Dvorak on Google Rumors like the "space elevator"
submitted by dolby 8 days ago (via http://www.pcmag.com/article2/...)
The most recent buzz over Google has centered around various rumors that the company will make dumb terminals, its own operating system, or a wireless mesh network, light up dark fiber all over the country, and (get this) finance the "space elevator."
comments
What he said!
Bastards.
no
Seems to me that if you had to choose which had your best interest in mind, the telcos/comcast or google. Most would choose google.
I completely agree with you. Screw the large telecommunications companies... buying up small ISPs and networks then raising the cost to access them. Sounds like a bad Parker Brothers game...
no, no you dont
Hmmm... am I the only one who sees a new monopoly in the making?
Folks, there is NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH. Now it's Google Adsense, but when Google monopolizes, err, I mean, offers ubiquitous access to everybody for everything, the tune will change.
Remember folks; Google is a publicly traded business with shareholders, just like AT&T;, just like Verizon. They're just as much a cog in the machinery of the western free enterprise as AT&T; and Verizon. Bypassing those guys is great, but then the bypasser becomes the incumbent, and the cycle starts all over again. Welcome to a free market-driven economy!
Lets see - $50 to qwest for DSL or Google. Tough choice... not!
posted by Rice (16) at "
nope, kthxbye
Monopoly:
"Exclusive control by one group of the means of producing or selling a commodity or service"
Or from a text book:
"the ability of individuals or firms currently in business to prevent other individuals or firms from entering the same kind of business"
Why isl any big company a monopoly? Microsoft was considered a monopoly because it was stopping other companies from entering the same type of business. Utility companies are usually monopolies because it isn't feasible for others to enter the market. Google is not, of yet, a monopoly.
Agreed. But my point is that the dark fiber is already there, so if someone else hasn't already done it, it's because it's not a slam-dunk to make money doing it. And, more importantly, if Google decides to do it, they're not going to be the Robin Hoods of the telecomunication industry. They have shareholders to make happy.
I also agree that the Internet access options in the US are a bit of a boondoggle, but if Google could offer 30MB to the home for cheap, for free, or for a heavily-advertising-subsidized rate, and still make a profit, do you really think that Comcast, etc. wouldn't do that already?
As for the concern about a Google monopoly. Remeber this, there already is a monopoly. Google becoming an ISP wouldn't result in it putting all other companies out of business. Rather, it would bring what the telecommunications industry actually needs, real competition. The telecom industry was given $200 billion dollars by the Federal government in the form of tax breaks, subsidies, and other support to bring fiber to 86 million American homes by 2006. What did they do with the cash, they investeded it in inferior dsl and more profitable high-cost wireless networks, the rest of the cash they pocketed. Google entering the market place will force them to compete. They would have to get off their collective asses and start rolling out fiber or be left in the dust. Even if an individual company goes under because they cannot adapt, their assets will be auctioned off to someone who can. And you know what, none of their former customers will mourn their loss. It's capatilism, bastards, if you don't like it you can leave.
The problem with you textbook definition is that the incumbents (Comcast , Verizon, etc) will never technically "prevent other individuals or firms from entering the same kind of business" as you'll always have the option to go with WiFi mesh, EVDO, WiMax, heck, DirecPC, so technically, they will never have a monopoly either.
So you may argue: "yeah, but those options are inferior".
Conversely, Google will never drive out all the other free-email, searches, maps, and local tools, but Google's market share will ensure that they're the ones who spent the most $$$ enhancing those services, making the others so inferior that nobody will really want to use them.
Totally agree with you that Google is not yet a monopoly. I'm just saying that getting ahold of all the dark fiber in the US, like Dvorak suggests, certainly isn't going to make them "less" of a monopoly :-)
My dad needs to get off 56k, and do more fun things with his nifty Macintosh.
I agree with you 100%... I am in the same boat paying Canadian 150 for TV and Internet access and what do I get in return? My download speeds throttled (shaped) when I use bittorrent... not to mention a cap on downloads every month... fuck these cable / telco monopolies.
... wait... so who's gonna pay for the space elevator???
No. The article talks about high capacity lines. Like for major internet backbones. Pull your head out of your a** and read the article.
Why can't Dvorak and Wosniak...
shut the hell up?
Answer.
Because they are what could now be known as 'pundits'. Otherwise known as washed up hacks who still eke an existence by speaking at pretentious seminars and writing books noone cares to read.
digg
i just read this last night on the john... I was gonna hunt down this article..
Becuase that would require getting off their @$$es and improving their infastructure. While I don't know a great deal about the telco industy, I can still say with almost complete certainty that they would prefer to continue to offer substandard internet access at inflated rates because it would require no outlay of $$ to do- they LIKE the status quo, because the consumer is taking up the bum and they can't do a damn thing about it.
As to Google being a publicly traded company, why does no one realize that image can be profitable? If Google DOES manage to get into this industry and seem like the knight in shining armor for the consumer, the general populace would pledge their undying love to them. If you think about it, it's kind of like when Coke sold their product to the army (WWII or Vietnam, I cant remember which). Most of the soldiers stayed with Coke for decades after, if not their lives, because of brand loyalty and because Coke reminded them of home. If Google rolled out an internet service and it came and GUTTED telcoms offering more bandwith for less cost, would YOU think seriously about staying with them rather than switching back to some other company who you have no idea if they'll deliver any QOS? I know I would.
Finally, competition is always good in a free market economy- it forces the industry to cater more to the consumer and less to their pocketbook. I'd say screw the telcoms, make them trim their fat and update.
It is time at this point in history that new fresh blood be brought into this over monopoloized telco world we have bread ourselves to be.
COME Google! Show us how to break this telco co-op and save that which is MOST important!
The ever growing digial collective of human knowledge, which is all that is cyberspace, and any technology of and for its existance must remain undiscriminitated againest by any goverment or corperations.
let us not forget what these telco will do to the education of out future generations if they can say "You poor man, who cannot affort 'Gold Internet', your children WILL be limited in what they will learn through the most powerful information tool in human history!"
No.
If it does not stop hear, only a revolution may bring so.
the massa
It'll be fast, efficient and damn ugly.
"Google might be a monopoly, but it's a monopoly that we trust, follow, and like. Raise your hand if you have Gmail. I bet almost all of the hands in this classroom would go up."
Okay ... raise your hand if you have Windows ... does that mean Microsoft is a monopoly we all can trust ;-)
I agree with in princple but you forget one thing. The guys running Google now don't give a Sh-T about Wallstreet. They already said they will run their company their way and not to please Wallstreet. They want to do what is best for the long term and not meet short term goals like other companies. They don't even give quarterly projections and don't care if the meet Wallstreet expectations. Plus if they do this, it would make the telcos get off their asses and match or beat them with similar service.
Anyway, three cheers for Google!
The Dark Fiber needs to be turned on!! They could use the Dark Fiber along with wireless to get broadband to a lot of places. I dont care who does it but i want faster and cheaper!! Something is wrong with paying over $100 for cable and internet!!