[discuss] shifts in IANA/accountability discussion: your thoughts?

Fri Jun 20 04:58:26 UTC 2014

From: Seun Ojedeji <seun.ojedeji at gmail.com>
>The overall point is that everything man made has cost associated to it one
>way or the other; it is either paid or paid for.
>So when someone says "internet should be free", I can only hope that he is
>saying "internet cost should be paid FOR by someone else". While also
>indicating the specific person to pay so we go pursuing him/her.

I realize we're veering somewhat off-topic but it is true that in much
of the world you can get pretty good internet access for free if you
can get your hands on a device. You just need a free wi-fi spot and a
little electricity of course.

If you can manage an old smartphone without any contract, for example
I have an iphone 3GS sitting here with no contract, and a copy of
skype or similar, you can arrange to speak/videoconf with anyone on
the planet who has the same software.

And of course access much of everything else the internet offers.

That's fairly amazing.

The important change is the barrier to (basic) entry which is
approaching zero rapidly even as we debate whether or not that is
possible.

P.S. Yes I realize one can list regions for which this is not true,
but that would be true of anything. Free internet may at this point in
history be more ubiquitous and obtainable than clean water.

-- 
        -Barry Shein

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