We are quickly reaching the end of the internet!

What does this mean for our online connected video game consoles? 
 
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/less-than-a-year-until-internet-addresses-run-dry-20100726-10r83.html  
 
Will there have to be firmware updates to switch to the new protocol when the time comes? 

...meh, we'll see when we get there.  All is good thus far.

Add another number to the end of IPs.
 
Solved.

The internet is too important to everything at this point to die. 
 
it won't happen. 
 
There will be a news article one day stating that they have switched over, no one will notice it, and we will all go on with our lives.

The world won't end in 2012, either.

Well, it was a good run while it lasted. I'll be missing you guys.

Well, this is why they are introducing the Ultranet. 
 
 Naw I just made that shit up.

Ugh they already fixed this...about 10 years ago. It's called IPv6.

Eh, IPv6 support is already pretty widespread and more than 10 years overdue...  It's not an actual problem, although it may hurt some people with IPv4 support if they don't upgrade.

192.168.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.2

You hear to many stories like these pop up all the time. Remember the millenium bug?

You thought Y2K was real too, didn't you?

hey guys, i heard that calinfornia has more internets. maybe we should all move there to use the internet. (south park reference)
 
there is going to be something that they will fix. we won't notice but internet people will notice. it is going to be an easy fix that will do.

" Add another number to the end of IPs.  Solved. "

" You thought Y2K was real too, didn't you? "

Oh noes, it's the end of the world, the sky is falling, run to your nearest bomb shelters.

 
Still i'll wait and see what happens, probally nothing.

" hey guys, i heard that calinfornia has more internets. maybe we should all move there to use the internet. (south park reference)  there is going to be something that they will fix. we won't notice but internet people will notice. it is going to be an easy fix that will do. "

Maybe Prince was onto something.

Pretty sure IPv6 has been around long enough to garner support from any recent device, and that every modern console has the ability to flash firmware anyway (well, minus the DS, but that thing doesn't even support modern wireless security).

I don't think its that big of a deal. Everyone will just convert to IPv6. If its needed I don't think costs will matter. I don't see a black market developing like the article says.

I read about something like that. They're talking about using the IPv6 tech, but we've been using that since XP. Apparently it took them 10 years to come to this conclusion.

When I clicked onto that link I was expecting a mainstream, fear-mongering, over-reactionary article spewing dribble but what I was actually met with was an intelligent article discussing problems realistically. This article is not even vaguely entertaining the idea that this is "the end of the internet". The exhaustion of the available addresses under the IPv4 system has been a foreseeable problem for years now and as the article says the solution is already out there, IPv6. The real issue here is whether all applications in the future will work with IPv6, whether sites and online service will make the upgrade in time and have the necessary resources to do so and whether services like ISPs will make their customers pay for the upgrades. To answer the question of whether there will need to be firmware updates; yes there will.

" Ugh they already fixed this...about 10 years ago. It's called IPv6. "

The internet is too big of a deal in my daily life for it to end, I won't let that happen.

Then we move onto IPv6

IPv6 motherfuckers. We's got more than just numbers. Letters bro. Letters.

That was an interesting read. Hopefully they can figure something out so it doesn't inconvenience anyone. 

IPv6 bro.

Only 4 billion? I'm honestly surprised that there aren't more than 4 Billion internet connected devices already. A quick count of the number that I have is 8 and I'm sure my situation isn't unique. For those who know tech how many devices are currently IPv6 compatible? Will there be a significant chunk of people whose computers are suddenly "offline" once the magic 4 billion mark is passed?

Well if we all stop using the internet alltogether.. Wait a minute.. If we stop being civilized and run out to the wild.. *thinks*
 
IT'S LIKE THE STONE AGE ANEW.

We would be a lot better off if half the IPv4 address space was not reserved for bullshit. For example Apple, Ford and Prudential have a whole /8 block (16.7 million addresses) each. This is down to a lack of foresight when the addresses were first allocated in the days before NAT and vhosts.
 
Some have given their addresses back. IANA has a list here if you're a massive geek.

I doubt the average Joe will even notice when they switch over to the newer system.

JESUS IT's Y2K ALL OVER AGAIN! BUY STOCK IN CANNED FOOD, DIAPERS, BABY FOOD, AND BOTTLED WATER!

This is the perfect time for me to introduce my latest invention, the outernet!

Thank God. Now things can get back to normal.

When developers go gold, it better be good, patches will be hell to come by.

Blah, blah, blah.

This thread is stupid. 

Didnt Obama pass a bill to shut off the internet?

America will just create an even better more awesomer internet, so there.