On Fri, 5 Feb 1999, Bob Allisat wrote:
> Jim Dixon writes:
> > In fact END USERS represent the best interests of end users.
> >
> > This may be hard for you to appreciate, the users of the Internet
> > are as a group intelligent and knowledgeable. Any ISP can tell
> > you that end users as a group express themselves loudly and
> > forcefully whenever things are't as they like. We listen to them
> > every day.
> >
> > The larger UK dialup ISPs have on the order of 100 support staff
> > handling thousands of support calls each day. How many end users
> > did you listen to yesterday, Michael?
>
> Irrellevant. Your companies no more represent the
> citizenry than oil companies, Microsoft or any other
This reply is bizarre. I made no claim that ISPs represent end
users. Nor did I claim that ISPs represent the "citizenry". We
fly no flags and field no armies.
However, the original question was about a group which purports to
represent end users in the UK. My question to Michael, who also
heads a group claiming to represent millions of end users, could
equally be addressed to the group in the UK. It boils down to:
"what is the basis for your claim to represent end users? Do you
ever listen to them?"
> corporate or commercial entity. And citizens are
> *not* merely "END USERS". In every Democracy it is
> "We the People" who must choose representatives. And
> we do that through open sufferage elections not via
> the subtrefuge of indirect market choice libertarian
> models.
>
> The sooner you and your collegues get the silly idea
> that you speak for us out of your heads the sooner
"Us" includes me, Bob. I don't think that these end user groups
should so casually claim to represent the users of the Internet.
You and I are both users. Does Michael Sandow represent you?
Does the CR-CL represent me? I think not.
> you will understand that it's our right, as citizens,
> to determine how you behave in your various corporate
> capacities as part of civil society.
--
Jim Dixon Managing Director
VBCnet GB Ltd http://www.vbc.net tel +44 117 929 1316
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Member of Council Telecommunications Director
Internet Services Providers Association EuroISPA EEIG
http://www.ispa.org.uk http://www.euroispa.org
tel +44 171 976 0679 tel +32 2 503 22 65
