I was listening to this on CSPAN today. There is a bill called the "Internet Freedom Preservation Act" floating around that makes it so that internet providers can not block internet users from going to particular websites. I didn't know that internet providers were able to do this, but supposedly Comcast has been doing it. Comcast says they are doing nothing wrong. This article explains a little more.

http://newsblaze.com/story/20080506095814t...S/Business.html



I am for it! Free/open internet!

Basically it has to do with the amount of traffic in some cases. Companies can set a speed at which you can egt something so if they think you downloading files they can slow you down or block your access. The actual term is "net Neutrality" meaning all traffic should be equal in how companies treat your accessing it.

Yeah it isn't hard to find major complaints against Comcast for blocking content or cutting bandwidth. I use torrent programs and they really limit, almost kill, bandwidth if they detect your using a torrent program. But there are ways around them.

They advertise speed boost but your file better not be huge because the speed boost is limited to so many MB's.

Comcast is a major rip off in so many ways. If it wasn't for long term contracts with dish I would switch and get DSL. Even through over 600kbps downloads are nice in torrent programs. LOL

I do remember something about Bit Torrent, and people taking up bandwidth. Why shouldn't we be allowed to take up as much as we want, we pay $60 a month for it.

If you have any uneducated neighbors with wireless networks just buy a repeater and use their internet. LOL I have 6 networks at my house only 4 are setup with encrpytion.

Better be careful old Leroy Myers will be looking to send you to the pokey for that.

I'd have no problem with somebody being charged with a crime for unauthorized access to my bandwidth. It's the equivalent of hooking your hose to my outside spigot and stealing water, another service we pay for.

I think it is ridiculous to charge someone for accessing the internet. The reason I say this is you have the ability to block that access. If you choose to broadcast the connection and not restrict it, it is your fault. Now if you do restrict it and someone cracks it yes they should be charged. Look at it this way, if you decorate your house for Christmas you can't then go around saying someone should be charged with a crime for looking. The analogy of the hose doesn't work. There they have to come on your property the wireless connection they don't. Your connection is actually entering their house so maybe .....

Logically, I realize you're probably correct about an unsecured signal. That doesn't mean I believe it's right, so....

Internet is a service I pay for. If I leave it unlocked, that gives you the right to use it? Now that is ridiculous. You're accessing something you didn't pay for and have no right to use. The stupidity of leaving your signal unsecured doesn't entitle others to use it. As for your analogy, when you can use the light cast by my Christmas decorations to commit crimes like you can with my internet access, your analogy might be applicable.

This is a debate that often gets heated on the more nerdy forums of the world. I don't worry too much about it because after a brief period of wireless security ignorance years ago, I'm secured. They really have made it idiot-proof easy to set up security, so there's no excuse not to use it.

You would be surprised how many people still don't set it up. I always end up being the one to set it up for my friends that are technically challenged but there isn't an excuse.

Of course you can always go with the old-fashioned hard-wired home network.

Net neutrality would definitely be nice. I'm pretty sure I have caught Antietam Cable throttling back my connection at times when I have been downloading files. I have to be careful not to have too many downloads going at once or I could swear that suddenly my connection gets absolutely strangled.

So if you had your hose laying on my property and water running out why wouldn't it be wise to move the hose around and water my lawn. heehee

BTW folks I don't steal my bandwidth so no pokey for me.