1988, and post WWII teletypes running at 50 baud -- for FLASH OVERRIDE messaging.

Hell, I can type faster than that (approx. 1 character/second)!!

Working out of the Coltano Autodin Switching Center (that's the site Marconi made famous some time ago), I recall sitting at a conference in Naples with an Italian colonel and a French major, both w/military entourage (I was one of 3 U.S. Army reps from the Leghorn/Camp Darby region), and the question was raised regarding upgrades to get NATO-net up to 56k with the rest of the planet. The good colonel, however, kicked over a tall can of worms with 1 very basic question.

"In which nation will the upgraded equipment be manufactured?"

It quickly degenerated to a shouting match from there, and that was just between 2 European nations.

A unified Europe will come about, but each nation will enter it kicking ans screaming all the way. Every nation in Europe is better than any other nation in Europe, and every citizen in Europe knows it.

Far too many lead guitar players in the band,
Dan