Actually, it's more like you gave them the keys and said, "Come on in anytime you like, boys!" when enabling the auto-download feature. Whether or not they should have done it differently is a useful question, but (as you correctly pointed out) you have to enable auto-download manually. If someone did so and didn't realize that they were giving Apple carte blanche to rummage around in their device, that's thier mistake, not Apple's.

I'm not an Apple fan. I don't own any of their hardware, nor am I interested in purchasing any. I'm not even defending Apple's distribution choice in this case.

It just seems ridiculous to me that people are getting all mad at Apple about something that was in their control (again, as you and others have pointed out) all along.

Complaining about someone trying to do something nice for you (whether you want them too or not -- I guess you've never gotten a gift you didn't like -- as for not asking for it, the best gifts I've ever received were from people who just wanted to do something nice for me). It smacks of childish behavior, IMHO.

Complaining about ridiculous bullshit on /. That's real work!

This is just awful! Someone gave you a gift. It's unconscionable! How dare anybody give you a gift! Especially one that you don't like. And you can't even re-gift it. Apple is the worst company in the world!

If you don't like the music, don't listen to it. If you don't like that Apple can push content to your device, don't use Apple devices

I guess that on your birthday, when a relative gives you a gift you don't like, you yell at them and demand that they take it back because it's beneath you, huh?

Are you all a bunch of six year olds? EWWW! Bono has cooties! His music is touching my music! WAAAAHHHH! Please.

And if you're complaining (somehow) about Apple violating the sanctity of your music collection, then don't use iTunes.

Sigh.

Absolutely. Let's start with you. Seems reasonable to me. Do I hear a second?

My take is (regardless of the veracity of TFA) that Comcast has a vested interest in addressing "copyright violations" as their parent company owns a large stock of "intellectual property." If they can't tell whether or not you're "stealing" their IP because you're using TOR, they see that as taking food out of their mouths. Just sayin'.

I do not think it means what you think it means.

I disagree. The last mile connections should be a public/quasi-public non-profit utility, with ISPs paying fees to the utility to connect to the last mile. They can then compete with each other on price and features (including speed).

Please give me just one credible example where someone (anyone) is advocating that the "government take over the ISP business" in the US. It doesn't even have to be long and involved.

I'm not talking about the pervasive monitoring by the NSA, DOD and other government agencies. That's a different issue. A very important one that deserves our attention and needs to be fought vigoriously. But that shouldn't be diluted with some paranoid fantasy about the US government trying to nationalize ISPs.

Please. Just one real example. Thought so.

That's absurd on its face. "Anything" is a really broad term. "Comcast and their kind will murder babies in their cribs to fight Common Carrier status." "Comcast and their kind will enslave the residents of Teaneck, NJ to fight Common Carrier status." "Comcast and their kind will come to your house and force you to watch as they rape your daughters to fight Common Carrier status."

Why not use a bit less hyperbole and a little more constructive argument? How about, "Comcast is using its virtual monopoly status and huge resources to influence politicians, spread FUD and muddy the waters to fight common carrier status." That would be much more useful and might even suggest courses of action. Wasn't that easy?

This is what I thought of when reading your post:

I cannot overemphasize the importance of good grammar.

What a crock. I could easily overemphasize the importance of good
grammar. For example, I could say: "Bad grammar is the leading cause
of slow, painful death in North America," or "Without good grammar, the
United States would have lost World War II."

-- Dave Barry,

That's regulation. So, it's not regulation you're against, it's the Federal government encroaching on your civil liberties. Not all regulation is bad, and common carrier status for all ISPs would be (it was at one time, and hopefully will again) a good regulation. I'd also point out that reclassifying ISPs (regardless of the type of infrastructure, e.g., cable vs. telecom) as common carriers is about the farthest the FCC *could* go. No one is asking them to do anything more than that.

I'm mad about government surveillance and attempts to throttle free speech and personal liberties too. But knee-jerk reactions aren't helpful at all. Sadly, we likely won't get common carrier status for all ISPs. What's worse is that the state/local/municipal politician sale will continue, with entrenched players having their lap dog politicians keep them safe from competition.

If a free and vibrant Internet is important to you, start with your local government. You and your neighbors have a much better chance to effect change there than at the Federal level

Yes, really. There's much more, but you can find that for yourself. No, it doesn't replace classroom learning, but it can be an excellent adjunct to it.

In other news, a spokesman for gun maker Smith & Wesson said today that "gun ranges are the classrooms of the future." Film at eleven.

Okay. So let's have all your passwords and full access to your home, office and other property to make sure you're not breaking any laws. What? You have nothing to hide? Good. So we can install audio and video monitoring devices in your car and your house, including the bedroom, bathroom, providing full 24/7 coverage. Nothing to worry about citizen, this is for your protection.