Wardialing Modems Guerrilla Network Opensource Cyberspace [re: Tim May]

[Zenaan Harkness]

> > Op 26-12-18 om 23:21 schreef jim bell:
> > > I think there was a time in the late 1970's when phone companies
> > > expressed resentment that their users were employing modems on their
> > > phone lines.

On Thu, Dec 27, 2018 at 04:37:01PM -0300, Juan wrote:
> On Thu, 27 Dec 2018 13:11:31 +0100
> "P.J. Westerhof" <Peter at isoc.nl> wrote:
> 
> > Correct.
> > If memory serves me right, not only because some modems caused technical
> > issues with installed telephone infrastructure. But also because the
> > then customary flat rate for local telephone use 
> 
> 	there was no flat rate here. the phone company was a state
> 	monopoly then turned into a 'free market' 'private' government
> 	chartered monopoly. I think they were pleased wtih people using
> 	modems and paying their extortionary prices. 

Indeed, with the marginal cost being electricity use per connection,
i.e. negligible.


> > meant that you could
> > get on the Internet almost indefinitely if an Internet access point was
> > within reach, f.i. university or library.
> > This extra and sustained load could cause technical issues in itself,
> > but it also cost the phone companies a pretty penny in lost income. No
> > wonder the phone companies were quick to change their tariffs to usage
> > based.
> 
> 	Hardly surprising. 


Re "it also cost the phone companies a pretty penny in lost income":

This is an example of insidiously successful 'thought control' or
effective/de-facto control of our conversation.

RMS highlighted this with respect to e.g. "intellectual property" as
a concept inserted into our discussion.

In the present instance "lost income" is the same furfy that the
MAFIAA http://mafiaa.org/press_room/ uses to claim "lost sales" due
to music and film "pirates".

This ought be preaching to the converted 'round here, BUT, when we
use our opposition's languaging/ phrases, our opposition has gained
significantly.

At the very least, we owe it to ourselves to insert the word
"claimed" before the conjunction "lost income".