Guest Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Mark Zuckerberg sees the Internet as a vital service that should be made available to everyone across the world -- a service that can be as vital as, say, the ability to call for emergency help on a telephone. View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Of course a dedicated data-miner like Zuckerberg would want to see a larger Internet community. It would fatten his wallet. Data is his business. He can't trade on people's data if they don't have access to his data-sucking services. He's pretty naive (or he thinks we are), if he thinks that for-profit companies that own the Internet are going to give away their bread and butter (bandwidth) for nothing. There will be some sort of trade-off or one group will pay to subsidize the others. Speaking of subsidies and naivety, does Z really think that 911 services are free? They're not. We all pay a fee or tax on our hard wire phone and cell phone bills that subsidizes those services. That's how it works in capitalist societies. I think the Internet is a wonderful thing. However, I don't agree with Z that it is a necessary thing. There are actually times when I think we'd all be better off if it has never been invented, but I can say that about TV and radio, too. Later... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 [...] I think the Internet is a wonderful thing. However, I don't agree with Z that it is a necessary thing. [...] and there are millions of people in the USA proving that every day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abarbarian Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 "a service that can be as vital as, say, the ability to call for emergency help on a telephone." You would of course need a phone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewmur Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 (edited) "a service that can be as vital as, say, the ability to call for emergency help on a telephone." You would of course need a phone. Ever hear of the Obamphone? Here in the USA, so called "basic" wired or cell phone service has already been deemed an entitlement. Do you really think "basic" Internet service can be far behind? Just one more thing Dems will be able to beat the Repbs over the head with. "First they tried to take away your food stamps, then your birth control and now your phone and internet service!!!!!" edit: I guess the "bread and circuses" actually came first. Edited July 8, 2014 by lewmur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 http://www.fcc.gov/lifeline If this is the program you are referring to, than it has been in place long before President Obama took office. Adam 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I totally agree that the Internet has become a major means of communication. And it's become a vital piece of infrastructure for many. Even VoIP has gone nuts with acceptance and many are actually using that type of phone instead of a landline/POTS line. Or Cellular which is again becoming more of a VoIP type of solution as times goes on, especially with the Internet being so ubiquitous. Sure there are many in the world that are not connected, but among those that are, it has become a vital piece in their keeping in touch with family and friends abroad and out of state, it has become a very important part of people's businesses in many ways, even if they don't do outright business online like I and so many small businesses do. Internet access has become a necessity for many no matter what anyone else says. I hate to agree with Zuck on anything, especially since I know his data addiction and wish to have Facebook be the next AOL that controls all Internet access for many, but I do at least in part. Personally, I think Internet access should be a utility and readily available at all levels everywhere; and I do mean a wired solution like Cable or FiOS with great bandwidth that everyone could watch NetFlix, HuluPlus, their ISPs Video On Demand, etc. And be able to be a part of this big interconnected network of networks called the Internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 and there are millions of people in the USA proving that every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Ever hear of the Obamphone? Here in the USA, so called "basic" wired or cell phone service has already been deemed an entitlement. Do you really think "basic" Internet service can be far behind? Just one more thing Dems will be able to beat the Repbs over the head with. "First they tried to take away your food stamps, then your birth control and now your phone and internet service!!!!!" edit: I guess the "bread and circuses" actually came first. Lew, I'm going to stop this right here and now. It's common for folks to call those subsidized cell phones (I have one, actually) "Obamaphones." I wish that practice would stop. Do some research as I did years ago and you'll find that Ronald Reagan signed the law into effect when he was in office. Later, George W. Bush expanded that law to include cellular based communications. I truly wish that we could stop the madness of spreading rumors and outright lies via Internet gossip, emails, etc. It's detrimental to our society as a whole. I know muckraking and propaganda are the way of the world, but it's all basically just lying... and it's wrong. http://www.snopes.co...s/cellphone.asp Sorry for the anger, Lew. It's not against you. It's just that I get so sick of hearing this stuff. People NEED to check their sources before passing this kind of stuff on to others. Later... ~Eric 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Personally, I think Internet access should be a utility and readily available at all levels everywhere... I'm a free-thinker and a free-knowledge proponent, so I also think the Internet should be available all over the world FOR FREE to anyone. It should be like water and air. This isn't the Dark Ages. We need to make all human knowledge free and accessible to all. The Internet goes a long way to compiling and organizing all that knowledge. Sadly, the Internet access is controlled by a few. It's a for-profit operation. As long as it's that way, those in control of the Internet also control access to the knowledge. Zuckerberg may feel just as I do about this for all I know. Maybe he really is being philanthropic in his feelings rather than capitalistic. I don't know for sure. However, if he really wants people to have access to the Internet, he could set up a charity with a few of his billions of dollars as a bankroll and do something about providing that access to those who don't have it. Maybe his pals from Google, MS, Apple, and Oracle would jump in and help? