Paradox Of The Best Network

The best network is the hardest one to make money running.

http://netparadox.com/

By David Isenberg and David Weinberger

Basically, the "best" network is an open/internetwork. Which by definition is a pretty Stupid Network. Which makes it a Commodity, and therefore not a great profit engine.

It's only a paradox if you assume that profit is the only motivator of human creativity. It's pretty clear to me that the Internet is a lot better than anything that the pure profit motive could have created in the same timeframe.

• reply (Bill Seitz, Mar15'02): yes, which is why the Davids argue that the government will probably have to pay for such a network (as they did for the Internet), because private enterprise doesn't "fit".

• so see Municipal Wifi