The backward desire to exert control over content by creating portals or gated communities is doomed to failure. Attempts to isolate, control and charge for content - desperately craving the scarcity business model of yesteryear - will only serve to drive away any potential audience into the arms of more responsive, immediate, accessible and even free alternatives.

The drag for Canadians is the monopoly which our major ISP’s (Bell, Rogers et al) enjoy in this country and the smug sense of ownership and entitlement they carry with them. By dragging their feet on innovation, neglecting to invest in infrastructure and colluding on delaying implementation of the emerging abilities within the net only serves to delay the inevitable and deny us access to both content and opportunity afforded to others beyond our borders.

Change will come - but in trudging down the path worn bare by their greedy feet of clay Rogers and all the other backward thinking dinosaurs will only manage to guarantee becoming the biggest losers as the rest of the world passes them by.

Personally, I already enjoy Hulu and many other geo-blocked services without much hassle. To quote the character Mr. Universe from Joss Whedon’s film Serenity: “You can’t stop the signal, Mal.”

Let them play their silly games. The net marches on.

Cheers.

FTFY.