--David Andersen <dga+@cs.cmu.edu> wrote:

In fact, Fergie's later comment "... We're pretty far along in our current architecture to 'fundamentally' change" is actually the root of what I think DC is trying to get at. I think it's a very reasonable question to ask: Is the Internet heading towards a local maxima? (I don't know the answer!) What is it possible to change in today's Internet? Imagine a couple of things that seem desirable:

Better security & authentication systems are on the top of my list. But this is an extremely slippery topic for a number of reasons--primarily, I think, because operating systems and applications are commercial endeavors, and therefore market driven. I think that as long as the Internet, and more importantly connectivity to it, remains in the commercial realm, these particular issues are difficult to acheive, regardless of even the standards processes, IMO. Not that I don't think it is not able to be achieved, just that it's commercial nature makes it more difficult. :-) - ferg -- "Fergie", a.k.a. Paul Ferguson Engineering Architecture for the Internet fergdawg@netzero.net or fergdawg@sbcglobal.net ferg's tech blog: http://fergdawg.blogspot.com/