REALITY: BYTES

So I was reading this article about the Internet (“These Mouse Clubs Aren’t for Mickey,” by P. J. Huffstutter, Dec. 18). And I was enjoying it too--until I came to a couple of paragraphs near the end where the writer had to insert the typical Times left-wing commentary, about how the poor and uneducated aren’t represented on the Net.

But I’m sure the writer will be giving her computer to some poor soul in the street who needs to tie in to the Net and talk to those folks at the alt.fan.conan-obrien newsgroup about matters of the day. I’m sure she feels so guilty about being part of the privileged elite that she’ll take her laptop to the park, plug it into a portable cell phone and allow those there to play on the Net.

And I’m sure she translates all her messages into at least six languages and 12 Chinese dialects so those who don’t speak English won’t feel left out.

PAUL MARKS

Santa Clarita

PaulM44908@aol.com *

A larger part of the population than just the poor or uneducated or non-English speakers is denied access to the facilities of the Internet. Accessing newsgroups is mostly too expensive or too time-consuming for the average citizen. I was ecstatic when I discovered I could get an e-mail address and access to a smattering of newsgroups just by being a student at Fullerton College.

To truly enjoy the newsgroups available to me, I would have to be in the financial elite, where I could waste time and money wading through them.

ANDY GOLDMAN

Fullerton

andy goldman@bbs.fullcoll.edu