[LINK] How filters work (was Re: Possible Letter to Conroy (the

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Irene writes,

> I'd strongly recommend completely ignoring the vast majority
> of claims in the media about what the govt intends to supply

Yes, apparently you're right Irene, thanks. But it does appear true
from the following item that our government has selected an optimum
solution in selecting their six filter-trial ISPs .. first and free:

--
'Greedy ISPs kept from filtering trial'

Suzanne Tindal, ZDNet.com.au 16 March 2009 10:29 AM
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Greedy-ISPs-kept-from-
filtering-trial/0,130061791,339295460,00.htm


Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said that the reason some Internet 
Service Providers (ISPs) hadn't been chosen in the first round of ISP 
filtering was that they had greedily tried to get the department to pay 
for upgrades to their own equipment.

"Some of them, cheaply, took the opportunity to try and get the 
Commonwealth to fund an upgrade in their own equipment," he said, 

"Some of them came to us and said look, we can do this no problem, zero 
dollar costs. So obviously we were able to start with them .."

The timing of Conroy's announcement of the winning bidder or bidders 
would depend on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's timetable, Conroy said, since 
the Prime Minister wanted to be part of the announcement.

"He has an overseas trip coming up soon and so we are seeing whether we 
can get it ready in time before he goes, or shortly after he comes back" 
Conroy said.
--

> Yes, blocking content on the ACMA list .. is a completely pointless 
> exercise and waste of taxpayers' money, whatever their claimed 
> purpose/objective is ... Irene

Ah, but it's not pointless, as conjectured this afternoon. If & when it
happens, the Australian government will be the envy of just about every
other government.  They'll be able to block any website they don't like
for all Australia, and, entirely in secret. Haha, what could be better?

It will mean we will be the envy of every government in the entire free
world. What a first (Ok, 2nd, after China) for Australia. I guess we'll
have politicial junkets from all over the world, just coming to see how
Kev does it. Doesn't it make one feel proud. We should all stand in awe.

Hurry and go, or come back, Kev, so we can make a pile from the junkets.


Cheers,
Stephen