Speed Is Trivial

Sometimes Bob Frankston makes me shake my head in wonder:

Speed is trivial — the dial up modem completely trounced the entire Interactive TV industry thanks to the web which gave people a reason to find their own solutions without waiting for a service provider to deign to provision a path. As long as you don't over-defined the solution you'll get speed — it's hard not to.

— Re: We're Stuck In The Slow Lane Of The Information Trollway -- it's all about the billing relationship, Bob Frankston, Interesting People, Sat, 12 May 2007 20:13:50 -0400

Yes, back in the 1990s, video on demand and interactive TV were the big plans of the cablecos and telcos. They tried it. Users didn't buy it. Instead, participants bought modems and the web boomed.

I keep harping on how the U.S. has slow Internet connectivity and I forget to emphasize that that's just a symptom. What we really need is participation and innovation for the general welfare and speed will come.

Don't ask just for speed or that might be all you get:

The Information Highway to Hell is provisioned with the fast intentions that play well on TV. They play far better than "Land of Opportunity" does.

Well said, Bob.

-jsq