[MLB-WIRELESS] Hypothetical: takedown notices

[John Dalton]

> Which would be fine if we were all just kiddies looking hungrily towards all the free pr0n and warez we could get our grubby little mitts into. :)

Okay, there's a smiley after it, so I'll take it as a tongue in cheek comment.
Though I will point out that there are much larger issues than porn and warez
at stake.  Tomorrow's battle will be over the right for everyone to have
access to a general purpose information processing device (computer).  We are
moving towards a world where pretty well everything can be expressed in terms
of information.  Once nanotechnology and atomic level manufacturing is perfected
(and it will happen) we will be at the 'replicator' stage.  Feed a bitstream
in and an object pops out.  To start with, bitstreams will represent small
things like drugs and integrated circuits (which incidently are multi-billion
dollar markets).  In time the list of 'digitised' things will grow longer.
It will be in the interests of some to restrict the flow of information
(bits or even qbits) to preserve their business models, source of money or
source of power.


> Fortunately some of us are more interested in the technical aspect of the underlying network...

And others of us are interested in the underlying physical layer.  To me, designing
and building an autonomous network is much more interesting than assigning IP addresses and
editing routing tables.  I'm also deeply interested in what gets done with the network once
it is operating.  The idealist in me sees an opportunity for anyone to get world class
self education resources and to experiment with leading edge technology.  Most people I
talk to on the community wireless front seem to be more interested in the 'IP and routing
table' aspects of a network.  So be it if that is their interest.  I'm hoping that given
time a subgroup, which is interested in the deeper issues, will form.  (hands up anyone?)


> Don't be fooled by the marketing talk on the freenet site. The freenet network must still be supported by a traditional network layer,  switched, routed, managed, and administrated by the 'technical people'

It's not marketing talk.  Look below the surface.  Freenet runs over TCP/IP
because it is still under development and it doesn't make sense to do a hardware
implementation of something which is changing.  The architecture of freenet is
suited to an implementation which does away with the traditional network layer.


> If were really worried about this kind of thing, we can get ourselves a big point-to-multipoint VPN and encrypt our little hearts out.

That stops interception but unless you turn the VPN into a private club those who want to censor
things can just join the VPN.


Incidentally I disagree with the illegal distribution of copyrighted material.  Not
because it is illegal, but because doing so simply extends the influence of the
copyright holder.

The first paragraph is an educated speculation.  I'm not asking everyone to agree
with it, but to think about whether it is possible.

Regards
John

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