[wg-review] The owners of "the Internet" must manage it for their own benefit

["Miles B. Whitener" <mbw@i-theta.com>]

> The Internet was created by the military and
> academia.....we can not let it become a commercial enterprise.

  I think it's not only wrong to say the above but it's also too
late.
  While we like to think of it otherwise, the Internet actually
does consist of hardware, software, rights of way, and spectrum
allocations.  Somebody owns every scrap of it.  There's a
distribution of ownership from "public" (whatever that is) at one
end of the spectrum, to individual governments, to educational
institutions, to corporations, down to individuals (I own my
router, hubs, computers, wires, and have rights to use my IP
numbers [which one can't really operate without] and domains
[which one definitely can operate without -- DNS only works by
voluntary agreement and can be easily replaced] as long as I keep
paying).
  I pay taxes to the US Government, and can vote on my
representation there.
  I pay fees to my Internet provider, and can complain, sue, shop
or move if I don't like them.
  I own some of my own hardware and software, and can protect
myself against anybody who tries to take them.
  To the extent that rights to determine how "the Internet" is
managed are allocated proportionately among the owners of "the
Internet",  it will be taken care of and invested in.  This is
very much easier said than done, but it's the truth.  This logic
applies at all levels and between every kind of owner, including
governments.  For example, if the United States
disproportionately gives up control, it will surely divest.
  Any valid consideration of the concerns of anybody who does not
own any of the Internet will flow from the good will of those who
do.  If such considerations are forced from the owners, they will
divest themselves to the extent that they have any alternatives.
And remember that one alternative is to simply cease to be
engaged in anything.  You can kill me, but you can't make me work
as your slave!
  Now, having stated the truth, I wonder if there's anybody on
this list who agrees.  For reasons I don't know, most folk I
encounter in these groups are one kind of socialist or another.
  Flame away!


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