isps

What does the file sharing strikeout mean to us?

In the ongoing war between file sharing and opposing organizations, we're constantly reminded by just how ridiculous some of the battles really are. Case in point: the "three strikes and you're out" regulation that has been flying around lawmaking bodies in Europe and now, possibly Canada.

According to the experts, lawmakers are desperately trying to find ways to stop file sharing and with the help of organizations that can't stand the thought of songs or movies being downloaded "illegally", they're doing everything they can to go after the wrong people. Simply put, the "Three strikes and you're out" policy stipulates that if an Internet user is caught file sharing three times, ISPs will be forced to terminate that subscriber.

"The policy - occasionally referred to as "graduated response" - received support last fall from French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who pressured the private sector to negotiate an agreement to implement the three strikes system," Michael Geist wrote in an article describing the rule. "The policy soon attracted global attention as the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia all announced that they were contemplating a similar approach."

As this policy spreads across the world, what can we expect from it? My guess: nothing.… Read more

Comcast walks away from Pivot

Comcast said Wednesday it has changed its mind on a joint wireless communication venture with Sprint-Nextel, according to a Reuters report.

The service, called Pivot, was begun as a partnership between the cable giant, Sprint, Time Warner, Cox Communications, and Advanced/Newhouse Communications in 2006. It offered a package of services, including TV, broadband, and both a landline and wireless phone service.

"We decided to discontinue the service because the product required a lot of operational complexities, so we decided it wasn't the approach we wanted for the long term," said a Comcast spokesperson.

Well, that's … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 704: Monster in Blue Jeans

I have never had so much fun reading a legal response than I did the note from the head of Blue Jeans Cables to Monster Cable. See the episode for the full story. We also determine that politicians across the world are nuts, and I'm not good math. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 704

Comcast to spearhead creation of P2P Bill of Rights http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/ 20080415-comcast-to-spearhead-creation-of-p2p-bill-of-rights.html

Defiant Psystar back selling Leopard computers http://www.news.com/8301-13579_3-9919432-37.html

So exactly who or what is Psystar? We dig a little http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/04/15/ so_exactly_who_or_what_is_psystar_we_dig_a_little.html… Read more

What does the future hold for BBC iPlayer?

It's been all go for the BBC's iPlayer service this week. First ISPs once again got their knickers in a bandwidth-related twist over the service swallowing all of their network capacity, then Nintendo announced that the streaming service will be available through the Wii. This is a fantastically exciting piece of news and is certain to severely upset some of the U.K.'s more highly strung Internet providers.

With support for the Wii being added, it can surely only be a matter of time before the Xbox 360 and PS3 can access the content too. And it'… Read more

Buzz Out Loud 697: Men behaving badly

In the news today, men are scamming and being scammed online, Jerry Yang (Yahoo) and Steve Ballmer (Microsoft) are getting nasty (in a legal-sounding way), the official Craigslist blog calls the unofficial Craigslist blog a deceptive text-ad-runner, and we ladies are just over here in the corner being nice to each other. Er, except the ones with the AVPR1a gene. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 697

Yahoo versus Microsoft: Thanks for the letter Steve; Now give us more money or get lost http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=8396 http://www.nypost.com/seven/04072008/business/ yahoo__sets_reply_to_microsoft_attack_105424.htm … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 696: So Say We All

Happy frakkin' Friday! BSG is back, we're recording in a studio other than our own, and Madonna sleeps with her BlackBerry. Ew. Also today, Craig cracks down on a Craigslist blog and a U.K. Internet service provider fights back against the filtering machine. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 696

Craigslist to fan blog: We want your domain, please http://www.news.com/8301-13577_3-9911446-36.html

Finally: Craigslist launches a blog of their own http://www.craigslistblog.org/2008/04/03/ finally-craigslist-launches-a-blog-of-their-own/

Study: More couch potatoes parked in front of PC to watch TV http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/ 20080404-study-more-couch-potatoes-parked-in-front-of-pc-to-watch-tv.html… Read more

Jim Griffin says ISP music tax only one possibility

The controversy over whether an internet service provider should charge for music is once again coming to a boil.

Pundits, music-industry insiders and members of the public are bashing Warner Music Group exec Jim Griffin after he acknowledged in a interview that he is working on a plan to collect music fees from consumers via their ISP bills.

I haven't seen backlash like this since rocker Trent Reznor told me in an interview two months ago that an ISP tax might be a good idea. It didn't matter to some that Reznor also made a seemingly conflicting statement … Read more

Warner Music's tune of folly

Guest post: Editor's note: Music attorney Chris Castle is all for finding a way to boost the music industry out of its current nosedive. But bundling music charges into ISP bills is not the way to go, he says.

Castle, a former executive at A&M Records and Sony Entertainment as well as a former attorney at Wilson Sonsini, one of Silicon Valley's most prestigious law firms, takes issue with a proposal making big headlines after it was outlined on Portfolio.com. Jim Griffin, a former executive at Geffen Records is working with Warner Music Group to … Read more