I'm all in favor of the government controlling the Internet. Just look at what's happened without it. A massive Internet-driven cholera outbreak killing thousands all across the country.
There was a cholera outbreak, right? No? A crime wave with people murdering each other over ISP access? No? Wasn't there something utterly dreadful this takeover cured?
Nothing?
Good Lord. Why in the world would anyone think that government management of the Internet was a good thing?
It's true, none of the awful things you've enumerated here have happened. But network neutrality is an important step to prevent ISPs from putting service providers and consumers over a barrel. Which probably explains why so many internet and software companies are opposed to it.
ReplyDeleteOr as John Oliver so wonderfully summed it up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpbOEoRrHyU
Regulations so good they must be kept secret. Always a good sign.
ReplyDeleteThe next step is the colonization of network R&D by regulatory lawyers. In the three decades I consulted with the telecom industry, the mantra for every innovation was: "will it survive scrutiny in Regulatory?" I look forward to watching the legal definition of "just and reasonable" get established by legal opinion, litigation, settlements, and case law.
But I do agree that it's vitally important for the wellbeing of mankind that Netflix be able to consume other people's resources on the cheap, so I'm hoping the net neuters get what they want good and hard. They richly deserve it.
It's a rare occasion that I find myself connected up with someone so knowledgeable about these matters. I'm afraid I'd be remiss if I didn't take advantage, so perhaps you'd be gracious enough to explain what network neutrality actually is, and why it poses a threat to the technical underpinnings of the internet as we know it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it is a rare occasion. Possibly unique.
ReplyDeleteNet neutrality is a made-up term that has no technical relevance and means whatever it means to different people. Sort of like "hope" and "change".
I didn't say it "poses a threat to the technical underpinnings of the internet".
Anon, I'm a big Internet user. I've traveled all over the country using the Internet. Never had a problem getting what I wanted.
ReplyDeleteI think there needs to be a higher threshold for government intervention than preventing some future problem. And no, I don't think a wrestling match between ISPs and Netflix warrants a government intervention.
There was no cholera outbreak. Go away, government. We're doing just fine without you here.
Nothing has happened, so we better regulate it so nothing does happen. It's Network Obamaneering.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I'm looking for a 24-pin surface mount network underpinning with an SPI interface. Know where I might find one?
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I recently joined the local maker lab. I thought there would be something of a libertarian streak among them (especially the libertarians), but they seem quite giddy at the news. I'll let you know if they show equal happiness when big corporate interests lobby the government to create secret rules passed on partisan lines on other topics.
ReplyDeleteTheir mindset is starting to scare me a little... the latest discussion is about how the whole internet can't handle 4k video, so this is going to force government to mandate that everybody gets Google Fiber or the equivalent (can't allow only some to get it). I held my tongue and didn't point out that you'd probably be required to get it, at an inflated price, supported by subsidies orchestrated by the IRS.
As for 4k video support to your fancy TV, I figure the smart money is going to abandon the internet and make some technology improvements in over-the-air delivery instead.
Ooh! Running new fiber lines in cities like New Orleans where digging things up is a recipe for disaster. What fun! Or how about in Los Angeles where the traffic is impacted that the slightest road closure causes Carmageddon, the Sequel. Yep, that's what we want! Because the government said so and it's for our own good.
ReplyDeleteLets not forget that more and more people are watching Netflix and popcornTime...cancelling their cable television service...
ReplyDeleteThat is a lot of lost political contributions from companies under FCC control.