关于网络中立（中英对照）

Net Neutrality

　　Net neutrality is the principle that data packets on the Internet should be moved impartially, without regard to content, destination or source. Net neutrality is sometimes referred to as the “First Amendment of the Internet.”

　　In the United States, high-speed Internet carriers, including AT&T, Comcast, Time Warner and Verizon, are seeking legislative support for a two-tiered Internet service model. In a two-tiered model, carriers would be able to charge owners of Web sites a premium fee for priority placement and faster speed across their pipes. Those opposing the carriers argue that the Internet was designed to work in a traffic-neutral way and has become what it is, to some extent, because of that neutrality. They would like to see Congress pass a telecom reform bill that contains language in favor of Net neutrality.

　　Critics of the two-tiered model fear that the extra costs incurred for premium service would be passed down to the consumers. They point out that small, independent sites, such as personal blogs, are on an even playing field with large, corporately-owned sites in a Net-neutral environment but might be unable to compete in a tiered service model. Editors at the popular SaveTheInternet.com Web site explain, “The Internet has thrived because revolutionary ideas like blogs, Wikipedia or Google could be started on a shoestring and attract huge audiences simply because their users found the sites valuable. Without Net neutrality the pipeline owners will choose the winners and losers on the Web.”

　　Proponents of the two-tiered model point out that a tiered business model already exists: consumers have a choice of using a slower dial-up service or paying a premium price for faster speed over cable or DSL. Providers argue that if that two-tiered business model is applied to site owners as well as users, carriers will be able to offer more services like Internet-based cable TV programming and video at competitive rates. They maintain that legislation protecting Net neutrality would be a unnecessary barrier to the Internet tradition of innovation and free enterprise.

　　Two-tiered Internet refers to proposed changes in Internet architecture that would give priority to the traffic of those who have paid for premium service. Inherent in the model is the possibility for discrimination between different types of content and services. For example, high speed ISPs might favor classified listings from corporate partners instead of other, unaffiliated partners. The two-tiered Internet is already being implemented on a small scale by some Internet service providers (ISPs).

　　The proposed changes conflict with one of the fundamental concepts of the Internet, network neutrality. In a neutral model, traffic is traffic: no preference is given on the basis of source or content. The inherent democratic nature of net neutrality has enabled the Internet to develop as it has, toward the increasingly user-defined model that is sometimes referred to as Web 2.0.

　　At a recent conference on the future development of the Web, Tim Berners-Lee spoke out against the two-tiered model: "What's very important from my point of view is that there is one web. Anyone that tries to chop it into two will find that their piece looks very boring."

网络中立

　　网络中立原则是指因特网上的数据包不管其内容、去处或来源应该一律平等地传输。有时，网络中立也是指“因特网优先改善”。

　　在美国，高速因特网运营商，如AT&T、Comcast、时代华纳、Verizon，正在寻求立法机构对两层因特网服务模型的支持。在这两层模型中，运营商能对网站拥有者优先和以更高速度使用他们的网络征收额外的费用。而反对承载商的人则认为因特网是设计成按流量中立的方式工作的，在一定程度上由于这种中立性，因特网就成了今天这个样子。他们希望看到（美国）国会通过一个有利于网络中立词语的电信改革法案。

　　两层模型的批评者担心，附加服务的额外费用会转嫁到消费者的头上。他们指出，在网络中性的环境中，小型的独立网站，如个人博客网站，可以与大型的、公司拥有的网站共生共存，但是在两层的服务模型中，他们可能无法竞争。流行的SaveTheInternet.com网站的编辑称，“由于一些革命性的新思想，如博客、维基百科（Wikipedia）或谷歌（Google），可以用零星的资金启动，吸引大量的观众，因为用户认为（它们）有用，所以因特网欣欣向荣。没有网络中立，通信管道拥有者将挑选出Web上的胜利者和失败者。”