For instance, Thomas Jefferson gave probably the best description of the public good nature of information when he said “He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.” (quoted by Summers (2000, p 2)).
Some of the characteristics of the New Economy are variants on the old “economies of scale”. But this does not diminish the motivation of producers to become monopolists. 1  And, of course, the Internet began as a public-sector (US Defence Department) project.