13 Jan 2011
The biggest threat to the open internet is Apple’s stranglehold over apps development, not an end to so-called net neutrality, according to Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.
Speaking today at Bristol University, Wales said the app model is “a real danger”, whereas net neutrality fears “are largely theoretical”.
“The debate is a highly overblown issue,” said Wales in a response to question about his personal view of net neutrality. “A lot of the things that people are afraid of are in reality a long way from happening. The real threat comes from the apps model.”
On the open internet anyone can develop software and give it away or sell it. “But in the apps model, you have to get Apple’s permission,” said Wales. “That choke point is very dangerous. It’s not theoretical like a network operator potentially shutting out Skype, it’s real and it’s happening now.”
Championing legislation to promote net neutrality is “well-intentioned but naïve” and likely to suppress innovation, he added.
if you don´t see that your not very intelligent.
apple drones all over the world complain about M$ but no word about apple controlling their users.
apple users are not free, apple decides what they can get and what not. apple was one of the first to cut off wikileaks.
Posted by: Lion 14 Jan 2011
Hasn't Sir Tim Berners-Lee said something similar (not about Wales' glassy stare but about apps being a threat to net civilization as we know it)?
And Computing did a long piece about net neutrality last year that sort of mentions the same ideas - http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/feature/1869323/internet-traffic-cops
Never mind net neutrality, the net is already being sectioned off into proprietary walled gardens by locking users into hardware & apps.
Posted by: Phil 14 Jan 2011
@Gregory
Ok, so you don't think much of Wales.
But what about the idea that Apple is a threat to open-ness?
Is that really so wrong-headed?
I reckon Wales is bang on here, regardless of what I think of him and the wikipedia gang.
Posted by: Sidney Risto 13 Jan 2011
Wales rides on the success of Wikipedia, but he's not even its founder. He founded Nupedia, which failed. Wikipedia was championed by, named by, announced by, and managed by Dr. Larry Sanger from the very first days.
Wales is responsible for large failures -- Search Wikia, Openserving.com, CiviliNation.
Why is his opinion regarded as important, other than to be a bellwether of wrongness?
Posted by: Gregory Kohs 13 Jan 2011
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