From: tinsel@uiuc.edu (Thomas Aaron Insel)
Subject: Re: Do our taxes pay for Internet?
Originator: tai50080@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu
Reply-To: tinsel@uiuc.edu
Organization: Masticating Illini
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 15:34:08 GMT

u6a44@lfkw1.bgm.link.com (Michael Lurie) writes:

> Dear Folks...  The following was posted in the 'INTERNET' thread on the
> BBS that I operate (The Depot +1.717.853.3599) and I was hoping that, if
> at all possible, someone here in eff-talk might respond.  There doesn't
> seem to be a lot of crossover between the newgroup and the PC-based BBS
> worlds, but I'll relay any replies to Bill McC.  tnx... mlurie@link.com
> =======================================================================
>  BBS: The Depot
> Date: 09-29-92 (01:26)             Number: 3356
> >From: BILL MCCARTY                 Refer#: NONE
>   To: ALL                           Recvd: NO  
> Subj: INTERNET                       Conf: (1) MAIN
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>    As if it were not strange enough to have people saying the Govern-
> ment is not involved, when clearly it is, we now have the even more
> bizarre circumstance of people trying to SELL access to this govern-
> ment service to an unsuspecting public which has already PAID for it.

OK.  I pay taxes.  Should I get to ride Amtrack free?  Should I 

> Costs, according to the article, can range from $120 to $85,000
> dollars per year !  Some very obvious questions come to mind.  Is
> there, as I believe, a main frame doing the housekeeping for the
> system ? And who pays for IT ?  Who pays for the cost of telephone
> services needed to link the 81 countries around the world which have
> managed to tie into the system ? Is there, as I believe, a sizable
> bureaucracy in Washington complete with divisions and subdivisions,
> yea unto the third deputy assistant director for plans and programs
> complete with HIS public relations officer and equal employment
> opportunity official ? The purpose of the aforementioned would of
> course be to "manage" the private contractor who actually does the
> work.

The internet isn't under one central control.  Foreign countries on
the net pay their own way.

>    And what does this service provide the long suffering taxpayer ? To
> the unwashed masses on the outside: nothing. To those on the inside,
> nothing that could not be handled by a private data communications
> network at, it's safe to say, far less cost.  Indeed, it would very
> logically show a positive tax benefit. There are many things govern-
> ment should be involved in, but competing with private enterprise is
> not one of them. From sports discussions, to sex conferences, to
> trivia questions, to gab fests, Internet is an idea whose time has
> come and gone. This is welfare for the rich. My choice would be: Shut
> it down or sell it, but get government OUT of it.   Regards,   bmc.

You seem to have internet and USENET confused.  Yes, some internet
traffic is news, but I would guess that most inter-site traffic
(traffic between sites here on campus is paid for by the university)
is for the net's original purpose: making supercomputing power 
available to smaller sites, and facilitating cooperation between
researchers.
-- 
Thomas Insel (tinsel@uiuc.edu)
  "Just think of the tragedy of teaching children not to doubt." 
					-- Clarence Darrow
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk,misc.int-property,comp.unix.bsd,alt.suit.att-bsdi