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> Let's face it: the internet is broken. This is where I disconnect. The internet is not broken. Maybe arguably the _web_ is broken, and specifically, web pages are broken (the HTTP protocol is still a wonderful thing). I wish technical authors would stop making the internet-is-broken meme when they really mean the web is broken. Sure, there's plenty broken with the internet in other ways (DNS, encryption, governments, ddos's, etc.), but let's not make the mistake that the internet equals the web. |
First class netizens are publicly routable nodes with statically allocated IP addresses. These have real, honest Internet connections, they get to participate in the global community of humans and their beloved machined.
The second class is like the first but the service provider has imposed restrictions on their ability to communicate freely with other machines, such as blocking any packets they may send on specific protocols and ports, notably, TCP port 25, meaning these people cannot send their own email.
The third class is like the second, but they do not have statically allocated IP addresses, they therefore cannot reliably and consistently participate in the global community and must jump some amount of hoops to even participate in a limited way.
There is a hidden fourth class too, these cannot be considered as having a connection to the Internet, they cannot participate, only passively consume existing services, their machines are not connected to the internet, but another network, and their service-provider will just barely allow them to make requests to services on the real Internet, but it will not route any new connections to them, they are cut off and isolated, the silent majority. And this is where the brokenness of the Internet truly shines. This mode of connection should be illegal, and hiding yourself in this way should be an active choice on the part of the individual, not imposed by their "service provider".