[Air-L] What is web culture?

[Conor Schaefer]

I understood "keys" in this analogy to be access controls, whether in 
the form of logins to walled-garden communities or basic infrastructure 
access. But what is "gas"? Is that meant to be bandwidth? Also 
infrastructure access? User-end hardware?

Basically, this day in age, I believe that pretty much anyone can 
manufacture keys, as anyone can elect to be a "gatekeeper" of a given 
online community. But what's the gas? Is that still the realm of the 
manufacturers, the corporations?

I don't understand what legal repercussions there are for these 
allegedly illegitimate providers of "gas."

William Bain wrote:
> Actually, Folks, on the toolshed comparison, it strikes me tha maybe the web is something like a big interstate motor pool. Some of the people who work there are dispatchers and also manufacture the vehicles’ keys and provide their gas. Different state governments draw up agreements on how the pool can be used, and also speed limits, rules of the road, etc. Dangerous drivers and unauthorised key and gas manufacturers are also dealt with by the state governments in terms of legal issues. There’s a good deal of competition for formulas for good gas, with disputes occasionally breaking out on who owns which formula, and whether you have to get your keys when you get your gas. There are ordinary drivers and specialised drivers, all interconnected by walkie-talkie as soon as the ignition of their vehicle is switched on. Different university departments in the pool train specialised drivers, some of whom remain in their departments or start new ones. In addition to driving
>  themselves, the specialised drivers study various aspects of the pool and its employees. :-|       
>    
>   good time (intended) to be had by all, needless to say.......
>    
>   Best regards, Will
>    
>    
>    
>
>
> William Bain
> PhD Student
> Comparative Literature
> Department of Spanish Philology
> Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
>        
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