As regular listeners and readers know, the entire No Prisoners, No Mercy (NPNM) are members of a group called “The Older Gamers” – this is the “TOG” that we talk about on our show so much. Yes, the next time you think that all gamers are created equal stop over at The Older Gamers and you will find a home for over 14,000 of us who are all over 25. So it is that we have a chance to meet gamers from all over the world.
Not that long ago, a guild member announced that he could not participate in a planned event. Not that this is unusual mind you. What did spark our interest is his reason…it seems that he had gone over the limit set by his internet provider so he was forced to go to “his dialup backup account.” Sadder still is that we have a backup account as well.
Sherman set the Wayback Machine for 2003 when CNET carried an article entitled Putting a Lid on Broadband Use describing a Comcast customer who was sent a notice telling him he could avoid being suspended if he cut his internet usage in half – the problem is Comcast wouldn’t tell him what the limit is. But not every internet provider has problem setting strict limits. If your provider is Cox Communications, make sure you don’t get the “value” package if you like to watch movies. If you watch 2 movies a day on the internet you can easily exceed the 50 GB per month limit. Fortunately not ever internet provider sets limits.
The good
The net neutrality talks recently ground to a screeching halt as the deal that Google and Verizon brokered between themselves drove a stake through the heart of the talks. The good news is that the talks have reopened as of yesterday at the D.C. of ITI (Information Technology Industry Council). Present where Cisco, Microsoft, and Skype, who are ITI members, as well as AT&T, Verizon and NCTA.
The Bad
Poltiico.com is reporting that those notably absent were Google, The Open Internet Coalition, which represents companies like Amazon and eBay (also members if ITI). It appears that the public interest community, which supports OIC, is steaming about not being invited to the talks. As for us here at NPNM we wonder with the OIC and the FCC what is the point? Aside, perhaps, of making sure interests of the public are not represented.
The Hopeful
We have our own unofficial “you da’ man” list that includes people such as Rob Pardo, R.W. Harper and now we can add Senator Al Franken. Today Senator Franken will join commissioners Michael Copps and Mignon Clyburn at a forum entitled “Future of the Internet” in Minneapolis, hosted by Free Press. All we can add is “Go get ‘em senator”.
Help me Obie Wan
Help me Obie Wan you’re my only hope. Or perhaps we should say “help me ArenaNet”. What has us hoping and hopping for the raging success of Guildwars 2 is their business model. Buy the game and that’s it. Our reason is simple – we figure we will need that extra $15 dollars per month to pay for the internet.
The No Prisoners, No Mercy Team