🚀 go-pugleaf

The flaw in your argument is assuming that "corporate"-type entities
demand that ALL of their communications be super reliable and
secure.  In fact, what many of them want is to be able to carry
on much the same sorts of "non-critical" applications that we currently
base on ARPANET, UUCP, etc.  They want to chat among themselves, "talk"
informally with researchers at other locations, tell jokes, and otherwise
do the sorts of things the rest of us do now.  For these sorts of
applications, security and reliability are not critical, nor are such
communications worth a lot of money.  

Force people to pay more than a very modest amount for such services,
and they won't participate at all, or only participate for very
"high-value" type communications.  It's specifically the "lower-value",
more informal sorts of communications that I consider to be of
importance and that I'm trying to promote.  Most businesses are not
yet willing to entrust important communications to electronic mail
(for a number of technical and legal reasons -- have you read MCI's
disclaimer for MCI mail?) and I don't intend to try change their mind
at this point.  Nor am I offering a UUCP electronic funds transfer
service...  so don't panic!

--Lauren--