The OS is the only real potential gamechanger here, and I'm not so sure about it. Engadget( http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/08/palm-announces-web-os-platform/ ) claims that WebOS is designed to be simple for programmers and is based on HTML, XML, and CSS. Don't know about you, but I just can't wait for another feature limited mobile OS. Also, the prospect of a data breach on an OS designed around a write-up language and online functionality ruins my day.

By doing this the BBC would opt to become one of the first (and largest) players in European tiered-web. The control that they would command could possibly turn British ISPs into the broadcast stations of the days of old. I'm sure they would reserve the right to not offer their services to ISPs that didn't pay-up from increased rates.

That's a matter of what piece of hardware a retailer is trying to push. There's no legitimate reason why out of two equally as modern machines, the smaller one would be faster or cheaper. Now why would a retailer (especially an electronics vendor like Frye's) push something that has a very limited upgrade cycle? Profit, my friend.

True, there are *some* standard parts, but have you ever tried to replace a bad motherboard with an off the shelf model or ordered an upgraded 15.4" LCD from Newegg? I think not. This is where a set of standards is needed.

Now just to get some more standards. . .and user-replaceable parts.

Okay, seriously, why is net neutrality still an issue? Has the world not taken notice of the HUGE SCANDAL conspired by United State's telecos? 200 BILLION DOLLARS in perks and incentives from the US Government, and the telecos still haven't managed even moderate FTTP penetration into the majority of the nation. If the citizens and the government have already payed for a yet unsubstantiated service, then why are we willing to allow the telecom industry to change the landscape and business model of the internet as a whole in order to better compensate them?

This is one of the largest scandals in American history. America is 16th in the world in broadband and the US DSL current offerings are 100 times slower than other countries such has Japan and Korea....

(source: http://muniwireless.com/community/1023 )

Japan and Korea BOTH boast home FTTP connections with symmetric speeds of 100 Mb/s for less than what many American pay for 1-5 Mb/s service over copper cable. Does anyone else see a massive problem here? As an American, I believe this is unacceptable by all terms. Net neutrality is a must, and their is no reason that its implementation shouldn't occur.