On Wed, 31 May 2006, Florin Iucha wrote:

> On Wed, May 31, 2006 at 10:02:49AM -0500, Mike Miller wrote:
> 
>> I think it is on topic but I have some questions about what sorts of 
>> laws we should have.  Will "neutrality" legislation discourage 
>> companies from creating new networks for, say, high-speed video 
>> transmission?  Is it wrong for a company to build a network and then 
>> control how it is used?
>
> As long as it is using public land (via eminent domain (obtained now or 
> last century through the railroad acts)) or tax concessions, it is 
> wrong.

Why?  Is there some established moral/legal principle behind that claim?


>> I like the internet the way it is, but I would like to see further 
>> growth and expansion encouraged.  I don't want to see the internet 
>> replaced with a collection of corporate nets, but is that really going 
>> to happen?
>
> You and I and the application provider pay our ISPs for access. Why 
> should I pay (and be identified and tracked) at every hop en route?

I don't know about the "identified and tracked" part of that, but the 
reason you should pay to access some networks is that the network owner 
wants you to pay.  If you don't like it, don't use it.

I'm not saying this is correct, I'm just saying that I don't understand 
why we should want to stop companies from building private networks.


> What benefit would that bring to everyone, except the toll operator?

I think the idea is that the private network will provide services that 
are not available, or don't work well, elsewhere.


> And even if the toll operator would actively "grow and expand" his 
> road/network, what kind of improvements would offset the incredible 
> complexities of billing and the privacy invasion?

The user would decide if he wants it.  People who don't want to pay a toll 
will have to drive on other roads.


I don't want this to turn into an unpleasant argument.  I'm actually not 
taking sides, just looking for more information.  My first reaction is to 
side with Microsoft and net neutrality, but then I think "Microsoft? - 
since when am I on their side?"  And I want to know more.

Mike