Post by: kimmer on August 29, 2008, 01:19:27 PM
Post by: Paddy on August 29, 2008, 04:06:50 PM
They ought to try moving north of the border, where Robbers impose a 90GB/mo limit on their top rate plan (equivalent to Comcast's one-tiered plan), throttle P2P, and generally get away with highway robbery. But there are lots of places where it's even worse!
Post by: sandbox on August 29, 2008, 08:40:41 PM
I would suspect that anyone using over 250 might want to have a commercial account with a dedicated IP.
If you want a dedicated IP it cost you more and then you may as well spend a few bucks more to get the commercial account.
The commercial accounts have some advantages, sometimes they're on a faster, separate pipe, at least after the first mile.
I was pretty certain that the industry was going to block net-neutrality before the next administration came in, this is just an end-run around the issue and a big foot in the door to make a legal case when the time comes.
Look for the Bandwidth to be reduced once they feel that the public has adjusted and the abusers are in their place.
Patty, we may never be as low as your limits but i suspect that in the coming years we'll move closer. They just do not want to build the network with excessive capacity and then have a new technology come along and leave their network behind. We're experiencing that now with FiOS, where the cable company is capturing regions with fiber and forcing residents to stay on cable. If Verizon had gotten the region first, then the Cable folks would have competition that they don't want. The fix is in around here, it's very hard to get FiOS if the Cable Companies run the fiber first, and the race is on. People are actually making housing choices over neighborhoods with FiOS, just like they do when considering Schools.
Post by: kimmer on August 29, 2008, 08:46:39 PM
My bigger concern is comcast has gobbled up smaller companies and taken over markets and in some areas is the only game in town ... and people signed up for unlimited and now they rules are changing. It's not ethical, in my opinion.
If the big boys can get away with this, then the little guys will follow suit and I wonder if we'll go back to 14.4 dial up with limited hours and paying through the nose for the non-privilege.
Post by: sandbox on August 30, 2008, 02:33:39 AM
Post by: krissel on August 30, 2008, 03:28:56 AM
Post by: sandbox on August 30, 2008, 04:11:30 AM
My sense is that they don't want you to know and think your not using enough but getting charged for an allocation you leave on the table. This has always been my argument against the system we employ. I really think we need to use the Utility Standard and pay for what we use. my 2ยข
Post by: Paddy on August 30, 2008, 09:45:42 AM
There are some Mac-compatible bandwidth monitors that you can download and install - this one seems the most useful:
http://lifehacker.com/software/featured-ma...eter-304529.php
Post by: krissel on August 30, 2008, 10:39:16 PM
Thanks Paddy. Downloaded that app and will give it a try. Just curious to see how I stand in all this bandwidth discussion.
Post by: Xairbusdriver on August 31, 2008, 02:54:45 PM
QUOTE
The family next door fills theirs to the brim yet we both are charged the same.
Sounds like maybe you need to suggest letting them use some of your space for half price? Or just waste more! 
The great thing about all these on-line services (and practically anything with an open-ended 'stop' date) is that 9.999% tell you, in some of the thousands of lines of an "agreement", "These terms may be changed at any time by 'us' and your only recourse is to request termination (assuming you discover the change!)!" I'm sure Comcast's announcement will serve their lawyers as a "public notice" of all customers.
250GBs does sound generous. But so did 640MB of RAM! And I was 'getting along' with 16K on my Apple ][!
Post by: kimmer on August 31, 2008, 08:11:35 PM
QUOTE(sandbox @ Aug 30 2008, 12:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Plutocracy
Well, Goofy might have something to say about that.
Post by: krissel on August 31, 2008, 11:17:25 PM
Post by: Xairbusdriver on September 01, 2008, 08:41:52 AM
QUOTE(SurplusMeter download site)
SurplusMeter is a .xcodeproj project, requiring Xcode 2.2 or later. The project file will not open on earlier versions of Xcode.
Anyone have a ".app" version? I'm too lazy to re-install Xcode...
Post by: krissel on September 01, 2008, 11:11:01 PM
It's on this page and a full app ready to use. I just checked it and so far it is collecting stats OK.
http://freespace.virgin.net/jeremy.dronfie...y/download.html
Post by: Paddy on September 02, 2008, 08:09:55 AM
Everywhere I've lived, the sewage charges were determined by the metered water charges; use more water, and the assumption is that the sewage use is roughly parallel. Of course, this doesn't necessarily work if your major use is watering your lawn, but is generally much fairer than a flat rate! In North Andover, you could also get a bypass meter installed, which would measure the amount being used for irrigation and not include that amount in your sewer bill.
Sharing internet services with neighbors, though I'm sure it's fairly widespread, is expressly forbidden in any cable company contract I've seen. Of course, it was a whole heck of a lot easier to catch people before wireless came along - the best they can do now is complain that you have an open network and there is NO law against that! (Of course, if you are collecting fees from your neighbors and they can prove that, that might be a different story)
Post by: Xairbusdriver on September 02, 2008, 01:37:14 PM
QUOTE
Anyone have a ".app" version? I'm too lazy to re-install Xcode...
Thanks kris! Not only am I lazy, but I must be blind, also! I swear that's the same place I saw the source code download! And since we're talking about garbage, I think I'll go bring in the Recycle basket that was just collected!
Post by: krissel on September 03, 2008, 03:31:08 AM
As to sewage, it is based roughly on how much they 'estimate' your water usage. Much of the town is on private well water (and many have septic) so there are no meters to prove how much or little you put into the system. They just figure a base rate and then add to it if you have a very large house with lots of bathrooms. The amount of water they guess I'm using is just ridiculous for one person. My well would be dry if I used that much water.
Post by: Paddy on September 03, 2008, 11:53:22 AM
Private hauling of trash can be a big mess (no pun intended) if you ask me. The profit motive and the environmental concerns don't always coincide.
Nevertheless, I'm surprised that in this day and age, your town hasn't imposed a more eco-friendly fee structure on your hauler. Of course, who knows what palms have been greased...And in some places, the town doesn't appear to be involved at all - it's a field day (for the haulers). A friend of mine with a house in Cotuit, MA last year had THREE different haulers going up and down her very short lane on three different days as the residents all had different haulers. One of them went out of business over the winter, so it's now down to two.
Post by: krissel on September 04, 2008, 12:37:43 AM
Haulers do compete to an extent in some towns (my folks have two choices) but most people don't actively look for another hauler since the areas are normally 'locked' up and a new company won't drive out of their way to pick up one or two customers. I had some trouble with my guy years ago when they insisted on bringing their full sized truck down our street and he would back into my drive to turn around. He would come at 5 AM and wake everyone up with the backup beeper on the truck. I complained to the county commissioner and he was ordered to come later. Then at one point (probably in retaliation) his truck crushed my mailbox and drove off without saying anything. My neighbor saw him and told me. After spending a couple weeks trying to contact them about paying for a replacement I had to get the local police involved. They stopped him on his route and told him to take care of the bill or they 'would find a reason to give him a ticket'.
Shortly after that they were sold to another business who now comes down the street with a small pickup truck. My only complaint now is the high cost for so little trash.