Talk:Series of tubes

A big truck.

You know, I'm actually thankful to Senator Stevens for igniting this whole controversy.... Because honestly, I always thought that the internet was a big truck. But now I know.

Images

Anyone have any good illustrations of the Internet that are safe to post? I was thinking of, say, a comprehensive screensaver shot or some old bank's pneumatic network...

Flawed Explanation

I would like to see someone add a bit explaining why his example of email taking 4 days to arrive was not caused by the tubes being full..

When is the last time you clicked on a link to visit a website, and you had to wait four days for the webpage to appear? That's a bit of a colloquial explanation, but no matter how badly the "tubes" are "filled", it doesn't take anywhere near that long unless one of the links is down (the tubes are broken, not filled), or there's a PEBKAC issue.

On the other hand, if you're sending a whole internet... there's a rumor that internets can be really big sometimes... --Interiot 09:34, 13 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I can't speak for the topology of the network driving the Senate's email system, but I would think that if both Senator Stevens and the unnamed member of his staff have addresses @*.senate.gov (I can only assume as much), then it would be entirely possible that the email never even reached the Internet in the first place. Even if they use some third party email service residing on an external :tually did send the e-mail when they were supposed to, but the holdup was the internet's fault. · j·e·r·s·y·k·o talk · 18:24, 13 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Why are we looking for explanations for what was essentially an attempt by someone who thinks the internet works like snail mail to illustrate his idea? The statement obviously does not have roots in fact and is merely an ill-informed attempt by Stevens to add shock value to his otherwise baseless argument. 192.5.41.254 17:46, 14 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think anyone is really "looking for explanations" here. On my part, anyway, it's merely idle speculation. · j·e·r·s·y·k·o talk · 18:08, 14 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Wiki-worthiness

Because I know someone somewhere will try and get this entry deleted soon, I'll pre-emptively start the discussion now. I think this definitely needs its own article. It's gone far beyond Ted Stevens himself and spread to total meme status. It's also a major event in how the Internet is perceived by those in charge as well as how those in charge are perceived on the Internet, and there are tons of verifiable sources for the article out there with more appearing every day thanks to the debates Stevens started.

The current article is way too short and smacks of Ted Stevens-bashing, which may be fun, but isn't encyclopedic by any stretch. It's been less than a month, it's hard to say that this will stick around. It may be worthwhile at some future point, but for now, it's too short to warrant its own article. — Xenoveritas 16:55, 17 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I think given that it may very well, at some point in the not-too-distant future, be viewed as a significant moment in the debate over public policy and the Internet, if not in the greater debate about the competence of government generally, it would be premature to delete it right now. It seems that the safer course would be to let the article remain, and see if anything becomes of it -- if it really becomes a 'watershed moment,' then keep it; if in retrospect it was just a transient social meme, then roll the information into the main Stevens article. But either way, it is by your own admission too early to tell, so therefore I would argue in the strongest possible terms that the article should not be deleted. Not yet, anyway. --Kadin2048 06:08, 29 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The article needs a bit of work, of course, but it's off to a good beginning so far. Thanks to The lorax and Jersyko for getting things started. Rob T Firefly 16:37, 17 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I think the writeup of the meme in today's New York Times (link), combined with the Daily Show report and other publicity, easily defeat any notability or WP:MEME arguments that there should not be an article. Also, good work so far, The lorax. · j·e·r·s·y·k·o talk · 16:51, 17 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Possibly, but don't you think there needs to be more to this article than a transcript of the speech in question and then "Hey, look! People are actually talking about this!" Thunderbunny

The fact that this guy has no idea what is going on, and has any influence what so ever over the state of the internet, makes this wiki-worthy. This is a perfect example of our government in action today, change and lack of it, driven by the lobbying power of telcos.

-Burny

Why is it so funny?

Can somebody please explain why this analogy has received so much ridicule? He's obviously recalling the era of mail tubes, when you'd wrap up an envelope and dump it into a mail tube. The system of mail tubes really wasn't that different from the Internet's system of wires and routers. Yes, it's slightly oversimplified, but why is it so funny? Do people expect this guy to write a textbook on TCP/IP or something?69.226.232.53 21:53, 18 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

~~"slightly oversimplified"? He regulates the thing. He should at least have the same understanding of the internet as my 12 year old cousin, who doesn't even like computers.~~ --mboverload @ 22:54, 18 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

heh heh, so what's your 12 year old cousin's description of internet? Anarchopedia 03:24, 28 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Government suits making laws about stuff they don't understand is nothing new. Anyway, in this case, the fact that he can analogize the Internet to a tube mail system suggests that he has at least enough understanding to get the idea of a "network", i.e. that the Internet isn't just some magical place, but actually a series of traffic-routing points linked by throughways. In any case, the point is that this is supposed to be about the article, and the article doesn't presently clarify just why this is supposed to be so hilarious. If it really is that funny, the article should explain why.69.226.232.53 23:06, 18 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Ted? That you? · j·e·r·s·y·k·o talk · 23:21, 18 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Simply put, wikipedia isn't a place to editorialise. Maybe you think he does know what he is talking about, but that has no bearing on the article - it should just report the fact that people are mocking this man because they perceive he is making laws about something he knows nothing about Damburger 05:49, 19 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

There is a video that CNET has featured as one of "Ten tech-related YouTube clips you shouldn't miss" http://news.com.com/2300-1026_3-6095928-2.html?tag=ne.gall.pg Maybe it should be added?

