[Ma-linux] Net Neutrality

[Kevin Chin]

Yes, you're right... I didn't have the right understanding of net neutrality
(I was thinking more along the lines of the so-called "digital divide").
But thanks to the kind folks of ma-linux, I am on the same page as everyone
else. So, in this case, "funding" does not make sense (please disregard
those comments).

I do agree, btw, that net neutrality is a must have.  It seems to me that
this "should" be something we just add as an amendment to the consititution
(if only it were that simple)... or perhaps an explicit clarification of the
freedom of speech. In my mind, who owns the "pipes" should not dictate
what's carried on those pipes - regardless of copper vs fibre.  It'd be
equivalent to renting a car, only to be told where you can go... that's
crazy... oh wait - they do limit where you can go ;-)  That's a discussion
for another time.

TTYL.
--Kc


On 8/3/07, Przemek Klosowski <przemek at gwyn.tux.org> wrote:
>
> Kevin wrote:
>
>    -- I think I understand net neutrality... equal access to the net for
> all
>    (is that right?).  But I'm also a pragmatist.  Doesn't that mean
> someone
>    will still have to pay for it - ultimately that means us the
> taxpayers.  I
>
> Why do you think that 'net neutrality' will require funding, and
> government funding to boot? Anti-neutrality carriers intend to inspect
> the traffic and prioritize it based on a whole slew of criteria: what
> it is, where it's coming from, etc. etc.    All these things look
> fairly hardware- and labor-intensive, and it seems to me that it's
> anti-neutrality that will require extra investment.
>
> The only reason why carriers fight neutrality is that they plan to
> charge extra---they figured out that the extra cost of breaking the
> neutrality will be more than offset by the increased prices they will
> charge for tiered service.
>
> Net neutrality simply means that the carriers transmit whatever
> traffic their customers desire. Here's an analogy for you: what if
> your road toll depended on what you carry in your car trunk, and where
> you're going? Besides being unjust, doesn't it look like it would
> cause major traffic jams at the toll stations?
>
> To take this analogy further, maybe Internet is getting to be
> important enough to the national economy, to the point that it
> eventually might be a public function, just like roads.  Before
> someone jumps and calls it anti-business or communist, let me declare
> that it's quite the opposite---good infrastructure is a prerequisite
> for capitalism.
>
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