ISP-contracts versus GPL-freedoms

[Niall Douglas]

On 8 Dec 2002 at 2:56, Wouter Vanden Hove wrote:

> For example I'm allowed to download 8.5 GB a month, and 1.5 upload a
> month. I don't need that much, but my IPS forbids me to use any
> software that act as a server. I'am not even allowed to login to my
> own machine, because ssh'ing to my machine makes my machine a
> ssh-server. Of course also no Apache, FTP, Sendmail, Gnutella, MySQL,
> CVS, Kepler [http://kepler.cs.odu.edu/ ]...
> 
> If my upload is restricted, and the speed of the upload is already
> articifically limited, why shouldn't we then not be allowed to login
> to our own machine? What good is it to have a 24h/24h
> internet-connection if you're not allowed to use its basic
> functionalities?
> 
> Freedom zero: "The freedom to run the program, for any purpose".
> But with what ISP?

That's horrendous. Unless you have a compelling reason, you should 
switch ISP's. I have cable by Madritel in Madrid here and for 80 euro 
a month I get 300 upload 600 down unlimited transfers. I also have my 
own IP and can run server applications. I use VNC to do my email etc. 
via modem when I'm away from home. When I was working, I also used my 
machines at home via the internet as they have better resources.

I transfer around 2-3Gb per day on average (all my english-language 
television comes through the internet) and there's never been any 
problem. They had some packet loss issues a few months ago but it's 
been slowly getting better.

Cheers,
Niall