In the concluding endnote to this section, let's consider two polemical views of the future relationship between telecommunications and space. Science fiction writer Bruce Sterling (March 2, 1994) offers "the vision of a man freezing to death under a bridge; . . . a bum with a virtual world in a paper bag" (The virtual city speech). In contrast, The Information Infrastructure Task Force suggests: "The NII can transform the lives of the American people --ameliorating the constraints of geography. . ." The National Information Infrastructure Agenda for Action Executive Summary) . We should use Sterling's rhetoric of warning to check our progress as we move toward the many virtues envisioned for the NII.