SPRY & Sprint

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

From: karl () mcs com (Karl Denninger)
Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1993 18:45:43 -0600 (CST)




Here's something which I posted to comp.dcom.modems.... comments?




In article <753770915.AA09125 () mtlnet org>,
August Abolins <august () visavis mtlnet org> wrote:
> Digital News & Review, NOVEMBER 8,1993..
>
> `Internet in a box' due from Spry
>
> SEATTLE - Spry Inc. later this month is expected to announce
> "Internet in a Box," software and telephone carrier service from
> Sprint that promises to let users connect directly to the Internet
> without purchasing a subsription to an Internet access providers.
> Users will be able to buy the software and services combination from
> local retailers, much like how CompuServe markets its software, a
> spokesman says. Pricing and availability were not available at press
> time.


"Without purchasing a subscription to an Internet access provider"?


Excuse me, but what is SPRINT if not a provider in this category?


Second, let me make some general commentary.


This has the potential to be one of the things which changes forever the
topology and free access provisions of the current Internet providers.


For years those of us who provide access gave something back to the
community.  Whether it be an anonymous FTP archive (UUNET), DNS services
(MCSNet and many others), mail routing, Usenet, or other services, part of
the reason the net works as it does is that the companies who sell service
also provide something of value to the community in general.  We also, in
general, localize services to a great extent (post offices, NNTP Servers,
etc) to defray inter-system traffic.  This is a <good thing>.  It is the
primary reason that the net works as it does, and as well as it does.


Now, what do you think happens if SPRINT plays "telephone company" <ONLY>
and starts directing those who buy this package to the open NNTP, FTP and
other servers on the Internet?  Oh, and where do you get your POPMail from?


I can guess what will happen.  Those freely available services out there
will either (1) close up to prevent overload, or (2) start asking for money.
There goes your "no need for an ISP" model right out the window, AND it
screws <the rest of us> in the process.


You can say "but this happens today".  True.  There is a significant
difference in degree.  Today it is a low-scale, low-impact problem
for most providers <because most people have a "home" to log into>.
Tomorrow, especially if this product hits the shelves of mass-marketers
<with the implied or stated promise that you can just use all the "free"
services>, that won't be the case.


You'll have several thousand new net surfers with NO place to call home,
NO local NNTP service, NO local Post Office, and NO local resolvers to
call on.  They're going to go out and start trying to hit all these <free>
services.


The Net exists in its present form BECAUSE it is a cooperative venture to
some degree.  When that ceases to be the case we'll still have a net, but
the character and nature of it will change.


I like the idea of a "navigator" like Spry's offering.  I'm sure there is a
market for Spry's product -- it is integrated and, from what I've heard,
nicely written.


The idea that you can "toss your Internet provider" is nonsense and
polit-speak, and further is dangerous to the near-universal connectivity
that we all now enjoy.


I predict that Spry's customers are in for a big surprise a few months down
the road if they actually rely on that little statement above, and Sprint
and Spry end up with a few thousand (or tens of thousands) of customers who
think they don't need anything other than transport service out of the
deal from Sprint and software from Spry.



--
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