The thing that's always confused me about the "big bandwidth hogs should pay more" argument is this:  Aren't the "big bandwidth hogs" already paying for their bandwidth?  What other business in the world charges more for using their product in quantity?  "Sir, although you pay the toll on this toll road for every vehicle the same as everyone else you use it far more than most people so we are going to charge you more because we are money grubbing bastards." Plus it's not like Google et al is broadcasting their data to the network at large, people request the data from them.  Aren't the people requesting the data also paying for the bandwidth? So by my casual figuring isn't the bandwidth used by the "big bandwidth hogs" already paid for twice?  Once by the "hog" and once by the requester? Didn't the "fortune" that was spent building the networks come from the revenue streams generated by the fees end-users and "big bandwidth hogs" pay?  Plus, AT&T and Verizon Communications *own* the network.  We pay strictly for the time we get to use the network but they get to keep the cash cow and suck money off of it forever. Where is the error in my logic? <div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Feb 27, 2008 at 7:00 AM, <<a href="mailto:linux-user-request@egr.msu.edu">linux-user-request@egr.msu.edu</a>> wrote: <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> Send linux-user mailing list submissions to        <a href="mailto:linux-user@egr.msu.edu">linux-user@egr.msu.edu</a> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit        <a href="http://mailman.egr.msu.edu/mailman/listinfo/linux-user" target="_blank">http://mailman.egr.msu.edu/mailman/listinfo/linux-user</a> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to        <a href="mailto:linux-user-request@egr.msu.edu">linux-user-request@egr.msu.edu</a> You can reach the person managing the list at        <a href="mailto:linux-user-owner@egr.msu.edu">linux-user-owner@egr.msu.edu</a> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of linux-user digest..." Today's Topics:   1. Network Neutrality (Stanley C. Mortel) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:56:25 -0500 From: "Stanley C. Mortel" <<a href="mailto:mortel@cyber-nos.com">mortel@cyber-nos.com</a>> Subject: [GLLUG] Network Neutrality To: <a href="mailto:linux-user@egr.msu.edu">linux-user@egr.msu.edu</a> Message-ID: <<a href="mailto:5.2.1.1.1.20080226195054.00bedf40@pop.cyber-nos.com">5.2.1.1.1.20080226195054.00bedf40@pop.cyber-nos.com</a>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed I realize this is semi-OT, but the issue is clearly important and is a close cousin to FOSS. <a href="http://www1.sans.edu/resources/leadershiplab/network_neutrality.php" target="_blank">http://www1.sans.edu/resources/leadershiplab/network_neutrality.php</a> It is well worth the read.  Some excerpts: AT&T and Verizon Communications announced their desire in 2006 to create a tiered Internet system that would require big bandwidth hogs like Google or Yahoo to pay more for their access The network builders are spending a fortune constructing and maintaining the networks that Google intends to ride on with nothing but cheap servers. Fundamentally, net neutrality is about equal access to the Internet. Vinton Cerf, a man who really did help invent the Internet, gave the following testimony, "Allowing broadband carriers to control what people see and do online would fundamentally undermine the principles that have made the Internet such a success. For the foreseeable future most Americans will face little choice among broadband carriers. Enshrining a rule that permits carriers to discriminate in favor of certain kinds or sources of services would place those carriers in control of online activity." **************************** Stan Mortel <a href="mailto:mortel@cyber-nos.com">mortel@cyber-nos.com</a> **************************** ------------------------------ _______________________________________________ linux-user mailing list <a href="mailto:linux-user@egr.msu.edu">linux-user@egr.msu.edu</a> <a href="http://mailman.egr.msu.edu/mailman/listinfo/linux-user" target="_blank">http://mailman.egr.msu.edu/mailman/listinfo/linux-user</a> End of linux-user Digest, Vol 58, Issue 34 ****************************************** </blockquote></div> -- There are 10 types of people in the world--those who know binary and those who don't.  (DoLooper)