[JDEV] Thoughts on AOL

[Max Metral]

I guess I think that it's impossible for people to support Microsoft
antitrust litigation and think that what AOL is doing is somehow different.
I *don't* support the MSFT litigation at all (at least what it's become) but
I actually think THIS is different given the media control that AOL now has.
And what's more, in this case, AOL has already agreed to move towards
interop.  So unless they're talking complete smack (which they are), this
move is incosistent and should be treated as such.

I work for PeoplePC, we're not huge, but we have a decent member base and we
have a ticker symbol, which is the important part for news.  I'm trying to
think of how we could help this battle with some statement that makes sense.
If people think of anything, I'd love ideas.

-----Original Message-----
From: James Widman [mailto:j-widman at cornellcollege.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2002 7:36 PM
To: jdev at jabber.org
Subject: Re: [JDEV] Thoughts on AOL



Thomas Muldowney wrote:

>  It is their network, and their resources, and I feel we need to respect
>that.  
>
I tend to agree, *but*.... anyone who has an internet connection can 
send email to AOL users; anyone can browse through web pages hosted by 
AOL; further, AOL/TW would certainly *like* everyone on the internet to 
chose the AIM client for their instant messaging needs.  It's not like 
they're not prepared for a large number connections to Oscar (and 
correct me if I'm wrong, but connecting with "unauthorized software" has 
never even been a legal issue -- i.e., jabber people didn't get cease & 
desist orders, they just got met with unfriendly engineering and IP 
blocking, right?).

It's just that they have this crappy double standard about how people 
are allowed to use the resources that they already offer up to the 
non-paying public, and it seems that a lot of people here (myself 
included) are wondering if we should respect *that* at all.

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