The Internet is an Agreement

I've been finally catching up on my class readings and I came across Doc Searls and David Weinberger's article World of Ends. They describe what the internet is. I have pretty good idea what the internet is, but their analyses are quite interesting. Specifically, I like how they have compared the internet to that of an agreement. Before reading this passage, I never thought of the net in such a way, but it makes sense to me. Because the internet is owned by no one and since it is a collection of networks allowing bits of information to pass through it, those who wish to participate in it are really "agreeing" to participate in its structure. All this agreeing among its users is what make the internet operate the way it does - it makes sense. While the authors did state several tings that I already knew or assumed about the net, their metaphors are quite though-provoking.