1. The first set of readings contains contending (though the differences may 
be subtle) histories of the Internet's origins with important implications for 
the future.  Pay attention to who says what and why.  Cohen et al write from a 
political economy point of view.  Berners-Lee is an engineer who created the 
WWW.  Kelly, a former editor of Wired Magazine, writes from a business 
perspective.  Lessig, finally, is an almost-libertarian law professor.  How do 
their stories complement or contradict one another?  What are their agendas?  
Be critical!
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2. While Kelly is mostly concerned with opportunity, Cohen et al and 
Berners-Lee both point to some obstacles that had to be overcome to make the 
Internet (as we know it today) happen.  What are these obstacles, and how do 
the authors differ in their assessment?
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3. Kelly (and many other authors not assigned here) conveys a sense of the 
inevitability of the Internet, or some vast network like it.  Think about the 
critical factors that were necessary for the Internet to emerge (Cohen et al 
helps here).  What are they?  If some of those had been slightly different, if 
the sequence among them had been different, would we be where we are now?  
What does this imply for the future of the net, and the validity of Kelly's 
forward-looking claims or anybody else's for that matter?
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4. The second set of readings presents several theoretical arguments on the 
role of architectures in society. In Lessig consider the differences and 
similarities between our traditional system of laws and the regulations 
possible through code. How does his discussion relate to the discussion of 
building regulation influence on housing and neighborhood development in How 
Building Learn?
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5. Barlow discusses the importance of ideas in the Information Age. Consider 
the implications of an economy where the key commodity to be traded is no 
longer physical.