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I'm worried that IPv4 is too entrenched and that IPv6 will forever be niche. It reminds me of the situation of USB-A versus USB-C. I try as much as possible to

by usui 5y ago

I'm worried that IPv4 is too entrenched and that IPv6 will forever be niche. It reminds me of the situation of USB-A versus USB-C. I try as much as possible to have USB-C devices/ports only, but too many manufacturers of devices insist on USB-A or something else like Lightning ports. For the rare times that it has been 100% USB-C, it's made a noticeable difference. Similarly, I would like a future for 100% IPv6, but we will never get there because the world's core services have been set up on IPv4 and there isn't enough political will to shift the decentralized community. If core infra sees a client try to connect from IPv6, it will expect the client to bridge through to IPv4 somehow. It might be like this for a hundred years or more. If only IPv6 had come just a little bit sooner...

tehbeard 5y ago
I don't see it as matching the situation with USB-C. USB-C has way, way too many subtypes (Power delivery, Displayport over USB-C, Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Gen-2x2.6467764, USB-C form factor but only wired for USB 2.0/3.0) and needs "smart" cables to make half these work (which, while only some resistors, still means a manufactuer has to weight spending on resistors vs just on copper and plugs) and for most use cases "2.0 micro-B" works well enough. IPv6 instead is slow to adopt because there is a LOT of infastructure (almost like it's a global spanning network) that needs upgrading, and companies will absolutely wring out the value of their original IPv4 purchases as long as possible before spending on upgrades.
- usui 5y ago
  I feel like it wouldn't be too hard to come up with software IP-equivalents analogies to the USB-C woes you mentioned, don't you think so? Not really the same, but relatable in terms of entrenchment and adoption speed? I agree that IPv6 adoption will be made even more difficult by the fact that companies will try their hardest to hold onto IPv4 and the money associated with it.

by usui 5y ago

tehbeard 5y ago

I don't see it as matching the situation with USB-C. USB-C has way, way too many subtypes (Power delivery, Displayport over USB-C, Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Gen-2x2.6467764, USB-C form factor but only wired for USB 2.0/3.0) and needs "smart" cables to make half these work (which, while only some resistors, still means a manufactuer has to weight spending on resistors vs just on copper and plugs) and for most use cases "2.0 micro-B" works well enough. IPv6 instead is slow to adopt because there is a LOT of infastructure (almost like it's a global spanning network) that needs upgrading, and companies will absolutely wring out the value of their original IPv4 purchases as long as possible before spending on upgrades.

usui 5y ago
I feel like it wouldn't be too hard to come up with software IP-equivalents analogies to the USB-C woes you mentioned, don't you think so? Not really the same, but relatable in terms of entrenchment and adoption speed? I agree that IPv6 adoption will be made even more difficult by the fact that companies will try their hardest to hold onto IPv4 and the money associated with it.