Re:You canadians are all alike... (Score 1)

"Net Neutrality" Use of this term here should be avoided because it means different things to different people. To deal with this particular issue properly we must first determine if Bell's action was required to maintain and protect the network and its ability to provide service to its customers, or if it has caved in to pressure or was rewarded into taking this action either internally or by third parties. There is also another possibility I will cover shortly Both Rogers Internet and Bell Sympatico are owned by different but similar parent companies that could easily be described as Mass Media Conglomerates which own radio and TV stations, specialty TV channels, magazine and book publishers, film and music studios and distribution companies. There is no doubt in my mind that both internet service providers have faced internal pressure starting in the Board Room and continuing on down the line to assist media producers efforts to curb file sharing. This would be in addition to external pressure from third parties with similar interests. Current Canadian Copyright Law allows the sharing and copying of music. (not video, just music) However this only means at present you can't be sued. It doesn't mean that media producers and copyright owners can't or won't discourage the practice by other means. Personally I think that Bell's current action was ordered by the Board Of Directors of their parent company as a political knee jerk reaction to the Canadian Government's recent withdrawal of new copyright legislation that would have pleased the media giants, but leave most voters upset with the current minority government which could face an election at any moment. After the election, (which will be soon) the new copyright legislation will be reintroduced. If the rumors regarding the new copyright law's content are true then the status quo on music copying would remain, but severe criminal and civil penalties would be created for distribution (file Sharing) and/or copying of most everything else. This will include sales (distribution) through second hand shops that are not run by registered charities. BTW: Music is legal to copy and share in Canada because the Canadian Government collects a special levy (tax) on the sale of blank CDs and tapes, then distributes the money to the artists. Recently this tax was expanded to include the tools which are used to copy and store music. This includes flash memory sticks, mp3 players, computer hard drives, programs like Nero and lots more items.