BOYCOTT AT&T

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It seems that the Government of the USA has been interfering
with the free market to reward AT&T , I don't know how much
AT&T's support of the Clipper Chip had to do with it but I'm
sure it didn't hurt.  In the May 13 New York Times:
        
        >The AT&T Corporation's winning bid for a $4 billion contract to
        >modernize Saudi Arabia's phone system ,WHICH HAD BEEN SUPPORTED
        >BY HEAVY CLINTON ADMINISTRATION LOBBYING , was hundreds of
        >millions of dollars higher than other bids [...] The huge-scale
        >deal, which was announced on Monday is the biggest
        >telecommunications contract in history.
        
I think it's important for company's to realize there is also a
downside for supporting Clipper. As a start ,I don't see how any
self respecting Cypherpunk or Extropian could use AT&T as their
personal long distance carrier . AT&T 's not the only company in
bed with the government over Clipper (INTEL) but it is the most
visible and the easiest to boycott, MCI and Sprint do a fine
job. If  5% of the Internet users quit AT&T it would make other
companies think twice before they endorse Clipper.
        
                      John K Clark                    johnkc@well.sf.ca.us


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John Clark writes:

> I think it's important for company's to realize there is also a
> downside for supporting Clipper. As a start ,I don't see how any
> self respecting Cypherpunk or Extropian could use AT&T as their
> personal long distance carrier . AT&T 's not the only company in
> bed with the government over Clipper (INTEL) but it is the most
                                       ^^^^^^^
> visible and the easiest to boycott, MCI and Sprint do a fine
> job. If  5% of the Internet users quit AT&T it would make other
> companies think twice before they endorse Clipper.

Intel in bed with the government over Clipper? While Intel may own
10-20% of VLSI Technology Inc. (VTI), it is VTI that is manufacturing
the MYK-78 and related chips for Mykotronx.

A year ago, I talked to the guy who hired me into Intel in 1974, Craig
Barrett (who is about to take over Andy Grove's job as President), and
informed him of VTI's crummy role in the Clipper deal. I suggested to
him that any Intel involvement in Clipper would not help Intel's image
amongst computer types. Craig was uncommunicative on this--I got the
impression he had no idea what I was talking about. 

This doesn't mean Intel is not involved, of course, but surely the
main culprits are Mykotronx, VTI, and AT&T. Intel gets enough bad
press as it is not to be further tarred with the brush of Clipper.

--Tim May


-- 
..........................................................................
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