Andrew Orlowski

Collected Journalism

Tag: net neutrality

  • How Free Press breaks the citizens’ network

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    Andrew Orlowski

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    In 2003 the journalist Ron Suskind captured one of the quotes of the decade when he cited an unnamed Bush administration official as saying:

    “When we act, we create our own reality. And while you’re studying that reality, we’ll act again, creating other new realities.”

    On the web today, “political activism” has become a virtual reality game that anyone can play, whoever you are. To succeed, a campaign need not be reality-based at all: it can generate its own fictional … Read More

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  • Man discovers his net wasn’t neutered

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    Andrew Orlowski

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    Hanging the monkey

    We have very little idea of how a hysteria can grip sensible, rational people – until it strikes. After Orson Welles’s War Of The Worlds radio broadcast, the public reported sightings of Martians. According to urban legend, a farmer’s water tower was peppered with small arms fire, in the belief that it was a Martian spaceship. During the McCarthyite Red Scare, the FBI’s snitch lines rang red hot with reports of suspected un-American activity. And in Hartlepool 200 years ago, … Read More

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  • Obama mounts ‘Neutrality’ bandwaggon

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    Andrew Orlowski

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    Politicians long ago gave up on politics. Instead of articulating great ideas, the choice that faces voters today is between identikit managerial bureaucrats who’ve never had a job outside politics. Most of their adult lives have been spent in the hermetic world of wonkdom. So it’s little wonder, then, that they have trouble distinguishing between fiction and reality.

    And it’s no surprise at all to hear that a virtual Presidential candidate is throwing his electrons behind a virtual cause, to … Read More

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  • A monkey hangers guide to Net Neutrality

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    Andrew Orlowski

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    A neutral net

    My presentation to the Westminster eForum on Net Neutrality. I’ll turn this into an embeddable slide show eventually, honest.

    For now, see The Register for transcript and slides.… Read More

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  • Google snubs UK’s first Net Neutrality debate

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    Andrew Orlowski

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    The first significant Net Neutrality debate to take place in the UK was held today at Westminster. Chaired by former trade minister Alun Michael and the Conservative shadow trade minister Charles Hendry, the event attracted the chief Telecoms regulator and ministry policy chief, a clutch of industry representatives, and a sprinkling of members of both houses.

    What emerged from the sessions is that ‘Neutrality’ is one of those incomprehensible American phenomenons, from which we’ve mercifully escaped. Your reporter was one … Read More

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  • PacketExchange’s counterpoint to Neutrality hysteria

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    Andrew Orlowski

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    Networks need to get smarter, says PacketExchange’s Kieron O’Brien, in a sharp counterpoint to the “Net Neutrality” hysteria.

    PacketExchange bypasses the congestion of the internet by offering its customers a private end-to-end network. Some of its customers, such as Nokia, Microsoft, and cable ISP Telewest (now owned by Virgin) aren’t so surprising. But last week it added social networking site Bebo to its client list.

    But look at what Bebo does, O’Brien told us. You’ll see why it wanted to … Read More

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