usagdr@cdp.UUCP (06/10/89)
Richard Covert: "I have heard of these folks before, and they are definitely funded by the East Germans and the Soviets!" To the best of my knowledge, you have never written the Council on USA-GDR Relations or called USA/GDR DataBank. I checked the board's user data base, and your name is not there. We do not receive any funds, directly or indirectly, from any governmental or non-governmental organization in Eastern Europe, including the GDR. So far, we have a grand total of $69 in our checking account. But if it is true that the Council is "definitely funded by the East Germans and the Soviets," I shouldbe informed immediately. I will take that perce ntage of our bank account that you can tell us was obtained from Eastern European sources (or the KGB) and immediately contribute it to the anti-communist organization of your choice.
simon@barnum.dec.com (Curiosier and Curiosier...) (06/13/89)
In article <135900011@cdp>, usagdr@cdp.UUCP writes... >Richard Covert: "I have heard of these folks before, and they are definitely >funded by the East Germans and the Soviets!" > >We do not receive any funds, directly or indirectly, from any governmental or >non-governmental organization in Eastern Europe, including the GDR. So far, >we have a grand total of $69 in our checking account. I have no reason to doubt your words. Where I do have doubts is the financial situation of your East German counterparts. Being myself from a communist country (USSR) I know that computer societies are government supported at best or simply belong to the govenment at worst. It is illegal for individuals to own printers in the USSR, and modems in GDR. I wonder how ordinary East Germans can link their computers without them! Besides, an XT clone with monochrome graphics and 20 Mb hard disk cost there in the range of $40K - $50K, twelve to fifteen times yearly salary of an engineer. So, who owns PC's there? I already posted a couple of articles about *Societies for Friendship with Other Countries* in the USSR and their sources of financing. You can look a couple weeks back. Like practically everything else, it is the government. I am not advocating cutting the guys from East Europe off the computer world, just being cautious. --- Leo Simon simon@hpstek.dec.com --or-- ...!decwrl!hpstek.dec.com!simon --or-- simon%hpstek.dec@decwrl.dec.com
usagdr@cdp.UUCP (06/16/89)
Leo, the International Friendship League of the GDR, which manages relations with the various national GDR friendship societies around the world (we are not a friendship society, by the way) is not an independent organization, of course. Perhaps the only truly "independent" associations in the GDR are the Christian churches and the dissident discussion clubs which meet on church property. I have no problem dealing with any group, whatever their relationship with their government, provided I have a clear idea who they are and what they represent. Speaking of independent associations, you may have noticed a revival of authentically non-governmental groups in the USSR, Poland and Hungary, but not, unfortunately, in the GDR. About computers: Yes, privately-owned modems are illegal in the GDR. It hardly makes any difference, however, since line noise on the GDR's phone system would probably make normal computer communications virtually impossible. Personal computers are widely owned by private citizens, but usually they are low-grade Commodores which are available in second-hand stores. I don't believe the GDR's one personal computer, the Robotron 1715 (don't you love that name?--takes you back to 1950's science fiction), is available for private purchase. You should call USA/GDR DataBank one of these days. It's a long- distance call, unfortunately, but before the end of the summer we'll be hosting a new FidoNet echo on Eastern Europe and the USSR. Our number is (202) 529-0140, and we're open for business from 12 midnight to 9 p.m. EST Monday-Friday.