At a time when the established order is trying every means of controlling, neutralizing, or even destroying the Internet, why do we continue to think of this wonderful, liberating system in the singular? Why give the corporate-state owners only one target for controlling the free flow of information among people? Consistent with the increasing decentralization of social systems, why do we not contemplate the creation of multiple “Internets,” following the example of the numerous telephone companies, electric power companies, gas companies, radio broadcasters, railroads, etc., from our past? Gutenberg’s invention of movable type did not result in the creation of just ONE publishing operation. If a bunch of people at the Defense Department were able to concoct the Internet, couldn’t modern innovators come up with additional systems, and even create the means for interconnecting across various systems? If competing railroads could do this with trackage – even prior to the establishment of the ICC – why not with internet systems?

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