Customer: Hello ESPN360.com, I can't watch your sports anymore. ESPN360: We're sorry, but your ISP has not paid for access. Please contact Comcast to complain. Customer: But the rest of the internet is working fine. ESPN360: We're sorry, but your ISP has not paid for access. Please contact Comcast to complain. Customer: Are you even listening to me? ESPN360: We're sorry, but your ISP has not paid for access. Please contact Comcast to complain. Customer: (sigh) I guess I need to call Comcast. Or switch to Verizon DSL.
Verizon gained a lot of customers because of this. And now Comcast has caved, and they started paying ESPN360.com for access. Ditto Disneyconnection.com. I suspect after complaints or losing customers, Comcast would cave on netflix.com too
These aren't corporations. And this is not a free market. They are monopolies and monopolies need to *directly* regulated (i.e. price fixed), so they don't abuse their customers. See your local phone and electricity monopoly for examples.
>>>Netflix and similar get the revenue, but Comcast gets the cost.
Yeah. And? If Comcast doesn't like it, they are free to (1) hand the network back to the city or county government that owns it, or (2) raise their internet rates to support upgrading lines to handle the load. Just as gas companies raise their prices when demand goes up (like summer vacations).
Comcast is a business and and they should either "man up" and stop bitching. Or quit. I'm sure Google or Apple would love to have a government-created monopoly over local neighborhoods, and buy-out Comsucks. The CC execs can go retire.
Which is why Comcast and other ISPs starting charging a Per Gigabyte rate (after you exceed their cap). If customers want to watch videos online, then they'll just have to pay the additional expense of that "tremendous amount of bandwidth". Or else watch less.
BTW I think it's time for an ATT-type breakup for Comcast, Time-warner, and other monopolies.
You should have done what FOX and NBC have done in the past - Cut off Comcast. When that happens the customers invariably blame the cable company for being greedy, not the broadcasters or Level 3 or netflix
Then Comcast would be forced to stop banning netflix, else risk losing customers.
This is not a citation. This is hearsay. A citation would link to the actual law, or quotes from the law, that state "Congress shall grant XX billion to ATT, et al for the purpose of installing fiber." or somehting along those lines. All you did was link to an OPINION that has nothing to back it up.
I'd sooner play Breakout on an Atari 800 (1979) or Commodore 64 (1982).
Plus these computers still get support (well the C64 does) such that you could use it on the modern internet or do word processing, spreadhseets, etc. Apples can't. Also I remember using 8-bit Apples in school and not really liking them. The lack of good sound & graphics felt dull compared to what Atari and Commodore were doing at the time.
The author hires someone to review his book, and of course the review will be extremely positive. Like that guy did for his "Second Principia" textbook which was really a pile of trash written by a nomad.
If you read the Actual 1996 Bill it says companies must upgrade to 56k Digital lines (which was considered very fast in the mid-90s). It says almost nothing about fiber. So the companies did *exactly* what Congress told them to do.
What the hell kind of moderation is that? And I see I got that thrice on this thread. Way to damage my karma (and thereby suspend me from making posts for one day). If you disagree with what I said about Congress mandating POTS to DSL upgrades, then click the "reply" button and say "I disagree."
Don't go-round damaging people with negative mod hits.
>>>Opera is not the first browser to implement tabs.
Not the first overall, but it was the first on Windows PC, Mac, or Linux.
First there was Mosaic/Ibrowse for the innovative and advanced Commodore Amiga in 1999, and then Opera in 2000 (with the release of version 4). Prior to that Opera did not use tabs but instead used a tiled interface to open several pages at the same time. So Opera was innovative in that respect as well. See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MultiTorg_Opera.png
Those who say Opera has no relevance simply have no clue. Opera invents and others (firefox, chrome, ie) copy.
Cellphone providers are more of a Free market than the cable/phone duopoly. I think I have 8 wireless choices in my area, and they all compete against one another just as the old Dialup ISPs used to do.
As for contracts: They are easy to escape. When they send you a Notice of change of terms, you can immediately terminate the contract on the basis you don't accept the New changed contract. -or- You could sign-on with a non-contract service like VirginMobile so you don't feel trapped. I could quit them anytime I desire.
And also quantity pricing. If I buy one shirt at my local store it's $15 but if I buy two then it's $25. Likewise when my electricity use drops in winter, the price goes up to ~11 cents/KWhr but in summer I go above the ~1000KWhr level and the overall price drops to 9.5 cents per.
I imagine the same is true with the internet. The more speed you buy, the less you pay per Mb/s. In my case I get 750k for $15 but if I upgraded to 7000k I would not pay $150. I'd pay $35.
It used to be 128k based on the old ISDN broadband of the 1990s. But now it's been increased to 2000 kbit/s.
BTW I agree in principle that if you choose to live in no man's land, you must face the consequences (no internet, no cell service, etc) but IF the obama government insists upon providing broadband for all, then let's do it as cheaply as possible. i.e. No digging of trenches for new lines, but simply upgrade the existing POTS to DSL.
>>>Why should they pay for my choice to live in the boonies?
