Net Neutrality

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 12:13 pm

If you're not up on current events, you need to know about the Net Neutrality issue. You know that you pay for an internet connection, and you know that the providers of net services are going to give preferential treatment to larger customers who pay more. Not really a problem these days. But the telcoms are pushing legislators for the right to charge providers of content for preference in prioritizing traffic, and take away the FCC power to regulate this. And if you're not paying this extortion money, then the packets you send may be slowed to a crawl. Interestingly enough, both Microsoft and Google are united against this effort, along with many others. Here's a link to a good article on the subject. There's some good points in the discussion that follows, too.

http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/62155/index.html

I'm not usually for adding government controls and regulations, but one thing that's often worse is an out-of-control monopolist.

Spinning Hat · Post by **Spinning Hat** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:28 pm

I've been reading quite a bit a bit about this issue, and I don't like it.. Think of how expensive it would become to play a game online, like WoW, or T2, or BF2? or even trying to surf the web on some no-name site... All that bandwidth.... and surfing at dialup speeds... not my idea of a great experience on the web, if you ask me.

XMEN Ashaman DTM · Post by **XMEN Ashaman DTM** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 12:27 am

People don't see the effects of their actions. I'd be okay with online sales to be taxed according to the state you are in, but not anything remotely close to what these companies are proposing.

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:51 pm

The people pushing DO see the results of their actions. Cha-ching, mostly.

XMEN Ashaman DTM · Post by **XMEN Ashaman DTM** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 6:24 pm

I'm talking about the lazy bastards that either don't care about this, or don't give any input into it.

People like the majority of Americans.

You hear more outcry over gay marriage, abortion rights, who the next American Idol is, and what the latest songs are than the important things. Granted, some of those topics are not frivolous, and one has been an issue for decades. The people that count (voters) don't care about things that are more important. (Things that will hit them in the wallet. Just like the tax breaks the President and Congress pushed for: they don't benefit the average american, unless they have most of their assets tied up in stocks/bonds.)

Though, I am somewhat biased. I got pissed off at Verizon one day. I decided I'd had enough: I switched to cable, disconnected my land line, and refused to pay for the overcharges that Verizon wants from me. They were charging me for DSL that I didn't have, gave me crap every two weeks when I'd get the chance to call to talk with the customer service folks who tried but could never get the problem fixed. Finally, after over a year, a senior supervisor got on the phone with me and told me that since Verizon's records only went back 6 months, they could not credit the charges for all of that time. That kind of stuff is pure extortion.

I've looked and it's on my credit report now. I still refuse to pay it. They can take me to court for all I care. I'm going to give them just as much hell as I always have.

BlackRider · Post by **BlackRider** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:09 pm

Aren't they required by law to keep records 5 (or was it 10) years? Or is that state law and not federal?

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:15 pm

You ought to at least dispute the issue with the credit agencies. In writing. If you don't dispute it you won't have much to stand on later.

XMEN Ashaman DTM · Post by **XMEN Ashaman DTM** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:23 pm

Oh, I've already contacted all three of them. It's a PITA.

DarkKnife · Post by **DarkKnife** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:50 am

DK walks in the door with a fro, black leather jacket, gloves, and tight pants and raises his fist.
"Power to the People!"
"We gots to make sure the Gov-er-ment works for the peeeople, not the greedy fat cats who only take that which is most dear to us. Freedom of Choice! Our birthrite as human beings! Can you DIG IT?!? Good now I gotta go change I got a hell of a weggie."

Signed the petition and sent out letters ot my Representive and Senators. Gonna talk to others I know about doing the same.

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 5:44 am

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060609-7025.html

The COPE act passed an important House vote, without the Net Neutrality amendment. Phooey.

Net Neutrality

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