[smithzvk]

> If it's such a shitty idea, let consumers decide.

If you leave it up to the prisoners, they will both rat each other out resulting in the worst possible outcome (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner%27s_dilemma). Assuming that consumers will decide what is best for the whole of society is simply incorrect. "Internet innovation" is very much one of those big picture goals where I think some community planning (e.g. government intervention) would help the outcome.

[rhizome]

You might also look at Braess' Paradox[1], which while often applied to traffic planning, tells us that a network of nodes that choose their options selfishly will not result in improved performance when expanding that network (increase in number of possible choices).

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braess%27s_paradox

[Sambdala]

Braess' Paradox "states that adding extra capacity to a network when the moving entities selfishly choose their route, can in some cases reduce overall performance. This is because the Nash equilibrium of such a system is not necessarily optimal."

Also, isn't the internet itself more or less a "a network [where] the moving entities selfishly choose their route"?

[Dylan16807]

>Also, isn't the internet itself more or less a "a network [where] the moving entities selfishly choose their route"?

The moving entities? No, the routers make choices; it's equivalent to the road telling you which turns to take. In the example scenario the router at 'start' could evenly distribute the entities for optimal performance.

[FrankenPC]

Brilliant. If a solution appears over-simplified, it probably is. Like a reverse razor.