Shutting down the internet??

[Mahone]

You could always use linux then. :)

Hence my earlier suggestion of doing so :) As it is, I actually use windows. I'm not paranoid enough to believe the american government hack into every computer using windows just for the sake of doing so. I have nothing to hide and therefore nothing they want. I'm just saying I believe they have the capability of doing it.

[LittleWyvern]

Hence my earlier suggestion of doing so :) As it is, I actually use windows. I'm not paranoid enough to believe the american government hack into every computer using windows just for the sake of doing so. I have nothing to hide and therefore nothing they want. I'm just saying I believe they have the capability of doing it.

I don't think the government has a backdoor in windows either, but linux runs way faster on my old laptop than vista, so I use it all the time

[Mahone]

I don't think the government has a backdoor in windows either, but linux runs way faster on my old laptop than vista, so I use it all the time

Well they provide enough backdoors for everyone else (hence the several service packs for each operating system ). Even if microsoft don't go to the government and say "here is a backdoor", the government have the windows source code, it doesn't take much to find one.

Edited April 6, 2009 by Mahone

[a-train]

Wha? The key concept of net neutrality is keeping the government and internet service providers from regulating the internet. Explain to me how keeping the government's regulation of the internet at the bare minimum somehow helps the government take over the internet. You may want to read the wikipedia page again.

The bill gives government explicit authority to regulate ISPs. How does that prevent government regulation? It IS government regulation.

If government steps in and regulates things, how will they regulate them? Will they give penniless, no-name, mom-and-pop sites an edge over corporate interests paying the big-bucks to lobbyists and contributing to campaigns?

The basis of the bill is that ISPs will supposedly cause competitive sites to be unavailable or to load very slowly. An example would be Time Warner's ISP not allowing their customers to access AT&T's ISP site. The reality is that government intervention is not necessary to curtail such activity. The additional expense and the loss of business precipitated by it is itself enough to prevent ISPs from engaging the practice.

I don't believe the fear-mongering liars telling me the evil corporations are trying to limit internet activity and build fast-lanes to paying sister corporations while blocking mom-and-pop sites. That is all complete balogna. If you experience limitations from your ISP, call them and tell them. If they don't fix the situtation to your liking, go to one of their competitors.

The fact is, the ISP business is extremely competitive and the ISPs are looking to provide the best service they can in order to keep market share. The whole lie about them working on a "Tony Soprano" business model is simply ridiculous. ISPs are trying to sell whatever paying customers want. Have you ever heard an add that said: "We slow down your internet experience", or "We give you only the best of the internet and keep you from going to websites we don't like".

There IS a regulator that every business fears far worse than government: the MARKET.

-a-train

Edited April 9, 2009 by a-train

[trulykiwi]

I don't believe the fear-mongering liars telling me the evil corporations are trying to limit internet activity and build fast-lanes to paying sister corporations while blocking mom-and-pop sites. That is all complete balogna. If you experience limitations from your ISP, call them and tell them. If they don't fix the situtation to your liking, go to one of their competitors.

The fact is, the ISP business is extremely competitive and the ISPs are looking to provide the best service they can in order to keep market share. The whole lie about them working on a "Tony Soprano" business model is simply ridiculous. ISPs are trying to sell whatever paying customers want. Have you ever heard an add that said: "We slow down your internet experience", or "We give you only the best of the internet and keep you from going to websites we don't like".

There IS a regulator that every business fears far worse than government: the MARKET.

-a-train

I think people believe too much that the buck stops at the government, that is half the problem here I think!