{"id":2604,"date":"2004-09-27T17:33:40","date_gmt":"2004-09-27T21:33:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/dbnews\/2004\/09\/27\/an-idea-whose-time-has-come\/"},"modified":"2004-09-27T17:33:40","modified_gmt":"2004-09-27T21:33:40","slug":"an-idea-whose-time-has-come","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/dowbrigade\/2004\/09\/27\/an-idea-whose-time-has-come\/","title":{"rendered":"An Idea Whose Time Has Come"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

Yesterday Dave Winer<\/a> mentioned in passing an idea which
\n we have been thinking about more and more lately. He
\n wrote<\/a>, "I want
\n Internet access to become ubiquitous and free as soon as possible."<\/p>\n

Let us take that thought to another level. In order to
\n achieve that goal, the length and breath of America must be wired for
\n high-speed wireless internet access in the largest public works project
\n since Eisenhower committed to the Interstate
\n Highway System<\/a> in 1956.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, we believe that the installation of a national,
\n free, public internet interface would bolster American business, multiply
\n productivity, foster innovation and create a competitive comparative
\n advantage which would assure American primacy in the wired world well
\n into the 21st century. <\/p>\n

Lately we have been wondering what kind of politician
\n we would not only
\n support, but actually get off our ass and work for. This may be the
\n only issue that would do it. The first candidate for public office
\n who will pledge to work towards this goal will be the first candidate
\n to fully tap the potential of the Internet to affect the political
\n process.<\/p>\n

To actually accomplish this goal would require years
\n and cost billions – like the Interstate Highway system. It will probably
\n not be possible until we resolve this messy war on terrorism, one
\n way or another. The highway system sprouted in the immediate aftermath
\n of WWII. The money Bush is throwing into Iraq would probably be enough
\n to get the national wireless grid built.<\/p>\n

The national net must be public to avoid the merciless
\n commercialization which is already stifling the innovation and creativity
\n of the web.  It must be free to insure equal access and transparent
\n interactivity. In the early days of the American road system
\n the highways were a frustrating maze of private turnpikes and roads,
\n toll bridges, closed, impassable stretches and constant guardhouses
\n and borders. No way to do efficient business.<\/p>\n

The first candidate to swear to realize this vision would
\n be the immediate beneficiary of funding, organization, publicity
\n and
\n the
\n concerted
\n efforts of the wired political world of all stripes.  This is
\n an issue we can agree on. This is a vision we can share.<\/p>\n

the original article Dave<\/a> was
\n commenting on, concerning efforts to wire Philadelphia, is here<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Yesterday Dave Winer mentioned in passing an idea which we have been thinking about more and more lately. He wrote, "I want Internet access to become ubiquitous and free as soon as possible." Let us take that thought to … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":299,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1443],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-esl-links"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/dowbrigade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/dowbrigade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/dowbrigade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/dowbrigade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/299"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/dowbrigade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2604"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/dowbrigade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2604\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/dowbrigade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/dowbrigade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/dowbrigade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}