I understand your point, but at the same time, I don't want the same "it is like a series of tubes" guys mandating some airplane technology pushed by the highest campaign contribution either.
I think the metaphor of comparing internet bandwidth to pipes/tubes carrying water is perfectly apt. It seems like a very simple, direct and effective way to describe issues of bandwidth, connectivity, congestion and overall infrastructure.
I've never quite understood why we all pretended like that was a bad analogy. I guess just because it came out of the mouth of an old, white Republican.