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Posted: **Thu Jun 28, 2007 8:14 pm**

From here.

Edited By GORDON on 1191271931

Posted: **Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:03 pm**

This is what happens when old, bribed motherfuckers get the power to make laws about shit that didn't exist before they became old, bribed motherfuckers.

Posted: **Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:20 pm**

And remember, in November 07 your Internets can be taxed.

Posted: **Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:32 pm**

This is like a textbook example of how to kill the new information medium.

Posted: **Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:51 pm**

SCOTUS: Price fixing by manufacturers is now legal.

It'll be a short term problem at worst, overall. Many retailers just won't carry anything with a fixed price. Some big retailers still will, but not enough to make it worth it for the manufacturer to do the fixing in the long run. The more stubborn manufacturers will end up losing significant market share before long.

FTC rejects net neutrality.

I think this one is good news. Sure, it'll be annoying as hell in the short run, but any inequality that has been identified will eventually be overcome by the market. This may be just the push needed to finally get the move to fat pipe wireless node networks going. Can't charge for a backbone when the internet goes democratic and everyone with a wireless router becomes a tiny piece of backbone unto themselves.

Sure, the tech is not quite there yet but it's very very close. All it really needs is market incentive, which hasn't been there as long as the backbones have been artificially price-reduced.

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I guess my bottom line is that I like it when companies and governments try to screw with the internet. Because in the end the power always vests in the people, and the internet is one arena where they will always eventually win. I'm hoping that eventually The Man will learn the lesson that more freedom is inevitable, and maybe take that lesson offline and stop trying to screw with our Real Lives so much.

Edited By TPRJones on 1183082214

Posted: **Fri Jun 29, 2007 1:07 am**

TPRJones wrote:I'm hoping that eventually The Man will learn the lesson that more freedom is inevitable, and maybe take that lesson offline and stop trying to screw with our Real Lives so much.

History & I believe such a thing to be highly improbable, nigh impossible.

Posted: **Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:46 am**

TPRJones wrote:I think this one is good news. Sure, it'll be annoying as hell in the short run, but any inequality that has been identified will eventually be overcome by the market. This may be just the push needed to finally get the move to fat pipe wireless node networks going. Can't charge for a backbone when the internet goes democratic and everyone with a wireless router becomes a tiny piece of backbone unto themselves.

I don't know about where you live, but here there's one dominant pipe, Road Runner. DSL is here, but it sux0rs. As long as most consumers don't have much choice in carrier, then the carriers have market power, and will be able to enforce that power upon others.

Eventually, it's possible we'll all have multiple capable providers and that market power will diminish. Until then, we're susceptible to the whims of the same people who think we don't want ala carte cable.

Posted: **Fri Jun 29, 2007 10:14 am**

Around here, it's either Comcast cable or Qwest DSL.

Posted: **Fri Jun 29, 2007 10:42 am**

Eventually, it's possible we'll all have multiple capable providers and that market power will diminish. Until then, we're susceptible to the whims of the same people who think we don't want ala carte cable.

I'm talking about when you no longer need a carrier, because each wireless router is talking to every other in a distributed network, and there is no need to be plugged directly into anything to have service. It's already being done to a limited extent in some parts of Europe, and the new OLPC program includes nodular networking.

It's not all that far away. The new long-range wireless standards (2 mi. range) that are on the very near horizon make it practical for most people. And it gets closer to becoming reality if the current backbone providers start causing problems and push the market into finding alternate solutions.

Edited By TPRJones on 1183128353

Posted: **Fri Jun 29, 2007 10:58 am**

Most people can't even figure out where to put oil in their cars, let alone how to deal w\ a wireless router.

Posted: **Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:02 am**

TPRJones wrote:
Eventually, it's possible we'll all have multiple capable providers and that market power will diminish. Until then, we're susceptible to the whims of the same people who think we don't want ala carte cable.
I'm talking about when you no longer need a carrier, because each wireless router is talking to every other in a distributed network, and there is no need to be plugged directly into anything to have service. It's already being done to a limited extent in some parts of Europe, and the new OLPC program includes nodular networking.

It's not all that far away. The new long-range wireless standards (2 mi. range) that are on the very near horizon make it practical for most people. And it gets closer to becoming reality if the current backbone providers start causing problems and push the market into finding alternate solutions.

The days of persistent, non-commercial mesh networks are far into the future. If ever.

Posted: **Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:46 pm**

TheCatt wrote:The days of persistent, non-commercial mesh networks are far into the future. If ever.

They'll be rolling out a non-persistent version in rural Africa later this year with the OLPCs. It's a good start.

If the current Neutrality crises passes without anything changing, I'd predict mesh networks to become common within 25 years. If the Neutrality crises goes poorly and providers start seriously screwing with everyone, then it'll be more like 5 years, 10 at the outside.

Edited By TPRJones on 1183135653

Posted: **Fri Jun 29, 2007 1:52 pm**

Shitty-ass Winblows has dominated the OS market for years now. The only thing that's remotely got a chance to make a dent is some form of very user friendly Linux. Even if that existed (no, it doesn't), I wouldn't relish the idea of going toe-to-toe w\ the big boys (or in this case, just Macroshaft).

Toppling several top level shitty-ass ISPs is even harder.

Posted: **Fri Jun 29, 2007 3:16 pm**

Malcolm wrote:The only thing that's remotely got a chance to make a dent is some form of very user friendly Linux. Even if that existed (no, it doesn't), I wouldn't relish the idea of going toe-to-toe w\ the big boys (or in this case, just Macroshaft).

What, just because it's hard to say Ubuntu that makes it an unfriendly linux?

Seriously, I hear what you're saying.

Posted: **Fri Jun 29, 2007 3:28 pm**

Ubuntu? Bleh. Hell, no. If someone put a gun to my head & made me pick a Linux flavour right now, it'd be Gentoo.

Posted: **Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:10 am**

'Net radio is getting a reprieve, for now...

http://blog.wired.com/music/2007/07/breaking-news-o.html

Posted: **Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:25 am**

This one sez a federal court denied a stay on royalties. So now I'm not sure what up.

http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news....2340366

Posted: **Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:32 am**

It makes more sense for SoundExchange to not enforce the fees and allow internet radio to remain on the air. If they enforce the fees and drive all these stations offline, then what? However, by letting them stay up and working out a fee they're ensuring a new stream of revenue.

Posted: **Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:55 am**

That would make sense, though. Since when has this whole situation been handled in a sensible manner?

I think if internet radio folded, the RIAA would be thrilled. As would the big record companies and of course traditional radio stations. They keep trying to shove everything back into the box, even though that's not possible.

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Bad week for the internet.