On 1/17/06, Maru Dubshinki <marudubshinki(a)gmail.com> wrote: I don't know about you, but I *already* have no choice but to pay for Internet access and other telecommunications services, so I really don't see what the big deal is. But maybe I'm missing something. "analogously, if someone offered you a totally free 512 bps Internet connection, would you take it?" I'm not sure what the point of this question is, but if it was an always-on connection hell yeah I'd take it. I'd love even just a 1 bps Internet connection just so I could send a short message to my computer from some other location to connect for real (or to determine its IP address, or whatever). But I'm one of those poor souls who can't currently get DSL. Anthony

GerardM wrote: I propose that if BellSouth go ahead with this stupid idea of theirs, we block access to all people connecting from BellSouth and tell them to switch their ISP. They will learn fast enough that their idea is stupid. Chris -- Chris Jenkinson chris(a)starglade.org "Mistrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful." -- Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra

It is not particularly about peering even tough it is a similar story. BellSouth wants to have an organisation like Apple pay for providing bandwith to its customers. This in turn means that by subscribing to an ISP you are giving it the "power" to abuse this final mile control. With South Africa it is different in that access to South Africa from American resources is relatively expensive. This can be negated by moving resources closer to Africa. It would be interesting to know what is more expensive, connecting Africa from Europe compared to connecting Africa from the USA. This could factor in where resources of the Wikimedia Foundation are located. We are according to Alexa the 19th website in the world. When we move because of schemes like this, it might be noticed. Thanks, GerardM On 1/18/06, Andy Rabagliati <andyr(a)wizzy.com> wrote: