Re: Infinia, Dell Servers, WordPerfect for Java, and Internet Archive.
Jim Whitehead (ejw@ics.uci.edu)
Wed, 11 Sep 1996 09:34:32 -0400
>WIRED WORLD WILL "DIMINISH NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY"
>A leading Clinton Administration official on information security and
>cryptography matters says that traditional notions of sovereignty, national
>security and warfare will be undermined by the year 2020, when the whole
>world is "wired" and e-cash is the norm. The result will be less powerful
>governments in relation to criminal organizations such as the Mafia and
>international drug cartels, says Michael Nelson, who adds that organized
>crime members are already some of the most sophisticated users of computer
>systems and strong encryption technology. In addition, computer crackers
>will pose a more significant threat. In response, Nelson advocates
>resolving the issue of whether unauthorized access of a computer is an "act
>of trespass" or an "act of war," and prosecuting the intrusions accordingly.
>(BNA Daily Report for Executives 6 Sep 96 A14)
Now where have I seen this before... Oh, yes, the novel SnowCrash. What a
scam -- read some science fiction, then spew it back in bizspeak to execs
who lack the imagination to read the original source.
The demise of governments is really overrated, though. You can't build an
interstate with an avatar, and more of the world is off the net, than on.
- Jim