Re: Rural Datafication (Was Re: Edited Edupage, 9 May 1996)

["Jean-Francois Avon" <jf_avon@citenet.net>]

On 15 May 96 at 15:03, Jim McCoy wrote:

> US decided (via it's legislative system, regardless of whether or
> not it was the "smart" thing to do) a long time ago that it was a
> worthwhile goal to give everyone, regardless of where they lived,
> equal access to certain parts of the national infrastructure.

The US decided that the end justifies any means, and thus decided to 


> Actually they would put your money where your mouth is.  If such
> subsidies were not given then rural dwellers (those people who grow
> all the food that keeps you alive...) would just add the cost to
> food production and therefore add to the cost of what you eat.

They are free to charge more. Oh, I forgot, prices are regulated...

When grand'pa came to Canada in 1912 with his parents and his 11
brothers and sisters, he and they did not have a penny, nor did they
speak the language nor had access to any socialistic programs.  When
he and his sister and brothers died, most of them were wealthy.  And
all they did all their life was to grow vegetables.  They had very
good reputations and I do not know any story of any one of them being
con men. `

> It is rather amazing how this posting has drawn all of the
militant > libertarians out of the closet. 

Why assume that I hid in some closet? I did not militate either.  I
do not endorse libertarian ideas.  I've never read any "libertarian"
litterature.  I only read a bit of Ayn Rand, and the regular
Objectivists will tell you that they are *not* libertarians. Actually
they object to the libertarian doctrine.  And again, I am no
objectivist.  Many of them refuse to talk to me.

> > If there was such a perceived advantage, they would make it their
> > priority.  Parents would be willing to buy the necessary hardware
> > and then, put the little extra that is required to connect.
> > Remember, the costliest part of the internet is the hardware to
> > run Netscape.

>From a consumer standpoint, it is.  Unless I am wrong.  Can you bring 
up figures?

> You have obviously never had anything to do with connecting people
> to the internet, have you?  After spending the last four years prior
> to my current job bulding one of the largest ISPs in Texas I can
> promise you that getting the dedicated line from one location across
> a LATA into another where connectivity is a non-metered local phone
> call from your subscribers is a very costly affair (the line charges
> are per-mile, and here in the US you may have to run your wire
> 100-250 miles to get to the next LATA) 

Why don't you just use a microwave link?  Oh, I forget, the FCC might 
not permit it...  And then, why don't you just get together all the 
bunch of peoples and decide to obtain a right of way for a community 
cable that would carry data?  And while you are at it, maybe you can 
try a fiberoptic company to subsidize you, tax-deductible from their 
income... It's worth a shot!  Oh, but again, the FCC and half a dozen 
other ministry might object.

You don't find enough donations? No problems, simply sell your 
project, aided by your reputation, to every neighboor.  Simply issue 
shares to raise money...  Oh, again, I forgot, the SEC would 
object...

How does a data link cost compare (long term and short term) to the 
initial expense of purchasing a computer?  Like, since you mentionned 
it, how much did your project cost per user?

> You seem to be falling into
> the same line of thinking which most annoys me about Libertarians,

You are too sensitive... :-)

> you ignore the cost of building and maintaining the infrastructure
> in the first place

Not at all.  We only realize that the cost of building 
infrastructures in *this* statist world is almost not affordable.

Why don't you read about railroad history and come back later?

JFA

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