On Mon, 22 Oct 2007, Bora Akyol wrote:
I think network operators that are using boxes like the Sandvine box are doing this due to (2). This is because P2P traffic hits them where it hurts, aka the pocketbook. I am sure there are some altruistic network operators out there, but I would be sincerely surprised if anyone else was concerned about "fairness"
The problem with words is all the good ones are taken. The word "Fairness" has some excess baggage, nevertheless it is the word used. Network operators probably aren't operating from altruistic principles, but for most network operators when the pain isn't spread equally across the the customer base it represents a "fairness" issue. If 490 customers are complaining about bad network performance and the cause is traced to what 10 customers are doing, the reaction is to hammer the nails sticking out. Whose traffic is more "important?" World of Warcraft lagged or P2P throttled? The network operator makes P2P a little worse and makes WoW a little better, and in the end do they end up somewhat "fairly" using the same network resources. Or do we just put two extremely vocal groups, the gamers and the p2ps in a locked room and let the death match decide the winnner?