Interesting People mailing list archives
Re: G Vint Cerf ponders nationalizing the Internet
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 08:49:22 -0700
and many states are trying to privatize the super-highways -- like the nj turnpike etc djf ________________________________________ From: Dave Crocker [dcrocker () bbiw net] Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2008 10:30 AM To: David Farber Cc: ip; Vint Cerf Subject: Re: [IP] DEBUNKING Vint Cerf ponders nationalizing the Internet David Farber wrote:
What I was speculating about in the Personal Democracy Forum was whether incentives could be provided that would render the Internet more like the public road system which is open to everyone. Manufacturers are free to invent and sell vehicles suitable for use on the road system. Builders are free to construct buildings, homes, offices, manufacturing plants that use the road system. But the road system itself is not owned by the private sector and its use is essentially open to all. The question is whether incentives can be found that would produce a similar effect for broadband Internet provision."
To the extent that we can find an equivalent, established service to model, to apply to the Net, that would help things enormously. Finding a working model to invoke can save debate about theory. The road system does seem appealing that way. But the real-world model is a bit more complex than Vint suggests. Whether that retains its appropriateness is not clear to me, but the differences are worth noting. They make the model a bit more nuanced and, I think, a bit more interesting: 1. There are differential licensing fees for different types of vehicles. Semi-trailers do not pay the same as 4-wheelers. 2. There are differential rules of use for different vehicles. In California, semi-trailers are not allowed in the fast lanes of a freeway. In some cities around the world, there are restrictions on access based on who is driving, in order to reduce private passenger-car use, whereas taxis are allowed. 3. There are private roads with restricted access; there are private roads that charge tolls. d/ -- Dave Crocker Brandenburg InternetWorking bbiw.net ------------------------------------------- Archives: http://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now RSS Feed: http://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/ Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
Current thread:
- Re: G Vint Cerf ponders nationalizing the Internet David Farber (Jul 03)