Infrastructure improvements.

[John Guyer <johnguy@microsoft.com>]

Greetings,

As far as I understand the mission of this email list, it is discuss the
betterment of the community.  If I am mistaken in this, then you may
completely disregard this email.  If I am correct in my understanding, then
I have a question for your consideration.

Infrastructure has long been known to be the chicken and the egg problem.
You need infrastructure to attract businesses, you need businesses to fund
infrastructure.  How do you get one without the other?  The type of
infrastructure that I would like you to consider is high speed data
connections.

I spent the better part of a day researching what is available in the Moscow
area.  Either the infrastructure is very poor, or the local providers are
sadly lacking in information.  Either way, I was not given very helpful
information.  Pullman has Moscow beat hands down in this area (at least they
have ISDN).  What are the plans for DSL in the area?  GTE doesn't even
consider Moscow an area of service!? Century told me they were YEARS away
from cable modems.  I am curious what the local elected officials are doing
to change this?

Moscow is an ideal location for software companies.  The area is ripe with
young, newly trained talent (high tech companies love this), the population
is far more intellectual (as a general rule) than other places, there is a
decent airport in the community (some would argue that point), and there are
certain tax and land cost advantages. However,  software companies live and
die by the internet today.  They cannot survive without it.

These are the types of companies you want in your area.  They generate huge
revenues, and they are virtually pollution free (as free as any business can
be). IMHO.  If you build it, they will come.  If you already have it, then
please make it easier to locate these services.

Respectfully,

John B. Guyer
Enterprise Data Management
johnguy@microsoft.com
(425) 703-3971