I take offense to this kind of thing. I live in northern Alberta, and my ISP, Telus, recently began blocking a wide range of ports, most of which I had previously noticed heavy worm activity on. So I must presume that is their rationale behind filtering these ports.
But this worm activity didn't bother me, since I have my machine properly secured. It's none of my concern if some people don't.
Now I feel as if I don't have a REAL TCP/IP connection to the internet. I have 65355 ports on my TCP/IP stack that I should be able to use, as I please. But I no longer can, because of this. I run an HTTP server as a testing ground for some of my web projects, and an FTP server so my friends can transfer files to and from my machine. And I'd like other people on the internet to be able to access these ports, since that's what the internet DOES. That's what it's for.
If I wanted a private company to dictate how I could use my computer and my internet connection, I would be a regular Microsoft customer.
Admittedly, this situation is a little different than the one in the article - since comcast only blocked port 25 of computers known to be transmitting spam. But the situation with Telus is a blanket filtering of these ports for all DSL users, which I completely disagree with, and it actually angers me. Now I have to find a new service provider, and believe me, this isn't easy in the small community where I live.
But you're forgetting that with open-source, the 'average user' can hire ANY programmer who is familiar with the software, hell, any programmer who ISN'T familiar... he can become familiar by looking at the source.
With Windows, you're locked down to MS' (pretty terrible) support.
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I'm finding it easier to imagine a Beowulf cluster of ClusterKnoppix CD's. But then, I've never had much of an imagination.
Why does no one mod this man up?
That's the most brilliant idea I've heard on Slashdot, ever.
I've been noticing a lot of Spinal Tap references lately...
Let's please stop before this gets out of hand.
Virus, or bacteria? That's a pretty important distinction.
I don't think a virus is technically a living organism.
- Why don't they outlaw bongs, as they are mostly used for an illegal activity?
That's not entirely true. I know of plenty of Arabs who smoke argili (sp?), a flavored tobacco, in water pipes. Completely legal.Dead serious.
You're not serious, are you?
I take offense to this kind of thing. I live in northern Alberta, and my ISP, Telus, recently began blocking a wide range of ports, most of which I had previously noticed heavy worm activity on. So I must presume that is their rationale behind filtering these ports. But this worm activity didn't bother me, since I have my machine properly secured. It's none of my concern if some people don't. Now I feel as if I don't have a REAL TCP/IP connection to the internet. I have 65355 ports on my TCP/IP stack that I should be able to use, as I please. But I no longer can, because of this. I run an HTTP server as a testing ground for some of my web projects, and an FTP server so my friends can transfer files to and from my machine. And I'd like other people on the internet to be able to access these ports, since that's what the internet DOES. That's what it's for. If I wanted a private company to dictate how I could use my computer and my internet connection, I would be a regular Microsoft customer. Admittedly, this situation is a little different than the one in the article - since comcast only blocked port 25 of computers known to be transmitting spam. But the situation with Telus is a blanket filtering of these ports for all DSL users, which I completely disagree with, and it actually angers me. Now I have to find a new service provider, and believe me, this isn't easy in the small community where I live.
But you're forgetting that with open-source, the 'average user' can hire ANY programmer who is familiar with the software, hell, any programmer who ISN'T familiar... he can become familiar by looking at the source.
With Windows, you're locked down to MS' (pretty terrible) support.
But it's not the measurement or observation that's changing the result... it's the filters. Big difference.
Whoops, didn't mean to make the above post as Anonymous Coward... simply typed in my password wrong. Anonymous Idiot, maybe, but not Coward.
hotway does the same thing, for Hotmail. Haven't tried it myself, but my brother has told me he's really quite satisfied with it.