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Date:      Fri, 18 Apr 1997 13:33:24 -0400 (EDT)
From:      "Graydon Hoare ()" <admin@multinet.net>
To:        freebsd-isp@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: News... 
Message-ID:  <Pine.BSF.3.91.970418125623.15737A-100000@house.multinet.net>
In-Reply-To: <199704181657.JAA02594@root.com>

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On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, David Greenman wrote:

>    I must be seriously missing something here. I thought ISPs were in business
> to make money? 

There's a market for porn and spam which includes pricey, sluggish,
short-expiry newsservice. it costs a lot to get into that market.  Once
in, there may be very high returns, but only if you are reliable in all
other departments. Otherwise, your charming newsserver is simply dead 
from overwork, and you have nothing.

There's also a market for on-topic news and discussion in a moderated
environment. It's cheaper, easier, less maintenance, higher-quality (in
most reasonable measurements) and caters to a wider audience. It is also
not frowned upon by many 'morality czars' like your parents, your
teachers, your wife, your kids (if you have 'em), the police, and your
boss. The returns in this market may be slightly less (in terms of connect
hours) or slightly more (in terms of more free lines, less overhead) but
you will surely continue to get payed for administering the system. 

Mere presence in either market will not determine if an ISP 'makes 
money', and many ISPs do not need any further growth anyway.
_________________________________
nightly news, with john aquaviva.





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