The phone company doesn't have to. They are welcome to hand the govt-granted monopoly back to the government, and retire. POINT: If you accept the privilege of a monopoly, you must also accept the consequences and strings, such as upgrading Alaskans & other rural homes to DSL (or high-speed equivalent).
>>>the DSLAM needs to go in a cabinet on a roadside somewhere
And you don't think if I lived in Cow Corner Iowa, and requested a phone to DSL upgrade, my local company could get the DSLAM Cabinet installed within a year's time??? I think they could. And no you don't really need planning permission out in the middle-of-nowhere (no planning boards) and/or if the cabinet is attached to the phone company's pole (they have right of way).
I know people who are stuck on 50k and they'd be THRILLED if congress passed the law requiring the upgrade to DSL (or other high-speed equivalent), since it would represent a ~20 times increase to gain DSL.
It's hard to enter space when the government has conveniently made it illegal (in order to protect the NASA monopoly).
Companies are allowed to launch satellites for TV and Radio, but nothing else. No shots to the moon or Mars, or space tourism. Originally the government claimed it was to necessary because of the Cold War and fear of Russkies, but now it's strictly to block growth of the market.
I'll probably be waiting a long time. It's only been three years since they upgraded my phone lines to handle DSL. It'll probably be a long time 'til they upgrade them to fiber.
I think Congress could help too. Simple mandate, through the FCC, that phone companies MUST provide DSL (or cable or fiber) to any customer that requests DSL. And then give them a one-year-limit to do the upgrade. No person should have to be stuck on 50k internet.
>>>Any browser that doesn't support Adblock is quite useless.
I don't use adblock. I think if I'm blocking the ads then I'm doing the equivalent of stealing service from the Website Sysop. I'd rather see the ads, and help the owner pay his bills.
By the way SeaMonkey has a lot of the same problems as Opera. There are many addons available in Firefox, but not available in SeaMonkey, even though they both use the same base (Mozilla Gecko 5). Developers aim for the largest targets (windows and Firefox) while ignoring the lesser-used programs.
What's the difference between the old Widgets and the new extensions? I found a lot of useful widgets like Youtube video downloaders and Image zooms..... do I have to stop using them now & find a new Extension?
Slashdot Mirror
More like this (from last year):
Customer: Hello ESPN360.com, I can't watch your sports anymore.
ESPN360: We're sorry, but your ISP has not paid for access. Please contact Comcast to complain.
Customer: But the rest of the internet is working fine.
ESPN360: We're sorry, but your ISP has not paid for access. Please contact Comcast to complain.
Customer: Are you even listening to me?
ESPN360: We're sorry, but your ISP has not paid for access. Please contact Comcast to complain.
Customer: (sigh) I guess I need to call Comcast. Or switch to Verizon DSL.
Verizon gained a lot of customers because of this. And now Comcast has caved, and they started paying ESPN360.com for access. Ditto Disneyconnection.com. I suspect after complaints or losing customers, Comcast would cave on netflix.com too
These aren't corporations.
And this is not a free market.
They are monopolies and monopolies need to *directly* regulated (i.e. price fixed), so they don't abuse their customers. See your local phone and electricity monopoly for examples.
>>>Netflix and similar get the revenue, but Comcast gets the cost.
Yeah.
And?
If Comcast doesn't like it, they are free to (1) hand the network back to the city or county government that owns it, or (2) raise their internet rates to support upgrading lines to handle the load. Just as gas companies raise their prices when demand goes up (like summer vacations).
Comcast is a business and and they should either "man up" and stop bitching. Or quit. I'm sure Google or Apple would love to have a government-created monopoly over local neighborhoods, and buy-out Comsucks. The CC execs can go retire.
>>>uses a tremendous amount of bandwidth
Which is why Comcast and other ISPs starting charging a Per Gigabyte rate (after you exceed their cap). If customers want to watch videos online, then they'll just have to pay the additional expense of that "tremendous amount of bandwidth". Or else watch less.
BTW I think it's time for an ATT-type breakup for Comcast, Time-warner, and other monopolies.
You should have done what FOX and NBC have done in the past - Cut off Comcast. When that happens the customers invariably blame the cable company for being greedy, not the broadcasters or Level 3 or netflix
Then Comcast would be forced to stop banning netflix, else risk losing customers.
How is my comment about raising prices and/or using the Universal Service Fund, deserving of a "flamebait" mod?
This is not a citation.
This is hearsay. A citation would link to the actual law, or quotes from the law, that state "Congress shall grant XX billion to ATT, et al for the purpose of installing fiber." or somehting along those lines. All you did was link to an OPINION that has nothing to back it up.
I'd sooner play Breakout on an Atari 800 (1979) or Commodore 64 (1982).
Plus these computers still get support (well the C64 does) such that you could use it on the modern internet or do word processing, spreadhseets, etc. Apples can't. Also I remember using 8-bit Apples in school and not really liking them. The lack of good sound & graphics felt dull compared to what Atari and Commodore were doing at the time.
Oh I see.
You're talking about the ANNUAL return on investment, not the overall 34 year ROI. Now I see where the 18% came from.
You know the type:
The author hires someone to review his book, and of course the review will be extremely positive. Like that guy did for his "Second Principia" textbook which was really a pile of trash written by a nomad.
