ISP Information:
An add-on device in computers that deals specifically with displaying to a monitor. Without one you cannot see what's going on in your computer, and may have to resort to the ancient method of using a printer as a monitor (please don't do that). ISP Glossary:
Video Card - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58685-2004May26.htmlBy Jonathan KrimAmong the many things the Internet does with incredible efficiency isbreed conspiracy theories.So as the great network has evolved, concerns about whether thecompanies that control the Internet's pipes might one day discriminateamong what Web sites you could see, or whose movies you coulddownload, have often been dismissed as silly, impossible or both.The response from network owners, particularly the cable-televisioncompanies that provide increasing percentages of high-speed Internetconnections, has always been: "Is there evidence that we've ever donethis?"For the most part, no. But the concept of "network neutrality" has notjust been a worry of the usual lineup of consumer groups and liberalInternet think tanks.In a controversial report issued early this month, Yankee analystslooked at one of today's hottest technologies, voice service over theInternet, also known as VoIP. Specifically, the analysts werepessimistic that the biggest VoIP player today, New Jersey-basedVonage Corp., could survive once the cable and telephone companiesthat provide most broadband Internet connections jump into the VoIPgame, as they are beginning to do.Primarily, the analysts said, the Internet operators would effectivelybundle VoIP with other offerings, making it hard for independents suchas Vonage to compete. But the analysts also said this:"It may seem like a dodgy competitive tactic, but broadband networkproviders could slow down Vonage's service. As subscribers increasetheir use of latency sensitive and graphic rich ... traffic,broadband providers could give network precedence to their ownrevenue-generating services. Unless Vonage pays fees to the networkprovider, there is no reason the operator should not make the servicea lower priority on the network."This is a bit chilling to Vonage chief executive Jeffrey Citron."If that happens in this world, the value of the Internet wouldinstantaneously be massively devalued," he said, because it couldhappen with any kind of content or application. Although Vonage hasseen no actions to degrade its service in the United States, itsengineers are suspicious about some complaints it has received fromcustomers in Canada.Full story at:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58685-2004May26.html(Free registration required)
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