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Making the Internet a utility would be a step in the right direction. Adam 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Yes, a utility (bits are bits, just as water is water, and electricity is electricity) indiscriminately available to all -- not necessarily free, but freely available via pipes and wires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Let's just get Prof. Peabody to send us all back to those wholesome soda shop days back in the 50s. I LIKE IKE and all that... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Nah, just like the days of the Rural Electrification Act...... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_Electrification_Act Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt.Crow Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Free Internet access. Well that's nearly here . With free wifi in cafe's hotels Libraries nearly all public buildings . The center of town has it too. Connection can be made on the intercity public transport system . But if you live in an isolated rural area you are basically St%$#Fed. What next gps runs off the satellites so does interactive TV . Why not the net .It's never going to be *free* per se . Because it uses eletrickery which has a cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross549 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 There's a variety of reasons satellite is not a good delivery medium for widespread internet usage. The same excuses for not deploying broadband to rural areas were used in the 1930s during the push to electrify all rural communities. I think the power companies survived just fine. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Nah, just like the days of the Rural Electrification Act...... http://en.wikipedia....trification_Act There's a variety of reasons satellite is not a good delivery medium for widespread internet usage. The same excuses for not deploying broadband to rural areas were used in the 1930s during the push to electrify all rural communities. I think the power companies survived just fine. Adam Exactly Adam! Very true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt.Crow Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 I'd go back to the hard line if the company would bring in the fibre optic cables that they promised 5 yrs ago . At present I have to go up to the top of the house to get any reasonable signal . Usually between 1.2 and 3.5 at the max 7.4Mbps which is rare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 I saw an interesting statistic about phone users today in the newspaper... Adults without landlines are more likely to be smokers and heavy drinkers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Yeah, people are more likely to get rid of their landline in rural areas where people are living more in poverty where there are no options except EXPENSIVE, OVERLY EXPENSIVE cellular Internet for choices. But duh, no wonder they are in poverty, cellular Internet will eat you out of house and home! Does it surprise anyone that that is true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abarbarian Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 . Usually between 1.2 Mbps Yer complaining with fast speeds like that !!!! Try living with speeds half of that :'( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewmur Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 I saw an interesting statistic about phone users today in the newspaper... Adults without landlines are more likely to be smokers and heavy drinkers And those who have landlines are more likely to be anal retentive. :'( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 I have a landline. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 I have a landline. I have a landline too.plus i don't smoke nor drink heavily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 I used to smoke and go on the occasional bender, but I don't do any of that fun stuff anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 I rarely drink, haven't smoked in years but live in a rural area where the ONLY viable solution for pseudo broadband is Verizon Wireless and this month the bill is $290 because we went over 2GB ... over 20GB monthly (normally costs $260 mo). Cellular Wireless Internet is raking us over the coals and the CDC has the nerve to rake us over the coals and give meaningless statistics. Really ticks me off....sorry... Oh, and that's 1-2MB MAX...usually a lot less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 ...and this month the bill is $290 because we went over 2GB ... over 20GB monthly (normally costs $260 mo). HOLY-MOLEY! I pay $96/month for 50/25 FIOS and unlimited phone service from V, and I birch about that. I don't think I'll birch anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abarbarian Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 I used to smoke and go on the occasional bender, but I don't do any of that fun stuff anymore. Me too. An I have a landline. I lied about the smoking and drinking as I still do both occasionally. I do have a landline though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abarbarian Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 That is rough Fran. Petition the President and if that does not work post Ookla results everywhere on the net to shame them. http://www.speedtest.net/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 I try not to do speedtest.net results often as you can imagine...it's depressing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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