You may have noticed that I keep an eye on Google. It's like watching a hurricane that just hit a razor blade factory and is heading for your worst enemy. Awe inspiring, but where will it go then?
Here is just one report. There are others. This is the only one I've seen detailing portable supersystems, but they all comment on Google's fiber fixation.
Google is pretty clearly setting its sights on setting up its own "backbone". Oh, it may not - and probably won't be - a competitor against the current internet backbones. They probably have some other, clever use in mind.
But Google will have an unmoderated, private alternet when its done.
What will they use it for? Does it matter? Even if Google's alternet is a hideous beast of evil, it serves a very important and noble purpose:
If it's been done once, it can be done again.
If a private, non-industry corporation can lay down a zillion miles of fiber and create a nation-wide alternet, why can't we?
Too expensive? Too big? Too much? That's what they said about creating operating systems. Yet there are dozens of free, open-source operating systems.
And, eventually, dozens of free, "open-source" global networks.
Sure they'll be weird and glitchy. But they'll be ours. :)
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