[ NNSquad ] Re: Moving the discussion onward ...

[Jay Sulzberger <jays@panix.com>]

On Mon, 12 Nov 2007, Sean B. <rhythmx@gmail.com> wrote:

> Agreed. Nearly all of the recent attention of the media that was directed
> towards network neutrality was a direct result of Comcast getting caught
> corrupting traffic. While discussing semantics and definitions has its
> merits, it's only self serving.
>
> What is needed is more negative media attention directed at the big
> providers. This is easily accomplished by finding more network neutrality
> violations.
>
> Some tools need to be developed and network resources pooled, then it is
> possible to catalogue all ISP traffic modification. Perhaps even
> fingerprinting and listing the equipment that every major ISP uses.
>
> Once there is a list of everything that ISPs are doing to different types of
> traffic, then the definition of "network neutrality" no longer matters. It's
> all a matter of assigning good/bad labels to each behavior and getting the
> word out to the public and policy makers :)
>
> --Sean

I think if we restrict ourselves to a piecemeal defense of common
carriage we give to the Duopoly a large, unfair, and unnecessary
advantage.  The Duopoly can always claim that some particular
squelching is reasonable since, after all, there are so many
different applications with different patterns of connection,
packet load, etc..  We should instead demand that Net connection
providers state what we are getting for our money, and let the
network engineers figure out how to provide what we pay for.

And publication of our findings: I am for our use of Net structure
discovery and measurement tools.  I am also for publication of
results.  But such publicity cannot win the war, without a formal
declaration of what is at stake.  See:

http://www.dpsproject.com

oo--JS.

 [ While the various participants in NNSquad have a range of
   personal views on neutrality legislation, I do want to note again
   that NNSquad is specifically not involved in promoting legislation.
   That's just not the focus of this particular project.  Thanks.

                                       -- Lauren Weinstein
                                          NNSquad Moderator ]