(2005-09-20) Doctorow Net Vs Telco

In Cory Doctorow's Someone Comes To Town, there's an interesting bit of dialogue between the Internet/WiFi-loving protagonists and a writer who likes his Cell Phone. Yes, in this abstract sense, there are a bunch of things to like about your Internet over there. But I'm talking about practical, nonabstract, nontheoretical stuff over here. The real world. I can get a phone for free. I can talk to everyone with it. I can say anything I want. I can use it anywhere. Sure, the phone company is a giant conspiracy by The Man to keep us down. But can you really tell me with a straight face that because I can't invent the Web for my phone or make free long distance calls I'm being censored?"