Hi Jorge,

I have to disagree on 2 points (or 1 and a half).

We should judge the importance of the Internet by putting it on the axis 
of discoveries that includes the printing press. Seen from this light, 
the Internet might very well be the most important invention ever. 
Especially if we take a step back and we say that "Internet" is a 
"process", an emergent thing, then its place at the very top of our list 
of important invention is, i would say, very much settled.

(That being said, i can see that some other "inventions" might be very 
deserving also)

On the relevance of identifying as the main axis of contention that of 
"government control vs multi-stakeholderism", and of fighting over this 
axis, i would also say that it is proper. I'm not sure if you were fully 
making the point that is should not be the main axis of contention, but 
if you were, i would have to disagree. It's not the only axis of 
contention on which we should dwell, by far, but it is an important one.

To quote a very interesting Canadian (Bill St-Arnaud),

"While Gutenberg did invent the printing press he only saw it as a tool 
for more efficient copying of the Bible. It was an Englishman named 
William Tyndale who grasped the significance of the printing press as a 
way of mass distribution and educating the masses. For his troubles he 
was burned at the stake by the Catholic Church – a fate that many telco 
executives, movie and record producers could only wish upon those who 
are fighting for an open Internet today."

Nicolas


On 3/6/2011 8:54 AM, Jorge Amodio wrote:
> Hi Alex, et all,
>
>> There is no doubt that the Internet is so far the single greatest
>> invention by man.
> With all due respect I disagree, there are many other inventions and
> achievements by man which without them there would be no Internet.
>
> Some thoughts are interesting and well intended, but to develop a
> better ground to analyze some of these issues we need to strip
> ourselves of the government control fobia.
>
> The Internet is just a communication service or tool, what people do
> with it its what makes it different.
>
> My biggest concern is that the new gTLD program continue to be flawed
> because it will not provide additional competition and equal access,
> not only we are spending an incredible amount of resources, we are
> enabling particular sectors to control and do governance by proxy with
> ICANN and there is no fair balance on the benefits where companies, IP
> holders and governments get with this program.
>
> IMHO we are riding on a dead horse.
>
> My .02
> Jorge