Comments on: The Web is Not the Internet http://techliberation.com/2006/02/16/the-web-is-not-the-internet/ Keeping politicians' hands off the Net & everything else related to technology Fri, 25 May 2012 08:22:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Clayton Nash http://techliberation.com/2006/02/16/the-web-is-not-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-32747 Clayton Nash Fri, 17 Feb 2006 10:23:35 +0000 http://techliberation.com/2006/02/16/the-web-is-not-the-internet/#comment-32747 <p>This threat strikes me a very overhyped -- what would stop a competitor from running ads about the "Unlimited Internet" access they offer and decimating the incumbent's DSL installed base?</p> This threat strikes me a very overhyped — what would stop a competitor from running ads about the “Unlimited Internet” access they offer and decimating the incumbent’s DSL installed base?

]]> By: Clayton Nash http://techliberation.com/2006/02/16/the-web-is-not-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-55501 Clayton Nash Fri, 17 Feb 2006 10:23:35 +0000 http://techliberation.com/2006/02/16/the-web-is-not-the-internet/#comment-55501 <p>This threat strikes me a very overhyped -- what would stop a competitor from running ads about the "Unlimited Internet" access they offer and decimating the incumbent's DSL installed base?</p> This threat strikes me a very overhyped — what would stop a competitor from running ads about the “Unlimited Internet” access they offer and decimating the incumbent’s DSL installed base?

]]> By: Tim http://techliberation.com/2006/02/16/the-web-is-not-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-32746 Tim Thu, 16 Feb 2006 19:04:27 +0000 http://techliberation.com/2006/02/16/the-web-is-not-the-internet/#comment-32746 <p>rockstud:</p> <p>I agree that network neutrality is a good thing. However, I think that the threat is being over-sold, and more importantly, I think a regulatory cure is worse than the disease.</p> rockstud:

I agree that network neutrality is a good thing. However, I think that the threat is being over-sold, and more importantly, I think a regulatory cure is worse than the disease.

]]> By: Tim http://techliberation.com/2006/02/16/the-web-is-not-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-55500 Tim Thu, 16 Feb 2006 19:04:27 +0000 http://techliberation.com/2006/02/16/the-web-is-not-the-internet/#comment-55500 <p>rockstud:<br><br>I agree that network neutrality is a good thing. However, I think that the threat is being over-sold, and more importantly, I think a regulatory cure is worse than the disease.</p> rockstud:

I agree that network neutrality is a good thing. However, I think that the threat is being over-sold, and more importantly, I think a regulatory cure is worse than the disease.

]]> By: rockstud http://techliberation.com/2006/02/16/the-web-is-not-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-32745 rockstud Thu, 16 Feb 2006 16:48:22 +0000 http://techliberation.com/2006/02/16/the-web-is-not-the-internet/#comment-32745 <p>The problem is one mainly of collusion. If any one of Bellsouth, Verizon, Comcast, or AT&T become non-network neutral, big deal. Users just flee to the others.</p> <p>But if all four (plus others) collude, they <em>do</em> effectively change 'all that.' And not only the web -- they can decide to also block all non-http traffic on ports 80/443 (getting rid of pesky bandwidth hogs like FTP, spam email, bittorrent, etc), and block all ports aside from those for end users. In fact, it is only when they do this that they can effectively force content providers to pay their extortion fees.</p> <p>Network neutrality is important. It may not be important for government to get involved with regulating it, but it is important that consumers understand and rise up against those who violate it.</p> <p>It seems that Congress wants to get involved precisely because most users don't understand what is at stake, and they are hoping to play their favorite role, as benevolent parent to uneducated child (us).</p> The problem is one mainly of collusion. If any one of Bellsouth, Verizon, Comcast, or AT&T become non-network neutral, big deal. Users just flee to the others.

But if all four (plus others) collude, they do effectively change ‘all that.’ And not only the web — they can decide to also block all non-http traffic on ports 80/443 (getting rid of pesky bandwidth hogs like FTP, spam email, bittorrent, etc), and block all ports aside from those for end users. In fact, it is only when they do this that they can effectively force content providers to pay their extortion fees.

Network neutrality is important. It may not be important for government to get involved with regulating it, but it is important that consumers understand and rise up against those who violate it.

It seems that Congress wants to get involved precisely because most users don’t understand what is at stake, and they are hoping to play their favorite role, as benevolent parent to uneducated child (us).

]]> By: rockstud http://techliberation.com/2006/02/16/the-web-is-not-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-55499 rockstud Thu, 16 Feb 2006 16:48:22 +0000 http://techliberation.com/2006/02/16/the-web-is-not-the-internet/#comment-55499 <p>The problem is one mainly of collusion. If any one of Bellsouth, Verizon, Comcast, or AT&T; become non-network neutral, big deal. Users just flee to the others.<br><br>But if all four (plus others) collude, they <em>do</em> effectively change 'all that.' And not only the web -- they can decide to also block all non-http traffic on ports 80/443 (getting rid of pesky bandwidth hogs like FTP, spam email, bittorrent, etc), and block all ports aside from those for end users. In fact, it is only when they do this that they can effectively force content providers to pay their extortion fees.<br><br>Network neutrality is important. It may not be important for government to get involved with regulating it, but it is important that consumers understand and rise up against those who violate it.<br><br>It seems that Congress wants to get involved precisely because most users don't understand what is at stake, and they are hoping to play their favorite role, as benevolent parent to uneducated child (us).</p> The problem is one mainly of collusion. If any one of Bellsouth, Verizon, Comcast, or AT&T; become non-network neutral, big deal. Users just flee to the others.

But if all four (plus others) collude, they do effectively change ‘all that.’ And not only the web — they can decide to also block all non-http traffic on ports 80/443 (getting rid of pesky bandwidth hogs like FTP, spam email, bittorrent, etc), and block all ports aside from those for end users. In fact, it is only when they do this that they can effectively force content providers to pay their extortion fees.

Network neutrality is important. It may not be important for government to get involved with regulating it, but it is important that consumers understand and rise up against those who violate it.

It seems that Congress wants to get involved precisely because most users don’t understand what is at stake, and they are hoping to play their favorite role, as benevolent parent to uneducated child (us).

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