[discuss] Current drive

[michael gurstein]

Analogies of course are dangerous . but I'm not sure that I see how what you
are suggesting follows. to extend my public transit analogy, how or what
folks wear to get on and off the bus doesn't really matter and if they
choose to have special shoes for bus riding so be it (but of course, a well
ordered public transit system would make appropriate accommodation for the
handicapped, seniors, mothers with young children etc. and would likely
influence the design of buses through mass ordering but I can't see how this
would affect the design of automobiles or bicycles for that matter.

 

For a very long time in many (most) parts of the world having access to a
dial tone was either provided as a public utility or as a highly regulated
monopoly. I'm not sure that I see the difference between having an "always
on" Internet access and being able to pick up the telephone and have a
dial-tone (and yes I know all the arguments against PTT's etc. but I would
suggest that those arguments were about a different time and different
technology with much different implications and impacts. -- 

 

How the dial tone was provided was a "black box" for most people provided by
the good folks with slide rules and pocket protectors. I see no reason why
something similar couldn't happen with the Internet. How the Internet is
used whether for spam or for surveillance etc. is of course something that
needs to be addressed but somewhat analogous issues were present in those
days as well and there were mechanisms in place to respond.

 

M

 

From: John Curran [mailto:jcurran at istaff.org] 
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2014 8:15 AM
To: michael gurstein
Cc: Alejandro Pisanty; discuss at 1net.org
Subject: Re: [discuss] Current drive

 

On Apr 4, 2014, at 10:59 AM, michael gurstein <gurstein at gmail.com> wrote:

 

I think that as the significance and scope of deployment of the Internet
grows and the Internet becomes even more ubiquitous the calls for (and
arguments in support of) seeing the Internet as a (global?) public utility
operating (i.e. being "governed") "in the public interest" are growing apace
at least outside of circles dominated by a neo-liberal ideology.

 

Michael - 

 

By that logic, should we not also "govern" the design and functionality of
the actual

devices used to access the Internet?  I am having trouble understanding why
we'd

be so careless in allowing a variety of software and hardware designs, given
the 

need for consistent "utility-like" delivery, and certainly we could make a
major impact 

in areas such as security and spam if the configuration was not left to the
vagaries 

of actual users...    ;-)

 

/John

 

Disclaimer:  my views alone.

 

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