From: Brett Watson <bwatson@diamond.cary.mci.net>

It just seems to me that everyone is taking all of this way out of bounds. The internic is strict and sometimes contradicts itself, I agree. but all they ask for is a plan, or rather and *estimate*. Karl, you say you can't possibly guess those numbers? How do you do business then? You've got to be able to estimate business and market growth (not bashing you, just don't understand).

-brett

No, what I'm saying is that it is none of the NIC's concern what my growth plan looks like, or what my business plan looks like. If someone else is willing to turn over a business plan, that's their choice, but IMHO that's really, really stupid. As in possibly suicidally stupid. I would give my left nut (pardon the vernacular) for some of these business plans. They are absolutely golden in terms of their value to a competitor in the areas of the country you do business, and anyone who doesn't understand that really ought to be working for someone else rather than running a company in this, or any other, marketplace. There are all kinds of interesting pieces of information in our business plan, and many of them would be VERY useful to a competitor. For that reason that piece of paper is to be found only in our vault at the bank, and in an encrypted (strongly!) file on a PC in my home. The NIC can have a copy of ours if and when they take out an indeminty bond of about $10M and sign the contracts required by me of anyone who wants a peek at that for any other legitimate business purpose. Until then my answer to that request is "stuff it". I know what's in there, I know how much value it has to a potential or actual competitor, and that information simply will not be allowed to pass out of my control without the strongest of guarantees that it will remain secure. Even our *bank* doesn't have a copy of this document, and that relationship is traditionally one of the strongest between two firms. -- -- Karl Denninger (karl@MCS.Net)| MCSNet - The Finest Internet Connectivity Modem: [+1 312 248-0900] | (shell, PPP, SLIP, leased) in Chicagoland Voice: [+1 312 248-8649] | 6 POPs online through Chicago, all 28.8 Fax: [+1 312 248-9865] | Email to "info@mcs.net" for more information ISDN: Surf at Smokin' Speed | WWW: http://www.mcs.net, gopher: gopher.mcs.net