I draw a line -- somewhat shaky at points -- between Meganet's long-
term effects and what is actually happening now. I project a scenario
into the early years of the twenty-first century. This leaves the long-
term predictions to the futurists, a fraternity that has a consistent
record of calling the wrong shots.

Many individuals have helped me in different ways. A special trib-
ute is due to the late Ithiel de Sola Pool of the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, who was a friend and professional colleague of mine for
many years. The title of his last book on communications, The Tech-
nologies of Freedom, summarizes all that this book tries to express. I
also thank my colleagues at the Center for Strategic and International
Studies and those at Georgetown University. In particular, I want to
thank Diana Lady Dougan, chief of the center's international commu-
nications studies program, and Peter Krogh, former dean of George-
town's School of Foreign Service. Both of them gave me the space,
time, and other resources to finish this work.

Among others who helped me were Anne Branscomb, Scott Chase,
Roger Cochetti, George Codding, Fred Cote, Jan J. van Cuilenberg,
Everett Dennis, William Drake, Charles Firestone, Robert Frieden,
Gladys Ganley, Linda Garcia, Michael O'Hara Garcia, William Garri-
son, Henry Geller, Robert Kinzie, Anton Lensen, David Lieve, David
Lytel, William McGowan, Tedson Myers, Russell Neuman, Eli Noam,
Joseph Pelton, Kenneth Phillips, Michael Potter, Monroe Price, Marek
Rusin, Michael Ryan, Rick Schultz, Gregory Staple, Ann Stark, John
Vondracek, Ernest Wilson III, and Yvonne Zecca. My sons -- John,
Stephen, Wilson, and Mark -- provided useful comments.

Finally, I extend a special acknowledgment again to my resident ed-
itor and thoughtful critic on works in progress, Lynn Wood Dizard.

Wilson Dizard Jr.

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