Compsci 82s/182s, Spring 2008, Paper I

Choose one topic from A, B, or C below and write a 4-5 page paper in which you create a thesis statement and then bolster and justify your statement in your paper.

Topic A

From the London Times article July 12, 2006 we find this quote:

"In Europe, the regulatory framework allows operators to offer different services to different customer groups, but does not allow those who are in a dominant position to discriminate between customers in similar circumstances."

The lead-in to that article claims " The development of a two-tier internet could mean that users have to pay for services that are currently free."

Does the EU (European Union) support net neutrality with legislation, does it let the market make decisions, or is there a hybrid model in play? Create a thesis statement that makes a claim about how net neutrality concepts work in Europe and what, if any, lessons the United States should take from this.

Topic B

In The Dawn of the Stupid Network (1998) we find this idea:

But suppose technology improves so much that the worst QOS is perfectly fine for all kinds of traffic, without a repertoire of different data handling techniques. Suppose, for example, that everyday normal latency becomes low enough to support voice telephony, while at the same time allowing enough capacity for video, plus data integrity strong enough for financial transactions. This would be a true Stupid Network --- one treatment for all kinds of traffic.

In 2007 the US Department of Justice in a hearing before the FCC makes this claim:

The Department submits, however, that free market competition, unfettered by unnecessary governmental regulatory restraints, is the best way to foster innovation and development of the Internet.

Create a thesis statement in which you use these ideas, and others, to claim that in the US either the government should encourage corporate and government investment in broadband service for everyone: a "stupid" network that could support video, phone, text, and applications we can't foresee (as argued in the Stupid Network article for the betterment of business and society) but that the government should not legislate how the network works, or that encouragement isn't sufficient and that form of legislation is needed to ensure that broadband is done "right".

Topic C

Open DNS positions itself as a more secure, faster, more reliable and generally "better" Domain Name System service. They blog that in some ways Google is evil with respect to what they do with DNS queries.

Create a thesis statement in which you claim that (one of the following)

Open DNS and the services it represents provides a real service and choice to consumers and should be encouraged for many reasons (that you provide in your paper).
Open DNS and its services are detrimental in terms of potential privacy issues and because they offer a non-sanctioned alternative to standard DNS services.