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