David Reed goes back to first principles

Our broadcasting systems are based on a fundamental assumption — that spectrum is a finite resource, rather like land, to be allocated by governments to selected beneficiaries, i.e. broadcasters, mobile phone companies, etc. But what if that assumption is wrong? In a fascinating Salon article, The myth of interference, David Weinberger outlines Internet architect David Reed’s argument that the idea of ‘finite’ spectrum is really a consequence of bad engineering, not physical principles. Since Reed is one of the great engineers of our time, this is something one has to take seriously. Doubt if the FCC or our national treasuries will though. As societies, we have too deep an investment in the original misconception.