In what ways can the Net be thought of as an ‘open architecture?’

I think the concept of the internet being 'open architecture' is an interesting one. It describes how the internet is built up of a collection of networks and I think it refers the availablity of designing, communicating and being able to build your own collection of data. Lister states that the 'open architecture' of the internet facilites the flow and exchange of data (p164) Its about the quanity of "human labour and ingenuity that has gone into building net-based communication systems." (165)
Therefore i think that the fact that people can build their own websites, or join communication sites such as Facebook, Bebo and myspace and from here build up personal webpages of often their own choice. Such as images, colours styles of writing.



Reading from Lister et al pp. 164-72