[PLUG] Google going Evil

[King Beowulf]

On 07/30/2013 02:17 PM, Michael Rasmussen wrote:
> Yes, capital E Evil
> 
> In a dramatic about-face on a key internet issue yesterday, Google 
> told the FCC that the network neutrality rules Google once
> championed don’t give citizens the right to run servers on their
> home broadband connections, and that the Google Fiber network is
> perfectly within its rights to prohibit customers from attaching
> the legal devices of their choice to its network.
> 
> http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/07/google-neutrality/
> 

Actually, this is more of a case of the FCC being wishy-washy with
their regulations. To date, "network neutrality" has not been truly
defined:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-10-201A1.pdf

So lets not fly off the handle.

Under the laws of the USA, any service provider (internet or
otherwise) can restrict the uses of their "product"  based on the
needs of their business.  Yes, even, and especially, a small ISP, not
just Google, needs to worry about some users hogging bandwidth so that
other customers have trouble using the service.  Even a restaurant can
restrict the definition or "all you can eat."

A less sensationalistic report is here:
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/07/google-we-can-ban-servers-on-fiber-without-violating-net-neutrality/

That said, It's still a bum deal - if you want to run a server.  99%
don't. And, this is what Comcast, Verizon, ATT, and any number of big
or small ISPs gave done for years.

So, before we assume Google is Evil, perhaps consider the sad state of
true broadband in the USA.  With Google's push into true 21st Century
data speeds, they may just be forcing the FCC and Congress to get off
their collective arses.  Nothing gets things moving faster than irate
taxpayers!