... for the most part (net-neutrality issues aside).

The companies which end up "controlling" parts of it's evolution only end up doing so because market-share allowed them to. That market-share isn't just some meaningless buzzword! That's *us* ... voting with our wallets.

It's because they don't have to. The spooks have backdoors in most algorithms, there's no need to crack anything when you can simply decode it because it was sent using an algorithm whose creators were strong-armed by you.

Some fun reading if you're the skeptical type:Here and here.

And hordes of movie execs suddenly cried out in unison:

but... but... THREE DEE MAN!!! THREE DEE!!

On an unrelated note - I heartily agree with your sentiment. The gimmicks should augment the movie.. they shouldn't be the movie.

... pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

It almost seems like the minister thinks that net neutrality is about the single/home user ("power-user" or otherwise) vs. the corporation, and that this is all about ISPs trying to get big companies to pay more than the single/home user for their internet usage. Either that, or he's trying to make the average voter think that that's the crux of the issue. The problem is that abolishing net-neutrality would make perfect sense if that was what was actually going on!

I can't help but wonder if this isn't a bit of misdirection or misinformation directed at the masses for the purposes of getting a bill (likely rife with kickback potential) passed.

I always thought these were kind of a neat idea: Kinetic Harpoon

Unfortunately, I don't know what a better alternative is. Personally, I try and stick with C (and have recently started to enjoy programming in Objective-C; Crazy, I know). But I would feel terrible for anyone forced to program in that language.

It'd be like forcing everyone to drive an Alfa Romeo... sure, some guys get off on that sort of thing (in the same way that I love C), but most sane people don't... I think...