Sam Tilden wrote:
I know this is a trivial question! Does anyone have a really good definition of the Internet.
The only ones I have speaks only to the technology.
We used the definition below in the Dynamic Platform Standards Project's proposal for net neutrality. It's a definition of the technical behavior of the Internet Protocol (not TCP/IP, but IP in itself), and we intend it as a definition of the technical behavior that assures net neutrality, but in the correct, broadest sense. I'm not sure what speaking of the technology takes away from anyone's purposes. Here we speak in deliberately general terms, rather than particulars of how many bytes represent what kind of information in any specific protocol, in order to describe the functions and purposes it supports adequately. The Internet Protocol has a lot of specifics, but it also is very general in a way very like the way the digital computer is general. It isn't just the basis for interoperability of different types of networks; it's the basis for the genericity and flexibility of the Internet as a platform for creation and communication. In general terms, it describes a set of technical behaviors that support nearly anything you can think of. Section 2 ("Findings") explains this aspect: Points 2, 3, 5 and 6 are most technically relevant: (from http://www.dpsproject.com/legislation.html) (2) The success of the Internet is built on the establishment of certain commonly observed principles of practice, expressed in "Internet protocols," governing the manner in which transmissions are exchanged. Interoperation among competing Internet providers on the basis of these principles assures that the Internet remains a generic, flexible platform that supports innovation and free expression. (3) This flexible platform, commonly referred to as the "IP layer" of the Internet, enables users to independently develop innovative applications by devising rules and conventions describing how information transmitted between connected users will be interpreted in order to serve diverse purposes. The vast collection of applications that have been freely created in this manner is commonly referred to as the "application layer" of the Internet. (5) Among the commonly-observed principles of practice that govern Internet transmissions are the following: a) Transmissions are broken down into small pieces referred to as "packets," comprised of small portions of the overall information useful to the users at each transmission's endpoints. A small set of data is prefixed to these packets, describing the source and destination of each packet and how it is to be treated. b) Internet routers transmit these packets to various other routers, changing routers freely as a means of managing network flow. c) Internet routers transmit packets independently of each other and independently of the applications that the packets are supporting. (6) These principles governing the IP layer establish a technical behavior that not only assures the platform's flexibility, but also assures its reliability, availability, universal accessibility, and uniform treatment of information flow. The IP layer assures that all applications may compete on a level basis of connectivity, be they commercially developed by a major corporation and made available to millions, or non- commercial applications developed by individuals and offered at no charge. Under Section 3 is the more specific, yet still general, definition we use for nailing down legal language: (A) Internet.- The term "Internet" means the worldwide, publicly accessible system of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using the standard Internet Protocol (IP), some characteristics of which include: i) Transmissions between users who hold globally reachable addresses, and which transmissions are broken down into smaller segments referred to as "packets" comprised of a small portion of information useful to the users at each transmission's endpoints, and a small set of prefixed data describing the source and destination of each transmission and how the packet is to be treated; ii) routers that transmit these packets to various other routers on a best efforts basis, changing routers freely as a means of managing network flow; and iii) said routers transmit packets independently of each other and independently of the particular application in use, in accordance with globally defined protocol requirements and recommendations. (B) Internet access.- The term "Internet access" means a service that enables users to transmit and receive transmissions of data using the Internet protocol in a manner that is agnostic to the nature, source or destination of the transmission of any packet. Such IP transmissions may include information, text, sounds, images and other content such as messaging and electronic mail. Seth Johnson Corresponding Secretary New Yorkers for Fair Use
Sam
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