VANCE@JVNCC.CSC.ORG (02/14/89)
Hello, Could someone please send me any information that claifies what the policy is on commercial use of the internet? I have asked and have not received any info on this. Thanks in advance, Vercell Vance Manager of User Services John von Neumann National Supercomputer Center POB 3717 Princeton, NJ 98543 or Vance@jvnca.csc.org
steve@NOTE.NSF.GOV (Stephen Wolff) (02/14/89)
> Could someone please send me any information that claifies what the > policy is on commercial use of the internet? Unhappily, there is as yet no SINGLE policy, because the Internet is administered by a number of different Federal agencies whose usage policies differ. The situation is complicated in the NSFNET case because the mid-level networks (e.g., JVNCNET) are autonomous business entities with their own policies. Until a formal policy is issued by NSF (we ARE working on it!), you should assume that traffic passed over the NSFNET Backbone must be "in support of scientific research and other scholarly activities." That does not rule out commercial use, obviously. If your traffic is going to remain on JVNCNET, ask the von Neumann Center folks for their policy. The Federal Research Internet Coordinating Committee (FRICC), comprised of folks who own bits of the Internet, has a draft joint usage policy under discussion. -s
john@amc.UUCP (John Sambrook) (02/17/89)
I read with interest Stephen Wolff's article (8902140913.aa11462@note.nsf.gov) on "Commercial use of the Internet." As someone who has recently lost his access to the Internet (due to changing jobs) this topic is (now!) near and dear to my heart. I'd appreciate comments on the following suggestion: I would like to suggest that the rules for obtaining "connected status" be ammended to permit commerical use of the Internet. For the sake of discussion I will refer to this as "Commerical Connected Status (CCS)." Applying for, and receiving, this status would authorize a commerical organization to connect to the Internet. Of course, some means for cost recovery must be provided. I would suggest that this would be the domain (no pun intended) of the commerical communications companies. In particular, they could provide gateways to the Internet, that would perform a cost-accounting function. They would bill their customers, and in turn would be responsible for reimbursing the federal government for their use of the Internet. Comments? John Sambrook Internet: amc!john@uunet.uu.net Applied Microsystems Corporation UUCP: amc!john Redmond, Washington 98073 Dial: (206) 882-2000 ext. 630 -- John Sambrook Internet: amc!john@uunet.uu.net Applied Microsystems Corporation UUCP: amc!john Redmond, Washington 98073 Dial: (206) 882-2000 ext. 326
CERF@A.ISI.EDU (02/19/89)
John, There are several efforts to make links available from public email carriers into the Internet. DASNET based in San Fracisco area (I think) has one such link. UUNET has UUCP to Internet facility. My company is working on a link between Internet and MCI Mail. We hope to pursue other such links or to encourage them, as appropriate. This does NOT mean that the Internet should be used for commercial purposes - I distinguish between links between commercial organizations and the Internet for purposes of research support, exchanges with the academic and research community and commercial use (i.e. using the facilities of the Internet to support a profit-making enterprise). It should be legitimate for a commercial enterprise to provide for-profit services linking their users to users of the Internet, but the general purpose of such links should be to further exchanges among the R&D community members. A final statement of use and interconnect policy is still the subject of consideration by the members of the FRICC. Vint