John Thomson

The "end to end" principle is vital to the network

The idea behind end-to-end is that whatever is getting transmitted (be it cars, packets, or envelopes) gets delivered without regard for content or sender. The architecture places all of the "intelligence" at the ends, or in the applications. This content and sender neutral design allows any application designer to have a theoretically equal chance as any other because the network works the same for all of them. Neutral design left low barriers of entry to Internet business, while a tiered design would break this principle and make it more difficult for smaller Internet start-ups. Further, getting more out of the resources available has driven business and innovation further (video compression being one good example). The end-to-end principle is what makes the Internet, the Internet. Network neutrality and redundancy is what makes it so flexible, reliable, and resistant to physical attack.

More importantly, this principle has arguably been central in making the Internet a place of vibrant commerce and community, much like the early post office. The post office was a motivating factor in the creation of national roadways, it created physical locations where people would meet and discuss issues of the day, and it was a source of pride for early Americans (see Spreading the News, Richard R. John).

Government can and should play an important role in structuring our communication landscape to promote these values of commerce and community. Ensuring network neutrality in a well considered way will do this.