[pp.int.general] how do you feel about net neutrality?

[David Arcos]

Hi,

On Fri, Sep 5, 2008 at 1:54 PM, Valentin Villenave <v.villenave at gmail.com>wrote:

> Greetings everybody,
>
> I've just stumbled upon this article, that raises a number of
> objections *against* the principle of Internet neutrality (i.e.
> non-filtered communications); I'd like to know how you guys feel about
> it.
>
> http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig8/swanson7.html
>

Didn't read the article, so I'll just comment on your points.

Basically, his points are:
> - most of the Internet traffic nowadays are spams and P2P exchanges
>
> - filtering data is good to guarantee that real-time communications
> (VoIP, telemedicine, gaming etc) are given a low-latency priority over
> non-critical communications (e.g. BitTorrent)


This is QoS and it's "good", it discriminates different protocols.

QoS should not be confused with "net-neutrality", it's a totally different
concept.
Examples:
- QoS gives priority to VOIP, and takes priority from ftp, and blocks
Blaster connections with a firewall
- no-net-neutrality would give priority to company_A.com website, and take
out priority from company_B.com. And blocks website3.com.

I can see just technical reasons on the first, but
political/comercial/private interests in the second.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_of_service
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_neutrality

- non-filtered data is bad for capitalism and networks development,
> since the major infrastructures, backbones, optic fibers etc. will no
> longer interest compagnies and will instead be controlled by
> governments only


Again, QoS vs net neutrality.
Don't never allow them to confuse you with this terms. QoS is necessary and
has always been done.


> - "The internet is not a public utility, nor should it be treated as such."
>

Strongly disagree, unless you finish the sentence with: "... and the
internet is *neither* a *private* utility, nor should it be treated as
such."

This guy is (as far as I can tell) involved with the Republican Party
> (he reminds that Obama supports the principle of Net neutrality,
> whereas McCain does not).
>
> As a leftist myself, I strongly disagree with most of his points (the
> French left wing has a strong and historical commitment to the "public
> service" notion); however my question is:
>
>  - how do we, as a non-right-or-left party, deal with such issues?


net neutrality is a civil rights thing, I think we all deal with that
issues.

  - Shall we, for instance, support one of the two USA candidates on this?


That would be left/right


> - Does supporting the principle of net neutrality bring us closer to
> (e.g.) Obama than McCain?
>

Maybe, but there are also left-people in favour of net-neutrality, and
right-people opposed to it.

Just in case you have a minute to think about it... :-)
>
> Cheers,
> Valentin
> ____________________________________________________
> Pirate Parties International - General Talk
> pp.international.general at lists.pirateweb.net
> http://lists.pirateweb.net/mailman/listinfo/pp.international.general
>


Cheers

-- 
David Arcos
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