The COOK Report on Internet -> NREN Background. Summary of first 15 issues. Subscription Information The COOK Report is a monthly newsletter focusing on the policy complexities of NREN, and National Information Infrastructure (NII) development as well as Internet commercialization. Published by the former Director of a US Congress Office of Technology assessment of the NREN, who is beholden to no federal agencies or private companies for funds, it contains views not generally found within the community of NREN and NII "boosters." Some Highlights from the First 15 Months. No. 1 - April 1992 Editor's transcripts and commentary from the March 12th, 1992 Congressional Hearings into the management of the NSFnet. 12 pages No. 2 - May 1992 Analysis by Dave Hughes of Community Learning Network. MCI & Suranet to offer COREN. ANS' Maloff says ANS and CIX are likely to interconnect. 12 pages No. 3 - June 1992 What is ANS and ANS CO + RE? Incomplete Delaware Corporate Findings Reveal Ambiguities. Is COREN a Plan to Interconnect Network Access Points? 14 pages No. 4 - July 1992 The FNCAC May 15 Meeting and the Backbone Solicitation: an Analysis of the Process and the Plans. Editorial: Some Fallacies Behind the "Buy-in" Model of Backbone Funding. 10 pages No. 5 - August 1992 The Network as a Testbed for Router Development - Diving the Meaning of the Backbone Solicitation in the Context of T-3 Router Woes. New Gore Legislation. Community Learning and Information Network Revisited by Dave Hughes. 10 pages Nos. 6-7 September 1992 double length issue. Building New Backbones: A Tale of Two Philosophies. NSF Appears Determined to Repeat past Errors While NASA and DOE Execute Outstanding Backbone Rebid. IRS States that as of August 25, 1992 ANS Does Not have 501(c)(3) Status. Reports from ONE BBSCON by Dave Hughes & Steve Cisler. NLM's Director Appointed HPCC Coordinator: Substance or Window Dressing? T-3 Router Flapping. Internet Domain Survey and Provider Directory. 20 pages No. 8 - October 1992 IBM's Cable TV agenda in the context of the Backbone Draft Solicitation. Commercialization and COREN in the Context of the Backbone Rebid. Analysis of Comments on Backbone Draft Solicitation with especial emphasis on the NASA critique. 16 pages No. 9 - December 1992 An NREN Agenda in the National Interest - A Challenge for Clinton, Gore and the Congress. IBM's SONET Strategy for the PLANET PARIS switch. MFS Announces high speed backbone. Sprint, UUNET and PSI build first NAP. ANS as a Servant of the Public Interest -What the Form 990 Reveals. Questions about the ANS Infrastructure Pool. Routers said to Face Unique Challenges Given Complexity of NSFnet. 18 pages Nos. 10 & 11 - January February 1993 double issue. "NSFnet Privatization and the Public Interest: Can Misguided Policy be Corrected?" A 35,500 word history and policy analysis of the privatization of the NSFnet based on 500 pages of NSF documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and on the author's OTA experience. Documented with 133 footnotes. Contains NSFnet Director Steve Wolff's comments on the first draft as 40 additional footnotes. Includes chronology of events, and comments by other reviewers of the draft. 36 pages No. 12 - March 1993 The final issue of Volume 1 of the COOK Report yields new findings from FOIA documents of lack of accounting in NSFnet privatization, review of ATM technology progress, summary of Northwestnet Big Sky Telegraph Controversy, interview with Alan Baratz on IBM's cost sharing role in NSFnet backbone. 18 pages Vol 2 No 1 April 1993 The issue tracks the current understanding of the NSF's plans for a new backbone as the issuance of the solicitation is further delayed. MCI reveals that it too has given ANS two million additional dollars. ANS Form 1023 Developments. Tom Grunder calls for a Corporation for Public Cybercasting. 18 pages Vol 2 April EXTRA Edition Published April 12 this extra broke the story two weeks before the issuance of the IG Report on the improper give away of the Backbone to ANS. 6 pages Vol 2 No 2 -3 May-June Analysis of the findings of the IG Review, Letter to Congressman Boucher on policy implications, exclusive interview with Montgomery Fischer who researched and wrote the IG Review; IG Review findings and conclusions reprinted. Memo for the Record: Following the money trail. 20 pages WHY SHOULD YOU SUBSCRIBE? The COOK Report helps subscibers: o to understand the so far, convoluted evolution of Federal Policy toward the commercialization and privatization of the Internet, the creation of an NREN and a National Information Infrastructure; o to understand the economic trends linking the development of multi-protocol routers and public network transport technologies from Federally sponsored testbeds to commercial implementation; o to understand whether commercial internet providers can satisfy corporate needs to link LANs over a wide area network; o to understand developments and issues affecting k-12 and library acccess to the network infrastructure; o to understand the commercialization's impact on the cooperative nature of the internet and it's standards process; o and to track changes in policy by the new administration. Subscriptions available for volume one at slightly reduced prices or starting with volume two (April 1993). Price List: one year subscription (effective April 1993) Individual - $85 Non Profit, Small Gov't Agency, or Corporation - $175 (Site License $300) Corporate (revenues greater than $10 million a year) or Cabinet Level Agency - $350 Corporate Site License (hardcopy and electronic & right to redistribute within corp.) - $500 Foreign Subscriptions; add $50 in each category Call, write or email: Gordon Cook COOK Network Consultants 431 Greenway Ave, Ewing, NJ 08618 (609) 882-2572 Internet: cook@path.net