From: dlw@atherton.com (Remo Williams)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.advocacy
Subject: Re: Avoid RightBrain (Using Deadly Force, is this appropriate?)
Date: 14 Sep 92 21:26:37 GMT
Organization: Atherton Technology, Inc.

In article <BuFn2p.9u5@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> jeffo@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (J.B.  
Nicholson-Owens) writes:
> glenn@rightbrain.com (Glenn Reid) writes:
> >My sense is that people are overreacting somewhat, but let me just say
> >this in response to those of you who are advocating "Avoid RightBrain"
> >or "Boycott RightBrain" or whatever:  first of all, we're not Pillsbury
> >or Carnation, and a boycott is not just a nuisance, it's a big deal.
> 
> Exactly why I advocated the idea.  Perhaps then your employees would
> actually pay attention to the situation at hand.

Is the situation at hand critical enough to your existence or threatening your  
civil rights and well being that you would advocate the ruination and/or  
destruction of a business and its employees?

If not, then advocating a boycott is certainly over-reacting. Given past  
historical situations when boycotts have been used the events of posting RTF  
files to a usenet newsgroup do not have the feel of life impairment.

Perhaps if others advocated quadrupling your fees on a quarterly basis or  
elimination of your teaching/research position (as I am unaware of wether you  
are a student, researcher or instructor) as a reaction to your participation in  
this particular thread it might balance out the need to see when certain  
behavior or actions are appropriate. Sort of like knowing when it is  
appropriate to respond with deadly force--as often times a boycott can be to a  
business.

I also get a newsfeed at home (which I pay for), in addition to what I have  
access to at work.

I've also talked to and received assistance from Jack Reynolds. While your your  
basis for "knowing him" is based on not liking his use of RTF--I can also state  
that he is ardent in his mission to make NeXT and yes, the products he  
represents highly successful.  While Jack and I are not friends in the  
definitive sense, I know that if I need his help I can call him and get it. In  
his zeal, he may have pressed one of your hot buttons.  Jack buys into and is a  
power user of the communication technologies that the NeXT inherently has at  
its disposal. Obviously one of those powerful communication channels is RTF.  
One other powerfull channel is usenet news. Apparently it also has the power to  
offend when both are used together.  Such is life. 

As to Glenn, I've heard him talk at BANG meetings and had some limited  
conversations with him over NeXTMAIL. He's cool too, and working on some cool  
NeXT products.  I would presume his cracks, er comments about 19 year olds and  
educational institutions resulted from the fact that people threatening the  
existence of his company. So I guess both "sides" managed to push each others  
hot buttons. So now you're even. Can we all move on to other issues?

Given the move by NSF to commercial activity being allowed on the Internet, one  
wonders how many will react in such a world.
--
David Williams -- dlw@atherton.com -- NeXTMail welcome
	          dlw@netcom.com   -- NeXTMail welcome 
					
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