[thelist] License to surf!

Fleet,

	I guess that your comments are directed to me, since I posted the
paragraph that you excerpted. I do equate registration with regulation, and
in most cases agree to the regulation when I register, such as in the case
of Evolt. Evolt's regulation is quite benign, IMO.
	I have no illusions, however, that governmental regulation would be
so benevolent, especially if it were conducted by some international
bureaucracy, which is essentially what Cailliau suggests. And it seems naive
to believe that such regulation would not extend beyond registration.
	Also, I think it a bit arrogant to seriously argue that newbies need
to be certified before being given access to the Internet. We were all
newbies once, and newbies are usually more of a "danger" to themselves than
to anyone else. If someone wants to take a web-training class or offer a
web-training class for newbies, more power to them. Just don't mandate it by
law under the guise of making the Net safe for civilization.

James Aylard

-----Original Message-----
From: Teachout, Phlete [mailto:TeachoutPR@webfld.navy.mil]
Sent: November 30, 1999 10:45 AM
To: 'thelist@lists.evolt.org'
Subject: [thelist] License to surf!


From the article: 
>How can someone as intelligent as Cailliau 
>obviously is argue that on one hand everything and everyone on the Net
>should be registered, but on the other that only the most egregious
behavior >should be regulated? This convoluted thinking is the bastard child
of >Cailliau's bureaucratic Europe. Registration is regulation. And
regulation >is the life-breath of bureaucrats (taxation, its twin, being
their life->blood). 
And two paras down on the page - 
>Everyone also has the option to comment on stories that 
>others have posted, when they have logged in. "  
And you need to REGISTER in order to log in. 
Actually, I have often bemoaned the fact that "unlicensed" individuals can
access the internet - it's like allowing unlicensed drivers on the highway.
I suspect Cailliau's desire was (as would be mine) to provide the "newbies"
with some very basic information.  (Actually, I volunteer to teach
"internet" at a local senior center.  I've often considered giving out a
"license" as a form of diploma/certificate - just never got around to making
the things up!)
                                                - fleet -  
> -----Original Message----- 
  
> License to surf? 
> http://evolt.org/index.cfm?menu=8&catid=1&cid=599 
>