At the current typical rates of about $10/gb, the telecoms will be able to rake in huge profits.... or not.

I think that this is one of the few times I have EVER seen almost complete agreement here on something. One thing we know for sure is that Carly has plenty of references and I don't think they will help her win.

http://xkcd.com/378/

Music can be obtained from torrents, purchasing online or it can be obtained from legal streaming services. These are all valid if not legal sources of music. If one or more becomes too expensive or unavailable, the others will fill in the gap. This was quite visible when the music industry refused to embrace mp3 music distribution. The illegal sources flourished during this time. Once Apple, Amazon and other started selling mp3's without DRM, these illegal sources became less attractive. Note that all channels still exist but the usage will change as the pricing (risk vs. $'s) shifts between them.

Causing the streaming services to go offline will only cause customers to go to the other channels and I do not believe there will be an appreciable increase to the mp3 sales channel.

We have about 10 years worth of tools in our development environment and we have 2.5, 2.6 and multiple 2.7 installations of Python. This is one of those deals that the old tools aren't broken and we have more important things to do than upgrade/test on the new Python. Not a very satisfying situation but we want to prioritize our 60-70 hour work week appropriately.

It has been admitted that without the voluntary cooperation of these companies, this level of surveilance would not be possilbe. So, are there any heros out there we should support that have NOT been cooperating?

Actually, even today, there are buggy whip manufacturers. The key is to recognize that you have a shrinking market size and that only the best and unique suppliers are going to survive. So, your friend, assuming he wants to stay in this shrinking market and intensifying competition will need to think of how he can outperform downloads. Are there services that are not provided by downloads. How about teaming up with the local pizza joint and delivering a pizza and a movie. Personalize the service and know the customer.

Look at, for example, stores that still sell LP records. How are they staying in business? What do they have that the other, now dead, players didn't have?

If the company developed its network in an open and free marketplace it has a right to its property. A company is a person or group of people that risk their capital to create that network. However, most telecom networks were not developed in a truly free marketplace. Various government regulations, subsidies and monopolies allowed them to effectively dominate and/or monopolize access to the "free speech". If antitrust regulations had applied to telecom providers everyone would have more than one choice for accessing the network. Many of us have only one choice and this is NOT a free marketplace.

So, the question is: If you are granted a monopoly do you forfeit certain rights to your private property?

http://xkcd.com/378/

I am on the internet several hours a day between work and home and a voracious reader of sources from all ends of the ideological spectrum and my conservatism, if anything, is re-enforced.

Under the old model I could buy the game for $59 and sell it for $19. Net cost is $40. Also, I could share the game on all the consoles or PC's in my household (Family plan). Now the game is $59 and the family plan is over $118 or higher. Now add the inconvenience of the DRM and the effective playability (i.e. value has been decreased). Take all this together and ask: Is this game still worth buying? Some people will still buy at this "higher price" some won't. If they made the right choice they will have higher profits, if the didn't the result will be lower profits. Getting all upset because they "screwed up" the product is like getting all pissed off because the new Ford Mustang only has a 100HP engine and they are charging the same price for it. You probably won't like it, won't buy it, and Ford will have lower earnings.

The problem is that I am not being "supervised" to the level that I am being checked multiple times per hour. I am fortunate that I work for a company that evaluates me on my results and compares me to others for ranking and frankly doesn't care how I achieve those results as long as it is ethical/legal. This means, that if I want to browse Slashdot all day long and then work at night-- not a problem. This invasive supervision also creates an environment where the smart people will find a job elsewhere and all you will have left are lower performing people that need the supervision.

This is so scary, it's surreal.

I better buy some black electrical tape.