[comp.sys.transputer] Commercialism

fielding@TCGOULD.TN.CORNELL.EDU (Dave Fielding) (04/09/89)

	List Members,

		Some recent postings have become very commercial in nature.
	The list was created for the exchange of current ideas, algorithms, 
	hardware and other current development issues related to systems 
	incorporating transputers. The list was not created as a free marketing
	tool. I encourage those people using or involved in research using 
	transputers to continue sharing your findings on this list. If you
	have any questions concerning the appropriateness of a posting, feel 
	free to contact me at : xputer@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu. Thank you.

			Dave

J.Wexler@edinburgh.ac.uk (04/10/89)

I do not believe that commercialism on this newslist has yet become excessive,
offensive or inappropriate.  As a non-commercial reader, I do not want to see
advertising swamping the useful news and exchanges, but we haven't yet reached
that point.  We do hear a lot from people with something to sell, but much of
that is actually interesting information rather than publicity hype.  It appears
with background and explanations which make it far easier to understand and
evaluate than advertising copy.  Most commercial contributors seem to be aware
that it's more important, for the time being, to expand the total market for
Transputers and concurrent systems than to maximise their share of the present
rather small market.  Consequently they show a degree mutual tolerance -
sometimes even cooperation - and there are signs of realism and honesty in what
they write.  I am willing to read what they want to tell us, whereas I have no
inclination to seek out and read glossy brochures about the same products. And
it's always easy to skip a message if it is boring or annoying. I'm assuming, of
course, that I am seeing the same messages that you are seeing.  Perhaps there
are problems with commercialism in the news circulating in the USA, and it's all
filtered out before it reaches me.

    John Wexler