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∂AIL Dr. Fred Weingarten↓Computer Science Section↓Division of Mathematical and
Computer Sciences↓National Science Foundation↓Washington, D.C. 20550∞

Dear Dr. Weingarten:

	Enclosed is a copy of a letter from James Bell of
Digital Equipment Corporation and an ARPANET message from Glenn Ricart
of National Institutes of Health expressing interest in Dialnet.
They have seen the Dialnet proposal in a form advancing it
as a technical idea separated from a request for research support.
We have also received many oral expressions of interest.

	This interest confirms my conviction that some form of Dialnet will
occur eventually even if NSF doesn't support our proposal but
probably with much more limited generality and capability
for growth without disruption.  Therefore, I think that NSF
should try to act promptly, because I believe that a project
that aims for generality at the start will be better than
the eventual merging of the efforts of computer companies
optimizing their individual marketing and government agencies optimizing
the internal communications among a fixed populations of computers.

	I am also led to fear that we haven't asked you for enough money.

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cc: Les Earnest, 
    Kent Curtis, National Science Foundation
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