The end of the Internet is near! As a matter of fact, according to one agency (the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) the Internet will end in less than three years!
Are you ready for that? Who knew the end was so close? Maybe we need to get signs and stand on the street corner and proclaim “the Internet gospel” to all who will listen. Ready to form a group like that? Ready to take to the streets to warn about the death of the Internet?
Just why is the Internet dying—even though I didn’t know it was sick? Well, more than 85% of the available addresses have already been allocated and the OECD predicts we will have run out completely by early 2011.
They are not talking about the normal web addresses you type into your browser’s window (like www.steveheartsill.blogspot.com). What they are talking about are the numerical Internet protocol addresses that denote individual devices connected to the internet. These form the foundation for all online communications, from email and web pages to voice chat and streaming video.
When the current IP address system was first introduced in 1981, there were fewer than 500 computers connected to the Internet—so I think we can forgive the Internet founders (that was Al Gore, right?) for thinking that allowing for a potential four billion would last forever. However, less than 30 years later, the Internet is rapidly running out. Every day thousands of new devices ranging from massive web servers down to individual mobile phones go online and gobble up more combinations and permutations.
As addresses run dry we will all feel the pinch: Internet speeds will drop and new connections and services will either be expensive or simply impossible to obtain. The solution to the IP address shortage is an upgrade to new addresses that can accommodate our hunger for online connectivity. Such a system, called IPv6, was agreed upon more than a decade ago, providing enough addresses for billions upon billions of devices as well as improving Internet phone and video calls, and possibly even helping to end email spam.
So, put your thinking cap on with me. If you had to free up extra Internet space, what would be the first addresses you’d like to see let go? (And, if you say that mine should be the first, I might just have to hit the delete button on your comment! :) )
Give it a shot. How would you free up those billion or so Internet addresses that we will need if the Internet is to live? Time’s running out!
Are you ready for that? Who knew the end was so close? Maybe we need to get signs and stand on the street corner and proclaim “the Internet gospel” to all who will listen. Ready to form a group like that? Ready to take to the streets to warn about the death of the Internet?
Just why is the Internet dying—even though I didn’t know it was sick? Well, more than 85% of the available addresses have already been allocated and the OECD predicts we will have run out completely by early 2011.
They are not talking about the normal web addresses you type into your browser’s window (like www.steveheartsill.blogspot.com). What they are talking about are the numerical Internet protocol addresses that denote individual devices connected to the internet. These form the foundation for all online communications, from email and web pages to voice chat and streaming video.
When the current IP address system was first introduced in 1981, there were fewer than 500 computers connected to the Internet—so I think we can forgive the Internet founders (that was Al Gore, right?) for thinking that allowing for a potential four billion would last forever. However, less than 30 years later, the Internet is rapidly running out. Every day thousands of new devices ranging from massive web servers down to individual mobile phones go online and gobble up more combinations and permutations.
As addresses run dry we will all feel the pinch: Internet speeds will drop and new connections and services will either be expensive or simply impossible to obtain. The solution to the IP address shortage is an upgrade to new addresses that can accommodate our hunger for online connectivity. Such a system, called IPv6, was agreed upon more than a decade ago, providing enough addresses for billions upon billions of devices as well as improving Internet phone and video calls, and possibly even helping to end email spam.
So, put your thinking cap on with me. If you had to free up extra Internet space, what would be the first addresses you’d like to see let go? (And, if you say that mine should be the first, I might just have to hit the delete button on your comment! :) )
Give it a shot. How would you free up those billion or so Internet addresses that we will need if the Internet is to live? Time’s running out!
I would start with the porn industry. Then I would go to all the on-line gaming sites. Then I would go to all the "waste my time religious sites" (for an example of one see my blog titled "Whacked" at billgrandi.com}. I would never, ever suggest yours or my site Steve. We are the coup de grace of websites and bloggers. :)
ReplyDeleteHow's that for a shameless plug?
I agree with your suggested list. That would definitely add millions more addresses. I would also add all of those companies that operate simply to send spam!
ReplyDeleteAs far as the shameless plug goes, you did a great job! And you praised me at the same time! Kudos on a job well done! I wonder, will anyone else like to give a shameless shoutout for their site? Feel free to do so!
Porn first.
ReplyDeleteCelebrity gossip second.
Heidi Reed
Porn first.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's probably enough. That would free up about half of the addresses, wouldn't it?
For a truly delightful surf, try:
www.RickBoyne.com. You are sure to find many wonderful, insightful and though provoking entries.
And for a truly religious experience, go to:
www.immanuelsouthern.com There you will find matters close to the Heart of God (missions) and perhaps you will benefit from an online sermon. Enjoy spending "virtual" time in our fellowship hall at one of our many "Finger Food Fellowships" yada, yada, yada...
Rick...I've give you the award for the best plug so far...and it was not even close to be shameless...or is that shameful?
ReplyDeleteWell many people say the world is suppose to end in 2012. Coincidence? I don't think so . . . ;)
ReplyDeleteWow, I didn't know this. Funny how ya just expect things to keep going and going and going. It's a given that the porn sites and gambling sites should go, but then they'd say the Christian sites and government sites should go. And if there is no world-watchman, then who's gonna make the decision? Will we get to keep what we have? Just like the government is considering taking up back to the 55 mph speed limits to conserve gas, they'll take us back to the dial-up connections and limit the number of cell phones we can have. So sci-fi, huh?
ReplyDeleteI just bought a Chevy Malibu (because I couldn't afford a Prius) so I could save on gas because gas prices were 2.39 a gallon. Ha. Now they are almost 4.00 here in Oklahoma. I expect that what will happen is that gas-powered vehicles will be out-lawed and we'll either be forced to buy corn-made fuel to power our cars, or my now fairly economical car's fuel will cost so much I won't be able to afford a ten-mile trip.
Gotta love how the Lord lets we intelligent beings use up all our mind-power to build our little towers only to find ourselves at the top of a kingdom that all the king's horses and all the king's men can't begin to keep glued together, huh? selahV