Slashdot Mirror
Vint Cerf Speaking Out on Internet Neutrality
penciling_in writes "CircleID has reported on a U.S. congress hearing held on November 9th, where "significant focus was projected on 'network neutrality' and a new telecommunications bill affecting the Internet. 'This bill could fundamentally alter the fabulously successful end-to-end Internet,' says Alan Davidson in a related post on Google blog." Vint Cerf was not able to testify because of the Presidential Medal of Freedom award ceremony at the White House, but submitted a letter: "The remarkable social impact and economic success of the Internet is in many ways directly attributable to the architectural characteristics that were part of its design. The Internet was designed with no gatekeepers over new content or services. The Internet is based on a layered, end-to-end model that allows people at each level of the network to innovate free of any central control. By placing intelligence at the edges rather than control in the middle of the network, the Internet has created a platform for innovation. This has led to an explosion of offerings - from VOIP to 802.11x wi-fi to blogging - that might never have evolved had central control of the network been required by design." CircleID post includes full text of the letter."
"What makes a good network go neutral? Lust for gold? Power? Or were you just born with a switch full of neutrality?"
It'd obviously be denied, but you have to wonder.
Just give me control. No one else is worthy.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
Lawmakers creating rules to restrict freedom? No way. What's next? Some act that restricts civil liberties on the basis of the war on terror?
"Tempers are wearing thin. Let's just hope some robot doesn't kill everybody." --Bender
Sincerely,
Vinton Cerf
Chief Internet Evangelist
Google Inc.
I wish they had a position name _Chief Internet Evangelist_ at my workplace.
Did I just say that??
This guy is wasting his breath. The people making the decisions now are motivated by greed.
"A little control won't hurt anybody, and it will line my pockets a bit." That's the mentality we're faced with, only multiplied by a couple 100's of thousand of greedy PHBs.
The only real way to fight that, that I've come up with at least, is spaid or neutering your local politician. Then electronically tag them.
Please, think of the children.
Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!