[clue-tech] So-called "smart" hosts.

[Nate Duehr]

William wrote:
> T. Joseph Carter wrote:
>> Okay, now that I am using Comcast for connection purposes, I have
>> discovered an old pet peeve of mine: Discrimination based on connection
>> class.  I have a valid IP, I have valid DNS, and I have a valid 
>> mailserver
>> at the IP with the appropriate DNS entry.
>>
>> At least two major sites refuse my email because I am not using Comcast's
>> so-called smarthost.  Now, I'm paranoid about my email.  I want to 
>> know if
>> my mail is delivered or not, first of all, and I don't necessarily trust
>> Comcast nor any other ISP whose admins I do not know and trust at 
>> least by
>> reputation to not lose my mail, in either direction.
>>
>> Any suggestions, besides seeking professional assistance regarding this
>> paranoia of mine?  ;)

> Unless the landscape has changed, I was told back in 1999 that (FCC?) 
> law specifically prohibits cable-based ISPs from allowing their 
> consumers to run servers (at home).  This isn't just a ban on web 
> servers by cable providers; this is everything.  The widely infamous 
> Port 80 ban is one consequence of this.  The explanation I received was 
> something along the lines of "Our service isn't federally chartered to 
> provide that level of Internet service to home consumers."
> 
> Given this, if you want to run any kind of at-home server, you're using 
> the wrong ISP.  I use DSL instead of Cable for this very reason; no 
> restrictions.

That's a lie.  A bold-faced lie told to you by someone at an ISP who 
didn't want to offer the service.

The Feds don't care or (yet) regulate service to that level at any ISP 
other than ISP's being required to cooperate with various Federal 
monitoring systems if requested.  Subpoenas are rarely required now, 
after various law changes.

With the debates recently about tiered Internet and access classes for 
various services and QoS and Net Neutrality (there, did I get all the 
buzzwords right?) the Feds probably WILL be involved one way or another 
at some point in the U.S.

Yet another reason businesses will move certain functions overseas to 
get away from the U.S.'s legal insanity.  All because our businesses 
can't act ethically and responsibly toward their customers without 
government oversight.

Nate