That blog is LYING to you.
If you read the Actual 1996 Bill it says companies must upgrade to 56k Digital lines (which was considered very fast in the mid-90s). It says almost nothing about fiber. So the companies did *exactly* what Congress told them to do.
Blame Congress not the corporations.
They promised fiber in 1993 and charged us for it?
Bull. Citation please else we'll simply choose not to believe you.
-1 Overrated.
What the hell kind of moderation is that? And I see I got that thrice on this thread. Way to damage my karma (and thereby suspend me from making posts for one day). If you disagree with what I said about Congress mandating POTS to DSL upgrades, then click the "reply" button and say "I disagree."
Don't go-round damaging people with negative mod hits.
How is my comment about raising prices and/or using the Universal Service Fund a "flamebait"?
Stupid mods.
>>>Opera is not the first browser to implement tabs.
Not the first overall, but it was the first on Windows PC, Mac, or Linux.
First there was Mosaic/Ibrowse for the innovative and advanced Commodore Amiga in 1999, and then Opera in 2000 (with the release of version 4). Prior to that Opera did not use tabs but instead used a tiled interface to open several pages at the same time. So Opera was innovative in that respect as well. See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MultiTorg_Opera.png
Those who say Opera has no relevance simply have no clue. Opera invents and others (firefox, chrome, ie) copy.
Cellphone providers are more of a Free market than the cable/phone duopoly. I think I have 8 wireless choices in my area, and they all compete against one another just as the old Dialup ISPs used to do.
As for contracts: They are easy to escape. When they send you a Notice of change of terms, you can immediately terminate the contract on the basis you don't accept the New changed contract. -or- You could sign-on with a non-contract service like VirginMobile so you don't feel trapped. I could quit them anytime I desire.
>>>Part of it is fixed costs -
And also quantity pricing. If I buy one shirt at my local store it's $15 but if I buy two then it's $25. Likewise when my electricity use drops in winter, the price goes up to ~11 cents/KWhr but in summer I go above the ~1000KWhr level and the overall price drops to 9.5 cents per.
I imagine the same is true with the internet. The more speed you buy, the less you pay per Mb/s. In my case I get 750k for $15 but if I upgraded to 7000k I would not pay $150. I'd pay $35.
>>>The problem with people in the boonies is that the cost to run the line will not be recouped
Raise the price then. Or use the funds from the USF tax.
And what new line? DSL uses the existing phone lines.
>>>over 33kbps
It used to be 128k based on the old ISDN broadband of the 1990s. But now it's been increased to 2000 kbit/s.
BTW I agree in principle that if you choose to live in no man's land, you must face the consequences (no internet, no cell service, etc) but IF the obama government insists upon providing broadband for all, then let's do it as cheaply as possible. i.e. No digging of trenches for new lines, but simply upgrade the existing POTS to DSL.
>>>Why should they pay for my choice to live in the boonies?
The phone company doesn't have to. They are welcome to hand the govt-granted monopoly back to the government, and retire. POINT: If you accept the privilege of a monopoly, you must also accept the consequences and strings, such as upgrading Alaskans & other rural homes to DSL (or high-speed equivalent).
>>>the DSLAM needs to go in a cabinet on a roadside somewhere
And you don't think if I lived in Cow Corner Iowa, and requested a phone to DSL upgrade, my local company could get the DSLAM Cabinet installed within a year's time??? I think they could. And no you don't really need planning permission out in the middle-of-nowhere (no planning boards) and/or if the cabinet is attached to the phone company's pole (they have right of way).
I know people who are stuck on 50k and they'd be THRILLED if congress passed the law requiring the upgrade to DSL (or other high-speed equivalent), since it would represent a ~20 times increase to gain DSL.
It's hard to enter space when the government has conveniently made it illegal (in order to protect the NASA monopoly).
Companies are allowed to launch satellites for TV and Radio, but nothing else. No shots to the moon or Mars, or space tourism. Originally the government claimed it was to necessary because of the Cold War and fear of Russkies, but now it's strictly to block growth of the market.
I'll probably be waiting a long time. It's only been three years since they upgraded my phone lines to handle DSL. It'll probably be a long time 'til they upgrade them to fiber.
I think Congress could help too. Simple mandate, through the FCC, that phone companies MUST provide DSL (or cable or fiber) to any customer that requests DSL. And then give them a one-year-limit to do the upgrade. No person should have to be stuck on 50k internet.
>>>Any browser that doesn't support Adblock is quite useless.
I don't use adblock. I think if I'm blocking the ads then I'm doing the equivalent of stealing service from the Website Sysop. I'd rather see the ads, and help the owner pay his bills.
By the way SeaMonkey has a lot of the same problems as Opera. There are many addons available in Firefox, but not available in SeaMonkey, even though they both use the same base (Mozilla Gecko 5). Developers aim for the largest targets (windows and Firefox) while ignoring the lesser-used programs.
What's the difference between the old Widgets and the new extensions? I found a lot of useful widgets like Youtube video downloaders and Image zooms..... do I have to stop using them now & find a new Extension?
I'm confused.