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NSF Ponders New And Improved Internet
diorcc wrote to mention a Wired article about a NSF Project that could completely rebuild the Internet as we know it. From the article: "The National Science Foundation is backing a major initiative that could lead to a completely new internet architecture, with built-in security measures and support for ubiquitous sensors and wireless communications devices, among other things. The Global Environment for Networking Investigations, or GENI, will include a research grant program to fund new architectures and an experimental facility, which has not yet been planned in detail."
There was an old McKinsey article that talked about "Strategic Incrementalism" back in the 80s. Idea was that with a clear vision, one could tweak the way to "good enough".
While there are intrinsically very ugly problems in client and server software right now, it seems that "Little Science" is displaced by "Big Science" (viz, NSF) in addressing incremental substantive improvements in security and availability for the Internet masses.
So, for example, as valuable as a *waving hands* non IP infrastructure blah blah might well be... there could be greater good achieved with work on secure computing environments, strong authentication, one time pad encryption methods and etc.
As a very dear friend of mine was fond of saying "if you want security, pull up your own shorts".
So, while big honkin backbone and new architectures are and will be very important, some think time at the "big level" regarding applications architecture and services would, likely, produce faster returns and shorter implementation times.
Verizon: Latin for "poor rural service".
It could use IPv6, but "built-in security measures" makes me think of Trusted Network Connect. Imagine if you needed a Trusted Platform Module plus an approved, unmodified operating system plus an approved, unmodified dialer program that verifies the "integrity" of your machine just to get an IP address. Some analysts claim that most major cable and DSL ISPs are likely to require TNC by 2015.
First, the obsession with wireless everything is beyond moronic as we don't know what our present electromagnetic soup does to our cell structures and synaptic interaction as it is and we want to fill the spectrum even more at higher power levels per unit volume and area? Yeah, that's a great idea. (
Second, what has made the present Internet great is not top down planning from standards committees and government agencies, but the interplay between them, users, content providers, carriers, corporations making products for it, etc. EVERYONE has had a part to play in making the Internet what it is today. I put the idea that any one group can make a new Internet under the same heading as people who claim to have special knowledge of how the universe really works (and that everyone else is an idiot; see the self-improvement section of the local bookstore) or how to make my life perfect. Unadulterated arrogance. There's a lot of parts to be played in some as organic and differentiated as the world of the Internet.
Third, anything which puts into place inherent breakpoints for snooping for whatever reason is a bad idea. It is an automatic invasion of privacy of citizens, organizations, and corporations whether the government uses them or not. There's no rationale that can justify the infringement and outweigh the long term negatives. The name of the game should be embracing of privacy and security of the Interenet's users. Say what you want about terrorism. There's been encryption of written communication going back to ancient times on stone tablets written in code. If we sacrifice freedoms for security we end up deserving neither.
The NSF would be spending its time a little more wisely on less grandiose things.
If my grammar and spelling are off, I am [distracted/tired/careless] (take your pick)
OK, I'll bite instead of modding you troll. What the hell are you thinking? Don't you realise the internet was developed in the public sector? Those universities and medical centers are the same early-adopting testbeds that created the infrastructure to allow you to bang out your jingoistic nonsense with your one free hand today. I presume, incidentally, that you are posting this using some kind of advanced gopher client, and not HTTP, since you don't appear to have heard of that particular European invention. Likewise, presumably you're not using any GNU products (MIT), Linux, Berkeley Unix, or anything else that might challenge your pickled-in-vinegar worldview. Jeez. You are a prime idiot. No doubt you will be happy to learn that George Bush, quite possibly an idol of yours, has quietly slashed NSF funding, as part of his war on science. Presumably this will not damage the future of the Internet, however, since I am sure that a fine libertarian like you was first in line to donate his Bush tax refund check to some private Internet Reseach Trust or other.