IP: IBM'ers view

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

X-Sender: richard#goodread.com () mail samnet net 
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1998 16:47:06 -0500 
To: farber () cis upenn edu (David Farber) 
From: "Richard J. Solomon" <richard () goodread com> 
Subject: IBM'ers view 

> improvements such as ubiquitous e-mail, on-line chatting, Internet voice 
> communication, distance-learning and better multicultural appreciation. 

Every media invention has heralded the lowering of cultural frictions, and every one has caused new, unanticipated 
problems. Railroads, airplanes, telegraphs, radio, television were supposed to eliminate war. I could fill a book with 
quotes. Instantaneous borderless information.... Maybe this time? 

It's worth asking: what's wrong with this picture? Why can't we anticipate these things? Was the domain 
name/copyright/trademark conundrum so hard to imagine just 15 years ago when the Web was being promulgated? Here we 
have IBM trademarking "E-business". Gimme a break... 

What are we ignoring now? Would anyone pay for a serious hard look? 

Richard 
Tel: 413-267-5171 
Fax: 413-267-5172