Network Neutrality

[toxins]

I know many of you are computer savy and even career types (with computers). I recently saw a new spam email about Network Neutrality. Does this even exist? I checked snopes about the topic but they said research in progress. Anyway know what's up?
Give me the truth or debunk the myth please!
word, toxins

EDIT: The snopes link now has updated

Comments

[foozini]

http://politics.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/04/25/1729214

Found one for ya...

[toxins]

Any thoughts?

[chron_job]

http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3601406... )

[toxins]

That makes sense, thanx. Crazy eh?

[oldgrue]

1. Consumers are entitled to access the lawful Internet content of their choice;

Easy to provide, speed or reliability *technically* aren't covered. Also, your contract with your ISP is "subject to change without notice" and subject to their Acceptable Use Policy.

2. Consumers are entitled to run applications and services of their choice, subject to the needs of law enforcement;

"needs of law enforcement" are...subjective at best. This provision allows backdoors of all kinds to be written into software, and, makes personal encryption functionally illegal.

3. Consumers are entitled to connect their choice of legal devices that do not harm the network;

Connect a computer, break the law. If one has admin rights to their machine, they can harm a network.

4. Consumers are entitled to competition among network providers, application and service providers, and content providers.

Entitled? When exactly did this need to be stated? MCI/Worldcom, now ATT/SBC - this is going to go poorly for the consumer.

[toxins]

I'm glad you weighed in on this...

[fountaingirl]

I already signed an online petition about this.

[toxins]

I'm trying to check if it's legit.

On network neutrality -

[oldgrue]

Here's the scoop, from a technical skeptic's point of view

Re: On network neutrality -

[toxins]

There...the boiler plate version once again...thanx.

[knobody]

if i own the copper/fiber and i own the computers, why should i be forced to let someone outside my system use it for free? i'm not saying that the tiered internet would be a good thing, but a private company should be able to do with their property what they please as long as it doesn't harm someone. one could argue that blocking or slowing certain users (ems, hospitals, the jack-booted thug state) does pose a harm, but to the average mouse potato we have access only because it's good business. the alternative is the government taking over the infrastructure. you see how good this is for the roads. judge for yourself.