The New Internet

The eternal problem with companies like Tailscale (and Cloudflare, Google, etc. etc.) is that, by solving a problem with the modern internet which the internet should have been designed to solve by itself, like simple end-to-end secure connectivity, Tailscale becomes incentivized to keep the problem. What the internet would need is something like IPv6 with automatic encryption via IPsec, with PKI provided by DNSSEC. But Tailscale has every incentive to prevent such things to be widely and compatibly implemented, because it would destroy their business. Their whole business depends on the problem persisting.

(Repost of <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38570370>)

So far as I’m aware, TailScale has been at all times a good actor.

I have no problem criticizing tech companies, but I try to wait until they behave badly.

Wouldn't the point be they're an indecent, possibly bad, actor by default since they're a business at all rather than just creating or contributing to protocols/standards to resolve the issues their product relies on to exist? The only way they could be a good actor is if they're using the money from their sales to fund that initiative with a plan to obsolete themselves.

I suppose if you follow that thread though a lot of businesses just shouldn't exist except for fulfilling the need they fill for the sake of those in need.

BTW the best way to make standards happen is to sell a product based on the standard. Academic standards don't go anywhere.