Today, Network Neutrality; Tomorrow, Digital Rights Management (DRM).

While the telecommunications battle of 2006 has been all about Network Neutrality, a storm is gathering for 2007-8 to be the war over Digital Rights Management. With more and more elements of a dumb, end-to-end network under attack, with the planned unleashing of Windows Vista upon an unsuspecting, relatively DRM-free population, and with copyright fights getting nastier and nastier, it is going to be a doozy of a fight. Remember the flak over the Sony DRM computer virus (basically a root kit to prevent copying of CDs)? Well that was just the shot across the bow. Look for the battle to really heat up with Vista's release next year.