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Creating a Backboneless Internet?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the tricky-part-is-finding-the-right-medium dept.

Peter Trepan asks: "The Internet is the best thing to happen to the free exchange of ideas since... well... maybe ever. But it can also be used as a tool for media control and universal surveillance, perhaps turning that benefit into a liability. Imagine, for instance, if Senator McCarthy had been able to steam open every letter in the United States. In the age of ubiquitous e-mail and filtering software, budding McCarthys are able and willing to do so. I Am Not A Network Professional, but it seems like all this potential for abuse depends upon bottlenecks at the level of ISPs and backbone providers. Is it possible to create an internet that relies instead on peer-to-peer connectivity? How would the hardware work? How would the information be passed? What would be the incentive for average people to buy into it if it meant they'd have to host someone else's packets on their hard drive? In short, what would have to be done to ensure that at least one internet remains completely free, anonymous, and democratized?"

8 of 370 comments (clear)

  1. Internets!!! by NorthwestWolf · · Score: 2, Funny

    More than one internet? Looks like George W. would finally have his Internets!

  2. Backboneless Internet? by Howie+Felterbush · · Score: 1, Funny

    Put France in charge of it!

  3. Re:How did this make it to the front page? by djSpinMonkey · · Score: 2, Funny
    Not only does the poster obviously know very little about networking or computers in general (come on... "hosting someone else's packets on my hard drive ... eh.. that's retarded. hard drives are SLOW), but this idea is patently stupid.... I most ignore the trolls about slashdot going to hell ... but this technologically infeasiable and outright rediculous idea should never have made it past the editors. Come'on guys, what is the deal?

    Mod parent up +1 Funny. For one thing, the suggestion this guy's ridiculing describes the current architecture of the internet. For another, he's saying you couldn't route packets through your hard drive... because it would be too slow.

    Comedy gold, I tell you.

  4. Re:one way it could be done is by MrPerfekt · · Score: 2, Funny

    My head just exploded after reading that.

    --
    I just wasted your mod points! HA!
  5. Lord of the ... Tiers? by bi_boy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Control them, and you control the net.

    One Tier to Rule Them All. One Tier to Find Them. One Tier to Bring Them All and In The Darkness Bind Them.

    Yeah I know, redundant, I couldn't resist though.

    --
    Chicken fried butter sticks? Do ... do you use a fork? - Black Mage, 8-Bit Theater
    1. Re:Lord of the ... Tiers? by Onan · · Score: 4, Funny


      Oh, it was necessary.

      I just can't believe you passed up the opportunity to end with "..and in the darkness, BIND them."

  6. Re:Oh, how I pitty them by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    You read other people's mail?

  7. Imminent Death of the Mesh Predicted! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Sorry, couldn't resist.