This isn't a joke page. This isn't about whats funny or not funny. This has become a quickly spreading symbol of how our government has built a ladder to heaven and consequently can't see the ground it stands on, then of course forgets know how to climb back down. Government stupidity is nothing new, but blatent, easily ridiculed public idiocy isn't all too common.

And how can you defend the use of "an internet" ?? A series of tubes would be a good analogy if he had the required knowlege to embelish beyond a poorly chosen regurgitation of buzzwords. Fresheneesz 23:32, 25 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Can anybody give an example of what would be considered a good analogy to be used to describe the Internet?

"A wide area network of servers and microcomputers". —ptk✰fgs 18:57, 17 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Analogy: "The comparison of two things, which are alike in several respects, for the purpose of explaining or clarifying some unfamiliar or difficult idea or object by showing how the idea or object is similar to some familiar one." What you said would have no meaning to somebody not already familiar with networking. --Son0rouS 19:06, 17 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Quote by Llewellyn H. Rockwell

Yes, it is relevant. If you look at the source of the quote you will see that it is from an article about Stevens's speach. Rockwell is arguing that Stevens is an example of the state and its incompetence to regulate and centrally plan an economy. --Kalmia 05:11, 21 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The quote:

Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. of the Ludwig von Mises Institute argued "We ought not to regret that someone with talent stays in the productive private sector and out of the Senate. What we ought to regret is that the dregs who are on top presume to have power over us. Government is always and everywhere all thumbs. That's one reason its responsibilities ought to be as few as possible." [1]

The article is about Stevens' incompetence and how it supports a libertarian view of government (quite a stretch in my view, but that's neither here nor there). However, the argument Rockwell is making is only slightly relevant to the internet meme known as "series of tubes," which is the subject of this article. It certainly does not warrant a mention in the text of the article itself. Note that the article is already linked in the "external links" section, which is where it belongs. Finally, please note that "see also" sections in articles are reserved for wikilinks that are not already contained in the article text. Thanks. · j·e·r·s·y·k·o talk · 12:56, 21 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

He's incompetent, so you think he and politicans like him should regulate the internet via net neutrality? Anarchopedia 03:34, 28 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Ask for review of my addition

I added "A nontechnical person could assume that a synonym of pipe would be appropriate terminology." Feel free to revert if you find it inappropriate. I just think that it adds an important point, even if I still think he's a dummy =D --mboverload @ 23:15, 3 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

"A series of pipes" sounds like drug paraphernalia ... or some kind of Scottish folk music. —ptk✰fgs 04:50, 4 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I'd it sound more like the human digestion system --in fact there's a commercial on these days for some kind of drug that helps relieve digestive problems featuring humanoid figures made out of pipes --or should I say, made out of a series of tubes? --Bobak 23:02, 9 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Chindia. —ptk✰fgs 23:06, 9 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Phrase, Metaphor or Analogy?

"Series of tubes was a phrase used by United States Senator Ted Stevens, a Republican from Alaska, to describe the Internet in a June 28..." Well it stated as phrase, then was changed to analogy, then was changed to metaphor, and now it's back to phrase again. So what is it? --Son0rouS 18:33, 23 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Well, it's definitely a phrase, as it's composed of a series of words. I think we can give Stevens enough credit to call it a metaphor, as I'm pretty sure he didn't mean to imply that it is actually tubes. I think "metaphor" is the most appropriate word for the lead. The comparison of the internet to tubes is an analogy; "It's a series of tubes" itself is a metaphor. This is essentially the same construction used in the example in metaphor: "All the world's a stage". —ptk✰fgs 18:42, 23 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Either "phrase" or "metaphor" works for me, I suppose, as neither requires us to give him too much credit. "Analogy" is a bit much. · j e r s y k o talk · 20:30, 23 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

usage of "metaphor" seconded 71.103.90.64 21:16, 24 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Audio Files

I've uploaded two audio samples - the 'Series of Tubes' one and the 'I Got it Yesterday' one, but I can't get them to look neat. A little help? VJ Emsi 18:58, 31 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

OK, what was the point of deleting them? The speech was a public one in the US Senate, the clip is everywhere and no-one's ever made any money from it or copyrighted it. Why? WHY? VJ Emsi 19:11, 31 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Were they deleted? I just moved them to a separate section, Media, near the bottom of the article. I wanted to put them inline using the audio template, but it conflicted with the cquote template currently in use. So I used a listen template and put it in a separate section. If anyone has a better solution, please go for it. Schi 19:13, 31 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry my man, stupid mistake on my part. Thankyou very much. VJ Emsi 19:14, 31 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]