A good use of the internet

A friend I reconnected with through Orkut told me about SONG FIGHT!. Having been an internet user back when it was mainly the domain of academics and researchers, sites like this one always remind me of those halcyon days of free-flowing data. From the FAQ:

Song Fight is a free Web site where Internet musicians enter their work into competition. Every week several titles are provided, the competitors write a brand new song inspired by the title of their choice, and the Internet at large is invited to vote for their favorite song for each title.

This is what the internet used to be like. Of course, I am not a ninny [So he says--Ed.] and I do understand that moving these bits around costs money. But at the same time, if someone (like the operator of Song Fight!) is willing to pay to host a site like this, then they should only have to pay once.

The idea of net neutrality is that everyone who uses the internet pays for what they use. When you pay your ISP for internet access, you are buying a ticket on to the onramp of the Information Superhighway [A hackneyed term, but useful here--Ed.].

Now, if you decide to download data from Song Fight!, you're entitled to this just as much as you're entitled to download bits from YouTube. Why? Because the owners of Song Fight! and YouTube are also paying (significantly more than you are, more than likely) to ship those bits you requested out onto the Superhighway.

The proposals being pushed by the infrastructure owners (the people who ultimately collect from all the Internet Service Providers and end users out there) would be tantamount to paying to get on a highway, then if it's determined that your car isn't of the right make or model, being forced into the slow lane for the segment of the highway owned by that entity. They used to call that highway robbery. Our congressman seem to be listening too closely to the points being made by the telecommunications companies and not enough to consumers and content providers.

But I digress [No kidding--Ed.]. You can get more information on the network neutraility issue here and here.

Back to Song Fight!: My old college roommate will be entering a piece in next week's contest. I listened to it and am impressed enough that I will be following the Song Fight! link and voting for his song. [Unless, of course, the other entries are better--Ed.]