crunch@well.UUCP (John Draper) (12/29/88)
In response to all the interest generated by the earlier posting of
the ICC Convention in Moscow, I have the first set of messages from
the USSR Computer users, and the results of the ICC Convention.
The ICC Convention took place about a week after the Armenian disaster,
and took up most of the topics of discussion. Some of that was in an
earlier posting the Soviets asked me to do. A lot of the context of the
message was personal, so it's been difficult for me to seperate out
the personal stuff from the reports on what took place in Moscow last week.
I think I have edited out all the personal paragraphs, what remains,
is a report on the results of this ICC meeting.
*********** The report from Moscow ************
by Alexander Yegorov
&
Valerie Maister
Alexander Yegorov:
Now, I will simply try to narrate the events that
happened during the ICC Founding conference... I made a
small introductory speech explaining how a few people managed
to bring together so many long-established and powerful
organizations in this country for the sole purpose of opening
the door to the "computerized society". A few facts: at the
opening of the conference we had 22 cofounder organizations -
19 from the soviet side and 3 representing 1 USA (East-West
Exchange Technology Transfer - Simon Furman - General
Manager P.O. Box 4028, San Rafael, CA 94913, (415) 472-3493) + 1
UK (Opus Technology Ltd.) + 1 French company (SDS).
They include: USSR Academy of Sciences (Velikhov), educational
society "Znanie"(translation - Knowledge), a
leading non-governmental publishing and news agency "Novosty",
all 5 central State Banks of the USSR, important computing
centers, universities and institutes, industrial establishments
in electronics and cooperatives.
In one month we collected ten million (!) rubles in
entry grants from all over the country that would be used
to support initiatives in information and people exchange.
We had over 600 participants in the hall with 500 seats.
About 70 correspondents from soviet and foreign newspapers and
TV, two video teams filming the conference (we would send you
a copy of the tape as soon as it is edited). So many
people wanted to participate that the crowd gathered near the
entrance eventually broke the door and we had to cover the
damage. People were coming from all over the USSR from as far
as Vladivostok (which is closer to you though) responding to
our ad in the newspaper. They were coming directly to
the conference because it was impossible to get through to us
by telephone and receive more precise information. We had
two girls answering the phone in turns for the last ten
days starting from 6 a.m. but clearly everything we did was
not enough. It seemed to us as if the whole nation suddenly
woke up with the only idea of joining the Club. That really
made us crazy with joy! We did it! A new baby-movement was born
in this country and already screamed over all networks (with
you help, John!).
At the first plenary sitting of the Conference
the founding organizations signed a Treaty establishing ICC as
an independent non-governmental international organization
and ICC Statute, they also elected a member of the USSR
Academy of sciences - Sergey Kurdumov, Director of the Institute
of applied mathematics - as President of ICC, and I
was nominated to the post of ICC Director-General. The
second half of the 1st day was devoted to work in sections
including the one called "Telecommunications and networking". I
can't say why, but I have the impression that people in this
section are particularly open-minded and relaxed and
easy-going, if you know what I mean. May be it's a common feature of
all those linked-up but I thought of mentioning it to you
as something that stroked me in the first place and
something that should be nourished by our Club as a most valuable
asset. Do you see it the same way in the US? I think you
do reading through the E-mail of "Let's talk to the
Soviets"! When I announced that ICC is being tuned to the biggest
Networks in the US and that so much interest emerged in
getting involved, the Conference really responded. And you
could claim, John, the best part of applause!
We had a splendid lunch at noon brake given by
ICC President and a cheerful cocktail party in the evening
for the participants establishing a real Club atmosphere at
the Conference. The small but well organized hardware and
software exhibition attracted a lot of people. We ran out of
advertising materials in the first few hours and lost
our voices explaining things out loud for the rest of the
Conference.
The second day was spent in hearing reports from
different sections, proposals of various projects that might
be sponsored by the Club, as well as in negotiations
with various western companies attending the Conference. It
all finished by a press-conference with very positive
articles appearing in local press. That's about how it all
happened narrated in a few words.
*****************
You have 3 or more offers from American software
engineers to go to Moscow and set up the equipment, offer
training for a UNIX like system running on PC's. Please tell
them that they are officially invited by ICC to come and stay
with us as long as they wish. We will take care of them so
that they may do both sight-seeing and networking. All expenses
in rubles will be payed by ICC.
Let me re-phrase that offer. It means that you have to cover your
OWN transport to either New York, or Wash DC. Those are the ONLY
cities served by Aeroflot. The Aeroflot costs will be covered, and
living expenses while in Moscow. Any other expenses dealing with
hard currency must be beared by the volunteer. They also will offer
other things in trade, to be negotiated with the ICC People in Moscow.
******** More misc messages of interest to NetNews readers *********
Valerie Maister:
Your Message 6 Mon Dec 12 18:28 PST. I fully
support your proposal for a joint information exchange forum for
the purpose of: a) technical information exchange; b)
information on how to obtain Computer equipment; c) encouraging
Americans to enter joint venture relationships. ICC can contribute
now by providing accurate information (electronic
reference files) on the legal regulations governing joint ventures
in the USSR and practical steps necessary to enter the
Soviet market, information on the existing joint ventures and
requests from soviet ICC members looking for an interested
foreign partner to establish a new joint venture, and the
like. We can also post to you requests for purchases of
computer equipment from soviet ICC members in order to get the
best offer from American suppliers. The more we think about
this exchange the more may come out of it. Remember the idea
of a Trade Partners Data Bank containing export/import profile
of soviet and foreign ICC members that was mentioned in the
information material on ICC you brought over from
Moscow...
