Net Neutrality. What good is a free operating system without a network?

[Ben Scott]

  In addition to Cole's astute observation...

On 5/10/06, Randy Edwards <redwards at golgotha.net> wrote:
>> All you can do is connect to some other guy's network and hope for the
>> best.  The idea that the Internet is this utopian cyberspace where
>> everybody is equal is a myth, and always has been.
>
> But I would disagree with the above, just because it seems rather
> self-defeatist.

  It's only defeatist if it doesn't match your own goals.  ;-)

> If we desire the Internet to reflect some of our American attitudes of free
> speech and to have a semi-Bill of Rights flavor, we *can* make it that way.
> We do have a (semi-functional) political/legal system and can mandate that
> ISPs function as utilitarian common carriers.

  American attitudes also include a strong dose of capitalism and the
free market.  Some would argue that the market should decide the rates
we pay for Internet connectivity, and that regulating ISPs will only
stifle innovation[1].  As many are fond of observing, "free press" is
about the freedom to print what you want; it has nothing to do with
how much it costs you to print it.

  Playing the "innovation" card isn't just an ideological knee-jerk
response, either.  For example, say we pass a law that says "all
packets are equal".  That would make QoS illegal, which would suck for
VoIP.  Never forget about The Law of Unintended Consequences.

  We can also turn the argument around.  If I can afford it, why
*shouldn't* I be able to pay extra to have my packets delivered first?
 Shall we outlaw FedEx, since it means big business can afford to have
their mail delivered sooner?

  I'm not defending the big telcos, believe me.  I object to a lot of
what they do as anti-competitive.  The free market stops working when
a few large players dominate.  I think the solution, though, is to
treat the disease, not the symptoms.  Rather then trying to dream up
laws to regulate the Internet, we should go after the disease: This
cancer that the big telcos are becoming (again).

  Since we're on this subject, and I believe it is relevant to all of
us: I've seen tons of rhetoric around this issue, but very little hard
fact.  Is there any *real* information out there?  The
www.savetheinternet.com site contains nothing but sensationalist
propaganda.  (The fact that I happen to sympathize with the
sensationalist propaganda doesn't change what it is.)

Footnotes
---------
[1] Here, I use he original meaning of the term "innovation", not Microsoft's
    default answer to every anti-trust allegation.