The critical failure point of an otherwise fairly robust network of computers is a kludged system of numbering, addressing and regulating various machines that attach to it. This system is susceptable both to undue and unjust human interventions as well as to simple failure and error factors. All as a result of it's extreme centralization and positioning as peak of a decending hierarchy. One that only scales up to a certain point we have long since overpassed. The top-down, centre controll then succeeds only in inhibiting and even restricting free and open communications among what are now hundreds of millions of machines. And people. The task facing us is to cleverly route around the central authority failure locus. By utilizing ingenuity and by exploiting the strengths, characteristics and weaknesses of the existing infrastructure as well as through the increasing sophistication of available, off the shelf machinery the task appears to be growing easier by the day if not by the hour. Gone is the day when we are limited, as individual elements of the network, to 8 kilobyte slivers of RAM, 10 meg hard drives, archaic code all driven by turtle slow processors and even slower 300 baud net connections. We are piloting computers capabilities and connectivity that *exceed* the performance of old-style, direct to backbone "mainframe" computers at prices that continue to tumble as standards continue to soar. A very positive situation. It is very clear the technical resources are at hand. What is lacking is the determination and resolve to sever our collective dependance upon central authority. Perhaps we require more in the way of abuse to encourage us towards a truely robust network. Perhaps we simply have to realize the benifits of *not* having to go, hat in hand, to any power structure to recieve identifiable number sequences for our machines and simple, easy to remember addressing methodologies. Not to mention confronting daunting hierarchies to have even the simplest innovation incorporated into standard practice and protocols. Connecting to the net, recieving a randomly generated, unique number code, and establishing on address should be AUTOMATIC, unmediated and certainly not subject to either exhorbitant fees or heavy handed "regulation". Likewise modifying protocols should be simple and relatively automtatic. It all should function pretty much plug and play. Each machine signals in, exchanges simple information and, presto, is *on* without delay or regulatory hoops and barriers to run through. Likewise new standards and practices. They work. And are adopted. Without a fuss, endless meetings and equally abundant opportunities for innovation to be suffocated or ambuscaded. These innovations - though they are by no means innovative - would render all of the current dissent and acrimony moot. There is absolutely no reason for any of the conflicts currently such the rage. If we introduce reforms to this network making it truely robust, completely controlled by the edges and periphery we will create something that can truely sustain us through the onrushing millenia, not merely choke along until the inevitable, massive and central authority inspired failure shuts it all down as unuseable or oppressive to the extreme (same thing!). Towards this end... Bob Allisat Free Community Network _ [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://fcn.net _ http://fcn.net/allisat http://robin.fcn.net
