ISPs – Tomorrow’s Oil Companies

It has been repeatedly argued that in this Information Age, those who wield information have the power. Think Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Bill Gates and Linus Torvalds*. However, in the future, where the age of majority is already 12, Oprahnism is a religion (like Confucianism), and we all have palmtops connected to internet2.0 24/7, everyone will have access to any type of information. So when that day comes, there will be no elite monopolizing the specialized knowledge of ICT and the intricacies thereof. Who will be the ones in power in the future?

Before we hypothesize, let us remember that the key to power is monopoly. Either monopoly in lands, religion or technology, one must have a scarce necessity to make others their slaves and wipe their as$#s. What could be the necessity in the future? Two factors have to be considered: First, we will all have access to virtually all flavors of information. This means no one can still monopolize the confusing world of ICT (it will not be confusing by that time). Second, since information is everywhere, we will all eat, breathe and defecate it. What then is to monopolize? The channels of information. The routes where information flows. By that time, those who are able to elbow their way in providing internet2.0 (or 3.0) service will be the ones to amass wealth. Note that today Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are private entities. Since it is unlikely that this enterprise will die in the future, it is highly likely that we will still depend on businessmen for internet and information access in the future.

So what’s the best thing to do? Start an ISP company that will rise and conquer the globe in 25 years’ time. I will start by setting-up a small DotA and Counter-Strike computer shop.

*Microsoft Word does not consider the names of computing legends Bill Gates, Charles Babbage Alan Turing, John Von Neumann, Paul Allen, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Dennis Ritchie and Brian Kernighan as spelling errors but “Linus Torvalds” (Bill Gates’ arch-nemesis) is a red-underlined typing error, as if it is a sinful error to write Torvalds’ name.