This may be the beginning of it!
What happened to your request to open up a New Newsgroup
"misc.joint.ventures"? As you mentioned, it would be
useful to have a look at the representative samples of some of
those news groups the long list of which you E-mailed us.
Geee!! Yea!! all you Net Managers, whatever happened to that
proposal for a "misc.joint.ventures" newsgroup :=)
********** More misc messages to Net News respondees *******
Here is our Hello back to the Seattle Chapter of
Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility! ICC
certainly wants to be a party to your Computers for Peace
Groups. Our motto is "Information processing at the
service of international dialogue" and we want to build
computer bridges between people. ICC aims are laid out in the
Treaty establishing ICC that we had already put on the Network
and it seems that CPSP and ICC share the same ideals. So
let's share the same deeds!
Please, John, say hello from us to AutoDesk Inc.,
Keith Gabryelski from Elgar Corporation (San Diego), Michael
Winser of Microsoft Corp. and all ICC new friend. It's
already Monday night. We are dead tired and falling asleep.
Sorry, John, we did not manage to answer all the messages at
once. But I look forward to the pleasure of doing it again
soon.
Alexander Yegorov
ICC Director-General
Valerie Maister
ICC-USA Representative
I have sent over samplings of Net News to our soviet friends after
passing the material through our "Sensitive information" filters.
They very much want to become good contributers to the Net News
community. I'm trying to scare up an article Eric Fair wrote
about the ettequet of Net Usage, so our Soviet friends will be
very well versed and informed if and when they ever get on Usenet.
As you see, in the message I got from Moscow, the Soviets are
just discovering Computer Networking in a very big way. I think, that
as you read the text, the Soviets have discovered the finer points
of communication. They are still inexperienced, but I'm giving
them some of the finer points in networking, and if anyone else
wants to help, short tutorials and articles sent to me would
really be appreciated.
I sent them a list of some of the current issues in todays Computing
world, such as viruses, worms, and uses of Computers for peaceful
purposes, and the Soviets are now scrambling to prepare translating
some articles that currently exist into English, plus generating some
new articles being written by Soviet students on the Existing state of
computer technology. So we should expect to be recieving more
interesting stuff. Below is a list of subjects I suggested the
Soviets to concentrate on, If I have left any out, then please
tell me, so I can get them added. The Sov's have taken this list,
and plan on delegating the tasks to students, professionals, and
other people who know the answers to the following issues and subjects
of interest. Most of this was compiled from the many questions,
I recieved from Net Readers.
How to address the Human Language problem
a) Technically
b) Socially
c) Through the Media (TV and Radio)
What kind or programs are being developed to improve the economy.
Such as:
a) Computer Conferencing for better organization.
b) Resource allocation and control.
c) Small Cooperative Management software.
d) Desktop Publishing.
e) TV and Radio Management software.
f) City planning and management software.
g) Space and Science research.
i) Medical research.
j) Software that optimizes distribution of goods.
Computer Education in the USSR
a) On TV
b) In schools
c) In special "Access centers" if any exist.
Most popular Computer Languages (Try to make accurate survay).
a) The C Language
b) Pascal
c) Basic
Programming style of the Soviets.
a) "Top down" Design.
b) Object Oriented concepts.
Current state of AI development.
a) Expert systems
b) Pattern recognition
Computer virus problems
a) Detection methods.
b) Removal methods.
c) Prevention methods.
Software piracy issues
a) Education about "Intellectual property".
b) Protection of software.
c) Discussions on the issues.
d) A means of purchasing USA Software in Rubles, and
keeping the software prices "Affordable".
e) "Shareware", or "Use first, pay later" software.
Current state of Computer Conferencing technology.
a) Approximately how many Modems in use.
b) Networking systems.
Descriptions of Soviet developed programming tools.
a) For building user interfaces.
b) For Writing operating systems and Languages.
c) For Personal or home software or programs.
Current technology of Human Language translation.
a) English to Russian
b) Russian to English
c) Voice recognition
d) Pattern recognition.
Improvement of the Phone system to allow Data Compatability.
a) Noise reduction
b) Bandwidth improvements
c) ISDN
d) "T" Carrier or 1.544 MegBits.
The steps a Soviet Citizen must take to get on Teleport.
a) Which government agency does a citizen have to talk to.
b) Can ANYONE get on it?? Who can? Who Can't??
Computer Networking
a) Social networking
b) Cooperative networking
c) Business networking and office automation
Social impact computers have on Soviet Society.
a) In the home
b) At the office
c) At the store
d) in the farm
e) At the Cooperatives.
According to these messages I have recieved, I've gotten surprising
openness and self admissions about the state of Soviet PC Technology,
which would have been unheard of 3 years ago. So be looking forward
to recieving some interesting information on this new frontier.
So, as far as I'm concerned, if enough people want us to have a
new Newsgroup "misc.joint.ventures" on Usenet, then we would move all
of our discussions over there, otherwise, I think "comp.misc" is as
good a place as any other. So lets let the masses decide. Don't mind
me, I'm only the "messenger" so don't flame me pleese....
More later ----
John Draper
Programmers Network