On Mon, 24 Oct 2005, Gary Hale wrote: Hmmm ... I suppose I would prefer this community not be made an explicit source of information for a reporter. Implicitly, if reporters must hang off this thread, they should be able to discern impact from perspective given here. However, if questions like the one(s) asked below became "standard" on this thread, then soon the function of the group slants to something other than a forum to aid (each other) in the proper "management" of the affairs of Network Operators ... and may morph into something far less useful. Give me a break. This list becoming "less useful"?! Alert the press! (or maybe not, according to you) Traditionally, there has been a real knowledge gap between technology journalists and network operators. This has the negative effect of mainstream media presenting incorrect and/or skewed information regarding not only technical issues, but larger industry issues (including things like l3/cogent). Without clued contacts, journalists are forced to glean their information from sources like vendor press releases and sales representatives. Is that how you'd like the public's window into the industry colored? Do you really think that VendorSpeak really needs any more legitimizing? matto --matt@snark.net------------------------------------------<darwin>< The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. - Edmund Burke