Scrapping the Internet

[EagleOne]

Check out what they want to do with goverment funding, click the link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070413/ap_on_hi_te/rebuilding_the_internet

[RaTix]

That has to be the most insanely retarded thing I have ever read. The only reason Europe is backing this is because the US houses 90% of the servers that make the internet work. And where are they housed? In military bases so the government can monitor everything. I don't see the government just turning around and agreeing with a clean slate after billions of dollars go into what we have now.

[EagleOne]

I couldn't believe that the U.S. goverment would fund something like this but who knows, perhaps it is one of those BIG BROTHER experiments. Sounds like the project is underway so it will be interesting to see what happens.

[RaTix]

Well look at who's funding and backing it. The European Union and researchers.

Either way, I don't see this ever happening. Even if they build it and get it up and running, no one is gonna want to run out and buy all new equipment just to use it.

[AndyPants]

All it would realy take to "remake" the internet would be new protocols. This is something that could be done over time and possibly be made to be compatible with servers and services that are slow in upgrading.

I would guess that this could rub some the wrong way but quite frankly the protocols we use and love now replaced previously arcane methods of data transfer.

Why try to soop up your Kia when you can go get a better car?

The only thing that bugs me about this is the governmental interest in it. With the current state of privacy constantly degrading this seems like a move to put the internet under more control by those who think they know best. That aspect I really disagree with. Open peer review is the only way to insure no one person has unjustified control thus enabling corruption of the system.

[Zabka]

I generally agree with you Pants---but then doesn't it make it hard to set standards by which these massive industries that have evolved around it need to adapt to? The open peer approach is the most egalitarian means to achieve development, but it is probably also very inefficient and could be very challenging to industries that are dependent on knowing. If there is one thing that I absolutely believe is the MOST important aspect to our country's freedoms, safety, etc. it is our economic power. Other countries have more natural resources, population, cheaper labor, etc. But we have the strength of our economy, financial systems, and industries that give us unparalleled power---more so than our military. Our financial efforts have probably been more effective in impeding terrorism than our military might. North Korea has come to the bargaining table mostly because we leaned on EVERY bank that did any business with them.

As a result, with the US being the technology leader (not necessarily in innovation, but certainly in capitalization), it is unlikely that something as important as the internet can be redone without the government considering the impact of how it affects our businesses.

[Taco_assassin]

my 2 cents ( to quote S.O.A.D)

Manufacturing consent is the name of the game. The bottom line is money. Nobody gives a f*ck. Industrial interest in scrapping the current internet to me says they want more control over what the public can or cant access. Don't even get me started on government regulations on such things if and when this happens.

[Deslock]

And one day, sensors of all sorts will likely be Internet capable.

I think what they meant to say:

And one day, Censors of all sorts will likely be Internet capable.

[FLATLINE]

What I dont understand is who do we have to kill to get symetrical Internet access. 5000 down and 384 up packages just dont cut it.

[Zabka]

for gamers, symmetircal loads would be huge.

But the reality I think is that the future of entertainment industry will be dependent on fast pipes for downloads (movies, etc). I don't think most people have a need for that type of upload--but better than we have now would certainly be helpful.

[FLATLINE]

Ahhh Zabka dont forget all the non gamers who upload videos. Run File servers, chat rooms, Music servers. The upload pipe is just as important to all users these days. Internet has changed even if the providers havent. And the fact that the providers havent is causing us all problems with lag and such. I find this inexcuseable with the present technology available. Ill be much happier when I can finally dump Time Warner when FIOS gets here. Soooooon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It always seems like industry needs a new company to enter the mix to smack around the ones who are already established to get the changes the customers really want. We will see what happens.