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Comment Glad to see this back!!!! (Score 1) 54

Several years ago (around 2007), a video blog called Rocketboom hosted by Amanda Congdon did an episode on Net Neutrality, what it means, and what a future might be like if it went away. https://youtu.be/SPap8ijDv5g?s...

This was a great take on the subject and should be required for all in Washington that think the internet is a series of tubes, or something close to that.

Years before this I had an argument with Comcast where they were trying to tell me what I could and could not put behind their cable modem in my own home. I wasn't running a business or anything, but had a lab for work that I made sure could not reach the internet, but could reach a system in my house.

I ended up telling Comcast "You are what's called an ISP. That means Internet Service Provider. Your job, is simply to provide me the bits and shut up. What I do behind your device, is my business so long as I'm not ruining your network, which I'm not." I'm sure a red light goes on when I call them now.

Glade these rules are back to put them in the proper place, at least for now.

Comment Re:So what's the big deal? (Score 1) 100

I think the big deal here is that it's nothing short of a cash grab on the part of Netflix.

For the last decade Netflix has looked the other why (I will not say encouraged) on this policy or TOS. Why? They were the big dog and their business was still growing. Password sharing was like free advertising and marketing for them. Only now that the market is flooded with streaming services from every content provider, has Netflix considered tightening the screws on their "policy".

We pay for a plan that includes 3 streams or 3 screens simultaneously. Why should Netflix give one iota of where those three screens are coming from? The customer base they are hurting most here are families. Why should a college aged child be expected to sign up and pay for their own Netflix account? They should be able to mooch off Mom and/or Dad while they are in college. Maybe that Mom and/or Dad has a set of elderly parents on fixed income and they "help out" a bit with some stuff and letting their parents use that Netflix account to get some entertainment that is different from basic cable or satellite.

3 screens is 3 screens. Netflix incurs no extra cost if those screens stream to a single location or 3 different ones.

I know there are folks out there that are doing password sharing in a far more egregious manner than I'm describing above, those are the ones they should go after, they really should leave the families alone. ...And by family I mean parent, child, grandparent, grandchild. I'm not talking aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Off soap box. $.02 spent.

Comment Was there a TikTok logo on the side? (Score 1) 209

This is China's way to ensure continuance should the US ban TikTok.

All the attention less tweenies and teenies will be able to keep on Toking thanks to this balloon.

Where would the US be without the latest and greatest TikTok challenge. There would be no way to propel us forward as a people and society. We would suffer on a global scale. ;)

Comment "TikTok is fine" -- A Teen (Score 1) 80

"Oh TikTok is fine, they have no right to ban it! What information could they even be getting?" -- So says a teen family member as they type away on their Apple iPhone watching TikTok videos and move on to their Apple MacBook using their Google account to access Google Docs to write a paper for school.

"Well, how about you sign up for Facebook Messenger, so we can communicate with you better while you are at school since we don't have iPhones?" -- A Parent

"NO WAY!!! Facebook is evil and all they do is gather and sell your information to everyone on everything you do! I will NEVER sign up with them!" --The Teen

Comment That's great, now could you please.... (Score 3, Interesting) 22

Dear Spotify,

Congratulations on your branching into the audiobook market. Now for all that is good and decent in this world, could you please put some funding and energy into allowing us adults who have had our accounts totally infected, infested, and rendered completely useless by our children's musical taste fix the glitch without having to ditch the account and start over?

Some recommendations:
      - Bring back the dislike button
      - Allow the user to ban artists from being played
      - Allow the user to remove played items from their history

It might be your service, but it's my data, and I'd like some control over it.

Thank you.

Comment I'm still asking this question.... (Score 1) 65

If I pay for three screens, why should Netflix give a crap where those three screens are? If I'm only sharing my password with my immediate family, they should not give a crap either. This is nothing short of a cash grab now that there are many more streamers competing for my $15/month.

When did underpants gnomes start working at Netflix?

Comment Riddle me this, Batman... (Score 1) 113

If I have a Netflix plan that allows for three screens of streaming simultaneously, why should Netflix give a crap where the three screens are located? If all three screens are streaming at the same time, the data required is the same whether it's to my home on three TV's or to three different homes on three TV's? This sounds like nothing but a cash grab to me.

Comment I have a CompSci degree. (Score 1) 365

As a Computer Science undergrad, I had to take 12 credits of Calculus. I was taking Calculus courses, just to pass, right up until my final semester. Everything else was fine, Physics, Comp Sci/Programming courses, Logic, Discrete Math. I did well everywhere but Calculus.

In round numbers, the total number of times I have had to use Calculus of any kind since graduation:

ZERO, 0, nought, nil, zilch, zip, nada

I still hold the book as a trophy of pride that I actually completed this quest of insanity.

Stop weeding the students out and help them be engaged in their potential passion.

Comment Re:Unconstitutional IMHO (Score 1) 97

I think what we really need is a bill requiring our leaders in congress to read The Constitution, before introducing a bill.

I think what we REALLY REALLY need is to stop calling the elected in Washington "leaders". They ARE NOT leaders. Not even close. They are representatives and need to reminded of that by their constituents.

I don't want to be led, I want to be represented.

Comment 2020 is a statiscal outlier (Score 1) 95

Comparing any numbers to 2020 numbers is creating a statistical absurdity. One year ago was a different world completely than we are currently living in. We were still in some kind of lockdown/restriction and everyone flooded to online retailers to purchase items for the holidays. I'd like to see how 2021 numbers stack up against 2019 numbers.

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