Submission + - To all those who do not understand the internet (kaos.net.nz)
MisterSchmoo writes: "Every day I read another article about some pre-internet dinosaur bemoaning the fact that the internet has made them irrelevant and obsolete, though they don't admit this, or are not aware of this, they are usually calling for censorship, stronger copyright laws, protectionism or simply that the government levy the populace and give them the cash because it's not fair that they can't make money the way they used to.
The latest group seem to be journalists, or rather media publishing companies, who don't like the fact that people want free news delivered via the net rather than paid news delivered in paper form by an 11yr old boy.
Whilst it may be true that if forced by law, all those websites that simply re-broadcast news sourced from these companies sites and make money from the advertising would no longer be able to make money from their labour, this does not mean that the general public will happily start paying these media publishing companies for their news.
What is more likely is that people will simply switch to another free website that actually does gather news using actual reporters and makes their money from advertisers on their site, people are not going to pay for news, and if they were they would not pay for the drivel put out by the likes of Rupert Murdoch's army of semi articulate imbeciles. The point that I think a lot of people, corporations, governments, conservatives seem to miss is that what makes the internet what it is, is that it's free uncensored and non legislated, anybody can and will say whatever they like, and like it or not some of the things they have to say you might not like, but that's the nature of the beast, the minute you try and attach laws and restrictions and censorship to it, people will stop using it and use something else.
The day all the govermnents will be slapping themselves on the back congratulating themselves on how they have finally reined in the internet and made it safe for little Timmy aged 3, all the people currently using what is now the internet will have been using whatever it's sucessor will be for at least 3 years.
The reason for this is simple, the internet is not a thing, it is an idea, it is an idea based on already existing technologies but at the same time on technologies that will be invented tomorrow and next week and in the forseeable future, so you can't ban it, censor it or tame it, because by the time you do, it will be reformed using something new, that you haven't even learnt about yet.
The idea is simple, multiply redundant connectivity or rather I'm connected to you and you're connected to me and your friend but I'm also connected to your friend so if you are taken out of the equation, I'm still connected to your friend, multiplied by everyone on the internet and multiplied by every protocol and service currently in use, so to waste time trying to shut down (for example) the pirate bay is futile in that it's not the pirate bay, but the idea of unlimited unrestricted connectivity that you are fighting and you can't kill an idea like that. And the idea that you will just legislate against ISPs and force them to disconnect me, is tantamount to removing my letterbox because I sent a chain letter, it is not your right to disconnect me from the rest of the world, in this day and age where the internet is used for paying bills, buying food, contacting relatives and accessing government information, you might just as well turn off the fire hydrant outside my house because I was late paying my water bill.
You are trying to gain control over an idea that you never had, will never have and can never have, not just because it's practically impossible but mostly because the people don't want you to, and likely never will."
The latest group seem to be journalists, or rather media publishing companies, who don't like the fact that people want free news delivered via the net rather than paid news delivered in paper form by an 11yr old boy.
Whilst it may be true that if forced by law, all those websites that simply re-broadcast news sourced from these companies sites and make money from the advertising would no longer be able to make money from their labour, this does not mean that the general public will happily start paying these media publishing companies for their news.
What is more likely is that people will simply switch to another free website that actually does gather news using actual reporters and makes their money from advertisers on their site, people are not going to pay for news, and if they were they would not pay for the drivel put out by the likes of Rupert Murdoch's army of semi articulate imbeciles. The point that I think a lot of people, corporations, governments, conservatives seem to miss is that what makes the internet what it is, is that it's free uncensored and non legislated, anybody can and will say whatever they like, and like it or not some of the things they have to say you might not like, but that's the nature of the beast, the minute you try and attach laws and restrictions and censorship to it, people will stop using it and use something else.
The day all the govermnents will be slapping themselves on the back congratulating themselves on how they have finally reined in the internet and made it safe for little Timmy aged 3, all the people currently using what is now the internet will have been using whatever it's sucessor will be for at least 3 years.
The reason for this is simple, the internet is not a thing, it is an idea, it is an idea based on already existing technologies but at the same time on technologies that will be invented tomorrow and next week and in the forseeable future, so you can't ban it, censor it or tame it, because by the time you do, it will be reformed using something new, that you haven't even learnt about yet.
The idea is simple, multiply redundant connectivity or rather I'm connected to you and you're connected to me and your friend but I'm also connected to your friend so if you are taken out of the equation, I'm still connected to your friend, multiplied by everyone on the internet and multiplied by every protocol and service currently in use, so to waste time trying to shut down (for example) the pirate bay is futile in that it's not the pirate bay, but the idea of unlimited unrestricted connectivity that you are fighting and you can't kill an idea like that. And the idea that you will just legislate against ISPs and force them to disconnect me, is tantamount to removing my letterbox because I sent a chain letter, it is not your right to disconnect me from the rest of the world, in this day and age where the internet is used for paying bills, buying food, contacting relatives and accessing government information, you might just as well turn off the fire hydrant outside my house because I was late paying my water bill.
You are trying to gain control over an idea that you never had, will never have and can never have, not just because it's practically impossible but mostly because the people don't want you to, and likely never will."