At 08:13 AM 8/3/99 -0400, you wrote:
Concerning the following stuff below, much of this discussion
intermingles structure and function without distinguishing one
from the other. Is a root server a piece of hardware, i.e., a
piece of the structure, that can be privately owned? Indeed,
yes. Does that structure carry out a public function?
Indeed, yes. If that particular piece of hardware was not
doing it, some other box would be. It does not matter a
bit if every bit of plastic and metal by which the internet
operates were owned by individuals or companies, and not
the government or ICANN or whoever. The fact remains,
all that stuff functions within a framework that grew out of
the efforts of the USG, for a public purpose, and if the
current hardware and software twiddlers don't want to
play the game, others will.
If a private network -- 206.5.17.0 or whatever -- wants to
set itself up and do whatever, then that's fine; it has both
the structure (the hardware) and its own internal function,
but as soon as it joins the real world (which of course it
already has since it is from the real world that it got
206.5.17.0), it becomes a part of the "internetworking"
which is the "Internet" and, like USENET, it becomes a
part of and subject to the rules of this new civilization,
the Internet, within which the members have the need
to ensure that the civilization is run for the good of all,
neither deteriorating into an absolute dictatorship
(which seems to be the current trend) or alternatively
into anarchy, which seems to be the favorite way to
oppose dictatorship.
Bill Lovell
>
> Dear Rhonda,
>
>>
>> And the Internet isn't "private computer networks".
>> ...
>> The Internet is an internetworking of networks -- that is
>
>
> I have juxtaposed two of your sentences. One of the
> constituent networks - 206.5.17.0 - is mine. I assure,
> it is private. Most others are.
>
>
>>
>> The essential functions of the Internet aren't "private" at all.
>>
>> They are part of a public medium, *not* a private entity.
>
>
> Is routing an essential function? How does it occur?
> Is there anything public whatsoever about this essential
> function?
>
>
>>
>> The Internet is a communication medium and its *not* something private.
>
>
> Can't a private medium be used for communication
> among the general public?
>
>
> --tony
