SlashDot: "Comcast Gunning for NAT Users"

Fri Feb 1 16:59:02 UTC 2002

David Charlap <David.Charlap at marconi.com> writes:

> It's nothing short of hubris (on the part of both Microsoft and the
> ISPs) to assume that nobody ever uses a computer for more than web
> surfing.

When TCI cable was first rolling out high-speed Internet access in the
Bay Area, they at one point without notice throttled download speeds
to 128 Kb/s per customer in Fremont.  Customers hit the ceiling, and
the matter boiled over into a community meeting, where TCI explained
with a straight face that this step was necessary because customers
were "abusing" the network -- they were using it to do things like
*work from home*!  The collective response from attendees might be
paraphrased as "well, duh!"  TCI had to relent on this issue; but the
episode is telling as to the mindset, I think.

This also brings to mind John Perry Barlow's comment that "when these
people think interactive video means putting a 'buy this' button on
your remote control".

Jim Shankland