29 Jan 1994 15:14:20 GMT
Organization: Alcatel Network Systems
I'm one of those "crossover" skilled people from the defense industry.
I understand the basics of communications systems. I have learned a
lot about telecommunications in the last year. I have read a host of
magazine articles and chapters of interest in computer network
textbooks.
Is there a primer for telephony? Every once in a while I'd like to
review the basics. There are a lot of letters to remember. (ie. LAN,
TL1, SONET, T1/DS1 ...)
Pamela
Voice: 919-850-6567 Fax:919-850-5588
thomas@aur.alcatel.com / 84 318i, 70 2000A
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Stick around, Pamela. Maybe we will
learn something together here. PAT]
------------------------------
From: roberts_n@svhdev.te.bt.co.uk
Subject: Snail Mail Newsgroup
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 14:26:50 GMT
Some time ago there was an announcement of a mailing list or newsgroup
(I can't remember which) which covered the topic of the world's postal
services (a.k.a `snail mail').
Of course, as luck would (not) have it, now that I want to find it, I
can't remember the details. Nor can I find them.
Can anyone offer me a pointer to the group or mailing list, please,
if it exists?
Thanks in advance.
Nigel
Eur.-Ing. N. Roberts + Co. P. O. Box 49 MANNINGTREE (Essex) CO11 2SZ
Office/Home: +44 206 396610 / +44 860 578600 Fax: +44 206 393148
On site: +44 473 22 4443 Email: roberts_n@svhdev.te.bt.co.uk
------------------------------
From: 92065034@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca (J. Guitard)
Subject: INTERNET Connections: What's Involved?
Date: 29 Jan 1994 14:38:00 -0500
Organization: Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
I would like some info on what's involved in connecting to the
Internet. At first I thought the only way to connect was through a T1
line, but now I hear you can connect with a 9600 baud line. Someone
told me they were connected through their local internet provider. Who
are these local internet providers? What are the costs for these
lines and monthly fees, etc? Email me or post here.
Thanks in advance,
James Albert Guitard, Laurentian University
92065034@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca
------------------------------
From: jmiller@wendy.iac.net (Jim Miller)
Subject: Need Panasonic Bag Phone Battery
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 94 16:41:32 EST
Hi,
I am in need of a battery for a Panasonic EB-2501 bag cellular
phone. I have checked MCM Electronics, which has a decent selection of
replacement batteries, with no success.
The battery is part number EB-P0057, 1000 mAH.
Are there any good sources (mail-order) for cellular accessories
like mobile mounts, through-glass antennas, chargers, and the like,
that you would recommend?
Your help is very much appreciated!
Jim Miller - jmiller@wendy.iac.net
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 11:08:20
From: TELECOM Digest Editor <telecom@eecs.nwu.edu>
Subject: GTE is Annoyed With Me
Whenever something of consequence happens in the far-away galaxy of
California -- not often, admittedly, but the siesmological disturbances
there recently which knocked quite a few of the creatures out their
orbit is one such instance -- the local lightbulb manufacturer GTE
springs into action to mitigate the damage and disruption in service
to the primitive communications system they employ there.
Proud of their employer, and proud of a job well done under most
extraordinary circumstances, a few of the folks there send me news
via my fax machine from time to time; they also send email. I like
faxes the best under the circumstances since fax machines don't lie
and neither do scanners which input the faxed material into the computer.
(By the way GTE-droids, its not Steven Lichter, you've managed to get
him under control ...).
Anyway, my printing of things published as internal communications at
the lightbulb factory has gotten *some people* very, very upset and
bothered, especially since they can't figure out who is sending me
those bulletins. The dude has no answer-back on his fax machine for
good reason. :) A fellow from GTE who identified himself as being part
of (or responsible for) security for GTE where 'internal documents'
were concerned called me on the phone one day and seriously urged me
to not print any more of the things that were sent to me 'outside of
regular corporate channels'. He said he would ask about adding me to
the media mailing list so that I'd receive things from the company
on an official basis -- don't tell him I said so, but I think he
meant I would be getting the whitewashed versions henceforth and
hereafter.
Concurrent with asking me in a polite way (I wonder if they will
become less polite as time goes on) not to print any more memorandums
sent to me by friends of the Digest (and I might add very dedicated,
loyal and proud employees of GTE -- yes, there is more than one feeding
me), the following statement began appearing on those earthquake reports
being distributed:
--------------
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS A COMPANY PROPRIETARY STATUS REPORT ON THE
CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE. ANY DISTRIBUTION OF THIS INFORMATION TO A BROAD
EMPLOYEE AUDIENCE (VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL OR PRINTED DISTRIBUTION) OR ANY
EXTERNAL DISTRIBUTION (WHETHER MEDIA OR ELECTRONIC BULLETIN BOARD SUCH AS
INTERNET OR COMPUSERVE) MUST FIRST BE CLEARED THROUGH APPROPRIATE GTE PUBLIC
AFFAIRS CHANNELS.
--------------
Yep, the deep-throat even went and sent me stuff with the above message
printed at the top of the page. But I'll be Mister Good Guy this time
around and *not* print the rest of the memo. Let's see how fast GTE
keeps their side of the bargain and adds me to the official list. My
fax number is 1-708-329-0572 but email is also okay. By the by, the
GTE-droid denied there was fuel all over the floor in the Santa Monica
CO after the earthquake. At least he denied it until I read it back to
him right from the faxed page where it said there was ...
To close this issue of the Digest, George Gilder has written us with
a response to Neil Postman's remarks which were printed in these
columns a few days ago. I'm always glad when Gilder takes a few minutes
out of his schedule to write us; he's one of the best. See the next
message ... PAT]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 94 17:14 EST
From: George Gilder <0004091174@mcimail.com>
Subject: Re: Informing Ourselves to Death
Postman may well give us something to meditate upon as we travel down
the information superhighway, but nearly everything he says in his
speech is nonsense. Computers do not support centralization; they
destroy all top down, centralized and master-slave structures. They
disestablish all the hierarchies, monopolies, pyramids and power grids
of established industrial society. They give every hacker at his
workstation the creative power previously commanded by factory tycoons
and the communications power once monopolized by broadcasters.
IBM, USSR, EEC, NTT, all these colossal acronyms are collapsing into
an alphabet soup because of the power of distributed computing
governed by the law of the microcosm, the inexorable tendency of the
chip to distribute power and intelligence as the density of electronic
components rises by an order of magnitude every five years on a single
sliver of sand manufacturable for a couple dollars. It is the masses
who are always favored by technology; the medieval era Postman
acclaims offered a life expectancy of around 35 years to all but the
luckier kings and lords.
Postman's notion that the distribution of information somehow eclipses
knowledge is nonsense; knowledge and wisdom are always rare, but new
technologies make it far easier to distribute it. The meaning of life
is always elusive, but computers do nothing to inhibit religion or
faith. They do everything to impel economic expansion and opportunity,
which is a good even in an era when the culture is largely corrupt,
and nowhere so corrupt as in the universities upholding an umphalosceptic
intellectualism, combined with a luddite resentment of the real accomp-
lishments of our age, which are not alas cultural but scientific and
technological. To see worlds in a grain of sand, the dream of Blake,
is the achievement of the modern cathedral -- the silicon chip.
George Gilder
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End of TELECOM Digest V14 #50
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