Paul Kapustka's Blog

While Drew was at F2C and I wasn't (I listened in over the excellent webcast), what Powell said actually had more nuance. To sum up, he warned tech-types against trying to battle telcos head-on in a legislative fight, instead counseling that more prep work and different tactics might be more successful. So, I don't think he was arguing against net neutrality rules as working against innovation, but instead was saying that fighting the Bells in Washington right now is a losing battle.

A nuance, but an important one. So is the correction needed for the headline, which proclaims that "Tech allies split on net neutrality."

Like many people who don't live in Silicon Valley, Drew mistakenly assumes that Cisco and Google and eBay are all allies by geographical location. While sometimes their businesses align, the companies are not really close friends -- especially in a situation like this one, where Cisco has to choose between the general Internet public and companies that pay Cisco millions for big routers. No surprise whose side Cisco is on, though you have to admire their delicate steps in the dance.

There's another comment in Drew's column -- that the issue has "clinched a raw nerve in Silicon Valley." (Clinched? Maybe pinched?)

Not sure what raw nerve he's talking about, since net neutrality simply doesn't make the headlines very often out here. Not yet, anyway. Part of the problem is that some of the players Drew lumps together -- Google, eBay and Yahoo -- all probably have very different takes on the subject. As we've noted before, they all might have their own interests at heart when they only take baby steps in opposition. There's Yahoo's deals with AT&T and Verizon, Google's rumored plans of its own networks (which it may not want to share any more than AT&T does) and eBay's ownership of Skype, which may make them not want to anger the PSTN keepers who they want to connect with.

And then there's Microsoft, who wants badly to sell IPTV software to the telcos and cablecos.

To correct the headline (and parts of the column), I'd say that many people and many companies are split on how they want to see this debate play out. And it's a lot deeper than some simple "geek vs. geek" ploy.

And: Cisco still makes most of its money selling routers to corporations, with telcos and consumers a lesser percentage of sales. As long as we're making corrections, that is.

BONUS LINK:

Want to hear what Powell said straight from the horse's mouth? Check out F2C highlights at Jeff Pulver's video vault.