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The Internet is the result of the voluntary interconnection of a bunch of independent networks, based upon a.common set of protocols. It's the closest the modern world has come to anarchy - there is a hierarchy of technology which supports it, but real control is dispersed, because participation is by voluntary consent. Someone doesn't like the way it works - fine, here's some tools, they can go off and build their own. And that can even work, if enough people agree that's what is useful to them ( http://www.internet2.org/ ). But more likely, they'll quickly come to the realization that the Internet isn't technology or even a network, it's communications amongst consenting peers. It's part of the evolutionary path human communications has taken.

Yes, cars were invented. They myriad ways we use cars evolved from that invention.

Or maybe it's more like Myxomycophyta ( http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/protista/slimemolds.h tml ), in that the most interesting thing is the sum of the whole, not the components.

They have. It's called Internet2.

Not wishing to be picky, but there *is* an 'Internet2' you may have heard of...
http://www.internet2.org/

So I Guess 'Internets' is accurate (not that I'm suggesting GWB knew this...)

Assuming you're not trolling, do some work on your own and try visiting www.internet2.org.

Whatever happened to Internet2?

As far as I can tell, all that exists is an advanced discussion tool, with a content sharing tool coming soon. Universities need a much richer courseware system, one that handles a variety of tools (discussion, quizes, content management, tools that promote good pedigogical practices, etc.), and performs a variety of administrative functions (like authentication / authorization, grouping, reports & statistics, unified UI across tools, grading, etc.). MIT's Open Knowledge Initiative is another project in the courseware space, and there are other institutions which have developed their own homegrown courseware system. What we need in this space are standards for courseware - metadata standards, tool interoperability standards, etc. The internet2 middleware initiative addresses some of this in terms of authorization (see Shibboleth), but more collaboration around standards needs to take place.

Have you been living in a cave on the dark side of the Moon for the last few years, to not know about Internet 2?

They already have created something different... it's called Internet2...

That is not too far from todays reality.
The first example is the way sites are built. The same time we have sites that are full of banners, flash, java and so on, and sites that are almost plain/text.
The second example is the IPv6 network. If you are connected to it, you will see that it does not have that many companies (greater exception are some research departments), we most sites are educational, research and so on.
And, lets not forget the Internet2 project.

In todays Internet environment, we have more then one "Internet", even suposing the Internet ever existed "per se" (Inter + Net).

I can see internet3 coming down the pipeline. Businesses can pay the way towards developing a 3rd network suited towards there needs. internet stays the way it is, open. internet2 grows to help facilitate the worlds educational needs.

You can find all about it at the following link

Interesting is that it is only open to US universities and that they need to cough up $25,000 membership fees and an investment of about $500,000 a year.

Throug Memoranda of Understandings Internet2 has teamed up with similar organisations across the globe. So though it might be silent, it cannot be said that the organisation is not among the living anymore.