[ih] Preparing for the splinternet

[Miles Fidelman]

Karl Auerbach via Internet-history wrote:
> On 3/10/22 5:02 PM, the keyboard of geoff goodfellow via 
> Internet-history wrote:
>
>> EXCERPT:
>>
>> According to Wikipedia
>> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splinternet#:~:text=The%20splinternet%20>, 
>> a
>> researcher at the Cato Institute first used the word "splinternet" in 
>> 2001
>> to describe the idea of "parallel Internets that would be run as 
>> distinct,
>> private and autonomous universes."
>
> Well, "splinternet" it isn't quite "Internet history", it's more of a 
> prophesy of things that could come.  And I sense that none of us want 
> disjoint "splinters", and I don't think users want that either.  But 
> if we use the analogy of wood then today's Internet is nice, clear 
> lumber. And what we have called "splinternet" might be gluelams or 
> fiberboard, i.e. many pieces that are joined to form something that is 
> at least as strong and useful as a timber cut from a single tree.
>
> If we expand our view of Internet History to encompass predecessors we 
> see that that "splinters" have existed yet the system as a whole 
> provided acceptable service to users.
We had "walled gardens" before the Internet, we have private internets 
from the beginning (can you say Defense Data Network?), and walled 
gardens have been making a big comeback of late, not just when it comes 
to social media, but private email for healthcare, finance, etc.

Connectivity & Interoperability are what make the Internet useful - and 
we've been going backwards since the day we opened the Internet to the 
public.  Sigh....

Miles Fidelman

-- 
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice.
In practice, there is.  .... Yogi Berra

Theory is when you know everything but nothing works.
Practice is when everything works but no one knows why.
In our lab, theory and practice are combined:
nothing works and no one knows why.  ... unknown