> The main difference (as I understand it and I could easily be wrong)
> between what the city is planning and what TCI (the cable provider) is
> putting in place is that the City will provide hookup directly to its T3
> line for both up & downloading of files to the Internet in addition to TV.
*** UP AND DOWNLOADING *** Bi Directional Info-Democracy!
> While TCI has two or three corporate offices hooked up to the Internet, it
> never, prior to the City's announcement of its plans, talked of offering
> Internet services. Now TCI talks of Internet services, but glosses over the
> fact that they'll provide only one-way (download) fast Internet
> connections. Uploads will be normal -- which, for us, other graphic
> designers, and companies like printers, is a problem, because we'd like to
> be able to upload big print files.
The REAL battle, the battle no one wants the public to become aware
of, is whether the average folks will be allowed to provide content to the
world, or whether only those willing to pay considerable funds TO SOME
ENTITY like an ISP or Cable provider, will be allowed to provide content.
Those with money want to be sure that their money will have value, and
others want to know that anyone wanting to provide a message, will pay
them. Thus the major players are:
* the cable companies -- they have some of the wire
* the phone company -- they have some of the wires
* the newspaper companies -- they sell content and ads
* the radio-tv companies -- they sell entertainment and ads
(well, the phone company tried several times, failed with ISDN and
other services, and now wants to make that money by adding fees to the
ISP's of their area. Their worst enemy, is the cable company, because the
cable company alone can bypass the local telephone subscriber loop!)
If the latter, those providing one-way access win, then the web will
be like a world wide plaza with motivated information vendors trying to
persuade you to adopt/buy/contribute to there way of life, because they
need to generate enough income to PAY for the more expensive privilege of
providing content for the web.
If the former win, then the web becomes a chaotic democratic global
town meeting and bazaar, rich in everything and Totally Out Of Control!
(Like any good democracy SHOULD be!)
The thought of a democratic web, filled with kids running home web
servers instead of paper routes, strikes terror into the hearts of
advertising agencies, corporations, and government politicians, much as
the web itself is scaring those in power in Europe! Already, ISP managers
have been convicted in court in Europe for allowing international
pornography, etc. to reach the average citizen.
And... given that Linux is the best systems for the average person to
serve the web, M$ will oppose such democratic systems as well.
Our constitutional right to free speech is an anathema to anyone who
wants to control a group of people!
> One argument made against the AFN by one of the founders of the largest
> local ISP is that it'll be out-of-date technology before installation is
> finished. To the contrary, one could argue that technical innovations made
That local ISPs will likely be driven out of business by a
bi-directional fiberoptic system! They will use ANY argument to try to
discourage bi-directional systems. Unidirectional, and he can still sell
web hosting services, and say this is an excellent low cost way to log in
to his system... and might actually succeed in persuading some of that...
But once the system is bi-directional, anyone can host web pages on his
own computer!
The benefits of bi-directional include the ability to set up a video
camera, and feed your neighborhood mom's video of their kids playing with
your kids in your back yard. Make that point in the meetings!!! That
will be a MAJOR selling point to the mom's in the audience!
> by companies like USWest and ATT are extremely slow to reach our corner of
> the southern Oregon boonies. Everytime I see the latest technologies like
> Sprint's discussed on WC, I say to myself, "that's great, but we'll never
> see it here."
Yes.
> I think AFN *will* happen, but my intuitive hunch is that it'll end up
> being used in ways nobody has ever thought of. The Oregon Shakespeare
> Festival, for instance, is not at all technologically oriented right now,
> yet with a change in mindset, they could use AFN to deliver performances or
> theatre workshops to audiences anywhere.
Yes!!! What, a computer on every desk??? Ridiculous! The USA only
needs three computers -- one on the East coast, one on the West coast, and
one for the folks in Washington (mostly the Pentagon,) to play with. (Old
study on what kind of market there would be for computers.)
Personal automobiles? Bah! There is a potential for selling half a
million automobiles by the mid 1950's, but only if you endow enough
chauffeur schools. (Major marketing agency study for Daimler Benz near the
turn of the century.)
I think that most things happen by unanticipated side effects.
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